We are being transformed into God's image

 

New Testament reading is 2 Corinthians 3:18 “…all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

I believe humanity was created with an innate desire to seek God, and there is an emptiness deep within our souls that remains unfilled until we turn to God. However, this emptiness is not filled with divine benevolences discovered in our search. We find fulfillment, at least in part because we seek to know God, to be in a relationship with God. Those who try to fill the void with material things will remain empty, but even those of us who believe we know God are limited in our understanding.  

Author, theologian, and spiritual guide Jeremy Driscoll wrote that "God is not what we think [God] is — not in any small way what we might think, nor in any big way the sum total of what a whole bunch of thinkers, great thinkers through the centuries, might think." I believe contemplating on God keeps us seeking to know God. Driscoll also said, "we have no choice but to try to imagine God." In our limited humanness, we try to imagine what God is, what and who God might be, and God at some point comes to meet us in our thoughts." (Jeremy Driscoll, OSB, A Monk's Alphabet: Moments of Stillness in a Turning World (Shambhala, 2007), 169.

God's amazing grace is that if we live our lives seeking to know God, we will grow in God's glory, but we still will never understand God's glory, but again it is the seeking that makes the difference in our journey to know God.  

A February Reflection - "Understanding Love Through a Child's Eyes"

Charles Colson was once only thought of as President Richard Nixon's "hatchet man" and "incapable of humanitarian thoughts." His 1973 conversion to Christianity was followed by a guilty plea to obstruction of justice and a seven-month prison sentence in 1974. Colson went on to establish the Prison Fellowship Ministries in 1976, fulfilling a promise made to fellow inmates that he would "never forget those behind bars." He released his first book, "Born Again," in 1976, and it instantly became an international bestseller. He has authored 16 books that have collectively sold more than 5 million copies. 

In his book 'Kingdoms in Conflict' he shares a story about a discussion he and his son, Chris, were having about the evidence for God. Colson argued that if there were no God, it would be impossible to account for the moral law, his grandson Charlie, then 4, interrupted.

"But Grandpa," he said, "there is a God." Colson nodded, assuring him that I agreed.

Charlie then said, "…if there wasn't a God, Grandpa, people couldn't love each other." 

Think about Charlie's response for a moment. 'Without God, we could not love each other.' I agree with Colson; Charlie is right. "Only the overarching presence and provision of God assures that both Christians and non-Christians enjoy human dignity and a means to escape our naturally sinful condition. Without God's presence, we could not survive together on this planet; nor could we love one another." [Charles Colson, Kingdoms in Conflict (New York: William Morrow/Zondervan Publishing House, 1987), 71.]

1 John 4 has become my favorite scripture. Verses 7-8 says, "Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love."Understanding scripture is not as simple as reading the text. We need to be open to the Holy Spirit's guidance and remember the character of God as we read. When we fail to see a God of love in our reading, we do not see God's true character that is predominant throughout scripture and our template for reading the stories. To be Christian is to be intentional about living out our lives into the character of God. “We love because God first loved us” (1 John 4:19). When we fail to choose (and it is a choice) not to treat another person as God's child, with dignity and respect, we are not only failing to live into the character of God; we are discounting the value of our relationship with God.

We are God's created, created to be in relationship with God, and we, individually and collectively as a people, have failed God many times over. Thanks be to God that God is love, and love forgives, always.  

The Greatest Hope

 

New Testament reading is Luke 5:1-15.  

The Greatest Hope

Jesus was standing on the shore of the lake. The people were crowding around, pressing on him to hear the word of God. He saw two boats; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Jesus got into one of the boats and asked Simon Peter to push it out a little from the shore. Peter did as Jesus ask. Jesus then sat down in the boat and taught the people. When he finished teaching, he turned to Peter and asked him to put out into the deep water and let down his nets for a catch. Peter was reluctant because he fished all night and caught nothing, but once again does as Jesus requests and achieves a miraculous catch of fish.

The heartwarming miracle stories remind us that God does not watch from a distance ignoring his creations. The stories give us hope in a God who walks with us through good and challenging times. A God who seeks to be in a relationship with us, just as Jesus pursued a relationship with Simon Peter. 

The story of the miraculous catch is a great sign of hope for all who struggle with life's challenges, but the greatest hope reflected in the story is in our God, who pursues us. 

Something to Ponder on the Lord's Day!

Something to ponder January 30, 2022

Today's New Testament reading is Luke 4:21-30; it is the story of Jesus returning to his hometown to preach in the synagogue. Luke tells us this sermon begins Jesus' ministry for the poor, the captive, and the outcast. The following short story, I believe, summarizes Jesus' point to the hometown crowd.

Toss of a Coin - Two sons were left a large piece of property by their father. For months they fought over how the land should be divided. Finally, they brought their problem to their pastor and asked him to help them solve it. 

"Come back tomorrow," said the pastor, "and we'll talk." 

The next day the sons returned, and the pastor gave them his solution. 

"Toss a coin," he said to one of the brothers. "You call it, heads or tails," he said to the other.

"The one who wins the toss divides the land." 

"That's no solution," said one of the brothers. "We're right back where we started from." 

