all things, nor anything

Friday, March 27, 2009

[If I haven't heard from you that you read this blog, or visit it, I'd like to hear from you. It's meaningful to me, and helpful, but I'm evaluating whether I'll keep doing it after Lent. I'd especially like to hear from Church of the Apostles people. Thanks. markjdicristina@yahoo.com]


Jer. 23:1-8; Rom. 8:28-39; John 6:52-59

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Sorry for the limited comments this week. Along with busyness of heart and mind (moving to our new space, or not...), there's not a lot I think I can add to Romans 8. Let's let is soak in and convince us...

be who you is

Wednesday, March 25, 2009


[If I haven't heard from you that you read this blog, or visit it, I'd like to hear from you. It's meaningful to me, and helpful, but I'm evaluating whether I'll keep doing it after Lent. I'd especially like to hear from Church of the Apostles people. Thanks. markjdicristina@yahoo.com]


Jer. 18:1-11; Rom. 8:1-11; John 6:27-40

8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

What more can we say?
Again, it's "be who you is, 'cuz if you is who you ain't, you ain't who you is."

Thanks be to God!

"sin" in my "flesh"

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

[If I haven't heard from you that you read this blog, or visit it, I'd like to hear from you. It's meaningful to me, and helpful, but I'm evaluating whether I'll keep doing it after Lent. I'd especially like to hear from Church of the Apostles people. Thanks. markjdicristina@yahoo.com]


Jer. 17:19-27; Rom. 7:13-25; John 6:16-27

For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. (Romans 7:22-23)


Paul actually has already given a pattern, a discipline, a new way of life, in order to deal with this "sin" in the "flesh," this other "law" that dwells in his members (cf. ch. 6). He will return to it shortly in chapter 8 - after framing it in its most important context and reality: "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord... the law of the spirit of life in Christ has set me free..."

But I find this whole chapter oddly comforting. While some scholars hold that this is Paul's testimony of his life before Christ, what in part led him to Christ, the majority consider this his and our current reality as believers. This does describe me. Ingrained in my "flesh," in my very body and mind, are ways of relating, responding, thinking, rationalizing... that have long been ingrained in me, habitual patterns of behaving and "believing" that are not ways of faith and trust, that when I step back and think about it, I don't really want to do.

But I also have experienced, bit by bit, little victories. Patterns and responses changing, as I take on disciplines (that I initially resist, and do not like!) to detach and begin to heal from these "compulsions." The speeding example I gave in a recent sermon is one. I'm finding myself relaxing much more while driving. My quick response to be irritated and even angry with people going the speed limit (!) is lessening; and I'm not as panicky when I see a police car too (!). But lurking close at hand is pride... an even more deeply ingrained "sin" pattern. Bottom line is, where is my life? What is it that satisfies, that seems to "increase" and secure me? And, of course, the answer is - the love of God in Jesus Christ. But it is the "discipline" of engaging the "sin" in my "flesh" that exposes that I'm not really trusting God, and which moves me to repentance and faith...

Lent, and life in Christ, is a journey - a journey to Easter, to the passion, cross, and resurrection. It is a journey of dying with Christ and rising to new life, and Romans 7 reminds us (and ought to encourage us) that we have not arrived, that God's Word (his "law," the Torah = guidance, teaching) is a gift pointing us to Jesus, and to take the frustration, the reality of our stumbling along in the journey and cast it all on him who is our only hope.

"Who will deliver me from this body of death?
Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord"

fruit for our master

Monday, March 23, 2009

[If I haven't heard from you that you read this blog, or visit it, I'd like to hear from you. It's meaningful to me, and helpful, but I'm evaluating whether I'll keep doing it after Lent. I'd especially like to hear from Church of the Apostles people. Thanks. markjdicristina@yahoo.com]


Jer. 16:10-21; Rom. 7:1-12; John 6:1-15

Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. (Romans 7:4)

I think Paul is referring to our uniting ourselves with Christ in baptism, as we saw in chapter 6. He really died. In believing the gospel, in putting our whole trust in his grace and love, we so identify with Messiah Jesus, with his death and resurrection, that we die to an old way of living. In this case, we have died to the law.

Robert put it this way in his sermon yesterday: Jesus - dead, raised; us - dead, raised (preaching on Ephesians 2:4-5).

There are two proceeding truths from this death to the law, from any sort of finding our life, our hope, our future in the law: (1) we belong to another (to him who has been raised from the dead); and (2) that we might bear fruit for God (fruit of sanctification and eternal life).

