February 27, 2010 - Romans 9:13-16 "God's favoritism"

"As it is written, 'I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau.' What then are we to say? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! For He says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.' So it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy."

There is so much in this passage that I find profoundly disturbing. It reminds me of Job in a way. When Job demands that God tell him just what he did wrong to deserve this kind of treatment, God pretty much says, "Who are you, little man, to question Me?" Like the Wizard of Oz behind the curtain, don't look too closely, don't question, don't ask. None of your business. I'll do whatever I jolly well please and how dare you question it?

Well, He made us to question. He made us with minds to think and the ability to reason and wonder and act, and even to doubt.

Let's start in the beginning. The very idea that God hates someone, a person that He created, I find very disturbing. God HATED Esau? In another passage we are told that God shows no partiality, but by golly, this looks pretty partial to me. The footnotes in my Bible say that "hate" does not mean an emotional feeling, but simply a preference. Now, if I read Aramaic or Hebrew and could figure out what this passage really means, that would be great. But I don't, so I'm stuck with what a translater wants to tell me it means. The passage doesn't say He hated what Esau did; He hated Esau. What on earth do I do with that? It's hard to wrap my head around it. It makes God seem petty and small and biased.

So. There we are. How do I reconcile a God whom I see as loving and kind, a protector and comforter and friend, with a God who hates His own creation and has ordered the slaughter of entire villages?

Perhaps what should bother me is not so much that God hated Esau, but that God shows partiality at all. Genesis 4:4,5 tells us that "...the Lord had regard for Able and his offering, but for Cain and his offering He had no regard." Later He orders the slaughter of men, women, children and animals of entire villages. Didn't He create them, too? And what did the animals do wrong that they should be condemned to death? Job's children are killed because of a bet between God and satan. What kind of a God does that? And what about David? A womanizer and murderer who is still the "apple of God's eye?" How can this God and that God be the same God?

God hates. There it is. Black and white. Words on a page. Over and over and over again God shows partiality - one man over another, one tribe over another, one village over another. But Jesus tells us that "God is Love." Which are we to believe? Either Romans 2:11 ("For God shows no partiality.") is an out-and-out lie...OR my understanding is limited, faulty, and incomplete.

I'm not a scholar. I don't read Hebrew, Greek or Aramaic. And as much as I would like to be able to, I can't sugar-coat this passage and make it say something it doesn't. God hates. And sometimes He hates His own creation, His own children. God is Love. He's a "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)

Can it simply be that God is all that? And more? Can God be a stern disciplinarian and a loving Father at the same time? Can God love his children, and hate them too? At the risk of anthropomorphing God...can you? Do your children make you crazy where you just want to pop them a burlap sack and head for the creek, while at the same time love them so much it hurts? If your child wanders into the road, do you not go after them, even if you yell at them later? If the bully down the street goes after your kid, are you not the first one out the door to straighten things out?

God is. God is love. God hates. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. He causes the sun to rise on the just and the unjust. And most importantly for me is that God knows stuff I don't. I don't know Esau's heart. Was Esau's heart like Hitler's? Was Esau's heart evil and wicked and mean? Was Esau's heart so dark that God knew he couldn't (or wouldn't) ever be redeemed? I don't know those things.

So what I am left with is faith. Faith in the God of my understanding. Faith in the God that comforts me and holds me and loves me. And faith in knowing, one-hundred-percent, that God loves me. And maybe, just maybe, that has to be enough.

February 26, 2010 - Romans 14:13-15 "Stumbling Blocks"

"Let us therfore no longer pass judgment on one another, but resolve instead never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of another. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. If your brother or sister is being injured by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not let what you eat cause the ruin of one for whom Christ died."

Perhaps this passage speaks to me because I have battled being overweight for most of my life. Now that I've lost the weight and am a Weight Watcher leader, I tend to take this passage very literally.

But, as with most Scripture, I think there's more to it than what skims the surface. But, let's take surface stuff first. Hallowe'en. I don't celebrate Hallowe'en; I will not celebrate the devil's holiday. And I do not eat Hallowe'en candy, as I see it as food offered to idols. Do I LIKE Hallowe'en candy? Sure! But I don't eat it. For me, it is unclean. I don't take part in Hallowe'en celebrations at work. I usually take the day off.

If I bring donuts to work, is that putting a stumbling block in the path of those who are watching their weight? If I decide to go out to dinner, do I choose a place with healthy food or do I go to a pizza place? If I bring unhealthy choices into my house, am I not placing a stumbling block in my own path?

But this Scripture is about more than food I think. There is a lot of "uncleanness" in this world. Things I see as unclean, perhaps you may see nothing wrong with. I work with someone who shows an inordinate amount of cleavage that I think is inappropriate for the workplace. I see no reason to share half your bosom with the world. For me, such a display is unclean. For her, it's not.

I know a lot of people for whom certain television shows are simply entertainment, while I wouldn't allow them in my house. The Real Housewives of Orange County, for example (I guess that's what it's called), is not something I would watch. For me, it's unclean. But apparently, for a lot of people, it's not.

