After…

January 14, 2021

“After…” Mark 1:14

“After” the temptation, after Jesus’ cousin John, who baptized Jesus, was put in prison, “Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.”  We are living right now in the “after” and sorting ourselves out.  It is after the election.  It is after the vote of impeachment yesterday.  Today is after announcements about vaccinations.  Today is after the death of someone I knew and I know “after” means grief for the family left behind.  “After” suggests sequence and perhaps cause and relationship.  Our actions do not stand in a void anymore than Jesus’ approach to his ministry.

         “After,” a word I had never focused on before, makes sense of John’s questions in prison.  John sent his disciples to ask Jesus if Jesus was the Messiah, the one prophesied to come.  “After” can trigger doubt that drives action.  After climbing on the scale in the morning, I re-examine my diet plan and what failed and what worked.  My plans for the day are dependent on the outcome of yesterday as well as the desires of my heart.

         Jesus returned to Galilee.  “After” initiated a travel plan for Jesus.  The baptism was at the Jordon, closer to Jerusalem and with John’s imprisonment, Jesus traveled north to less politically dangerous territory.  Some of our plans for today will now involve a “travel plan.”  We need to get food to feed the family.  We need to go to the post office to send a card, or at least an email.  We need to call a friend or someone official.   We make our plans and sometimes those plans involve moving to a less dangerous, less volatile place in life, in mind anyway.  Jesus did.

         Jesus went to Galilee, his home territory in northern Israel.  May I suggest that sometimes I need to move my thoughts to safer memories.  My husband will ask me, “Are you chewing on that bone again?”  My thoughts are trapped in some incident that hurt and I ruminate on it.  Perhaps I need to move to prayer, to confession of my wrong, to journaling, to talk with a friend, or even turn on positive music – anything to stop the downward spiral of doubt and self-criticism.  As I listen to the news and hear about the armed soldiers guarding the capitol for the inauguration, it is possible for fear to immobilize me, for stereotypes of “the other” to fill my mind, and for my thoughts to undermine my sense of security.  Jesus lived in no less volatile and dangerous times.  “After” John was imprisoned, Jesus knew it was time to return to Galilee. Perhaps we too need to refocus today.

         “After” the defining event of yesterday that is impacting your today, let’s take time to center our thoughts on a Savior who understands doubts and danger, who travels with us and with the situation driving us, and who comes to preach the good news of God.  He is with you today.  He cares. And He can meet your challenge with you.  Blessings.

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Temptation

January 13, 2021

“At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert,

and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. 

He was with the wild animals

and the angels attended him. (Mark 1:12,13)”

Temptation!  Now there is another subject.  “That donut just jumped in my mouth.  You see, my friend gave it to me and I did not want to hurt her feelings.  I haven’t had one for ages and I’ll cut back tomorrow.”  We all know the self-talk that leads us down a path that usually ends in regret. 

         James talks about temptation specifically in his first chapter verse 13,

“When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil nor does he tempt anyone, but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.  Then after desire has conceived it gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown gives birth to death.”  The Holy Spirit led Jesus but did not tempt him.

         Today we have multiple sources of temptation to embrace that that does not please God.  God created us “good” but ads offer whatever to help us be “more good” — beautiful or healthy or secure or anything.  Desire shifts from pleasing God to pleasing people.  Doing something spectacular, like Jesus jumping from a building like Superman, would certainly bring quick popularity for Jesus.  But how long would that last?  The temptation that our culture today is struggling with is the road of impeachment.  It is so easy to believe “the other party” is hateful, wrong and needs to be punished.  It is so easy to stereotype and demonize that which threatens our path.  Impeachment is not that different than going through the cupboard and eliminating all the food that is unhealthy for my diet.  Eliminating, getting rid of what we consider wrong, is a common coping approach.

         I note in this passage that Jesus was tempted.  He understands our temptations.  He understands the philosophical battle we are immersed in right now.  I also note that he did not eliminate Satan for testing him.  He had the power as true God but he did not use it. His answer was the choice of the cross and resurrection. The temptation report in the Gospels affirms to us that temptation is real, is not coming from God, and is something we grow through.  When I am tempted to resort to violence or when I am tempted by anger, I am walking in the desert with a God who loves people on both sides.  Jesus did not create bread to feed himself, did not do something spectacular to impress, and did not short-cut the painful path being faced by bowing down to Satan. 

