Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:9) Jesus elaborates on what it means to be a peacemaker in Matthew 5:43-48. In those passages Jesus says, “you have heard it said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
When Jesus says we are to be peacemakers he is calling us to bring people together instead of divide people. And yet the world around us continues to try to divide. You are either for us or against us. You are either with us or with them. We assume everyone has to choose sides. This is not new, Jesus said in 1st century Israel they had been taught to love neighbors, hate enemies, that is choosing sides.
However, Jesus says, don’t choose sides. Love your neighbor and love your enemy. It is not much of a choice when there is only one option. Our only option is to love. It would be nice if it were that easy, but it takes focus and intentionality to really love as Christ calls us to love.
Our youth shared the message in our worship services yesterday and one suggestion they had was to not look at people as a group, but as individuals. When you see a group as Iowa fan or Iowa State fan, Democrat or Republican, Conservative or Liberal, it can be easy to divide and label someone. However, when you get to know an individual you start to look past the labels and get to know this person who is also a Child of God.
When I was moving along the ordination process I was assigned a group to meet with. Several of the people in the group were not people I would have chosen to meet with because their theological perspective was different than mine. As we met regularly, I got to know these people and not their perspective and became good friends. We still do not agree on everything, but we love and respect each other.
Jesus says we are blessed when we are peacemakers. We are blessed when we do not divide, but instead draw people together. Pray for God's help to love all people, including our "enemies." This is the calling of all those who follow Christ.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Thirsty
(Back to blogging after a week off due to my grandma's funeral)
This Lent I am focusing on the big idea of changing our mindset from allowing our past to give us direction into the future, and instead grabbing a hold of our future and allowing that to pull us towards Christ. When we put our faith in Christ he has already made us saints of God by his sacrifice on the cross. So we need to grab a hold of that future and be pulled towards the saint God has made us to be.
We are using Jesus' Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7 to learn about how Christ has called us to live out our sainthood. We will be connecting the Beatitudes from Matthew 5:1-12 to other passages of the Sermon on the Mount to put some flesh on what to grab a hold of in our future.
This week I want to connect Jesus' calling for us to be the "salt of the earth" (Matthew 5:13) with Matthew 5:6, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness." I wondered if part of Jesus' calling for us to be salt is for us to make people thirsty because if you eat a lot of salt you do get thirsty. The reason I found that we get thirsty is because our bodies need a certain balance of salt and water in our blood and cells. When we eat a lot of salt that increases the salt level in our blood, which then needs more water to get back into balance or equilibrium.
Since salt makes people thirsty, I wonder if Jesus would tell us to help people hunger and thirst for righteousness. The definition of righteousness I would use is the Hebrew idea of shalom. Shalom means peace. However this peace means more than just the absence of war or violence. This peace is about wholeness. It is about having everything as God would want it to be. It is about balance with everything in its right place. So we are called to thirst for this shalom to fill the earth.
In America, and especially in Williamsburg, it can be easy to look around and feel that we are not too far from shalom. Yet we need to become more aware of what is going on around us in the world. I went looking at some ministries that are thirsting for righteousness and found some realities that make me thirsty, and I thought they might make you thirsty also.
Looking at pictures and hearing information about the recent tsunami in Japan makes me thirsty. The lives of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, are out of shalom. Estimates are the over 18,000 people have died and the destruction is horrific. How does our thirst call us to respond? (new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor)
Another ministry is called Living Water International. They are thirsty to get clean drinking water to those who do not have access to it. They say there are 2.5 billion people who do not have clean drinking water. This is the leading cause of death in under resourced countries where 1.8 million people die each year from water born illnesses. This includes 3,900 children each day. (www.water.cc)
I also was thirsty for righteousness when I heard that there are more slaves today then ever before. There are 12.3 million people caught in human trafficking. These people are forced into slave labor and prostitution, while those who sell them make $32 billion a year. International Justice Mission is thirsty to rescue people and prosecute the offenders. (www.ijm.org)
Of course there are many other places and lives that do not know God's shalom. I believe Jesus calls us as the salt of the earth to inform people and help them get thirsty to make a difference. As we thirst together, we can offer God's shalom to others. We can do it halfway around the world, but also in our own neighborhoods if we will just thirst for righteousness and keep our eyes and hearts open to see those who have lost shalom.
