7 August 2014 - who do you say he is?
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
Peter experiences the fulfillment of God's promise to Jeremiah. He tells Jeremiah, "No longer will they have need to teach their friends and relatives how to know the LORD." And Peter does not learn who Jesus is from flesh and blood. It is the anointing of the Holy Spirit which gives this revelation to Peter, just as John tells us.
As for you, the anointing that you received from him remains in you, so that you do not need anyone to teach you. But his anointing teaches you about everything and is true and not false; just as it taught you, remain in him (cf. 1 Joh. 2:27).
The question of ultimate significance is who Jesus is for us. It won't matter on the last day if we can correctly answer what other people think about him. We have to confess with our mouth that "Jesus is Lord" and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead (cf. Rom. 10:9), because "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (cf. Act. 2:21), or more explicitly "he who believes and is baptized will be saved" (cf. Mar. 16:16).
It doesn't matter if we know what the Pope says about Jesus. It doesn't matter if we know what the Church says about Jesus. It matters what we say about Jesus. Peter is the rock against which the gates of Hell shall not prevail. The Church is the pillar and foundation of truth. They do speak with this voice of truth. They do clearly distinguish falsehood from sound doctrine. But they cannot make the confession for us. They can give us the words to speak. They do so faithfully. They do so without error. But we must speak the "good confession" from the depths of our own being.
For most of us, the confession of who Jesus is comes partly from us and in part from what we hear. How does the confession that Jesus is LORD truly become our own?
I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts;
I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
The LORD wants to "Create a clean heart" in all of us, because it is the pure of heart that see him (cf. Mat. 5:8). He wants to be seen! The more clearly we see him the more our confession of who he is becomes our own and not just hearsay. But mark, he does the work in us. It is not something which we can achieve through any strength we possess. He "creates" the heart he wants us to have. He "sustains" the Spirit he wants us to have. All we do is bring "hearts contrite and humbled", hearts ready to receive all that he wants to do in us.
It's a process. It's even a process for Peter, the rock. His idea of Jesus must still be refined by the fire of the paschal mystery. He never teaches error. Yet he has to hear “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” Even though the Father has revealed to him that Jesus is the Son of God there is more to Jesus than he imagines.
Create a clean and pure heart in us, O God, so that we can see Jesus, so that our vision of who he is. Let us fix our gaze upon him so that we "may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth" (cf. Eph 3:18) As we see him, let our hearts confess “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
6 August 2014 - shine, jesus, shine
6 August 2014 - shine, jesus, shine
And he was transfigured before them;
his face shone like the sun
and his clothes became white as light.
Jesus intentionally "took Peter, James, and his brother John" up the mountain so that he could be transfigured "before them". He shines before them. He becomes white as light before them. He does this for them. Moses and Elijah appear, not because so much because Jesus needs to see them, but because Jesus wants Peter, James, and John to see them. The voice from the cloud doesn't speak to Jesus but rather to everyone else.
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased;
listen to him.”
Even years later we can tell how profoundly Peter treasures this experience.
We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven
while we were with him on the holy mountain.
Moreover, we possess the prophetic message that is altogether reliable.
Peter, James, and John are given this vision to strengthen them. Jesus wants to convince them of who he is. He is the one about whom Daniel prophesies in the first reading.
One like a Son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
When he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
The one like a Son of man received dominion, glory, and kingship;
all peoples, nations, and languages serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.
They need to be convinced. They are about to witness this one who is now radiant with light and glory condemned, tortured, and put to death upon a cross. Moses and Elijah speak to Jesus about this (cf. Luk. 9:31) and Peter and the rest overhear it. Now, facing the desolation of the cross, they can look back to this event. This revelation, this theophany, can convince and convict them. It can give them the strength to turn back to Jesus when they would otherwise be overwhelmed by despair.
At first, the memory is just for them. But even at the time we see that they will eventually be telling the vision to anyone who will listen. The grace of the revelation is first for them. But Jesus lives. He is risen. The grace of the transfiguration is now for all. It can convince us and give us hope the same way it does for Peter, James, and John.
“Do not tell the vision to anyone
until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
It proves to us that the "prophetic message" is "altogether reliable" even when we face the crosses of our own lives.
