Good Soldiers of Christ

2 Timothy 2:1-26

Hmm, I didn't know what we were going to read according to this title, but the beginning of Paul's second letter to Timothy has my attention. This admonition to stick to the proscribed rules and not to be sidetracked by other things and ideas. This is similar to what he said yesterday, using slightly different examples.

"No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him." 

Again this entreaty to avoid "irreverent babble." Sometimes people just need to keep their mouths closed. This is more than just keeping quiet though, in this I think Paul is trying keep us from getting distracted or distracting others. And more than that, talking in ways that are contrary to God's word and the Good News of Christ.

The ending paragraph of this passage reminds me of certain questions that have come up over the years; the question of when the world will end and Christ return in judgement. There are other things we like to quarrel over or discuss at length, and yet Paul, (who is not known for being wishy-washy in his convictions) says not to go there. Perhaps he has learned through experience that it isn't useful to be in the middle of arguments over "ignorant controversies."

Gentle teaching will do more for getting a point across. I heard a sermon on a similar topic last Sunday, and the way to achieve this is by listening; hearing what another person has to say and asking them to tell you more-so that when the time comes they may ask you what you think and you can then tell of the hope that is in you. By following this plan: remember who enlisted you, don't get sidetracked, avoid irreverent babble, and using gentle teaching, these are ways to be a follower of Christ. Ways in which you will live "strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus."

See you tomorrow.
-maggie

The Love of Money

1 Timothy 6:3-21

These first verses seem to be talking about something different than we might expect from today’s title, and yet, these verses expand upon what we were reading in the beginning of yesterday’s passage.

Verses 3-10 are cautionary verses; be careful what guides you, and who you listen to. Yesterday I was reminded of the first commandment, and this says plainly, (in case I wasn’t paying attention) that desiring riches – above desiring to serve and follow the Lord, is a snare. Yes, today’s passage starts by talking about those who teach, and yet just as I thought yesterday, these are words for anyone. The descriptions of the “unhealthy craving[s]” are of those things that can & do draw us away from living a life filled with contentment.

…as for the rich in this present age…we have seen that all we have is a gift from God, and so it is foolish to be “haughty.” [The rich] “are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.”

This explanation then followed by the admonition to “guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called "knowledge," for by professing it some have swerved from the faith.”

How are these things related? It seems to me that these false ideas; that riches or acquired knowledge are of our own doing, lead us off course. These are all snares, because if we take our eyes off God, and put other things in the place of or before God we miss out on living a life filled with contentment.

What do you think?

See you tomorrow.
-maggie

Elders and Deacons

1Timothy 3:1-16

These admonitions for how to live are good for anyone, not just elders and deacons.

Do not be a lover of money...I remember what the first commandment said: 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 might.

Do not be a drunkard (That’s obvious)

Do not be a slanderer: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor

You see what I am getting at, these are really good ways to live, and not just good ideas, but the law (as I said earlier, they are like the law of gravity-just better to keep in mind if you want to keep from falling flat on your face.)

Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:

He was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated by the Spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world,
taken up in glory.

This is indeed something that is not easy to understand, but it is something I find my spirit rejoices in. It feels somehow ‘right’ even if I can’t fully explain it or fully understand all that it means. Godliness is something I wish to live into.

See you tomorrow.

-maggie

The Supremacy of Christ

Colossians 1:1-23

A word about greetings: I often think I could learn something from these greetings. How wonderful to bid someone hello by telling them you always thank God and pray for them! And what a wonderful way to let them know you are praying for them:

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

There is a lot to learn from these verses. Now we come to the part of the passage where today's title comes from; the supremacy of Christ. This next section is so full of description that it would take me a long while to mull it over.

Christ is the image of the invisible God-thanks to Jesus we can see God. This Jesus who walked among the people of his time showed us who God is; what he is like, what he values, how he loves us, and walks with us. This was not a pillar of cloud. Jesus was a man who ate fish with his friends, This is what God is like.

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

He was first, he is creator, he is God's only son. I don't know about you, but that is bigger than I can completely grasp.

How about this:
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

What do I do with these thoughts? I am not certain that I can completely grasp this either. And yet, next it says that even while I was hostile or alienated, "he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him..."

This then is something I can understand more fully..."if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven..."
This is indeed something I wish to continue in.
See you tomorrow.
-maggie

Rejoice in the Lord

Philippians 4:2-9

This encouragement to assist those who have labored with Paul for the sake of the Gospel is how today's passage begins, and then our reading today gets its title from this second section: Rejoice in the Lord, always, the Lord is at hand.

Were the Lord at hand, it would give us reasons to rejoice, and so this says He is, and so we do. Do we? It says we are not to be anxious, and yesterday we talked about the fruit of living in the Spirit, that in such a life we would not be anxious. So this is another call to live as if what we have heard and seen is true and worthy of our joy, and inspiring our peace.

This also gives us a way to combat any anxiety we might have, through prayer and by giving thanks we can talk with God, and in so doing can guard our hearts and minds...in Christ Jesus. So this living in Christ Jesus, this thankful prayer, this brings us closer to God, and in living closer to God we can have that joy and peace. That joy and peace that doesn't make sense - but is still there. ...if there is anything worthy of praise think about that.

So, I will not linger on those things for which I don't give thanks, I will be thankful for all the worthy things and people in my day, and this will bring me joy.

There are many of those things if I pay attention.

See you tomorrow.
-maggie

The Armor of God

Ephesians 6:10-20

Yesterday we read about the fruit of the Spirit, and today we read about the armor of God in order to be strong in the Lord. I can see that in order to live in the fruit of the Spirit, we must resist the evil one who would rob us of our joy and our peace. We can do that by reading and understanding this good news of the Gospel, by accepting the truth of the Lord as our worldview-as our way of life, and by proclaiming and claiming the Gospel message for ourselves and to others. Rather than responding out of fear or hurt or envy or anger we can respond out of love and in the grace of the Lord. This then is the armor of God, He gives it to us in His word, and with His presence.

This Lord of the Israelites who said he would go with them and would fight for them, this is the same Lord who has our back, and since that is the case, there is no need to fall into traps that would rob us of peace or lead us away. This assurance is part of the armor of God.

Ahh, then through prayer we can enter into this relationship, and in this relationship we can have peace. Perhaps peace with our neighbors and our family, but certainly peace of mind. Supplication-asking-for ourselves and for others to be in this same relationship, to live in the fruit of the Spirit and with the armor of God. This is how we strive to live in Grace. This gift of Grace is available, but we must pay attention so that we are not robbed of it.

