daily spiritual reflection - mar. 30

daily spiritual reflection
[missed a reflection? find them all at http://yalerockslent.blogspot.com ]

BIBLE READING FOR THE DAY:

6 My soul is downcast within me;
   therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
   the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
   in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
   have swept over me.

8 By day the LORD directs his love,
   at night his song is with me—
   a prayer to the God of my life.

 9 I say to God my Rock,
   “Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
   oppressed by the enemy?”
10 My bones suffer mortal agony
   as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
   “Where is your God?”

 11 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
   Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
   for I will yet praise him,
   my Savior and my God.
(Psalm 42: 6-11)

THOUGHT:  Have you ever felt weighed down, even if you can't think of a good reason why? Or have you ever gone from class to class feeling oppressed, even though you don't know what instigated it? It can be confusing. We can try to sit down and count our blessings, list out the things we have that others don't have access to: a fancy education, positions of leadership in clubs & organizations, gifts & talents that have been growing along with us since we were small, so many yummy international restaurants within walking distance. But still, some days, it doesn't count for much, and the good things are still outweighed by a heavy sadness that leaves us feeling mocked by a nameless enemy and forgotten by a distant God. Days like these, I don't need an abstract God I can define theologically. I want a God that's close, one that stays constant when my emotions fluctuate and holds me steady when I can't uplift myself with just willpower. It seems like the psalmist is on to something here--even though he's feeling pretty depressed, he remains confident in the nearness of God. Even when he's spelling out to God exactly how he feels (forgotten, mourning, oppressed, disturbed), he's also addressing God as his Rock, like God is immobile and not going anywhere.  Even in sadness, God's song is with him. 

CHALLENGE:  In verse 6, the psalmist's response to his sadness is to 'remember' God, to bring him to mind. He then references the land, situating himself among mountains and describing his relationship with God as a waterfall, an ocean and as a rock. If God is as Creator, then his fingerprints are in nature, and we can find him there.

Take some time today to be outside. Find somewhere green. Stay there for a while, and take in your surroundings. Look at the details of the leaves on the trees, watch the squirrels run around, examine the details of tree trunks and branches. Picture of the things you see as God's song that is with you always, and ask him to help you notice his love directed toward you. Tell God about whatever sadness and heaviness you feel, and decide to respond with praise and thankfulness as you remember God's nearness. 

daily spiritual reflection - mar. 29

BIBLE READING FOR THE DAY: 

 ¹⁶ He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” ¹⁷ “I have no husband,” she replied.  Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. ¹⁸ The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” ¹⁹ “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. ²⁰ Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” ²¹ “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. ²² You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. ²³ Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. ²⁴ God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” ²⁵ The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”  ²⁶ Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.” (John 4:16-29)

THOUGHT:  Sometimes, Jesus stings us with his truth.  Maybe you've felt that already this Lent.  It's not harsh or condemning, but it's just well, true.  That's what happened to this Samaritan woman when Jesus dared to cross racial and gender boundaries to share life with someone very different from him.  Even in pointing out the truth of this woman's unfaithfulness in marriage, Jesus remains in relationship with the woman to the point of asking her plucky theological question.  Maybe, that's why Jesus can be honest with us.  He doesn't leave us once he's shared his truth.  Instead of abandoning this woman, Jesus responds with something profound:  It's not about where you worship; instead, it's about how you worship - with spirit and truth.  What does living in Spirit and Truth look like?  I think the Samaritan woman gives us a model.  Be yourself and pursue God with all your questions, all your earnest faith, all your gifts while never stopping to silence or at least ignore the cynciscm, disillusionment, and even confusion that can come from the pursuit of the spiritual life.  Imagine yourself going to a mountain or a city to worship and warring over that fact with another people group.  It'd be easy to get pretty cynical about what religion or God meant if that was the case.  Yet, many of us find a modern day metaphor in most religions, demoninations, and even religious cliques that develop.  This woman fights through that religious baggage and even her own behavior to pursue the one she eventually confesses is the Messiah, her help:  Jesus.  Somehow, his person could do what religion failed to do for this woman,  Instead of shame, he offered life.  If you reathe whole story, you'll find he called this "living water."  How many of us need that living water to keep us from the religious dryness that can come through a wrong headed pursuit of rules-based religion or avoiding God altogether?  

CHALLENGE:  Identify what cultural or personal issue you're fighting when you think about your pursuit of the spiritual life.  Is there a memory, an event, or a troubling pattern that is keeping you from pursuing more of God?  Find a way to keep your personal wrestling and your questions as you pursue God in prayer, scripture, and relationship with others about the topic that comes up.  Lastly, reflect on how Jesus, himself, is a Messiah - a Savior - to the struggling that you have discovered.  Do not be afraid to imagine Jesus as if he was walking today when thinking about how Jesus would help you.  Bring this internal conversation to a friend in order to bring to life more of Jesus' ways of dealing with personal and religious issues that are often used to divide and dismiss rather than unify and acknowledge.

 

Peace,

Josh

daily spiritual reflection - mar. 28

BIBLE READING FOR THE DAY: 

There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for those who enter God's rest also rest from work just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

-Hebrews 4:9-11

THOUGHT: Sabbath, Hebrew for REST, was both commanded by God in the ten commandments given to Moses, and modeled by God himself in the creation story, when he took the seventh day to stop and rest. This passage reminds us that this rest is a gift offered to us by God, a chance to rest from work, to restore ourselves. There are two interesting points brought up by this passage: 

1." make every effort" : taking time to rest, daily, and weekly, is really difficult, and requires effort on our part. We have to choose to set aside time to slow down, stop, and live counter-culturally. The entire world is rushing constantly to get things done, and squeezing in every other possible other moment with a desperate need to be entertained and distracted. What if instead we fought back against these forces? 

2. "so that no one will perish". Not resting leads us into a lifestyle that is not life-giving at all. when we don't take time to rest, our relationships suffer, our health suffers, our emotion and well-being suffer, our sense of what matters in life gets confused. Rest brings life back into all these things.

CHALLENGE:  How desperate are you for the kind of rest God offers us? Set aside a time this week when you can practice God's rest-- preferably a period of at least 20 minutes in a day, and then one period of at least 4-5 hours in a week (slowly work your way up to a 24 hour period in a week). Here's some advice from my pastor on how to rest:

1. make space, and know that making space for rest will radically restructure your life routine and may require some sacrifice (sleep, homework, a coffee date, facebook time)-- but it will be worth it, if you choose it!

