Tuesday - June 25, 2024
Webber Baker
SCRIPTURE
Book of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) from the Prologue
Many great teachings have been given to us through the Law and the Prophets and the others that followed them, and for these we should praise Israel for instruction and wisdom. Now, those who read the scriptures must not only themselves understand them, but must also as lovers of learning be able through the spoken and written word to help the outsiders.
WORDS OF HOPE
Today is National Columnists Day. Columnist is one of those words that I, and I think, many people toss around without thinking about it’s true meaning. So, I went and looked it up. In general, a columnist is someone who writes features for publication in a periodical which often include comment and opinion. Of course, the term comes from the days of newspaper printing; because newspapers are always printed in columns. But the term is now expanded to people who write for blogs.
But I couldn’t help but think how appropriate that definition would be in many ways for the writers of the Bible, especially for the authors of the epistles. While often recording the events of the life of Jesus, while at the same time using those as a base for commentary on the actions of the people to whom they are writing. The apostle Paul is probably the best known for doing this, and I know that not everyone agrees that he should have the high standing within the church that he does. I agree.
But we find this throughout the Bible. I once heard a very fundamentalist preacher make the comment that one of the outstanding features of what we call the Old Testament, or the Jewish Testament is how self-deprecating it is. It is a series of stories about how the Israelites often fail to follow God and how God would step in, often with a prophet or other leader, and set them back on the proper path. And then they would again fail and the cycle would repeat. I never really thought about it that way, but in some ways it is true. And it’s also true that the Scriptures of other major religions do not seem to record so many failures and redemptions. And I don’t think it’s because those other groups didn’t have failures and redemptions, they just did not remind themselves of those things all the time.
But if you look at Christian scriptures, old and new, you begin to realize that telling a story with some opinion and commentary is the essence of the Christian scriptures. Granted these were not written with the idea of publication outside of perhaps the immediate audience to which they were intended, at least in terms of the epistles. The gospels were only written down at a time when it was becoming obvious that the end times were not quite as imminent as was originally thought by the followers of Jesus; and in most cases written down after the letters of Paul and the other apostles.
But otherwise, they do follow the concept of a columnist quite well.
So, I think it’s important to remember that these works were not intended as historical records, but are opinion and commentary wrapped in historical events that themselves had not ever been recorded except through oral tradition. Often, they were meant for a specific time or a specific people and can be viewed as guidance, but not necessarily as commandments.
PRAYER
Loving Creator, thank You for giving us the wisdom of others, and the ability to understand what it is You have in mind for us. We thank you for your Holy Spirit, the spirit of truth, and the spirit of love which comfort and guide us in all our days.
DEVOTION AUTHOR
Weber Baker
Order of Saint Francis and Saint Clare
Need Some Inspiration? Read our Daily Devotions
SCRIPTURE Philippians 3:7-9 (The Message) “ The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I’m tearing up and throwing out with the trash—along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I’ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him. I didn’t want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God’s righteousness.” WORDS OF HOPE Winners, Losers, and Jesus Followers If you were given the choice of being a winner or a loser, without any other defining explanation you would likely choose being a winner. Don’t most people want to win, be successful, accomplish something that others might cheer? What if you were given the choice of being positive or negative? Positive is where it’s at, right? Who wants to be a negative person? Now what if the context of those choices were framed differently. For example, if I am taking a blood test to determine if I have cancer, wouldn’t I desire a negative result? I positively would! What if my teenager’s cheerleading team wins a drawing to determine who will be the first to perform before judges at state competition? Typically, drawing the number one position is least favored, as the judges tend to more keenly remember the later performances when scoring so many teams. In this case, being first is the losing choice. Ultimately, life is less about winning or losing but rather about perspective. We can choose to be success-driven and judge our happiness by whether or not we are successful. But who measures success? Public opinion? Our own perception? Whoever is keeping score? The best standard, from my point of view, is to strive to follow Jesus. What are the qualities to strive for? Love and compassion, wisdom and grace, generosity and sharing, boundaries and self-care, sacrifice and commitment, devotion and abiding faith. These things along with hope and promise yield serenity and fulfillment. Such is the nature of a life that chooses not to dwell on winning, losing, or human approval but on delighting in what is truly transcendent. PRAYER Redeeming God, save me from myself, my petty priorities, and my need for other’s approval. May I instead delight in love, compassion and all things truly transcendent. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Rev. Dr. Gary Kindley Pastoral Psychotherapist DrGK.org
