what is hanging in the balance now?

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory, which is the Spirit of God, is resting on you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, a criminal, or even as a mischief maker. Yet if any of you suffers as a Christian, do not consider it a disgrace, but glorify God because you bear this name. For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God; if it begins with us, what will be the end for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And

“If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

Therefore, let those suffering in accordance with God’s will entrust their lives to a faithful Creator, while continuing to do good.

1 Peter 4:12-19; NRSVue

Wherever you are as an American on the political spectrum here, you’ll have grave concerns about the past, present and future. We have lived in a privileged existence, and it looks like that is under great stress at this time. One thing most Americans agree on is that democracy itself is at stake here. There is even a so-called Christian disdain against democracy, aligned to some extent with the Christendom of the past, focused on implementing a “Christian” order. That is another subject in itself.

Another matter is just where our priorities should lie as followers of Christ, Christians in that sense. We now live in a different setting in America compared to those who lived at the time of Peter’s writing. Rome was then in charge with no ands, ifs or buts about it. In the rule of Caesar, there was no representation of the people. Now we have that, and as Christians we do well to advocate for what we consider to be good. We still have that freedom at the moment, but the problem now is that everything seems more than less partisan in the limited two-party system here.

What has happened in my lifetime since the 1960s and gaining momentum from the 1980s and 90s up to the present day is a culture war which initially was a reaction to the government telling a Christian institution that it could no longer bar Blacks from its spaces. That was the basis of the founding for the “Moral Majority.” After a few years abortion became the issue which they found united and gave momentum to their cause. The fallout from this race based, abortion, religious freedom platform has been great. There is little to no incentive to work with the other side on issues like abortion, and all kinds of other issues. We’re at a place now where there’s one side spurred on by Christians who want to take over entirely, be the ones in charge, with others in line according to that. So it’s a challenging time since there are a host of Jesus-followers and others who are opposed to that.

What is hanging in the balance now? I think for us as Christ-followers, it’s a time of purging, salvation for us in that sense. What does our faith tell us about the good we ought to be doing? Where do our priorities lie? Is it about our own protection and freedom? Or is it with the values which Jesus taught us: to love our neighbor, to be the neighbor when anyone is in need. To welcome the stranger, the refugee. To advocate for fairness for all. To stand against racial and gender discrimination, particularly right now against the transgender community. To stand against war and the destruction of innocents such as is happening in Gaza, both Israel and Hamas utterly failing in their use of horrific violence.

So all of that and more are important to us as Christ-followers. We won’t be uniform exactly in how we think and approach such matters. But there are certain things that forever should mark us. We don’t advocate force of any kind. We rather appeal by words, and mainly by works, by what we do. We are willing to stand with those who are considered the dredge of society, in the way, a nuisance or even danger which needs to be pushed to the side, cancelled, even eliminated. We stand for the humanity of all. We look for solutions to problems, not imagining there will be perfection in such in this life but pushing toward that ideal.

With that, what do people see in us? Democrats? Republicans? MAGA followers? Patriotic Americans? You fill in the blank. Rather, shouldn’t they be seeing people who are not known as any such, but rather as Christians in the sense of which Peter talks about above? Followers of Jesus, as Jesus taught and lived in the four gospel accounts? Yes, that. That alone is our identity from which we live. There’s no doubt that we all have our opinions on political matters of this world. But we are in allegiance to one Lord, Jesus. Our following of him means that all peoples are embraced as those whom God loves. We continue on in that way, expecting difficulty, maybe even suffering. But the only way we’re to live in this life as followers of Jesus.

an anxiety treatment towards prevention and cure

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7; NRSVue

If anyone gets to know me, or if you’ve been around this blog, it won’t be too long until you’ll find out that anxiety has been a major issue I’ve had to deal with in my life. Someone could say, “Well, you’re anxious due to issues, real concerns.” And yes, that’s right. I have in recent years coped with anxiety better, maybe much better than sometimes in the past. If one can find a healthy coping mechanism so to speak, that might give one a window or the space needed to learn to deal with anxiety in ways helpful to them, that seems to me all very well and good.

There are actually many places in Scripture to draw help from when thinking about, anticipating, or experiencing anxiety. The psalms are chalk full of expressions of anxiety mixed with expressions of faith, even if a faith expressed in cries of desperation. Also the stories in the Bible, and don’t ever leave the Old Testament behind. In light of God as revealed in Jesus, we’re not going to take a good number of the Old Testament stories as correlated one to one, totally prescriptive for us today. My “sling and stone” will always be metaphorical, never for an actual flesh and blood enemy.

