Read those few passages first- https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2020&version=NIV

We’re looking at Mary Magdalene at my church this week and I thought maybe I’d blog about it to get my thoughts down. Mary Magdalene has gotten a bad wrap for a long time. Thought to have been a prostitute or had an illicit relationship with Jesus or perhaps she married him and had kids. None of that is in the Bible but I guess it makes a fun story if you want to stir the pot and make people angry.

We do know Jesus healed her of demons and that she was around with the disciples, likely in the inner circle, but most importantly she’s at both the crucifixion and the resurrection.

This small point didn’t occur to me until later. She comes before the disciples with the spice girls- tells the guys about what’s going on- then comes back with Peter and John. She cries. She sits. She waits.

And what happens?

Jesus shows up.

Wait for the Lord! That’s the theme for most of the Bible. Mary does this and she is rewarded. It’s good to sit and cry in your grief. It’s ok not to gloss over things and sit and stew. Jesus shows up in grief and in waiting. He calls Mary by name and He does the same for you and I. Mary responds by calling out- “Teacher.” Mary is the first Jesus appears to. He reassures her that it’s him and to tell the others.

If Jesus has shown up to you in your grief- tell others. Cry with others who cry but know that some day Jesus will show up and take away all our tears.

Read this first: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2019%3A1-10&version=NIV

A friend led a devotional thought today that focused on these well known verses. First it leads to my favorite youth group ice breaker question- what if you meet Jesus and He’s everything you’ve always known but he’s 4 feet tall. How thrown would you be?

Maybe this story encourages that not to be true as Jesus is clearly taller than the wee little man. But perceptions are funny things. Jesus would be no less Savior at any height. The wee man in this story is of course Zaccheus, a man who wants to see Jesus. A man Jesus wants to see and so he says- I’m going to your house today! And Zaccheus responds with joy! Would you do the same? Would I do the same? To be honest my first reaction isn’t joy. My first reaction is well Jesus give me an hour or two to clean first. I want to make things right for you. I suppose that’s the Martha in me. Mary would just sit at Jesus feet. Jesus does this with others. He’s always inviting himself into people’s homes and hearts. It’s not the other way around. Jesus never says- come over to my place! I’ve got a meal for you. No he says- what you got? Even if it’s not much- he will take it and make that better. Why? Perhaps because too often what we think we have and our isn’t enough. And God says- nope I’m going to use you- even in your sin- even in your weakness- even when you think you’re awful- I’m going to use you. Even one kid’s lunch of tiny loaves and fish- mattered why wouldn’t you matter?

I was also reading the story of Jesus and the woman at the well- it’s a long convoluted story and so often forgotten is the part at the end- Jesus stays in town and talks with the woman and her friends for two days following. He doesn’t just swoop in and swoop out. No Jesus is a God who stays.

It’s no work to go over to someone else’s house and stay or have a meal. It’s another to have someone stay at your house and cook for them. That’s work- that requires hospitality.

As a Lutheran Christians I think too often I focus more on heaven- going to God’s house and he will just take care of us someday- then in Jesus wants to be in my house now- in fact he already is.

My house could be cleaned up of all the sin I bring in- it could be so much better. Yet I don’t really care that much about my house. If I stay at someone else’s house to take care of their place while on vacation or even to visit- I’m ridiculously careful and clean with it. Same when someone else comes over to my house. But for some reason when it’s just myself- I get apathetic and I don’t care.

I think the same is true of my spiritual life-too often I just don’t care. A lie here, a week without prayer there, 6 months without typing up much of a devotion online here, because it doesn’t really matter- Jesus loves me anyway. That’s cheap grace. I’m good at cheap grace. Sure God still gives it regardless, but I’m missing out on Jesus in my home. Jesus in my daily walk. Jesus in the ordinary every moment of every meal- not Jesus off in the distance. The relationship with Jesus isn’t something that starts after death- it’s now. Jesus wants to be in my home and in my heart. I pray that he changes me and becomes more and more apart of my life and home and yours too.