SCRIPTURE Numbers 6: 24-26* The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. WORDS OF HOPE A couple of weeks ago I woke up to find that my heating unit was suspiciously quiet. I was grateful that it hadn’t quit during the icy grip of winter earlier, but it was still chilly. Sage and I both bundled up for our walk, and when we got back, I kept her wrapped in her rainbow fleece—just to be sure she was warm enough. At 8:00 I texted Sam, my repairman who over the years has rescued me from emergencies in broiling heat and shivering cold. Faithful as ever, he came that afternoon. My unit is aged, and as soon as he started to examine it, I said, “Sam, you know I can’t afford to replace the system; we’re gonna have to find a work around.” His reply was that the same was true of so many of his clients. Sam is thoughtful and quiet, and after some sweet talk with Sage, he set about to trace down the mystery of why things had shut down. After a while, he’d located the problem, found the parts to repair it, and gotten things going again. As he walked out of the house and down the steps, he turned to say good bye, and I said, “Sam, I appreciate you so much.” A small thing, maybe—an appreciation not just for a job well done, but for who Sam is and for his faithful care all these years. Endings are more important to me these days—the quality of endings of all kinds: the end of a life, the end of a relationship, the end of a group meeting, an interaction at church, a visit with a friend, a casual talk with a neighbor, an exchange with a waiter in a restaurant…and more. The source of this feeling is in part an awareness of aging and the limited time I have left here. But it is also the experience of having cancer steal away my partner all too suddenly. As well, I have witnessed how many people are unable to have the kind of endings they wished because their loved one is in such pain that they must be under heavy sedation or are intubated or the like. Family divisions can also harden hearts and keep us from the bedside of someone. As much as I can, then, I want to be present and attentive to the quality of endings. A long-time life group member is leaving soon to live in Mexico. Though she hopes to be able to continue meeting on zoom with us, we’ll miss the face-to-face conversations and full body hugs at church. Earlier, when she retired, we gathered the group for a Texas-sized meal and shared remembrances (a get together that was followed by a pod of the group going for ax throwing!!). And we continue to keep with the progress of her transition and write notes of appreciation. BLESSING The Bible is filled with poignant farewells, but one of the most beautiful is the Aaronic blessing cited above in the scripture section. Moses delivers these words from God to Aaron, his brother and high priest of Israel. In ending, I offer them as a blessing for you, for our church and for our nation through John Rutter’s beautiful musical treatment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZN1mryHEnQ DEVOTION AUTHOR Dr. Pat Saxon *I have chosen to keep the original words of this ancient blessing. A more inclusive version follows : “May the Lord bless you and take care of you; may the Lord be kind and gracious to you; may the Lord look on you with favor and give you peace.
SCRIPTURE Isaiah 11. 1-4 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. WORDS OF HOPE Lord God, quiet my mind and help me to be more mindful of your presence and purpose in my life. In the days of the Lenten Season, we will be contemplating the Messiah. These will be times of reflection and the wonders of the perfect plans of the Eternal God in relationship with humankind. With Earth' s creation and the unfolding of the human experience, God saw great beauty and expanding potential for our loving relationship with the Holy One. The creative act endowed humanity with freedom of choice. Some individuals generally chose a lifestyle pattern which was compatible with divine hopes; while many more individuals ignored the opportunity to walk in the ways of God. Over many generations, disobedience and evil ways were chosen most often. From the descendants of the righteous man, Abraham, God chose to demonstrate the Divine's nature and purpose toward humanity. However, even those Israelites often failed to live according to God's desires. Even with the threat of increasing disregard for God’s will, the creation was not to be abandoned by God. Creation would be redeemed. And from the family of Jesse, King David's father, arose One who would restore humankind's relationship with God. Though often sung during Advent, listen to the words of this 16th-century German hymn: "Lo, how a Rose e'er blooming from tenderest stem hath sprung, of Jesse's lineage coming as saints of old have sung. It came a flower bright, amid the cold of winter, when half spent was the night. This flower, whose fragrance tender with sweetness fills the air, dispels with glorious splendor the darkness everywhere. True human but very God, from sin and death he saves and lightens our every load." PRAYER In the Lenten Season, as I walk the road toward sacrifice and resurrection, may I be more aware of your redeeming love. Prepare me to be more ready to share your love with others in my life. Be it ever so. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Donald (Luke) Day Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
READING “Today we can leave the governance of the universe to God.” - Martin Luther WORDS OF HOPE Have you ever noticed how many times you are asked a question that begins with “What are you doing….?” What are you doing this weekend? What are you doing tonight? What are you doing for spring break? What are you doing after church? What are you doing for dinner? What are you doing for Lent? What are you doing to make the world a better place? What are we doing? I don’t consider myself to have a Type A personality, but I do live each day with a somewhat lengthy To-Do list. The funny thing about my list is that I don’t write down the absolute “have-tos” for the day like feed the dogs, teach my classes, take my medication, I write down all the things that take up time but don’t really have to be done today. And then I judge my day and myself by how successful I was at accomplishing all the things on that list. The reality is that no ill will come to me or anyone else if I fall short of checking every single thing off that list today. And yet, I feel like not doing it all diminishes my “goodness”. I am certain that I am not alone in these feelings. When my