If there’s one spot I land on or return to again and again when dealing with anxiety, it’s Paul’s words here in Philippians. It is good, even important to read everything in context. Clicking the link above will put one into the section of Scripture, these words on anxiety are found. And better yet, read the entire book of Philippians, a relatively short read. We need less “precious promise” books and more reading of Scripture. Often the promises are taken out of context and more or less misapplied. I am not against such books myself. All I’m saying is that nothing replaces reading and studying and meditating on Scripture as a whole.

Now to Paul’s instruction for us. It seems odd, really impossible to not be anxious about anything. That depends precisely on what is meant, but we do well to do exactly as told here. When we’re considering anything which we know might take us down the path of anxiety, we pray to God with thanksgiving, letting God know all of our concerns, asking God for good answers as best we understand that. Then comes the promise that we’ll be living in God’s peace. Remember, that peace does not depend on circumstances. If it did, none of us would ever have it.

One last thought. We can read and consider this passage from a position of privilege, never encountering the dangers and ills that daily beset billions on our planet. That doesn’t mean this passage doesn’t apply to us, but it does mean that we will do well to take steps even towards what might well make us anxious, step out of our comfort zones, enter somehow into the suffering and world of others. Any number of ways to do that, through giving what resources we have, our time, ourselves, in ways that are healthy for us, but also self-sacrificial in love, the love of God in Jesus.

All the while stepping towards and being immersed in God’s peace in Jesus.

war no more

The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

In days to come
the mountain of the LORD’s house
shall be established as the highest of the mountains
and shall be raised above the hills;
all the nations shall stream to it.
Many peoples shall come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations
and shall arbitrate for many peoples;
they shall beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation;
neither shall they learn war any more.
O house of Jacob,
come, let us walk
in the light of the LORD!

Isaiah 2:1-5; NRSVue

There seems little I can turn to as far as Christian resources, particularly from the community and tradition I was a part of for many years, in the way of advocating for the cessation of war and armed conflict, and a just peace. In the tradition I left we live in a time pressing closer to Jesus’s return in which they’ll only be an increase in wars and rumors of wars. And that tradition more than any other in the US is in favor of war and military buildup. So I certainly can’t expect much help from them.

We have to turn to early church fathers before Augustine and Constantine to begin to get help from the church. And we also turn to pacifist movements within the church like the Franciscans along with the Peace Church movements in the Anabaptists along with the Quakers. All others seem not only steeped in the idea of the inevitability of war, but historically right up to the present day, very much a part of it.

But what does Jesus say? What does Scripture say? Jesus was steeped in the prophets and the word from Isaiah quoted above along with a host of other passages advocates for the end of bloodshed and war. Yes, there’s no doubt we live in an evil time, but what if we Christians were focused and committed to “the things that make for peace,” (Jesus’s words: Luke 19:42) instead of given to the idea that the present order needs to be maintained at all costs? What if violence and war were considered a very last resort and there would be a commitment to a society and world in which those bent on violence and advocating war were more and more marginalized?

Yes, I realize that the tradition I came out of can never receive this. That’s why in part I left it and am now back to the tradition I was raised in. But those of us in the so-called Christian Peace Church tradition need to raise our voices and do what we can to stem the tide of violence. Only then through Christ will we be a needed light in the darkness, calling the nations and peoples to work on better solutions in solving problems, with the sense that we are inescapably in this together.

faith, in the real world

Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher; all is vanity.

The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments, for that is the whole duty of everyone. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Ecclesiastes 12:8, 13-14; NRSVue

Yesterday I talked about Peter walking on the water. Our pastor mentioned how that Matthew passage has been an encouragement for her to step out of her comfort zone, a helpful thought in applying that Scripture passage. I wonder in the story how Peter must have felt afterwards. But living with Jesus during that time was astonishing. Peter had tried, had stepped out of the boat onto the water like his Master, but ultimately failed because he took his eyes off Jesus. That can teach us both possibilities and humility. But above all, faith. Keep looking to Jesus no matter what else. If you look squarely at the “what else” and no longer at Jesus, you won’t make it. I would like the idea of straddling the fence so to speak, looking at both. After all, you have to deal with the real world, fair enough? The entire book of Ecclesiastes is about that.

