Security- Jesus!

As our country deals with the difficult and complex issues, we seek security! Social security, national budget, cooperation on our nations’ direction, all these issues will take cooperative effort over a long period of time. These are all on our minds, and rightfully so. As we seek security in the programs that we depend on, we could lose sight of how to find ultimate security. We live, work, and play in a sea of human relationships and networks. We work toward finding common ground and the best solutions possible. But if this is our only security, then we are not very secure! As we listen to the voices of scripture, we hear the prophets foretell of the coming security of a coming King. Christ came to bring us a security that we seek but do not fully find from human sources. We may ask for our Lord to give us security, but he wants us to know that he is our security. There is a difference. We find a level of security as our Lord helps us in our human relationships, but it is in realizing our security is in the person of Christ that we find the peace in trusting him. Peace can grow among our brothers and sisters, as we trust him, but on this side of heaven is perfectly found only in the person of Christ. Let us not stop seeking peace and security in our society, while realizing that Christ is the one on whom it is found!

Need Some Space?

“I need some space!” You might hear this from someone who wants you out of their personal space so that they can have some alone time. We are created as people who have both needs, social and personal. We are healthiest with some of both, a balance. In the world around us, we have relational space everywhere we go and in all we do. The time and ‘space’ can be used to relate for different purposes. Some spaces are used by habit for particular purposes. We go to public spaces with people to socialize, to relate to each other. We create space for purposes. David had the desire to create sacred space for worshipping God. The tabernacle, the temple, the synagogue, the house church, and the modern church are all examples of making space for the sacred- relating to God, and God relating to us, together, relating to each other in the presence of God. But sacred space is always in transition! The tabernacle arose out of the need to have traveling sacred space for a traveling people. The temple was a located sacred space for a more located people. The house church developed, the modern church developed, and is still developing. Anywhere we gather in the name of Christ, we create sacred space. Today we have a challenge as God’s people: will we be able to think creatively about how we create sacred space? Can we not only come away into the places that we have known as sacred, but go out and make sacred the places and spaces where the sacred can be accessible? I trust that we all can allow ourselves to ponder this, and see the opportunities around us for making space for the sacred to unfold.

Uncompromised God in Our Compromised World

In our world of compromised motives and actions, the real mystery is the uncompromised promise we have of love and faithfulness. In the Old Testament book of Ruth we see every character with flaws  and double-speak conversations. People say one thing, imply another. They misspeak what others have said for their own advantage. Basic human dignity is compromised by unjust social, religious, and relational systems. Even the motives of God come into question, even if by mere implication. For example, the story begins with Bethlehem, ‘house of bread’ that has no bread. In a world where support for family comes from the man, all three major male characters die and leave three women without the support system upon which they for the most were forced to rely. The social and religious system for dealing with support of widows shows itself to be manipulated for personal gain. The mother and daughter-in-law relationship is one of manipulating each other (not that this is totally unimaginable!) The list goes on. We can relate to the situation of compromised motives and ethics in our world today. If we truly believe that ‘all have sinned and fallen short’, then we can see that it is truly amazing that we have the unconditional love relationship of our heavenly Father! How our Lord redeems our lives and our multiple issues is enough to inspire us to have faith and hope for our future! How is it that our nation, our church, our lives can be redeemed? Only through the only one who is uncompromised: our Holy God!

Sustainability

earthtimes.org

‘Derived from sustainable sources’ is a phrase we see on products. Paper from sustainable forests. Ingredients from sources that renew themselves, and won’t run out. Sustainability is a big word now. We want a Federal budget that is sustainable. We want a social security system that is sustainable. We want communities with a sustainable source of needed resources. And we are concerned that if we do not find sustainability in all these areas, we will run out, run short, or stop functioning. It’s a big deal! We have to live with an eye to the future!

In the same way, our life is sustained by our Lord. It is only by his power and hand at work in our lives that we do not just endure, but live a constantly renewed and revitalized life!  As I’ve been reading about church history, especially in the first couple of generations after Christ, I see how difficult life was as our ancestors in the faith had their lives tried and tested with persecution, social upheaval, and inter-faith strife. It is amazing that their faith endured. But, it more than endured, it thrived! I want to live like that! I want our generation(s) to know the renewed and revitalized faith that can only come as we rely on our Sustainer, Jesus Christ! May these trying times so strengthen our relationship with Christ that His church shines bright!

Global Glue

home.howstuffworks.com

Hebrews 1:1-4

Falling apart seems to be what much of our world does best! Governments fall apart, international relations break off, politics degrade to name-calling, and we deal with the brokeness accross the entire spectrum of life! But just as 'things' seem to fall apart in our world, we are reminded in Hebrews that Christ holds everything together! His powerful words speak thruth and wisdom for us. We have the power of our maker behind us as we face the powers of our world. We are held together, and so are our lives, as we follow Christ together. The glue of life is Christ, and we find him not just on our own, but together as his body. This Sunday is World Communion Sunday. It is such a privilage to belong to this family, and be welcomed to the table of life and salvation where no one is turned away, and our lives are mended and healed! This wonderful good news is that Christ is the true global glue!

Life- We have an App for that!

James 5:13-20

abcnews

Apple recently came out with the iPhone 5. In a few days, over 5 million were sold! I do not have one, but have talked to some owners of iPhones, and the connection (no pun intended) they have to their phone is nearly a religious experience, as is evident in the overnight lines people waited in to be first in line for the newest model. It has a big, bright screen. It does lots of neat things. But the large number of applications available (‘Apps’) seems to be one big reason for its usefulness. There’s an app for almost everything! Apps for fun. Apps for business and accounting. But a major drawback is its application for navigation. As I understand the conversation going on about this- the GPS navigation maps are incomplete! A simple trip in which you use the phone to get you to your destination may not get you to your destination!

In life, we have many issues through which we must navigate. We have sorrows to pray through. We have joy to propel us into singing. We have sickness for which we approach our Lord for healing. We have oppression and violence in this world for which we cry out to God for justice and peace. All of this happens in our daily walk with the rest of the body of Christ, the church, the congregation. Our App for real life occurs in our spiritual family, the church. We come with our brokenness, and we find a life of healing and recovery of the joy of living. Our navigation system is not a new model, but a very old one, which can testify: this App, it works!

Live Well

How do we live well in a troubled world? This has been our human pursuit for millennia. Today 'Live Well' is a pursuit that includes a network, an app, a Facebook page, and more. Something tells us that there is a better way to fo life! So, we look to the advice of those whom we respect, and make note of the knowledge of how to live well that they have gleaned over a lifetime. We call it wisdom. We need it today as much as any time in history! In the third chapter of the New Testament book of James we hear that wisdom includes living well, living wisely, living humbly. It’s this humbly part that we need so desperately! Behind all the current violence and war, political bashing, and every kind of verbal wrangling, there is an atmosphere that is far from humble. And it is this that leads to skirmishes. That’s the situation that the letter of James addresses, and it reads like a prescription to today’s headlines! True wisdom, truly living well is shown in how much we understand that to live well we live at peace with each other. We seek mercy and blessing, and we find it if we choose to live it! We don’t find it in finger pointing, but we find it as we each, and we together, decide that as far as it depends upon us, we will live in peace. Jesus showed us this life of peace, of a Shalom that our hearts desire. Lord, give us the wisdom to live well, live wisely, live humbly! This is my prayer.