God bless.

Read this first: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2078&version=NIV

This is an amazing chapter! It starts with what sounds like a wizened old man sitting around the camp fire saying “Gather round, you need to hear what I’ve learned that was passed down to me by my grandpappy and will be passed down to you.”

Then he goes on to tell the tale. The tale of what God done has done for His people Israel. The family story. It includes seas parting, plagues, and scary things, but God coming through to save his people and his people saying- nah don’t need you. We’d rather go on our own way- even refers to them as sheep in the dessert an obvious analogy but one I’ve never listened to before making a sheep puppet and focusing on him for a year.

There’s some great verses in here:

But they continued to sin against him,
    rebelling in the wilderness against the Most High.
¹⁸ They willfully put God to the test
    by demanding the food they craved.

Yet he gave a command to the skies above
    and opened the doors of the heavens;
²⁴ he rained down manna for the people to eat,
    he gave them the grain of heaven.

In spite of all this, they kept on sinning;
    in spite of his wonders, they did not believe.
³³ So he ended their days in futility
    and their years in terror.

Insanity. After getting grain from heaven at the doorstep every day the sinning continued. We’re so steeped in it- we cannot stop even when it’s clearly obvious where God is coming from. It’s true for me. I’ve struggled with the same sins I have since I was a teen. Wish it wasn’t true but it is and this has been happening for ages.

Then he ends by discussing another shepherd.

He chose David his servant
    and took him from the sheep pens;
⁷¹ from tending the sheep he brought him
    to be the shepherd of his people Jacob,
    of Israel his inheritance.
⁷² And David shepherded them with integrity of heart;
    with skillful hands he led them.

I’m reminded of the good shepherd who was to come. Though out of Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus he’s the only one we are not told had sheep. Perhaps that’s because he was one. How crazy that the shepherd becomes the sheep. And the other sheep reject him. Yet he still leads us. Perhaps that’s too much of a mixed metaphor. But I’m thankful for a God who can create the universe, yet relate to people, to sheep, and to shepherd, and love better than anyone or anything. To Him be the praise!

Be blessed and be a blessing!

I was recently asked how I planned to change the culture that is continually going against the Bible. I didn’t have a good answer at the time.  I really didn’t like the question.  I didn’t know why.

It finally occurred to me- I don’t think Jesus tried to change Roman culture.  He tried to change the Jewish Church culture sure.  But I don’t think he was yelling at the Romans- Stop making Caesar your God!  Stop the infanticide! Stop the naked wrestling!  Stop all of it! 

No I think his goal was to change hearts and He knew those hearts would change the culture. Roman civilization is no longer a problem.  Our sinful hearts still are. How did He stop sin?  Well if you read the Old Testament we find a God who does all He can to stop people from sinning.  A nation with no king but God?  Done.  A world with only one family in it because everyone else was destroyed for their sin?  Done.  Did any of that stop the sin?  Nope. The answer was God would take on the sin Himself.  Forgiveness is the answer.  Jesus is the answer.  I want my life and all that I do to point to Him.  Do I fail at it?  Yep.  Does the church fail at it and need correction? Yep.  But yelling at the culture to stop sinning seems silly.  Point out what those sins leads to and more importantly point to Jesus who saves from sin.  

Read this first: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2077&version=NIV

Been awhile so I’m not certain if that link even works anymore- sorry about that. It’s good for me to be back in God’s word in this way. But it does require some discipline. Maybe the cold weather will bring me back to the screen.

Just last night a kid pointed out that where he found the Bible the most boring in his quest to read through the whole Bible as a family- was psalms. It would have been my last guess as to boring books, but then he pointed out that it was by far the longest and Psalm 119 was killing him. Which I thought was odd until I remembered this blog- I was guilty of the same thing. How often does that happen? That we get mad at someone else for the wrong that we have done? It keeps you humble and it’s happened to me more than I’d like to admit.

