A Promise of Hope

I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.  12“When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen….(Jere. 29)

This is a good word for those who wonder where God is in today’s conflicted world.  

We may not know, nor understand, nor perceive the presence of God.  But the promise still remains unchanged.  

God is! 

And God is doing what needs to be done at the moment.

We all need to remember that when we begin to have questions and doubts.

We have seen evidence in this hole activity in recent months.  I perceived it clearly in the last General Election in November 2018; with the overwhelming vote for female leadership. 

A Huge change to say the very least.

Now I am not being sexist here, I am just saying it was a significant reversal from the 2016 National Election; where the vote was swayed by the none support of the female candidate for President.

Now clearly, politics is not my favorite topic; anyone who truly knows me knows that.   But I do know how that election emotionally affected thousands of  people’s lives.  

It was the first time, in my ministry, where I experienced a major insurgence of doubt in God’s power, and presence, in our country.   

That lack of confidence, faith, has continued to be challenged.  

1-2This is the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem …The letter said:   4This is the Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies, Israel’s God, to all the exiles I’ve taken from Jerusalem to Babylon:

5“Build houses and make yourselves at home. “Put in gardens and eat what grows in that country.  6“Marry and have children. Encourage your children to marry and have children so that you’ll thrive in that country and not waste away.  7“Make yourselves at home there and work for the country’s welfare.“Pray for Babylon’s well-being. If things go well for Babylon, things will go well for you.

”Believe it or not, this is the Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies, Israel’s God: “Don’t let all those so-called preachers and know-it-alls who are all over the place there take you in with their lies. Don’t pay any attention to the fantasies they keep coming up with to please you. They’re a bunch of liars preaching lies—and claiming I sent them! I never sent them, believe me.” God’s Decree!   10-11This is God’s Word on the subject: “As soon as Babylon’s seventy years are up and not a day before, I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.  12“When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen  13-14“When you come looking for me, you’ll find me.  “Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.” God’s Decree.   “I’ll turn things around for you. I’ll bring you back from all the countries into which I drove you”—God’s Decree—“bring you home to the place from which I sent you off into exile. You can count on it.(Jere. 29 The Message)

A Humble Retraction

Thanks to an honest reader, I must retract my historical ignorance written in my last blog where I made this statement:

“It is so interesting to me how people, for years, have demanded a division between “church and state.”

Yet in our Constitution we claim to be a nation founded “under God.”

I have never ever been a student of history. As a kid, and as an adult, the past was just our past.  Today is the day to seize.  

There was, however, one part of history that did capture by complete attention.  It was in grade school, when we were all required to memorize the Gettysburg Address. As silly as it may seem,  Abraham Lincoln was my one historical hero — in American history that is.

And as it turns out,  it was a sermon given on February 7, 1954 by the Rev. George M. Docherty, A Presbyterian Pastor, that influence President Eisenhower’s decision to rewrite the Pledge of Allegiance of the United State to include the phrase: “under God.”

The occasion of the sermon was the remembrance of Lincoln's date of  birth.  

In that sermon Docherty states:

  

“This is the “American way of life.”  Lincoln saw this clearly.  History for him was a Divine Comedy, though he would not use that phrase.  The providence of God was being fulfilled. 

Therefore Lincoln  claims that ‘UNDER GOD’ this nation shall know a new birth of freedom. And by implication, it is under God that the “government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth.” 

It was soon after hearing that sermon that Eisenhower  signed the a bill, on June 14, 1954, the change in wording for the Pledge to include “one nation under God” into being. 

This signing was clearly in response to communist threats trying in influence the people of the United States at that time.  

Eisenhower was quoted, in the Washington Post, as saying:The new version would add “…to our country’s true meaning…In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America’s heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country’s most powerful resource, in peace and in war.” 

As might be expected, this action created a great debate about how this would polarize the nation; and upset the issue of church and state factor of the constitution.

But however great the debate became, I am glad the phrase remains still today.

But then, I may be just a tiny bit prejudice on this particular issue. 