Now fruitfulness and servitude go together, in the body of Messiah, now that we belong to him, now that we live for life, for love, for God and God's. We belong to and are servants of The Servant; so that we might bear fruit in him and for him who is the first fruit of all creation, of the new creation, in him from whom the Spirit of life and all fruitfulness pours into us abundantly.

But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. (v. 6)

Now our focus is on life, not law; relying on God the Spirit, not "the letter" (literally); now love, not judgment. This huge shift of heart is literally like death - from perpetually scanning the letters and words of even the beautiful, holy Torah, and evaluating myself thereby... to a continual gaze in adoration and wonder at Jesus, beautiful and holy, dying on the cross and reigning on the throne, and accepting myself thereby...

Bear fruit in me, O living, loving Savior and Lord!

Fourth Week of Lent

Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Daily Office Bible Readings

Monday Ps. 89:1-18 + 89:19-52
Jer. 16:10-21; Rom. 7:1-12; John 6:1-15

Tuesday Ps. 97, 99, [100] + 94, [95]
Jer. 17:19-27; Rom. 7:13-25; John 6:16-27

Wednesday Ps. 101, 109:1-4(5-19)20-30 + 119:121-144
Jer. 18:1-11; Rom. 8:1-11; John 6:27-40

Thursday Ps. 69:1-23(24-30)31-38 + 73
Jer. 22:13-23; Rom. 8:12-27; John 6:41-51

Friday Ps. 95* & 102 + 107:1-32
Jer. 23:1-8; Rom. 8:28-39; John 6:52-59

Saturday Ps. 107:33-43, 108:1-6(7-13) + 33
Jer. 23:9-15 Rom. 9:1-18 John 6:60-71

sanctification

Saturday, March 21, 2009

[If I haven't heard from you that you read this blog, or visit it, I'd like to hear from you. It's meaningful to me, and helpful, but I'm evaluating whether I'll keep doing it after Lent. I'd especially like to hear from Church of the Apostles people. Thanks. markjdicristina@yahoo.com]

Jer. 13:1-11 Rom. 6:12-23 John 8:47-59

Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. (Romans 8:13)

My birthday is always in Lent (52 today), and always feels a little weird "breaking" whatever Lenten disciplines I've been following. But this is part of living under grace, and not under the power of sin; of yielding my members to righteousness (to covenant relationship with God) and not to "sin," which is anything not done in faith.

This passage is absolutely huge. It is the main Scriptural support for Dallas Willard's excellent book The Spirit of the Disciplines, and is included in a book I've had for a long time but have only read portions of until now, Addiction and Grace, by Gerald May.

"For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification." (v. 19) This speaks of the pattern of addiction and compulsions, which need more and more to satisfy; and also of how sanctification works in our lives.

In a nutshell, once again, we're called to be who are are; to live out of our new status as free people and no longer slaves (John 8); out of grace; as "slaves" to this gracious, generous, hope-filled, steadfast love relationship with our Father, and not as slaves to anything else. May God give us more grace to see and to desire him.

Grace and peace.

sin and grace

Friday, March 20, 2009
The first day of spring - may the Light lengthen in us! And may the Life grow and abound in fruitfulness!


[If I haven't heard from you that you read this blog, or visit it, I'd like to hear from you. It's meaningful to me, and helpful, but I'm evaluating whether I'll keep doing it after Lent. I'd especially like to hear from Church of the Apostles people. Thanks. markjdicristina@yahoo.com]


Jer. 11:1-8,14-20; Rom. 6:1-11; John 8:33-47

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? (Romans 6:1-2)

This passage seems to get to the heart of our ongoing discussion of grace and works. The self-examination that Lent calls for, the perhaps hyper-sensitivity to our sin for a season, is not that we might pat ourselves on the back and present our goodness to the Father saying, "I deserve a party, I've worked so hard and been so faithful..." It is that we may not presume upon grace, it is that we may not deceive ourselves.

The language Paul uses here is death and new life; in John 8, Jesus is using the language of slavery and freedom, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin" (John 8:34), and "if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (v. 36).

Paul says, "We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4).

For me, the question is continually, "am I truly trusting Christ?" (Of course, on one level the answer is always "no," but in specific areas I find, little by little, victories with God's help). Sin, by both omission and commission, exposes where I either am presuming on grace or trusting in my own righteousness - and either way, I am not trusting Messiah Jesus for my salvation, for my wholeness, for my life.

