Devotion - Thursday, February 28

The next section of Romans can be difficult for modern readers.  It is Paul's attempts to show the uselessness of "The Law" with regard to seeking salvation.

In Romans 2:12-24, Paul builds the argument that if you seek to live by the law, then you must be prepared to accept the law's pronouncement.  We are most likely to want to point out those aspects of the law which make us look good, while ignoring those aspects of the law which call our actions into question.

The law says we are forbidden to covet.  In response, we hold our tongue and are never heard to say, "I want for my own those cute boots worn by Cindy."  But when we realize that our flip phone doesn't allow me to SnapChat, we begin the process of convincing our parents it is time for an upgrade.

The law says we are not to kill.  In compliance, we never hold a gun in our hand, point it at an innocent neighbor, and pull the trigger.  But we spend $10 on a late night run to Cookout; the same amount it would cost to buy a mosquito netting to prevent a child in Sudan from contracting malaria. 

If we are going to use the law to say of ourselves, "I follow what God asks of me," then we had better be ready to have another look at our adherence and give a second opinion.

Paul tells us that the law can never justify us.  He helps us to see that we must depend on something other than our own efforts.  Becoming "a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, a corrector of the foolish, and a teacher of children" starts with realizing that it is God's goodness and grace which allow us to live the life God would desire for us.

This section of Romans will continue to serve as our readings over the weekend.  I encourage you to complete chapter 2 and read chapter 3.  Meditate on what they are saying.  We will resume on Monday, with Chapter 4.

Devotion - Wednesday, February 27

One of the drawbacks to a devotional reading of the Bible is selecting which verses to read each day.  This becomes a real problem when the stopping point is in the middle of was most likely a continuous line of thought in the mind of the writer. 

Romans 1:25 should not be separated from Romans 1:26 ff (our text for today.)  Here, Paul addresses what happens when we exchange the truth about God for a lie.  He wants to challenge us to realize how disastrous our lives become when we begin to serve "the creature rather than the Creator."

We look back on Biblical times and think, "Those silly folks - praying at trees or stone faces carved in the rock."  We look back and convince ourselves that we would never do what they do.  "When have I ever worshiped 'the creature'?" we tell ourselves.

But the false gods of a generation are seldom easily identified as false gods.  A certain group-devotion develops around them and since "everyone is doing it" we find ourselves doing it too.

Paul has a list in 1:28ff, of the indications that we have given ourselves over to some lie, rather than following the truth.  He speaks of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice.  He would have us ask whether we have allowed envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity, gossip, slander, hatred of God, insolence, haughtiness, boastfulness, invention of evil, disobedience to parents, foolishness, faithlessness, heartlessness, and ruthless behavior to be present among us or in our lives.

It is a lie to think that we can do as we please and then expect everyone around us accept us and approve of our behavior. 

We cannot "create" a path for ourselves, pay no attention to God's guidance, and then expect things to fall perfectly into place.

The way of God is the way which leads us into healthy and wholesome relationships - relationships with God, with others, and with ourselves.

It is easy to see the lies others are living.  How devoted are we to identifying the lies which have crept into our life and even into our expressions of piety?

Devotion - Tuesday, February 26

I continue in Paul's letter to the church in Rome.  Today I read Romans 1:16-25.

The phrase which opens this section served as the theme for our GALSM retreat few years back - "For I am not ashamed of the gospel."  On that retreat, we discussed the reluctance we often have to speak to others about our faith, about our devotion, about our life among God's people.  The speaker asked us to consider whether it was embarrassment, or lack of knowledge, or as absence of enthusiasm which lead to our being shy about sharing.

The speaker didn't mean to suggest that any of you are "ashamed" of the gospel, i.e. wanting to avoid letting others know that we considered ourselves part of the Christian community.  But he did challenge us to be more forthright in sharing those aspects of the Gospel which put us at odds with the world around us.

This is the line of talk we are pursuing in our LCM Wednesday night programs.  We are looking at how uncomfortable Jesus made the comfortable.  Last week it was the religious leaders; this week it is the political authorities.  Jesus didn't ask, "Why are you ashamed of me?" but he did ask why we had become so complacent in the world around us - ignoring the directives of scripture.