         As we walk these next days may we too examine the motives and purposes of our hearts and continue to ponder how God would have us respond.  Prayer, being in the Word, and seeing “the other” as God’s concern also helps.  Lord, have mercy as we walk this wilderness with you.

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Deserts

January 12, 2021

“At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert,

and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. 

He was with the wild animals

and the angels attended him. (Mark 1:12,13)”

Deserts!!  Now there is a topic.  We started our missionary career in a former famine relief camp in northern Kenya on the edge of the Chaldi desert.  I used to say, “I come from the freeways of Los Angeles,” to answer questions about my home and to emphasize the culture shock I was going through.  Deserts are very different from urban settings or rural settings.  Water and supplies are scarce. But that was the home of the people we were establishing an alphabet for and giving an opportunity for literacy.  I wonder what the desert experience taught Jesus and what those desert times might teach us?

         A subtly shocking entrance to our desert life was that the language had no word for “please.”  People came to the door and said, “Give me.”  There was no shame or guilt in asking for help because people lived by community ties.  A warrior would start a day foot trip to cross the desert with only his spear and no supplies.  He knew the person on the other end was obligated to offer hospitality – kill a goat.  Jesus was forty days alone in the desert and the presence of Satan must have offered community – of a sort, at least conversation. Satan chatted with him and “suggested” he use his supernatural powers to short circuit the discomfort of the desert experience.  Community can support but community can also distract! 

         We thrive on community that dispels aloneness, offers support, and affirms us.  How tempting to be recognized as true God by Satan.  How tempting to be “wanted” by friends.  Loneliness hurts.  Sheltering to avoid illness seems very unnatural right now and many refuse to follow the guidelines of social distancing.  We sit with TVs and zoom meetings but somehow it feels less than satisfying, less than a hug. So I reflect on where we find community now.  What drives us to go to a neighbor’s door and beg a cup of sugar or a glass of water because of drought and famine? 

         The desert experience affirms to me that Jesus, true God and true man, who lived his life swarmed by people wanting healing or wanting to test him, that same Jesus also had an extended time alone in a desert, cut off from human support systems.  Matthew and Luke give more texture to this experience.  Turning rocks to bread – deserts test us physically as we hunger and nothing seems to satisfy.  Jump from the temple – deserts test our sense of safety and protection for surely the God of the universe could prevent us from getting hurt.  Avoid the cross and worship Satan – deserts test our resolve to do things properly and not short cut “the rules.”

         Perhaps today, sheltering is wearing on your nerves and loneliness is knocking at your heart.  Fears about the upcoming inauguration play on our sense of security. Doubts of love, fears about protection, and temptations to expediency keep coming to mind.  Many are demanding that government, health systems, education systems and human organizations resolve the loneliness of deserts in our lives.  Jesus, in his desert experience, found focus in the Word of God and so can we.  We are never alone.  Where will we turn today when we feel like we are in a desert?  We need each other.  May we like, Jesus, find comfort in the Word of God.  And perhaps a call to a friend or an email someone  to encourage!  Blessings. 

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The Desert

January 11, 2021

“At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert,

and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. 

He was with the wild animals

and the angels attended him. (Mark 1:12,13)”

The Gospel of Mark is believed by many to have been written by John Mark, a youth at the time of Christ’s ministry, the cousin of Barnabas, traveling companion of Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey, and according to Eusebius (110 AD) Mark is the interpreter, explainer, of the words of the apostle Peter.  This John Mark is the CNN reporter we are focusing on this year.  We are reflecting on faith through his eyes.

         “He was aiming to give a faithful outline of Peter’s preaching and teaching about the good news of the Christ to a Gentile audience in Rome,” according to an African Bible Commentary I often refer to.  Mark is not trying to be chronological like Matthew and Luke.  He does not open his book with the Bethlehem story but rather with the words, “In the beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”  “Gospel” means good news.  Mark jumps straight to the baptism of Jesus that we studied yesterday, ending with the Trinity coming in “touchable” realities: the Father as voice declaring love without need to earn it, the Holy Spirit as a Dove descending or coming to us, and Jesus as “true man” identifying with us, his creation that needs forgiveness.  As my husband would say, “That’s deep!”

