occasions for joy

My brothers and sisters, think of the various tests you encounter as occasions for joy. After all, you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. Let this endurance complete its work so that you may be fully mature, complete, and lacking in nothing. But anyone who needs wisdom should ask God, whose very nature is to give to everyone without a second thought, without keeping score. Wisdom will certainly be given to those who ask. Whoever asks shouldn’t hesitate. They should ask in faith, without doubting. Whoever doubts is like the surf of the sea, tossed and turned by the wind. People like that should never imagine that they will receive anything from the Lord. They are double-minded, unstable in all their ways. Brothers and sisters who are poor should find satisfaction in their high status. Those who are wealthy should find satisfaction in their low status, because they will die off like wildflowers. The sun rises with its scorching heat and dries up the grass so that its flowers fall and its beauty is lost. Just like that, in the midst of their daily lives, the wealthy will waste away. (James 1:2-11, CEB)

Is that really how we think of testing or trials we go through? As occasions for joy?

I am not sure that the author of James is playing with a full deck. We need to see trials and testing as times of joy because testing produces endurance and endurance completes us so we lack nothing. I mean I get it but joy is not what I usually first think of in trials and testing.

Of course, we know that God is always with us and never leaves us so in the midst of trials and testing God is always walking with us. So in that, there is definitely joy or hope.

And I honestly think that is what the author of James is truly getting at. Even in times of testing and trials be mindful that this will always lead to a deepening of your faith. And know that joy is always coming if not seen around you now. Hope is always with you as God is always with you.

Loving People. Loving God.

if you had…

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” The Lord replied, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. “Would any of you say to your servant, who had just come in from the field after plowing or tending sheep, ‘Come! Sit down for dinner’? Wouldn’t you say instead, ‘Fix my dinner. Put on the clothes of a table servant and wait on me while I eat and drink. After that, you can eat and drink’? You won’t thank the servant because the servant did what you asked, will you? In the same way, when you have done everything required of you, you should say, ‘We servants deserve no special praise. We have only done our duty.’” (Luke 17:5-10, CEB)

Usually, we hear this as admonishment. If you had faith the size of a mustard seed you could do this, but obviously, you don’t so you can’t. But in reality that doesn’t matter because the faith you have is sufficient for your needs.

We get so caught up in what we don’t have or can’t do, we lose sight of whose we are and what we have been given. Grace, love, mercy, forgiveness, and acceptance.

Know the faith you have is enough.

Loving People. Loving God.

Persistence

As Jesus and his disciples were going out of Jericho a large crowd followed him. When two blind men sitting along the road heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, “Show us mercy, Lord, Son of David!” Now the crowd scolded them and told them to be quiet. But they shouted even louder, “Show us mercy, Lord, Son of David!” Jesus stopped in his tracks and called to them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. “Lord, we want to see,” they replied. Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they were able to see, and they followed him. (Matthew 20:29-34, CEB)

Why is it when people are calling for or coming to Jesus the disciples or crowds tell them not to?

Thankfully people in the bible are not persuaded by the crowds to stop seeking Jesus. Are you persuaded by the crowds to stop seeking Jesus? And do you?

Are we persistent in our following after Christ?

Do we let the crowds keep us from Jesus?

Loving People. Loving God.

WHo do you follow?

“Write this to the angel of the church in Pergamum: These are the words of the one who has the sharp, two-edged sword: I know that you are living right where Satan’s throne is. You are holding on to my name, and you didn’t break faith with me even at the time that Antipas, my faithful witness, was killed among you, where Satan lives. But I have a few things against you, because you have some there who follow Balaam’s teaching. Balaam had taught Balak to trip up the Israelites so that they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality. In the same way, you have some who follow the Nicolaitans’ teaching. So change your hearts and lives. If you don’t, I am coming to you soon, and I will make war on them with the sword that comes from my mouth. If you can hear, listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. I will give those who emerge victorious some of the hidden manna to eat. I will also give to each of them a white stone with a new name written on it, which no one knows except the one who receives it.

