when sad

Emotions are a part of life, and to be taken seriously. They can actually be a help or a hindrance, depending on what we do with them.

I have struggled more or less much of my life with depression, probably would be classified mild in clinical terms, since I’ve always been able to function and do what was required of me.

I find times of sadness in my life can be opportunities to seek to draw near to God. Sometimes I know at least in part what troubles me, and while one thing may be paramount, often I’m saddened over a number of things. That can be helpful in giving me much pause to stop, be still, be silent, and seek to come into God’s presence anew and afresh, or really “just as I am”, in and through Jesus.

On the other hand, sadness can be a danger as well. I can listen to another voice other than the voice of the good shepherd. That other voice will put all kinds of troubling and indeed perturbing thoughts in my mind which will eat away at my soul, making me struggle with anger and bitterness. And if something happens especially unexpectedly, what is in me may well spill out. Which then I’ll have to repent of.

Emotions are not to be despised and shunned, or buried within us. The Psalms over and over give testimony to the faithful being open and honest to God about what they are thinking and feeling, even when that is not good. Sadness along with other emotions can be our call to be still before God. To seek God and his face. To pray to him. Of course all in and through Jesus.

And while we need to go immediately to God, we can share our heart struggle to some degree with trusted friends when that is appropriate. That they might pray for us. And we for them, if they should ever share their own struggles with us. As we bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ, which is love, that unique love we find in God through Christ. And we do this ourselves and with each other with a heart by the Spirit of Jesus for the world.

being unfriendly

Proverbs tells us that an unfriendly person is self-centered, and not only lacks good judgment, but lashes out against it.

It is easy to be aloof, or to keep to one’s self when one has been hurt in one way or another. It is also easy to suppose the worst of others, after one has been hurt by them. In Jesus and in the Jesus way we’re called to something different. We’re to reach out as friends. We’re to befriend others.

Will we be friends with everyone we reach out to? Of course not. Some will spurn our kindness and judge us as somehow unworthy. Somehow their universe wraps around themselves. This reminds us of a number of complexities that enter into the picture. If we’re not entirely on the same page they are, or maybe less in alliance with them than that, there can be this dynamic at work.

And yet Jesus reached out to Judas to the end, calling him “friend.” Instead of distancing ourselves from another, we’re called to do the same, even to love and pray for our enemies, to do good to them. We’re to seek to befriend others, in and through the love of God which has befriended us in the grace in Jesus.

meditation for Good Friday: witnessing Jesus at the cross

Thankfully we have the clear narrative from the gospel accounts of the four evangelists of Jesus’ suffering, crucifixion and death (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). And from the prophet Isaiah we gather more of the brutality which Jesus endured out of love.

It is good to mediate and ponder on those events, what Jesus did for us. Our church has a most wonderful Stations of the Cross which can be quite helpful for us to slowly walk through and consider what Jesus suffered for us, and its meaning- past, present and future.

Of course Jesus’ death is not only for us, but for the world, and indeed for all creation. In that death the old order is judged and the prince of this world is driven out. And in the resurrection the new order comes in, the new creation to be completed when heaven and earth become one, but which begins even here and now in and through Jesus.

But we need to pause and ponder what Jesus did for us in his death. We need to behold him on the cross. Taking some time. Not just a passing thought.  We need to put our faith in him as the crucified one, our now resurrected and ascended Lord. Perhaps a renewal of our faith. Nothing can help us do that more than to attempt to fix our eyes on Jesus who out of love and for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame. And is now seated at the right hand of God. To reappear, but now ever present by his Spirit in the world.

May each of us take time to ponder and think through this great love of God in Jesus. Together in Jesus for the world.

meditation for Holy Tuesday: what is needed, a change of heart

When Jesus came and God’s kingdom in him, not only was there to be a change contradicting the world’s system, but at bottom there was to be no less than a change of heart. It does little to no good to change systems or laws when there is no change of heart corresponding.

That week Jesus was telling his disciples that they would all fall away because of what was about to happen to him. Peter denied it emphatically, showing what little he knew. The Lord corrected him, telling him that he would actually deny him three times. Peter then protested that even if he had to die with Jesus, he would never deny him.