In biology class, or geology class, when issues of carbon dating are raised, do we shy away from speaking?  Do we miss opportunities to say, "Here is how Genesis 1 reveals the same marvel as what recent science (science of the last two decades) is now teaching us?"  Or do we cower in our seats, dreading the mention of Christianity and the mislaid defense of one line of interpretation?

In our residence hall, when talk turns to "having a good time," or "blowing off steam," do we speak of the folly of seeking self-gratifying behaviors rather than finding our rest in that which is eternal and lasting?

We may not be ashamed of letting others know that we go to Church, or read our Bibles, but is it the fear of being shamed which leads to silence when we have opportunity to speak up?

Are we willing to be identified as "Christian" so long as that identification puts in step with the culture around us, while shying away when the calling of God demands that we speak against the conventional wisdom of our peer group?

Paul writes, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel."  Neither should we.

Devotion - Monday, Feburary 25

The lectionary I follow has me reading Romans.  If you continue to search for a Lenten discipline, I encourage you to read through this book with me over the next several weeks.

Today I read and reflected on Chapter 1, verses 1-15.

There is a comment in this section which allows us to see the difference between an apostle and a teacher or master.  Unlike the latter, an apostle is also engaged by the relationship with us; an apostle understands himself/herself as one invited into relationship with Christ who now seeks to expand the relationship.

Paul says to the believers gathered in Rome:  "For I long to to see you, that I might impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine."

The passing on of gifts, by an apostle, is a mutual exchange which strengthens both parties.

The encouragement of one believer is an encouragement for all.

Certainly Paul had a deeper understanding of the mind of Christ than the folks in Rome.  His awareness of Christ's hope for us allowed him to acknowledge that we pass on what we have first received not as tidbits of information but as an invitation into relationship. 

We don't tell others about Jesus; we tell other of Jesus. 

In my prayers, reflecting on this verse from Romans 1, I envisioned you sitting at your desk and pulling out your bible.  With a few glances back to the computer screen, you finally locate the passage and read it for yourself.  And I am encouraged.

Be encouraged;  by my words and by the words you share this day with those who journey with you through these 40 days.

Devotion - Thursday, February 21

My devotional guide has brought me to John 3.  Today's reading starts at 3:16, one of the most popular verses in the whole New Testament.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

Jesus offers this saying, as a way of stating God's intentions toward us.  The verse is about God's love, God's deep love, and how that love leads to our salvation.

The next verse continues to instruct us on this.  It reads, "For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him."

Say what you will, believe what you might, the coming of Jesus into our world was to make clear God's love for us and God's desire that we might be overcome with His love.

Devotion - Wednesday, February 20

We are now one week into our Lenten journey.  It seems appropriate to encourage you to reflect on how the journey is going.

Have you been able to maintain your Lenten discipline?  Are you finding additional time for your study of scripture, for acts of service?

Caesarius lived in the 5th Century, long before all the modern devices which eat up our time and energy.  Even so, he seemed to understand how easily we get consumed by the things which are supposed to make our lives easier.

"Although through the mercy of God you frequently and devoutly hear the divine lessons throughout the entire year, still during these days we ought to rest from the winds and the sea of this world by taking refuge, as it were, in the haven of Lent and in the quiet of silence to receive the divine lessons in the receptacle of our heart."

Turn off your computer, put down your smart phone, read the words of scripture and sit in silence as the words make their way into your heart.

I cannot begin to express how the first 60 minutes of my day renew me and restore me.  They are spent in a quiet home, with few lights - a cup of coffee; my Bible; the meditations of my heart; and the voice of God reminding me what is essential.

Caesarius continues:  "During these holy days of Lent if you cannot cut off the occupations of this world, at least strive to curtail them in part.... For this world either laughs at us or is laughed at by us."

Devotion - Tuesday, February 19

It is really easy to read stories of Jesus' displeasure with the religious practices of his day and think, "How could they have been so naive?"  Or, "Why would they have thought that was what God wanted them to spend their time doing?"