You will do well to be attentive to it,
as to a lamp shining in a dark place,
until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
And so, even amid our own suffering we are now empowered to proclaim the kingship of the LORD most high.
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many islands be glad.
Clouds and darkness are round about him,
justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.
And he was transfigured before them;
his face shone like the sun
and his clothes became white as light.
Jesus intentionally "took Peter, James, and his brother John" up the mountain so that he could be transfigured "before them". He shines before them. He becomes white as light before them. He does this for them. Moses and Elijah appear, not because so much because Jesus needs to see them, but because Jesus wants Peter, James, and John to see them. The voice from the cloud doesn't speak to Jesus but rather to everyone else.
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased;
listen to him.”
Even years later we can tell how profoundly Peter treasures this experience.
We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven
while we were with him on the holy mountain.
Moreover, we possess the prophetic message that is altogether reliable.
Peter, James, and John are given this vision to strengthen them. Jesus wants to convince them of who he is. He is the one about whom Daniel prophesies in the first reading.
One like a Son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
When he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
The one like a Son of man received dominion, glory, and kingship;
all peoples, nations, and languages serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.
They need to be convinced. They are about to witness this one who is now radiant with light and glory condemned, tortured, and put to death upon a cross. Moses and Elijah speak to Jesus about this (cf. Luk. 9:31) and Peter and the rest overhear it. Now, facing the desolation of the cross, they can look back to this event. This revelation, this theophany, can convince and convict them. It can give them the strength to turn back to Jesus when they would otherwise be overwhelmed by despair.
At first, the memory is just for them. But even at the time we see that they will eventually be telling the vision to anyone who will listen. The grace of the revelation is first for them. But Jesus lives. He is risen. The grace of the transfiguration is now for all. It can convince us and give us hope the same way it does for Peter, James, and John.
“Do not tell the vision to anyone
until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
It proves to us that the "prophetic message" is "altogether reliable" even when we face the crosses of our own lives.
You will do well to be attentive to it,
as to a lamp shining in a dark place,
until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
And so, even amid our own suffering we are now empowered to proclaim the kingship of the LORD most high.
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many islands be glad.
Clouds and darkness are round about him,
justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
5 August 2014 - rooted speaking
5 August 2014 - rooted speaking
It is not what enters one’s mouth that defiles the man;
but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one.”
It is neither the wind nor the waves that have power over us. It is what we do that gets us into trouble. We see this starting from our inability to control our speech. James tells us, "If anyone does not fall short in speech, he is a perfect man, able to bridle his whole body also" (cf. Jam. 3:2). We realize that even if our success rate is pretty high, words we regret still slip past our guard from time to time.
This is why Paul is always admonishing his readers to avoid "silly or suggestive talk" (cf. Eph. 5:4) and "profane, idle talk" (cf. 2 Tim. 2:16). James tells us that it is a big deal what we do with our speech because it can set our course like a rudder does for a boat. Paul tells us just what the mouth is for and how to use it to keep our boats on course. For each one of us, the main purpose of speech is so that if "you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (cf. Rom. 10:9). From that point of view it only makes sense that "No foul language should come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for needed edification, that it may impart grace to those who hear" (cf. Eph 4:29).
But we can't be like Hananiah yesterday and just speak the good that seems best to us without reference to the LORD. The Pharisees today are doing what they think is best, too. They want to bring devotion to the masses, letting the peoples engage more deeply with their religion through ritual washing and the like. But the good that they promote isn't a good that is close to God's heart. We need to be rooted in God and speak the nourishing good we receive through him.
He said in reply, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.
When we are rooted in him he will empower us to share his good news rather than our own. We will say with the psalmist that "The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory" and be fully convinced of it. Rooted in God we will tell the world with all sincerity that he "looked down from his holy height, from heaven he beheld the earth, to hear the groaning of prisoners, to release those doomed to die." We are convinced of this because, as branches of the vine, as plants rooted in good soil, we receive that very salvation from the LORD. This is what happens when we use our speech in accord with the purpose of the one who gave it to us. Then we can then tell the world things that seem almost too good to be true and yet to be convincing.
Thus says the LORD:
See! I will restore the tents of Jacob,
his dwellings I will pity;
City shall be rebuilt upon hill,
and palace restored as it was.
From them will resound songs of praise,
the laughter of happy men.