Indeed, the whole goal is to be "united with him" (v. 5), and this always and only happens through repentance and faith. "So," Paul writes, "you must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus" (v. 11). In Jesus' language in John 8, it would be "so you must no longer live like a slave (don't go back to Egypt in your body or in your mind!) but as the beloved child of your Father who delights in you!"

One additional observation that I think is cool - Paul says that "Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father..." (v. 4). It was by, or through, the glory of the Father that Jesus was raised from the dead. Not just to, or for, the glory of the Father, but by his glory! That can go some delightful places. God's glory could not be contained in his dead body, nor in a tomb. It reminds me of chapter 1, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth" (v. 14). That very glory effected victory over death, over sin, and brought newness of life - both for Jesus and for all who are united with him by faith in baptism...

Thanks be to God!

in sins or in faith

Thursday, March 19, 2009

[If I haven't heard from you that you read this blog, or visit it, I'd like to hear from you. It's meaningful to me, and helpful, but I'm evaluating whether I'll keep doing it after Lent. I'd especially like to hear from Church of the Apostles people. Thanks. markjdicristina@yahoo.com]

Jer. 10:11-24; Rom. 5:12-21; John 8:21-32

I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins. (John 8:24)

There are only two options: to die in our sins, or to die believing in Jesus; to die in sin or in faith. Pretty simple.

I recently heard Dwight Pryor (Center for Judeo-Christian Studies) say this similarly. He was speaking on the Priestly Blessing from Numbers 6:22-27. He emphasized that one thing this blessing emphasizes is God's fundamental disposition to bless his people. As part of the talk he mentioned that indeed God is holy and just, and we will all die for our sins. The question is, on whose terms will we die?

Jesus points to his own death in this passage, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me" (v. 28).

We can look to him who was lifted up and believe (3:15), or we can look to ourselves and/or everything else we think might "save" us, or "justify" our lives. Paul uses the language of grace reigning or death reigning. When we believe that indeed Jesus came from God, is heaven's full provision for every person, when we look to him upon the cross, bearing our sins, bearing our Sin (the attitude, the inclination, the bentness in on ourselves), and exchanging that poison for the medicine of his grace and love, we move from death to grace, from "in our sins" to "in faith" or "in Christ," from slavery to freedom.

And again, Lent is all about this theme. Death and life. And reminding ourselves over and over, "by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy word" (BCP, p. 265), that we still are quick to choose death, quick to choose destructive ways. So because this is life, because it is a life and not a static, impersonal deal, and because the body of death still clings so closely, Jesus immediately shares with them about remaining in this life, living this out, and growing strong in it:

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (v. 31)

the light of life

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

[If I haven't heard from you that you read this blog, or visit it, I'd like to hear from you. It's meaningful to me, and helpful, but I'm evaluating whether I'll keep doing it after Lent. I'd especially like to hear from Church of the Apostles people. Thanks. markjdicristina@yahoo.com)

Jer. 8:18-9:6; Rom. 5:1-11; John 8:12-20

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:3-5)

Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. Discipleship, walking after Jesus, following him, gives to the follower the light of life. Even when all seems darkness, we have the light of life. Even when we can't see where the next step will land, he is with us; he promises to never leave or forsake us.

The "light of life": this is the light which is characterized by life, or has the quality of life; and it is the life which is light and sheds light. It helps us see clearly, gives us true vision. And it is that abundant and eternal life that brings everything into proper perspective. This is what following Jesus gives us.

When we have that light of life, when we are indeed at peace with God because we are in right relationship through trusting him, then even amidst suffering we can rejoice because God's love is poured into our hearts. We can see that suffering is not the end, it is not final, it is defeated and yet a servant of the Victor in bringing us to glory.

Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ,
for his suffering, and for ours,
for his victory,
for his peace, for his joy,
for his life, for his light.

no distrust!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Jer. 7:21-34; Rom. 4:13-25; John 7:37-52

No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.
(Romans 4:20-21)

No distrust. Abraham did not stop trusting God in spite of two withered bodies well past child bearing, he did not waver in trusting the God who promised life where there was no possibility of it - rather "the God in whom he believed... gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist." (v. 17)

Rather than weakening in trust or faith as time went along and the promise was unfulfilled, Abraham actually strengthened in his faith / trust / belief. And one way he did that (the only way Paul shares) was that he gave glory to God. As he gave glory to God his faith grew stronger.