Today's reading is from John 2.  It is the story of Jesus driving the money changers out of the Temple.  We hear of those there to sell pigeons or convert Roman coins to Jewish currency and we find it easy to understand why Jesus drove them out.

Rather than give us reason to be self-congratulatory, such stories could challenge us to ask how pleased Jesus would be with our use of God's house. 

I do not mean to cast doubt on the sincerity of the prayers offered at 113 Sloan Street.  But the story in John 2 encourages us to ask whether those prayers align themselves with the humble petitions of the tax collector; rather than come off sounding like the words of the self-righteous Pharisee.

The prayers we offer on Sunday morning are part of a whole week of interaction with God.  The prayers we lift before God are to be consistent with the actions we do on Monday, the way we speak of our neighbors on Tuesday, and so forth.  When we gather, in God's house, a proper use of that gathering space is to reflect together on what God has given us and the use we are making of those gifts.

A proper use of God's house surely means using that place to be honest with ourselves, honest about our actions, honest about how eager we are to serve others, honest as to what we consider most important.  We don't come there to be inoculated against an eternity in Hell, so much as we come to be coached on how to live as Jesus lived.

Read John 2:13-22 for yourself.  Consider the use you see being made of God's house.  What, if anything, do you think needs to be driven out?  And in the empty space which results, what would you put in place?

Devotion - Monday, February 18

Whenever you read a verse of the Old Testament, quoted in the New Testament, you would do well to check the cross-reference.  The single verse is quoted, but the context of that verse is implied.

In yesterday's reading from Luke 4, in response to the temptation to turn the stones into bread, Jesus says "Man does not live by bread alone."  This morning's appointed reading from the Old Testament is the wider context from which that verses comes.

Deuteronomy 8:1-20 is an instruction to the people of Israel.  "All the commandments which I command you this day you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Lord swore to give to your fathers."

In the verses which follow, they are reminded that throughout the forty years of their wandering in the wilderness, "Your clothing did not wear out upon you, and your foot did not swell."  God provided for them.  God provides for us now.

We tend to forget this, or take credit for the things we have - as if we earned them or deserve them.  We are too quick to claim the things which we have as an indication of our personal success.  It is tempting to look at our pile of stuff and brag that it is larger than the piles of others; and to attempt to imply that we are better than those with smaller piles.

This is human folly;  it is not the way of one who has learned the commandments of God.

"(God) humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna... that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but that man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord."

No amount of hard work or knowledge or skills or connections will provide us with what we need.  What we need is the wisdom which comes from a humble heart, one that turns to God, thanking God for all that he graciously gives us. 

Sermon - February 17, 2013

1st Sunday in Lent – Year C 

Luke 4:1-13

God Doesn't Leave when Trouble Comes

             I apologize for repeating myself, but I wanted to say a bit more about a topic I included in my e-devotion on Thursday.  At the Region 9 Campus Ministry Conference, we got into a discussion about Lent.  Two of my colleagues began to speak of how they address the season of Lent among their students. 

“We cut it short.” one said.  His rationale is that in a parish you have 52 weeks to cover the story of Jesus.  5 weeks is one tenth of the whole.  The academic communities we serve have a 30 week life.  To observe all of Lent means giving over one-sixth of the year.

The other spoke of acknowledging it, but not really delving into it.  “They are already aware of rejection and betrayal.  Why do I need to tell them more about that.” He said. 

        I do not want to be heard to be defending Lent from all critics; nor would I ever insist that something which isn’t helpful MUST be endured by God’s children.  However, I do wish to speak of why I hope we never cut short our 40 days and ignore the themes and messages and images associated with this period in the church year.  There may only be 30 weeks in the academic year, but our hope (and expectation) is that you will find a worshipping community for the 22 weeks you aren’t in Clemson.  As for the harshness of the Lenten message – my experience tells me that the way to address the pain of life is to speak to them and about them – rather than ignore them or minimize their potential to hurt and harm.  If speaking of such things adds to your pain, I offer repentance.  But the message I want you to leave with this morning is that God is no fare-weather friend; that God (as witnessed to in the scriptures) does not abandon us when we experience hardship.  Rather – God moves all the closer to us to assure us and strengthen us and save us.

