The Sounds of Silence

S - Luke 14:1-6 (NIV): "One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. There in front of him was a man suffering from dropsy. Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?" But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him away. Then he asked them, "If one of you has a son or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull him out?" And they had nothing to say."

O - Two "silences" are recorded here.  The first one I understand perhaps better than I should.  It's the ‘I don't want to get trapped by my answer’ silence. The prevailing conclusion to the first question of Jesus was that healing on the Sabbath was work and therefore forbidden, though there is nothing in the Scripture or in their personal experience to validate such a finding.  But with Jesus standing right there and asking the question silence is the only safe response.  It is the second silence which is the most troubling.  Jesus who is the truth speaks, acts and confirms God's opinion about healing and Sabbath.  Why didn't they rejoice with the man and affirm the truth?  This second silence is like the second death … extremely tragic and completely avoidable.  Simon and Garfunkel were right … silence does make sound.

A - Hopefully as my life grows forward I will want to respond more than "be safe."  Simply responding is childlike and holding back is not.  Jesus calls me/us to childlike.  As for responding to truth, and healing, and help, and loving my neighbor as myself … this is immediately in my capacity to choose well and my assignment today and every day is to respond to him who is truth … however it makes me look or feel.  I always meet Jesus at the truth.  He always starts at love, leads with mercy and then deals with the facts.  This forms the basis for a great day, great life and living hope.  The Lord rejoices with the truth. The superlatives (greatest commandments) carry the day again!

P - Lord who is truth,
Today your questions of two centuries ago are ringing in my ears reverberating in my heart. It always good to do good … any time, any day.  You do not want me to be controlled by cultural/religious moorings but free in the Kingdom where love always takes the lead.  Thank you for loving me first and most and for refusing to change your mind.  Thank you for assigning me to love the way I am being loved.  This I choose to do and to speak up in rejoicing with others and in rejoicing with the truth.
Love,
Steve

Staying Salt

S - Luke 14:25-27, 31-35 (TLJ): "Many people were traveling with Jesus. He said to them, "If you come to me but will not leave your family, you cannot be my follower. You must love me more than your father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters--even more than your own life! Whoever will not carry the cross that is given to them when they follow me cannot be my follower. … If a king is going to fight against another king, first he will sit down and plan. If he has only 10,000 men, he will try to decide if he is able to defeat the other king who has 20,000 men. If he thinks he cannot defeat the other king, he will send some men to ask for peace while that king's army is still far away. It is the same for each of you. You must leave everything you have to follow me. If not, you cannot be my follower. Salt is a good thing. But if the salt loses its salty taste, you can't make it salty again. It is worth nothing.  You can't even use it as dirt or dung. People just throw it away. You people who hear me, listen!"

O - Jesus is not issuing a threat to those who are following. He is describing the dynamics of following. His point is NOT to terrify but to clarify.  He is telling everyone, no exceptions, about the ongoing dynamics required for one who is not just coming near but staying near.  The choice is ours all the way through, every day. The tragic conclusion of failed salt is not about the unlawful but the lawful; it is not about overt sin but about pure devotion.  Followers with other priorities ultimately are not followers at all. Jesus wants all of us to follow. 

A - Being salt in the first place is a miracle, a miracle which includes the dignity of my choice.  Staying salt holds the same exchange.  I can't make myself salty or even keep myself salty … the life of Jesus in me does this.  I do choose if I will be salty by coming near and staying near.  This is a clear and decisive response on my part.  With the king in this explanation I sit down and decide and this decision is made in the close company of the most treasured relationships.  To try and keep the theology of Jesus without the salt of Jesus is to deceive myself.  Though made of dust I choose to never be that which can be neither "dirt or dung."  I welcome the miracle of salt, the challenge of a cross and the irrepressible life of Jesus flowing into me and out of me.