This Lent I encourage you to grab onto hungering and thirsting for righteousness as a way to be drawn towards the saint Christ has called you to be.
This Lent I am focusing on the big idea of changing our mindset from allowing our past to give us direction into the future, and instead grabbing a hold of our future and allowing that to pull us towards Christ. When we put our faith in Christ he has already made us saints of God by his sacrifice on the cross. So we need to grab a hold of that future and be pulled towards the saint God has made us to be.
We are using Jesus' Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7 to learn about how Christ has called us to live out our sainthood. We will be connecting the Beatitudes from Matthew 5:1-12 to other passages of the Sermon on the Mount to put some flesh on what to grab a hold of in our future.
This week I want to connect Jesus' calling for us to be the "salt of the earth" (Matthew 5:13) with Matthew 5:6, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness." I wondered if part of Jesus' calling for us to be salt is for us to make people thirsty because if you eat a lot of salt you do get thirsty. The reason I found that we get thirsty is because our bodies need a certain balance of salt and water in our blood and cells. When we eat a lot of salt that increases the salt level in our blood, which then needs more water to get back into balance or equilibrium.
Since salt makes people thirsty, I wonder if Jesus would tell us to help people hunger and thirst for righteousness. The definition of righteousness I would use is the Hebrew idea of shalom. Shalom means peace. However this peace means more than just the absence of war or violence. This peace is about wholeness. It is about having everything as God would want it to be. It is about balance with everything in its right place. So we are called to thirst for this shalom to fill the earth.
In America, and especially in Williamsburg, it can be easy to look around and feel that we are not too far from shalom. Yet we need to become more aware of what is going on around us in the world. I went looking at some ministries that are thirsting for righteousness and found some realities that make me thirsty, and I thought they might make you thirsty also.
Looking at pictures and hearing information about the recent tsunami in Japan makes me thirsty. The lives of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, are out of shalom. Estimates are the over 18,000 people have died and the destruction is horrific. How does our thirst call us to respond? (new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor)
Another ministry is called Living Water International. They are thirsty to get clean drinking water to those who do not have access to it. They say there are 2.5 billion people who do not have clean drinking water. This is the leading cause of death in under resourced countries where 1.8 million people die each year from water born illnesses. This includes 3,900 children each day. (www.water.cc)
I also was thirsty for righteousness when I heard that there are more slaves today then ever before. There are 12.3 million people caught in human trafficking. These people are forced into slave labor and prostitution, while those who sell them make $32 billion a year. International Justice Mission is thirsty to rescue people and prosecute the offenders. (www.ijm.org)
Of course there are many other places and lives that do not know God's shalom. I believe Jesus calls us as the salt of the earth to inform people and help them get thirsty to make a difference. As we thirst together, we can offer God's shalom to others. We can do it halfway around the world, but also in our own neighborhoods if we will just thirst for righteousness and keep our eyes and hearts open to see those who have lost shalom.
This Lent I encourage you to grab onto hungering and thirsting for righteousness as a way to be drawn towards the saint Christ has called you to be.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Answered Prayers
You may or may not know that Christianity in America seems to be declining or at least struggling. There are fewer and fewer people who attend worship in Christian churches. However, I believe there is still a spiritual hunger among people inside and outside the church. With that spiritual hunger comes many prayers lifted up to God. Some may recognize their requests to God as prayer, while others may just recognize it as hope or a desire for something more.