So... how do we give glory to God? How can we be good stewards of the gift of faith, so that it increases like a good investment, and does not waver and weaken and diminish as we draw off it as if holding our breath, or sprinting for a hoped for finish line (that in fact may be miles and years ahead of us).

In our hearts and minds, with our lips, in our sharing and giving, and in all our actions. By being and becoming who we are, who God says we are - and not what our bodies say we are or what our thoughts say we are or our compulsions or lusts or whatever. And most simply (or frustratingly) by being "fully convinced that God is able to do what he promised." Wow, how can I make that up? If I'm not fully convinced, really? Well, we do intend to glorify God in all we think, say, and do. And then, that intention or desire or thirst we take to the Lord himself... and drink.

37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7)

Lord Jesus, we believe, help our unbelief. We want to glorify you, but are so infected with wanting our own glory. Heal us. Help us. Fill us. Change us. You who were faithful, who did not waver in distrust, even unto death, you who were dead and now live and reign, give life to these dying bodies and messed up minds and be glorified in us, by us, and through us.

the temple of the Lord

Monday, March 16, 2008
(Happy Birthday, Kate!)

Jer. 7:1-15; Rom. 4:1-12; John 7:14-36

“Stand in the gate of the Lord's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the Lord, all you men of Judah who enter these gates to worship the Lord. 3 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place..."
(Jeremiah 7:2-3)

Yesterday, we heard in church from John's account of Jesus' cleansing the Temple (ch. 2). John does not refer to this passage from Jeremiah, as do Matthew, Mark, and Luke. They all quote part of verse eleven, "Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the Lord."

But all of the gospels have this concern regarding Jesus "cleansing" the Temple - the ways and deeds of the people, and the leaders in particular, were corrupt and needed radical changing. Twice we hear, "amend your ways and your deeds."

The last two weeks we've used as the absolution after the confession one of those from the Rite I services: "The Almighty and merciful Lord grant you absolution and remission of all your sins, true repentance, amendment of life, and the grace and consolation of his Holy Spirit."

I like that, along with the absolving and remitting of all our sins, may God grant us:
true repentance (we considered that some last week - with our whole heart, not in pretense)
amendment of life (this is a part of true repentance - actually different ways and deeds)
grace and consolation of his Holy Spirit (to know peace, forgiveness, and grace to change and walk in the good works prepared for us to walk in)

God gives some clarity regarding the amendment of life he was looking for in the people who thought simply chanting, "This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord," would hold God to God's promise but let them forsake their covenant with him.

“For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly execute justice one with another, 6 if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own harm, 7 then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever. (vs. 5-7)

As Robert pointed out yesterday, we are the temple of the Lord - individually in our bodies, and collectively as God's people. And also, "For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?" (1 Peter 4:17)

This, again, is the lenten call: to renew our repentance and faith; self-examination and repentance; prayer, fasting, and self-denial; reading and meditating on God's holy word (BCP, p. 265); to amend our ways and deeds.

In John's Temple cleansing account Jesus says he will give a sign: "destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." (2:19) He comes to not only cleanse the Temple, to purify his Father's house, but to rebuild it.

"But he was speaking of the temple of his body." (v. 21) He is the true representative of Israel, and of the human race. He is the new Adam. And he is "something (someone) greater than the Temple." He death and burial was a real and visible image of the reality of the desolation and deadness of all God's people, made to dwell with him, to know intimate fellowship, and to love and serve him always.

Joining ourselves to Jesus the Messiah in faith will do this work of renewal, uniting ourselves with him in his death and uniting ourselves with him in his resurrection (through baptism and a baptized life), will "create in me a clean heart..." (Ps. 51) in which he will dwell.

(There's more to be said, but I've got to go! Be blessed meditating on this.)

Third week of Lent

Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

------------------------------
Daily Office Readings
------------------------------

Monday 80 + 77, [79]
Jer. 7:1-15 Rom. 4:1-12 John 7:14-36

Tuesday 78:1-39 + 78:40-72
Jer. 7:21-34 Rom. 4:13-25 John 7:37-52

Wednesday 119:97-120 + 81, 82
Jer. 8:18-9:6 Rom. 5:1-11 John 8:12-20

Thursday [83] or 42,43 + 85, 86
Jer. 10:11-24 Rom. 5:12-21 John 8:21-32

Friday 95* & 88 + 91, 92
Jer. 11:1-8,14-20 Rom. 6:1-11 John 8:33-47

Saturday 87, 90 + 136
Jer. 13:1-11 Rom. 6:12-23 John 8:47-59

come to me

Friday, March 13, 2009

Jer. 5:1-9; Rom. 2:25-3:18; John 5:30-47

You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.
(John 5:39-40)

How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? (v. 44)


All of our lenten devotion, indeed our disciple disciplines for every day of this journey following Jesus, are meant to provoke, to aid, to encourage and increase our longing for, as well as a sense of our urgent need for, an encounter with him.