         John the Baptist calls people to a baptism of repentance, not in the temple and tradition, but in the wilderness at the Jordon.  Jesus chooses there to start his journey with the masses.  Next verse!  “At once the Spirit sent him…”  No dust gathering here!  After the mountain top experience, it seems there follows a valley that tests — those wonderful truths we felt we discovered at camp, in love, from the stimulus check, after our person won the election—the valley happens.  We return from college and the independence there to come home for vacation and the realities there.  Within the first week of marriage we have a major fight.  The stimulus check comes and is followed with a bill that eats it.  On the horizon is January 20th and the fears of the nature of the transition.

         Mark does not describe the desert experience except to describe it as a time of temptation by Satan, a clash of values.  In those valley experiences the beliefs we have developed are tested.  Hard times reveal my character and go to my inner core.  I would like to think I am kind, loving, generous, and patient but….  The cake jumped in my mouth after the decision to diet.  Those words jumped out of my mouth when yet again he did what I’ve asked him not to.  My heart despairs when I turn on the news and hear all the reports of possible chaos.  Where is my faith?  Growing!  Jesus walked through a desert time too and understands.  Interestingly, Mark adds the detail that the danger did not only come from within and his temptation from Satan but he also was in danger, temptation to fear, without from the wild animals.

         “Angels attended him.”  God does not abandon us in times of temptation and danger.  As we walk into 2021, into our political future, continue with the virus, struggle with the economy, make decisions about our future and how we want to live it, we do not walk alone.   The good news that God comes to us in our baptism and walks with us through our temptations and dangers is “good news!!!”  We are people of hope for 2021 not because of who we are but because of who He is. We will learn more about in the coming weeks.  For now, it is good to know God comes to us.  Blessings, you are not alone.

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Sunday Text and Sermon, Epiphany 1

January 9, 2021

First Reading: Genesis 1:1-5

1In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, 2the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. 3Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

Psalm: Psalm 29

  1Ascribe to the Lord, you gods,
  ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
 2Ascribe to the Lord the glory due God’s name;
  worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
 3The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders;
  the Lord is upon the mighty waters.
 4The voice of the Lord is a powerful voice;
  the voice of the Lord is a voice of splendor. 
 5The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees;
  the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon;
 6the Lord makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
  and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.
 7The voice of the Lord
  bursts forth in lightning flashes.
 8The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
  the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. 
 9The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe and strips the forests          bare.
  And in the temple of the Lord all are crying, “Glory!”
 10The Lord sits enthroned above the flood;
  the Lord sits enthroned as king forevermore.
 11O Lord, give strength to your people;
  give them, O Lord, the blessings of peace.

Second Reading: Acts 19:1-7

1While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. 2He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3Then he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They answered, “Into John’s baptism.” 4Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied—7altogether there were about twelve of them.

Gospel: Mark 1:4-11

4John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the   thong of his sandals. 8I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

  9In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. 11And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

CHILDREN’S SERMON

One of the popular childhood fables that has come back into vogue is the story of Beauty and the Beast.  Handsome prince who is so self-centered is cursed to live as a beast until true love kisses him before a prize rose dies.  Through the story, the young heroine learns to love the beast that keeps her captive in his palace.  As the last leaf of the rose falls to the table, the heroine kisses the dying beast, begging him to not die.  At that moment, he transforms into a handsome prince and they live ever after.  We cheer.

         Question:  When did the creature become a prince.  Choice 1:  at birth.  Choice 2: with the kiss.  Choice 3: Somewhere in the process. .

Let us pray:  Lord may the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to you, my God and my Redeemer.

SERMON

Has there been a defining event in your life?  The kiss that changes you from a beast to a prince or princess?  For Jean Val Jean in Les Miserables, the moment he decided to steal the loaf of bread, his life changed.  He went to prison and was branded “criminal.”  In the story, that fatal choice sets the course of his life and the stage for the battle between law and grace.  For some of us the “I do” changed the course of our life and defined us.  Perhaps there was an accident that T-boned your life or a differently abled child altered your dreams or Corona or Alzheimer or, or, or.  Major and minor events in our lives define us and direct our lives down a path we did not anticipate.