See you tomorrow.
-maggie

The Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:16-6:10

How to live in the Spirit? How to live a fruitful life? Well this is instructive, as far as it goes. We can live by our own will and that sounds very 'normal,' however this first passage says there is another way to live; a way that is not normal; a way that is more than normal. Just as yesterday we talked about being more than conquerors, today we hear about how to be more than normal.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

This life in the Spirit sounds like a restful one. to live in joy and peace, to treat others with kindness, to be faithful...full of faith, to rule myself with control, these are ways that may not be normal, and yet I would choose them over the alternatives.

Left to my own devices, or inclinations, I could be angry or irritated (which would make me irritating). I don't usually have 'fits' of anger but this isn't about my actions relative to someone else's, that is what the second half of this passage is talking about. I must worry about my own response to God's call. Interesting that we must bear each others burdens, and yet we must judge ourselves according to our work. There is a fine line between becoming conceited, as if the Spirit-filled life were my own doing, and yet one must not irritate others to the point that they are not able to live a peaceful, joyous life. And if they are filled with joy and peace, it is not for us to covet their happiness.

Simple words, and not many verses, but I believe I could work this out, ponder and wonder all day, indeed maybe all my life and still have more to live into.Jesus Christ has 'crucified' the desires that are not of the Spirit. I think to myself, then why won't these behaviors and thoughts stay dead? I don't know.

Perhaps that is why it says "as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith."

Just as this reading ends today, so I will end my thoughts. Let us daily, continually do good to everyone.


See you tomorrow.
-maggie

More than Conquerors

Romans 8:1-39
This passage ends by saying we are more than conquerors, and so today's reading gets its title. But what does that mean? There is so much to read today, even though it is only one chapter, that it could take me a long time to read and re-read it.

When I looked up the timing of this letter it is written before yesterday's trip to Rome, so these folks don't know him personally, nor does he know them. But what I notice is this same eloquent style we have heard from Paul already. Yet it is a formal writing, and I think because there is a lot to take in, it isn't a reading that I can digest easily in one sitting.

Starting at the beginning, I see that Paul lets people see the relationship between what Christ did and what the law of God requires, how through Christ we are fully sanctified. This sanctification that we could not hope to achieve on our own is managed by the grace of God. I am thankful, and should be thankful every day, since I know I need this grace every day.

Then there is this news that we are heirs. I remember some of the readings earlier about inheritance, and how the son - the eldest son is due an inheritance from his father, according to the laws of the time, and we have heard that Jesus is God's son. What would that inheritance look like? To inherit everything. "The earth is the Lord's for He made it." So the firstborn son, the only son is due the inheritance. What this next says is that we are adopted into that inheritance as brothers and sisters of Christ.Wow.

The understanding that there is more later, and while we may have troubles here, what comes next is even better, and so we hope for that future. That even if we do not see it, we can hope in this future, because of the promises of God. And that explains the passage title for us, I think. If we were going to have all the glory and all the blessings now we would be conquerors, there would be nothing we couldn't subdue, but in this sense we are not conquerors, our hope is for those things as yet unseen, but promised. I will  wait and trust in those promises. How about you?

See you tomorrow.
-maggie

The Trip to Rome

Acts 25:1-28:31

This trip of Paul's was long. It took months and there were several instances when it reminded me more of Jonah's trials than of a simple trip to jail. At each point Paul spoke well with the people who would listen and yet, unlike Jonah he was not running away from God's call but going along with it, and in each instance there were people who heard the Good News for the first time and believed.

The passages on the sea would be quite something to have lived through, smelly and scary no doubt, but still the way that Paul spoke and never stopped telling the people who would listen what God had planned...it would have been quite something to have lived through.

Paul does live through it and so do the soldiers. Today we heard that Paul spent two years in Rome speaking with anyone who would come to him.

Do we know people like those who listened to Paul, to whom he said: For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed...Are we closing our own eyes to the work of God around us? Or shall we like 'some,' shall we believe?

See you tomorrow.
-maggie

More Missionary Journeys

Acts 16:1-20:38
Before I go too far, I want to point out the difference of translations. And perhaps the importance of reading along in one or more, or talking to others who read in different translations. Because sometimes we need to ask, why was that word used or what did this passage mean. The section in Acts 16 has Paul and Silas and Timothy meeting people and going among them to their homes and synagogues. In one instance a woman kept badgering them and yelling behind them. And finally Paul is annoyed enough to command the spirit to come out of her. The thing I noticed is that in one translation it says she was yelling these men are proclaiming the way of salvation and in another version it read they are proclaiming a way of salvation. There is a difference between a way and the way. I can see where they were annoyed by this woman because Jesus wasn't one of many ways, He was the Only way...in a place and time when there were many options, what Paul and Silas were saying was contrary to this idea, they were saying there was only one way, and this woman was misleading the listeners-and bringing publicity to herself-and for her 'owners.' No wonder they got upset and had the disciples thrown in jail, this was another instance when the money-making opportunity was lost.

The situation with the jailer trying first to kill himself because his life was forfeit if he lost those high profile prisoners, and then finding not only hadn't they left but they stayed and waited for him...all of this worked in such a way that his entire family was brought into a saving relationship with the one God, and all because Paul and Silas were annoyed by the woman yelling behind them.

I really love this section in Acts 17 where Paul says, I see you are 'very religious' and have an altar to the "unknown God." I tell you that the creator of the world and everything in it wants to be near you and be known by you. As we have read through these readings we see again and again God has met with, spoken with, championed and loved the people. This message Paul gives the men of Athens, who are educated men, he gives them familiar quotes that assist them in relating to what he is telling them.

I find it interesting that here, the Roman Proconsul determines to force the Jews to deal with their religious questions and differences themselves and not in a Roman court. The word of what happened to Jesus and Pilot must have been heard in Corinth, and Gallio wanted no part of the proceedings.

These passages are full of travel. Paul's travels and the words and deeds and travels of others. They are even more full of the words of new faith and new believers, and belief against all normal circumstances. These last verses have Paul going to Jerusalem, saying he won't see any of them again, and that he will suffer in every city he goes to...and yet he goes. He stayed when he should stay and he preached when he should preach, and now he is going where he needs to go. Today we read of all that God did with his obedience. What will God do with our obedience? Paul was one man, and an unlikely one at that, and yet the Lord used his words and his knowledge and his willingness to bring many new people into a relationship with himself.

How will we be obedient? How will God use our time, talents and testimonies? Are we willing, to be willing?
See you tomorrow.
-maggie

The Council at Jerusalem

Acts 15:1-41

Today this reading is beautiful; full of hope for all of us and Peter and James bring such wonder, wisdom and love to the conversation that I would rejoice to have been there with them. James' words from Simeon are so insightful, and mean that all of us these many years and generations later are recipients of these promises of God.

