Daily Devotion for Lent 2021 - Day 31

Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 4

Some things we encounter
are more permanent than others.

How do we understand ourselves in the midst of trouble and turmoil?

As Christians, how do we define ourselves and how do we understand God at work among us?

During every age, we may redefine our identity depending upon the circumstance.  Certainly in the midst of the pandemic, we have faced the greatest pause in the life of faith within our lifetimes.   Those rural areas have not quite faced the same kind of pause that urban congregations have faced simply because the caseloads in these places have been so dissimilar.  But even in these places where worship has continued fairly untouched, there have been members who have refused to attend in person and so the gathering has been diminished.

Within Paul's day, he sees his own afflictions as serving the greater good.  Their purpose becomes to glorify God and so it allows the one who is suffering to come to terms with the pain.  Paul writes of our bodies being as clay jars containing treasure.  The vessel containing the treasure is temporary and wears out but that which it holds is eternal.  

The pandemic has reminded us of our own mortality.  It has served our world almost like a prolonged Ash Wednesday service telling us, "Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return."  But even as we understand our mortal nature, we also hear the words of Paul telling us, 

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

As we go through physical affliction, we are reminded of the suffering of our Lord.  We see that God has solidarity with humanity in Jesus Christ.  This allows our "inner nature" to be "renewed day by day." 

Even as we mourn those we have lost, we take heart in their "eternal weight of glory beyond all measure."  

We take heart because while things will not return to exactly to how they were prior to the pandemic, the important pieces of our lives will surely endure.  Our faith will strengthen because of what we have endured.  I believe that this is what Paul is celebrating in today's reading.

Prayer for the day:

Eternal God, we grow tired of our lessened public life.  We are weary of conflicting views about it.   We long for relationships without second guessing either their safety or their anxiety in gathering.  Yet, we give thanks that in all of this change, you walk with us.  Help us to see one another as gifts once more.  And as we take heart, may we find that as we are uplifted, this renewal gives you glory.  Amen.

Photo by Christine Warner via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2021 - Day 24

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 13

This may be Paul's manifesto.

This is often a chapter read at weddings.  It doesn't really reflect romantic love but it does emphasize the kind of love to which a marriage should strive if it is going to have any endurance.

Paul, of course, was writing this as a kind of checklist for the early church.  They were having difficulty with posturing.  Who is holier?  Who is more spiritual?  As we consider the spiritual gifts from the previous chapter, Paul is lining out that if these gifts are not improving our relationship with one another, we may not be as holy as we think we are.

Speaking in tongues without love?  Gibberish.

Prophecy?  Faith?  Acts of charity?  Martyrdom?

Are they done in love?

As we consider the greatest commandment of Jesus - to love God and to love neighbor - Paul's writings in this chapter align pretty well with what we should be about.

As we think about our everyday relationships, verses 4-7 indicate how this love is to take shape.  Reading these particular verses is a part of how I start each day.  Sometimes I try to include positive imagery with these by then saying:

I am patient.  I am kind.  I am not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude.  I do not insist on my own way; I am not irritable or resentful; I do not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoice in the truth.  God help me to bear all things, believe all things, hope all things and endure all things.  Amen.

After all, if we are not becoming more loving, what are we becoming?

It may be that we believe that there are gulfs between our neighbors or relatives that cannot be bridged.  There may be too many hurt feelings.  Furthermore, we may be afraid of further injury.

I would not ask someone in an unjust situation to bear or endure it without adding the line, "Let me overcome all things."  We remember that Jesus told us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.  And so allowing abuse is not setting the proper boundaries we need to love ourselves.  

I do believe that relationships can be repaired and healthy boundaries can be set and observed.  But we must rejoice in the truth and the truth is that God does not wish for anyone to be abused.

The difficult question during Lent becomes, "Do I participate in the abuse of others unwittingly?"  This is a question that we may avoid because the discovery can be painful.  We may not intend any harm and yet, there it is.  I don't want to be as blind as the Christians in Corinth who showed many good gifts of the Spirit but neglected to show love.  They had good intentions, too!

Prayer for the day:

Eternal God, love is hard.  When we think about the many difficulties we may face in accomplishing love for all people, we give thanks for your unmerited love of us... and of them.  We often recognize your love for us through the love that others have bestowed upon us.  And we ask, "How will all the difficult people know you love them?"  And we may be afraid of the answer.  Help us to ask anyway.  We pray for Jesus' sake.  Amen.

Photo by Kevin Dooley via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2021 - Day 2

Scripture Reading: 1 Thessalonians 2

As we experience political turmoil in our society today, we are reminded that difference of opinion and resistance of one group by another is a part of living in a larger society.  

Paul has been on the road and mentions his trouble at Philippi.  It is possible that Luke later fills out this story in Acts 16:11-30.  We see that Paul defends himself and has been accused of deceit and manipulation as well as greed and vanity.  This sounds so foreign to us today as we conduct ourselves so much more respectfully!

Slander is the easiest way of countering someone's arguments.  Rather than deal with the content, we tear down the person themselves.  It is not the highest form of discourse by any means but it continues to work well into the 21st century.  

These rules seem archaic today
but were held with seemingly
religious fervor 60 years ago.

We can see how Paul was challenging the basic tenets of Jewish faith outside of Palestine.  And we must remember that Christianity was not seen as a separate faith at this point but a sect within larger Judaism.  If we think about it from a Jewish perspective, you would be living as a minority among Gentiles in this foreign world.  You stand out because of your practices and your diet already.  This would put you up for persecution by the Gentiles you live among.  And now, here is this teacher that comes in and tries to make these Gentiles your equals in the sight of God.  It would challenge your notion of what it means to be faithful.  

Today, Christianity struggles within itself and how it is seen by the Gentiles (unchurched) of today.  There are practices that we may have that seem of utmost importance to some (like no drinks in the sanctuary) that fundamentally do not take away or add to one's relationship in Christ.  It is cultural and it is a respect or reverence issue for some.  But it may become a stumbling block for those who are exploring the faith.

As Paul reminds us, the relationships we form with one another may be more important than the cultural norms we hold onto.  As he tells the Thessalonians, "Yes, you are our glory and joy!"

Where have you once been inflexible in your life on things that now seem trivial?  I bet with some reflection, we can all name some!

Prayer for the Day:

Patient God, we recognize that we often major in the minors.  Help us to name what we are afraid of so that we may respect rather than slander our fellows who may see differently.  Bless our relationships that we might find in them our glory and joy!  Amen.

Photo by jalexartis Photography via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.