         One of the major defining events of Jesus’ life was his baptism.  We look at that event through the eyes of Mark today. How did baptism impact Jesus’ life and our lives?  In full disclosure I first point out that, as clarified in the New Testament reading, baptism at Jesus’ time had a different focus as people were preparing for the coming Messiah so now we baptize in the name of that Messiah.  This passage and Jesus’ baptism are the changing point in our understanding of baptism.

First, Jesus’ baptism was when he “went public.”  I like the phrase, “Going public,” because it gives the feel of a process that implies preparation, support, and focus.  A candidate, who declares his candidacy, goes public about “throwing his or her hat in the political race.”  It has not just been a sudden decision but signals preparation, gathered support, raised funds, counting the cost, and research of the issues. Going public places self in the public eye for cross examination, for critiquing, and for possible rejection.  The prince was born the prince and the kiss made public his real identity or would he have continued as beast if she had not kissed him?   Beauty did kiss him but the Prince has yet to live out how that prince-ship will display itself. Jesus has yet to live out what that baptism meant.

         Last week we read that Jesus is the Word, present at creation, the light of the world.  He entered humanity and was not recognized or received by his creation.  Christmas events testify to his identity. I suspect he probably confounded the rabbis in Nazareth as he did the rabbis in Jerusalem when he was 12 years old.  We have glimpses that Jesus is true God and true man.  This same Jesus did not suddenly become something new at baptism but I would understand his baptism to be his “going public,” the starting of his public ministry.

         John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, was calling people into the desert to prepare and repent.  That John, not John the Apostle, baptized Jesus.  John was preaching a baptism of repentance to prepare the way for the coming Messiah. There could be no faith baptism yet as Jesus had not yet died.  Jesus’ baptism is going public about his identity and his identification with the plight of humanity, struggling under the law but looking forward to a Messiah for deliverance.

         When we baptize, we go public about our identity and commitments. How Jesus reveals God’s character will unfold in the coming weeks.  When I said, “I do,” I thought I would be “happy ever after” and have someone who would make life work for me.  “Houston we have a problem.”  Marriage is a lot of work, not the solution to identity, nor necessarily leads to happy ever after.  Jesus was at the beginning of his ministry and perhaps as true God understood the implications of the cross but he had yet to live through how that would play out, entering all the struggles of humanity.  Baptism was the beginning of that public journey that reveals to us the character of God facing slippery politicians, debilitating disease, soul wrenching sorrow and all the philosophical cross examination and questioning.  As he reveals himself in the coming weeks, we know how he will respond to our future too.  We will discover what sort of God/man walks with us.  Baptism is a public confession that he was walking with us and our baptism testifies that we desire to walk through life with him.

         Infant baptism as practiced by many Christians also publicly confesses the family’s commitment to Christ and their intentions to walk with the baby through the trials of faith.  Baptism does not save us. Jesus’ death on the cross saves us.  We are not saved because we understand and can explain.  We are saved because God is faithful and holds onto us in our unfolding journey.  We consider baptism a sacrament that places our salvation in the hands of God. 

Second, the voice from heaven speaks, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”  One of the clearest pictures of the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit is seen here: the voice, the dove, and Jesus.  God addresses Jesus not as “the chosen,” “the favored,” “the perfect,” or even “the Holy” but rather calls him “Beloved Son.”  Wow.  That is a strong word that brings tears, words that we all want to hear.  We do not need to run to alcohol, to popularity, to drugs for affirmation because the God of the universe values us.  I hear words of affirmation but it is quickly followed by that little voice on my shoulder – it’s only because she’s your mother, she has to love you, it’s only cause you are convenient sex that he stays, it’s a partnership.  Doubt enters human relationship commitments.  God calls Jesus and us his “beloved” children.  Baptism is a going public but it is also a relationship commitment that seals us in love.  We are loved and valued!