Their directions are clear as well, don't add burdens to people's lives, but make certain they know what not to do. What not to do to be in right relationship with God and for their own health. This is good advice.

How smart that the council wrote a letter saying they all agreed and then hand delivered it with the same words. After all, anyone could write a letter, and if you didn't know the person you wouldn't know for certain the words were true. In this case they sent witnesses along who could verify the letter and the authorship. This is like much of what we have been reading, in that the witnesses have been the ones telling what they have seen, to those of us who come later, so that we may be assured.

It is an odd last paragraph not in keeping with the tenor of most of the reading, but I think it sounds like Joseph's story, where his brothers sent him into slavery. Not exactly the same, but what I am getting at is up to now Paul and Barnabas had been making the rounds together to only one place at a time and now we have doubled the number of those who are going about spreading the good news. Paul has Silas, who we have already heard was a prophet in his own right and Barnabas has young John Mark to go with him and these circumstances, while they may have been caused by man's own weakness, can be used by God for His glory. "What you meant for harm, God meant for good." Sometimes it is our good intentions that carry the news, and sometimes God does it in spite of us.

Thankfully.

See you tomrrow.
-maggie

The First Missionary Journey

Acts 13:1-14:28

Today, with little fanfare we have Saul named Paul. One paragraph he is Saul, and it says he is also called Paul, and the next paragraph he is Paul and from here on this is what he is called. Yesterday I was reading some passages in the Old Testament about King Saul and today we have Saul/Paul speaking eloquently about these very passages. He leads his listeners easily from the Old Testament prophets to the Good News of Jesus. One phrase stood out to me especially in this reading and that was when he said "and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses"

We have seen where it is impossible to follow every law perfectly, we ourselves have trouble even doing all the things we think we should and the perfection of God's plan is impossible. Saul/Paul talks about David of whom God said "I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will."

And yet, David, as we know was not perfect, and made several terrible mistakes. We too can make mistakes, and like David, we can turn back toward the Lord.

Now Paul and Barnabas go places where there is a desire to hear of the works of God, warring with the desire of others not to hear. Some wish to make idols of the news bearers, while others wish to stop up their ears and silence the speakers...but the Good News spreads, the men are not silenced and those who hear are filled with joy.

This comes with a warning not to hear and reject the Good News, and it also comes with a promise to spread the light so that people who were living in the dark can now see clearly. I wish to live in this light, and to hold it aloft that others might see as well.

In the light of this Good News, see you tomorrow.
-maggie

The Road to Damascus

Acts  9:1-31

Funny this is a passage before yesterday's reading, but here we are reading it today. This section of passages is titled the travels of Paul.

There is a song about this passage that I liked since I first heard it; it is called The Voice of God, by 4Him.

It starts like this:
I have dreamed of being Moses
Standing on the mountain top
When he heard the voice of God
And I admit that even sometimes
I’ve imagined I was Paul on the road to Damascus
When he heard the Savior's call...

I think about what it would have been like to be in charge and in control with everything figured out...and then find that all of it was wrong. Hearing such an obvious call that changes EVERYTHING. What would that be like? I don't know, but Saul finds himself without sight, as in he can't see anything. He goes from being in charge to being led by the hand, dependent on someone else for everything.

The passage gives us poor Ananias who says (as we have heard others say before him) 'um God, are you sure? Do you know what you are asking me to do?'This Saul is really scary!' It does Ananias credit that he goes ahead and does what the Lord asks. Would I be that bold? I don't know that either. It is almost easier to have been Saul: he had no choice. Ananias has a choice and he makes the scary one. How each one of us have been blessed by Ananias' response. Again this shows us the benefit of one righteous man, who says yes to God.

I will look forward to reading the next few days as this new life for Saul unfolds before us. It is no wonder that the people are skeptical of this 'new and improved' Saul. But it also tells us something about the power of his conversion that he was able to convince others of the truth as it had been revealed to him. It also tells us something about the believers of that time. We just read about Stephen's being stoned to death, and about the regular plotting to have people killed, and yet they were willing to listen and to be informed by the Holy Spirit as things changed. We could all learn from these people. I could consider how to hear the prompting of the Holy Spirit, I could wait to see what God revealed, I could go into the scary places, even if I didn't want to, even if it might be the end of the world as I know it...with God's help I can.

See you tomorrow.
-maggie

Good News for All

Acts 10:1-11:18

Cornelius sees an angel of the Lord who speaks to him. It must be that even though he was not a Jew (uncircumcised) he had heard of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and followed. I find that interesting. I wonder how he heard, and why he believed. Yet he did, and when Peter comes and talks to him and 'his whole household' they were ready to hear this good news.

Three times Peter hears the word of the Lord, he is slow sometimes isn't he? I think that is good news for us because I think we are (I know I am) slow sometimes. This speech that Peter gives is not the same as what he has said to others. It seems gentle and direct, he gives them credit for knowing what they have heard. When he says "Stand up, I too am a man....And we are witnesses of all that he did..." he invites them into the story as participants.

When he returned there were some who criticized him, but he "explained it to them in order."

Well now I can see some things here to go along with. First we need to recognize as Peter did that this news is for everyone, not just those we know and who are like us. We are those who have received this good news from those who came before. Secondly, we who bring the Good News are not the important ones, nor are we special because of it, we are 'just men' (or in my case just a woman) but anyway you get my meaning. We are not Billy Graham, and even if we were, it wasn't Billy Graham that was the good news, rather he just brought the Good News. And thirdly, we need to explain things in order-or rather speak plainly, clearly and logically without getting ahead of ourselves but making certain to give the important points. Once Peter let those who had criticized him know about the work of the Lord and his reasons for answering the call as he did they too rejoiced with him. Be prepared to defend your faith and the call it places on your life.

Two more things stand out to me: bring your whole household. Cornelius used his enthusiasm and his influence to encourage others to hear this Good News. We too can do this; invite, join and bring. and lastly Rejoice!  Praise God and join God where He is working in order to spread the Good News.

See you tomorrow.
-maggie

Sharing the Word

Acts 8:26-40

"Rise and go to... to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert place."

Is it in the desert, is that what the Lord is saying? Perhaps, but I think it is also like the place where Jesus  fasted and prayed and was ministered to by the angels of the Lord. I remember that the Word of  the Lord was on his lips when the evil one tempted him. This desert place is one where the scriptures can be opened for us.

We read yesterday that Philip was spreading the good news in Samaria, and now he is on his way toward Jerusalem, still spreading the good news. Whether or not this was his original plan, Philip is following the Lord's plan and look at what happens! We may not read about all of his preaching and teaching but we have this one scene that tells us a lot; both about Philip's actions, but also about what people who don't know or haven't heard wish to know - and the results.