2. just STOP: be still, be silent, move slowly.

3. Put achievement and productivity as far away as possible: be intentionally inefficient--be 'wasteful'

4. Don't try to accomplish something spiritual by resting, just let God come to mind, let him do the work of restoring you.

5. Rest from some relationships too: restore your comfort with solitude in order to restore your relationships to a healthier place.

6. Beware the difference between rest and ENTERTAINMENT. Stay away from the overstimulated consumer culture that people have built up as distractions for their lives-- that won't bring you to true rest, and instead can crowd out true recreation.

7. Celebrate. Take time to gather with people and party and enjoy life-- God was always mandating celebrations and holidays from work... he's all about it.

daily spiritual reflection - mar. 26

BIBLE READING FOR THE DAY: 

Have mercy on me, O God,

according to your unfailing love;

according to your great compassion

blot out my transgressions.

Wash away all my iniquity

and cleanse me from my sin.

Create in me a pure heart, O God,

and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me from your presence

or take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation

and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

-- Psalm 51:1-2, 10-12

THOUGHT: Sin may mean a lot of different things to many of you. Some of you may have had the word 'sin' hung over your head and beat down upon you in hurtful ways in the past. It certainly has many connotations of condemnation associated with it in popular culture. Some of you may associate the word with doing things wrong, or being a 'bad person.' Some of you may only hear the word in the context of overtly-enthusiastic religious folk who seem too eager to condemn us all, and now you want nothing to do with it. 

But I think that if we are going to understand grace and love, we need to have a concept of sin that works for us.

Sin, at its heart, is that thing that takes us further from God--God as life, God as love, God as justice, God as truth, God as a person to interact with. It may be some sort of action that is wrong (the writer of this psalm, for example, had committed adultery), but sin is not just a crime-- rather, it directly relates to something that moves our heart in relation to God. Is our heart turning toward God, or away from him? Sin may also be found in the systems in which we live: for example, there are many ways that American culture uses more than its fair share of money, resources, etc, lending its members to participating inadvertently in a system of inequality and oppression. Sin may also be those omissions that we have not grown brave or faithful enough for-- when we choose to turn away from a person who needs a friend because our courage fails us, or when we decide to take the comfortable and secure road instead of making a choice based on faith.

We all make mistakes, and we are all still growing, and we all have been born into a world entrenched with systems of sin. And I think sin-- whatever the evil force is that allows lies, injustice, and brokenness to be a part of our world-- is something to grieve. We are all, sadly, surrounded by brokenness.

Some of you may easily see God as a force of grace and love in a world of brokenness. Some of you may not believe God is personable at all. Some of you may only have ever experienced God as those voices of condemnation for your 'sins' that have hurt you through religion in the past.  But if we can try to imagine the God spoken to in this Psalm, there is good news. The good news is that when we grieve sin, and when we feel sad for our own participation in these forces of brokenness, this God is with us, and as this Psalm says, he is all too ready to forgive any and all of us when our hearts want to return to him, to cover us with a grace that allows us to be a part of his purity, and his goodness. We can be made anew after our mistakes and failings, and given infinitely more chances.

CHALLENGE:  Today, let's all try the practice of confession-- going to God and grieving with him over these forces of sin in our lives. Maybe write in your journal or go for a walk. 

First, think of the things that make you sad in the world-- the forces of brokenness that you see. Reflect on your own inadvertent participation in some of these systems, and allow yourself a measure of grieving.

From there, spend some time reflecting on your own mistakes and failures that are brought to mind. As you do so, give each to God, and release them. Allow yourself to imagine God making you new and pure and giving you a clean slate from which to start again. The Bible says God is a God of grace -- giving us those good things we do not deserve-- and a God of mercy-- withholding from us the consequences we otherwise would have to pay. There is no shame or guilt in God's love, so where you find yourself beating yourself up, ask for God's help in stopping, and instead, look for a freedom and joy (as in the psalm) in God's grace. Do not fish for things to hang over your head-- when your heart has come to a stopping point, rest in the freedom of being made new from those things you reflected on today.

Finally, look around in your life for the good things-- look for where love is, where you've seen forgiveness happen, where you can count on truth, etc. Thank God for those good forces that he is fighting for in our world, and the way his grace is working in our interactions with each other and with our world.

You may find, during your time of prayer, that you feel a tug on your heart to deal with something with another person-- to reconcile or make things right between you all. I encourage you to seek that person's forgiveness, as an act of courage and faith on your part. See what happens when you do.

daily spiritual reflection - mar. 25

BIBLE READING FOR THE DAY: 

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust."

Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare

and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his feathers,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart

You will not fear the terror of night,

nor the arrow that flies by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,

nor the plague that destroys at midday.

--Psalm 91:1-8

THOUGHT: I once heard a guy speak about the movie 300  in the context of following God. He said that in the movie (or at least the story it's based on), there were 300 Spartans who stood up against Xerxes with his army of thousands. What's especially amazing about this story is how the Spartans were raised. From their birth, each Spartan is taught to never fear, and to never act out of fear, but to live their lives in courage. The speaker said that Xerxes had taken the Greek Peninsula by storm, and everyone else feared him, and almost immediately surrendered to his massive, terrifying army. But the Spartans fought back-- against ridiculous odds. But those 300, before they died, did some serious damage to Xerxes. And it was their courage that broke the fear of the rest of the peninsula and inspired everyone else to actually fight back. Those 300 were the catalyst that turned the tide against Xerxes.

Living in faith is kind of like being one of those 300. It is characterized by a kind of fearlessness that inspires and encourages others, that brings life to others, even against what seems like all odds. Think about your own relationship with fear. What fears can you identify? Fear of rejection? Fear of not succeeding? Fear of never overcoming some of the issues you struggle with? Do you let fear have authority in your life? When does fear drive your actions? How do you think that faith and courage are related?