P - Lord who is life and calls all to come and stay near,
Thank you for giving us the great dignity of choice and the clarity to understand the dynamics of real life here and hereafter.  I want to hear you and listen today and every day.  I admit that I cannot gain or maintain my saltiness … but I do choose to stay near or not. Jesus, I choose you back and lean my head on your chest and say, Yes to all you intend, desire and require of me.  I do not say I am able. I say I am willing and I love you back!
Steve

Heaven's Ordnance

S - 2 Corinthians 9:15, 10:3-5 (NLT): "Thank God for his Son--a gift too wonderful for words! … We are human, but we don't wage war with human plans and methods. We use God's mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil's strongholds. With these weapons we break down every proud argument that keeps people from knowing God. With these weapons we conquer their rebellious ideas, and we teach them to obey Christ."

O - Human plans and methods "for Jesus" often become the strongholds or ideas which keep others from knowing him.  They create divisions, condemnation, comparisons and pride. They inspire us to speak boldly (arrogantly) where the scriptures are silent and to turn a dear ear to where they speak plainly.  This tragedy is not only found in such endeavors as the Inquisition or Salem Witch Trials but in denominational distinctions and splits, in political wranglings and causes and in opinions, traditions and convictions which are treated like scriptural commands.  These do not defeat the Devil, they actually work in league with him and his desire to accuse, condemn and divide. The wonderful gift of Jesus is enough, we don't need to add anything to him or to his words. We need to work with him.  We need to love, trust and obey him and love all others as we have been loved and love ourselves.  The only thing that counts [ejnergevw: to be active, efficient: - do, (be) effectual (fervent), be mighty in, show forth self, work (effectually in).] is faith expressing itself through love (Galatians 5;6). Now that's effective warfare.

A - I am wondering if resisting and defeating spiritual forces has less to do with praying (not no praying) and more to do with how I/we engage others.  Jesus disarmed the principalities and powers in open triumph by how he engaged the others who were betraying, denying, deserting, torturing and crucifying him.  Colossians 2:15: "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." His prayers focused on embracing the Father's will above his own. His weapon against all the forces of hell was loving his Father and loving all others no matter what.  While flesh and blood are not my enemies people  may well provide the only effective place for the dispensing the "ordnance of heaven" which defeats the unseen spiritual forces of darkness.  Ephesians 6:12: "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." What advance would the Lord call me to in this way of thinking, living and warring?  Who am I estranged from or at odds with which requires me to love?  Is there a group or a pocket of people currently isolated from my willingness to love?  Without love I am not even one thing - nothing [oujdeiv~].

P - Lord who is love and who leads us in triumphal procession,

I thank you for all the connections you are helping me/us make with those who love you.  I thank you for your patient and zealous protection over us/me all these years.  I thank you for your provision and generosity in all aspects of life on earth and life forever - Lord you really are awesome.  As I think about my day, my life, my circumstance, my fears and my hopes I am struck with this thought about how your soldiers soldier.  Take these thoughts and these wonderings and lead me to both the conclusions and "missions" which will make you glad and hasten the defeat of those powers who yet live in opposition to you.  Lord, I want to work with you and in that place do the work of believing.  I want to follow no matter where you lead and in that following love all the way I've been loved.  Thank you for calling me/us to yourself.  Thank you for including me/us in the living out of your triumph not merely in the observation of it.  Children are not greater than their parents, students their teachers and servants their lords.  Jesus, show me how to live and work and war with you. 
Opened hearted and committed without reserve,
Steve

Where am I?

S - John 12:24-26, 32-36 (NLT): "The truth is, a kernel of wheat must be planted in the soil. Unless it dies it will be alone--a single seed. But its death will produce many new kernels--a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who despise their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  All those who want to be my disciples must come and follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And if they follow me, the Father will honor them.  … And when I am lifted up on the cross, I will draw everyone to myself." He said this to indicate how he was going to die. "Die?" asked the crowd. "We understood from Scripture that the Messiah would live forever. Why are you saying the Son of Man will die? Who is this Son of Man you are talking about?" Jesus replied, "My light will shine out for you just a little while longer. Walk in it while you can, so you will not stumble when the darkness falls. If you walk in the darkness, you cannot see where you are going. Believe in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light." After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them."