         As we walk into 2021, we may not be first for the vaccine that is somehow going to protect us.  We may not receive the alimony or stimulus check due to economic restraints.  We will continue the aging process.  We will meet unexpected challenges but baptism is the beginning of a love relationship that does not abandon, is not conditional and that we can trust.  Jean Val Jean wore the tattoo of his imprisonment, marking him as a criminal but in the end, law must commit suicide and fall into the river because grace and love are stronger.  The true identity of the Beast becomes apparent as he is kissed by Beauty.  Our true identity is revealed as we are loved through our baptismal life by God.

Thirdly, Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist, but John predicts that a baptism of the Holy Spirit is coming.  Baptism is not a “destination event” like booking a wedding at a Cancun hotel.  Baptism is going public about a journey you are taking with a God who loves you and wants you to live with him for eternity.  But just as buying that plane ticket to Cancun does not mean the journey has happened, or the Beast kissing Beauty guarantee he will be a good prince, so the act of baptizing is followed by living into the relationship.  It is a grievous event to a pastor when baptism is treated like a destination event, a graduation ceremony that is done to please grandparents and is treated like a dusty diploma that can be kept in a safe somewhere for emergencies like death.  Promises are made at the altar, are forgotten, and we all grieve.

         John the Baptist says,  “8I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”  Baptism for us is not only a “going public” about who we are committed to, not only the affirmation of a love relationship, but it is also a power source, the real presence of the Holy Spirit.  It is sacramental, a sacred moment for Jesus and for us.

         The public presence of the Holy Trinity at Jesus’ baptism, declares that Jesus does not stand alone in what is to unfold.  We do not stand alone in whatever unfolds in the upcoming year. Baptism is a sacrament, a sacred act combining the Word of God with an element, water.  We are not just testifying to a belief we hold.  We are not just putting our body where our values are.  Through baptism the Holy Spirit “shows up” in life in a physical, life changing ways.  The Spirit of God at Jesus’ baptism begins to appear with physical imagery like “dove” or at Pentecost with imagery like “flames of fire.”  All of God is “touchable” in this event – the Father as a voice, Jesus as a human, and the Spirit like a dove.  Baptism is not just a belief but transforms reality.

         The God who walked with Jesus, walks with us.  But having a million dollars in the bank is useless if we do not use it. Having money in the bank is not that useful when we need a quarter at the Turnpike or Aldis.  The debit card that we carry in our pocket, use often, and know how to use is what gives us instant cash power.  Being baptised gives us that million dollar power but we grow in our ability to relate to the Holy Spirit.  Baptism is a sealing with the Holy Spirit that means we are never alone, we are never disconnected from God and we have resources beyond our beliefs and beyond our relationships.  Jesus stood with the Trinity and we stand with Jesus.  Epiphany teaches us what that means.

Unlike the Beast, Jesus was not “born” a prince but was the Creator, the Word, from eternity.  Baptism goes public giving us a new insight into what the nature of that God means.  The God we believe in comes down to us and identifies with the limitations of our humanity.  He walks through the baptism of repentance to fulfill the law.  Unlike the Beast who must earn the love of Beauty to remove the curse, God comes to Christ and us and declares his love while we are yet sinners and before Christ does any act.  Unlike the Beast who has no power to win Beauty’s love but must transform himself, Christ stands together with the Holy Spirit and God the Father.  We too have the God of the universe walking with us into 2021, not because we are so wonderful but because it is his character to love and save. 

         Perhaps this week you might take some water and mark the cross on your forehead or back of a hand or on your lips to remind you whose you are, who loves you, and where your power comes from.  Beauty kisses the Beast and he transforms.  We have the power to reach out to others with the good news and watch them transform also.  Thank you Lord that we are not alone as we face 2021.

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The Twelfth Day of Christmas

January 9, 2021

“On the twelfth day of Christmas
my true love gave to me:

12 drummers drumming,

11 pipers piping, 10 lords a leaping, 9 ladies dancing, 8 maids a milking, 7      Swans a Swimming, 6 Geese a Laying
5 Gold–en Rings
4 Calling Birds, 3 French Hens, 2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree”

12 drummers drumming represents 12 basic Christian truths found in the Apostle’s Creed.  A creed is a statement of faith, of what we believe and the principles that guide our life.  It is called “Apostle’s” because this is a statement that has been said by Christians from the time of the original followers of Christianity.  Perhaps the authors of this song included it last because it reviews the gifts that came before and has been the drum to which we have walked for two millennium. It is appropriate that we remember those principles we live by.  They are like the beating of our heart.  They are the truths that guide our lives as Christians.