This Psalm is one of calling out to God and not getting the response when we want it. Couldn’t be more appropriate for the year and maybe for this week. I want this election over now. Yet there’s more important things than the election even though the world will tell you otherwise- primarily because there’s so little else going on in the world. It’s two old white guys who probably won’t change much of anything one or another- people’s reaction to what happens though could be significant. My reaction could be significant. But I’ve already voted and who ever becomes president will need my prayer. And I will need to pray for them.

However I love these last words:

Your path led through the sea,
    your way through the mighty waters,
    though your footprints were not seen.

²⁰ You led your people like a flock
    by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

So even though God might seem quiet right or unseen right now- that doesn’t mean he isn’t doing something great.

Imagine people coming an hour after the red sea has parted and the Egyptian army has been swept away. It would look like nothing had happened. You would be blissfully unaware. How often do we walk by places or lives where God has done incredible things but we don’t even know? How awesome is that!

I pray for peace this week and an efficient vote count. I pray that your ways Lord wouldn’t be hidden but instead would be seen. Change us and make us more like you!

Read this first:

You are radiant with light,
    more majestic than mountains rich with game.

Recently had a friend say on line at one of my favorite spots in the sawtooth mountains that it was overrated. It’s easy to love mountains. They just sit there and look pretty. It’s hard to love people and yet God thinks they’re greater than the mountains. Yes God is our rock the place where our help comes from but that’s where the analogy breaks down. You can only receive from mountains. You can’t really give to them and they can’t really give anything back. It’s a bit of a once sided- hey you look nice relationship. It’s a bit shallow.

It’s hard to love God. It’s hard to love people. It’s easy to love yourself. It’s easy to loath yourself. Yet God calls us to be greater and better. We’re called to love God and our sinful neighbors.

Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them;
    let all the neighboring lands
    bring gifts to the One to be feared.

We can give gifts to God when we give to our neighbor. We can give Him praise in song and so much more.

Yet it’s so freaking hard this year. We’ve become consumed with the problems and judgement rather than grace and love. We’ve been forced to be alone and often fall in line with broad political solutions to very specific problems where the political solution may have done nothing to solve the specific problem. The solution is Jesus and it’s love and the problem is sadly inside of me and you and until we can see that- I don’t see how any political solution is going to help.

Read this first: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2075&version=NIV

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged. I did a VBS since the last time I was on here and got out of the habit. I was doing devotional writing in a different way and then I got out of the habit. I can’t run today because the air quality from all the fires nearby is awful. The sky is a lovely yellow, brown mix. I need to something for my mental health so thought I’d come back to this and of course what does the Psalm say? Praise God. If ever there was a week for lament it’s now. The list of things I can’t do and don’t know how to do is long. Worship starts back next week sort of but we don’t really know how to do that. Last night I had a really hard time just saving Sunday’s service onto my computer that process took 4 hours. I turn 40 in two weeks and I’ve lived alone for 6 months and haven’t been able to leave my house for forever and it’s a mess.

This is my life and there’s more. What is there to praise God for?

I still have internet. I still have power. I don’t need to worry about where to put my kids and my animals- that was a concern for many people this week. I have water. I have family near by. None of my family has had to evacuate. I have made some new virtual friends during this time. I’m safe. I have a God who loves me. No one at church is pushing me to do more. It’s just my own head. The fires aren’t close by even thought the smoke makes it appear that they are. The fires actually are reducing and we should have rain on Monday night? Sunday I play fantasy football. I have lots of food in the fridge and no need to leave. I have a fridge. That wasn’t a thing Jesus had.

This is my life.

On the other hand- I still have God. I have forgiveness. I have a church that is super supportive of me. The bad air quality is either temporary or we’re all moving on. 2020 will end and 2021 will come. There’s lots of good people caring for others at this time. It’s just ugly out for now. Hopefully that will help me to be thankful in the future.

The other thing this passage says is God will avenge. We have culprits for all that’s going on. It’s always political: bad forest management, climate change, looters, antifa, everyone’s gotten blame. The truth is it’s high winds and hot temperatures in September. That’s a bad mix. You can blame who ever you want but it’s not going to help. That will be shown eventually for now. I think it’s time to mourn, fight the fires, and give praise where you can find it and know that God’s perfect justice will prevail in due time.

