God’s Priorities Confound Us
Sunday, March 15
1 Samuel 16:1-13
It turns out that all too often Yahweh’s plans confound our own judgments and priorities. God’s judgments governing human affairs everywhere are evident, from the macro circumstances our country is living through to the micro circumstances we are born into. Sometimes they show up as paths and doorways throughout our lives. God is in fact directly communicating with us all the time! And truth be told, we are often confounded; our path looks more like a shadow of death than a street paved with gold. We are in good company when we feel grief and loss over our circumstances, our path, our choices, or our country’s leaders—Samuel certainly did.
For David, significant challenges awaited him before he would be crowned king: political setbacks, intrigues, close calls upon his life. We, too, wait upon the unveiling of God’s full plan. As Paul penned so insightfully in the first century: “For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only that, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:22-23, NASB).
Father Almighty, who loves within yourself yet emanates extravagant love into creation and into us, your children, please strengthen us for the storms of life this day, and grow our hearts to receive more of your lifesaving love. Amen.
Human Judgment Is A Dangerous Game
Monday, March 16
MATTHEW 7:1-5
Jesus gives his listeners a potent warning: judging will return to you, O judger. Ouch! Unfortunately, judging others can feel fun and rewarding. It can make us feel better—somehow we are lifted above another. “I see this particular way that I am better than you. Heh heh,” we chortle. How does this judging activity boomerang back upon us? When we leach out judgment on others, they respond by closing up and crossing us off their list of loved ones; we receive what we dish out. It’s the opposite of the golden rule. We do unto others what we don’t want done to us. This behavior runs counter to what Jesus describes as the fulfillment of the entire law and the prophets.
Yet to judge, or to discern right from wrong, is a staple of Christian living. So what’s the real problem here? It’s in the how. Love the sinner, we are told, not the sin. Behavior management of others (a.k.a. “fruit inspecting”) is God’s domain, not ours.
The antidote to harshly judging another is to notice and address the log blinding our own vision. We are in desperate need of mercy, and we are called to extend mercy.
God of all love and mercy, enable us to say yes when the opportunity to love another comes our way. Let us repent of harsh judging and instead follow you. Amen.
The Golden Rule
Tuesday, March 17
MATTHEW 7:12-14
Jesus boils down the whole law and the prophets into one line — what we now call the golden rule. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Simple, clear, and always relevant.
A beautiful result of following this rule is that it keeps us working our own side of the street. When I consider how I want to be treated, I want mercy and patience for my foibles and vexing behaviors, and I want others to trust that Jesus is redeeming me in his own way and in his own timing. And when another’s troubles lie outside my own experience (which of course they do), and arise from factors I could never know or fully understand, why not entrust them to God? Isn’t this what I want to receive from others? How many times have we all felt the sting of another’s judgment when they barely knew the half of it? Unfortunately, our collective failures to follow the golden rule in the church are an all-too-common reality.
Jesus invites us is to step onto the narrow path, a path that looks challenging perhaps, yet leads to life. We walk this path every time we treat others with the grace and mercy we have received.
Father in heaven, we want to be like you, filled to overflowing with grace and mercy for our fellow travelers. Will you sustain us with your wisdom and love, that we would extend the same to others, especially ________ (name a troubling relationship)? Amen.
To Receive
Wednesday, March 18
JOHN 9:1-12
Do you need some good news today? Are you tempted to blame yourself or someone else for the wretched state you find yourself in or the state of our languishing world? You are not alone. The power of blame assails us all. The man born blind received blame for his fate. “He must have sinned,” we conclude, or “his parents must be notorious sinners.” Too bad for him, we cluck.
But Jesus operates on kingdom fuel. He sees a clear opportunity to show off his Father’s works—fueled by pure love. “Go and wash,” was the simple instruction. Lo, the blind man received sight! After a lifetime of blindness, he encounters God. Could there be a clearer demonstration that God’s works are not fueled by blame and guilt?