I will make them not few, but many;
they will not be tiny, for I will glorify them.
His sons shall be as of old,
his assembly before me shall stand firm;
I will punish all his oppressors.
His leader shall be one of his own,
and his rulers shall come from his kin.
When I summon him, he shall approach me;
how else should one take the deadly risk
of approaching me? says the LORD.
You shall be my people,
and I will be your God.
It is not what enters one’s mouth that defiles the man;
but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one.”
It is neither the wind nor the waves that have power over us. It is what we do that gets us into trouble. We see this starting from our inability to control our speech. James tells us, "If anyone does not fall short in speech, he is a perfect man, able to bridle his whole body also" (cf. Jam. 3:2). We realize that even if our success rate is pretty high, words we regret still slip past our guard from time to time.
This is why Paul is always admonishing his readers to avoid "silly or suggestive talk" (cf. Eph. 5:4) and "profane, idle talk" (cf. 2 Tim. 2:16). James tells us that it is a big deal what we do with our speech because it can set our course like a rudder does for a boat. Paul tells us just what the mouth is for and how to use it to keep our boats on course. For each one of us, the main purpose of speech is so that if "you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (cf. Rom. 10:9). From that point of view it only makes sense that "No foul language should come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for needed edification, that it may impart grace to those who hear" (cf. Eph 4:29).
But we can't be like Hananiah yesterday and just speak the good that seems best to us without reference to the LORD. The Pharisees today are doing what they think is best, too. They want to bring devotion to the masses, letting the peoples engage more deeply with their religion through ritual washing and the like. But the good that they promote isn't a good that is close to God's heart. We need to be rooted in God and speak the nourishing good we receive through him.
He said in reply, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.
When we are rooted in him he will empower us to share his good news rather than our own. We will say with the psalmist that "The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory" and be fully convinced of it. Rooted in God we will tell the world with all sincerity that he "looked down from his holy height, from heaven he beheld the earth, to hear the groaning of prisoners, to release those doomed to die." We are convinced of this because, as branches of the vine, as plants rooted in good soil, we receive that very salvation from the LORD. This is what happens when we use our speech in accord with the purpose of the one who gave it to us. Then we can then tell the world things that seem almost too good to be true and yet to be convincing.
Thus says the LORD:
See! I will restore the tents of Jacob,
his dwellings I will pity;
City shall be rebuilt upon hill,
and palace restored as it was.
From them will resound songs of praise,
the laughter of happy men.
I will make them not few, but many;
they will not be tiny, for I will glorify them.
His sons shall be as of old,
his assembly before me shall stand firm;
I will punish all his oppressors.
His leader shall be one of his own,
and his rulers shall come from his kin.
When I summon him, he shall approach me;
how else should one take the deadly risk
of approaching me? says the LORD.
You shall be my people,
and I will be your God.
Monday, August 4, 2014
4 August 2014 - take courage
4 August 2014 - take courage
During the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them, walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.
“It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear.
At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Yes, Jesus, give us courage. You can be hard to recognize in the storm. You might seem like just another malevolent force, a ghost, or random chance. Let us hear you. You do not save "have courage" or "create courage." You say, "Take courage" and we receive. You say "do not be afraid" and our fear takes flight. We pray that Saint John Paul the Great would also speak this beloved phrase of his to our hearts.
LORD, we are being tossed by the waves. The wind is against us. We are tempted to believe prophets like Hananiah who tell us exactly what we want to hear. They tell us that the storms are stopping right now and that the waves are being stilled. And yet to such prophets the true prophet says, "The LORD has not sent you, and you have raised false confidence in this people."
The LORD isn't necessarily telling us that society is just fine, or that it will be soon, or that our circumstances will be fixed right away. Sometimes the wind and the waves continue. Sometimes he inspires us to get even closer to those circumstances than we were. Sometimes he himself is right out there in the midst of it all.
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
If we are moving toward him he will protect us, even when the waves seem overwhelming, even when our faith fails.
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him,
and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
In the end he is trying to convince us that it isn't about what is going on around us. Neither is it all about us always responding perfectly. We just need to move toward him. We just need to reach out to him when we feel ourselves fall.
After they got into the boat, the wind died down.
Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,
“Truly, you are the Son of God.”
You are the Son of God, Jesus. Convince us that this is true even in the storms of death and life. No storm can keep us from you!