And yet as those words rolled off my fingers, my mind is wondering how often that phrase has been mis-used and misinterpreted  by political power since 1954.

What Does It All Mean continued

All of this thinking, and writing, reminded me of sermon I gave, the week before the 4th of July of, this year.  A sermon that made clear, more than several times, that “We are a nation under God.”

We are a people free-to-be under God’s leadership.  However,  like the Hebrew nation of long ago, we have also “refused to look ultimately to God as King.”

If that statement make you raise an eyebrow of, doubt to the truth of such a statement, then ask yourself: 

Would Jesus be in favor of the behavior and actions of our current leadership?  

I speak specifically to the actions, and behaviors, of the political system in our country.  However, the entire human structure of world politics also come into question.

At least for me

It is so interesting to me how people, for years, have demanded a division between “church and state.”

Yet in our Constitution we claim to be a nation founded “under God."

On of the thing I made clear to every confirmation student, I taught, was that our faith cannot be separated out from real life.  

One of the ways I challenged their young minds was to have them watch recent movies of their choice; and then talk about all the ways in which the movie spoke to — or against — what Jesus taught about living with each other.  

One, particularly skeptical, young man finally challenged me.  He spoke up one evening and said “I have a movie that you will not find one thing to connect with faith in God.  

“Okay” I said, What is it?  

“John Q.” he announced.  It had just been release that year (2002).   I had not seen the movie.  But I agreed to take the challenge.  I went out the next morning and bought the movie.  After watching it a few time I created four pages of discussion points.

The young man was, to say the least, a fan of mine for the rest of the year.

I was gratful. 

We are a people professing to live by faith in the Creator God, who spoke his thoughts through The Prophets. 

God was the sole authority of the Hebrew people for centuries; before there was any thought of “elected” leadership.   

God was the go-to-person for every an all guidance.  

As a nation we seem to have forgotten that the founding fathers put their signature on the document, that formed this nation. which witnesses to us being a people of God.

An yet we get our shorts in a knot over a certain party who, is best voted for their ability to dehumanizing those who disagree with their personal political stance.

All you have do is to listen to the campaign rhetoric between each party claiming to  be the best.  Claiming to know what is best for the people.  

I can’t help but wonder if God would enjoy, indeed approve, of their rhetoric and behavior.

Do those unacceptable ways of talking and acting toward each other aline with what God asks?

An interesting question for we proud American people. 

What Does It All Mean?

With the onslaught of yet another political campaign here is where my mind went early this morning, as I lay in the comfort of my bed trying not to think:  

‘What does it all really mean:  “Conservation, Liberal, Independent, Green Party, Hipster, Christian?  

And where, and how, does our faith in God fit?”

Finally I got up and began to find definitions to all of those ambiguious words. 

First I looked up Conservative.  Which I learned meant those holding to traditional attitudes and values; cautious about change or innovation.  Typically in relation to politics and religion.

Synonyms for Conservative are: traditionalist, conventional, orthodoxy, stable, old fashion, dyed-in-the-wool, unchanging.  

Origin: Late middle English — in the sense of aiming to preserve.

Then I moved to Liberal, who are “Open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values.  Concerned mainly with broadening a person’s general knowledge and experiences; rather than with technical or professional training.”

Synonyms are:  wide-range, broad-based, general humanistic.

Webster’s definition: “A Liberal shares a root with Liberty (A quality or state of being) and can mean anything from ‘generous’ to ‘loose’ to ‘broad-minded.  Politically, it means 'a person who believes that government should be active in supporting social and political change.”  

Liberal can be traced back to the Latin word; liber meaning free.  Liber acts as an adjective to describe a person who is free, independent and to the leftish side of the political spectrum.

What is an Independent?  A person who take a non-partisan stance and comes from the grassroots working  for mass-appeal.

Green Party?  It has ten key values. 

1.Every human being deserves a say in the decisions that affect their lives and not   
   subject to the will of another.