"Do you understand what you are reading?"


"How can I unless someone guides me?"

This question and answer tell me an easy way to offer more. Obviously the Ethiopian wanted to know more, since he was already reading it. And his answer is true. How can any of us, of our own accord, know what things mean? We go to school, we take classes we read instructional books on all sorts of things we wish (or need) to learn. Without this guidance and instruction, we are left to guess at what things mean, and guessing, we can get things wrong. Tim Conway did a skit where the dentist was reading the instructions on how to extract a tooth, while he was working on a patient. This was hilarious, as comedy skits can be, but in reality, without guidance we are all left to figure it out on our own. In the case of Tim Conway the dentist, the patient found himself with an infected tooth, and an incompetent dentist who had injected himself with the Novocaine, instead of the patient. In the case of this Ethiopian, Philip obliges and tells him the back story and the end of the story and the beginning of the rest of his life.

The Ethiopian takes it to heart! He asks: What is to prevent me from getting baptized right here and now? Nothing! Without Philip, the Ethiopian would have been reading without the rest of this story; we each need a Philip to explain and expand the story. Yesterday a friend came who was reading these passages and asked about one of the earlier readings, and we talked about it and read some together about it and she left with a better understanding. In this study we can look at what the teachers of the scriptures have said before, we can add our thoughts to those of others and together we can read with understanding, and receive joy as this Ethiopian did.

Together we can spread the good news.
See you tomorrow.
-maggie

The First Martyr

Acts 6:8-8:8

Stephen, while not one of the 'original' disciples, is here speaking so strongly and clearly-and from what we have already read, truthfully, that he gets quite a lot of attention. But his words aren't being well received by everyone. In a fit of rage, these people rush at him and stone him to death, all the while he doesn't hold it against them.

Maybe after that speech about the prophets and Jesus, he isn't surprised at the outcome, but all I can say is after hearing how well he spoke, I am sorry I didn't get to hear more of his speeches. This is a mob scene-literally and I have never been around one, and I am certain I would not like to be. How is it that a mob will do things that one person acting on their own would not. I bet if any one of these people were told to take up enough stones to go in front of witnesses and kill a man, an unarmed man in cold blood, they would not do it; yet in a group they go ahead and kill him.

Makes me think it is important to pay attention to where we go, and with whom we hang out. Being one of the crowd is not necessarily going to be a good thing. Even had Stephen 'deserved' death, they did not do it according to their own law and their own custom, and the charges were false, and they knew it. We must be careful not to participate in the things that would harm us or others in order to be part of this crowd.

This Saul, who watches while Stephen is stoned, goes about and gathers up people into prison. Also not someone I'd like to hang out with. The folks who had been so full of the good news are spread around the outlying areas and as they flee they continue to speak of this good news and they continue to heal the people they meet. It says Philip went to Samaria and preached with boldness and power. This message wouldn't have gotten that far, had they stayed in one place. Is this still the anti-babel? Is this still where God says "go into all the world?" What am I called to do now, now that I too am a recipient of this good news?

See you tomorrow?
-maggie

Growth & Persecution

Acts 3:1-4:37

The beginning of the reading today we see a man who has been lame since birth, and this time the disciples don't ask who sinned, instead they tell him to get up in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. He jumps up! He leaps up! He is REALLY up, alive and praising God. It is interesting that while he is very glad and light of spirit, it says he clings to Peter and John. He has probably never been inside the Temple before-certainly not on his own feet so he has never seen this place and these people from this perspective. Peter and John, now, he trusts them.

Peter is no longer timid either, he praises God and again clearly brings the truth of the prophets from old into this new situation. I love that he says 'why do you look at us, as if we did this ourselves. God did this; "God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, God of our fathers." Peter also says they must repent and turn to the Lord, just as the prophets said of old, and he points out for them (and this is for us too) that "You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.'"

This goes on to say that the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees were annoyed they were preaching about the resurrection from the dead. Now we might think they were upset about them pointing out what took place, and reminding people about Jesus' death, but this makes a point about them being annoyed because they were talking about the resurrection-and in part that is because the Sadducees did not believe that resurrection from the dead was even possible. I suppose it could be understandable in general terms that they would feel this way, but it was something they had been debating for...I don't know a long time; the Pharisees believed it was a possibility but the Sadducees did not so this was an affront to their understanding of what God did.

These two men now are different than they had been. Peter is not hiding in the shadows waiting to see what will happen, he is standing up front and loudly teaching about the old prophets and the current glory of God. No wonder the learned people were amazed, since as far as they could tell they had never had any official schooling or been trained by any accepted Rabbi; so from where did they get this knowledge, and why were they no longer cowering behind locked doors? That the lame 40 year old man was no longer lame was obvious and they couldn't deny that. so they commanded (begged) them not to say anything...Peter and John said "whether it is better in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge," but we will speak of what we know.

No wonder the others pray for boldness; this is something to behold. Now they are the ones who are carrying the message. It is as if the teaching that they had been receiving has finally sunk in. All the time we heard them asking questions and not quite getting the message; now they were able - and willing to speak plainly, clearly and powerfully.

Again this says the believers had everything in common; that they were of one heart and soul. This single-purpose focus amplifies the power with which they are able to proclaim the good news. When Peter and John heal and proclaim in Jesus' name, are imprisoned and released, the others ask for more of this same boldness. Together they can be encouraged. I want this focus, and I need this support.

See you tomorrow.
-maggie

The Day of Pentecost

Acts 2:1-47

This the 71st day out of 100 readings we read about the Day of Pentecost. The happenings were described for us so that we knew what happened, but there was already a reason for them to be together. This day had a name before the scene unfolded as described. So I looked it up (On Judaism 101) It says that this day of Pentecost was a day of gathering and no labor was to be done. It is a celebration of the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai, and in thanksgiving of the gifts of God (First fruits). These celebrations should be familiar to us from when we read about these occurrences in the Old Testament. And it explains why all these people from all over, these  'devout men from all over the world' were there.

I wonder why, when they were telling them all the wonders of God - in their own language some thought they were drunk? If they were talking gibberish, then they couldn't have known they were telling all the wonders of God, and yet there was certainly something remarkable going on, and my guess is they were HAPPY! After we have read about them first being scared, and then being timid and confused...now all of a sudden they were happy and BOLD. That was the difference that people really wondered at.

OK, we remember when the people were dispersed in Babel all the way back on day 6 of our reading, and this is an anti-babel; on this day everyone hears and understands. But even more than that, there are tongues as of fire appearing on their heads, and a big wind from heaven that filled the whole house. Something in the heavens was moving.

