ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
January 31, 2023
Today is my mother’s birthday, and though there will be people who will remind her throughout the day, she is at a point in her progression where she won’t really remember. Of course, that is sort of my mom. It wasn’t ever really about her. For years, her main response when asked what she wanted for her birthday was “stamps!” I’m guessing she mailed out more than a thousand cards every year, and the cost of stamps (along with the cards) added up quickly. It was a part of her ministry. It always seemed strange, though, to send her stamps (we usually sent something else as well), but I have clear memories of talking to her on her birthday, and she’d say with complete seriousness, “Thanks for the stamps! They are always something I can use.” I guess there is something holy about what happened. We gift people with no expectations attached, yet so often people who have been blessed see it as an opportunity to be a blessing to others. As we read in 1 Peter 4, “Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.”
For all those who seek to bless those around them, I give thanks, O God! Amen.
Month: January 2023
01-30-23
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
January 30, 2023
A Prayer For The Week: Why are we incapable of ending the violence? Why is it that our egos are so easily bruised, leaving us feeling wounded and in need of retaliation? Where are the alternatives to violence and the capacity for restraint? We often come to you, O Generous God, with questions that appear to have no answer. We speak our frustration, confusion, and heartache to the heavens, desperately seeking your guiding Spirit to offer something novel, something beyond anything previously imagined. Yet it probably does not require anything too radical in the whole scheme of things, just those of us who are willing to learn the ways of peace, be the models of Christ-like living, and stand in the gap when necessary. Whether it is unconstrained anger, unhealthy systems incapable of self-control, or people with a bad mix of power and insecurity, the world needs those who are willing to represent your peace. And we cannot conclude this prayer without asking for that peace to begin with us. Amen.
01-29-23
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
January 29, 2023
A friend of mine is a minister, and his daughter asked one time, “What’s the difference between true stories that tell a truth and untrue stories that tell a truth?” I think about The Butter Battle Book, written by Dr. Seuss. It is a crazy, silly book that can have your tongue all tangled up if you are reading it out loud, as I often was. It’s wonderfully goofy as it presents two different groups of people: Those who eat their bread with the butter side up and those who eat their bread with the butter side down. And I’m guessing many people enjoyed the book without ever recognizing how it was a caricature or spoof on the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, specifically the principle of mutually assured destruction. No one will fire first because no one will win. The two sides in the book were the Zooks and Yooks, and they kept on building up their weapons to defend their side of the butter argument. Now some people might shake their heads and say, “You’re reading way too much into that story. That’s not what it’s about.” And if I were to guess, I imagine there were a handful of folks who heard Jesus tell a parable, and as the larger group started discussing the meaning and implications of the parable, this handful of folks shook their heads and said, “You’re reading way too much into that story. Jesus just wanted to share a cute story to entertain us.” If a story communicates a great truth, even if it is not a factually true story, isn’t it still a true story?
Continue to guide us deeper into the magnificent and thought-provoking stories of the faith. We desire to know you, O Living Word, and there is probably much for us to learn as we gain greater insight into the context of the faith stories we have been told. Provide us with hearts made available for what might require some imagination. Amen.
01-28-23
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
January 28, 2023
Have you ever tried to solve someone else’s problem? Often, we get it in our minds that if they’d just follow our clear instructions, life would be wonderful. How many of you with kids have found that approach to be nothing but a failure? In the Bible, we have the Ten Commandments alongside other lists of what might be viewed as rules or guidelines, but much of scripture is narrative. In fact, a number of those commandments are woven into a larger story, and the story gives the commandments context. A lot of people think a set of rules is all other folks need to live a good and holy life, but even within the religious context, rules are rarely absolutes when applied to daily life. It can be complicated, and there are often extenuating circumstances. “Thou shall not kill” is pretty clear, but you move a few chapters after such a clear declaration, and there are what appear to be exceptions to that rule. The Ten Commandments begin with the words, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me.” It goes on from there, but that opening declaration serves as the foundation for everything that follows. Thus, if you do not hold to the idea of there being one God who seeks to liberate people from slavery and calls those people to live together in community, then what follows are some interesting suggestions for life, but not necessarily more authoritative than anything else. Context, specifically understanding when and to whom a portion of scripture was originally written, is so enlightening. Suddenly those rules are put in the context of the daily lives of people centuries ago who were trying their best to figure out how to honor God with their choices, but doing so with a lot of questions and curiosity about just how one part might apply to something new.