We know what happened afterward. In the garden Jesus had told the disciples not only to watch and pray with him, but to pray that they would not fall into temptation. The disciples fell asleep, and then Jesus’ rebuke, wondering that they could not watch with him for one hour. With the warning: “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

The Lord had told Peter that Satan had asked permission to sift all the disciples as wheat. But that Jesus had prayed for Peter. With the directive that when Peter would turn back in repentance that he should strengthen his brothers. We know how that happened. Peter does return, and then the Lord asks Peter if he loves him three times. Perhaps the change in the last of that questioning from the verb form of agape to phila love mattered. But Peter broke down in grief. This was a time of deep soul searching and transformation of heart.

Jesus came to give us a new heart. Our hearts are often hard and unmoved. We don’t want to do what we know we ought to do, or we do what we should not because our hearts are unchanged. Scripture tells us that a broken and contrite heart God will not despise. Jesus said that on the outside people can look good, while the inside can be full of evil. White washed tombs with dead people’s bones inside.

I can be slow at heart to believe and obey. It is good when one finds it joyful to obey in love. Jesus came and walked that dreadful way of the cross to give us a new heart. In his high priestly prayer, Jesus prayed just prior to his suffering, “For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.” This was a setting apart to God in sacrifice, in order that his followers would also be set apart as his followers in the same way. In heart and life.

Paul prayed that the believers might know the depths of God’s love in Jesus, that they might be filled to all the fullness of God. We are being remade in and through Jesus into the very image of God through and through. In calling and in heart.

In the end tradition tells us in keeping with Jesus’ earlier words to Peter, that Peter was to die on a cross, even as his Master, Savior and Lord had died. Peter insisted that he was not worthy, and that therefore he should be so executed on a cross, upside down. A heart which was soft, contrite, sensitive to all that is wrong not only in the world, but in one’s self.

Yes, we need a change of heart. “Change my heart oh God. Make it ever true. Change my heart oh God. May I be like You.” By Jesus and God’s love in him in and through his death for us. Together in Jesus for the world.

truth and love

John’s first small letter (2 John) brings truth and love together, which is the only way you can really understand either in a Christian context.

Truth telling might be understood as telling the unvarnished truth about someone or something as we see it. But I can’t help but think of God’s love expressed for his failing people (in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible; Hosea being a prime example). That he cared for them, in spite of themselves. And that he wanted to woo and win them to himself. And care for them as a parent lovingly cares for their children.

We certainly can’t bear the weight that God does, caring for the wayward as only he can. And yet we’re told by Jesus to be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful. To love our enemies and pray for them, so that we will be like the Father. A tall order indeed, one to be fulfilled in and through Jesus.

Truth and love can’t ever be separated for the Christian, nor ultimately. All truth is from God and God is love. Truth and love are revelations from God, what theologians call both general and special revelation.

In general revelation scientists explore creation and people base their lives on what they believe to be true, whether they see truth as relative or not. Even if their “truth” is that there is no truth- which is a distortion of course of this gift of truth from God. There are other means of establishing truth, reason being one important factor in that. Love is found among humanity in relationships especially, human to human being prominent. And there is love for what is good, experienced and appreciated as well.

Special revelation is found in scripture and in Jesus, and ultimately revealed in the good news in Jesus. In fact Jesus declared himself to be the way and the truth and the life. In that very truth is found love, the love of God in Jesus. A love which has expressed itself in dying for us, for the world. A love which is also Trinitarian, rooted in the eternal love of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

So when we think of truth, we always need to think of love. And when we think of love, we always need to think of truth. If we separate the two, they actually both die. They can’t exist except together. So that we must never think of one apart from the other. And we must always see them joined ultimately in a person, Jesus. In whom those of the faith live. This truth and love in Jesus to us and to the world.

a personal relationship with Christ

It is not enough to know about Christ, or to know the gospel. One might have been baptized, catechized, religious, reciting the creeds and taking Holy Communion. What is needed is a personal relationship with Christ which comes by faith.