CHALLENGE:   One of the keys to bravery and courage, according to this psalm, is the presence of God in the writer's life. Fearlessness and bravery comes directly from knowing and trusting a living, loving, faithful God. Can you imagine what such a God would seem like to you? Think of the friends you have known that have inspired you to be more courageous. Think of the people in your life who have done things to rescue you from a bad situation. Think of the guarding, sheltering presences in your life, that gave you protection (maybe parents, or special teachers, or coaches). List out the traits and personalities (and maybe some stories) of those different people to create a character portrait of a God under whose wings you would be fearless. Then spend some time reflecting on your different fears, trying seeing them from a perspective of being under this God's protection. Take the step of letting go of at least one of your fears, at least for a time, today.

daily spiritual reflection - mar. 24

BIBLE READING FOR THE DAY: 

When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you. You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

-- Deuteronomy 8:10-18

THOUGHT: My resume is impressive. Add four years of Ivy League education and you've put a cherry on top of quite the ice cream sundae. As I finish eating that ice cream, I hear God asking, "Have you eaten? Are you satisfied? Have you forgotten me?" With a mouthful of flavorful deliciousness, I respond, "No, of course not God. How could I ever forget you?...actually, do you want some ice cream? I made it myself!" "Oh really?" God responds. I say, "Well yes, haven't you seen my trophies, honors, and the space on the mantle where I'll put my Latin inscribed diploma from Yale University?" "I see the place," he says. The sad look on his face confuses me. I ask him why he is not excited for me, and he stresses that he is excited, overjoyed even about all the things that I've done. Rather, it saddens him that I have forgotten how big he is: a cosmic God that spoke the universe into existence and holds time in his hand. One who calls water from rocks and rains down manna from heaven. Yet he also knows me by name, desires intimate friendship, and sent his son to show how much he loves me. A God that confirms his covenant and exalts the humble.

CHALLENGE:  Think today about your accomplishments. It might help to pull out a copy of your updated resume. Go through it and ask God to identify the characteristics about you that helped lead to the accomplishment of your achievements. Then ask how these traits, aspects, and habits are connected to God.

daily spiritual reflection - mar. 23

BIBLE READING FOR THE DAY: 

This is what the Lord says:

"Let not the wise boast of their wisdom

or the strong boast of their strength

or the rich boast of their riches,

   but let the one who boasts boast about this:

that they have the understanding to know me,

that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness,

justice and righteousness on earth,

for in these I delight,"

declares the Lord.

-- Jeremiah 9:23-24

THOUGHT: You know how in elementary school no one liked the kid who was a 'show-off'? And then everyone started getting older and the trick became how to show off without seeming to be showing off... maybe you can relate. Maybe you've been the show-off before. Maybe you've been the kid who's a bit jealous, or at least who just really doesn't like the show-off kid. Maybe at a young age you had already mastered the trick of showing off without seeming to be. Maybe you've shown off before by exaggerating things you're doing-- or narrating them in a special way, or maybe you've shown off completely unaware that you were doing so. Maybe you've denied you're showing off at all. I have a hunch that we've all played each part before at some time. Boasting is tricky.

It's especially tricky because it can give us certain power in various interactions. It can change our relationships. It can determine how we measure and value ourselves and others. If we're proud of our grades, or our weight, or our belongings, or what great and wise things we have to say in each conversation, how will we value other people with worse grades, worse fitness, less cool stuff? If we reassure ourselves of our value because we have strengths like intelligence and talent, how will we value people without those gifts? If we are so convinced that we have things of 'wisdom' to offer the people around us, when will we give them a chance to offer their own wisdom to us?

The reality is that boasting has no place in a life following this God-- it is useless, as demonstrated by the irony of the passage. Why should the wise boast of their wisdom? Wisdom is gotten by listening much and talking little, and when a wise man opens his mouth, wisdom should come out, not boasting. And why should the strong boast of their strength-- wouldn't it demonstrate itself through action, naturally? And the rich who do not spend their money for some use but only talk about it in boasting-- shouldn't money be a tool we use

CHALLENGE:  I think that this passage is really God's instructions on how to be pure-hearted and humble, and in doing so, to love each other more deeply and justly. Jeremiah says that the Hebrew God suggests that people leave behind their boasting of wisdom, strength and riches-- those things that we use to measure up and (de)value each other. Instead, he says that the only thing worth boasting about (to oneself and others)-- the best thing in the world both to have and to know-- is God himself. And knowing God is immeasurable. And being a part of kindness, justice, and righteousness, being a delight to God, is something we cannot look down on others for and still participate in.

Today, when you are tempted to put yourself in a better light than is true, ask God to help you keep a pure heart, and instead, choose to let your actions speak louder than your words. Let your wisdom be wisdom, your weaknesses be weaknesses, your strengths be strengths, etc. Choose in your interactions today to avoid boasting (both in your thoughts and words) and instead, express kindness through action. As you're doing so, ask God to help you experience his delight in your desire to have a more pure and humble heart.

daily spiritual reflection - mar. 22

daily spiritual reflection

BIBLE READING FOR THE DAY: 

 ¹ Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, ² to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. ³ At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. ⁴ But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, ⁵ he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. ⁸ This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.
 ⁹ But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. ¹⁰ Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. ¹¹ You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.(Paul's letter to Titus 3:1-10)

THOUGHT: Obedience and authority can be tricky issues in our culture today.  Whether it's dictators we hear about in the news or unfair TAs or parental figures, our society struggles with how we relate to authority.  Paul's letter to Titus provides a strategy of doing good in response to authority and rulers.  He also suggests that Titus' community be peaceable and gentle.  Often, that's the hardest thing to do in light of conflict.  Yet, people like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gandhi pursued goodness in light of opposition as both were inspired by Jesus' love of peace.  It's easy to applaud their testimonies while still ignoring how to deal with the pricks and poking we regularly get from Yale's culture.  Some of this jostling includes arguments that are more about ego than what's right, the verbal slamming of other people or groups, and the division that comes from self-justification.  Paul says Jesus' mercy, a free gift, should encourage us to do good.  Namely, this free gift propels us to extend the free gift of mercy to others even when others hurt us or even when we think we're right.  Through the Holy Spirit, this gift giving becomes more of who we are and we simply practice living into our true selves instead of condemning ourselves from a lack of progress.