2. Social justice and equal opportunity

3. Ecological wisdom

4. Non-Violence

5. Decentralization

6. Community-based economics and economic justice.

7. Feminist and gender equality.

8. Respect for diversity 

9 Personal and global responsibility

10. Future focused and sustainability 

Hipster:   A person who follows the latest trends and fashions, especially those regarded as being outside the cultural mainstream.

Christian: One who professes belief in the teaching of Jesus Christ.

Hummmmmmmm

After all of that verbiage I was still in the dark.  So I picked up my most recent devotional and read this quote from ‘Every Step An Arrival’ by Eugene Peterson p.60

“Right before our eyes the Hebrew nation makes this mighty transition from a loose confederacy of tribes to a strong central monarchy.  But the refusal to look ultimately to God as King is an indictment clear to anyone with eyes to see or ears to hear. Consider your political allegiances in light of Israel’s lessons.”

A subtle direct hit to the political drama in 2018.

WOW!

To be continued

The Way We Communicate

I am thinking of the interesting way that communication is, in many ways, reversing itself. 

This morning I received an answer, from a text I sent my daughter,  it was a thumbs-up symbol.

And I thought to myself “self” that is the way of the world today.  Little pictures of all kinds, flowers, multi-colored hearts, Humorous little faces and fireworks, balloons, confetti bursting forth on the face of the phone;  all expressing ones feelings to another.

That thumbs up symbol represents, in my imagination, a reversal of communication back to the earliest of times. 

Back to a time when art, artistically done or crude stick figures, was their way of communicating.   Amazing tile floors with meaningful messages of that day's culture.  All ancient ways of telling their story.

When I visited Israel, Jordan and Greece I was amazed at the variety of ways that the world communicated thoughts.  At every turn you found evidence of a world without a words written on a page. 

I am thinking, of at least one way of communication that has lived although history: body language expression. You can go to a foreign country, without speaking their language, and communicate with your facial response and the use of your hands to ask a question.

A smile, or a frown, on a face says more than a thousand words.  It has been true from the earliest of times.

In todays culture, the older generation, finds it somewhat offensive that: “People don’t talk anymore.”  “No one writes a hand written note anymore.” 

It is not uncommon to see people sitting side-by-side staring at their electronic devices.  No verbal words pass between them.

And yet, statistics have proven that the younger generation is more connected with their friends than ever before.

We use to talk of the phone, they don’t.  They would rather communicate with symbols and quick words texted on the phone.

The cool thing, to me to think about, is that they are in constant touch with each other.  And they really care about each other.  

And it all happens without a sound passing between them.

Who can argue with that?

The Heart Matters

There are two personal worlds — systems — that live within the human body. 

One, the most accepted, is the brain, the area of knowledge, logic and reason — the intellect.  The place of investigation and experimental processes.

Second,  the least credited, is the heart.  The place of intuition, emotion, feelings and perception.

Two very connected, yet often seen as disconnected organs of the human body.

The brain seemingly functions without the heart.  But actually the brain can’t function unless the heart is actively pumping life into the brain.  

At the same time, the heart takes what the brain know and uses it to complete what simple facts seems to lack.  

Something more, beyond the knowing of it.

Those you who have read my blogs, or heard me preach or teach, are aware of the truth that I love it when I receive confirmation of my person.

To further explain, why this morning was such an epiphany to me, in 1987 I took a popular personality test call the Meyers Briggs Personality Survey.  As I sat there on a sofa, while the person graded my results, I was facing his back.  When I heard these words:  “You don’t like to think at all.  Do you?” My response was "No not really."  He said: "Well you are just one point away from not thinking at all."

That statement was not only accurate; but also felt that maybe I was a bit inadequate. 

Being a logical and detailed thinker has never been my forte.  As I have matured and grown in my faith that statement has less and less power over me.

Then this morning I read these thoughts from Cynthia Bourgeault’s book: The Wisdom Jesus. 

