Devotion - Monday, September 15

The martyrdom of Stephen is recorded in the seventh chapter of the Book of Acts.  Stephen had been selected to "wait tables," ensuring that the daily distribution of food was fair and equitable.  

The final words, spoken by Stephen, were not aimed at those throwing stones at him; they were spoken to God on behalf of those casting rocks.  He cried out "Lord, do not hold this sin against them."

Yesterday's Gospel lesson, on extending forgiveness, dealt primarily with setting things right between the two parties.  The verses in Acts 7 speak of how transgressions may alter one's relationship with God.  Stephen does not want the misunderstanding (to call it a misunderstanding is to understate the situation) to stand between his accusers and God.  Since Stephen will not have opportunity to resolve this earthly conflict, he does not want it to follow him into the heavenly court.

God is more ready to forgive than we could ever hope to be.  This is most certainly true.  At issue here is whether our forgiveness is given with the notion that God will require the retribution which we are (seemingly) willing to set aside.  Do we "forgive," thinking that God will make them pay for what they have done?  

Surely our forgiveness - if it is truly forgiveness - ought to extend to a request that God also "not hold this against them."

I am assuming this is what Jesus meant when he taught his disciples to pray for one's enemies.

Devotion - Thursday, September 11

I spoke last evening of the courage it takes to follow Jesus.  It was in the context of a "Vocationally Directed Life."  Living out our baptismal covenant requires us to have the courage that doing what Jesus did (what Jesus would do) will prove to be the way.

Living as Jesus lived takes a lot of courage.  It takes more courage than most of us can muster.

Living without that courage brings on a tremendous fear.  More fear than any of us should be asked to bear.

It is not insignificant that on the 9/11 anniversary we are again embroiled in a debate about what to do to protect the innocent and bring an end to tyranny.  Thirteen years ago we were uninformed of the brewing storm which finally broke over the skies of New York, Washington, D.C., and the fields of Pennsylvania.

Those who rattle their sabers are too often seen as those who are courageous.  But such courage achieves its end when it leads to fear in the other.  The courage of Jesus did not create fear in his enemies, rather it brought an awareness of genuine strength.

I don't want to be afraid.  And I don't want to live in world where fear is the weapon I use (or is used on my behalf) in order to accomplish justice and peace.  I have thrown my lot with Jesus.  And while I don't know the particular steps that this will mean, I know it begins with prayers for those who oppose me and it means refusing to allow their actions to detract me from the vision God has given me of His Kingdom.

It takes a lot of courage to follow Jesus.  More courage than too many among us can muster.  But let encourage one another to be courageous and to follow where Jesus has lead.

Devotion- Wednesday, September 9

The story of Stephen is in Acts 6.  Stephen is sometimes referred to as "the first martyr of the Church."  He is brought before the Council, tried and condemned, and stoned to death.

He emerges from among the congregation because the twelve disciples asked for someone else to take over the task of feeding the hungry.  They were looking for someone to "wait tables."

When candidates are put forward, they are described as being "of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom."  These are wonderful attributes, but hardly the ones we might identify as essential in those whom we are asking to be wait staff.

But Stephen possesses these qualities.  And they show through in everything that he does.  And in rather short order Stephen is hauled away from his appointed task to become the focus point of the Council's distrust and suspicions of Jesus' followers.

Some of you may find yourself waiting tables.  Or you might find yourself designing car parts.  Or running a dairy business.  Or designing packaging for shipping glass bowls.  Remain prepared, in whatever task you are called, to be the one (like Stephen) who finds yourself being the spokesperson for Jesus and the community which follows Jesus' words.  In Acts 6 it isn't one of the preachers or the teachers or the Apostles who are called upon to bear witness - it is the one who waited tables.

The opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus Christ certainly include Sunday morning worship services and those 12 minute sermons so carefully prepared.  Those moments prepare us for the 167 hours in the week where God's Word becomes active in the world.  Make the most of them.  They happen in your lives more often than in mine.

Devotion - Monday, September 8

Last night's "Draft" for our first ever "LCM NFL Fantasy Football League" was something to behold.  There were no less than eight "owners" spread around the LCM Lounge (many with their trusty assistants) picking players and constructing their "teams."

Does that guy still make it to NFL games who sits in the end zone and waves the sign which simply reads "John 3:16"?  He was quite a fixture during my young adult years.  Interviews with him suggested that he believed his witness to be his calling from God.  I never doubt one's sense of calling, but I do wonder if this man was justifying spending his family's cash on plane and game tickets.

John 3:16 is today's appointed Gospel Lesson.  It is a powerful, and moving passage of scripture.  I am also extremely fond of verses 17-21.  Here we are reminded that the love of God, which sent the Son in to the world, does not give up on us and continually reaches out to us.  It is God's hope that we would all turn to the light and see our harmful and hurtful actions for what they are.

But something in us (to use John 3 language) prefers darkness to light.  The writer suggests it is because our deeds are evil, so we remain in the dark so they won't be exposed.

The light provides the opportunity for us to realize the consequences (intended as well as unintended) of our behaviors and thoughts.  The light exposes our short-sightedness, and our self-centered tendencies.

It is only in a fantasy world that everything we do is perfect.  We will (sometimes knowingly but mostly unknowingly) act in ways which are not helpful to God's hope for the world.  The light exposes these to us.  With God's Light illuminating our world, we are able to see our actions for what they are and when necessary alter our behaviors, our comments, and even our thoughts.

Devotion - Thursday, September 4

Like most of you, I have been horrified by the reports of the beheading of the American journalists.  I ask myself, "How can someone be so cruel?"  Like many of you, I have a desire for justice.  And, perhaps like some of you, I have my ideas as to what that "justice" might look like.