CHALLENGE:  Decide today to be a peacemaker in a conversation that is becoming quarrelsome or divisive.  Ask what's at stake to allow people to get things on the table.  Try to take away the "carrot stick" of who's right by affirming aspects on multiple sides while asking a different question (potentially a question you feel Jesus would ask) that starts a new plane of conversation.  Above all, seek peace in relationships and ask yourself where someone else's authority or their divisive presence has led you to feel enslaved or trapped.  Ask God how he wants to free you from that.  As you seek to live out this life of goodness, also ask God if you have been a bad authority in the past.  Take time to receive his gentleness and peace in order to model good leadership.

daily spiritual reflection - mar. 21

daily spiritual reflection

[missed a reflection? find them all at http://yalerockslent.blogspot.com ]

BIBLE READING FOR THE DAY: 

He spread out a cloud as a covering,

and a fire to give light at night.

They asked, and he brought them quail;

he fed them well with the bread of heaven.

He opened the rock, and water gushed out;

it flowed like a river in the desert.

For he remembered his holy promise

given to his servant Abraham.

 -- Psalm 105:39-42

THOUGHT: This psalm is essentially a poem recounting the history of God freeing the Israelites (a group of people who were enslaved in Egypt for hundreds of years, before God led Moses to take them out, according to the Old Testament). After they were set free, they spent a long time following God through the desert. During that time, he appeared, leading them as a cloud, and as fire. Also during that time, the Bible recounts how God provided 'manna' a special kind of bread-food that appeared each day for them to eat. 

Something special about this bread from heaven was that God never wanted his people to be weighed down by it, nor did he want them to be tempted to hoard it and thus create inequalities and selfish greed among each other, so he made a few rules about it. People were not allowed to take more of the bread than they needed for their household for any given day (except for the day before the Sabbath, when they could prepare to take a day of rest), and if they did try to hoard it up, it would rot and go bad. God understood that these his children still had some weaknesses (tendency to hoard things in fear of insecurity, tendency to value each other not for humanity but for how much they possess, etc) that they needed to grow in, so he promised to be their faithful provider as they grew in learning to trust him in that role, and as they strengthened their hearts against temptations of greed and fear to be a stronger, more God-like people.

This psalm takes the time to celebrate God's "holy promise." The God of the Bible makes many promises to us his people, and this psalm talks specifically about the two promises that (1) he will provide us with what we need and (2) he will listen to and answer our prayers. Of course, what we think we need may be different than what God knows we need, and he may answer our prayers with a question or a challenge rather than an easy 'yes' answer, but think about how important that faithfulness to keep promises is, and how essential it is to the character of a God worth trusting or following.

CHALLENGE:  Take the time today to make a few lists:

1. The things you need... challenge yourself with each thing (think of physical, emotional, spiritual needs) and see if you really need it-- you may discover that you are unsure of your own limits of need and necessity. 

**Would you be willing to trust a faithful God with knowing these needs when you don't?

2. The insecurities and fears you have when you think of being on your own and providing for yourself-- where are your safety nets? What are you counting on for the future? Money in savings? Your education? Your parents? Your lifestyle? Do you have fears about not having enough, not being successful, etc? Do these fears weigh you down, or make you value/measure other people a certain way?

** How would having a faithful God who promises to provide change these fears?

3. The things you want, that God could answer in prayer (don't just think of material things, think about maybe wanting more happiness or peace in your life, or wanting your friendships to grow in some way, or wanting your little brother to get along better with your parents, etc.)

**Try asking God for these things, not by leaving a list near the chimney (not a santa clause God), but by taking the time to talk to him about each one and express why it is a desire of your heart.

daily spiritual reflection - mar. 19

SCRIPTURE: 9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

   13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

   14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

- Luke 18:9-14

THOUGHT: As I read this parable, I imagine myself among the crowd. I whisper a question to the woman next to me, "Am I the tax collector or the Pharisee?" She shrugs and starts to process personally the same inquiry. As the Pharisee (a ruling elite in the ancient, Jewish, social order), I approach God pointing out how I'm not like the "other" people, snitching on those who do evil, and reminding God of the religious hoops through which I have jumped: hoops created by my own selfishness and subtle manipulation of helpful spiritual practices (tithing and fasting in this case). As the tax collector, I cannot bring myself to look at God's face. I feel as if I have disappointed my father. The burden of shame and guilt, however, is taken away as the story concludes. The tax collector leaves justified. The justification stems from a humble request for mercy instead of from the effective argument of one's understanding of justice, reason, or right. Jesus ironically redefines justice. He paints the picture of a loving God who freely grants mercy in exchange for honesty and humility.

CHALLENGE: There may be times today where you make a mistake or enter into a disagreement. Seek humility by avoiding the urge to argue your point or expose the other person's wrongness. Reflect upon and/or journal about what happens.

daily spiritual reflection - mar. 17

daily spiritual reflection

[missed a reflection? find them all at http://yalerockslent.blogspot.com ]

BIBLE READING FOR THE DAY: 

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them up as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

- (Moses) Deuteronomy 1:4-9

THOUGHT: I had a friend in high school who just loved good quotes-- great song lyrics, good Bible verses, quotes from her favorite novels, wisdom from great people of the age. She collected them in this notebook and then she would write them in really cool places-- on the walls of her room, on her hand, pasted on to her computer, all over the front of her school notebook. She surrounded herself with wisdom, good ideas, and spiritual affirmation, putting words as reminders into place all over her life. My friend inspired me in many ways, and she taught me the power of the words we put up all around us, the things we talk about often. When I tried what she had done, I discovered that soon the words that had become part of my life's setting were also part of my mindset, easily recalled.

Words are like this. If we want great and wise words to be implemented into our lives, we must think on them often, talk about them freely with others, and choose to act on them. In this passage, Moses understands this about God's words. God's words bring life, and so to implement them as a lifestyle (so that people might have a full life), Moses encourages the people to make the words visible all around them, to talk about them in conversation, and to teach them to their children.

One of the great things Moses says is that the words are to be "on your hearts." Imagine the difference between rules that you know about in your head and somehow have governing authority over you (for example, traffic speeding laws), and words that live on your heart, out of your heart's desire to love and to obey, words that you are in tune with, that you want to make up your life's structure (for example, mom's wise advice that goes with you everywhere you go and seems truer each day). Which category do you find the Bible to go into?

Think about the words that provide your life's setting. What makes up the subjects of your conversations? Is it complaining? Worrying? Gossiping? Or are they words of love, grace, forgiveness, truth, encouragement, God's work, hope, meaning/purpose? What words do you have all around you each day? Are there any words you want to implement in your life that you could put up as Moses directs us to? Any of the Bible verses we have read so far?