With this confidence we desire you to teach us your statues. We know that they are for our good. Rather than false prophets of comfort, "in your ordinances is my hope".
During the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them, walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.
“It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear.
At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Yes, Jesus, give us courage. You can be hard to recognize in the storm. You might seem like just another malevolent force, a ghost, or random chance. Let us hear you. You do not save "have courage" or "create courage." You say, "Take courage" and we receive. You say "do not be afraid" and our fear takes flight. We pray that Saint John Paul the Great would also speak this beloved phrase of his to our hearts.
LORD, we are being tossed by the waves. The wind is against us. We are tempted to believe prophets like Hananiah who tell us exactly what we want to hear. They tell us that the storms are stopping right now and that the waves are being stilled. And yet to such prophets the true prophet says, "The LORD has not sent you, and you have raised false confidence in this people."
The LORD isn't necessarily telling us that society is just fine, or that it will be soon, or that our circumstances will be fixed right away. Sometimes the wind and the waves continue. Sometimes he inspires us to get even closer to those circumstances than we were. Sometimes he himself is right out there in the midst of it all.
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
If we are moving toward him he will protect us, even when the waves seem overwhelming, even when our faith fails.
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him,
and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
In the end he is trying to convince us that it isn't about what is going on around us. Neither is it all about us always responding perfectly. We just need to move toward him. We just need to reach out to him when we feel ourselves fall.
After they got into the boat, the wind died down.
Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,
“Truly, you are the Son of God.”
You are the Son of God, Jesus. Convince us that this is true even in the storms of death and life. No storm can keep us from you!
With this confidence we desire you to teach us your statues. We know that they are for our good. Rather than false prophets of comfort, "in your ordinances is my hope".
Sunday, August 3, 2014
3 August 2014 - thou givest them their food in due season.
3 August 2014 - thou givest them their food in due season.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He makes the crowds lie down on green pastures and prepares a feast for them. "The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs." If he answers all of our needs it can only be because he knows what they are. Indeed, when he sees the vast crowd "his heart was moved with pity for them" and he cures them. He himself knows the crowd is hungry before anyone mentions it to him.
We can trust Jesus with all of our needs. No matter how many of us there are, no matter how varied our needs, we are not forgotten, and his abundance is not exhausted.
The eyes of all look hopefully to you,
and you give them their food in due season;
you open your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
Whether our needs exist on the natural level or whether our hunger is a supernatural hunger for him none of it escapes his notice. None of it is beyond his concern. He reminds us that birds of the air don't so, reap, or store away in barns and yet enjoy his providence (cf. Mat. 6:26). How much more can we trust him! We may have difficulties (and in fact he promises we will) but we will always have what we need.
Yet we continue to be anxious as if we won't get something we need or to hold what we need when we have it. He invites all who thirst to come to him to receive the water which will not leave us thirsty again. He wants to give us the water of life that can well up to eternal life in us. Eternal life is a place beyond the reach anxiety! Anxiety is time-bound and passing away. Jesus invites us to stop spending our efforts on futile pursuits and instead to taste to bread of heaven. Our efforts cannot earn this so we anxiety can't help us here. It is a freely given gift. Everything else, all for which we work so hard, ultimately "fails to satisfy" but not the bread that Jesus gives. He invites us to come to him heedfully that we might have life, life which can only be found in the bread and wine of the Eucharist, the water of life that rushes upon us in the person of the Holy Spirit.
Because Jesus knows what we need and makes it so superabundantly available we can trust him. We can be convinced like Paul that nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus precisely because Jesus will allow nothing to do so. The thing which we would most fear might do this, death itself, cannot do so. It is defeated and disarmed. The Eucharist is the bread of life, and if we just listen heedfully and come to Jesus here we will have life. More so than the crowds, when we come to Jesus to meet our needs we truly eat and are satisfied.
It can start small. Sometimes it starts with just a few loaves and fish. When Jesus asks for something from us which seems to small to help let us not hold back. It isn't ultimately about whether or not we have enough. It is about what Jesus can do with it. And with him, there will even be enough for left overs!
Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He makes the crowds lie down on green pastures and prepares a feast for them. "The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs." If he answers all of our needs it can only be because he knows what they are. Indeed, when he sees the vast crowd "his heart was moved with pity for them" and he cures them. He himself knows the crowd is hungry before anyone mentions it to him.