I would encourage you today to look at your environment and see just what sort of uncleanness is in your house and in your life. We've all got something. Whether its food or a tv show or clothing or whatever, idenitify it, and then get rid of it. You might be surprised at what happens to your Spirit when you get rid of things that weigh it down.

February 25, 2010 - Isaiah 58:13,14 - The Sabbath

"If you refrain from trampling the sabbath,
from pursuing your own interests on my holy day;
if you call the sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honorable;
if you honor it, not going your own ways,
serving your own interests, or pursuing your own affairs;
then you shall take delight in the Lord,
and I will make you ride upon the heights of the earth;
I will feed you with the heritage of your ancestor Jacob,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken."

I cannot tell you how difficult this one is for me. I work. I work six days a week at my regular job, as a Weight Watcher leader, as a wedding officiant and quiltmaker. When my husband died, he left me with nothing, and his income died with him, so I am left to fend for myself. It's not easy. So taking the sabbath "off" is very, very difficult. Last Sunday I met a couple at Borders to discuss their wedding. I guess that was pursuing my own interests.

And yet...this isn't the first time God talks about the Sabbath, is it? Remember the Ten Commandments? "Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy." Just how does one keep the sabbath holy when it's your only day to do laundry and go grocery shopping and clean house?

Back when these words were written, things weren't easy either. God knows these things need to be done. How much time do I waste sitting in front of the computer or sleeping in front of the tv? I come home from work, eat dinner, check my e-mail and do some office work, sit in the chair to relax and watch a little tv and fall asleep during Jeopardy. Wake up and go to bed. I'm exhausted just trying to keep my head above water.

Maybe there's something to this sabbath thing after all. If I took a day every week, if I were actually able to keep my sabbath holy, how would that effect the rest of my week? Would a real day of rest give me more energy during the rest of the week? What effect would a day of really concentrating on God do in my life?

And what exactly does keeping the Sabbath holy look like? Is it as strict as not turning on a light switch because that could be considered work? Or not cooking? Or does it have more to do with the silence of the heart? Making the space to attend church, to sit in silence before the Lord. To listen for His voice, let His love surround me? To not (gasp!) even turn on the computer that day?????? Perhaps it's time for me to find out...

February 24, 2010 - Matthew 6:34 - "Worry"

"So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today."

Ok, I confess, this one is tough for me. As much as I know this is true, it's hard not to be concerned about both today AND tomorrow. I am certainly financially challenged these days, and I'm not always sure if the bills will get paid. But I have a job, and thank You God for that!

It's easy to get a little facitious here..."Easy for YOU to say, God! You own the cattle on a thousand hills! What about me? I don't own squat..." But perhaps that's the point. While its easy to spout all the pretty platitudes about how God takes care of His own, the reality is that some of God's people are starving to death every single day in this world. God's children are being terrorized and brutalized and murdered. They're hungry and sick and cold. Yeah, don't worry about tomorrow...right.

Let me tell you a story. A few years back I was on my way to work when I spotted a dog that was obviously lost. He was limping and going back and forth across the bridge. I was headed to work, so I didn't stop. On the freeway I found myself praying, "Oh, Lord, please send somebody to help that dog." And I swear, I heard God's voice as clearly as I've ever heard anything in my life. And what I heard was, "I did send somebody. I sent you."

Oh man....I'm gonna be late for work... But I turned the car around, coaxed the dog into my car, and took it to the shelter. It was a holiday weekend, as I recall. Yes, I was late to work. My boss asked why and all I had to say was, "Well, there was this dog..."

On Monday, I called the shelter and the owners had picked the dog up that morning. He had gotten free while they were away for the weekend.

I guess where I'm going with this is that...tomorrow's troubles really will still be there tomorrow. Today's troubles are here today. But in the midst of that is God's promise...not to get rid of our troubles, but to be with us as we deal with them. My job is just to do the best I can this very second, and leave the rest up to God.

And now...to work. I'm late!

February 22, 2010 - Acts Chapter 10

You're going to have to dust off your Bibles for this one and read the story for yourselves, but here is the nutshell version:

Peter is at Simon's house and has gone to the roof to take a nap while lunch is being prepared. He's been a busy boy, preaching, teaching, and raising people from the dead. He's hungry. While on the roof he falls into a trance (honest, that's what it says!) and in his trance he sees the heavens open and a sheet with all sorts of unclean beasts on it being lowered to the ground.

A voice tells him, "Get up, Peter; kill and eat." Well, Peter is aghast at the notion. All of these animals are those that God has specifically said NOT to eat. "By no means, Lord," says Peter. "I've never eaten anything profane or unclean!" (And you can just hear him thinking, "And I ain't about to start now!")

Comes the kicker..."What God has made clean, you must not call profane."

This happens three times and the sheet with its beasts is taken back up to heaven.