CHALLENGE:  Maybe you grew up with the Bible as a great source of truth in your life and love it. Maybe you find the idea of God's law anything but loving because you had a bad experience with Christianity earlier in life. Maybe you don't think about the Bible at all and it just seems like another old book that people talk about a lot. The Bible calls itself "living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword." I had a friend who once called it "A love story: a love letter, from God to us." Imagine if the Bible were alive, and active, and able to be interacted with, implemented into our lives today, thousands of years later. Imagine if the Bible is full of unconditional love and wisdom for us. 

What kind of expectations do you have when you read the Bible? Do these resonate or no? Sometimes we have to try something out to see if it's helpful.

This week, take Moses' advice, and put up God's words around you--- put them on your wall, on your door, on your bathroom mirror, on your desktop of your computer, on the margins of your school notes. See what happens as you surround yourself with God's words/wisdom. Look for changes in you. Do you find yourself gaining patience and hope? Being more life-giving in conversations? Wiser? More grateful? Is it easier to call these words to mind?

If you're not sure where to start in finding Bible Verses to put up (in addition to the ones we've been going through in these reflections), here are a few I've collected that you might find helpful:

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a -- Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

Galatians 5:22-23 -- But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Micah 6:8- He has showed you, o man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

Psalm 139 (all)

Psalm 23 (all)

Psalm 119:18 -- Open my eyes that I may see the wonderful things in your law.

Deuteronomy 3:16-- Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid of terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.

Proverbs 3:5-6 -- Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and He will make your paths straight.

Philippians 4:4-7 -- Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

James 3:13-18 -- Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such 'wisdom' does not come down from Heaven but is earthly, unspiritual of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; the peaceloving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, and good fruit; impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

Romans 12:1-2 -- Therefore I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-- this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-- his good, pleasing and perfect will.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 -- Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

daily spiritual reflection - mar. 16

daily spiritual reflection

BIBLE READING FOR THE DAY: 

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise;

you perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down;

you are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue

you, Lord, know it completely.

You hem me in behind and before,

and you lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, 'Surely the darkness will hide me

and the light become night around me,"

even the darkness will not be dark to you,

the night will shine like the day,

for darkness is as light to you.

--Psalm 139:1-12

THOUGHT: This psalm is a poem where the author (David -- one of the great kings of ancient Israel, who wrote most of the Psalms of the Bible) describes what is like to be known by the Lord, this God of Israel. Unlike relationships with other people, this God knows us completely. In relationship with him, we do not have to be lonely, because we are always known, and loved. He knows where we are, he knows our deepest thoughts, and he keeps us company, always, no matter where we are. At other points in the Psalm it talks about how he planned us and dreamt us up, how he created us and we are "fearfully and wonderfully made." Each of us is a masterpiece of his love and creation.

One of the greatest parts of this Psalm is the line that says that "darkness is as light to you." Think of times in your life when you felt like you were in the dark. Maybe it was that you didn't know what your purpose or meaning was. Or maybe the heaviness and sadness of something like depression. Maybe loneliness. We all go through dark times, but it is a powerful thing to think that even when we feel that all is dark, hopeless, and confusing, this Psalm says that God sees clearly, and he can make light out of it, and he will carry us through. God holds us fast, and he will always outshine our darknesses.

CHALLENGE:  Read the rest of Psalm 139. Meditate on each piece of it, imagining the scenes in your head. Try speaking the words as a prayer/poem of your own. As you do so, consider journaling about the things that this God sees in you that no one else seems to have the patience or grace or listening capacity to actually understand. Journal about the darknesses that you could use his light shining into. Consider the impact of this Psalm on your ideas about your own identity-- and journal about the difference between who you are according to this Psalm and who you are in the rest of the world. Let God's presence accompany you as you meditate and journal, bringing light and life into your thoughts.

daily spiritual reflection - mar. 15

daily spiritual reflection

BIBLE READING FOR THE DAY: 

Praise the Lord.

Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.

Let Israel rejoice in their maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King.

Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp.

For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.

-Psalm 149:1-4

THOUGHT: One of the most important spiritual practices in the Bible is that of celebration. This psalm basically commands a party, celebrating God! Write new songs and sing them, get together and assemble people to celebrate with you, be glad, rejoice, dance, make music! God loves a party, and as this psalm says, he "takes delight in his people." Think of what it felt like being a little kid at your birthday party, with your parents (or other relatives/guardians) hovering around, beaming, taking pictures of you, completely delighting in your joy and celebration.

With God, we never lose that aspect of childlike delight. He will always be infinitely older than us, always be a parent to us, and always have the grace and delight that a good parent has for his child. And to God, growing up isn't about losing the party of life, or getting cynical or 'realistic'. Growing up is coming to terms with this fact that to God, we are always children, and there is a freedom found in that humble acceptance. A freedom to let God smile over us and delight in us in children-- to 'crown us with victory'. A freedom to live our lives as children always under God's guidance, and eternally being raised by him. And a freedom for us to celebrate and party away.

CHALLENGE:  Spend time today putting together a celebration. Gather a few people you know and have some fun-- do some things you used to do as kids. Maybe eat fruit roll-ups or dance to 90s music or go play frisbee in the park. Let yourself experience some childlike joy. As you're taking the time to celebrate the life God has given you, try out a few of the things the psalmist suggests: praise God in prayer by just chatting with him in your head as you have fun, or write a new song for him (maybe change the words of one of those 90s tunes...), or spend some time dancing for him when no one's watching.

daily spiritual reflection - mar. 14

daily spiritual reflection

BIBLE READING FOR THE DAY: 

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

 - Matthew 7:13-14

THOUGHT: When I was in high school, my social studies teacher had a poster on her wall that said, "Just because everyone does it, doesn't make it right." I'm sure many of our parents used to tell us that too, encouraging us to think for ourselves, and not to submit to the 'popular' fads and the mass-minded thinking that is so contagious and so easily swayed about by fear or by laziness.

This seems to be Jesus' version of the same sentiment-- he tells his listeners to 'enter through the narrow gate.' Do the harder thing. Take the unbeaten path. Don't let other peoples' fears drive your own fears. Do the less-popular thing. Go against the grain and do the right thing. In other words, beware the way of life that seems popular and common-- it may not be taking you to life but to 'destruction.'