"Not so," said the pastor. "The one who wins the toss divides the land, but the other gets first choice."

The story's point is simple, like Jesus' hometown crowd, each brother was concerned only about himself, wanting to get the better of the other brother. The Israelites were accustomed to thinking only of themselves while disregarding those whom they considered unworthy of God's grace: the poor, the captives, and those who were being oppressed. 

Our world is divided because nations and individuals see different people as not worth their time or concern. Jesus' sermon shouted that God cares about all people. There are no divisions; and to ignore those on the fringes of society is not part of God's plan for God's children. God wants to connect to all people, and it is the responsibility of God's children to share the good news of God's love and transforming grace with others, especially to those on the fringes of society.

Something to Ponder on the Lord's Day!

  

Pondering the Question - January 23, 2022

Today's Old Testament reading is Nehemiah 8:1-10, and the New Testament reading is Luke 4:14-21. A common theme that connects these readings is 'the reading of the sacred text.' In Nehemiah, we hear the priest reading the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) to the formerly exiled children of Israel for the first time. In the New Testament reading, Jesus reads for the first time in his hometown, proclaiming the fulfillment of the Word read from Isaiah. The Scripture is made new in both stories.  

Together, these stories remind me that the Bible is the 'Living Word of God' and is always up to date. The Bible is the most live book in the world. It is so because the ever-living Jesus, the Christ, lives in the Word. As we grow in our relationship with Christ through Scripture, we not only learn that we die and are resurrected in Christ's death and resurrection, we grow in our love for Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit that guides and opens our minds to understand the Word read. 

Here is a simile of this concept. A cultivated literary critic reviewed a book by a specific author, and she was very severe in her criticism, pointing out many flaws. A few months later, she became acquainted with the author of this book and married him in a short time. Then she re-read the book. This change in their relationship also changed her perspective of the book. She said, "what a beautiful book! What a nice book! There are some mistakes here and there, but they ought to be overlooked." And she began to recommend the book to everyone. The book was just the same as before, but her relation to the author had changed. Earlier, he was a stranger; now, he was her husband. When she began to love him, she began to love his book. When we come into fellowship with the risen Christ, we see the Bible more clearly. The living Word, the Bible, becomes the most live and precious of all the books in the world.

Something to Ponder on the Lord's Day!

Something to Ponder on the Lord’s Day!  January 16, 2022

Today's Gospel reading is an interesting story because it is Jesus' first miracle as recorded in the Gospel of John (John 2:1-11). Yet it is also a strange miracle for modern-day readers, turning water into wine. Especially with the abuse and dangers, excessive drinking has caused throughout the ages, including in Jesus' time. In Jesus' day, drinking wine was socially accepted, but as Paul tells us later, excessive drinking was not acceptable and considered a sin. 

The story is strange to our modern ears because alcoholism has affected most of us in one way or another. My paternal grandfather died from complications caused by alcoholism in his 50s, so it is a terrible disease that has harmed many lives and families. However, I still believe the miracle of turning water into wine is a story of grace, and what better way for Jesus to begin His ministry to save humanity. 
The wedding banquet in Cana in Galilee is John's way of saying from the very outset of Jesus' ministry every earthly act is connected to His glory and messianic mission and God's desire to save humanity.

Mary comes to her son not asking him to turn water into wine to save a wedding feast; but to help the groom and his family, who will be shamed by the guests, literally the entire community. I believe Jesus did not know it was time to begin his ministry until His Heavenly Father helped him decide at that moment. Jesus then chose to tart His ministry with an example of God's extravagant generosity. 

God's grace and our Lord's gracious hospitality to provide wine for a needy family and community may be challenging. Still, I hope we can see beyond our modern prejudices. Jesus' first miracle is often referred to as 'Cana Grace,' which emphasizes the reality of God’s grace that is the essence of every miracle God has ever done, from the beginning of creation to current day miracles, those often missed by our modern-day eyes. 

 Something to ponder this Lord's day. January 9, 2022

We get a very different perspective in Luke's rendition of Jesus' baptism (Luke 3:15-17; 21-22).

People flocked to John, not out of fear but excitement. Many hoped he was the long waited for Messiah who would save them from their Roman oppressors. 

Others believed Elijah would reappear when the Messiah was about to come. So when they saw John dressed as the great Old Testament prophet, they thought he embodied the heart and soul of Israel's faith and that he might be Elijah. 

Luke begins the baptism story with John chastising those who believe he is the Messiah. Although baptism is essential for fulfilling prophecy, it is secondary to Jesus' actions following the baptism. Luke tells us Jesus doesn't say a word and is one of many who get baptized by John on this day. There is no discussion between John and Jesus, and the Holy Spirit descends after everyone is baptized, including Jesus, while Jesus is praying. 

I believe baptism is important. It symbolizes our faith in Christ as our Lord and Savior, but it is also a spiritually transforming moment in our faith. The Holy Spirit marks the baptized as God's children. Yes, baptism is important, but the Holy Spirit's action after we are baptized is instrumental for our continued relationship with God throughout our lives, actions that transform us into God’s beloved children. 

Something to Ponder on the Lord's Day!