            This is why we begin every Lenten season with a reading of the temptation of Jesus.  This story acknowledges that life is difficult, and seldom a bowl full of cherries.  Sometimes the journey of God’s children looks more like Dante's Inferno than a trip to Disney World.

In writing of Jesus’ experience in the wilderness, Mark precedes the description of what is about to happen with two very clear reminders of how it happens.  Luke 4, verse 1 begins:  Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness.  Jesus is "full" of the Spirit; Jesus is "led" by the Spirit.  What is about to happen to him is not the result of God's absence; it is the direct result of God's presence.

Led by the Spirit, the Ac­cuser comes to visit and sets before Jesus options which may prove more appealing, simpler, or easier to understand than the path desired by God. 

The temptation begins, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread."  Scripture tells us that Jesus was a person of compassion.  He heals the sick and binds up the broken.  How much of their suffering was the direct result of need?  Had the basic necessities of life been available to them, many if not most of their illnesses would have been avoid­ed.  "Command this stone to become a loaf of bread," is more than a temptation for Jesus to satisfy his own hunger.  It sets before him the opportunity to eliminate human suffering.

Some of those who call upon the name of Christ would have us believe that Jesus did change the stone into bread.  They are the ones who claim that as a result of their faith they have never experienced want or need.  They are the ones who tell us that if we give our life to Christ all we could ever want will come our way. 

Luke's gospel calls a halt to such ways of thinking.  Jesus doesn't do it.  Jesus understood his mission to be something different.  He was not going to eliminate our need or want - he was going to reveal to us the path of faith.  Regardless of the claims made by some, Jesus does not take away all our need.  He joins us in it.  He does not change the stone to bread in order to satisfy our hunger, nor his own.

The next stop on the Tempter's tour is a vantage point from which one sees all the kingdoms of the world.  Forget for a mo­ment the question of ownership, whether these are indeed in the possession of Tempter.  The temptation which is set before Jesus is to establish a new world order; to eliminate corrupt governments, to make the kingdom of God synonymous with the kingdoms of this world.

There are expressions of the faith which still see this as their goal.  They live out their lives in obedience to the notion that Jesus accepted this temptation and that we are to work to bring it to completion. They want the mission of the Church to be defined as the process of making all persons comply with the wishes of the Church.  You see this mind set at work each time someone juxtaposes the Word of God with some piece of legislation.  It comes into play whenever someone tries to reduce Jesus' conversation about the kingdom of God into a political agenda or endorsement for some charismatic leader.

It would be a wonderful world if everyone did obey and see themselves as citizens of God's Kingdom.  But Luke reminds us that Jesus said "No!"  He did not agree.  As a result we will never live in God's kingdom on earth.  Ours is an imperfect world and always will be. 

Maybe the Tempter hoped to play upon Jesus' strength of conviction, for the last temptation comes almost as a dare.  "Since you are so high and mighty," the Accuser seems to say, “throw yourself down from the pinnacle of the temple.  Prove that you are the one sent by God, the one whose Word reveals the way to salvation."  Of all the temptations set before Jesus, this is the one that would have done the most to make our job easier.  Jesus is being offered the chance to prove that all the things he says are indeed true. 

What a missed opportunity.  Jesus performs so many other miracles, why won't he do the one that would prove he is who we believe him to be?  All it would take would be a little show of power; a simple demonstration that God would protect him and never let any evil come his way.  But again Jesus says, "No!"  He doesn't do it.  And we who call upon his name are forever left with the impossible job of explaining why we believe.

I don't know why Jesus doesn't meet our every need, establish his kingdom, or prove his truth.  It would be simpler; it would be easier if only God would.  But to each of these tempta­tions Jesus says "No!"  And we are left with a call to faith, call to trust that in the midst of our ambiguity, in the midst of our continual pain and suffering, God's will is being done, God's purpose is making itself known.