We can trust Jesus with all of our needs. No matter how many of us there are, no matter how varied our needs, we are not forgotten, and his abundance is not exhausted.
The eyes of all look hopefully to you,
and you give them their food in due season;
you open your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
Whether our needs exist on the natural level or whether our hunger is a supernatural hunger for him none of it escapes his notice. None of it is beyond his concern. He reminds us that birds of the air don't so, reap, or store away in barns and yet enjoy his providence (cf. Mat. 6:26). How much more can we trust him! We may have difficulties (and in fact he promises we will) but we will always have what we need.
Yet we continue to be anxious as if we won't get something we need or to hold what we need when we have it. He invites all who thirst to come to him to receive the water which will not leave us thirsty again. He wants to give us the water of life that can well up to eternal life in us. Eternal life is a place beyond the reach anxiety! Anxiety is time-bound and passing away. Jesus invites us to stop spending our efforts on futile pursuits and instead to taste to bread of heaven. Our efforts cannot earn this so we anxiety can't help us here. It is a freely given gift. Everything else, all for which we work so hard, ultimately "fails to satisfy" but not the bread that Jesus gives. He invites us to come to him heedfully that we might have life, life which can only be found in the bread and wine of the Eucharist, the water of life that rushes upon us in the person of the Holy Spirit.
Because Jesus knows what we need and makes it so superabundantly available we can trust him. We can be convinced like Paul that nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus precisely because Jesus will allow nothing to do so. The thing which we would most fear might do this, death itself, cannot do so. It is defeated and disarmed. The Eucharist is the bread of life, and if we just listen heedfully and come to Jesus here we will have life. More so than the crowds, when we come to Jesus to meet our needs we truly eat and are satisfied.
It can start small. Sometimes it starts with just a few loaves and fish. When Jesus asks for something from us which seems to small to help let us not hold back. It isn't ultimately about whether or not we have enough. It is about what Jesus can do with it. And with him, there will even be enough for left overs!
Saturday, August 2, 2014
2 August 2014 - speak life
2 August 2014 - speak life
Speaking the word of God honestly can be risky.
We try to speak truth but people tend to only hear the negative. When they listen to Jeremiah they only hear that "he has prophesied against this city". They're missing the point of course. Jeremiah isn't preaching out of animosity toward the city. God doesn't send him for condemnation. He wants the people to reform their ways and listen to the voice of God. He wants to save them from the evil they will experience if they keep persist. Yet even in tough cases like this we still have to speak if we are called. It isn't up to us whether they choose to hear. With Jeremiah they do choose to here. But it is a close call. Only one guy gets it at first, but he eventually helps to convince everyone. “This man does not deserve death; LORD, our God, that he speaks to us.” But even if that don't chose to listen, as King Herod does not with John the Baptist, the choice of whether or not to speak still isn't up to us.
The king was distressed,
but because of his oaths and the guests who were present,
he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison.
The important thing is to give everyone a chance to respond:
If I say to the wicked, You shall surely die—and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade the wicked from their evil conduct in order to save their lives—then they shall die for their sin, but I will hold you responsible for their blood. If, however, you warn the wicked and they still do not turn from their wickedness and evil conduct, they shall die for their sin, but you shall save your life (cf. Eze. 3:18-19).
In the face of opposition the selfishness in us would prefer to keep silent about the gospel. We really need to have the experience of Jeremiah where we truly discover God's word. When we devour his word so that it is our joy and the happiness of our hearts we can't keep silent. We since the urgency that will make even the rocks cry out if we keep silent. Woe to us if we don't preach! We can't keep it shut up inside ourselves anymore!
Yet because there is this diversity of response, because there are those who need to hear but who won't be happy to hear, we must trust in God. If we rely on ourselves at such times then wounds to our ego and the risk of such wounds is going to keep us quiet. We will put ourselves first. And that is a big problem for the people who need to hear what we have to say. For our own sake and for theirs we need to rely on God.
But I am afflicted and in pain;
let your saving help, O God, protect me.
I will praise the name of God in song,
and I will glorify him with thanksgiving.