O - Jesus always practices what he preaches.  Losing one's life, despising one's life in this world instead of loving it is how he lived among us, pleased the Father and accomplished the work he came here to do.  It will be the same for all who will follow … and his disciples must follow and must be where he is.  "Where he is" is more than a designation of "place" but of life, agreement, purpose, event and process.  Those who follow find that not only are they honored by Jesus but by the Father too.  Believing this is to volunteer to live it out as one follows.  The requirements and rewards of following are presented ahead of time in general terms.  The specifics are reserved for the journey … for the following, for the coming near and staying near Jesus.  This is his light which enables us to become children of light. 

A - There are seasons/moments where the Lord's light is shining out to us and then seasons/moments when he is "hidden." My assignment is to walk when the light is shining is so I will know how to stay on course when he is hidden (which is not the same as absent).  By leading with losing and despising my life in this world I am completely free to respond to any need which presents itself and to any instruction he would give me.  The result will be more than "getting through" or finishing … it will be a plentiful harvest of new lives.  Bono got it right - walk on!

P - Lord who is Light,
Thank you for including me in your life, will, purpose and work here and hereafter.  Thank you for the awesome seasons of light when you are shining ever so brightly.  Thank you for seasons when you are "hidden" and give us the privilege of stepping out what you've entrusted us with "in the light."  Lord, I want to follow and my answer is yes to any and to all you require.  Today, I will follow by leading with the choice to despise and lose my life in this world.  I want to follow, to be where you are, to make you and your Father and the Holy Spirit glad.  I welcome your promises from afar and thank you for new wineskins, mulberry trees in the ocean and for that which is too wonderful for me.
Steve

Wedding Bells not the Performing Arts

S - Revelation 19:6-10 (NLT): "Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a huge crowd, or the roar of mighty ocean waves, or the crash of loud thunder: "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice and honor him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself. She is permitted to wear the finest white linen." (Fine linen represents the good deeds done by the people of God.) And the angel said, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb." And he added, "These are true words that come from God." Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said, "No, don't worship me. For I am a servant of God, just like you and other brothers and sisters who testify of their faith in Jesus. Worship God. For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.""

O - Invitations to a wedding, especially as the bride, are not tricky or complicated affairs.  It really is more of an agreement than an invite.  The bride is asked by the bridegroom and the basis of this asking is relational, deep and intimate.  Yet, the preparation for this specific wedding is a source of confusion and misrepresentation in the world of Christian religion/culture.  The bride prepares herself NOT by good deeds which "earn" her a place at the wedding but by wearing (intentionally acting) that which has been made/provided for such an occasion (Ephesians 2:8-10).  All of her preparations are NOT hoping to be accepted or presentable but because she is completely accepted, wanted, and wanted forever.  This bride is permitted to wear the finest white linen because this has been provided for her by the bridegroom.  She chooses to wear this beautiful and wonderful garment because of the bridegroom's activity.  It is intentional on both the groom's and the bride's part … but the provision is exclusively the work of the groom.  The bride is choosing to wear the garment because she pleases her groom not trying to find something to wear she hopes will please him.  This is the way good deeds work.  Such doing flows from our being his completely … not a doing which is hoping to be his. 

A - Religion/culture always wants me to perform for all I am worth in the hopes that I might be judged (at least temporarily) as "good enough."  Jesus didn't come to judge but to make all things right by his own impeccable activity.  His actions were not an attempt to "be someone or something" but were the direct result of who he is really is.  We are/I am called to be like him.  He is providing all we need to be his … all our doing is not a performance to gain but rather a response to the fierce personal loyalty and love he lavishes on us because he loves us.  Jesus establishes my worth and says come live and work with me NOT for me.  The Scripture puts it this way, I am my beloved's and he is mine; his banner over me is love.

P - Bridegroom of all, especially those who believe,
Thank you for letting me, calling me, helping me and sustaining so that I may believe.  I gladly choose to wear the garments you provide because you have loved me first, and most and have refused to change your mind. Lord, I am leaning on you and into the future you have already planned out.  Unfurl your banner over us and shoot your arrow to rout the foe.  Enable me to follow and to work with you that I may have the joy you intended … being your unfeigned friend and bride. It is true I need no other but it is also true I want no other.
I do,
Steve