Ok....here's the deal. If God is never changing, and God has made certain rules for us to live by, why is this rule suddenly no longer valid? Could it be that God DOES change after all? Or could it be that this is a case of "that was then, this is now?" Back in the day, perhaps those rules (how many again? Six hundred and something???) were necessary to keep His people on the straight and narrow. Now, with Jesus, they're ready to break away from a whole bunch of child-appropriate "thou shalt NOTS" and learn to think and live like adults.

Oh, come on. Don't you do the same thing with your kids? When your child is two years old, do you allow them to eat and do any old thing they want? Or do you impose restrictions on them for their own good? (I should hope so!) As they grow older, some of those restrictions are lifted, right? As the child gains increasing levels of maturity, you relax a little. They have more choice in what they wear, what they eat, who they hang out with.

In this instance, I think God is saying, "Look, it's time you grew up a little. You can handle this now. Stop worrying about the small stuff, like what you can and cannot eat, and who you can and cannot hang out with, and go on about the business of sharing the Good News!"

Now, in the meantime, Cornelius, an Italian and not a Jew, has sent for Peter. Ordinarilly, Peter would never accept the invitation, as he says to Cornelius when they meet, "You yourselves know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to visit a Gentile." Fresh on the heels of his trance, however, Peter understands that God ain't just talking about scallops. He's talking about people. He continues, "God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean."

He goes on to tell Cornelius about Jesus, and then baptizes Cornelius and his whole family. Peter says, "I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him." Wow!!!!!

Cool. I always did like scallops...

February 19, 2010 - Sirach 30:21,22

"Do not give yourself over to sorrow,
and do not distress yourself deliberately.
A joyful heart is life itself,
and rejoicing lenghtens one's life span."

"Don't worry...be happy" is what this passage seems to say. I think a joyful heart is a gift from God. I know many people who just ain't happy no matter what good thing is going on in their lives, and I know others who manage to maintain a positive attitude even in the worst of times. What good is a downcast demeanor? Frowning just makes you frown more when smiling creates a bond even with strangers.

When was the last time you said "hello" to a total stranger? Now, I'm not talking about being weird so they wonder what you're up to. Just a brief hi and a smile. A wave. Part of the problem with life today is that we are so disconnected with each other. We each stay in our own little bubbles, and God forbid we make eye contact with the bum on the street corner!

The whole political nonsense that took the books of the Apocrypha out of Protestant Bibles really cheated millions of people. There is so much wisdom and joy in these books.

Here is a prime example from the book of Sirach. Sirach is also known as Ecclesiasticus. The book was written in Hebrew between 200 and 175 B.C. Though not part of the Hebrew or Protestant Bible, the Catholic church considers it part of the canon and has used it extensively in the liturgy. It's title of "Ecclesiasticus" refers to its use as the "Church Book."

Sirach is much like the book of Proverbs, full it pithy wisdom and advice. Here we are told to be happy, be joyful, don't let sorrow get you down. Not always easy in some areas of our lives, but still good advice.

Here are a few other pearls from the book of Sirach:

"Do not argue with the loud of mouth, and do not heap wood on their fire."

"Healthy sleep depends on moderate living. The distress of sleeplessness and of nausea and colic are with the glutton."

"There is but one who is wise, greatly to be feared, seated upon His throne - the Lord."

"Fight to the death for truth, and the Lord God will fight for you."

Lord, give me a joyful heart today. Give the strength and the will to share YOUR joy with others, no matter who they are!

February 18, 2010 - Ezra 3:10,11

When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord,the priests in their vestments were stationed to praise the Lord with trumpets, and the Levites,the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, according to the directions of King David of Israel; and they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord: 'For He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.' And all the people responded with a great shout when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid."

It seems we are hard-wired for ritual, for structure, for direction. We like to know what's coming and what to do when it comes. In this example, the people have been busy rebuilding the temple,and when the foundation is laid, they work out a church service. Trumpets, here. Cymbals, there. Choir over there. Responsive praying, please.

What is it about us, as a species, that craves stability? Oh, not all of us, I suppose. Some of us thrive on danger and excitement and thrill and surprises. And while I like a good surprise as well as the next gal, I also like to know that I have a job to go to in the morning and that there will be food on the table at night.

One of my beefs with traditional churches is that, as my friend Syd says, "it's boring." How we can take the Word and the joy of knowing God and turn it into an institution that people endure because they're bored silly is beyond me. Most traditional churches I've attended follow the same pattern. Welcome, 3 songs, sermon, collection, closing song, bye-bye. Not always in that order, but pretty much. Even Quaker worship follows a pattern. Come in, sit down, wait for the Lord to speak, shake hands at the end. And yet, this structure is what we crave, even when it stifles our creativity. We expect somebody to tell us what to do. And then we do it.

Once, many years ago, I was attending a charismatic church. During church one day a woman who was mentally challenged began speaking in tongues. She was immediately shushed by an elder. It wasn't part of the program, you see. We were doing something else at the time. Nope, can't have that now! Just one more example of how we try and put God in a box, and are outraged when He tries to break free.

