Friendly Wounds

And if one asks him, “What are these wounds on your back?” he will say,“The wounds I received in the house of my friends.”

Zechariah 13:6

Privilege and luxury were Malika’s daily life as the adopted daughter of the king. As companion to the princess she was afforded the rights of the monarchy. Besides missing life with her birth family there wasn’t any reason to believe that her opulent life would change. However, a failed coup by her birth father, the king’s general, tilted her world, dumping her into prison along with her mother and five siblings. The king, whom she had considered a second father, became her jailer for the next twenty years.

Betrayal and injury by friends or family is perhaps the most difficult wound from which to heal. There exists a vulnerable factor. Here are people who know you and have seemingly used that knowledge as a weapon. There seems to be no point of return. Forgiveness is improbable.

While in the vortex of emotional pain, thinking about forgiveness seems impossible and humanly speaking it is. Left to our own devices we’re tempted to keep the wound fresh, opening ourselves to further infection. In our inability to forgive, the life of Jesus and his own friendly wounds can become our inspiration. The gift of Jesus’ humanity gives us a “how to forgive” guide when it comes to being wounded by those who know us best.

With the help of His Father, Jesus accepted his friendly wounds as indications that the one who was wounding had a greater need--His Father’s love. Accepting our friendly wounds with the Jesus spirit we, too, will discover that living in the kingdom means opening the gift of forgiveness.

Jesus, thank you for the gift of your humanity.

Your willingness to be born into this world of hurt shows me

that I am not alone.But your life also opens the way to a life of forgiveness.

Amen.

The Other Side

You see antagonists everywhere; they are rebellious, loose-lipped,
and deceitful. . .Their talk must be squashed. . .

Titus 1:10-11a (The Voice New Testament)

When I read this verse from Titus I get closer to understanding why people are leaving the Church. . .in droves. Within the Church conflicts abound, rebellious attitudes dominate and too many loose-lipped members have reduced the average stay of a pastor to 18 months. That may seem unbelievable but take note of the recent resignation of the senior pastor of the Riverside Church in New York. He lasted nine months all because of a few antagonists, rebellious, loose-lipped and deceitful members.

Recently an e-mail popped up on my computer screen at church from a ministerial group in our town addressing the issue of gossip. Apparently a few loose-lipped "Christians" were dishing one of our local churches claiming that a church split was imminent. The best part about the e-mail was the fact that they were actively attempting to squash the gossip. Having gone to the pastor involved and heard the issues, they discovered the deceit.

Now, none of this is particularly new to me, which, in a sense is sad. My church as a young girl also had a few loose-lipped, deceitful individuals who decided to write letters to a select few claiming our pastor was having an affair. As a ten year old, the image of my pastor standing with his wife at the front of the church, professing his faithfulness to the love of his life, has been deeply imprinted on my psyche.

Still, I stayed faithful to the "Church", married a man who felt "called" to minister and as a result jumped into the fray. We've lived all over the country, worked in a number of different churches and talked with lots of pastors and their spouses. Everywhere it is the same--antagonistic, rebellious, loose-lipped, deceitful "Christians" causing disturbances within congregations. Unfortunately their actions are all too obvious to the world.

If we want to speak Jesus into the world today, to be good yeast, we must be different than the world. We all know that the world is filled with the rebellious, loose-lipped and deceitful. And it's true that Christians are human, but shouldn't we be visibly striving against our "human" nature?

To speak against sin in the Church is difficult. But if we're going to be witnesses, effecting change in the world, we'll need to do some "in house" cleaning along the way. So, be ready to squash some talk!

Jesus, help me to have the courage to speak up

against those things that destroy your kingdom!

Amen.

Live in Your City

Here is another perspective on being "yeast" hidden in your community, bringing about the kingdom of Heaven.

Where are you to begin? Begin where you are. Make that one corner, room, house, office, as like heaven as you can. Begin? Begin with the paper on the walls, make that beautiful, with the air, keep it fresh; with, the very drains, make them sweet. Abolish whatsoever makes a lie - in conversation, in social intercourse, in correspondence, in domestic life. This done, you have arranged for a heaven, but you have not got it. Heaven lies within: in kindness, in humbleness, in unselfishness, in faith, in love, in service. To get these in, get Christ in. Teach all in the house about Christ - what He did, and what He said, and how He lived. Teach it not as a doctrine, but as a discovery, as your own discovery. Live your own discovery.

Then pass out into the city. Do all to it that you have done at home.