  1. God is not only our powerful Creator but is also our caring Father. He is True Love.
  2. Jesus Christ is Lord.  He is the partridge, one of a kind.
  3. Jesus miraculously became incarnate by the Holy Spirit through Mary.  The partridge sits in a pear tree, certainly Mary, but also representing his incarnation and becoming true man/true God.
  4. Jesus suffered, was crucified by the Romans in the first century, and died.  4 calling birds. Details of Jesus’ life and ministry are found in the four Gospels that have called out the truth of the God/man’s character.
  5. Jesus rose from the dead.  5 Golden Rings: the law was fulfilled in the death of Christ.  Death no longer must control us.
  6. Jesus ascended into heaven and is exalted.  6 geese a laying – the whole creation is redeemed and life goes on.
  7. Jesus will return in judgment.  7 swans swimming, the gifts of the Spirit that identifies the talents we are entrusted with.
  8. The Holy Spirit is a person of the Holy Trinity. 8 geese a laying reminds us of creation and the Trinity hovering and continuing to bring forth life.
  9. The church is universal.  9 ladies dancing – we live and dance with each other, celebrating the gifts of self and other.
  10. There is a fellowship of Christians across all times and places.  10 Lords leaping are the commandments that apply to all people so that we can live in harmony.
  11. Our sins are truly and really forgiven in Christ.  11 pipers piping are the faithful Apostles who carried the story that we are truly forgiven and Christ changes lives.
  12. Our bodies will be resurrected.  Heaven is real.  12 drummers drumming – let us keep the message going – resurrection now and for eternity is real.

This is one of my favorite renditions of the Creed.  Listen and be blessed.

It is also sung beautifully by Maranatha singers:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdU4Kbn3B3M.

Monday we will start a new series.  Blessings as we enter Epiphany season!

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Eleven Pipers Piping

January 8, 2021

“On the eleventh day of Christmas
my true love gave to me:

11 pipers piping,

10 lords a leaping, 9 ladies dancing, 8 maids a milking, 7 Swans a Swimming, 6 Geese a Laying
5 Gold–en Rings
4 Calling Birds, 3 French Hens, 2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree”

Eleven pipers piping represent the eleven faithful apostles.  Of all the people who followed Jesus, and there were many, twelve formed the “cabinet” and became known as the Apostles.  Disciples were followers of Jesus but Apostle were his closest followers and of those even one betrayed him, Judas Iscariot.  Hence, eleven pipers piping.  Why does this song call us to remember these eleven of all the people who have lived faithful lives?

         Perhaps it reminds us that faithfulness often does not occur in the arena of popularity.  The Apostles changed the entire world through their faithfulness and leadership.  Rome ruled the world, not recognizing Judaism, nor feeling the need to honor the humanity of those who did.  Crucifixion was not unique to Jesus and was a cruel death to all who opposed Rome.  Women could be divorced for burning the dinner, not pleasing her husband, or not being faithful before marriage.  Women had no protection, no planned parenthood.  There was no social security or retirement plans.  There was no such thing as insurance or hospitals!  Public education available with food plans for the poor – not yet realized. 

         The eleven apostles represent the impact and cost of faithfulness.  All but John died a martyr’s death but they changed a world not so different than ours.  My thoughts wander to individual who have changed worlds and who have inspired me.  Sr. Elizabeth Fedde, a Norwegian Deaconess, came to the USA to help Norwegian sailors, sick in the slums.  She started Sunday schools, hospitals, and the modern ambulance idea when she purchased horses being discarded for trains and painted a wagon white and collected the sick.  Henrietta   Mears led Sunday school at Hollywood Presbyterian church where I later worked on a suicide call line and she led the 450 Sunday school program to be 4,200 children per week – in two years.  Who did she impact?  Bill Bright was one of her students and went on to lead Campus Crusade and write the Four Spiritual Laws that have helped define Evangelicalism.  Billy Graham was impacted by her.

