Overheard

After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed. “I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. (John 17:1-11, NRSV)

“Lord teach us to pray…” Is a line we do not see in the Gospel of John.

Could this be the Lord’s Prayer in John?

But think about it for a moment…

Jesus is with His disciples teaching them… Then there is the washing of the feet (chapter 13) and the new commandment…

And the teaching continues…

And then Jesus is praying!

He did not go any where, the disciples are still with Him! They are hearing everything He is saying in this prayer.

In John chapter 17, we hear Jesus’ prayer before His arrest, and the disciples are right there with him, all of them! They are not away on a rock sleeping while He is off alone praying, they are hearing His conversation with the Father!

So Jesus shows us that prayer is nothing more than a conversation, and in that not a private one, but one made known to all. It is a way to show others the love He has for them and the love God has for them, and who they are. Jesus shows us that prayer isn’t always about us, but it is always about God and who we are and who those around us are in Him.

So listen and speak, and talk to God and don’t worry about who is or is not listening. But know when you do speak to Him that He is always listening and eager to hear you!

 

Sing!

But let the righteous be joyful; let them exult before God; let them be jubilant with joy. Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds his name is the LORD be exultant before him. Father of orphans and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. (Psalm 68:3-5, NRSV)

Be joyful and give praise to God.

Be over flowing with joy and have that come bubbling out of your life as singing!

Sing praises to His name, and lift up a song to God who is your shelter and protection. Who looks over us and watches our moves, and takes care of those who have no one to care for them from His dwelling place.

Allow your joy and praise of Him who loves you be known! Sing praises to Him and let all peoples hear your exuberance for Him!

Sing to the Lord!

boldness

Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16, NRSV)

Jesus has been here and been through the struggles that we go through.

He has seen you at your worst and still loves you and still calls you His. He is your way to approach the throne of God’s grace with boldness!

Through Him we can receive mercy and love in our times of need. Because He has been where you are and He has dealt with what you are dealing with.

He will give you the care and mercy you need, if you will only but approach and ask…

So be bold and be strong, for He is always with you!

you will be

In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:1-11, NRSV)

When the Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power, and you will be my witnesses…

We have received power from in high to go to the ends of the earth and to tell others about the life giving love of Jesus!

It is not a request to go and tell those you love, and will listen…

It is not a hope that you will pick up the charge and go and tell others, even those who may not want to listen…

Jesus told the disciples, and us, that when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will be empowered by God to go to all the world. And when this happens you will be. Not might be. Not could be. Not should be.

You will be my witnesses. And you will be my witnesses where?

Not just in your house. Or you neighborhood. Or with your friends. Or with those who will listen.

You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all of Judea, and Samaria and to the ends of the earth! We have to go everywhere!

Jesus is calling us to go to the ends of the world to tell others about His love.

It is not enough to share it in our congregations.

It is not enough to share it in our homes.

It is not enough to share it in our workplaces. (Oh that is a scary thought for some of us, isn’t it?)

We need to tell everyone every where how much God loves them through Jesus.

So filled with the power of God to go and do. Go and do. Knowing that He is always with you, to guide you and direct your steps, giving you the words to say!

Casts out fear…

By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. 16 So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us. Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also. (1 John 4:13-21, NRSV)

“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” Wise words from a wise Jedi…

Fear does nothing but destroy. When we fear something we get angry. When our anger gets to the point of us doing something we have already begun to hate the thing we are going against. And that hatred will lead us to do things we would not have done otherwise. We will cause suffering…

But true love, found in the Father casts out all fear. It gives no room for fear to grow or live.

If we are truly consumed by the love of God through Jesus Christ, we will not fear what the world will do or say because of the love we show. But the love we show must be shown as love. We can not claim to be giving the love of Jesus if the world sees it as hate. Hate and love are never the same. Jesus loved us even when we were not worthy to be in His presence because of our sin. We must do the same for the world. The body of Christ is not a place for those who have it all together. The body of Christ is a hospital full of recovering sinners.

We must love all the world and help them see the love that Jesus has for them.

Grace transforms

But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because they do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned. “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. “A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me.” (John 16:5-16, NRSV)

There are many more things you need to know but you can not bear them…

We have so many things in life that bombard us and try to take over our time and our lives…

And it is so easy to get caught up in them.