“Write this to the angel of the church in Thyatira: These are the words of God’s Son, whose eyes are like a fiery flame, and whose feet are like fine brass. I know your works, your love and faithfulness, your service and endurance. I also know that the works you have done most recently are even greater than those you did at first. But I have this against you: you put up with that woman, Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. You allow her to teach and to mislead my servants into committing sexual immorality and eating food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to change her heart and life, but she refuses to change her life of prostitution. Look! I’m throwing her onto a sickbed. I am casting those who have committed adultery with her into terrible hardship—if they don’t change their hearts from following her practices— and I will even put her children to death with disease. Then all the churches will know that I’m the one who examines minds and hearts, and that I will give to each of you what your actions deserve. As for the rest of you in Thyatira—those of you who don’t follow this teaching and haven’t learned the so-called “deep secrets” of Satan—I won’t burden you with anything else. Just hold on to what you have until I come. To those who emerge victorious, keeping my practices until the end, I will give authority over the nations— to rule the nations with an iron rod and smash them like pottery— just as I received authority from my Father. I will also give them the morning star. If you can hear, listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. (Revelation 2:12-29, CEB)

The church in Thyatira and Pergamum seem to be similar.

Pergamum didn’t break faith of following after Christ and Thyatira kept love and faithfulness for following after Christ. Yet both of them have issues, and don’t we all!

Know that no matter how far you think you’ve gone from Christ or how close you think you are to Christ, you are never as far or as close as you think you are. God loves you because you are a beloved child of God, not for what you have done. And no matter what you do, God will still and always love you.

So remember who you follow, Christ not Satan. And love God and love neighbor like Jesus told us to.

Loving People. Loving God.

be faithful

“Write this to the angel of the church in Smyrna: These are the words of the one who is the first and the last, who died and came back to life: I know your hardship and poverty (though you are actually rich). I also know the hurtful things that have been spoken about you by those who say they are Jews (though they are not, but are really Satan’s synagogue). Don’t be afraid of what you are going to suffer. Look! The devil is going to throw some of you into prison in order to test you. You will suffer hardship for ten days. Be faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. If you can hear, listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Those who emerge victorious won’t be hurt by the second death. (Revelation 2:8-11, CEB)

There are going to be struggles in this life. But take heart because Jesus knows your struggles and sees your life. We just need to be faithful to Jesus and follow where he leads know that whatever we go through God is always with us.

Be faithful and follow Christ.

Loving People. Loving God.

how do I get eternal life?

A man approached him and said, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to have eternal life?” Jesus said, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There’s only one who is good. If you want to enter eternal life, keep the commandments.” The man said, “Which ones?” Then Jesus said, “Don’t commit murder. Don’t commit adultery. Don’t steal. Don’t give false testimony. Honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as you love yourself.” The young man replied, “I’ve kept all these. What am I still missing?” Jesus said, “If you want to be complete, go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven. And come follow me.” But when the young man heard this, he went away saddened, because he had many possessions. (Matthew 19:16-22, CEB)

I believe that when people are asking about eternal life they mean a life after this one here on earth ends. But I don’t think that is what eternal life is.

Eternal Life is not something we wait for, or look forward to. Eternal Life is something here and now. It is life in this place that lasts forever.

We do not get eternal life after we die. We are living our eternal life now.

And life is not dependent upon us having well the things we ever wanted. It is how we share the love and grace we have been given.

So if you want to truly live, sell everything and give it away to the poor and allow God to lead and guide you through eternal life.

Loving People. Loving God.

consider…

Pay attention, you wealthy people! Weep and moan over the miseries coming upon you. Your riches have rotted. Moths have destroyed your clothes. Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you. It will eat your flesh like fire. Consider the treasure you have hoarded in the last days. Listen! Hear the cries of the wages of your field hands. These are the wages you stole from those who harvested your fields. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of heavenly forces. You have lived a self-satisfying life on this earth, a life of luxury. You have stuffed your hearts in preparation for the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the righteous one, who doesn’t oppose you. (Revelation 3:14-22, CEB)

Consider right now your treasure.

Is it things you see around you, as in your money and possessions?

Is it the relationships you have and the people you support?

We need to always be thinking about where we are storing our treasures and what we are holding dear.

Do not live a life that only satisfies you, but does good for others.

Loving People. Loving God.

Contemplative Practices

We were specifically asked to look at the practices at the Contemplative Outreach Website and then give our impressions of the practices and if we would consider using them regularly in our own spiritual life or using them in our ministry setting.