Whether it is searching the Scriptures, praying the prayers, doing the liturgies, abstaining or fasting or giving... the point is that we might come to Jesus that we might have life, that we might know the glory that comes from the only God, that we might be conformed to his image, to the praise of the glory of God. That we might know him, yield to him, trust him, believe him.

In the language of AA, we could say that Lent, and our daily discipleship, is designed at least in part to provoke and bring us to and grace us to admit that we are powerless to help and change ourselves, to believe that God can restore us to sanity, and to make that decision (continually) to turn our will and lives over to God's care... (We heard a great talk on addiction and the 12 Steps by Paul Sheldon last night at the Men's Barn Ministry Dinner.)

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
(Matthew 11:28-29)

Peace be with you on this crucifixion day.
Remember Jesus Christ, crucified for us, risen from the dead...
If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him...
(2 Timothy 2:8, 11-12)

P.S. Check out "Memory and liturgy" at my dicristina site

his word, his voice - Life

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Jer. 4:9-10,19-28; Rom. 2:12-24; John 5:19-29

19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. 22 The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

25 “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. (John 5)

"whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life."
"The hour is coming, and is now here." Future, present.
"The dead will hear." Dead hear? impossible.
"And those who hear will live." Wait, is that the dead who hear - or some others?

Even now we have the future happening. Even now the dead hear his voice. His voice is life. His voice is authority. All flowing from his Father.

Oh, may what is dead and lifeless and hard in me, what is calloused and unresponsive and yes, even unrepentant, hear his voice and live!

God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
(Ephesians 2:4-7)

final repentance, daily

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Jer. 3:6-18; Rom. 1:28-2:11; John 5:1-18

Yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah did not return to me with her whole heart, but in pretense, declares the Lord.
(Jeremiah 3:10)

3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
(Romans 2)

Do any of us really repent with our whole heart? Do any of us not presume upon the riches of God's kindness and forbearance and patience? Truly, as Jeremiah will say later, the heart is deceitful. Lord, have mercy.

This is why, I think, we must "lose" our self (Mark 8:35) continually. We must utterly, finally, (as) fully (as possible), "destroy" / crucify / bury / put off our old, self-driven, rebellious, pretentious self day after day after day. Daily, we ought to pray for revelation - of the glory of God in Christ, and of a true assessment of our own hearts.

I am so thankful for God's kindness and forbearance and patience! And for his promise to send faithful shepherds to lead us and teach us in truth and to heal us. And for his promise to no longer dwell in the midst of his people via a box with manna and commandments and even the mercy seat, but by his very presence on the throne in the restored city of his people. Until that day, we must participate with him in the continuing conversion of our believing, belonging, and behaving. We must dwell in a body (beautiful and glorious, but like a wooden box nonetheless) that still carries an ingrained waywardness (wretched man that I am in this body of death! Romans 7), and yet dwelling in this very body is the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead, working life in us, shining light in us, working salvation in us - for the honor and glory of him who is kind, forbearing, and patient. Thanks be to God.

Shepherd your people, Lord. Restore us, shine your face upon us and be gracious to us.

Lord Jesus Christ, son of the living God
Have mercy on me, a sinner

a good exchange

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Jer. 2:1-13; Rom. 1:16-25; John 4:43-54

my people have committed two evils:
they have forsaken me,
the fountain of living waters,
and hewed out cisterns for themselves,
broken cisterns that can hold no water.
(Jeremiah 2:13)

In this passage God laments that his people, his priests, shepherds, and prophets have not asked:
"Where is the LORD who brought us out..., who led us through..., who brought us in to a plentiful land...?" (v. 6f)
God wants them/us to seek him, even asking "where is the Lord?!" (Of course, we've already heard that it was they who left him, not God who left them and made an exchange... cf. 5).