When we do rely on him we add an additional layer to our testimony to the world around us. God can be relied on. He can be trusted. He is worthy of our absolute trust, and that regardless of the short term outcome. The world has to believe that everything is ultimately futile, ending in death and entropy. Testimonies like that of John the Baptist prove the world wrong. His trust in spite of apparent futility challenges the world to look beyond its own limited horizons. His cry will be heard and on the last day the bonds of death will be broken.
“See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor,
and his own who are in bonds he spurns not.”
Speaking the word of God honestly can be risky.
We try to speak truth but people tend to only hear the negative. When they listen to Jeremiah they only hear that "he has prophesied against this city". They're missing the point of course. Jeremiah isn't preaching out of animosity toward the city. God doesn't send him for condemnation. He wants the people to reform their ways and listen to the voice of God. He wants to save them from the evil they will experience if they keep persist. Yet even in tough cases like this we still have to speak if we are called. It isn't up to us whether they choose to hear. With Jeremiah they do choose to here. But it is a close call. Only one guy gets it at first, but he eventually helps to convince everyone. “This man does not deserve death; LORD, our God, that he speaks to us.” But even if that don't chose to listen, as King Herod does not with John the Baptist, the choice of whether or not to speak still isn't up to us.
The king was distressed,
but because of his oaths and the guests who were present,
he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison.
The important thing is to give everyone a chance to respond:
If I say to the wicked, You shall surely die—and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade the wicked from their evil conduct in order to save their lives—then they shall die for their sin, but I will hold you responsible for their blood. If, however, you warn the wicked and they still do not turn from their wickedness and evil conduct, they shall die for their sin, but you shall save your life (cf. Eze. 3:18-19).
In the face of opposition the selfishness in us would prefer to keep silent about the gospel. We really need to have the experience of Jeremiah where we truly discover God's word. When we devour his word so that it is our joy and the happiness of our hearts we can't keep silent. We since the urgency that will make even the rocks cry out if we keep silent. Woe to us if we don't preach! We can't keep it shut up inside ourselves anymore!
Yet because there is this diversity of response, because there are those who need to hear but who won't be happy to hear, we must trust in God. If we rely on ourselves at such times then wounds to our ego and the risk of such wounds is going to keep us quiet. We will put ourselves first. And that is a big problem for the people who need to hear what we have to say. For our own sake and for theirs we need to rely on God.
But I am afflicted and in pain;
let your saving help, O God, protect me.
I will praise the name of God in song,
and I will glorify him with thanksgiving.
When we do rely on him we add an additional layer to our testimony to the world around us. God can be relied on. He can be trusted. He is worthy of our absolute trust, and that regardless of the short term outcome. The world has to believe that everything is ultimately futile, ending in death and entropy. Testimonies like that of John the Baptist prove the world wrong. His trust in spite of apparent futility challenges the world to look beyond its own limited horizons. His cry will be heard and on the last day the bonds of death will be broken.
“See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor,
and his own who are in bonds he spurns not.”
Friday, August 1, 2014
1 August 2014 - living god
1 August 2014 - living god
Perhaps they will listen and turn back,
each from his evil way,
so that I may repent of the evil I have planned to inflict upon them
for their evil deeds.
Even when he speaks hard words to his people the LORD does it because he wants to save us. He gives us his law and the words of the prophets constantly so that we don't end up in ruins like the city of Shiloh. He doesn't want to see us desolate and deserted. In fact, he wants us to be a holy nation, a royal priesthood, a people set apart to proclaim his marvelous deeds (cf. 1 Pet. 2:9). He wants fellow citizens with the saints, not strangers or sojourners (cf. Eph. 2:19). He wants to build us into a temple of living stones (cf. 1 Pet 2:5). He wants to make us a new creation (cf 2 Cor. 5:17, Gal. 6:15)!
But hard words are hard to hear. Duh, right? But we don't completely shut our ears. We are lukewarm, keeping his words at a distance. Even if we don't go quite as far as saying, "You must be put to death!" to the one who speaks them, we still don't let them have their full effect in us. We find excuses for why we don't have to take these words as seriously as we know we should.
“Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds?
Is he not the carpenter’s son?
Is not his mother named Mary
and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
Are not his sisters all with us?
Where did this man get all this?”
And they took offense at him.