This problem is well know among some both in Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. There is a significant problem with nominalism in such. In other words many think they are Christian because they have been baptized and confirmed, and yet their faith is not living and interactive in and with God. They lack the sense of personal relationship with God through Christ. I’m not suggesting, by the way, that evangelical or other churches don’t have this problem. But evangelicals do tend to emphasize or hold as important the need for a personal, living faith.

Unlike many evangelicals I know, I think one can lose this faith. Many actually have lost it. Perhaps for a good cause which has become an idol. Or for whatever reason. So that the faith by and by no longer matters. Christ is no longer real or personal to them. A real and present danger for us all.

We can even be close to the kingdom of God and evidently still not be in it, as Jesus indicated. We can do all sorts of good works even in Jesus’ names, including miraculous works, but in the words of Jesus, he will say in the last day, “I never knew you. Depart from me you evildoers.”  I can write about it, but do I know personally the God who reveals himself in Christ? We do well to ask ourselves that question.

Paul aspired to such, which in itself is encouraging. Because sometimes I think I hardly know Christ. Sometimes I think much of what I do is merely mechanical, or doing it because I know I’m supposed to. This is not to say that we can get a handle on God. That can never happen. But we are taken into the love of God in Christ by the Spirit, even the love of the Trinity. We love because God first loved us. This is a love which loves God and the family of God. And loves the way God does, including one’s enemies.

Our faith is to be living and personal. A hard one for me, who on a certain level can seem fine, but in a deeper level can struggle. Do I really want to enter into the depths needed to keep the relationship with Christ growing? I certainly hope so. Of course we depend on God’s grace to keep us in this faith. And that together with others in Jesus. Yes, in the way of Jesus in God’s love for the world.

Rodney Reeves on where true love is found (for those married, and for everyone else)

It’s one of the great ironies of our time: the famous “love chapter” written by Paul is commonly recited during wedding ceremonies. I think the apostle would find the custom very strange. That’s because he wrote 1 Corinthians 13 to remind his converts that true love is how the church reveals we are the body of Christ. (It comes in the middle of his teaching on spiritual gifts not marriage.) As far as Paul was concerned, true love isn’t found in marriage or in family, in words or in miracles, in knowledge or even in self-sacrifice. (See 1 Cor 13:1-3.) True love is found in Christ. Therefore true love is to be found in his body, the church. Really? Not marriage, not romance, not children, not parents—true love, pure love, godly love is found only in Christ and his church? That’s hard to swallow (especially for those who have endured abuse not only in marriage but also in church). All the more reason Paul believed we all need to change our perspective, not looking at things “from a human point of view”; “For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. And he died for all, so that those who live might  live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them. From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view” (2 Cor 5:14-16). That’s the difference between us and the apostle Paul. He saw all things—yes, even love and marriage—through the lens of the new creation. Husbands were to see their wives as members of the body of Christ—when they loved their wives, it was the same as Christ loving the church (Eph 5:25). Wives were to submit to their husbands as members of the church submitting to Christ (Eph 5:22). This was life in the Spirit; this was how members of the church submitted to each other “out of reverence for Christ” (Eph 5:21). They didn’t do this to make their marriages better (even though that is often the case—I have noticed that I’m a lousy husband when I’ve lost my first love). Rather, husbands and wives are to love each other because they are brothers and sisters in Christ. We love because he first loved us. Christ and his church define the marriage relationship. In fact, that’s why Paul found sex outside of marriage so reprehensible: it polluted the body of Christ.

Rodney Reeves, Spirituality According to Paul: Imitating the Apostle of Christ, 136-137.

giving up something for Lent

Today is Ash Wednesday, our church having a service tonight to begin Lent, symbolizing what our Lord has done for us in his death on the cross, and our repentance with ashes. I am a late comer to keeping (loosely) the church calendar year, but I think the more the better for me on that.

At the same time it is still a bit of a head scratcher to me when people talk about giving up something for Lent. Especially when they share what it might be. Seemingly meaningless, at least to my ears. Perhaps chocolate, or something else which seems trivial.

It’s interesting that the time of Lent stretching to Easter incorporates 40 church days, 46 overall on the calendar. It is thought that to rid one’s self of an old habit and start a new, takes around six weeks, or 40 days.