The contrast of 'life' and 'destruction' is a really important part of what Jesus is trying to convey. For Jesus, life and death are really important spiritual forces (not so much events or characteristics of a human being). Life is the root of hope, and joy, love, peace, renewal, restoration, reconciliation, relationship, truth all things good. But death and destruction-- these forces encourage greed, abuse, hurt, despair, violence, loneliness, lies, etc. 

Can you think of a situation in your life that seemed ruled by these forces of death and destruction before the situation was turned around by a force of life? Who brought the life into the room? Was it you, another person, a random coincidence or act of God? A prayer? 

CHALLENGE:  Each day we face life and death before us, and often we have the choice to do the easy thing (take the 'broad' road), and let a destructive force rule, or to do the hard thing, and bring life into a situation (enter through the narrow gate)... as you interact with others today and tomorrow, be aware of the forces of life or death in your conversations, and actively attempt to be a force of life. Ask God to help you distinguish these forces. Maybe you are talking to a friend who is believing a lie (about herself, or about life), and it would be easy to commiserate with her and let her sink into a small depression; but what if instead you did the hard thing and boldly encouraged her with the truth? Maybe you are in a situation where you could choose to respond with anger-- the root of violence-- and feel justified by it, but instead you choose to ask God for grace to give? Maybe you are part of a team of people trying to do good that has been frustrated and everyone has started to give up hope-- will you be courageous enough to keep hoping even when it feels foolish and lonesome? This week, try walking on the narrow road, and let God hold your hand to help you take each step forward, one at a time.

daily spiritual reflection - mar. 12

daily spiritual reflection

BIBLE READING FOR THE DAY: 

I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting. In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would, but as a fool. Since many are boasting in the way the world, does, I too will boast. You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise! In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that.

Whatever anyone else dares to boat about-- I am speaking as a fool-- I also dare to boast about. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's descendants? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashed minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? 

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying.

  - 2 Corinthians 11:16-31

THOUGHT: We've all seen those really epic movies when the leader of a group of people has been convinced into following the 'bad guy', or when the good guys are set against each other by a conspiring 'bad guy.' In these cases, a people stop trusting their true leaders and instead start following a false leader, blindly, to their own ruin. And it is only in trust, and returning to unity and truth, that they finally conquer and win. And usually there's some great hero who comes in with an amazing speech to turn the tide around, to rally the troops again to his leadership or to gain trust one more time. This passage is kind of like that great hero's speech.

Paul, one of the main leaders of the early church-- he planted churches all over the mediterranean and wrote a number of the letters that make up the New Testament of the Bible, is on the good side of just such a situation right now. The Corinthian church has been taken by some cunning, false apostles, who are turning the Corinthian Church against Paul and guiding them away from Jesus. Known as a gentle and soft-spoken man in person, Paul's letters showed a strength and conviction that surprised many. This excerpt is one such passage of strength. He is calling out the church, and making a last stand to show them that they were wrong to turn away from him and follow false leaders and that they should turn back to him and trust him. Not one to boast, necessarily, he gives the church a full account of all the things he has suffered, as a last resort to prove to the church that he is true to them, that he is worth following, as he follows Christ.

Though we may not wish to ever be in a situation where we must emulate this kind of boasting (indeed, Paul probably would discourage such a foolish way of speaking), his forceful confession of hardship gives us an amazing record of a man who spent his life fighting with all he had for the cause closest to his heart-- seeing the love of God change peoples lives, and the church growing and preparing for Christ's eventual return. Martin Luther King Jr. once said that "No man is worth his salt who is not ready at all times to risk his well-being, to risk his body, to risk his life, in a great cause." It is this kind of risk and struggle that gives our lives meaning. What we fight for, and the hard things we do, these are what grow our character and determine who we become.

CHALLENGE:  Do you have a God-given cause to die for? Or, in better terms, a cause to live for? The comforts of a modern life surround most of us, and the idea of giving our lives or risking our bodies for some great cause (note: not just in foolishness) may be a bit of a stretch as far as we can see right now. But spend today reflecting on the power of doing hard things, the power of sacrificing, the power of taking risks for some something greater than ourselves. How have you done this in the past and how have you grown and strengthened as a result? What are the reasons you avoid these risks or avoid doing the hard thing? What sacrifices, challenges, or risks, would a God like the one we've been talking about possibly be calling you into in the future? Reflect on why choosing sacrifice and struggle can change things. 

Lastly, take a chance, sometime this weekend, to choose the inconvenient, uncomfortable, sacrificial, or risky way. Ask God to give you guidance in this choice that it be for a good reason/cause, and reflect on your choice afterwards. Let's see what happens.

daily spiritual reflection - mar. 11

daily spiritual reflection

BIBLE READING FOR THE DAY: 

He is the Maker of Heaven and Earth,

    the sea, and everything in them--

    he remains faithful forever.

He upholds the cause of the oppressed 

    and gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets prisoners free,

    the Lord gives sight to the blind,

    the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,

    the Lord loves the righteous.

The Lord watches over the foreigner

    and sustains the fatherless and the widow,

    but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

- Psalm 146:6-9

THOUGHT: Imagine a God, powerful enough to have made the entire earth. Imagine a God who is on the side of the oppressed, lonely, outcast, and disabled. Imagine that he actually acts on their behalf in their lives, sustaining them, protecting them, making things right in their lives. Imagine a God who is perfectly just, and whose faithfulness never fails (he always keeps his promises, his truth never changes, he never lets down the people he is in relationship with). What if this God were real and acting in our world?

One of the huge parts of God's plan is to bring justice to the world, in other words, to 'make things right.' This passage gives us a really strong sense of what God's justice means. It may not necessarily mean 'fairness' (If he gets something, then I should get something), but it does mean that those who have been brought low by the world are lifted up.

Justice is a really important thing to God, and one of the things declared in this passage is that "the Lord loves the righteous." Righteousness is another word, in the bible, for justice-seeking, or 'making things right.' Based on this passage, we have the choice to be 'righteous', to join God in his fight for justice.

