Scripture: James 5:13-20
There is probably one very important aspect of the christian life that is mentioned in scriptures that is not practice frequently today, corporate prayer. There issomething about the sharing of struggles and weaknesses that is both scary and freeing.
James, the brother of Jesus, encourages us to pray when we are suffering, sing when we are cheerful, call the elders when we are sick, and confess our sins when we stumble. I do not know about you but I rarely do these things in a corporate setting. I really do not know why that is, but I think that during the reformation we protestants lost something when we left the Catholic Church. There is a power ad strength in the community knowledge of what is happening in the lives of worshipers. I am not advicating that we go back to a priestly order where you gain absolution, but I do think in our personalized faiths we have lost community.
Just think for a moment, if someone knows you suffering what would happen? Either you get a lot of bad advice or you have a friend that can cry with you. If someone else know your cheerful things, they can help celebrate and a celebration is always more fun in a group. If you are stuggling in an area with sin, then you have someone that can help you overcome, encourage, and remind you that the grace of God is covering you where you fail.
Imagine if we lived in a community like that? Imagine if your worship community would drop everything and anoint you with oil and pray when you were sick, even if God did not heal your illness the encouragement would give you added strength to fight the illness.
I think we do not spend enough time in real prayer. We have religated God and worship to one day, or possibly two days in the week. In those days we try to look like we are doing fine, but in reality we all struggle. We do need to share and encourage one another. I am advicating that we restart community. Imagine if we built community kitchens where not only families shared meals but friends. Not just occasionally but regularly. What would happen if we came together to encourage each other daily or at least given the opportunity to share daily?
We need God to rain down on our nation and our world. We need to awaken our spirits and have revival in our souls. I do not think this will come from knowing more about scripture or even providing more humanitarian aid, but through being honest and loving to one another and praying as a corporate body. Praying for peace, prosperity, hope, and healing in our lands. Praying for the grace of God to rain down on us so that we can bless our nations once again.
Scripture: Wisdom of Solomon 1:16-2:1, 12-22
I read the pages of post through the social media sites and find a divided world, a world divided between the left and right, conservative and liberal, Christian and Muslim, tomato and tamoto. It is not a laughing matter I know. We are filled with emotions and opinions that we will stand by to our dying breath. Our reasons are probably very good, but what are we actually saying to those that are on the opposite side? Are we saying you are loved by God and He has a plan and purpose for your life, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans that will allow you to live with Him forever if you were to turn around and follow Him? I have caught myself on a number of occasions, having to stop what I was doing and rethink my responses to people.
This passage causes me to consider things from a different perspective, the prospective of the “sinner.” It allows us to step into the shoes of for just a moment and look at things from their perspective. We as followers of Jesus say a lot. We have answers for everything right in the Bible, but what about those areas that really hurt, when things do not make sense. We say that God is in control, that He is our protector and provider, but what do we do if everything is seemingly out of control. We are tested every day, observed like mice running in a maze. Those around us are watching to see if our words and actions are in harmony. They are checking our actions to what they think scriptures say. Often times these things do not balance out, and when they do not we do not have a good answer. Why do good, hard working people lose their jobs? Why do people act treat some people better than others?
Now we can step into our own shoes again, knowing that everyone is watching our response to whatever is thrown at us, how well do we react. If everything around us is threatened are we able and willing to respond accoding to our belief? This has been a struggle for me over tha past few weeks. If you are my friend on facebook you have probably seen my posts are both liberal and conservative. Some even make me sick to read. I cry out who will save me from myself, because cearly I don’t know who I am. But that’s pretty much the point.
We are all humans. We come from the same base. We are all equally messed up and that is what scripture is really about. There is a standard that noone is able to meet. There is a goal for communitees and even nations that have never been fullfilled. Sure some come pretty close but we have failed as humans and nations. And the point is we need to practice what we preach. Not just the Muslims, the republicans, liberals, Baptists, Quaker, Americans or Arabs but each one of us. We all need to look at what we say we believe, look at what we do, and look at how we treat others according to the entire book we follow.
I know that sounds like a unitarian reponse, but let’s focus on how we live our lives first, before we get to upset about how someone else is responding to us. It is their job to test our faith and to question our beliefs. In the end it is not about who has the best belief system but who cares and loves the most as a culture, community, and individually. I challenge Christians, pagans, athiests, Jews, and Muslims a like to a duel of charity. Let us all out do the other group in showing hospitality and care to those around us. Then let’s come back to the table and discuss the who says what and why.
Scripture: Wisdom of Solomon 7:26-8:1
Although this book is not in the Protestant book of scriptures there is somthing about it that brings comfort. I have a personality that loves to know things. I have said that often in my thoughts. The pursuit of knowledge brings me joy. If there was a subculture in the Christian culture I would lable myself a scientific Christian. Some of you may cringe at that, but I have no problem with science. It is a discipline or a quest for knowledge, and in my view that is what we as humans are called to do. Adam the first man, was given a job to name everything and to be a steward of the earth. That is a calling of scientific discovery and application.
Some of us may not be as disciplined as other in this quest, but there is some curiosity deep with in us. A quest to bring the world aound us into submission in some way.
This book in many ways encourages thi pursuit of knowledge, and the application of that. The one that wrote it has such joy from this pursuit that it almost seems to read like a love affair instead of a book of scripture. He speaks of wisdom or the pursuit and application of knowledge as the highest pursuit the pursuit of God. It is almost as if this pursuit is the pursuit of God. It is almost as if Sophia, or lady Wisdom, is part of the personality of God. Could this be the actual name of The Holy Spirit, the third person of the triune God? I’m sure theologians and biblical scholars could let me know for sure. If Sophia is not a personality of God, she is definatly an angel equal to Michael and Gabriel, at last in my thinking.
This passages goes on to say, “God loves nothing so much as the person who lives with wisdom.” To seek wisdom, to live with and in wisdom is to love God. Our faith should not be one that neglects the pursuit of knowledge, if it is it is as if we are rejecting God and the image of God in us. We should always be seeking and enjoying the discipline of learning. This includes not only knowledge of scripture but also the knowledge of the world around us. Pursue Sophia, pursue her like you pursued and continue to pursue your spouse and your God. But in this pursue let us not forget who it is we are pursuing. If wisdom is not an aspect of God then she is His servant. If she is a servant then we should keep her in the right place because she only reflects an aspect of someting greater.
Prayer, study, meditation, fasting among other spiritual disciplines are just tools used to pursue the wisdom of God. Let us learn to enjoy these application of these tools so that we can join the writer of book in the romance of wisdom and the love of God.