I love that Peter here yells out to everyone, 'Nope we are not drunk-it's a little early for that don't you know.' this is the fulfillment of the promises from the prophets. And he goes ahead and makes a case for them logically and clearly (not drunkenly, or timidly, or fearfully) He just says here it is-pay attention! And guess what? They did. Just like when John the baptizer said "You brood of vipers," and people asked what must we do? This too brings the same response. And again the message is not new: Repent and be baptized.

"For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself." We are these people that are far off. We can have this gift of the Holy Spirit.

The last of this passage we are reading today says that they gathered together daily and gave to each other as any had need and devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, to breaking bread together and praying together. And everyone who saw them, saw signs and wonders, and they gained favor among the people-and people were drawn to them and this way of living that made such a difference in the lives of the people.

This belonging and gathering of people all devoted to the apostles' teaching and sharing their lives with one another is something that would stand out today, too. We are disconnected from each other by our work, and our computers and our locked doors. No longer do we share this kind of life with people who strive for the same thing and know and care about us as individuals. This fellowship is certainly something that would-or could bring us closer to God. I don't think an hour a week is enough even to know God, how can it be all there is of our lives that we share with other believers? Just wondering.

See you tomorrow.
-maggie

The Ascension

Acts 1:1-11

This is what happens next? Wow, I wonder what this means? This account is written by a witness, and as it turns out by the author of the Gospel of Luke, so when he says he presented the things Jesus began to do and teach we have read some of those things. He goes on to say that Jesus presented himself alive to many witnesses after the resurrection and we have just read about some of those incidences. Luke goes on to say that they are to await the coming of the Holy Spirit.

Lord, will you restore the Kingdom to Israel? That is a question that must have been on their minds for a long time. Once they figured out he was the one coming that had been spoken about by the prophets; once they had seen him with the prophets; once they had heard the voice of God speak over him; once they had seen the signs and wonders, and the angels, yes once they had seen these things they must have wondered. But what is their answer?

The answer to when is not given. In fact a lot of the questions throughout the Bible are answered with another question, perhaps a different question or a better question. In this case, the answer is God is God and you are not. Well, not exactly that but the gist of it is that asking questions about when something is going to happen is like trying to be God, to have more control then they need. Instead they are commissioned to go out and spread this good news; the news of what they have seen with their own eyes and heard with their own ears, and give this good news to people who are living without the knowledge of the God who loves them and cares enough about them to send his only son as the perfect lamb of sacrifice, in fulfillment of the law, and as prophesied by the righteous ones of old.

When he had spoken these things “he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.” And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."

These two men; were they the two Mary saw in the tomb? I don’t know but I wonder. Jesus has gone into heaven and they have gotten a job description for what comes next. These words of how Jesus will come again are words I understand, but the meaning is …well, interesting. Jesus will come back on clouds from the sky? Next time the son of God comes he won’t be a helpless baby; he will be the grown adult the resurrected King. This Jesus who commands the waves to be still, and the dead to come out, this Jesus will come down from heaven – and it will be obvious. Ok. I’ll wait.

See you tomorrow.

-maggie

The Resurrection

John 20:1-21:25

Now this is exceeding good news! How wonderful that this disciple, who has seen these things with his own eyes wrote it down so that we could know his story was the truth.

Mary sees the tomb is empty and runs to get help-she didn't want to go in alone, nor did she know what to make of this. The two disciples came running, and yet seeing with their eyes, they did not know what this meant...so they went home. To ponder? To weep? We don't know. We do know that Mary stayed to weep. And it is then that she sees the angels.

What do you think of these two angels? Sitting where the body had been, but was no longer? Had they been with Jesus while he was in there? Were they ministering to him as we heard they did when he was in the dessert? These are the first ones who don't say "Fear Not." Why? Was Mary so upset, she didn't have the heart to be fearful? Had she seen angels before and knew who these were?

She sees a man-who she thinks is the gardener. Huh? What is he wearing that she thinks he is the gardener? Not his grave wrappings because we just heard they were still in the tomb. Certainly not naked, because gardeners don't work in public gardens naked. Hmm. Anyway he asks why she is weeping, and it is when he calls her by name that she recognizes him. And she grabs hold of him. (He obviously isn't a vision if she grabs hold of him.) Jesus sends her to bear these good tidings to the guys! Jesus goes to see his father with this note that His Father, is our father, His Father is God-His God and our God...

They don't say anything about how this news was received, but we see that the guys were holed up in a locked room...and it doesn't say they were celebrating. Jesus comes on in and says "Peace!" And shows them his wounds-he answers their unwritten question 'is it really true?' Now Jesus gives them marching orders. They have things to do and things to understand. Poor Thomas wasn't there-but I am glad because he is given the proof that we might wish for. Jesus says to him-see, touch, believe.

This Gospeler gives an account of why he has written the book as he has, by giving these signs for us we might believe just as Thomas does. That we might be able to cry out with joy: "My Lord and my God!"

And now the guys ...go fishing? Huh? They are out in the boat not catching anything. No wonder, it isn't time for fishing - for fish any more. It is time for something else I think. They don't catch anything until Jesus says put your nets on the other side. And right away they know this is Jesus. This time Peter doesn't wait for Jesus to say "Come." Peter just jumps out of the boat and swims in to shore. Then Jesus says, 'what are you doing with all those fish-I'm hungry.' and out Peter goes to haul it in. One hundred fifty three fish. That is a lot of fish, but it isn't written as just 'a lot' it is written as one hundred fifty three. Someone counted them. It doesn't say about a hundred fifty-no it says one hundred fifty three. Well, I like that. These were real fish, and Jesus was really hungry. They cooked these fish and ate them together.

Jesus tells Peter to 'follow' him. Last time Peter followed, but he denied knowing Jesus. This time Jesus asks him: "Do you love me, more than these?" I heard someone talk about these questions one time and they said the words are somewhat different, but I don't see these differences in the English-just the repetition of the question do you love me. This does drive the question home and allows Peter to firmly state his case. It does allow Peter to recognize that this task he is being given is important. The answering three times allows Peter to convince himself of his answer. At the very least it does these things. If in fact Jesus does ask him 'do you love me like your Lord' And Peter does answer 'I love you like a brother' I don't know. It would help to explain why Peter is saddened by the repeated question. Peter isn't annoyed at having to repeat his answer as he might be if someone wasn't listening...there is certainly more than that going on here. But it is enough for me to know that the question is important to Jesus, the task is important to Jesus, and the answer is important to Jesus-and to Peter.

In the end Peter wants to know about 'the other disciple' and Jesus says pay attention to yourself-what I ask YOU to do-not to him and what I ask him to do. And for our sake the Gospeler says I wrote this for YOU. So you might know and believe. And if you wanted me to write everything down...well that is the world, and how could you write down all of life and the whole world and have it contained inside the world? Jesus is bigger than that. God is bigger than that. But I think what has been written has been enough for us to go on with.