CHALLENGE:   Today, take your local newspaper, and as you open it to read it, ask God to show you the injustices that make him sad, the places where he is doing work to bring change and justice. Let yourself understand how sorry God is for the people caught in those injustices, and then lift those things up to him and ask him to do his work, to uphold the cause of the oppressed. Then, ask for a specific way you could be a part of bringing his justice to a small situation close to your heart-- maybe it is donating your time/money to something, maybe it is committing to pray, maybe simply being in relationship with someone different than you.

daily spiritual reflection - mar. 10

daily spiritual reflection

BIBLE READING FOR THE DAY:

 This then, is how you should pray:

'Our father in Heaven,

hallowed by your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we have also forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.'

-Jesus, in Matthew 6:7-15

THOUGHT: In the 5th and 6th chapters of the book of Matthew (one of the accounts of Jesus' life found in the Bible), Jesus gives a bunch of lessons on life. This passage is Jesus' "How to pray" guide-- he offers this as a model to work from. Whether you have never heard it before, never even prayed before, or you recited it in church every Sunday growing up, read it again, carefully, and try reading with the expectation that you can find something new in it.

This model teaches us a lot about how we could structure our prayers, when we want to try approaching God. Especially note Jesus' humble and reverent attitude. This is not the 'wish-fairy' or 'Santa Claus' God, that Jesus is carelessly rattling off his wish-list to. Rather, Jesus is speaking to the King of Heaven and Earth, and it's the king's will that matters. The prayer is a practice of submission, praise, confession, and reverent request. It is also to the point, and from the heart.

The prayer teaches us a lot about God himself as well. It speaks to this God as holy and worthy of praise. It speaks of God as good, wise, and powerful-- having a will that we want to be done on Earth. It speaks to God as our provider for our needs. It speaks to his forgiveness and grace. And it teaches us that God is strong, and can protect us from evil forces. The prayer is as much a way of speaking to God as a way of centering ourselves on God's qualities, helping us find truths to trust in this life.

CHALLENGE:  Write your own version of this prayer (known as "The Lord's Prayer" in some churches), following this model. 

1. Start by declaring some of the qualities that make God who he is, whether these come from your own experiences or what the Bible/others have told you. 

2. Then ask what God wants to do in a situation in your life or in the world. Seek 'His will' before asking your own.

3. Then request those things that you think you need in order to have a full life. 

4. Look for ways you might do something God would ask of you (for example, 'we have also forgiven our debtors'). 

5. Lastly, ask for God's protection as you close up the prayer and go out into the world.

Take the time to try praying the prayer that you write for a few days in a row. See if it centers you and helps you as you start your days off. And see if God shows up in these different ways in your life.

daily spiritual reflection - mar. 9

daily spiritual reflection

BIBLE READING FOR THE DAY: "See I have taught you decrees and laws as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this is a great nation with a wise and understanding people." What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today? Only, be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them."

-Moses

-Deuteronomy 4:5-9 

THOUGHT: This passage is drawn from a time in history right after Moses had led the Israelite people out of Egypt (where they were enslaved) to freedom, when he was giving the people a new set of laws, passed on from God. These laws would distinguish the Hebrew people from other nations, setting them apart as God's own. But the laws were also an amazing tribute to God's sense of justice and how much he cared about his people. He gave them rules that would benefit their health, prevent corruption, protect the poor & lowly, and much more. God's sense of authority was one of a caring heart, of wisdom, of relationship, of stewardship. He was not power-hungry, exploitative, dictatorial, or any other quality that other nations associated with leaders. He was good.

This goodness is what brings Moses to his amazing sense of wonder as he speaks about the laws of the Lord. He describes how they bring wisdom and understanding. He expresses amazing gratitude that God is near and listens to prayers. He loves the laws of the Lord. Maybe you've read the Bible since you were a kid, or maybe you've never even picked one up, but try to imagine associating Moses' attitude with your own thoughts about reading Holy Scripture. Do you feel merely obligated to pick it up, or do you feel grateful and awestruck, like Moses? Do you feel like you gain wisdom and understanding by practicing obedience (to God's laws), or do you feel confused? Do you feel like you are a part of a wise and understanding people, or do you feel like God's laws make you seem only foolish?  Does God to you seem like a distant dictator, or a benevolent leader who listens to prayers, is always present and interacting with you? Think about where these ideas come from.

Lastly, Moses cautions his listeners to 'be careful... and do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart..." It is so easy to experience something worth believing in, in our world today, and then be convinced out of it afterward, and to forget where that sense of faith came from. This is nothing new-- even the Israelites did this: God brought them across the Red Sea and freed them from slavery, and they still sometimes denied his existence, turned away from him, and seemed to forget all the things he had done for them. Can you think of times when you believed in something and then let it fade away, because you got disheartened in believing? It's so easy to lose faith or hope or meaning in our world-- these are things we have to fight for in life. Is there anything now that you believe that you are worried will just fade away?

CHALLENGE:  This passage gives a clear command: do not forget. Spend some time today thinking about the things worth believing in, that life seems to have convinced you out of. One good way to practice this command is to write things down.  If you haven't yet experienced something in your life that looks like the work of God, ask God to do something memorable in your life and keep an eye out for what he might be up to-- in your family, friendships, work, gifts, attitude, etc. If you have experienced something that seems like God's work in your life before, write it down-- even if you're not sure, just say "maybe" and write it anyhow. If you have a particular question that seems to be working against your beliefs or cause more confusion, write that down, and ask God to teach you more in that area-- ask him to show you what He thinks. Perhaps write in a journal so that you can write things down more regularly-- see if more things come up even this week. 

daily spiritual reflection - mar. 8

daily spiritual reflection

BIBLE READING FOR THE DAY: 

I have seen you in the sanctuary

and beheld your power and your glory.

Because your love is better than life,

my lips will glorify you.

I will praise you as long as I live,

and in your name I will lift up my hands.

I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;

with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

-Psalm 63:2-5

THOUGHT: I feel like our generation doesn't have a very good understanding of what glory is. In a world where we are desensitized to almost everything, that sense of deep awe and wonder at something completely magnificent seems to be lost. Reverence sometimes feels like a lost value. I always think of that scene in Gladiator when Maximus arrives at Rome and sees the Coliseum for the first time... all the gladiators with him are struck speechless, overwhelmed. And the Coliseum is merely a man-made thing; the glory of Rome was fleeting compared to God!

