Friday, March 19, 2021

Today’s reflection is written by Deacon Karen Katamay.

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” —Matthew 7:24

I remember first learning about the wise man/foolish man story in Sunday School a long time ago, and to this day I still remember most of the song we learned along with the story. Songs are such a fun way to learn stories, aren’t they? And a great way to help you remember. In the song for this story, the first verse teaches us that the wise man built his house upon the rock and when the rains came down and the floods came up, the house on the rock stood still. The second verse teaches us that the foolish man built his house upon the sand and when the rains came down and the floods came up the house on the sand fell down. But the third verse is my favorite.  It tells us that when we build our lives on the Lord, Jesus Christ, the blessings will come down as the prayers go up. Building our lives on the Lord fills our lives with blessings and gives us a firm foundation for those stormy times in our lives so we don’t come crashing down. 

I’m not sure if they still teach this song and others like it in Sunday School, but I hope they do. From the wise man/foolish man story to this little gospel light of mine, the words of Jesus (and the songs based on them) still teach us today how to live and love and care for others. And as Jesus reminds us in Matthew 18:3, when we become like children, with open minds and hearts, eager to learn, we will begin to truly see the kingdom of heaven! Amen.

Wednesday, March 17, 2021

You are the God who sees me. — Genesis 16:13

Well before COVID-19 forced us into isolation and reminded us how much we are made to be in community, loneliness was being talked about as a public health crisis. In 2019 the American Psychological Association reported that the toll loneliness can take on a person is more detrimental than obesity and can heighten health risks as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day or extreme alcohol use. There are plenty of stories from the Old Testament where you can imagine that loneliness was felt (Joseph when his brothers sold him into slavery, Sampson after being weakened and imprisoned, etc.) but for me, the story that cuts the deepest is that of Hagar.

When God promises Abraham and Sara that they will have children, it takes a while for God to make good on that promise. Abraham and Sara get tired of waiting and take it upon themselves to try and expedite God’s timing. They decide that Abraham will marry Hagar, one of Sara’s slaves, so they can have a child. Unsurprisingly, their marriage gets more complicated because Abraham is now married to two women. Ultimately Hagar gets mistreated so badly that she decides to run away. Imagine that—Hagar was already enslaved when she is forced into a marriage to produce an heir; and then, when things go according to Abraham and Sara’s plan, Hagar is further mistreated by the very people who put her in this situation.

Hagar runs away and is at the precipice of traveling by herself through the dangerous wilderness to find her way to Egypt, when God intervenes. God sends a messenger who promises that, should she return to Abraham and Sara, God will work so that some good will come from the suffering she’s endured. Hagar was certain that she was completely alone until God shows her that she has never really been alone. God has seen what she’s been through and God has pursued her so she doesn’t just disappear from this story. God sees her and pursues her so she won’t be forgotten. It’s in that moment that Hagar names God, El-roi or “the God who sees me.” Hagar’s story shows us that when we feel overwhelmed by loneliness, God sees us and is pursuing us.

Monday, March 15, 2021

“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” —Daniel 3:17-18

Math was never my favorite subject in school. I always gravitated to history and literature, to stories about people. The layers of human character and identity fascinated me. Learning about interactions between people and groups was endlessly compelling. (I never got far enough along in math to encounter the wonder and creativity that I’m sure exists in that subject, too.)

And yet despite those preferences there’s a part of me that wants God to be more like a math equation and less like a person, less like a character with agency and freedom. I want to know with certainty that if X happens, God will do Y. But that’s not how it works.

When the nation of Israel was conquered and many of its people taken into exile in Babylon, individual men and women with agency and freedom were forced to make choices within new constraints and in the face of new threats. The king of Babylon set up a golden image—an idol—and commanded that all people worship it. Three faithful Jews—members of the nation of Israel—refused to do so, knowing that their God had commanded them not to worship “other gods.” These three had been given significant responsibilities in the Babylonian Empire, but this did not exempt them from the king’s order. When they persisted in refusing to disobey God, the king ordered that they be burned to death.

Their response—today’s verses—is a model of faith in God. They believe that God will rescue them. But they also recognize that God is not a math equation. We can be sure of God’s faithfulness, but not sure how that faithfulness will play out in a specific situation. There are times when people of faith aren’t given what they want, and times when God doesn’t seem to come through. But those who have a relationship with God trust him even when they do not get what they want—or even get what it seems obvious that they need. Commitment to God means committing to his true way even when we can’t see the immediate payoff in our own lives. Faith is proved when we follow him into the darkness even when we can’t see the light on the other side.

These three faithful men were rescued from the fire. But even if they had not been, they would have rested secure in their trust in God’s way. This is faith in the living God.