See you tomorrow.
-maggie

The Crucifixion

John 19:1-42

We have seen that all authority is God's, and yet we have seen people act according to their own will. This is a strange mixture today of willfulness and fearfulness. Pilate says he has authority, yet acts only according to the mob's rule. He is fearful of the ramifications; from the Jewish leaders and from his Roman government.

The Jewish leaders are fearful of Jesus' following, worried that they will lose power and prestige, and so strangely they appeal to the Roman government for assistance. These people who were told by God that they needn't have a king, give up their freedom to be ruled by foreigners.

This passage today is filled with people and places that we can find historically and geographically, and the gospeler gives us reference points to the Old Testament passages we can remember and in the middle of all this we have Jesus accepting these deeds...why? In the end, he 'gives up his spirit.' He accepts the actions of others, and yet has the power to decide. The other two men are still alive. Jesus says he has finished what he set out to do; he accomplished the task that was necessary, and he sees that his mother is in community and will have the support of this 'disciple that he loved,' and then he says "it is finished."

These two men that had followed at a distance; Joseph of Arimathea, and Nicodemus, now work together to bring Jesus' body to a tomb. Joseph had been afraid of consequences, and yet now, he is not. Joseph openly assists the women in the burial-now when it is supremely obvious that Jesus and his followers are out of favor-no matter. Nicodemus, who had questions, and sought answers, must have been satisfied with them, for now he also works openly for Jesus. Now that it is finished.

But there are more days for us to read. What more is it that happens in this story of who God is, and how He loves the people? How is there deliverance from this death? We heard people ask about Jesus' ability when he had previously healed a man born blind, when wondering if he could have prevented Lazarus' death, and then raising Lazarus from the tomb. What will God do now that Jesus is the one in the tomb? Jesus, this son of whom He is proud; Jesus to whom we should listen; Jesus who spills his own blood for the Passover that we might be marked as children of God and the danger pass-over our lives, and we might live.

What happens next? Where do we go from here?
See you tomorrow.
-maggie

Arrest & Trial

John 18:1-40

This says arrest and trial...not in our western understanding of a trial. And not even in the Old Testament sense of a trial. Jesus says you have heard me speak, ask those who have heard what I said to testify...but no, they don't do that. In fact they don't charge him with anything they can prove, and don't even try. Why do the people ask for a robber instead of Jesus? Pilate gives them that option. Why is it preferable to have a robber on the loose rather than this preacher, this man in whom no fault is found? What is that about?

Our Gospeler today does a good job of telling us all the points where Jesus had spoken about what would happen, and in fact what the prophets had said about this, so that is helpful for us as we follow this narrative. We hear Peter claim not to be with him, and yet stay because he couldn't leave without knowing the outcome. How hard it would be to stand and wait. This narrative tells us that another disciple went in with Jesus, and I can't believe it was any easier to do that.

Jesus doesn't answer these questions directly, he asks questions of the questioner, and perhaps we see that the answers, had they been different could have made a difference to them-as well as to Jesus.

In the end Pilate asks what is truth? This equivocation sounds very familiar to us today. When accused of a crime, we ask others to define their question or answer in such a narrow way so as not to lie, but not tell the truth either. Jesus, on the other hand says he was born for this; to bear witness to the truth. After the readings we have been doing we can see that this truth that he speaks of is the Lord's truth. That which has been from the beginning and still is today. His life bore witness and through the writings of the Gospelers it still does for us now.

For us today, what will we do with this truth? Will we deny the Son of God, and ignore the Lord's teaching? Or will we walk with Jesus, unnamed into the headquarters of those who would question us as to what is truth?

I pray that I can go with Jesus where he goes. Boldly or unnamed, but go none the less.

See you tomorrow.
-maggie

The Last Supper

Luke 22:1-46

I don't know what to say today. There are quite a number of things taking place and even those who were there don't seem to know what is going on.

We did read that the people in power were afraid of Jesus' following. That they might lose some or all of their own power. Too bad for them, I think.

It is enough for us to notice that these verses say that Satan entered into Judas in order to find a way to betray him. Later we notice that Jesus says 'pray you will not enter into temptation.' This should be our own earnest prayer. And it probably should be daily. Since here we see that Judas has been among the guys all along and part of the small group who has been close and listening regularly to what Jesus said and taught and yet, in the end it just says that Satan entered into him. This change of spirit-change of heart-change of leadership and focus could happen to anyone who wasn't watching and praying against the occurrence.

However in the middle of these things we have Jesus directing his crew to go and prepare the Passover meal. We know of this anniversary meal of remembrance that the Jews celebrate in thanksgiving for their deliverance during the period of the Egyptian slavery. So we can understand what the beginning of this meal is about. How interesting that Jesus had a place all ready-and yet they were with him all along. How he found the time to have whatever conversations were necessary to make arrangements is one we can ponder. It is cool anyway that just as he described, it was accomplished.

Now during this meal we hear Jesus say that his is the blood of the covenant. We have read about all these things; the covenant with Abraham, and with Noah, and the blood of the unblemished lamb used to mark the people of Israel so the angel of the Lord will pass over their household...but now this blood is from Jesus. That is what he says. He also says someone will betray him...and they start arguing. Yup, I can see that. "WHO?" they ask. Not me-I really love him, I wouldn't do anything like that...and so on into the next discussion of if it isn't me, I can prove it because I am going to be the most important in this new kingdom...and on and on.

It is interesting that Jesus asks them about when he sent them out with no money or extra sandals-and they respond that they always had enough. Good reminder for them-and for us of course. And in the end Jesus prays fervently, earnestly: with passion! I once had a terrible head ache and was out with family while traveling. It was so bad I thought I would be sick and so I excused myself from the table. I went and prayed very earnestly because I didn't know what else to do. Amazingly the headache went away and I wasn't sick. A friend remarked that it is a wonder we don't pray with that intensity more often.

That is the difference between a normal prayer-time and this prayer-time that is described for Jesus. He poured his whole being into it. Not always do we have the necessity or the time for such fervent prayer, but it is something to remember; there is a difference between casual prayer and full-on committed prayer. We need to make time for this second type of prayer along with our everyday ordinary prayer. "That we may not enter into temptation." And like Jesus remember to ask that the Father's will be done and His plan accomplished, even if it isn't what we wish. God has a bigger view and knows what really needs to be accomplished. It is for us to join Him in that plan.