I think this is an interesting thought as I have used the Contemplative Outreach Website in the past for teaching in my current ministry setting. We have done retreats and gatherings about spiritual practices and used finger labyrinths, and pocket rosaries, and have specifically had multiple sessions on centering prayer.

I believe centering prayer is foreboding at first when you think about sitting in silence for so long, but is a freeing and liberating experience once you do it. I think all of the practices at the Contemplative Outreach Website our good practices to be used in a college ministry setting or for personal faith growth.

The practice from the website I am most unfamiliar with is The Active Prayer Practice. From what I read it is like a mantra that is repeated over and over throughout the day to ground you and keep you focused on God. You say this simple phrase in rhythm to your heart beat at moments throughout your day until it is a part of your subconscious. This is something I have never done, but think could be an interesting thing to do. Doing this would instill key phrases into our psyche. The first example is the one I find most compelling to try:

O Lord, come to my assistance.
Lord, increase my faith.

To me this would help settle in me that I can always count on the Lord and my faith isn’t mine to control. This could be helpful and calming during times of heightened anxiety and could help sustain when bouts of depression come along. And this would be easy enough to do during the day. Maybe I could change the lock screen on my phone to have a picture of the saying, so every time I look at my phone I would see it and say it to myself. I could also set the desktop of my computer to have the saying I was using. So then every time I see my computer desktop I would be reminded of the prayer.

I find these practices to be good practices however after also reading Joy Unspeakable I want to explore ways of contemplation that do not fit the norm of western religion of silence or meditative activities that are contemplative. I loved the discussion in the book about birthing practices in other places that had the children present so when the newborn cried the other children would also cry in response so the newborn child knew that they were not alone in this world. We are never alone as we are always in relationship with God, but how profound is that that children cry to answer the scream of the newborn!

I also loved the discussion of drumming in Joy Unspeakable and how the music was a way of God communicating with us and has a sacred quality. As a musician, this resonated with me and I can understand how when you are playing and into what you are doing it is like you are not doing it but hearing and participating along with the music in a dance that is sacred and life-giving. Music is a language that connects people in ways we do not comprehend because it is a way we join in the dance of the Trinity and in the relationship that is God and connects us to God.

Contemplative practices are anyway we connect in a deep way with our creator and need not be limited to methods we are taught are contemplative or others think are contemplative. What helps us join God is what we need to seek as contemplative practices in our lives.

A Father’s Psalm of Lament

I see her about to break
          under the weight of those demons. 
I need to help her
          but the demons just laugh at me.
I shout,
          "Get away from her. Leave her alone."
The demons laugh louder
I hear you say to me,
          "Oh, you of little faith..."
I feel like I have failed
          her,
          and you.
O God why can't I help her?
          O God why do I let her and you down?
Are these the demons I fought
          O so many years ago?
Are these my demons
          tormenting her?
I thought I had defeated them
          but yet again I have failed
God take those demons from her
          let them torment me
Let me suffer instead of her
          Let me fight them again
Let my faith increase
          so she doesn't have to suffer
Please God let me suffer
          so she doesn't have to suffer
Help me take away her demons.
Help me take away her demons!

lukewarm

“Write this to the angel of the church in Laodicea: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your works. You are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I’m about to spit you out of my mouth. After all, you say, ‘I’m rich, and I’ve grown wealthy, and I don’t need a thing.’ You don’t realize that you are miserable, pathetic, poor, blind, and naked. My advice is that you buy gold from me that has been purified by fire so that you may be rich, and white clothing to wear so that your nakedness won’t be shamefully exposed, and ointment to put on your eyes so that you may see. I correct and discipline those whom I love. So be earnest and change your hearts and lives. Look! I’m standing at the door and knocking. If any hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to be with them, and will have dinner with them, and they will have dinner with me. As for those who emerge victorious, I will allow them to sit with me on my throne, just as I emerged victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. If you can hear, listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” (Revelation 3:14-22, CEB)

You are neither hot nor cold. You are not on fire and you’re not just doing nothing. You are doing enough but it really isn’t anything.

You are, as we would say, going through the motions and putting on a good show.

If you can hear, listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Listen to the Spirit and put into motion that which needs to be done. Do what you hear the Spirit say to do.

DOn’t just go through the motions or put on a show but actually do what God tells you to.

Loving People. Loving God.