Continue to beckon me deeper into the stories of scripture. Accompany me into that arena where the voices of scripture dance and sometimes tussle with the deeper questions of life. Wherever I am, Gracious God, continue to connect me to your love that is limitless and relentless, a love that seeks to affirm me in every moment. Amen.
01-27-23
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
January 27, 2023
In Shel Silverstein’s book, “The Giving Tree,” we learn at the very beginning of the story how the tree loved the little boy. What if, upon reading those words, you scoffed at the story and tossed it aside because there is no way a tree could love a boy? “That’s foolishness,” you tell yourself. “Why would I want to read such nonsense?” A literal reading of the story, with a naive understanding of the anthropomorphic literary device, can leave a person missing the point. I might even say that it leaves a person unable to perceive the beauty and depth of the story. Too often, people attempt to read a piece of literature with the wrong eyes and incorrect expectations. A lot of people assume the Bible is to be read literally, every “jot and tittle,” because it is the Bible. But let’s remember that when people were writing, editing, collecting, merging, and combining stories, poetry, prophetic utterances, songs, wisdom sayings, letters, etc., they were not saying to themselves, “Wow! It is such a privilege to be putting together what will become the best-selling book in history.” Instead, they were using creativity and imagination to speak about mystery, emotional experiences, and unexplainable moments of awe. Had they attempted to explain in a very literal way what they had encountered, it would have been dull and devoid of life. When we strip away an assumed literal approach, the Bible comes alive in ways people have often missed.
Provide me a new spirit of expectation, O God, as I approach the amazing and sacred expressions of faithfulness shared by people generations ago. Let me be inspired to experience just a hint of what they experienced. Amen.
01-26-23
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
January 26, 2023
As many of you know, I am an expert when it comes to exploring the proverbial rabbit holes. Yes, I can go down the old rabbit hole quicker than just about anyone. Recently, I was reading some old church history in search of something specific, but along the way, I ran across a decree issued by Pope Benedict XII in 1334. I have included the opening of that decree below, and even if you don’t make it all the way through it, note that it is just a single sentence.
By this Constitution which is to remain in force for ever, we, with apostolic authority, define the following: According to the general disposition of God, the souls of all the saints who departed from this world before the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ and also of the holy apostles, martyrs, confessors, virgins and other faithful who died after receiving the holy baptism of Christ, provided they were not in need of any purification when they died, or will not be in need of any when they die in the future, or else, if they then needed or will need some purification, after they have been purified after death-and again the souls of children who have been reborn by the same baptism of Christ or will be when baptism is conferred on them, if they die before attaining the use of free will: all these souls, immediately (mox) after death and, in the case of those in need of purification, after the purification mentioned above, since the ascension of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ into heaven, already before they take up their bodies again and before the general judgment, have been, are and will be with Christ in heaven, in the heavenly kingdom and paradise, joined to the company of the holy angels.
I don’t intend to mock Pope Benedict XII as he is not around to defend himself, but assuming (big assumption) that this document was necessary in the first place, I’m pretty sure it could have been condensed into about ten or twelve words. More importantly, it appears to be a clarification of a clarification that excludes all religious riffraff. Since I nearly dozed off while reading this pontification on who is in and who is out, I’m pretty sure it means I am out. And remember, this edict was penned in the name of Jesus, the humble teacher who was executed because of his extraordinary love.
Sometimes it feels as if we need to provide a justification for the explanation that was the clarification of the original declaration, yet you, Gracious God, provided Jesus, who said, “This is my command: that you love one another as I loved you.” Why have we complicated it so much? Amen.