What sort of a box have you put God in? Oh, come on. We all do it. Maybe we let Him out on Sunday, but even then, He pretty stays exactly where we put Him...welcome, 3 songs, etc... What would happen....what would happen if we actually allowed God free rein in our lives?

February 17, 2010 - John 3:16

Why on earth God would lead me to the most widely known passage in the Bible is beyond me. What can I possibly add that hasn't been said before, and far better than I can do? John 3:16 and the 23rd Psalm are two passages that it seems we are born knowing. They're part of our national consciousness, like the Pledge of Allegience. They're just there, and we can recite them without thinking.

And perhaps that's the point. How much of God's Word do we recite without thinking? John 3:16. The 23rd Psalm. The Lord's Prayer. Quick now! All three! Yep, I thought you could.

Ok...deep breath...so let's try and break this passage down a little.

"For God so loved the world..." God LOVES the world. He doesn't hate it, or despise it, or wish He'd never created it. He loves it. And that means that He loves what is IN the world, since the world is made up of its individual parts, right? Now, it is easy for me to love something and not like something about it. You may love chicken, but not like the skin. You may love how you feel after you excercise, but hate the exercise itself. You may love your children, but not like some of their behavior.

Perhaps its the same with God. He loves the world, but I'm quite sure there are parts He's not real happy about. Crime, poverty, hate, hunger, despair. So...God loves the world, though He's probably not thrilled with what we've done with His gift.

"He gave His only Son..." God didn't have a lot of little chillun running around and figured He could spare one. He gave His ONLY Son. Just the one Son that He had, because He couldn't bear to see the mess His earthly children were making of their lives. Ok...hang on a minute. Let's explore that. I believe that we all have what Quakers call "that of God" in all of us. We are His children. But if Jesus is His ONLY Son...what does that mean? Where does that put us? I suppose there is a distinction between being a Son and being sons. If, as traditional churches believe, Jesus and God and the Holy Spirit are ONE entity (even if we don't understand that concept), then it makes more sense. We are still God's children, but Jesus is God's Child.

"So that everyone who believes in Him..." Pretty straight forward, that. I think the key word here is EVERYONE. Everyone...not just Catholics, or Protestants, or Quakers, or the Amish, or the Fundamentalists. But EVERYONE. Those who go to church, and those who don't. Those who take one portion of the Bible as their Guiding Light, and those who never read the Bible at all. Everyone who believes. There a lot of people in this world who BELIEVE and have never seen a Bible in their lives and couldn't read it even if they had one. Does that leave them out of God's equation? I think not! "Everyone who believes" is a pretty inclusive statement.

"May not perish, but have eternal life." We all perish. This earthly shell of ours gives out, some sooner, some later. But we all die. Death is as much a part of life as being born is. It happens. This old body of ours will just stop one day. So this promise of not perishing has nothing to do with our physical selves, but to our spirits. Our spirits are that intangible part of us that belong 100% to God, whether we know or acknowledge it or not. And that part has eternal life. Now, where we will spend that eternal life is a whole post all by itself...

February 16, 2010 - Hebrews 1:10-12

"In the beginning, Lord, You founded the earth,
and the heavens are the work of Your hands;
they will perish, but You remain;
they will all wear out like clothing;
like a cloak You will roll them up,
and like clothing they will be changed.
But You are the same,
and Your years will never end."

The imagery in this passage speaks to me. Like clothing that has been worn at the knees, and the pockets falling off, and holes that can no longer be patched, we are rolled up and put away. Note that the passage does not say we are discarded, but that we are changed.

My father was one of the least prejudiced people I've ever known. He used to say that God was not pleased to be shunned when He was wearing His dark suits. I grew up with the inherent belief that God resides in us all; that each of us carries the divine spark within us. God does not change.

But we are mortal beings. We wear out. We tire out. We burn out. We are a suit that God puts on for a while, and when we have outlived our usefulness, perhaps, He takes us Home, but somehow I think not to simply hang in His closet, but instead to become a bright and shining Robe, fit for a King.

It is humbling to think that God would "wear" me. We have been told that the body is the temple of God, and that's a lovely thought, I suppose, but perhaps a little...oh, I don't know...airy fairy, not real. I mean, beleive me, I don't feel much like a temple most of the time. But when I think of myself as a piece of clothing that God wears for a while, it's as though I can feel Him inside me.

How do I "wear" God? Am I trying to keep him pristine and unsullied and clean? As a child, when I went out to play, my mother would say, "Now, don't you get that dress dirty!" Which pretty much meant that I couldn't do a darn thing except sit still and watch everybody else have fun. I was not useful in the slightest. I think God wants us to get His suit dirty. He wants us to be rolling about in the muck and the mud, helping people out of the mires we create for ourselves. he wants us to get holes in our jeans and patches in the elbows of our shirts doing the work He has created for us to do.

And when we have worn out, rusted out, tired out, He will roll us up, like we roll up clothes we pack in a suitcase, and take us Home, shake us out, and set us free. Praise the Lord!