As people lift up those prayers we have an opportunity to reach out with the love of God. We can be the answer to those prayers. God can respond to prayers in miraculous ways, but most often God responds to prayer through ordinary people like you and me. God uses us when we respond to prayers with action.
When someone is lonely, we can be a friend. When someone is depressed, we can be an encourager. When someone is in need, we can be generous. We can respond to many of the prayers out there if we will respond to the prayers of people.
Remembering that I can be an answer to prayer for other people helps me to watch for what God is doing each and every day. There are so many people that need an answered prayer, and you never know how that answer may make all the difference in the world to that person. So I encourage you as we move from a Season of Prayer to a Season of Action to hold in your heart the prayers we have been lifting up, but also look for ways to act and respond to those prayers. God will use us to answer the prayers of those around us if we hear his voice and take action.
As people lift up those prayers we have an opportunity to reach out with the love of God. We can be the answer to those prayers. God can respond to prayers in miraculous ways, but most often God responds to prayer through ordinary people like you and me. God uses us when we respond to prayers with action.
When someone is lonely, we can be a friend. When someone is depressed, we can be an encourager. When someone is in need, we can be generous. We can respond to many of the prayers out there if we will respond to the prayers of people.
Remembering that I can be an answer to prayer for other people helps me to watch for what God is doing each and every day. There are so many people that need an answered prayer, and you never know how that answer may make all the difference in the world to that person. So I encourage you as we move from a Season of Prayer to a Season of Action to hold in your heart the prayers we have been lifting up, but also look for ways to act and respond to those prayers. God will use us to answer the prayers of those around us if we hear his voice and take action.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Answering Machine
There are some Scripture passages that kind of make God sound like an answering machine. Now I don't mean like your phone answering machine, but more like a vending machine for answers to prayer. Luke 11:9-13 is one of those passages. Jesus says there, "Ask and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you." On the surface this seems to say that I just ask God for whatever I want, push the right buttons, and I will get what I want in my prayers.
However, in reality most, if not all, of us have prayed for something we did not get. So how do we wrestle with the difference between Jesus' teaching and what we experience? Why is it that some prayers are answered and others are not?
One scholarly response is that this teaching from Jesus was prophetic hyperbole. This means that in order to teach a message about God Jesus exaggerates his point. He did not literally mean everything you ask for you will get, but he was encouraging us to always ask. He was reminding us of the power of prayer.
A more practical response takes me to Luke 22:42 where Jesus prays, "Father, if it is your will, take this cup from me." Jesus is praying that God would not have him go to the cross and die. Of course, Jesus did go to the cross and die. So even Jesus knows what it is like to not have his prayer answered the way he wanted.
This tells me that getting the answer we want in prayer is not about how much God loves us. We may feel less loved by not getting the answer we want, but God still loves us the same just as he loved Jesus the same. It also does not mean we do not have enough faith. Jesus had plenty of faith.
I believe the "answer" to unanswered prayers is to keep on asking, keep on seeking and keep on knocking. We need to continue to pray in the good times and the bad and God will be with us no matter what the answer is.
Let me know if you have other thoughts on this question or even more questions on this question.
However, in reality most, if not all, of us have prayed for something we did not get. So how do we wrestle with the difference between Jesus' teaching and what we experience? Why is it that some prayers are answered and others are not?
One scholarly response is that this teaching from Jesus was prophetic hyperbole. This means that in order to teach a message about God Jesus exaggerates his point. He did not literally mean everything you ask for you will get, but he was encouraging us to always ask. He was reminding us of the power of prayer.
A more practical response takes me to Luke 22:42 where Jesus prays, "Father, if it is your will, take this cup from me." Jesus is praying that God would not have him go to the cross and die. Of course, Jesus did go to the cross and die. So even Jesus knows what it is like to not have his prayer answered the way he wanted.
This tells me that getting the answer we want in prayer is not about how much God loves us. We may feel less loved by not getting the answer we want, but God still loves us the same just as he loved Jesus the same. It also does not mean we do not have enough faith. Jesus had plenty of faith.
