In Need of Integrity (John 7:19-24)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
Pharisees, by German painter Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, 1912

It was Moses, wasn’t it, who gave you God’s Law? But none of you are living it. So why are you trying to kill me?”

The crowd said, “You’re crazy! Who’s trying to kill you? You’re demon-possessed.”

Jesus said, “I did one miraculous thing a few months ago, and you’re still standing around getting all upset, wondering what I’m up to. Moses prescribed circumcision—originally it came not from Moses but from his ancestors—and so you circumcise a man, dealing with one part of his body, even if it’s the Sabbath. You do this in order to preserve one item in the Law of Moses. So why are you upset with me because I made a man’s whole body well on the Sabbath? Don’t be hypercritical; use your head—and heart!—to discern what is right, to test what is authentically right.” (The Message)

One of my ardent desires for every person on planet earth, is that they will experience an integration of themselves – that they will know their true selves. And with this awareness, their head, heart, and gut will all be in alignment with each other. Every part of oneself will be acknowledged and work in harmony with the other parts.

I’m talking about wholeness. This is what produces peace, unity, harmony, joy, and strength of spirit. For me, this is the consummate Christian path of discipleship to walk. Jesus has gone before us to clear the way as the pioneer of our salvation. He makes it possible to realize wholeness. Christ has the ability to make us well and to live well. To know Jesus is to be whole.

People who are a bundle of disparate parts – with some of those parts suppressed and unacknowledged – are disturbed. They always seem to be upset with something because the parts of themselves are unable to communicate with each other. With them, there is no peace or wholeness. There is only a myopic view, usually coming from only using the head, only thinking.

But to have thoughts of God, to think about God’s law, and to police how God is thought of and how God’s law is implemented – without the heart or the gut involved – leads to fragmentation and disruption.

To only think, and withhold feelings and intuition, is to sin.

It’s impossible to know God and live God’s commands without involving your entire self. A head without a heart cannot affect humanity with the good that it so desperately needs.

A heart without a head cannot effectively steer the rudder into accomplishing sustained goodness.

And a head and a heart without a gut cannot sense the danger around the corner and loses its good plans and intentions.

Jesus was addressing religious leaders and a large chunk of fragmented people. Many of those persons were unable to discern who Christ actually is, because only the person of integrity and wholeness can do that. So, each one came at Jesus from their own limited place of disintegration. And none of them were able to truly see themselves as they actually are – blind to the reality that they were not keeping God’s law.

Christ and Pharisee, by Russian artist Ivan Filichev, 1993

A fragmented person’s perspective comes at things like this: “I’m obeying the law, although there are some laws I’m not really holding to.” Yet, Jesus understood that to break just one law makes us lawbreakers and in need of healing and wholeness.

Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath. The disintegrated person only saw Jesus working on the Sabbath, which in his head is a no-no. It requires work to heal someone. Therefore, it can wait until tomorrow. Thus, this Jesus fellow sinned against God and disobeyed God’s law. In fact, it only stands to reason that he is in league with a demon, the fragmented person reasons.

But that is to make a poor discernment of the situation. It is, however, only what the fragmented person can do. However, a wise understanding of the man’s healing by Jesus is to observe that Love has come among you – that Sabbath was made for humanity, not humanity for the Sabbath – and that this bringing of wholeness to a person, in restoring not only his health but his ability to connect with society, family, and community, is a knowable good thing. This is most certainly not what any sort of demon would do.

Perhaps one ought to test the spirits and make a good, right, and just discernment. Just maybe, Jesus is the one who can guide us to wholeness, goodness, and integrity. It could be that God is among us, and we didn’t even know it.

Constant criticism of others only deflects from paying attention to our own spirit; and always living in your head keeps you from experiencing the heartache of love.

Merely giving-in to the heart without engaging the head creates a caregiver who has no idea how to care for themselves; eventually they become bitter and gain a critical spirit that no one is caring for them as they care for others.

Blurting-out gut-reaction judgment at another may be truthful, but it will be taken as a severe and discouraging criticism because there was no thought or heart behind it.

There are a lot of upset people in this world. Yet, there are precious few persons with the wholeness to speak from the head, heart, and gut as a unified whole, bringing words and actions of life to others.

The persecuted person is one who has become wonderfully whole, namely because there are far too many fragmented people who view them as a threat, and see them as demonic. Fragmented folk believe they need to put the integrated person in their place, if not done away with altogether.

And that is exactly why Jesus was arrested, tortured, and killed. But fragmentation, disintegration, oppression, and sin do not have the last word. They are not the judge. There is resurrection, new life, and abundant joy because the grace of God in Christ always has the last word.

Christ’s Sermon on the Mount, by Argentine artist Jorge Cocco Santángelo

There’s trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. That’s the way of the fragmented ones; they will find themselves cursed. However, the blessings of God’s rule and reign recognize and affirm the whole person. Jesus said:

You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.

You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.

You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.

You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of competing or fighting. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.

You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom. (Matthew 5:3-10, MSG)

May you live into who you are, and avoid who you are not, to the glory of God. Amen.

Making a Vow (1 Samuel 1:19-27)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
Hannah Presenting Samuel to Eli, by Arent de Gelder, 1710

The entire family got up early the next morning and went to worship the Lord once more. Then they returned home to Ramah. When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the Lord remembered her plea, and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I asked the Lord for him.”