But straddling the fence has the idea of holding on to your options, of not being committed to going either way. It seems like Peter’s full attention was to be directed to the Lord, and if he gave even so brief a moment to the turbulent waters, that focus would be gone and with it his faith.

I don’t know. I wish I had a better answer on this. But I do write out of a commitment to Christ and Scripture as God’s Word along with the apt word spoken or given in season as God’s Word. And I also write out of experience. That’s where we live, not sitting by a desk cramming our head with facts. I am like many, I want to solve the problem, and I want to do so now. I don’t think that’s necessarily bad in and of itself except perhaps for the wish to get it done right away, but the issue here which I’m concerned about is an issue of faith. There may be many problem solvers in the world, but there doesn’t seem to be that many Christ-followers.

Ecclesiastes as a whole does take a rather dour look at life. After examining all of life “under the sun,” the verdict is that it’s all vanity, fleeting, meaningless. But at the same time, the Teacher says, it seems to have its place, a time for everything, but not to be taken with any ultimate seriousness except as it might impinge on obedience to God. Also, one is to accept the full enjoyment that comes with life. What ends up being ultimate in Ecclesiastes is to fear God and keep God’s commandments in light of God’s judgment to come.

Life is what it is. It has its good, bad, beautiful and ugly. There’s no sense trying to escape, because there actually is no escape from it and suicide is not something that should ever be considered. In the midst of the hard parts, we need to be committed to keeping our eyes on Christ. We should beware thinking that this means we’re escaping the real world and real responsibilities. No, in the midst of it all, God is present to give us the needed wisdom we’re lacking.

So maybe we can settle in on something like this: God is present in Christ to help us in the real world. We’ll just have to make the best decisions we can, steeped in prayer, and in it all, try to keep our full attention on Jesus. Easier said than done, but that seems to me to be an important part of our calling in Christ.

new depths

Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD.
Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my supplications!

If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you,
so that you may be revered.

I wait for the LORD; my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the LORD!
For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
and with him is great power to redeem.
It is he who will redeem Israel
from all its iniquities.

Psalm 130; NRSVue

Life has a way of surprising us in ways we could not imagine and would never choose. Naturally we want everything to go well, to have no problems whatsoever. But of course, it doesn’t work out that way. Admittedly, this is especially true for some. Like the woman and her son who recently died of heat and thirst in the Sahara Desert with little hope of escape due to the inhumanity of peoples, sadly. Many of the problems where I live are first world problems, but not all.

And when problem piles on problem, and especially when a problem seems threatening and insurmountable, then one might eventually move past fear and anxiety into depths of despair, except because of faith in God, we can’t accept that all hope is gone, and that God can’t make the needed difference.

That is reflected in Psalm 130 in which the psalmist voices depths in their experience, but also expresses faith in God through calling out to God in prayer. Psalm 130 seems like a model prayer of faith during a most trying time with hope as in belief in God, God’s redemption and goodness. And it’s a faith which is tenacious, which refuses to let go. There is persistent waiting and expectation.

Another good psalm to meditate on, memorize, and above all put into practice.

“this can come out only through prayer”

When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them and some scribes arguing with them. When the whole crowd saw him, they were immediately overcome with awe, and they ran forward to greet him. He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought you my son; he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak, and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid, and I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they could not do so.” He answered them, “You faithless generation, how much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me.” And they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. It has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you are able to do anything, help us! Have compassion on us!” Jesus said to him, “If you are able! All things can be done for the one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You spirit that keeps this boy from speaking and hearing, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!” After crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he was able to stand. When he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “This kind can come out only through prayer.”

Mark 9:14-29; NRSVue

When they came to the crowd, a man came to him, knelt before him, and said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has epilepsy and suffers terribly; he often falls into the fire and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.” Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was cured from that moment. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Matthew 17:14-21; NRSVue

According to most Bible scholars, Mark’s telling of this story likely precedes Matthew’s. In the two gospel accounts, this occurs right after Jesus comes down from the mount after his transfiguration, along with Peter, James and John who had accompanied him there. The rest of the disciples were left with a human dilemma, what turned out to be a test, which they did not pass. Jesus expresses consternation over his disciples not being able to deal with this.