I believe the "answer" to unanswered prayers is to keep on asking, keep on seeking and keep on knocking. We need to continue to pray in the good times and the bad and God will be with us no matter what the answer is.
Let me know if you have other thoughts on this question or even more questions on this question.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Reflection of Prayer
In Matthew 6:9-13 we have a major portion of what we call the Lord's Prayer. It is called the Lord's Prayer because the Lord Jesus gave us these words when asked how we should pray. As a Christian I take seriously the words and instructions Jesus gives, so I took some time to reflect on this prayer.
In my reflection time an image of a mirror came to my mind. I think this image can help us grow in our prayer time. The mirror came to my mind as I thought the words of the Lord's Prayer seem to be a prayer for earth to be a reflection of heaven. It is a prayer for God's kingdom to be on earth as it is in heaven. I believe this begins to happen through prayer.
When we pray we need to use prayer like a mirror in a couple of ways. First, most of us will look in a mirror to notice imperfections. We will check a mirror to make sure our hair is the way we want it or to make sure there is not something stuck in our teeth. When I have quality prayer time I often begin to notice my imperfections. I notice the areas of my life that God would like to adjust if I am going to be a resident of God's kingdom on earth. For instance, when I pray for someone else who I think has a hard heart, I hear God ask if I have looked in the mirror? Then I start to pray about my hard heart.
A second use of mirrors is like your rear view mirror in your car. We use mirrors to see other people that are out of our line of sight. We need to find those people that are normally out of our line of sight and pray for them. A major group we often forget to pray for are those who do not have a relationship with God or those who do not have a church they call their home. These folks need to be regularly lifted up in our prayer times. When you pray check your mirrors for those you do not always see at first and allow God to show you other people to pray for.
As God's kingdom is reflected on earth more and more people will be coming into a relationship with God. God loves all people and wants everyone to know about his love, so as we pray for others to know God, we are praying your kingdom come.
So your assignment for this week (I had someone who regularly reads this blog tell me last week that they need assignments to know they did something about the message, so I thought I would give one here) is to be sure you are checking your mirrors in your regular prayer time. I would encourage you each time you pray to spend some time reflecting on what God might want you to learn. Pray about how God might want to work in you, so that you can represent his kingdom here on earth. Then also schedule a time regularly to lift up other people you may overlook. For instance, every Monday pray for those who do not know God. Then pray every Thursday for those who are looking for a church home. Spread out those prayers so it does not get too routine. You may want to pray about other general requests about earth reflecting heaven and space those out during your week as well.
Jesus teaches us to pray for God's kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. We can pray for this to happen in our ourselves and in others.
In my reflection time an image of a mirror came to my mind. I think this image can help us grow in our prayer time. The mirror came to my mind as I thought the words of the Lord's Prayer seem to be a prayer for earth to be a reflection of heaven. It is a prayer for God's kingdom to be on earth as it is in heaven. I believe this begins to happen through prayer.
When we pray we need to use prayer like a mirror in a couple of ways. First, most of us will look in a mirror to notice imperfections. We will check a mirror to make sure our hair is the way we want it or to make sure there is not something stuck in our teeth. When I have quality prayer time I often begin to notice my imperfections. I notice the areas of my life that God would like to adjust if I am going to be a resident of God's kingdom on earth. For instance, when I pray for someone else who I think has a hard heart, I hear God ask if I have looked in the mirror? Then I start to pray about my hard heart.
A second use of mirrors is like your rear view mirror in your car. We use mirrors to see other people that are out of our line of sight. We need to find those people that are normally out of our line of sight and pray for them. A major group we often forget to pray for are those who do not have a relationship with God or those who do not have a church they call their home. These folks need to be regularly lifted up in our prayer times. When you pray check your mirrors for those you do not always see at first and allow God to show you other people to pray for.