February 15, 2010 - Tobit 3:1-3

Move over, Job,and make room for Tobit. A little background: Tobit is one of the books of the Apocrypha. The Apocryphal books were used by the early church and were included in the canon of the Bible by the Council of Trent in 1546.

Set in Nineveh, the book is named after a Jew who has been exiled, and has become blind. He sends his son Tobias to Media to bring back money he has deposited there. Tobit, naturally, is in distress over his condition. Hear part of Tobit's prayer:

'Then with much grief and anguish of heart I wept, and with groaning began to pray: 'You are righteous, O Lord, and all your deeds are just; all Your ways are mercy and truth; You judge the world. And now, O Lord, remember me and look favorably upon me. Do not punish me for my sins and for my unwitting offenses and those that my ancestors committed before you.'"

I was sitting in Meeting yesterday (I've gone back to the Quakers) and was pondering certain events in my life. I had been thinking about a personal issue and trying to decide just how much of it to share with people.

For those of you who are not familiar with Quaker meeting for worship, it goes like this. Quaker meeting for worship is silent; there is no minister or sermon. Each person is free to commune with God on his or her own. If anyone feels moved to speak, they stand up and share what is on their heart and then sit down. Quaker meeting is one of the few places in which "out of the silence of the heart, God speaks." Quakers are called "The Society of Friends," and are often referred to by themselves and others simply as "Friends."

So, getting back to it...a Friend behind me stood up toward the end of the Meeting and shared a story from his childhood, which included his violence against another child, thereby violating the Peace Testimony of Friends. When he spoke to his mother later, he cried, "But, Mom, what I said was TRUE!" And his wise mother replied, "Just because something is true doesn't mean it needs to be said." As is often the case, when God speaks in Meeting, it was exactly what I needed to hear.

I guess today's post is more journal than commentary, but as I look over Tobit's prayer, I read that God is mercy and truth. God's truth speaks to us in many ways, sometimes in the silence. His mercy is everlasting, and I think sometimes I need to be reminded that His mercy extends to others as well as myself. And if my truth is not merciful to others, then I need to keep it to myself.

Blessings...

February 14, 2010 - Mark 1:35-37

I always find it interesting when God leads me a passage I did not expect. This morning is no exception.

"In the morning, while it was still very dark, he [Jesus] got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, 'Everyone is searching for you.'"

Everyone is searching for you. Before I became a Christian, I was searching for Him too, except I didn't know what I was searching for. I tried the occult (but NEVER witchcraft), I tried creating my own religion out of bits and pieces of religions I knew about. Itried turning my back on "organized" religion of all kinds. I was so far out there, Jesus had to come get me Himself.

But isn't that the way of it? We hunt, we search, we know in our heart of hearts that Something, Somebody better simply has to be out there somewhere. As the old country song says, we were "looking for love in all the wrong places."

It is said that a man chases a woman until she catches him. Maybe we can turn that around a little. Maybe we chase God until HE catches US! The funny thing is that all this searching and hunting and seeking is because nothing worth having comes easy. Without the "search," there is no "find." If God is presented to us on a platter, and we never question, never doubt, never have to search out the truth for ourselves, how real is our faith?

I submit that it is the searching that makes the finding worthwhile. It is the seeking that makes us grow spiritually. But it is the finding that grants us peace.

Today is Valentine's Day. May you find LOVE today in the presence of Jesus Christ.

February 12, 2010 - Sirach 2:1-6

Yes, it's kind of a long one today:

"My child, when you come to serve the Lord,
prepare yourself for testing.
Set your heart right and be steadfast,
and do not be impetuous in time of calamity.
Cling to Him and do not depart,
so that your last days may be prosperous.
Accept whatever befalls you,
and in times of humiliations be patient.
For gold is tested in the fire,
and those found acceptable,
in the furnace of humiliation.
Trust in Him, and He will help you,
make your ways straight, and hope in Him."

I actually started looking up the word "disappointment" this morning, but came across this instead. I've come to understand that putting one's trust in people almost never works. People will disappoint you. They make promises they either can't or won't keep. But God never disappoints. At least, God has never disappointed me.

And yet, I continue to believe with Anne Frank that "People are really good at heart." There was a book out a while back, I think my Yancy, called "Disappointment with God." I never read it. God has always been the One "thing" I could count on. When I am disappointed in people, I turn to God, because I know that HE cares about me. He cares about my circumstances. He cares about the tiniest detail of my life. He always has my best interests at heart. And when things get hairy, as they are now, I can count on God to get me through. Usually He helps me by sending people into my life that can and will help me. That's just how God works.

So, for today, I will put my trust in Him, and have faith that He will send what I need when I need it. Thank You, Lord.

February 11, 2010 - Deuteronomy 11:18-21

The Shema:

"Hear, O Israel,
the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Blessed is his name,
whose glorious kingdom is forever.

And thou shalt love the Lord with all your heart,
and with all your soul, and with all your might.
And these words, which I command you this day,
shall be upon your heart:
and you shall teach them always to your children,
and shall talk of them
when you sit in your house,
when you walk by the way,
when you lie down,
and when you arise.
And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand,
and they will be seen as a badge between your eyes.
And you shall write them on the doorposts
of your house, and upon your gates."