Even the mighty deeds that surround Jesus aren't enough for us when we don't like his teaching. We let our past experiences determine our future expectations. This, we think, is the Jesus we know. When he starts to do things that are surprising, when he says, "See, I am doing a new thing" (cf. Isa 43:19) we turn our attention from the living God to the static Jesus of our memories. This is just a defense mechanism against the change and repentance toward which we are called. But if we indulge it we will find that "he did not work many mighty deeds there
because of their lack of faith." We are the native places of Jesus now. He lives in us (cf. Joh. 14:23). We must be vigilant and attentive to him lest we mistake our memories for genuine relationship.
If we embrace the zeal that Jeremiah shows we will keep the relationship genuine. If we listen to the words God speaks and "omit nothing" he will be able to give us the transformation he desires us to have.
Since for your sake I bear insult,
and shame covers my face.
I have become an outcast to my brothers,
a stranger to my mother’s sons,
Because zeal for your house consumes me,
and the insults of those who blaspheme you fall upon me.
Repentance is hard because we have to let go of who we were. Not only that, it is hard because who we become is set apart from the world. The world doesn't know what to make of us. We have to be willing to live lives which are unashamed. We have to be willing to bear insults for the kingdom. Hard? For sure. OK, it's actually impossible. But with God all things are possible (cf Mat. 19:26, Luk. 1:37). So let us ask God to keep us attentive to his presence in the hear and now. Let us ask him to purify our expectations so that he is free to do new things and mighty deeds in our midst.
But I pray to you, O LORD,
for the time of your favor, O God!
In your great kindness answer me
with your constant help.
Perhaps they will listen and turn back,
each from his evil way,
so that I may repent of the evil I have planned to inflict upon them
for their evil deeds.
Even when he speaks hard words to his people the LORD does it because he wants to save us. He gives us his law and the words of the prophets constantly so that we don't end up in ruins like the city of Shiloh. He doesn't want to see us desolate and deserted. In fact, he wants us to be a holy nation, a royal priesthood, a people set apart to proclaim his marvelous deeds (cf. 1 Pet. 2:9). He wants fellow citizens with the saints, not strangers or sojourners (cf. Eph. 2:19). He wants to build us into a temple of living stones (cf. 1 Pet 2:5). He wants to make us a new creation (cf 2 Cor. 5:17, Gal. 6:15)!
But hard words are hard to hear. Duh, right? But we don't completely shut our ears. We are lukewarm, keeping his words at a distance. Even if we don't go quite as far as saying, "You must be put to death!" to the one who speaks them, we still don't let them have their full effect in us. We find excuses for why we don't have to take these words as seriously as we know we should.
“Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds?
Is he not the carpenter’s son?
Is not his mother named Mary
and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
Are not his sisters all with us?
Where did this man get all this?”
And they took offense at him.
Even the mighty deeds that surround Jesus aren't enough for us when we don't like his teaching. We let our past experiences determine our future expectations. This, we think, is the Jesus we know. When he starts to do things that are surprising, when he says, "See, I am doing a new thing" (cf. Isa 43:19) we turn our attention from the living God to the static Jesus of our memories. This is just a defense mechanism against the change and repentance toward which we are called. But if we indulge it we will find that "he did not work many mighty deeds there
because of their lack of faith." We are the native places of Jesus now. He lives in us (cf. Joh. 14:23). We must be vigilant and attentive to him lest we mistake our memories for genuine relationship.
If we embrace the zeal that Jeremiah shows we will keep the relationship genuine. If we listen to the words God speaks and "omit nothing" he will be able to give us the transformation he desires us to have.
Since for your sake I bear insult,
and shame covers my face.
I have become an outcast to my brothers,
a stranger to my mother’s sons,
Because zeal for your house consumes me,
and the insults of those who blaspheme you fall upon me.
Repentance is hard because we have to let go of who we were. Not only that, it is hard because who we become is set apart from the world. The world doesn't know what to make of us. We have to be willing to live lives which are unashamed. We have to be willing to bear insults for the kingdom. Hard? For sure. OK, it's actually impossible. But with God all things are possible (cf Mat. 19:26, Luk. 1:37). So let us ask God to keep us attentive to his presence in the hear and now. Let us ask him to purify our expectations so that he is free to do new things and mighty deeds in our midst.
But I pray to you, O LORD,
for the time of your favor, O God!
In your great kindness answer me
with your constant help.
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