As God's kingdom is reflected on earth more and more people will be coming into a relationship with God. God loves all people and wants everyone to know about his love, so as we pray for others to know God, we are praying your kingdom come.
So your assignment for this week (I had someone who regularly reads this blog tell me last week that they need assignments to know they did something about the message, so I thought I would give one here) is to be sure you are checking your mirrors in your regular prayer time. I would encourage you each time you pray to spend some time reflecting on what God might want you to learn. Pray about how God might want to work in you, so that you can represent his kingdom here on earth. Then also schedule a time regularly to lift up other people you may overlook. For instance, every Monday pray for those who do not know God. Then pray every Thursday for those who are looking for a church home. Spread out those prayers so it does not get too routine. You may want to pray about other general requests about earth reflecting heaven and space those out during your week as well.
Jesus teaches us to pray for God's kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. We can pray for this to happen in our ourselves and in others.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Personal Prayer
I had the Sunday off from preaching yesterday as Helen gave the message. She reminded us that there are many different ways to pray. Prayer is personal and I do not need to pray like someone else. My prayers may look different or sound different, but they are just as effective when I lift them up to the Lord.
Although our prayers are different we still can learn from the ways prayer has worked for others. Helen said she often offers "thought prayers." These are short prayers said in her mind inviting God's presence into her thoughts.
However, she has also in the past used prayer journals and books of prayers. The book she mentioned from her childhood was "Dear Father in Heaven" by Schlesselman and Ahrens. She also mentioned "Praying With Paul" by Eugene Peterson. I might also recommend "Unless We Pray" by Maxine Dunnam to help you grow in prayer.
Growing in prayer can be frustrating, especially when we compare ourselves to others. When I first became a Christian and wanted to pray, of course I looked for someone who was a good prayer. I became intimidated by the length, depth and fancy words used by this person. I prayed with them a few times, but then found reasons not to. Eventually through personal prayer time and praying with others I found my voice in prayer.
So do not let prayer overwhelm you, just take your time finding your voice. God is listening.
Although our prayers are different we still can learn from the ways prayer has worked for others. Helen said she often offers "thought prayers." These are short prayers said in her mind inviting God's presence into her thoughts.
However, she has also in the past used prayer journals and books of prayers. The book she mentioned from her childhood was "Dear Father in Heaven" by Schlesselman and Ahrens. She also mentioned "Praying With Paul" by Eugene Peterson. I might also recommend "Unless We Pray" by Maxine Dunnam to help you grow in prayer.
Growing in prayer can be frustrating, especially when we compare ourselves to others. When I first became a Christian and wanted to pray, of course I looked for someone who was a good prayer. I became intimidated by the length, depth and fancy words used by this person. I prayed with them a few times, but then found reasons not to. Eventually through personal prayer time and praying with others I found my voice in prayer.
So do not let prayer overwhelm you, just take your time finding your voice. God is listening.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Season of Prayer
Our congregation is entering a Season of Prayer with all of the churches of the Iowa Annual Conference. This season is going to be held during the month of February. In this season we are going to pray, obviously, but also focus on growing in prayer.
My first encouragement is for you to find a way to grow your prayer life. Surveys show that 9 out of 10 people pray. And most of us would say that prayer is important, but when you get to more specifics on prayer the answers reveal a difference between our ideals of prayer and our reality of prayer.
Many of those 9 of 10 that pray say they spend 5 maybe 7 minutes in prayer a day. When asked if they sense God’s presence in prayer, they say occasionally, but not often. Then if asked if they are satisfied with their prayer life they say not really. (Information from Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? by Phillip Yancey)
We say prayer is important and then probably the most common result of prayer in our lives is a feeling of guilt for our failures in prayer.