Observant Jews say this prayer every day. It goes along with the passage about what the Lord requires of thee...to love Him with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. We talked about that is a previous post.

Here, we are told that there needs to be an outward manifestation of our love for God. We are to place a sign on your hands, on our foreheads, on the doors of our houses, on our gates. Unless you're Jewish, you probably don't do that.

I've heard it said that Jesus pretty much threw the rule book out of the window; we don't have to follow all those archaic commandments any more. But we do seem to pick and choose the ones we want to follow and the ones we don't, don't we?

All food is declared clean, so we eat pork and shellfish. Putting a sign of your devotion to God on your hand or your forehead would be embarassing, so we wear a cross around our necks instead.

Ok, here's my question...if these things were a commandment once, and if God is never changing, then why don't we follow ALL the old rules? We pick and choose every single day the ones we think are important and let the others fall by the wayside as being not practical in today's modern world.

Don't get me wrong, there's a cartload of these old commandments...six hundred and some, if I remember correctly. There is no way in God's green earth I could even remember all of them, let alone follow all of them.

And maybe that's the point. Today, in a court of law, "ignorance of the law is no excuse." When we get to Heaven will God say, oops, sorry, you broke commandment number blahdy-blah so you can't come in?

I don't think Jesus threw the rule book out the window. I think he opened the window to let the fresh air in. I think He invited us to examine which "rules" work and which ones don't.

What about the Shema? Observant Jews wear Tefillin (phylacteries) - boxes containing Biblical verses - during morning prayer services starting at the age of 13. These are worn on the head.

On the doorposts of traditional Jewish homes (and many not-so-traditional homes!), you will find a small case. This case is commonly known as a mezuzah (Heb.: doorpost), because it is placed upon the doorposts of the house. The mezuzah is not, as some suppose, a good-luck charm, nor does it have any connection with the lamb's blood placed on the doorposts in Egypt. Rather, it is a constant reminder of G-d's presence and G-d's mitzvot.

The mitzvah to place mezuzot on the doorposts of our houses is derived from Deut. 6:4-9, a passage commonly known as the Shema (Heb: Hear, from the first word of the passage). In that passage, G-d commands us to keep His words constantly in our minds and in our hearts by (among other things) writing them on the doorposts of our house. The words of the Shema are written on a tiny scroll of parchment, along with the words of a companion passage, Deut. 11:13-21. On the back of the scroll, a name of G-d is written. The scroll is then rolled up and placed in the case, so that the first letter of the Name (the letter Shin) is visible (or, more commonly, the letter Shin is written on the outside of the case).

What reminders of the importance of God in your life do you wear on your person? I submit that taking a lesson from Jewish life might not be a bad thing at all.

February 9, 2010 - Nahum 1:7

Here's an interesting passage - especially since a preceeding passage seems to say something else...sort of.

"The Lord is good, a stronghold in a day of trouble;
He protects those who take refuge in him, even in a rushing flood."

What's interesting is that just a few verses earlier we read that "...the Lord is avenging and wrathful." Personally, I find it difficult to reconcile the two.

The whole book of Nahum is a study in contrast. We read "Look! On the mountains the feet of one who brings good tidings, who proclaims peace!" And in another we read "Devastation, desolation, and destruction!"

In my Catholic Women's Study Bible there is a passage by Kathleen Norris about God's Jealousy. She helps to put this into perspective for me. it is difficult for me to imagine a God with such a seemingly petty emotion as jealousy. We are His and His alone; why on earth would He be jealous? Of the world? Of His own creation?

Norris says that the word "jealous" comes from the word "zealous," and denotes extreme enthusiam and devotion. Now, that makes more sense. God is zealous for us. He wants us, ALL of us, ALL the time, not just the parts left over at the end of the day. He wants us to consult Him, to love Him, to be AWARE of Him every moment. He wants our undivided attention.

Am I there yet? Not by a long shot. But every morning that I can sit down at this computer and open my Bible and say, "OK, God, whatcha got for me today?" I perhaps get the tiniest bit closer. I often ponder throughout the day what I've read that morning. The passage comes to me as I'm working at my job; I think about it while I'm piecing together a quilt or watching tv. There's a part of my brain that is still thinking about God and what He's doing in my life. And that is a very great blessing.

I'm glad God is zealous for me. I'm glad that He wants me; that He knows I am but dust, and imperfect and sometimes a real jerk, but that He loves me anyway. I'm glad that God is the God of second chances, and thirds, and fourths and more. I'm glad God didn't give up on me when I seeemd to give up on Him. I'm glad that God continues to lead me and guide me throughout my days, even when I feel blind and foolish. I'm glad God loves me, because I know in my heart of hearts that God's love will never die, and when this earthly shell is no more, I will dance with Him in Heaven. God IS good.