Friday, March 12, 2021

Today’s reflection is written by Deacon Karen Katamay.

“Since my mother bore me you have been my God.” —Psalm 22:10

God is the one who created us and loves us, even when we are unaware of him. I have been fortunate to grow up in a Christian family so I can say with confidence that God has been there for me from Day One. But what if that is not the case for you? Or what if your life has been filled with hardships and it is hard to believe that a loving and ever-present God exists amidst all your suffering or the suffering in the world?

God does not exist to protect us from all suffering. Indeed, he allowed his own son to suffer and die on the cross for us. Instead, what we can learn from the example of Jesus is that God is always with us, when times are good and when we are suffering. “God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). And better yet, God promises us a time when there will be no more suffering and we will be with him: “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain…” (Revelation 21:4).

So wherever you are on your spiritual journey, whether you are just learning about God, or are close to God, or even have doubts about God, you can take comfort in knowing that God is always there for you, from Day One until eternity!

Wednesday, March 10, 2021

God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. — 1 John 4:16

God’s greatest demonstration of love is seen through Jesus’ death on the cross. But even when we understand and acknowledge just how costly that was for Jesus, we are always susceptible to taking it for granted or making it a purely intellectual experience: giving thanks for what was done through Jesus’ death and resurrection, repenting, and asking for forgiveness becomes just another thing on the list of items to take care of each day.

John is calling us to take this more seriously than that. “Abide” means to “dwell,” “remain,” or “make one’s home.” John is pointing out that God’s love can’t remain a purely intellectual experience because this love is close and personal. This love is expressed first through Jesus and then through Jesus’ followers. Theologian Gary Burge suggests that when we exhibit love to others we step into God’s presence and this causes “the reality of God [to press] itself into our lives.”

Today, let’s seek out opportunities to show love and then reflect on God’s presence in those moments.

Monday, March 8, 2021

“So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” —2 Corinthians 12:9

For most Christians, there is no first-century person (excluding Jesus) more influential than the apostle Paul. From the time of his conversion from a persecutor of early believers to a believer himself, until his life seems to have come to an end in Rome during a persecution of Christians under the Roman Emperor Nero, Paul carried the good news of Jesus’ victory over evil, sin, and death into new cities and regions, telling everyone he could about what Jesus had done. His letters to other early Christians have shaped Christian belief and practice for every generation from his onward. He is undeniably one of the giants of the Jesus movement.

It’s sometimes the case that we forget how precarious the reputations of great historical figures were during their lifetimes. We know that Abraham Lincoln was opposed by pro-slavery forces, but it’s harder to keep in mind that he also faced suspicion from abolitionists as well as from Northerners who hoped for compromise and peace with the Confederacy. We remember that Martin Luther King Jr. was opposed by segregationists and reactionary forces across the U.S., but he also faced suspicion and challenge from within the broad and complex movement for racial equality. These were real people who needed to navigate complicated problems in a messy world.

The apostle Paul was like that, too. In the letter we call 2 Corinthians, Paul grieves at the deceitful, arrogant opposition his ministry has faced. It seems that some group of false apostles has come into Corinth and persuaded some number of believers to turn away from the true teaching Jesus had entrusted to Paul. These false apostles seem to have mocked Paul’s ability, tearing him down in order to build themselves up. (As is often the case with these letters, it’s hard to know exactly who these false apostles were, or what they taught, or what they said about Paul. We only have this letter, so it’s like listening to one side of a telephone call.)

Paul responds with a recap of his work on behalf of the Corinthian Christians: he’s suffered for them, he’s made sure not to be a burden to them, he’s told them the truth without building himself up. Reading this section, one can see that Paul is uncomfortable with what feels to him like boasting. He points to the uselessness of boasting, but wants to set the record straight lest these believers be deceived.

Paul ends, however, with this paradoxical idea of boasting about his weaknesses. Paul suggests that our own openness to Christ’s presence and power is in an inverse relationship with our sense of our own strength: “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (12:10b).

There is, of course, a lesson here for each of us. When we catch ourselves boasting, building ourselves up—and especially if we’re building ourselves up by tearing someone else down—we’re in danger of cutting ourselves off from the true source of strength. In contrast, when we’re aware of our brokenness, our weakness, our insufficiency, there is room for God’s power to work through us.

This is not to suggest that we ought to go around telling everyone how bad we are all the time. (In fact, that would probably just be another strange form of narcissism.) But it is to say that we ought to be skeptical of anyone who seems to need to let everyone know how great/strong/smart/good/accomplished he or she is, especially if that “anyone” is us.