Our culture has got it wrong on why bad things happen to good people. God awaits to be displayed to a disbelieving world—and we, God’s followers, get to be the agents to channel these beautiful works of love and mercy. As followers of Jesus, we are called and commissioned to venture forth with hearts filled with love and a willingness to serve, fueled from above and resisting the temptation to blame.
Jesus, we believe in you and the works you showed us. Will you use us today for kingdom glory that belongs to our Father alone? amen.
Put Out
Thursday, March 19
JOHN 9:13-34
Have you ever been put out of a social circle? Ghosted? Ostracized? It feels terrible and eats away at our sense of well-being, security, and personhood. Especially in religious circles—to be ostracized or excommunicated can be a veritable social death.
Jesus has done something wonderful for the man born blind, but there’s a price to pay with the local religious authorities. Presuming to know God and God’s ways is like stepping onto very thin ice. The Pharisees’ religious rhetoric and condemnations are thorough, final, and personal.
If you have received such treatment from the religious authorities in your life, you are in good company—it’s been a go-to weapon for centuries. But have you ever dished this out to another person? The answer is probably yes, many times over. We all categorize and judge on behalf of God, declaring what we think God is like and what God wants, wounding others around us when we do. Anyone with a bit of authority is tempted to overstep—it’s in our nature. So we desperately need grace. We need to receive it from others, and we need to extend it. It’s the only homework Jesus assigns us as we pray the Lord’s Prayer.
Jesus, you taught us how to pray, and you gave us the ministry of forgiveness. Knowing how prone we are to misjudge others, have mercy on us. amen.
Invited In
Friday, March 20
John 9:35-41
“Do you believe in the Son of Man?” Jesus asks (v. 35, NRSV). This is the central invitation of John’s entire Gospel.
The blind man, who is now healed, asks, “Who is this so-called Son of Man?” Perhaps he was seeking a definition of terms. Yet Jesus steers him to the crux of the matter. Jesus offers himself: “You have both seen him, and he is the one who is talking with you” (v. 37, NASB). Jesus does not ask us to believe in an idea, a title, or a concept. He is asking us to believe the actual experience of his presence alongside us as the Great Healer. I often wonder how much easier it might be to believe in Jesus if I had been personally healed. Oh, that’s right, I have been healed! My existential angst and alienation from God is now replaced with hope, built upon Jesus’s effective redemption and boundless love for me. Have we all not experienced a miraculous healing?
Jesus judges the blind man worthy to receive his priceless love through bodily healing, displaying the very works of God. The blind man offers the only sensible response possible: “Lord, I believe.” Belief leads directly into worship. That’s the gospel, according to John.
Lord, when you worked in the blind man, we saw how your love overcomes Sabbath rule-mongering. We see that to belong to you is better than enforcing doctrines. Help us to believe and fall into sensible worship. Amen.
Hiking The High Places
Saturday, March 21
EPHESIANS 5:8-14
Have you ever felt the nudge to go outside and walk somewhere that inspires you? To move your body in a way that requires regular breathing, even hard breathing, needing to sort out whatever might be vexing you? A hike has a number of physical benefits that often transfer into the spiritual if we stay alert, keep our wits, and look around.
The Apostle Paul uses the metaphor of a walk to alert us today to the value that comes from staying within the light of God. This could easily translate to a hike that opens us up to the higher places—the high road—to ponder what will please my Lord today. The rhythmic movement of the limbs and regular breathing can settle the body as well as our minds, and allow previously hidden nudges from the Spirit to rise up within our hearts. What opportunities lie before me to bring kingdom glory to God? Maybe it’s a quick phone call to someone suffering; maybe it’s a prayer for another who is trapped in a dark place; maybe we vent our frustrations around a darkening world by submitting our fears to God. After all, who better to engage than the One who has done, and will do, everything about it.
A hike can also be internal, where we settle ourselves into an alert position and allow the Spirit to nudge us into a high place over the course of several minutes. God loves to seize quiet moments to quicken our walk into God’s light, using God’s still, small voice.
Christ who loved us and gave yourself for us, we need your unmerited love like we need fresh air on a hike. May you sanctify every breath I take today, whether walking or sitting still, to bring you glory. amen.
