Archives: Watchword

WATCHWORD:

³⁵ As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” ³⁶ So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). ³⁷ But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. ³⁸ Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”

³⁹ When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. ⁴⁰ Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Mark 4:35-40 Continue reading

WATCHWORD:

God’s Megaphone

This will be a different kind of Watchword, drawn from the writings of Solomon in Proverbs 1-3, the meaning of a homily I heard sometime ago, and informed by  experience, yours and mine.

This morning I heard the voice of God. It came to me in recalling circumstances I experienced over the years, but only now realize those events, those happenings were the voices, directions, and wisdom of God, which I chose to ignore. I believe that if you, the reader, were honest you would probably make a similar discovery. Little detours that opened up a different vista, some unexpected learning, or perhaps you met someone along that new way.

Too often when we think of the nudges or the murmurs of the Holy Spirit within, we think in terms of words, vocal renderings of some kind, we don’t think of our circumstances so much, or the voice of a friend, or the choices made by others close to us, that have become detours in the road. I think these are all ways in which God speaks to us and guides us on our own individual life paths.

We know that Proverbs is one of the Bible books of wisdom. We may read them with some curiosity, we may look up a verse just to make a point, but if these are truly God’s words of wisdom, I wonder if we take them seriously enough and apply them day in and day out?

Proverbs 1:1-6

These are the wise sayings of Solomon, David’s son, Israel’s king— Written down so we’ll know how to live well and right, to understand what life means and where it’s going; A manual for living, for learning what’s right and just and fair; To teach the inexperienced the ropes and give our young people a grasp on reality. There’s something here also for seasoned men and women, still a thing or two for the experienced to learn— Fresh wisdom to probe and penetrate, the rhymes and reasons of wise men and women.

The reality is we don’t always take the word of God seriously, into our everyday lives, and let it guide us in our making even some of the most practical decisions. Did you register the word “seasoned” as applied to you and I. We’ll want to remember that when someone throws a number at us like it was a label or a cognitive judgment of some kind. “I’m not [ ? ] (fill in the blank), I’m simply well seasoned.

We know that being a Christian is not always easy. When we look at verses 20-23 we are told that wisdom comes from divergent sources, pay attention:

Wisdom shouts from the streets. She cries out in the public square. She calls echos from the crowds along the main street, to those gathered in front of the city gate. How long will you fools hate knowledge?

One is to be a good learner of what God is telling us which means we need to pay attention to the wisdom that comes to us in so many different forms. I remember clearly the solid advice given to me by my friend and former pastor and his wife, advice I agreed with, but until recently had a really hard time following. The voice of God sounding very much like old friends who care.

Here’s the problem and how this impacts us. When God speaks to us, regardless of what form it takes, and we choose to ignore it, versus 23-26 tells us clearly that if we had responded to His voice, His nudges, he would have poured out into our hearts clear direction. But He goes on to tell us since we rejected Him and ignored His advice and would not accept His correction or His direction then we’ve got problems, right here in River City.

Proverbs 1:29-32

Because you hated knowledge and had nothing to do with the Fear-of-God, because you wouldn’t take my advice and brushed aside all my offers to train you, well, you’ve made your bed—now lie in it; you wanted your own way—now, how do you like it? Don’t you see what happens, you simpletons?

Now that may seem harsh, coming from God, but it’s true, isn’t it? We make decisions and then we’re stuck with them, or we benefit by them, but either way we must live with them. We discover the benefits of following the Lord’s leading, his nudges, his “voice” after we do. That is a choice we must make and live with. Read on, it gets better.

Proverbs 1:33-2:4, 9-11

Whoever listens to me will live.  Accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and apply your heart to understanding— indeed, if you call out for insight, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair – every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.

I can’t change the voice of God I ignored in the past. I cannot change what has happened during my life, because of choices made. But I can redirect my next steps with prayerful awareness of what God is telling me and make what comes next a following of His advice and counsel. That’s probably true for all of us. Can’t change the past but we can affect what comes next.

The Book of Proverbs can help inform us; it’s wisdom can help us make choices. But we must sharpen our listening and our awareness of the many voices that conveys God’s Word.  Lord, grant me acuity to “hear” your “voice” and follow your will. Amen. May it be so with you.

Prayerful Thoughts:

We’ll close this devotional with a proclamation/prayer from Proverbs 3.

I’m learning to trust in the Lord with all my heart and to lean not on my own understanding; in all my ways I acknowledge Him, and He will make my paths straight.

I choose not to be wise in my own eyes; to fear the Lord and shun evil. God will bring health to my body and nourishment to my bones.

I will honor the Lord with my wealth, with the first fruits of all I have; then my barns will be filled to overflowing, and my vats will brim over with new wine. Amen.

WATCHWORD:

1 Thessalonians 5:16-22
^16-18 Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live. ^19-22 Don’t suppress the Spirit, and don’t stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don’t be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what’s good. Throw out anything tainted with evil. The Message

¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. ¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit. ²⁰ Do not treat prophecies with contempt ²¹ but test them all; hold on to what is good, ²² reject every kind of evil. NIV

 ¹⁶ Always be joyful. ¹⁷ Never stop praying. ¹⁸ Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. ¹⁹ Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. ²⁰ Do not scoff at prophecies, ²¹ but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. ²² Stay away from every kind of evil. NLT

Meditation:

Without Ceasing?