What they had done (what we do) is not seek the Lord, but complain and grumble - believing that God is not for us, nor with us, demanding our own way, our own "devices and desires," to fulfill our needs, wants and lusts. It is the original sin - God is not good; God is not for us; God designs for us to die, and not live.

What they did (and we do) was to exchange our glory for what is worthless, what does "not profit." Or in a more graphic image, forsake God who is the fountain of living water, and dig out cisterns, broken cisterns, for ourselves that cannot hold water. Living water ("mayim chaim"), is fresh, flowing water - a river or a stream. It is great for drinking, and is the first choice for cleansing by immersion. One would never prefer even a good cistern to "living water," let alone a broken one. But this is in fact the very image God uses with regard to his people's waywardness.

How often I make my own way; I invest my hopes, my trust, my security... in "devices" that cannot contain my hopes, cannot support my trust, cannot provide security.

Yet in the gospel story we've just finished Jesus invites an all-star non-Jewish sinner to drink of the living water he offers, that will satisfy even unto life, now and without end.

Oh, let us forsake our broken cisterns. Let us seek the Lord and live, and drink deeply of him who satisfies.

a united heart

Monday, March 9, 2009

(Ps. 86) Jer. 1:11-19; Rom. 1:1-15; John 4:27-42

And I will declare my judgments against them, for all their evil in forsaking me. They have made offerings to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands.
(Jer. 1:16)

unite my heart to fear your name.
I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
(Ps. 86:11-12)

to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations
(Rom. 1:5)

Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”
(John 4:36-38)


For me, the "uniting" theme in the Scriptures today is that line from the psalm (again, I am not following the daily psalms in the Daily Office), "Unite my heart to fear your name. I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart." Picking up on yesterday's gospel where heard about denying ourselves, truly following, about losing our lives for Jesus and the gospel to save them, I recognize once again the dividedness in my own heart. I have not utterly "forsaken" the Lord (Jer. 1), but I do forsake him in many lesser ways, in trusting in other things (ie. idols), including the "works of my own hands."

I trust that it's because the Spirit dwells within me, because I have been immersed into Jesus Christ, that I desire to have a united, whole heart in loving, serving, and worshiping the Lord; that I desire the maturity of "the obedience of faith" (Rom. 1).

And further, even this truth about co-laboring (Jn. 4) reveals a dividedness of heart. My pride wants to cut myself off from all those who have gone before, all those who are laboring now, and even that the Holy Spirit can do his work without me (! ... cf. Bruce Almighty). A united, whole heart is a heart big enough, open enough, trusting enough to include and receive that great communion of saints whom I need to make it as Christ's disciple. Paul says it this way, "that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine" (Rom. 1:12). This begins with my spouse and moves out from there.

In the end, these longings for a united heart, an undivided heart, only find any resolve at all when I simply offer all my brokeness, all my unintegrated heart to God as the only sacrifice I have to give. Only in surrender to and adoration of him whose heart was broken for us and for our salvation. The wounds that my brokeness caused are the very wounds that heal my dividedness ("our unhappy divisions," 1928 BCP). He receives it, he even delights in it; he holds my heart in his great heart of lovingkindness, and continues the wholeness and healing - his restoration project. Thanks be to God.

16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
(Ps. 51)

journey, patience, effort

Saturday, March 7, 2008

Deut. 11:18-28; Heb. 5:1-10; John 4:1-26

(7) In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. (8) Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. (9) And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him...
(Hebrews 5)


These readings in Hebrews during Lent are intentional, I think. Alexander Schmemann writes in Great Lent: Journey to Pascha that one set of lenten readings [the Saturday lenten eucharistic feast, the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom] in the Orthodox Church are from this epistle, and he says why:

During Lent this meaning of Saturdays acquires a special intensity, for the purpose of Lent is precisely to recover the Christian meaning of time as preparation and pilgrimage and of the status of the Christian as "alien" and "exile" in this world (I Peter 2:11). These Saturdays refer lenten effort to the future fulfillment and thus give Lent its special rhythm... The particular character of that feast is that it refers itself to Lent as journey, patience, and effort... whose purpose is to make us reflect on the ultimate goal of that journey. (pp. 69-70)

Anyway, I trust the readings are intentional in our Anglican Daily Office tradition as well.

Today we hear of the beloved Son, God's anointed King (Psalm 2) who is also The High Priest, who in his earthly pilgrimage suffered, even "learned obedience through what he suffered" (that's a good reflection, for another day). And because of this suffering, he offered up prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to him who was able to save him from death - but did not, or better said, he did save him from death, through death.