Amen. See you tomorrow.
-maggie

Raising Lazarus from the Dead

John 11:1-57

I can see a fair number of similarities between today's passage and the last couple of days. In the first paragraph we have Jesus saying that the illness is for the glory of God and to bring glory to the Son of God. This sounds like what Jesus said to the disciples when they asked why the man was born blind. Are their eyes open this time?

In that same earlier passage we hear Jesus say: "We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

And today he says something similar when talking about going where his friend has died. Jesus says: "If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." 

So, what is going on here? This friend is dead and his sisters mourn. They no longer have a means of support and may not have a right to their land; not only do they lose their brother whom they love, they are in dire straights. We have this strong love of Thomas for Jesus who says, 'ok, if they are going to kill Jesus, let's go with him, even if it means being killed ourselves.'

Then we have the discussion between Martha and Jesus: (Verses 21-27)

"Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you. "Jesus said to her,  "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day. "Jesus said to her, " I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him,  "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world."

Martha says you could have done something to prevent this, ...and even now you could change what happened.  Jesus says not only is there resurrection later, I AM the resurrection now: Do you believe THIS?
Yes, she says I believe... but what does she believe, does she know what she believes?

All these people crying and mourning; have you ever been to a wedding or a funeral when there is so much emotion that you find yourself adding your tears? It says here that Jesus was deeply moved, and wept. I know what that feels like. These emotions of others are part of what we feel and add to our own sorrow and we weep too. Jesus wept. He was right there in the midst of their sorrow and suffering. Walking with them to the tomb. This is what a friend does.

Interesting that the group of people said: couldn't he have "kept this man from dying?" since he opened the eyes of the blind man. I have found other similarities to that reading that I mentioned above, perhaps there is a reason they were there, to bring this question into focus? Is opening the eyes of a blind man like preventing death?

Now we have Jesus at the tomb. Lazarus has been dead four days. That is Dead, dead, dead. Martha, who just a paragraph ago said, Yes I believe...says WAIT, he's gonna smell! What did she believe? Jesus says COME. Just like he said to Peter in the boat: Come! Just like Peter, Lazarus comes. He is not dead-but he was. Jesus says unbind him and let him go. Lazarus is free from death. No waiting. Now. He is living the resurrection life.

Many who were with Mary, believed in Jesus. These may have been the ones who were already wondering if he who opened the eyes of the blind man could have prevented death. In this case he does more than prevent death, he undoes it. Death is no more. Just as Jesus had the mastery of the sea, he has the mastery over death. Yes, this does bring glory to the Son of Man.

It also brought trouble. Why do these others plot to kill him? What kind of logic is this: "What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation."

The high priest says better that one man dies for a nation than a nation perish. I am not sure their logic actually works. How is this an if-then statement? Why do they fear that they will lose their nation if the people believe in Jesus? Ok, I can see them losing power if everyone listens to someone else, but losing the nation doesn't follow as far as I can tell. So they decide if they kill the one man, they keep power and that means they don't lose their nation.


What happens next? We will wait and see. In the meantime, do WE believe, in the resurrection here and now?
See you tomorrow.
-maggie

Healing a Demon Possessed Man

Mark: 5:1-20
The heading says Jesus heals a man with a demon, but the beginning paragraph shows us that the man has a whole lot of demons living in his...I don't know, head, body, spirit-whatever he had a lot of them and they were running the show. It is the demon(s) that speaks to Jesus and control the poor man's life. These demons don't want to leave-but say 'Jesus don't torment us and don't send us out of the country; please send us into those pigs.'

Why? I don't know. There were certainly enough of them for each little demon to have its own little mind to control. But they don't do it well. The man was always thrashing about and lived alone in the tombs, so he couldn't have offered much life to these demons. The pigs, either didn't like the demons-or the demons didn't like themselves because as soon as they were free of the man they flung themselves into the sea and died. Are demons bent on self-denial, and self-destruction? It seems they ruined the man's life well enough.

This man has a sit down in his own clothes calmly and has a nice chat with Jesus. AHH. That sounds good. The poor people who were used to the man out of his mind weren't so peaceful. They knew what to do with the little life this man had; they just stayed away. The pig-farmers lost their entire cash crop. Did they ask for reimbursement? Did they rejoice that this man was alive and none of his demons had come to trouble their lives? No, they said please, Jesus get out of here. You scare us. We don't know what to do with this occurrence.

The man understandably wishes to stay with Jesus. Jesus gave him his life back. Jesus cared enough not to walk away or stay away. Jesus came directly into his life, and brought him out of his locked-in life. But that isn't all Jesus does for the man, he doesn't say this is the end of all the good things that will happen to you, there is more. Go to your friends and tell them what God has done for you.

This was not like what happened to the guys (the three disciples) on the mountain when Jesus said don't tell anyone...that was only something they saw, but this is something that changed the man. This was his own story and his friends will know the difference because, just as yesterday's scene affected more than the blind man, this new life for this man affected all his friends and those that knew of him before. All of them could see the difference, no one had to tell them there was a change, what the man could do is tell them how he came to be in his right mind, and how thankful he was for this new life. Are we able to see these changes in our lives and to give thanks for these changes, and tell people who has made the difference in our lives?

See you tomorrow.
-maggie

Healing a Blind Man

John 9:1-41

Boy what a lot of discussion goes on today about seeing! He sees, who sees, he's blind, who did it, whose fault is it...a LOT of talking, and not a lot of listening. Again and again questions are asked, the same questions to more than one person. I think the questioners wish for a different answer and so keep asking in hopes of getting some other answer. I have seen children do this. Ask Mommy, she says no; ask Daddy he says no; ask sibling and then there is a yes, ok now that is the answer they were looking for and they can go ahead and do whatever it was they wished to do in the first place...

The first question comes from the disciples and they want to know who is at fault here, who can we blame. This puts some distance between us and the person. We don't have to deal with the individual and we don't have to help them, we can use it as an intellectual discussion-and stay out of it. Whose fault is it that this man is blind? Jesus doesn't give that answer, he says that isn't the correct question. Jesus says the works of God might be displayed in him (the blind guy). How, we wonder?

How Jesus heals the blind man isn't a normal how to like a cook book. I don't think if I spit on the dirt and put mud on someone's eyes that they would see, how much spit what kind of dirt, I don't think it is a recipe. This blind man does what the Lord says, he goes and washes and comes back seeing.

Neighbors, parents, important educated people, they all say this guy was blind and now he sees. HOW does he see? Well they don't know and they don't like the answer so they complain and contradict-they too are asking whose fault is it-in this case not that he is blind but that he can see. Why is that?