Actually Lent is to be a time of reflection on our Lord and his sacrifice of love for us and for the world. And a renewal of our commitment in faith to follow him. That renewal for us inevitably in this world involves ongoing repentance. So whatever one might choose to give up if one decides to keep this tradition, needs to be in that spirit and understanding.

There are certain sins which beset many of us, sins which we may easily fall into or may even have us in their grip. They may seem small and nagging, yet all sin looms large when it comes to real life, and the impact on it. Often they are sins which in one way or another violate love. And in a sense all sins do. I think here of love to God first, and then love to our neighbor as ourselves.

We could list sins. Some are noted today, even considered unavoidable by many. And then others are accepted with the idea that everyone does it. And then others are oh so subtle. They may even be couched with some good intentions. Or there may be good along with what is not good.

The question being, are we following our Lord truly in what we are doing? And if not, then we should repent of it, seek the Lord so as to follow him afresh, looking for no less than a change of heart along with practice.

And we need to occupy ourselves with something new in place of the old.   Just the thought of how we are following Jesus is a good one for this. It will end up something in terms of love and obedience to him and his commands. There ought to be in our hearts a desire to want to please him. This is not just a religious practice, but one of commitment and devotion to God in God’s love to us in Jesus.

Of course this is all grace. If one makes a commitment, but fails along the way, that is an opportunity then and there to repent and go on. Perhaps what you gave up is only temporary, so that you can strengthen your focus on our Lord. That is of course well and good, also.

I think I know what I’ll give up, starting today. In my case I may be able to go back to it, but it can become a sin to me. Part of the change God is working in me. As along with others in Jesus we follow on in this life in the way of the cross as those who by the Spirit begin to share in his resurrection with the hope of the full resurrection to come.

love does not give up

When we love someone, we don’t give up in trying to pursue a relationship. Or maybe a different kind of love, so that we pursue friendship. Not saying those of the opposite sex shouldn’t be careful here, and certainly guard their hearts, unless of course they’re both single.

Love for God is something of the same. If we love God and the things of God, we will want to pursue this for all its worth. In this case worth all our heart, soul, mind and strength. We won’t give up, no matter how dark or torn the soul.

Sometimes though it seems that in this pursuit we are weak. We may want to pursue this love to the max, but some weakness plagues us. Could be a sin, or some issue that is not resolved. Maybe a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment us.

And yet that love that God has poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit he has given us, won’t settle for some lesser love. Not meaning we don’t love our neighbors, and those close to us. In fact love for God enhances that.

The blessing of times when we’re struggling is that we see how highly we value the treasure we’re pursuing. In this case the highest treasure of all, God’s love in and through Christ.

Love does not give up. It won’t settle for anything less than fulfillment. In this case it is a love from God which is destined not only to overtake us in and through Jesus, but destined to overtake the world. And in significant part that begins now through us in Jesus. Even in the midst of our struggles. God’s love in Jesus through us to and for others, indeed for the world. As we share together in God’s love in Jesus.

how we know

Paul said that if anyone thinks they know anything, then they don’t know as they ought. But whoever loves God is known by God. Paul certainly did not eschew knowledge. He was a man of books and knowledge, and acknowledged that he had knowledge, when under attack. Paul does tell us elsewhere that we know in part. And there is a gift of knowledge within the body of Christ, the church.

It is how we know that matters. Because life is not just about learning knowledge, or trying to understand reality, but living well in that reality, or with what we have learned. It is about relating. And since persons are a big part of reality, it is about relationships.

Jesus said that the first and greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. And the second like it is to love our neighbors as ourselves. That all the law and the prophets hang on those commands.

So it would seem clear enough that we should be humble about what we believe, knowing it is all dependent on God. And not understood completely by us. And yet we are to hold to the truth as it is revealed in Jesus. But that truth at its heart is relational, rooted and oriented in love. The love of God in Jesus. And out from that to the world, by the cross.

Knowledge is important, but how we know is more important yet, and love must inform and shape everything. We are not know-it-alls. And yet we in Jesus are known by God through Christ. That is our chief orientation from which we begin to try to understand and continue to learn. Together in Jesus and for the world.