During our forty days of Lent, we will wrestle with the way of the cross.  We will struggle to understand why this is the way of God.  But we will refuse to ignore the realities or close our eyes to the witness of scripture.  It may be tempting to speak of a God who removes all suffering and doubt and hardship from our lives, but that is not the way of Jesus and it is not the witness of scripture.  That way assures us that when hardship is close at hand, Jesus is even closer.  Remember the information in verse 1:  The Tempter only comes when the Spirit is already present.

Amen.

 

Devotion - Thursday, Feburary 14

"Lord, teach us how to pray." 

This was the request from the Disciples which lead to Jesus offering what we have come to refer to as "The Lord's Prayer."  That prayer is an excellent model, it is a powerful tool, in understanding how it is and what it is that we might express to God.

If it has been a while since you picked up your Small Catechism and read the section on the Lord's Prayer, I encourage you to do so.  (Here is a hyperlink to The Small Catechism.)

The Lord's Prayer begins with an acknowledgement of how deeply God cares for us.  God loves us a parent loves their child.

The Lord's Prayer opens us to remembering God's goodness (give us this day our daily bread) before allowing us to turn to the things we would ask of God (Save us from the time of trial).

The Lord's Prayer acknowledges that the kingdom and the power and the glory are God's; that God is in a position to hear and receive our prayer.

As we begin these 40 days of Lent, returning to instructions on prayer is an appropriate starting point.  It is not easy to know how to pray; it is even more difficult to make sure that our day includes prayer.  It didn't just come natural to the Disciples, they had to ask Jesus to help them pray; why would we assume it comes naturally to us?

If you are looking for a place to begin, start by praying out loud, and very slowly, the Lord's Prayer.  Allow each petition to sink deep into your heart; ponder what each line is saying to you. 

Luther said that all one needed to do to understand all of Christian theology was to understand the 10 Commandments, the Apostles' Creed, and the Lord's Prayer.  The latter he associated with sanctification - with the process of living fully and deeply into the faith which has been given to us.  If, at the end of these 40 days of Lent, you have learned to pray the Lord's Prayer, your season will have been well spent.

Devotion - Ash Wednesday

At the recent retreat for Region 9 campus ministry conference, two of our colleagues spoke of the way they approached the Lenten season in their ministries.  They tend to truncate the amount of time given over to Lent.

"If you think in terms of a 30 week academic year, giving 6 to Lent is a huge part of the whole."  was one of the comments.

"The students on the campus I serve are already overburdened with the harshness of the world." was another.

I understood where they are coming from, and asked additional questions about how this actually played itself out.  And I have kept their wisdom in mind, as I considered the ministry at Clemson and our life together.

But I remain convinced that we will observe the full 40 days of Lent, together.  And I remain further convinced that these 40 days may do more to restore our lives than any others we will share.

These 40 days are not a time to beat ourselves up, beat ourselves down, or be told that we are dirty, rotten scoundrels.  It is a time to consider the disconnect between the lives we are living and the lives that God would want for us.  

If there are broken relationships, what might it take to restore them?  How might we change our patterns of interaction.   

If we are devoting too much of our life to chasing after bread that does not satisfy, why not seek the bread that does?

If we are disquieted by the hurt and pain in the world, how can we move ourselves and those around us toward a better tomorrow?

The days of Lent are an opportunity to tell the truth - to acknowledge that the life we are living does not match the hope we carry in our hearts; and then to look for ways to bring the two closer together.  

Like my colleagues mentioned above, I want no part of any practice which creates a burden or forces otherwise contented individuals to think horrible thoughts about themselves.  I have found the 40 days of Lent to be the most honest of the year, and to be the pathway to the contentment which comes from knowing the Lord, and being assured that He knows me.

Join me in this journey.  See where it might take you.

Devotion - Shrove Tuesday

I will be glad when this day is over.  

Tomorrow is the day I welcome, and anticipate, and embrace.  

Today is the last day in which the ways of the world (dare we say "the ways of the devil"?) have their way.  Today is the last day on which so many around us will pretend they have something (which they don't) and promote the illusion that "being happy" is as easy as putting on a mask and creating a parade (which it isn't).