We hear of Jesus' "journey, patience, and effort." We see him as "alien" and "exile" even in the world made by and through and for himself. He was made perfect through the whole journey - the suffering, the crying out in reverent fear, the pains and the tears, in his dying, in his resting on the seventh day, and in his vindication on the first day of the New Creation. And therefore, he is the source of eternal salvation (another interesting phrase to ruminate on at another time) for those who obey him.

What does it mean to obey him? It means to heed his command: "repent and believe the good news." It means to do what he says, "believe in God, believe also in me;" and "Follow me;" and "watch and pray that you enter not into temptation, for the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak."

Yes, I know those are all pre-Easter, pre-Pentecost commands or expectations... prior to his empowering presence in our midst and within our very bodies. And this makes it even more important and encouraging to obey him, to walk in his footsteps, for one to indeed "deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me."

We have joined ourselves to him. We have committed ourselves to his kingdom and kingship. We have cast our whole existence into his saving and redeeming love. We have been forgiven. We are blessed. Certainly, we can be honest enough now to recognize where we are in this journey of following him; and if he cried out in fear and tears and suffering, how much more must we. Our sins, in attitude and actions, do separate us from God (Isaiah 59:2); perhaps not ultimately or finally, but certainly from his renewing work in us transforming us into the image of his Son. And so we "strive" to enter that rest; so we "toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me" (Col. 1:29). This is worth "all our heart, all our soul, and all our strength."

Lent reminds us of the journey, that we have not arrived, and yes, it calls us to effort and to patience, as we work out our salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work in us, both to work and to will for his good pleasure.


Collect for 1st Sunday of Lent
Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

he sympathizes

Friday, March 6, 2009

Deut. 10:12-22; Heb. 4:11-16; John 3:22-36

Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. (16) Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
(Hebrews 4:11,15-16)


We do all "fall" through disobedience of one sort or another, most of all by not loving one another as he has loved us. And therefore we fall short of that rest... and of his glory.

But we have a high priest who stands before God on our behalf, who represents us to God, indeed intercedes for us and moreso, who is our mediator. And, as our high priest, who represents God to us, perfectly as a beloved and well-pleasing Son.

He can sympathize with our weaknesses for he has been tempted in every way as we are. Of course, not necessarily the specifics of a certain temptation to sin, but the heart of the matter, the core issue at stake in any given temptation. He sympathizes. That's "sumpatheo" in Greek. He literally "suffers with" us, he completely understands. This is amazing. He has been here, and he was faithful - for us and for our salvation.

I have posted the Ash Wednesday Litany of Penitence below. As I review these various sin patterns that we own before God, I can remember that Jesus is actually tender-hearted toward me as I plead for mercy and seek grace to help me. He has been here, and he is with me.

I think "weaknesses" here may refer to more than our evil inclination (the "old man," the flesh or body of death that clings so closely); it may actually refer to our actual failings, the actual evidence of weakness, not just the state of weakness we all carry.

All this is to say, again, that this is amazing. As sinners, as disobedient people - people who do look to Jesus, who have set their hearts after God, to truly rest in him, who confess Jesus - we are exhorted to be confident in him, to come boldly before the "throne of grace." The throne of grace - not condemnation, not judgment, not of God's longsuffering with our junk... the throne of grace of one who sympathizes with our weakness.

Finally, we must note where the mercy and grace and encouragement is found.

It is drawing near to Jesus, our high priest on the throne of grace who has been tempted in every way as we are but who did not sin...

It is in confidence and boldness pleading his mercy, and seeking his grace as our only option to make it.

It is in him increasing and us decreasing (John 3:30).

It is in the circumcision of our hearts (Deut. 10:16).

It is in prayer.

It is in renewing our repentance and faith.


Accomplish in us the work of your salvation,
That we may show forth your glory in the world.

By the cross and passion of your Son our Lord,
Bring us with all your saints to the joy of his resurrection.

Litany of Penitence

The following is from our Ash Wednesday service. We spent some time with it at our Lenten Retreat last weekend, and I've been carrying around the copy I printed out for the group and visiting it during my devotions. I left a space to the left of each petition / confession that we might reflect on it and be specific regarding our sins and ways to amend out lives. It continues to make Ash Wednesday more meaningful... even as we are reminded of the need all Christians have "to renew their repentance and faith."