“The heart has a different way of perceiving.  Rather than dividing and conquering, it connects with a seamless and indivisible reality through a whole different way of organizing the informational field.” (p.35) 

“The heart can pick up subtle signals from all levels of reality, not just from what’s happening in the rational.  Intellect is part of it, you notice; but the field of perception goes far beyond just the rational.  The hearts picks up from the emotions, from our sense of proportion, from intuition, from images and archetypes….it keeps us aligned with our innermost, with what we truly know…….the heart does not perceive through differentiation……  (p.36)

After reading this I just sat there trying to figure out why I was feeling so blessed by Bourgeault’s thoughts.    Her thoughts gave me an experience of grace and joy beyond describing. 

I think it must have been a sort of validation of the way I have lived from the time I was a child.  Yet alway feeling stupid.

I do think.  I just think with my heart.

It feels good inside of me today.

A Crucial Word For August 2019

Before I throw some disjointed, yet thought provoking, phrases at you this morning; I want to just say that evil is not something I spend a lot of time worrying about.

However many people do.  

And so this reminder of God’s amazing ability to bring order out of chaos.

The quotes come from Eugene Peterson’s book: Run With The Horses.  

This book is a fascinating read.  I highly recommend it.

Peterson begins his book by talking about the importance of living our lives with a purpose way beyond what we believe we are capable of. 

1 The Message of Jeremiah …..

Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you: A prophet to the nations - that's what I had in mind for you." 

6 But I said, "Hold it, Master God! Look at me. I don't know anything. I'm only a boy!" (Jere. 1)

He proceeds to write about the Prophet Jeremiah who, though-out his ministry lived beyond what he ever imagined he was capable of doing.

In the Chapter, from which I share the quotes below, Peterson is talking about the second vision God gave Jeremiah.  The boiling pot ( Jere, 1:14-16).   A pot of scalding hot water to be poured upon Judea to wash the land clean of evil.

I pulled these quote out of the context of Peterson's message;  because I think they are important for the world we all live in today.

A good reminder of why we must keep constantly before us — like Jeremiah did — that the truth of God’s activity, and wisdom, are in the mix of the messiness  today.

“Uninstructed and untrained we let evil seep through the atmosphere and through our emotions like a fog, obscuring the sharp outlines of reality and absorbing everything in its ominous, soggy gray.”

“..evil has limits.…”

“It is certainly true that there is evil in the world — a great deal of it.”

“…evil is not everything, and it is not everywhere….”

“The evil that has its paralyzing grip on everyone is not a wild, uncontrollable evil; it is a carefully commanded judgment, with God as the commander. The boiling pot reduces evil to a location and a use.”

“We cannot afford to be naive about evil…..”

(page 55)

“If we forget that the newspapers are footnotes to Scripture and not the other way around, we will finally be afraid to get out of bed in the morning.”  (page 56)

“We underestimate God and we overestimate evil.  We don’t see what God is doing and conclude that he is doing nothing..”

“…..live with a keen edge of hope and never be intimidated by evil.”

“…trust what we do not see.”

  (page 57)

A crucial word  for  August 2019

1 The Message of Jeremiah …..

Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you: A prophet to the nations - that's what I had in mind for you." 

6 But I said, "Hold it, Master God! Look at me. I don't know anything. I'm only a boy!" 

7 God told me, "Don't say, 'I'm only a boy.' I'll tell you where to go and you'll go there. I'll tell you what to say and you'll say it.

 8 Don't be afraid of a soul. I'll be right there, looking after you." God's Decree. 

9 God reached out, touched my mouth, and said, "Look! I've just put my words in your mouth - hand-delivered! 10 See what I've done? I've given you a job to do among nations and governments -

18 "Stand at attention while I prepare you for your work. I'm making you as impregnable as a castle, Immovable as a steel post, solid as a concrete block wall. You're a one-man defense system against this culture, Against Judah's kings and princes, against the priests and local leaders. 

19 They'll fight you, but they won't even scratch you. I'll back you up every inch of the way." God's Decree.

(Jeremiah 1 The Message)