The fake presentations are always more impressive than the real thing.  They have to be.  Why else would we follow them?  No one wears small CZ ring.  You can't impress your friends by driving a Ranger.  No one is going to believe you when you say you "love life" unless you are continually in a party mood.  Right?

The UniLu pastor whose sermons continue to be referenced had a habit (it has been reported to me) of dismissing the showiness of huge houses or fancy cars by commenting, "But they aren't happy."  The ability to independently verify the degree of their happiness is not important;  it was his way of reminding his hearer that we get what we seek - and if we seek outward signs of contentment, that is what we will get.  Having those, however, does not automatically mean we have the inner signs.

I will smile and laugh and draw as much enjoyment out of this evening's Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper and Talent Show as the next person.  It is a lot of fun!  The joy I will find in those events is connected to the assurance that the same community which today engages in these shows of frivolity will join with me the next day in acknowledging God's lasting reply to the darkness.  They will be with me when I need a true and permanent reply to the evil which swirls around me and envelops the lives of those whom I love.

Devotion- Monday, February 11

The very last day before Lent has a name - Shrove Tuesday (in German tradition), or Mardi Gras (in the French).  What do you call the Monday before Lent?  It doesn't have a name, but it surely has a purpose.

Unfortunately, in our society, Mardi Gras has become an opportunity for a wild party.  During the coverage of the Super Bowl in New Orleans, I heard one reporter explaining how they had started, taken a break, and would resume the Mardi Gras events.  The timing of Mardi Gras was given, without any mention of the start of Lent.  

The excesses which have evolvoed around Mardi Gras started as an attempt to clear out of the house all the things which are not allowed during Lent. 

One of those is leaven (yeast) for making bread.rise.  During Lent we eat the flat bread of the children of God who were fleeing the bondage of Pharaoh.  Their haste, the necessity of being on their way meant they had no time to wait to allow bread to rise.  That is why we make pancakes on Shrove Tuesday - we are using up the last of the leaven.

But I get ahead of myself.  That is tomorrow.  What of this day, the day before the day before the start of Lent?

Maybe it is the day to reflect on what is about to begin and to prepare. Maybe it is the day to plan out how we will spend the 40 days of Lent - and - what changes need to be made tomorrow before the season begins.  Maybe it is an invitation to take a good look at our lives and discover how much richer they could be.

No answers in today's devotion.  Rather some questions.  Spend a few minutes (you could spend a few hours) looking at your life and looking at your habits and looking at your typical routines and begin to consider what needs to be removed tomorrow so that you will be ready to start on Wednesday.

Devotion - Thursday, February 7

One of the advantages to growing old and having read and re-read most of the stories in the Bible, is that you gain the opportunity to look at the stories from differing angles.  There may be a primary way to see the stories, but there are many other ways.

As I read, not only my Bible, but books about what it means to regard the Bible as "Holy Scripture," those books help me to consider some of the other ways of hearing the story.

This morning I re-read the encounter between Jesus and the disciples in which he asks them, "Who do people say that I am?"  Then goes on to ask them, "But who do you say that I am?"

One of the speakers I will hear at this summer's campus ministry conference writes that one angle from which we can understand this story is to see it as an invitation to address who we are in relationship to Jesus.  That an emphasis on this story as a doctrinal statement may cause us to miss the highly personal aspect of Jesus' question.  "Who do you say that I am?" is Jesus way of asking, "Who am I in relation to you?" or "Who are you in relation to me?"

In our main-line, cognitive-driven congregations, we have avoided language of accepting Jesus as our "personal Lord and Savior."  In so doing, we may have allowed yourselves to move too far away from the intentions of Jesus in Mark 8:27ff (today's reading.)  We may fail to hear Jesus' invitation to consider who Jesus is in OUR lives.

It may be less important to have a clear doctrinal statement about Jesus' Messiahship than it is to have the courage to say, "This is who Messiah is for me."

Devotion - Wednesday, Feb 6

There is a story in Mark 8 which has always intrigued me.  In verses 24-26 we read of a man who is blind being brought to Jesus.  They beg Jesus to touch the man, presumably so he might receive his sight.  