         In the face of demonstrations and mobs this last year it is easy to feel small and helpless.  Eleven Pipers Piping in the Christmas song reminds us that eleven faithful people can change a cruel and unjust world by doing that which True Love guides us to do.  Our faithfulness in many small ways is important and changes lives. 

         So my prayer today as we face our future is that we will faithfully play our small pipe in the small, perhaps only eleven, group we find ourselves in, playing a tune that glorifies God, True Love, and speaks of his tune to the world that struggles.  Blessings as you play your pipe today!

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Ten Lords Leaping

January 7, 2021

“On the tenth day of Christmas
my true love gave to me:

10 lords a leaping,

9 ladies dancing, 8 maids a milking, 7 Swans a Swimming, 6 Geese a Laying
5 Gold–en Rings
4 Calling Birds, 3 French Hens, 2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree”

After the events at the USA capitol yesterday, it is hard to write about ten leaping lords that represent the Ten Commandments given on Mt. Sinai to Moses to guide and govern people’s lives.  When we think about “law” our minds float to the “big ten,” but in-fact Luther talks of three types of law: “moral law” written on people’s hearts and applicable to all people, “ceremonial law” that governs our religious belief practices like whether or not to eat pork, and  “political law” that regulates and protects how people live together in society.  These three types of law do not always co-exist together in harmony as we saw yesterday and see worked out today.  People with strong feelings about moral infractions confront people with strong feelings about political procedure and those of us watching TV wring our hands and cry to God for mercy for our country and its government and the people working this out.  Lord, have mercy!  Christ, have mercy!  Lord, have mercy!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6teNwbdhTt4.

         We sum up the role of law in our lives with Jesus’ interaction with the young lawyer who asked what was the greatest law.  Jesus asked the young man what he thought.  The response, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.”  For many, that boils down to a mandate to “love.”   But, sigh, we know the saying, “love is blind!”  We tend to define what love looks like through our self-centered interests.  Love is not something that is written in words but is lived out in actions.  We see the riots in the name of justice, a form of love of neighbor, and wonder.  We don’t feel like we are leaping but crawling.

         So how do laws help us leap?  “Leap for joy?”  Leap over the river?  Leap Year to make the calendar synch with nature?  Laws set boundaries for our behavior and our hearts so that we know when we are in danger of hurting ourselves or hurting others. 

         -Yes, I am having a rough day with my spouse because of so much misinformation and misunderstanding but “law” calls me to stop and think before I “walk away” from commitment.  God does not stop loving me and making the sun shine but people get hurt and a big price is paid.

         -Yes, the other has deeply hurt me and “law” reminds me that I have choices, to seek revenge in my strength or to forgive.  “Law” helps me clarify if I’m dealing with sin or selfishness and can offer alternatives.

         -Yes, I’m tired and would love a little more sleep but “law” reminds me and helps me focus on doing things that feed my soul, like remembering to take a Sabbath from work and focus on the God who holds my life.

         Right now is a hard time to leap for joy as we try to sort out the types of law that are arguing without and within.   Today we are more likely to leap to prayer for our country and our leaders. As we struggle with how to frame the events in our lives, may we never forget that True Love, God, gave us “laws” that we might leap to him and over that which defeats us.  Blessings.    

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Nine Ladies Dancing

January 6, 2021

“On the ninth day of Christmas
my true love gave to me:

9 ladies dancing,

8 maids a milking, 7 Swans a Swimming, 6 Geese a Laying
5 Gold–en Rings
4 Calling Birds, 3 French Hens, 2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree”

Nine ladies dancing remind us of the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22): love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Paul is writing a letter to the people living in Galatia to warn them about the struggle between feelings that draw us away from God, sin, and feelings that draw us into True Love’s presence where there is no law but blessing. 