Litany of Penitence

We have not loved you with our whole heart, and mind,
and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We have not forgiven others, as we have been forgiven.
Have mercy on us, Lord.

We have been deaf to your call to serve, as Christ served us.
We have not been true to the mind of Christ.
We have grieved your Holy Spirit.
Have mercy on us, Lord.

We confess to you, Lord, all our past unfaithfulness: the pride,
hypocrisy, and impatience of our lives,
We confess to you, Lord.

Our self-indulgent appetites and ways, and our exploitation
of other people,
We confess to you, Lord.

Our anger at our own frustration, and our envy of those
more fortunate than ourselves,
We confess to you, Lord.

Our intemperate love of worldly goods and comforts,
and our dishonesty in daily life and work,
We confess to you, Lord.

Our negligence in prayer and worship, and our failure
to commend the faith that is in us,
We confess to you, Lord.

Accept our repentance, Lord, for the wrongs we have done:
for our blindness to human need and suffering,
and our indifference to injustice and cruelty,
Accept our repentance, Lord.

For all false judgments, for uncharitable thoughts
toward our neighbors, and for our prejudice
and contempt toward those who differ from us,
Accept our repentance, Lord.

For our waste and pollution of your creation,
and our lack of concern for those who come after us,
Accept our repentance, Lord.

Restore us, good Lord, and let your anger depart from us;
Favorably hear us, for your mercy is great.

Accomplish in us the work of your salvation,
That we may show forth your glory in the world.

By the cross and passion of your Son our Lord,
Bring us with all your saints to the joy of his resurrection.

believing, obeying, rest

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Deut. 9:23-10:5; Heb: 4:1-10; John 3:16-21

Believing, obeying, rest

This whole section of Hebrews keys on these verses from Psalm 95:

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,

“Today, if you hear his voice,
8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
on the day of testing in the wilderness,
9 where your fathers put me to the test
and saw my works for forty years.
10 Therefore I was provoked with that generation,
and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart;
they have not known my ways.’
11 As I swore in my wrath,
‘They shall not enter my rest.’”

The the continual dual refrain from Ps. 95 to which the writer returns over and over is
"Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts... 'they shall not enter my rest.'"

I am coming out of a time of rest. I have recognized some of the ways I do not truly rest. From striving, from anxiety, from my value being tied to my work, and yes, from resisting the Spirit of God.

This is one of those places in the New Testament that seems to emphasize the connection between believing and obedience. And it adds another to God's ordering of things. Rest.

Rest flows out of trusting. Trusting that God has not delivered us from bondage in order to destroy us in the wilderness. Trusting that he will provide all we need. Trusting enough to follow and obey. Jesus promises rest to those who yoke themselves to him (Matthew 11), who take his yoke on them and learn from him. Actually he is promising to personally give the rest of God (Ex. 33:14; Jer. 6:16).

Rest is also the command, which on one level we cannot do without obedient trust...

There's so much here. I've been meditating on it for a few days. A couple of resources: The God of Rest: Restoring your soul by restoring Sabbath, by Mark Buchanan; Freedom of Simplicity, by Richard Foster; The Way of the Heart, by Henri Nouwen.

God bless your meditation. Now, I've got to get to work...

Week of the 1st Sunday in Lent

Collect of the Day for 1st Sunday in Lent
Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Daily Office Bible Readings

Monday 41, 52 + 44
Deut. 8:11-20 Heb. 2:11-18 John 2:1-12

Tuesday 45 + 47, 48
Deut. 9:4-12 Heb. 3:1-11 John 2:13-22

Wednesday 119:49-72 + 49, [53]
Deut. 9:13-21 Heb. 3:12-19 John 2:23-3:15

Thursday 50 + [59, 60] or 19, 46
Deut. 9:23-10:5 Heb: 4:1-10 John 3:16-21

Friday 95* & 40, 54 + 51
Deut. 10:12-22 Heb. 4:11-16 John 3:22-36

Saturday 55 + 138, 139:1-17(18-23)
Deut. 11:18-28 Heb. 5:1-10 John 4:1-26

(Reminder. I don't include Sundays, because often they are different readings, and to encourage engaging the Sunday Eucharistic readings. Also the numbers next to the days are the psalms appointed for the day, the first set being for morning, the second (after the +) being for evening. Presently I am just reading sequentially through the psalms, one in the morning and one in the evening which is why I am not including the psalms in the daily reflections.
Grace and peace for the lenten journey.)