Praise God! There’s still good to be found and we’re only half way through Psalms. There’s a lot more praises to be said!

Read this first: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2074&version=NIV

We are given no signs from God;
    no prophets are left,
    and none of us knows how long this will be.
¹⁰ How long will the enemy mock you, God?
    Will the foe revile your name forever?
¹¹ Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?
    Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them!

¹² But God is my King from long ago;
    he brings salvation on the earth.

How long will this tribulation last? It’s a question we’re asking right now. When will normal be? I don’t know. But in this weirdness we’re learning new things. We’re learning how evil and divided and divisive we are. We’re learning how to deal when we think the enemy is us, when the enemy is still us. We’re looking for signs of hope. Many myself included have started to have panic attacks and are dealing with depression. But at least in Oregon-we’re healthy for now. There seem to be signs that the spread of covid is slowing. The weather is great. VBS is coming along. I had a great day with my dad- wasted some of it discussing politics- things we never really did before and I never really cared.

Politics have never been the answer. More violence is rarely the answer. Escalation is not an answer. How do we de-escalate? How do we move conversation from debate to the things of God?

Prayer has to be part of that discussion. Prayer with those we disagree and prayer for the ongoing divide amongst us. God come. Bring us your peace on this Sabbath day. Bring salvation to us. Save this nation. Help us to repent. We have much to repent for. For assuming the worst in our leaders. For assuming the worst of those on the opposite political aisle. Help us to sit down and have a pancake and see how we might learn from one another to make America a more peaceful more united place that looks to you and looks to love rather than trying to cancel each other out for a different viewpoint.

Help us to seek peace, love, and Jesus before fighting to be right. Bring your salvation upon us all. Make us more like you and your love.

Read this first: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+73&version=ESV

There was a lot of meat to chew on here!

The beginning stood out to me:

But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,
    my steps had nearly slipped.
³ For I was envious of the arrogant
    when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Yep I’ve done that. I’ve often thought things would be simpler if I just looked out for number one. If I didn’t go to church on Sundays I could get more free time, I could avoid church voter’s meetings, dances at church that don’t have alcohol, so many things I could get away from and there are non-believers who seem quite successful. Then he goes into his logic and it gets more and more sad. I don’t think I envy these people he’s talking about.

⁴ For they have no pangs until death;
    their bodies are fat and sleek.
⁵ They are not in trouble as others are;
    they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.
⁶ Therefore pride is their necklace;
    violence covers them as a garment.
⁷ Their eyes swell out through fatness;
    their hearts overflow with follies.

This is an aside but it’s interesting that he describes non-believers as fat and sleek. Those two words don’t go together. Almost sounds like he’s describing a seal. According to the dictionary that can mean rich and stylish not necessarily aerodynamic. But I think fat works to describe someone who is me centered which gets to the word the psalmist focuses on most.

Why do I want to be like non-believers? Pride. I want life to be about me. And I would want to fight for what I believe is right and for my life above all else instead of fighting for the rights of others. Being part of the church has led me to know more about medical issues than I would have otherwise. Because we pray for sick people all the time.

Instead of a story about someone else. As a Christian your story no longer can be about you. You are not the hero. Jesus is. He’s the one who saved you. You are the villain and the victim, but you’re not the hero.

This stood out as well:

For behold, those who are far from you shall perish;
    you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.
²⁸ But for me it is good to be near God;
    I have made the Lord God my refuge,
    that I may tell of all your works.

It is sad to think that there are those who turn away from the goodness of God. It’s good to be near God. I can’t say I feel His presence often, but I don’t think turning from God and going my way is going to help me feel Him more. Just be near and at times the feeling will be there. God is at work in our lives and He is near us whether we acknowledge it or not!

May you seem, may you know that life is about so much more than you. It’s about our savior, a grand plan for people to be saved by the hand of God.