Here are three different versions of the same passage, each saying basically the same thing, but with slightly different twists. The emphasis is on prayer, of course, but is there a difference between “all the time”, “continually” and “never stop”? It does seem like the Apostle Paul is telling us to never stop praying. How do we do that and is there more to it?

What is it that you do all the time? You know, without ceasing, no matter what happens? Something you do, day in and day out, never stopping? Two people overheard speaking of a friend that “never stops talking”, or “he’s a constant complainer.”  No, that is not what is meant.

I can think of at least two things that you and I must do without ceasing: Breathe and our heart pumping away, pushing our blood around for our good health. Of course, those two things must happen and we do them without thinking. Again, I don’t think that is what is meant.

The Message version gives us a clue to Paul’s meaning: “you who belong to Christ Jesus”. Do we understand how inclusive that state of affairs is when we “belong to Christ Jesus”? We are not always conscious of Jesus keeping us in perfect oneness with God, but if we are obeying Him, He always is, constantly, unceasingly.

Look at those passages again. It is not just praying that Paul is urging us to do. No, if we are Christ’s then we are called upon not to suppress the Spirit, not to stifle those who bring the Word but to test everything. We are to “check out” and hold on to what is good and to reject whatever is evil.

In a week I will be traveling to California, and, is my usual practice, I can feel the early sense of anxiety  beginning.  On this day, that negative feeling carried into my meditation time, and then I came upon this, written by  Mark Alan Williams:

“We may feel like we are at the edge of a precipice and about to fall. But, God allows us to go through trials to see if we will trust or doubt Him; and he wants us to trust him fully. The testing of your faith produces perseverance which makes us mature and complete.”

That short paragraph  reminded me that God is in charge, God loves us, and so what grounds do I have to worry? It was at that moment of awareness of God’s presence, that my feelings of anxiety faded.

We often read literal meaning into Scripture, and often it is the appropriate way to understand what God is saying to us. In this important passage, I believe the intent is more in line with this: If we are living the life of faith, then our communication with God is constant, our gratitude, our thankfulness and our awareness of forgiveness is all there in the love of Christ. God is good, all the time. Amen.

A Few Thoughts on Christianity:

• Tithe if you love Jesus! Anyone can honk.
• You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.
• Don’t wait for the hearse to take you to church.
• Come early for a good seat in the back.
• Life has many choices, Eternity has two. What’s yours?
• The best vitamin for a Christian is B1.
• Worry is interest paid on trouble before it is due.

Closing Prayer:

Dear Lord, I come before you and ask for Your strength within me. A strength not of the world but of Your kingdom. To refrain from judgement and feast on love. To push out greed and hold tight to joy. To dispel pride and rise with humility. To quell anger and rest in self control. To shun greed and rest in giving. To turn from power and embrace service. To let go of resentment and rest in peace. To push through fear and walk forwards in grace. To run with faith, soar with forgiveness, and allow your eternal strength to abide with me. Amen.

WATCHWORD:

²² “Never, Lord!” Peter said. “This shall never happen to you!” ²³ Jesus turned and said to him, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” ²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.  Matthew 16:20-24

Meditation:

Deny Yourself

Back in 1971, I wrote a silly little essay entitled I’m Simply Grand! Here is just a small sample:

Don’t look at me I’m not to blame, I didn’t rain out your silly game. I didn’t bring the clouds so grey and cause the thunder to pound away and dampen down your Saturday! Don’t look at me I’m not the cause, I’m not known to have any flaws. I didn’t cause that bad grade. I didn’t cause the goof you made. And those extra pounds, I’m here to say, I didn’t make you bulge that way! Don’t look at me, I’m much too bright. My opinions are always right! I don’t recall raising my voice or ever making a bad choice…

Now, what did Jesus say? “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” That’s exactly what Jesus said — deny self.  So, how does one do that? How do I deny myself? Does that mean putting others first? Hmm. How does one do that, when I have this nagging little thought in the back of my mind that somehow I am better than that one?

Self. From the time we were small the emphasis was on building our self-esteem, our character, being who we are. It became so ingrained into our DNA, our self-interest DNA, that it has the power to blot out what God has designed and built in and corrupts our human nature for its own purposes. It is a subtle and sneaky transformation.

In the process of our becoming who we are, our individuality forms a hard outer layer that protects and surrounds our inner spiritual life. As individuality develops, it shoves others aside, separating, and isolating people. It happens as we subconsciously protect ourselves and defend the characteristics of the child within. When we place our individuality over our spiritual life, our Spirit will become isolated, and we’ve lost something of value we didn’t even know we had.

Were you ever told by a parent or a significant other in your life to stand up for who you are. We carry that mindset into our present day. As an adult, were you ever asked to do something challenging, perhaps giving a homily in church, and your first impulse was to say “I can’t do that.”  That’s because your individuality is blocking the way. That ‘you’ can’t believe because it’s focused on protecting and not risking. But your ‘spiritual you’ can’t help but believe and you are assured in your faith that the spirit of God is at work in you, saying I can do this because Christ will give me the strength.

I am convinced that God wants to bring us into union with himself, but unless we are willing to give up our right to ourselves, we cannot. What Jesus said about denying self, means to deny our independent right to ourselves. If we do that, then the real part of our spiritual life is allowed the opportunity to grow, and we begin to truly  follow, and take on the image of our Lord. So be it.

Praying Psalm 51:10-13:

 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.  Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Teach me to lift others up and to love them as you love me. Amen.