February 8, 2010 - 1 Chronicles 4:9,10

(Deep breath...) Today I'm going to tackle the prayer of Jabez. You may have heard of it. The "wealth and prosperity" folks spew it all the time:

"Jabez was honored more than his brothers; and his mother named him Jabez, saying, 'Because I bore him in pain.' Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, 'Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you keep me from hurt and harm!' And God granted what he asked."

Now, the "wealth and propsperity" folks seem to think that this prayer is proof that God is somehow mandated to give us what we want, materially. My personal take on the "wealth and prosperity gospel" is that its a lie from the pit of hell. First, God doesn't HAVE to give us anything. He is not some cosmic vending machine and if only we say the right prayers and do the right thing, we'll get what we ask. "In the name of Jesus!" we cry, and expect God to jump. Sorry, Charlie...it don't work that way.

Ok, so if Jabez' prayer doesn't mean that, then what DOES it mean?

First off, Jabez is not asking for health and wealth and material things. God's blessings come in a variety of forms, not all of them material. (In fact, probably very few of them material.) God's blessings are strength to deal with tough times, 30 seconds to enjoy a sunset, the smell of a new baby, a hug from a loved one. God's blessing is perhaps not in sparing your loved one's life, but in giving you the strength to go on after their death. God's blessing is perhaps not in the healthy child you always wanted, but the capacity to love the Down Syndrome child you were given. God's blessing is perhaps not the job you loved and were laid off from, but in learning the joy of living with less.

What about the "enlarge my borders" part? We tend to think of borders as fences. What about enlarging our hearts? What if borders here means more than physical boundaries, but instead means learning to love more, help more, give more?

The "keep me from hurt and harm" is simple enough. We all want that. I read a version in which this is translated as "keep me from causing pain." Puts a little different spin on it, yes? In any case, none of us seeks out pain and anguish.

"And God granted what he asked." God always answers prayer. My daughter puts it this way: "Sometimes He says yes, sometimes He says no, and sometimes He says not yet." I submit we need to look beyond the physical and material, and if we're going to ask God for something, we need to keep in mind the things He has already given us, and be grateful for those things first.

February 7, 2010 - Zephaniah 1:7

"Be silent before the Lord God!"

I went to Quaker meeting today. It's been on my heart to go for a while. Perhaps because I started reading The Peaceable Kingdom again. But I didn't want a sermon, I didn't want music, I didn't want canned prayers. I just wanted to sit silent before the Lord. You would think I would have plenty of opportunity to do that now, but I don't. When I'm home there is always something to do, so "silent" time is at a premium.

I went, for once, without the usual questions floating around in my head when I attend a new church. How friendly are the people? Will I fit in? What sort of programs do they have? Do I feel comfortable there? Could I bring my brother's family there and would they be comfortable? I really didn't expect any of those questions to be answered...that's not what I went for. I went to be with God, and sometimes, sorry to say, church is last place God seems to be.

Why is that? Why is it that God's house becomes a house of frantic activity, (always for the good of the congregation, of course)? There are classes and programs and choirs and prayers by rote. And I'm not necessarily knocking those things, but somehow in all this, God seems left out of the equation.

Rarely in a traditional church is there time to just be quiet before the Lord. People come into the church and they're still talking, talking, talking...talking about where to go to lunch, and did you hear about so-and-so, and blah-blah-blah.

Where is the reverence for being in God's house? Where is the preparation for worship? Is worship just something that you do because everybody else is doing the same thing? The words to the songs come up on the overhead, and that's what you sing. The classes are given and something sounds interesting, so that's what you take. The preacher says the same beginning prayer and the same ending prayer and that's what you get used to.

Where is the one-on-one with God? How on earth can we hear what God is saying to us if we're talking all the time? How can we tap into the creative energy of God if all we hear in church is the same-old-same-old?

Be silent before the Lord, and listen...

February 6, 2010 - Mark 12:29-31

What does the Lord require of thee today?

"Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength....You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these."

Wow...kind of a tall order. ALL my heart? ALL my soul? ALL my mind and my strength? And sometimes I don't even like my neighbor very much, let alone love him. How can I possibly adhere to the commandments of which there is none greater? It seems an impractical, if not impossible, task. How on earth can I do that? I mean, maybe if I were a nun, and all I had to do all day was pray.... But I'm not. I have dogs, family, a job. My affections are scattered all over the place, not concentrated on God alone.

A passage like this brings me up short - it reminds me how very far away I am from being the person God intends me to be. God wouldn't have asked this of us if He didn't think we could do it, right?

Ok, so let's go there. If God says to love Him with all our hearts, soul, minds and strength, there must be a way to do so, and still live our daily lives. And there, I think, is the answer. It is smack dab in the middle of our daily lives that the love of God needs to be. When I look at my boss, do I see and love God? When I take my dogs for a walk, do I see and love God in my dogs and in nature? When I read a good old-fashioned murder mystery, is my soul loving God at the same time? When I'm brushing my teeth in the morning, making coffee, leading a Weight Watcher meeting, am I loving God with all my strength?