The City Without a Church by Henry Drummond

Good Yeast

The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took
and hid in three measures of flour, til it was all leavened.
Matthew 13:33

It has been my experience that yeast is temperamental. Living at 6500 feet above sea level, I have found that yeast acts more quickly, making the amount I use somewhat of a guessing game depending upon the recipe. Generally, the amount is slightly less than what is called for. My forgetfulness, as well as my eagerness, occasionally creates a mess—my bread rises too quickly and falls flat just as rapidly.

With the advent of bread machines this verse doesn’t quite have the “punch” that it had in the first century. But the properties of yeast remain the same whether prepared by hand or machine—yeast must be “hidden” or worked thoroughly throughout the dough in order for it to be effective.

Living in a world of “instant” our patience wears thin while waiting. Personally, I want to see God work fast and furiously! And, that makes me exactly like the disciples who wanted to see the kingdom of heaven descend with a swoosh. But, throughout the gospels Jesus never talks in the language of the spectacular. Instead, his images are always one of time, requiring patience.

Having been called to be kingdom of heaven yeast, hidden throughout our communities, our rising ability will depend on how willing we are to allow God to work us into the “dough.” If you’ve ever kneaded bread, well, the process is uncomfortable, but the results can be spectacular!

Jesus, thank you for the simple images you used
to illustrate how we are to live in your Kingdom.
I want to be good, healthy yeast, living in my
community and by my inclusion, helping it to grow in you.

Amen.

A Prayer for Today

While I grew up in a Christian tradition that emphasized extemporaneous prayers (and I continue to treasure that encouragement) I have, through out the years also grown to appreciate the written prayers of those who have gone before me. Here is one from John Calvin. The language is different from what we may use today, but the thoughts are as pertinent and significant.

Almighty God, since we are the work and creation of your hands,

grant us to realize that we do not live and move

except in you alone.

And grant, we pray, that we would be so subject

to you that we are not only ruled by your hidden

providence but also give such evidence

of our willing obedience and submission to you,

as children should, that we zealously

glorify your name on earth,

until we attain to the enjoyment of that blessed inheritance

which is laid up for us in heaven, through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

May you experience God's blessing today.

Historical Echoes

And they will say, “This land that was desolate
has become like the garden of Eden. . .

Ezekiel 36:35

When obscure verses pop into my view I pay attention because, more than likely, there is a connection in my life. More and more we’re hearing about how the younger generation doesn’t “believe” anymore because they don’t think the Bible is “relevant” to their lives. But, again, there are also long time “Christians” who keep the Bible at bay—“it’s a good book to read but we don’t need to get personal about it!”

If you know anything about the Israelites in the Old Testament you will remember that God was frequently frustrated and although He had promised them all sorts of good things they kept stumbling over their doubt and disobedience. Sound familiar? The result was the destruction of their temple, their city Jerusalem and, almost, their extinction.

In the midst of their desolation, Ezekiel comes into the lives of the Israelites with messages of hope and assurance—dry bones will be raised up and given flesh—land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden.

So, why did this verse jump into my view? Because I’ve doubted, in spite of knowing that God has plans for me. I’ve been disobedient. I have felt like my world was crashing around me. My very existence has, at times, seemed questionable.

My life has mirrored, at various levels, the lives of the Israelites. And, even though Ezekiel spoke thousands of years ago, his repeated messages of hope and assurance echo in my soul because I read the obsure! Interesting!

Thank you Father, Son and Holy Spirit
for your work and movement in time and history.
Nothing is old—all is relevant.
Help me to make the connections in my life.

Amen.

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Make a Choice

See, I have set before you today life and good,death and evil.

Deuteronomy 30:15

From the moment of understanding we make choices. Listen to parents “reasoning” with their children—"you can stop crying and enjoy the park or you can keep crying and make yourself miserable." There is, for all of us, a choice between this or that, whatever this or that may be. Sometimes our choices are overwhelming and we long for someone else to make the decision.

Taking responsibility for our choices becomes even more challenging, particularly if our choice has been a disaster. It’s so much easier to load the blame on someone else. To admit to ourselves, much less to others, that we made a poor choice, well, that’s like our ability to climb Mt. Everest.

God created us to choose. With it comes a tremendous amount of freedom. But, oh the weight of responsibility that counter balances that freedom when we respond to the call, “Follow me.” From that point every choice defines who we are in Jesus Christ. Every choice matters, but the choice to get up and follow Jesus should change how we make our decisions.

God knows the disaster that will result when He tells Adam to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. When Eden is destroyed, with Adam and Eve pointing their fingers, what results is that even “a little evil” erodes the life of a Jesus follower. Consequently, it takes heart, soul and mind to choose to follow Jesus and live according to God’s “rules.” But isn’t that better than death?

Jesus, thank you for giving me life by Your death on the cross.

Because of you, Eden’s destruction is no longer.

Help me to make choices that will bring me to the good life in You.

Amen.