But Jesus tells us as He told the disciples He is going away, but we don’t ask where because we know He is going to be with the Father and He is there preparing a place for us. And when He goes He will nto leave us alone, but will give us the Spirit, to be with us and to guide us.

We are never alone in the bombardment of our lives. God is dwelling in us to transform us and make us into the person He created us to be.

Just let Him have His way, and know He will make you into a new creation one that will shine forth His love!

You will be…

Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me. “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. (John 14:23-27, NRSV)

As I read this text I was struck by the last line, and I heard Luke Skywalker say to Yoda, “I am not afraid.”

We take heart in our lives and look at life through rose colored glasses sometimes. We think there is nothing out there to fear. We get caught up in our own ability to do anything and we do not see the dangers.

But when we let go and allow the Paraclete, the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, have her rightful place in our lives, we can be led to places that will scare the beejebez out of us.

That is what happened to Luke, when he went to the tree where the dark side of the force dwelt. Yoda said they only thing in there is what you take with you. Kind of like Jesus knows us all and knows the ability we have to bring ourselves down and to setup ourselves in ways we shouldn’t… Only what we take with us…

“I am not afraid,” Luke said. “You will be… You will be.” Yoda responded. And we will be if we let go and let God have His way, but we have no reason to.

Because when the Spirit is in control, everything will work, and even though we can not tell how or why, it is all in the hands of the one who set this crazy place into it’s spin, and it is being done the way He set it out to happen.

So let go and allow the Spirit to dwell in you and through you and let go, and have no fear!

What’s love got to do with it…

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you. “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.” (John 14:15-21, NRSV)

Admit it…

You read the title of this devotion and you started singing…

And then you thought, how does that go along with the reading?

Well you see the reading starts with “if you love me, you will keep…” And it ends with “and keep them are those who love me…”

Love and keep, keep and love. Very important here, and this text is centered in love.

You see we have to love as Jesus loved. And it is about keeping the commandments, not as in following all of the rules so we don’t get our hands slapped, or to get tot the right place.

We can not follow enough rules or regulations to make it. It is not possible. We do what Jesus did to show the world His love, not to ear our place.

Love is the key and we are called to Love each other as He has loved us.

So go and love, not as a gushy feeling, but as a call by the one who loved you when you were far from lovable!

And here is a bonus:

near

With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O LORD. I will keep your statutes. I cry to you; save me, that I may observe your decrees. I rise before dawn and cry for help; I put my hope in your words. My eyes are awake before each watch of the night, that I may meditate on your promise. In your steadfast love hear my voice; O LORD, in your justice preserve my life. Those who persecute me with evil purpose draw near; they are far from your law. Yet you are near, O LORD, and all your commandments are true. Long ago I learned from your decrees that you have established them forever. Look on my misery and rescue me, for I do not forget your law. Plead my cause and redeem me; give me life according to your promise. Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek your statutes. Great is your mercy, O LORD; give me life according to your justice. Many are my persecutors and my adversaries, yet I do not swerve from your decrees. I look at the faithless with disgust, because they do not keep your commands. Consider how I love your precepts; preserve my life according to your steadfast love. The sum of your word is truth; and every one of your righteous ordinances endures forever. (Psalm 119:145-160, NRSV)

I cry out to God in my isolation and wonder where He is…

Have you ever felt like God had abandoned you?

You know that Mother Teresa spoke about the dark night of the soul, where she felt like God was not near her!

The woman who has led and continues to lead many into service of God, and did many wonderful things to advance His mission felt like God had abandoned her…

We can feel that way, like we are all alone, but the psalmist tells us the promise of God is He is near. And all of His promises are true! No matter how far we think He is from us, really all we need to do is turn around and there He will be, right by our side, all the time. We are never alone, for He will preserve our lives according to His steadfast love and He will be near us always!

liar

LiarThose who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. (1 John 5:10-12, NRSV)

If you do not believe in the Son, or the testimony He gives you have made Him a liar…

And the witness is the life that God has given us, and that life is in Jesus – the way, the truth, the life!

And if we do not believe this, then there is no life in us and we have made Him and our life a lie…

That is the picture here… The face of a girl/boy who is a liar…

That is also what we are if we make His testimony false… A Liar.