I don't think guilt is going to help us grow our prayer lives. I want to encourage you to find another way to grow your prayer life. We did a quick survey in worship yesterday asking people if they would be inspired to pray by contemplating the majesty and vastness of God, who wants to connect with us in prayer. Or would people think they would grow in prayer by simply praying more. As they pray it will become a habit and God would touch them in that time. The results were split almost 50/50, maybe it leaned a little towards the side of just praying.
So I have two assignments to help both sides of this question. For the contemplators, I want you to read the book of Ephesians. It is only 6 chapters long, but it often reminds us of the greatness of God. When I read those chapters and I take a moment to reflect on the fact that the creator of the universe wants to connect with me. That is a humbling thought and one that draws me into prayer. I believe it can do the same for you.
For the practitioners, find a way to be reminded to pray. I passed out green dot stickers yesterday and have more available. These 1/4" stickers can be placed somewhere so that whenever you see it you know it is time to pray. I put one on the face of my watch, so when I look for the time, I know it is time to pray. I actually only wear a watch on Sunday mornings, so I also put a sticker on my cell phone where I regularly look for the time, so I will be reminded then as well. You do not have to use stickers, but find a way to remember it is always time to pray. Then, pray any time that comes to your mind. You do not need to drop to your knees and speak in King James English, but just quiet thy heart and open thy mind to lift up a prayer. As you lift up prayers regularly God will speak to you and draw you into prayer.
Maybe you need another way to grow in your prayer life, just find what works for you. Do not do it out of frustration or guilt because prayer is not easy. Just know God wants to connect with you and a great way for that to happen is through prayer. So in my prayers this season I will be lifting up your prayer life. I will pray it will grow and blossom as we recognize how great our God is and when we know it is always time to pray.
My first encouragement is for you to find a way to grow your prayer life. Surveys show that 9 out of 10 people pray. And most of us would say that prayer is important, but when you get to more specifics on prayer the answers reveal a difference between our ideals of prayer and our reality of prayer.
Many of those 9 of 10 that pray say they spend 5 maybe 7 minutes in prayer a day. When asked if they sense God’s presence in prayer, they say occasionally, but not often. Then if asked if they are satisfied with their prayer life they say not really. (Information from Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? by Phillip Yancey)
We say prayer is important and then probably the most common result of prayer in our lives is a feeling of guilt for our failures in prayer.
I don't think guilt is going to help us grow our prayer lives. I want to encourage you to find another way to grow your prayer life. We did a quick survey in worship yesterday asking people if they would be inspired to pray by contemplating the majesty and vastness of God, who wants to connect with us in prayer. Or would people think they would grow in prayer by simply praying more. As they pray it will become a habit and God would touch them in that time. The results were split almost 50/50, maybe it leaned a little towards the side of just praying.
So I have two assignments to help both sides of this question. For the contemplators, I want you to read the book of Ephesians. It is only 6 chapters long, but it often reminds us of the greatness of God. When I read those chapters and I take a moment to reflect on the fact that the creator of the universe wants to connect with me. That is a humbling thought and one that draws me into prayer. I believe it can do the same for you.
For the practitioners, find a way to be reminded to pray. I passed out green dot stickers yesterday and have more available. These 1/4" stickers can be placed somewhere so that whenever you see it you know it is time to pray. I put one on the face of my watch, so when I look for the time, I know it is time to pray. I actually only wear a watch on Sunday mornings, so I also put a sticker on my cell phone where I regularly look for the time, so I will be reminded then as well. You do not have to use stickers, but find a way to remember it is always time to pray. Then, pray any time that comes to your mind. You do not need to drop to your knees and speak in King James English, but just quiet thy heart and open thy mind to lift up a prayer. As you lift up prayers regularly God will speak to you and draw you into prayer.
Maybe you need another way to grow in your prayer life, just find what works for you. Do not do it out of frustration or guilt because prayer is not easy. Just know God wants to connect with you and a great way for that to happen is through prayer. So in my prayers this season I will be lifting up your prayer life. I will pray it will grow and blossom as we recognize how great our God is and when we know it is always time to pray.
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