Friday, March 5, 2021

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe.” —Proverbs 18:10

In early adolescence, I went through my first serious battle with doubt. As I became overwhelmed with unforeseen questions about my faith in God, I found I was losing hold of how to pray. My mom, always wise and understanding, guided me: when you don’t know what words to say, speak the name of Jesus. 

Well past early adolescence, I still struggle frequently to articulate my prayers. I still need this wisdom. The name of our Lord is always the most powerful word we can utter. It is the most significant word we can pray. That’s not to say it’s some kind of magic wand we can aim thoughtlessly at our problems. But our power comes from calling upon our God who is omnipotent, who knows our needs and hopes better than we do, who knows the words we need when we do not. Praying Jesus’ name is a powerful act, even when we feel powerless.

I love the song “There Is Power in the Name of Jesus.” In its simplicity and repetition, it hammers home the truth I need to remember: There is power in the name of Jesus, there is power in the name of Jesus, there is power in the name of Jesus to break every chain, break every chain, break every chain.

Today’s straightforward verse from Proverbs, these liberating lyrics, and my mother’s sage advice each remind me of where true strength comes from. Speaking the name of Jesus gives us courage, it gives us refuge, it grounds us, it empowers us, and it guides us. Speaking the name of Jesus reminds us where to fix our gaze when we feel drawn off course. May we never take lightly the name of Jesus, but always speak it with reverence, gratitude, and trust.

Wednesday, March 3, 2021

The Lord God said, “it’s not good that man should be alone.” — Genesis 2:18.

What do you think happens immediately following today’s verse? Earlier this week I looked at the verse for today and in my head I quickly sketched out a rough plan of what I would write about.

Thankfully, prior to writing I sat down and opened up my Bible to actually read Genesis 2. If I hadn’t, I would have looked really foolish.

If you answered the opening question with, “God created Eve,” you’d be wrong. In the creation account from Genesis 2 God creates the man, then the animals, and then the woman. Because I’d read this story so many times in the past I assumed I didn’t need to go back and look at what it actually said. I knew the trajectory of the story and I could take it from there. This was a helpful reminder to me of the value of reading, and rereading, Scripture.

One of the dangers of following Jesus for a while is just how easy it is to fall into assuming we know what God has to say about a certain issue or is trying to communicate through a specific parable, story, or verse. But the beauty of the Bible is that it’s God’s living word. Each time we read it, we are bringing who we are in that precise moment and God’s Holy Spirit can help us see something new in a passage that we otherwise would think has nothing new to say to us.

Monday, March 1, 2021

“Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.” —Philippians 2:4

Every once in a while, as I read the Bible, I come across a sentence that seems to capture so much more than it should be possible to contain in one sentence. This verse from the apostle Paul’s letter to Christians in the Roman colony of Philippi says so much about the Christian way of life, and says it so simply.

At the heart of the Jesus way of being human is putting others ahead of one’s self. Jesus teaches us—and showed us—that the counterintuitive fact is that the way to find one’s life is to be willing to give it up for others. The way to become great is to focus on building others us.

And this is not just some kind of timeless wisdom. This is an ethic rooted in Jesus’ own life and death. Paul goes on to tell the Philippian Christians to have the same mindset in their relationships with one another that Jesus did (Philippians 2:5). And Jesus, “being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing…becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8). This is our model for how to be truly human in relation to others.

And isn’t it a beautiful picture? Don’t you want to live in a world in which you don’t need to worry about your own interests because you know your fellow children of God have your interests in mind? I know I want to live in that world. We can start today, by looking to others’ interests first, knowing that, even if no one else does, God always has our well-being in mind.

Friday, February 26, 2021

Today’s reflection is written by Deacon Karen Katamay.

“Lo, the one who forms the mountains, creates the wind, reveals his thoughts to mortals, the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name!” —Amos 4:13

If you were to ask me where I feel closest to God, I would have to say it is outdoors in God’s created universe. I am in awe of God’s majesty when I stand on the shore of the ocean or look up at the mountains. I soak up all the beauty and splendor when I am in a garden full of trees and flowers. I feel God’s peace when I go for a walk along a forested trail. I marvel at the sun and the moon, the stars and the planets adorning the heavens. I close my eyes and listen for God’s whisper when I feel a gentle breeze.

God’s world is filled with miraculous wonders, most of which we tend to miss because we are too focused on our problems and our worries. Or right now we are so focused on the inconvenience of the snow that we forget that the snow acts as insulation for tender roots and provides needed moisture for spring plants when it melts. It is all part of God’s plan for his creation. So the next time you are out enjoying nature (or even tempted to grumble about it), even if it is in your own backyard, stop and say, “Thank you, Lord, you and your creation are truly amazing!” Then feel the peace that follows. Amen.