         Today is Epiphany when we celebrate the arrival of the wise men to see the Christ child, the babe of Bethlehem.  Their arrival is a “hands-on” example of the fruits of the Spirit.  These “men” came from somewhere East of Jerusalem so had to exert themselves to make the journey-showing patience.  They brought gifts-demonstrating love and joy.  They left by a different route, trying to avoid conflict and trouble by not reporting to Herod of the babe’s location.  The “slaughter of the innocents,” all the children under age two and the resulting flight of Joseph, Mary, and the babe to Egypt to live as refugees stand in stark contrast to the deeds of the wise men. 

         The desire of True Love’s heart is to bless and because we do not see with physical eyes his presence, we have glimpses of his activity when we see these Spiritual gifts being lived out.  Likewise we pray for these character qualities to define our lives, integrating our faith with our actions.  We seek to bless others as we seek to be obedient to the Holy Spirit within.  We identify the godly by the presence of the “nine ladies dancing.”

         Dancing implies activity and perhaps the author of the song wanted people to remember that our faith life is something that must be active and not just sit in a certificate in a dusty Bible or rest in our memories as a spiritual experience of ecstasy.  We can dance alone but as the wise men travel together, we dance and live the gifts in community.

         It’s hard to remember all nine gifts and often we just list the first three, love, joy and peace.  Take a few minutes to look at the whole list and ponder the qualities you might pray for True Love to demonstrate through you in 2021.  Self-control can certainly apply to dieting but it might also apply to control of my tongue in the presence of that person that gets to me.  May the partridge dance nine-fold in our life journey this year as we face challenges.  May we, like the wise men, be willing to bless the stranger, that we find in not-so-obvious, hidden away places like a manger in an unnoticed stable.  May we live out the blessing!  May the nine ladies dance in our lives!

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On the Eight Day of Christmas

January 5, 2021

“On the eighth day of Christmas
my true love gave to me:

8 maids a milking,
7 Swans a Swimming, 6 Geese a Laying
5 Golden Rings
4 Calling Birds, 3 French Hens, 2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree”

Eight maids are milking today.  Coffee shops could certainly use this for a logo.  What are the maids milking?  In Kenya where I worked for 25 years, the young girls could be milking cows if you were rich, but also goats, or even camels.  The milk provided the protein for the morning “chai” or tea that gave strength to work through the day.  Milk is the food that helps babies grow when they are helpless and cannot eat adult food.  So the connection of these eight maids to the eight beatitudes found in the Gospel of Matthew 5:3-12 is challenging. 

         Jesus lists eight “Beatitudes” or blessed states but they are not what we expect, “ Blessed are -the poor in spirit, -those who mourn, -the meek, those who hunger after righteousness, –the merciful, -the pure in heart, -the peacemakers, and -those persecuted.  Most of us would not choose any of these “blessings” except perhaps to be blessed with peacemaking and mercy.  None of us would choose to be a helpless baby (ask the unemployed, the elderly, the disabled who would long to contribute and are crying for milk – not the whole cow!) but we do want to have eight maids doing our work for us so we can have our morning tea or coffee.

         The eight beatitudes are each followed with a “for they shall be…” outcome.  Mourners shall be comforted.  Hunger and thirst for righteousness shall be satisfied.  Persecution for righteousness sake leads to the Kingdom of Heaven.  Does “the ends justify the means” or do the beatitudes remind of us a basic principle we must remember?  When we perceive ourselves as infants, challenged and unable to meet the challenge before us, the journey of faith leads to a blessed goal.  The beatitudes remind us that the difficulties and longings of this world are working for us to carry us to fulfilled existence, even as milk feeds the baby and helps the child grow.  That does not make the problems of this world “good” because evil is evil but it does affirm that “God works all things together for good,” walks with us helping us as maids help their caretaker, and is leading us to maturity. 

         Today is not the end of the journey; we are in process. We are not alone (eight maids – the community), and we are growing.  So how does that apply today?  I ponder where I might need milk to sustain my soul and encouragement from those working with me.  Is one of the beatitudes giving direction to your prayers this month or perhaps pray a different beatitude each month!  Let’s also not forget to look outward and think about whom we might give a “cup of water” or glass of milk to.  Who in our life is struggling and perhaps discouraged that we could bless?  Blessings are received and blessings are given by True Love who is working “all things together for good,” for our growth.  Open my eyes that I might see the beatitudes at work in 2021!

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