Both gospel accounts are so instructive for us today. According to Mark, Jesus makes it plain in the end that disciples can deal with only such matters through prayer. In Matthew’s version, Jesus tells them that they have little faith, and that if only they would have faith the size of a mustard seed, they would be able to take care of such human problems put before them.

I think this is so telling for us here and now, or in any place or time. There are certain things which won’t improve except through prayer. In fact, what is it that is difficult and sometimes impossible for humans -and in a sense we can say that all is since all of us are created to be in communion with God, in dependence on God and interdependence on each other- where prayer is not needed?. So prayer is a necessity in casting out evil, in dealing with any trouble. Along the way, we might need that kind of prayer ourselves. And as followers of Christ, we need to be primed to always be in prayer for others in this way in the most difficult and dark places.

Why don’t we do this? According to Matthew, Jesus says it’s because we have such “little faith.” I am seeing more and more the need to be aware of the wrongs around us, beginning even with ourselves and what is closest to us, and going out from there into all the world. Of course we’re limited, but what is at hand for us, what is concerning and disconcerting is the point here. We need to have the faith to be in prayer. That needs to be a prime point of what we do, of our existence. All the rest will follow. Something I want to live into and grow in.

don’t lose your nerve

Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my accuser.’ For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’ ” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Luke 18:1-8

There are so many reasons in this life that one might lose their nerve so to speak and become unsettled, unhinged. There’s the politics along with the culture war and all the dangers that come with that. There are the issues which are dividing families, friends and churches. The real world fallout which accompanies all of this. And you have the normal problems to look after. If there isn’t one problem, there’s another, likely a few others. Family, work, house, whatever.

In and through the midst of everything, our Lord encourages us not to lose heart, but pray. I find it easy myself to fall into something other than faith and when doing so I find that prayer seems irrelevant, beside the point, even though I know better. But at that point I’ll be flailing away trying to come up with good answers and find peace. And it is important that we try to understand issues as well as where people on every side are coming from. All of that is good, but we have to be careful not to forget just where our faith is and proceed from that.

It’s not in human institutions and humans, even while we hope and pray for needed change and good to come. But in all of that we have to remember that our faith can be in none such. Only in God. Only in God. Yes, only in God. This faith is not just an individual venture, but even more, together as church. We are to be people of faith demonstrated in prayers which Jesus tells us here are to be done always.

Something I have to keep reminding myself of and especially at certain times, again and again.

are we really ready to follow?

As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” And Jesus said to him, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Luke 9:57-62

Now large crowds were traveling with him, and he turned and said to them, “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? If he cannot, then while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.

Luke 14:25-33

It’s one thing to pray a prayer, ask Jesus into one’s heart, and then believe you’re eternally secure, bound for heaven someday. That is a summary of what many believe. But it’s quite another thing to commit oneself to follow Christ and then follow through, do it. Those are worlds apart.

What you’re going to find when you commence to follow Christ and keep going is that there will be a number of things you won’t like. There will be hurt and problems which you otherwise would not have. But Christ will be present, and that makes all the difference.

secondary necessary provision

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:4-7

Wouldn’t we all like to live above certain things? Whatever ails us, to be precise. When we’re in the clear, away from that, life with its normal inconveniences and struggles seems mostly all good. But when we fall into what seems to us an unnecessary pit, all of that is gone, and it’s almost as if we can’t even climb our way out, or it’s at least a struggle to do so. Or more like the light has to unexpectedly and as it were slowly, as if sneaking up on us and entering unawares, come to settle in, and we can again breathe a little easy, even while a bit traumatized from what has preceded.

What we’re told in the above passage is an example of what I would like to call secondary, but necessary provision. I’m not sure what better term to give it right now. Secondary not in the sense that it’s not important and even vital for us, for our lives here and now. But secondary in the sense that it’s given to us when we’re muddled up into something less than the full life in which God wants us to live in Christ. Actually it might be primary or of first importance for a long time, until we can grow to the point where we need this help now and then, but to some extent don’t live with the problem area enveloping and plaguing our lives.

Something to consider in the life of God given to us in Jesus.

no end to worry except here

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:4-7

There is one thing for sure in this life. You’re never going to run out of things to worry about. If it isn’t one thing, it’s another, and some of them seem downright threatening. What are we to do?

Of course we can reason through it, ask for help, and try to do what we can. But best before and while we’re doing anything, above all we do well to pray. To ask God for God’s help, the help that only God can give. To see us through regardless.