The parents say, yes it is our son and yes he was born blind. If you want to know what changed you'll have to ask him, he is old enough to answer for himself. Now we don't know if being blind had kept the young man out of the synagogue anyway, and when they cast him out, he didn't 't lose anything new, but I guess he already was missing out on this fellowship. On the other hand, his parents get to stay with their friends.But I think they lose out on the wonder of new sight that the son has. Not only can he see with his eyes, but he speaks boldly to the scribes and pharisees. "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?"

This formerly blind man now is cast out of the temple, and finds Jesus who has been looking for him. When Jesus asks do you believe in the Son of Man, he responds who is he that I may believe. Jesus says you have seen him...yes this would be the first day that anyone could say 'you have seen him.'  Lord, he says I believe!

Now Jesus says I have come to judge so that those who don't see may see and those that do see may be blind. Do we look in order to see, do we ask questions in order to get answers or do we look and not see and do we ask without listening? I think there is something in this that matters. Something more than a blind man getting his sight back. Because while it is very important to him to get his sight, there are a lot of people in this discussion who want to know about it and what happened and what it means to them and what it means about God. I think this man's sight is as important in the lives of these others who ask about God, and who wish to have new sight, and new belief. Notice Jesus doesn't ask the man what's it like to see? Do you like the new colors around you? Are you happy to know that you can now become a productive member of society? No, these aren't the things that Jesus asks him. What he asks is do you believe? And the young man says, Yes I believe, and worships.

I think I would like this new sight. I believe.
See you tomorrow.
-maggie

Walking on Water

Matthew 14:22-36

Jesus sends the guys (all of them this time) to go on ahead while he stays and prays by himself for a while. I think I can understand this. It says he dismissed the crowds first. He probably could use a little peace and quiet and some time to hear his own thoughts and the words of his father when he prayed.

There are songs and paintings of this idea of Jesus walking on water. And I would certainly make a big deal of it if I was around someone who was doing it...but as we read this it ISN'T a big deal it is almost off-hand. It seems that Jesus could get there faster than they could as they struggled against the wind and waves. It could be the very ease with which he walked that surprised them-well not entirely but why would they think he was a ghost-wouldn't they normally just wonder how he was doing it? No they saw something more than a man walking across the surface of the water they saw the Master of the sea. When they realize that it is Jesus and he has walked on the sea that is what they shout-truly you are the Son of God.

What happens with Peter here? He says wow if you are doing it I want to do it too! Or rather does he say if that is really you call me out to do the same thing? Is it in doubt that he even asks this question?
Is it a taunt?  Notice Jesus doesn't say yes I just said it was me, he just says COME. Peter either smartly or because he doesn't have a choice comes. Instead of marveling at the wonder of it, he is again afraid. But what he says is perfect. "Lord, save me." No matter the circumstance we can say the same. No more need be said. Lord, save me, is all it takes. It says immediately Jesus reached out his hand to him. Jesus says something interesting. He says Peter had little faith-and asked why he doubted. I wonder why he asks that question? He doesn't ask why they were afraid, or why Peter wanted to come out on the water. He didn't ask why he called for help. None of those things were reasons to call to Peter's attention, but rather why he had doubted; this was something he wanted Peter to answer. The men in the boat, this time knew who they were with; truly you are the Son of God, they said.

Interesting isn't it that now is when the people on the shore were so inspired, that they believed even touching the hem of Jesus' garment would make them well, and it did heal them. For Peter touching Jesus' hand while on the water was enough to save him from sinking, for these people on the shore, just a touch was all it took to heal. This illustration, coming as it does on the heels of the other gives us a glimpse of what not doubting can do.

One little thing in addition that I noticed, was that this 'hem of his garment' in the Hebrew tradition is the tzitzit or the tassels of the prayer shawl. Interesting, I think that in touching Jesus on his prayer shawl we might be healed. Is it in joining in the prayer of the Lord that we can be healed? I believe it would be a good thing.

See you tomorrow.
-maggie

Feeding the Five Thousand

Luke 9:1-36

To title this passage the feeding of the five thousand doesn't let us know what we are in for. There is a lot more  than the one incident today. This says that Jesus sent the disciples out with authority to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. They were not to take anything extra for their journey-just go. They were not to worry about how they were received-just go. They were to do the work, and leave when they were done. Interesting. Sometimes we want to prepare for every contingency, and once we get somewhere we want to settle in and stay. and we always worry about what people will think and how we will be received, and yet this isn't about any of those things. This reminds me of Abraham all those years ago, when God says I will send you to a new place, and by going there you will be blessed, and you will be a blessing.

Verses 7-9 say Herod is perplexed by Jesus; he knows he has already killed John the Baptizer (who told him things he didn't want to hear) but who is this new person that the people are listening to? Herod wishes to know, since it should be Herod the people listen to-as far as Herod is concerned.

Now we come to this story of the feeding of five thousand men. Was this a men's retreat? Were there others with them, did this mean five thousand households? Well anyway, that is beside the point. The point is there were a LOT of people and there were not any stores nearby to buy food, and with only five loaves and two fish there couldn't have been enough food...and yet there was enough so that everyone was fed and satisfied. How did that happen, and why did that happen? It is good to feed people who are hungry, but I think there was more to it than that. How did five loaves of bread feed that many people? When we ask a blessing over the food does it grow to meet the need? I don't think this normally works this way...but when Elijah went to the starving widow their meager rations stretched to feed the family for as long as was needed. Hmmm.

The next thing we read about is Jesus asking who the crowds think he is, and they tell him John the baptist (come back to life-how often does that happen?) others say Elijah-ok we can maybe see why but still, how often do people come back to life? and then Peter says you are the Christ of God. Peter was saying you are the anointed one of God. Ok I think I can see where he might say that.

Why shouldn't they tell anyone? I think because people need to find this out for themselves. Being told is not enough. I've been told lots of things, but it doesn't mean I believe them all. Being told isn't enough. Jesus says the Son of Man is going to suffer and be killed and raised. Being told is not enough.

If anyone wants to follow me...they must do it daily. This is not a one time thing. This is not something our parents or grandparents did and bring us along. Then Jesus says there are some standing here who will see the kingdom of God before they die. What is this kingdom?

A week later...Jesus goes with the guys (three of them) up the mountain while he was praying. His face and his clothes became dazzling white-and all of a sudden two men were talking with Jesus: Moses and Elijah. They talked with him and told him about the things that he was accomplishing. The guys were 'heavy with sleep' but when they became fully awake they wanted to stay there-without knowing why just that it was a special time and by extension maybe they were special? But out of the cloud came the voice saying, "This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!" And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.

Hmm, this same admonition not to tell anyone. Would they try to be special by association? Was it that it wasn't yet the time? Was it that being told is not enough? This voice in the cloud said listen. Let's see what he has to say, and if they do.

See you tomorrow.
-maggie