youngest daughter was a toddler, bedtime consisted of me singing the song “Seek Ye First,” by Karen Lafferty, many many times. The text is based on various passages from the Gospel of Matthew. Seek ye first the kingdom of God And His righteousness, And all these things shall be added unto you. Allelu, Alleluia! Ask, and it shall be given unto you; Seek, and ye shall find. Knock, and the door shall be opened unto you. Allelu, Alleluia! Man shall not live by bread alone, But by every word That proceeds from the mouth of God. Allelu, Alleluia! In those days of parenting a small child, singing these words with her were often just another thing to cross off my to-do list. Get the baby to sleep so I could get all of the other things done that were still left on my daily list. Looking back now, thirty-three years later, I realize that the times spent singing this song over and over with my daughter were God speaking to me through the voice of a little child, a small voice pleading with me to “seek-y” first the kingdom of God, a message that both she and God knew that I needed to hear. How different might our days be if we more carefully curated our to-do lists and made the top item to seek first the kingdom of God? How might our relationship with God be strengthened if when we are asked what we are doing, we respond by saying, “sitting quietly in the presence of God?” How different might we feel if we left governance of the universe to God? PRAYER “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10) Be still and know that I am. Be still and know. Be still. Be. DEVOTION AUTHOR Kris Baker Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
READING Spiritual Hymn: "Follow Me", lyrics by Ira F. Stamphill: I traveled on a lonely road and no one seemed to care. The burden on my weary back had bowed me to despair; I oft complained to Jesus how folks were treating me, And then I heard Him say so tenderly, "My feet were also weary, upon the Calvary road; The cross became so heavy, I fell beneath the load, Be faithful weary pilgrim the morning I can see, Just lift your cross and follow close to me." "I work so hard for Jesus" I often boast and say "I've sacrificed a lot of things to walk the narrow way, I gave up fame and fortune, I'm worth a lot to Thee" And then I hear Him gently say to me, "I left the throne of glory and counted it but loss, My hands were nailed in anger upon a cruel cross, But now we'll make the journey with your hand safe in mine, So lift your cross and follow close to me. Oh Jesus if I die upon a foreign field someday, 'Twould be no more than love demands, no less could I repay, "No greater love hath mortal man than for a friend to die" These are the words He gently spoke to me, "If just a cup of water I place within your hand Then just a cup of water is all that I demand. But if by death to living they can Thy glory see, I'll take my cross and follow close to Thee. WORDS OF HOPE I love the old-time hymns. They bring to mind the best parts of my growing up years in church. Much of my church experience was full of guilt and shame. But the hymns are full of great wisdom. What wonderful theology "If just a cup of water I place within your hand. Then just a cup of water is all that I'll demand." How wonderful to put your faith in a God who won't ask you for more than you have to give! And in my life each time I have trusted God with what I had, God blessed me with more! During your practice of Lent, I hope you will be able to find a song of faith that moves you to a closer walk as you follow Jesus’ example on this earth. PRAYER Wonderful God, thank you for giving us your faithful promises to always be with us. DEVOTION AUTHOR Jan Nunn, CoH Volunteer
SCRIPTURE Ephesians 2:14-16 For Christ himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. WORDS OF HOPE We live in fractious and divisive times. Political polarization between progressives and conservatives has widened so much over the past several decades that compromise is nearly impossible. Americans increasingly get their news and commentary from different algorithmic media ecosystems, making dialogue more difficult. Questions about race, immigration, economic inequality, religious identity, and gender roles have become focal points of intense disagreement. And yet, amidst this division, there are countercurrents of cooperation. Local communities, service organizations, faith groups, and civic groups continue to work across differences to address practical needs. More recently, we have seen such collaborations in the Twin Cities area and in local municipalities that have banded together to support marginalized communities and oppose the takeover of inappropriate facilities for detention centers. These efforts remind us that division, though powerful, is not the only force at work in our common life. In the second chapter of Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul offers the imagery of a “dividing wall of hostility” being torn down, teaching that the gospel removes barriers—ethnic, cultural, or social. The church is called to live out this unity, not rebuild the walls Christ has already torn down. Today is World Day of Prayer. The chief purpose of this Day is to unite Christians around the world in prayer and informed action for peace, justice, and the needs of others. The movement encourages ongoing compassion, understanding, and support for ministries that uplift communities and address human need. This present time continues to be fractious because our disagreements are sharp, identities feel threatened, human lives are endangered, and trust is fragile. In many instances, that division may not or should not be bridged; we must be clear-eyed and resolute about standing up to injustice and speaking out when peace is threatened. But even so, we remain open to Paul’s words and to the purpose of the World Day of Prayer, which calls us to dismantle the “dividing wall of hostility” and to seek, wherever possible, the patient work of rebuilding understanding and common ground. PRAYER Lord Jesus, you are our peace. Break down the walls that divide us and reconcile us to one another and to you. Put to death the hostility in our hearts and make us one in your love. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Thomas Riggs