The glory of God is all around, though! Try letting yourself be open to being amazed and see what he shows you. Maybe you will be overwhelmed by his love-- the psalmist here is at a place where he feels the love of God "is better than life" itself! Maybe you will be overwhelmed by the beauty of his creation-- nature, the outdoors. Maybe you will be overwhelmed by how God comes through in response to your prayers, or maybe by some aspect of his character that explains the world in a new way. Don't hesitate to freely attribute those moments of revelation and being awestruck to God. You may find yourself overwhelmingly thankful or desiring to praise God out of your heart just because it seems like he deserves to be praised and thanked, like the psalmist here describes.

CHALLENGE:  Take some time today or this week to get out of doors. Take the time to marvel at the intricacy of nature, the phenomenal love and care and the unfathomable vision and intelligence that God must have used as he was dreaming up the world we live in. If you aren't sure what you think of God creating the world or if you've never envisioned it before, then try imagining it. Think of God as the artist who painted the sky, the gardener who tenderly planted all the plants, the gentle and joyful creator who molded the mountains, the powerful God who spoke the sun and stars into being. Take some time to really just soak in that sense of awe at the magnificence you experience.

daily spiritual reflection - mar. 7

daily spiritual reflection

BIBLE READING FOR THE DAY: You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. 

(- Jesus)

- Matthew 5:38-42

THOUGHT: Jesus was a big fan of 'the third way.' In ancient Jewish law, the unlawful response to being offended by someone was to give them payback even greater than how they had offended you (i.e. they punch your eye, you punch both their eyes and kick them in the stomach). The lawful response was to return no more than what they had originally dealt you (hence the eye for eye or tooth for tooth). But in human hearts, this desire to reign in evil by limiting 'payback,' the sense of revenge and vengefulness still seemed to be ruling. So Jesus offered a third way, a completely unheard of response. If someone hits you in the face on one side, do not play their game. Instead, position yourself to be hit again, but this time, look them in the eye. Turn the other cheek.

Shane Claiborne writes, about this remarkable move: "In the orderly Jewish culture, a person would hit someone only with the right hand... In some Jewish communities, if you hit someone with the left hand, you could be banished for ten days. So a person would have to use a backslap to hit someone on the right cheek with the right hand. It's clear that Jesus described a backhand, like an abusive husband to his wife or a master to a slave. It was a slap to insult, degrade, and humiliate, a slap meant not for an equal, but for an inferior, to put someone in their place. But by turning the cheek, the person made the abuser look them in the eye, and the abuser could now only hit them with a fist, as an equal. By turning the cheek, the other person said, "I am a human being, made in the image of God, and you cannot destroy that." Do not cower and do not punch back. Make sure the person looks into your eyes and sees your sacred humanity, and it will become harder for that person to hurt you."

  Claiborne goes on to explain how the poor could be sued for their clothing, but by removing even more than asked, they would be exposing the greed of the repo man. And people were commonly required to accompany a soldier for a designated amount of time and carry their things-- but only that amount of time. Accompanying a soldier in friendship and love was unheard of-- plus, it was an infraction of military code. So go the extra mile, and you may find yourself -- instead of having lost the time and energy it took to fulfill your obligation--- rather having gained a new friendship.

  In other words, in your heart, do not challenge evil by trying to wield evil in return-- it won't work-- it'll only make evil grow more in the world. And do not simply submit to evil, letting it trample over all in its way. Instead, choose a 'third way.' Challenge evil with your humanity, with generosity, and with love.

CHALLENGE:  This week, watch out for places where you can choose 'the third way.' Where do you feel provoked to return evil for evil? How could you return love instead? What have you been asked to give that you could give generously? What inconvenience has been asked of you where you could 'go the extra mile'? Especially keep an eye out for potential relationships of equal humanity with the people society may want you to not speak to-- the people who serve your food & coffee, clean your buildings, fix your elevators, drive your taxis, handle your mail, etc. Try asking God to help you point out these people and situations to you, and try asking him to help reveal to you new ways to relate and respond. 

daily reflection - mar. 5

daily spiritual reflection

BIBLE READING FOR THE DAY:   "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.  He will call on me, and I will answer him;  I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.  With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation."  Psalm 91:14-16

THOUGHT: "Relationship with God" is a difficult concept.  First, God is invisible.  Second, his voice and presence works in myriad ways making it hard for us to discern how he speaks (this is usually a problem of him speaking a lot and our confusion turns it into him speaking scarcely).  Lastly, God is often wrapped up in the societal context of religion instantly making any relationship we have with God inadvertently political, controversial, and potentially taboo.  So why relate to God?  From today's passage, it seems the benefits far outweigh the consequences. Not only would we be living out an inner ache to know our Creator, but we would also receive a friend who relates to us based on love. 

This passage from the Psalms is probably from David, one of the earliest kings of Israel.  One thing that sets apart David from his Old Testament counterparts is his relentless pursuit of a God who loves him.  Even when David messed up (Psalm 51; 2 Sam:11-12), he was able to appeal to God through a relationship grounded and cultivated in love.  It seems, this changes everything.  Out of love and acknowledgement, God will rescue us.  When we call, God answers.  God will not only answer, but he will rescue us from our problems and honor us for simply reaching out to him.  It's almost as if God acts like a loving parent that answers a 3am hardship-related phone call with grace and mercy, not punishment.  In fact, God often does not even need that phone call to be laced with apologies as much as the phone call itself represents a humbling act that God recognizes.  We have a God who answers us when we recognize his true identity as Love.  So why not take risks using that truth as our shield?  In this love, we can be broken without shame and we can be transformed without manipulation.  It's a love that frees us and sets us on a right path.

CHALLENGE:  Try to relate to God through prayer.  If this is something new or if you're a bit rusty, then pick an amount of time that you will pray so you do not get overly anxious with how the time is passing.  Anticipate for the first 2 minutes to be a bit loud as "alarm bells" go off about unfulfilled to dos or relational struggles.  Keep at it until you reach a bit of a stillness.  Talk to God about the moment you have felt most loved in your life.  Then ask God where he was in that moment and how that experience of love relates to his love.  Try different modes of talking.  Journal, speak out loud, speak internally, draw.  Don't be afraid to write down or conceive of God's response to your questions or comments.  No one is about to publish your journal (just yet). With that freedom, explore a few ways we can talk to God.