What happens next is the first weird thing.  Before touching the man's eyes, Jesus takes the blind man by the hand and leads him out of the village.  Why does he do that?

It probably has to do with Jesus' desire that folks come to him for his Word, rather than coming to him to see some sort of miracles (or benefiting from one themselves.)  But I love the image of Jesus taking this blind man by the hand and leading him away;  away from the crowd, away from the markets, perhaps even away from those who had first brought the man to Jesus.  Before Jesus does anything with regard to the man's eyes, he leads him to a different place.

In this different place, Jesus lays his hands on the man.  And here is the really weird thing.  When Jesus removes his hands, the man reports, "I see men; but they look like trees, walking."  Jesus places his hands on the man's eyes a second time.  

What is that all about?  Why was Jesus stymied in his first attempt?  Is it still a miracle if it only partially accomplishes the end one was seeking?  What would have been this man's fate, had he given up after the first lying on of hands and departed from Jesus' presence?

This whole encounter fills 3 verses in our Bible.  But how much time elapses from the start to the finish?  It surely takes more time than it takes us to read of it.  And yet, we think of miracles as instantaneous.  What of the works of God which take more time, or (if I may dare to suggest) take multiple attempts on the part of God?  Are such changes in our lives any less miraculous?

I don't think so.  I hope not.  And I pray that my eyes might be opened to see the miracles unfolding in my life.  I will look for these kind as much or more so than those which happen in the flash of a moment.

Devotion - Tuesday, February 5

My response, to the situation in Mark 8:1-10, would have been one of panic.  Jesus sees the crowd, over 4,000 of them, and realizes "they have been with me now three days, and have nothing to eat."  What is to be done - in such a situation?  Jesus has them sit down.  He tells them to take their rest.

I have this reoccurring dream.  My last encounter with this dream was Friday night.  In this dream I am in my car and the brakes don't work.  Panic courses through me as I have one narrow miss after another.  The dream is so vivid that it flashes through my mind in the next instance where I must stop the car in a hurry.  In the Friday night dream it was the car currently driven by my son which had the bad breaks.  Several times in the past days I have been close to "reminding him" that the breaks in the pick-up need attention.

Jesus tells the crowd to sit and take their rest;  Jesus realizes that rushing around in a panic will do nothing to make the situation better.  In contrast to the Bible story, my breaks do nothing to slow me down; it is impossible for me to stop.

This is not a licence to leave your homework undone.  Nor is it an excuse for failing to be attentive to the promises made.  But it may be a reminder that peace 

and tranquility of heaven begins now and is brought to perfection as time goes by.  It is an invitation to give not only our hearts to Jesus, but our anxiety as well.  And to be reminded that the really important things are accomplished by forces other than our own mortal efforts.

Devotion - Monday, February 4

In today's Gospel lesson (Mk 7:24-37) Jesus heals two persons.  The first is the daughter of a Syrophoenician woman; the other a man who is deaf and has a speech impediment.  In both instances, Jesus shows his power, his authority, his connection to God.

We might read those stories or re-tell them in order to support our belief that Jesus is really the Son of God.  We tend to point to such stories as ways of proving that Jesus is who we have come to believe him to be.

But what if we read those stories differently.  What if we allowed those stories to illustrate for us how the interaction with Jesus changed the lives of those who came into contact with him?  What if we spent time pondering the story and how meeting Jesus altered practically every aspect of the lives of that little girl (as well as her mother) and that man who could now hear other stories and retell them?

Too often we look for proof of who Jesus is;  too seldom do we see the way in which an encounter with Jesus changes who we understand ourselves to be.

Jesus did cure illnesses and take away disease.  Jesus came and lived among us in order to provide a new direction for how we are to live our lives.  

Perhaps that is the reason he so often tells those whom he has cured to "tell no one."  Jesus doesn't want them to hear of the events which happened and come to some decision regarding the significance of those events.  Jesus seeks opportunities to transform us - to change the way we see ourselves and to alter the self-understanding which drives our thoughts and our actions.

In the end, it may be less important what we think about Jesus and more important to be open to allowing Jesus to set a new path for the way we live our lives.