01-25-23
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
January 25, 2023
Today, I am reminded of the old axiom that says, “Institutions are created to serve the needs of people, but as time goes by, those people serve the needs of the institution.” This seems to be a part of the lifecycle of every movement, not just religions. You have the dreamers and the builders who create something. Their excitement and passion around their reason for existing is contagious, and many join in the excitement. We see it not only in churches but also in businesses, nonprofits, and service clubs. Somewhere along the way, systems and structures are put in place that allow the organization to run smoothly and efficiently. This is important because, at some point, the dream has been dreamed and the builders have built, and a transition must happen. Sadly, as something new emerges, it often forgets its roots, forgetting the passion and excitement that first gave it life. Its core identity and purpose are too often put on a shelf and replaced with a passion to protect the institution. This does not need to occur, but avoiding it requires intentionality. Individual churches must continue to remind themselves WHY they exist and not allow that WHY to become nothing more than institutional preservation. For Cypress Creek Christian Church, I believe that even if the buildings and the paid staff all went away tomorrow, there would still be a group of people enormously passionate about Putting Love First In All Things simply because the mission is not from the institution, but from the Spirit.
You have called me, Amazing God, not to save another bureaucratic establishment for the sake of its own existence. You have called me to a life modeled by Jesus, a life that seeks to make real the gift of love that shall transform the world. May the church be one of the tools used to see this happen. Amen.
01-24-23
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
January 24, 2023
This past weekend, Rev. Sally Azar became the first Palestinian woman ordained into the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan. She was also the first Palestinian woman ordained in the Holy Land. This is a monumental moment for the church universal, but sort of late… extraordinarily late. When you think about the women at the empty tomb who would become the first preachers of the Good News, it seems odd that it took two millennia for the institution to catch-up. I think about all the women ministers I have known over the years, and the many ways they inspired and enriched my faith. How many voices have been silenced over the years, bringing stagnation to the church? In fact, it is as if the church is telling the Holy Spirit, “We know better than you.” Today, I give thanks for all the voices that continued to speak in spite of institutional powers seeking to squelch their proclamation. In Luke 4, when Jesus echoed the words of Isaiah as a sort of announcement of his purpose, he also provided words for all those called to give voice to the Good News. He said,
The Lord’s Spirit has come to me,
because he has chosen me
to tell the good news to the poor.
The Lord has sent me
to announce freedom for prisoners,
to give sight to the blind,
to free everyone who suffers,
and to say,
“This is the year the Lord has chosen.”
For those whom you are raising up, O Provider of Good News, I pray for strength and perseverance in the work. There is too much to be done for us to be quieting any voice seeking to announce grace, mercy and acceptance. Amen.
01-23-23
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
January 23, 2023
Prayer for the Week: Provide me, O God of affirming grace, with x-ray-like vision to see through everything that gets piled on my soul—all the negativity, the voices of doubt, the painful judgments, and the cynicism. You have always seen something in me that you have deemed precious, loving me without condition while never judging my imperfections. In fact, you seem to use what many in the world would mock and seek to condemn, transforming it into my greatest tool for the ministry of compassion. Thanks for being my leading advocate and the one who affirms me again and again. Amen.
01-22-23
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
January 22, 2023
In worship today, we are going to be talking about the very real possibility of allowing a story that is not of God (or even from someone who loves you and has your best interest in mind) to be a defining story in your life. It can be a simple story, maybe one that doesn’t even impact you on a daily basis, or it can be a story that defines you in every way a person can be defined. I wish it did not happen, but it does. Yet awareness gained through prayer, discernment, and the help of others can have us see more clearly. In Paul’s Letter to the Galatians, he writes about wanting his readers to know the good message he is preaching. This message is a story, the story of God’s redemptive and transformative love made real in Jesus. From there, Paul becomes a bit autobiographical as he explains what it means to know the message and the change it brought to his life. It became his defining story. Though Paul’s moment of transformation was powerful, he continued to work and struggle. Later, he would write about not doing the things he knew he should do while doing the things he knew he should not do. There were probably some remnants of old unhealthy stories whispering inside his head. I don’t know if any of us can completely clean the closets of our minds of everything that will attempt to tell us something other than the Jesus message, but the more we become aware of those stories, the more ineffectual they become in defining who we are.
You love me beyond measure, O God, as you love each and every person that has lived, is living, and will live. You desire for all of us to live in the abundance of goodness and grace, free from the voices of guilt and grief; free from the stories of hate and misogyny; free from the narratives seeking to limit our possibilities. Continue to tell us stories about Jesus and his love—stories that will lead us to healing and wholeness. Amen.
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