Then I come back to my daily reading of scripture.  As fate or luck or divine intervention would have it, I am reading the portion of the Book of Judges where the story of Gideon is being told (Chapter 7).  Gideon has opportunity to lead the people of Israel against the Midianites.  There is a massive army assembled - 22,000.  God helps Gideon turn away and turn away till only 300 remain.  The other 21,700 are told to "return" to their homes and fields.  "If too many are in your army," God tells Gideon, "they will think they won the battler rather than God."  The 300 go to battle and they win.

The people want to make Gideon their king.  He refuses.  "The LORD will rule over you."  he insists.

Lutheran Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) lead the "Confessing Church" in Germany in the Hitler years.  He plotted against Hitler and died in a concentration camp.  The first Sunday after Hitler's take over, he preached in Trinity, Church, Berlin:

Perhaps Gideon's fighters heard the command to return with shuddering and astonishment.  With this same fear and trembling the church perceives the voice of One who commands her to renounce might and honor, to abandon all of her calculations, and to let God alone do his  work.  With head shaking and with anger we see many a good Gideon among us go his way-but can this confound us who see the Cross in the middle of the church, the sign of powerlessness, of dishonor, of defenselessness, of hopelessness, of senselessness and yet the source of godly strength, honor, protection, hope, meaning, glory, life, victory?  Do we see now the line which leads from Gideon to the Cross?  Do we understand that this line says one thing - "faith"?

Gideon is victorious, the church is victorious, because faith alone is victorious.  But Gideon does not overcome, the church does not overcome, we do not overcome, but God shall overcome.

The danger posed by those who take up the sword is real.  It may kill that which is most precious to us - i.e. our confidence and trust in a Messiah who took up the cross (not a sword) in order that we might know the will of God.

I am very upset by what I read of the events of these past weeks.  My fear is that I will allow the actions of others to detract me from the Way, from the Faith which has carried me thus far and which promises to carry me home to the loving arms of my Heavenly Father.

Devotion - Wednesday, Sept 3

I too often forget and are always grateful for the reminders that church professionals have their own particular vocabulary and collection of references.  When I refer to a concept or person and you don't know the reference I have fallen short in my attempt to illumine the faith traditions of the Church.  

You are invited to call me on such references or words.  If you don't know what I am talking about, chances are pretty good others don't either.  

With this in mind, I read today's appointed Gospel lesson (John 1:29-42) with an eye on what is assumed as we read the story.  The part that struck me the most is baptism itself.

In this story, John baptizes Jesus.  This was the style of ministry John had taken on.  This is why he is often referred to as "John the Baptist," though it would be better to call him "John the Baptizer."  The shorter reference leads some to think that John was the founder of the modern Christian denomination.   

John did not invent baptism.  There were many engaged in this practice.  It was a ritual cleansing, an outward symbol of an inward conversion or re-commitment to following God.

The early Christian Church would pick up the practice of baptism; having been instructed by Jesus to "go into all the world, baptizing and teaching them all that I (Jesus) have commanded."  But this baptism was not one of repentance and re-commitment.  This baptism was into the death and resurrection of our Christ.

There continue to be other faith traditions in which a ritual washing is part of religious life.  Christians are not the only ones who "baptize."  It isn't the water or the act which makes it a sacrament for us.  Our baptism is sacred because it unites us to Jesus and to his invitation to follow.

Devotion - Monday, September 1

Today is Labor Day, and while Clemson and TriCounty are in full operation, much of the rest of our world will be shut down or closed.  The Church Office is closed today, so I will be lying low myself.

Labor Day came about as an attempt to acknowledge the contributions made by those who do the jobs which are all too often overlooked or taken for granted.  Labor Day was intended as an opportunity to acknowledge their contributions.

I was as responsible as any for yesterday's liturgy at UniLu, but I realized too late that we failed to acknowledge this holiday.  In so doing, we may have continued the mistaken notion that what we do the rest of the week is separated from what occurs on a Sunday morning.  Nothing could be further from the truth.

We live out our vocation (as a baptized child of God) in our occupation (the means for making a living and contributing to the needs of our community.)  Our vocational covenant takes on practical expression in the occupational choices we make.  This doesn't simply mean we are "nice" or "considerate" as we design ground water run-off retention pools; it means we approach our work as an opportunity to mold the world to God's desires.  This doesn't mean we are "honest" in our accounting procedures as we manage a local business; it means we see the connections between our business practices and the over-arching goals of a caring society.  We live out our baptismal commitment in the jobs we have accepted.  There is no disconnect.

I visited yesterday with a friend who for decades wore on his lapel a button which simply read "On Mission from God."  It was his way of reminding himself (and announcing to the world) that every interaction he had was an opportunity to act in accordance with God's hope - or to ignore it.   Would that we all realized that we are "On Mission from God."

For most of you, your "job" is that of a student.  This job has its own set of requirements and opportunities.  Being serious about your studies and genuinely applying yourself in mastering the material is where your Godly labor begins.  These years are more than a training ground for what comes after, and they are years in which your commitment to Christ is to be clearly visible.  That commitment is greater than merely a strong code of ethics.  God is very interested in veterinary science and how caring for animals reflects His care for creation.  God loves physics and hopes you will see it in the marvels and mysteries of the beauty of creation.

While you will not have the leisure of resting and reflecting this day on your labors, do make time to think of how you integrate the work that you do with the prayers you offer.  Know that I am offering prayers for that integration, and stand ready to assist you in making even more clear connections between the worlds in which you live.