Mother Teresa was an exceptional woman. She saw the face of Christ in the most poor and wretched of humanity. She tended the wounds of lepers as if she were wiping the wounds of Christ. I think perhaps it is in loving what and whom God has placed in our lives, we learn to love God with all that we have. The trick, of course, is loving God in the unloveable. The co-worker who drives us nuts; the jerk that cuts us off in traffic; the surly cashier; the lousy waitress; to borrow a line from a popular Christian song, "My Jesus says to love them anyway."

Yep, it's still a tall order. I'm not convinced that even Mother Teresa got it right one-hundred percent of the time. But each day is a new day, and a new opportunity to love God, no matter where and under what circumstances we may find Him.

February 4, 2010 - Obadiah verse 15

A short 21 verses long, Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament. Obadiah predicts that God will punish the land of Edom for siding with Babylon. King Herod, who attempted to kill Jesus as a child, was descended from the Edomites. The Edomites disappeared from history after the destruction of the Temple in A.D. 70.

Here's the verse: "For the day of the Lord is near against all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your head."

Sound familiar? "What goes around, comes around," we say. Or we may use the term "karma," but it means the same thing. "We reap what we sow..."

Sometimes we gotta wonder. The child molester wins the lottery. A good man gets cancer. Unscrupulous people seem to prosper while decent people struggle just to put food on the table. Where's the "reward?" If we all got what we deserved, how many of us would be happy with our lot?

If God is "keeping score," sometimes you gotta wonder about what sort of scoring system He uses. I submit that God's "scoring system" has absolutely nothing to do with external circumstances. God sees our hearts. Are we kind because we hope to get something back? Are we generous because it looks good to others? Are we stingy because we're afraid?

Examining our own hearts is risky business. When we start poking around in the deepest recesses, who knows what we may find there? Answer: God knows. God has known all along the motives of our hearts, even (and especially) the ones we hide from ourselves. I've heard it said that "character is what we are when nobody is looking." Well, God is looking. So, I have to ask myself if I am brave enough to look inside my heart today. What will I find when I peel the layers back to reveal the "real" me. Sounds like a lifelong process to me. How about you?

February 3, 2010 - James 2:17

"So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead."

Once again I am totally immersed in a book I've read more times than I can count. This is one of those rare books of which I can truly say, "It changed my life." If I were stuck on a desert island, this is the book I'd want with me.

The book is titled "The Peaceable Kingdom" by Jan de Hartog. It is many years out of print now, but if you can find one in a used book store or at the library, I highly recommend it. Historical fiction, but based on fact, "The Peaceable Kingdom" is the story of how the Quakers got started. The beginning of the book details some of the life of George Fox, yes, but more than that it chronicles the life of Margaret Fell, with whom I identify.

At one point in the book, Margaret Fells' husband, in a desparate attempt to show her where her fascination with the Quakers will lead, takes her on a tour of the worst hell hole in all of England, the dungeons of Lancaster Castle. Children, huddled deep in the bowels of the castle, are particularly disturbing. Margaret runs to Fox, demanding an answer. How can a loving God allow such things to happen?

Fox's answer cuts to the chase, and has stayed in my heart for years. "Stop crying for proof of God's love! Prove it thyself! How else dost thou think He can manifest His love? Through nature? Through the trees, the clouds,the beasts in the field,the stars? No, only through beings capable of doing so: ourselves. In the case of those children in the cage, about to be hanged, it is thou He touched. All He has to reach those children is thee!"

Does not James say the same thing in this passage? All He has to change the world is thee, and me. How many times a day does God whisper in our ear..."All I have is thee..." It is so damnably easy to ignore His voice. After all, what can I do? I'm just one tiny person. I can't possibly make a difference. Right?

Margaret informs her husband that she has to try and save the children. She must go to Lancaster Castle and do what she can. Her husband is aghast. He tries to persuade her not to go. Listen to this next passage:

"In a last effort to save her from herself...[he said] 'I am yearning for the day when this will no longer be necessary, when people will look back on the gallows in Lancaster Castle and say...'
She looked in his eyes with a strange new tenderness, "Tom, love, doesn't thou see? That time is now."
"But, sweeting-"
"The moment thy conscience tells thee something is wrong, that is the time to stop it."
"Oh, Margaret...!"
He tried to escape, but she held on to him. "That is why I must go! I must!"
"To do what?"
"To endure with those children what they are enduring. To bring to them the physical presence of one who cares. To bring their plight, by the fact of my presence, to the attention of those in power. It is the only way to save them."

Oh, Margaret...foolish, fool-hardy, brave Margaret. I wish I had that kind of conviction, that kind of strength. The Quakers call this "being in the power of the Lord." I've been in the power of the Lord a few times in my life. When it happens to you, the feeling is unmistakable.

So, I ask, what is God calling me to do today? Where will He lead me? And more importantly, will I answer? Will I be a "Margaret" today? Do I have the strength? "I can do all things through Christ, Who strengthens me." Pray, Lord, when You call, let me answer with "Here I am, Lord. Send me."