The next year Elkanah and his family went on their annual trip to offer a sacrifice to the Lord and to keep his vow. But Hannah did not go. She told her husband, “Wait until the boy is weaned. Then I will take him to the Tabernacle and leave him there with the Lord permanently.”

“Whatever you think is best,” Elkanah agreed. “Stay here for now, and may the Lord help you keep your promise.” So she stayed home and nursed the boy until he was weaned.

When the child was weaned, Hannah took him to the Tabernacle in Shiloh. They brought along a three-year-old bull for the sacrifice and a basket of flour and some wine. After sacrificing the bull, they brought the boy to Eli. “Sir, do you remember me?” Hannah asked. “I am the very woman who stood here several years ago praying to the Lord. I asked the Lord to give me this boy, and he has granted my request. (New Living Translation)

Hannah had no children. In an era of patriarchy and polygamy, she had to put up with a rival wife verbally attacking her – not to mention a husband who seemed somewhat clueless to what was going on.

The piety of Hannah was unmatched. When worshiping the Lord in the tabernacle at Shiloh, Hannah offered a heartfelt prayer to God. She not only asked for help in her distressing situation, but also promised that if the Lord would give her a son, she would return to the Giver; thus, making the child a double gift to both herself and God.

God listened to Hannah and remembered her. Through her pregnancy and birth of a son, there is even more going on than displaying the Lord’s power over infertility. In taking divine initiative to do what Hannah asked, God demonstrated care and vindication for one of the least valued members of an ancient society that looked askance on infertile women.

Hannah and Samuel in the Temple, by Rembrandt, 1650

In the patriarchal society, Hannah’s husband, Elkanah, could have nullified her vow to the Lord. But he allowed her promise to stand, and even encouraged it. Perhaps this was yet another sort of miracle, to have a husband move the great distance from unaware and aloof to aware and connected.

Hannah and Elkanah went to Shiloh, and back to the old priest Eli, not only making a typical animal sacrifice, but also offering their son, in fulfillment of Hannah’s vow to the Lord. Hannah very much took her vow to God seriously.

As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few.

Too much activity gives you restless dreams; too many words make you a fool.

When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him. It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it. Don’t let your mouth make you sin. And don’t defend yourself by telling the Temple messenger that the promise you made was a mistake. That would make God angry, and he might wipe out everything you have achieved.

Talk is cheap, like daydreams and other useless activities. Fear God instead. (Ecclesiastes 5:1-7, NLT)

Any sort of commitment we express to God, no matter what, is to be taken seriously. Making vows to the Lord isn’t simply a way of helping us feel good about our relationship to God; rather, vows have important implications for our daily life and decisions.

What’s more, vows are not bribes. We don’t make deals with God. That’s because we have nothing to offer in any sort of human understanding of contractual obligations. A vow is a promise, a commitment to follow through with something. And the Lord will hold us accountable to our promises.

Hannah offered her son willingly and gladly to the Lord, and not begrudgingly. In fact, this may have been her thought all along to dedicate a child to God. In other words, giving up her son was not a sorrowful grief but a deep joy. Hannah raised the boy until he was weaned – which was likely, in that day and age, around 3 or 4 years old.

It’s quite possible that Hannah spent those formative years preparing her son for a life of service and doing all she could to help him get a good beginning in the Lord’s Tabernacle.

The biblical character of Hannah has a lot to teach us in our own journey of faith. She was completely devoted to God, found ways to honor and obey God, made a carefully crafted vow to God, persevered and never lost sight of what was important, and did it all with a spirit of obedience, initiative, spunk, gratitude, and gladness.

Hannah was motivated, principled, and sincere. Her good intentions developed into a focused vow, and she organized her life around her promise to God. Hannah did not overpromise or act impulsively; she knew what she was doing. And we have no record of her putting it all in her rival’s face.

God isn’t looking for grand ornate vows from us. The Lord just wants us to live obediently, with a good attitude, and follow through on our expressed commitments. And that’s one of the simplest paths to living a joyful and satisfied life.

Gracious and holy God, who creates, saves, blesses, and sustains us, these things we promise for this day and forevermore:

Never again shall we see another person as an enemy.
Never again shall we place our hope in power.
Never again shall we use violence against another person.
Never again shall we build walls to keep others out.
Never again shall we raise our hand in anger against others.
Never again shall we rob others of their dignity.
Never again shall we treat people differently based on the color of their skin or ethnicity.
Never again shall we take from others what is rightfully theirs.
Never again shall we make judgments about another’s gender identity.
Never again shall we blame another person or group for our own failings.
Never again shall we forget that we are all brothers and sisters.
Never again shall we refuse to listen to one another’s stories.
Never again shall we forget to love others as you love us.
Never again shall we forget that we belong to you.
Never again shall we forget to see ourselves caretakers of your whole creation.
Never again, Creator, shall we forget that you made us as we are, all colors,
shapes and sizes, and said, “Wow! Look at that. Now that is good!” Amen.

Accomplishing the Mission, No Matter What (Acts 25:1-12)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
Saint Paul before Festus and Agrippa, by Philip Galle (1537-1612)

Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem, where the chief priests and the Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul. They requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way. Festus answered, “Paul is being held at Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon. Let some of your leaders come with me, and if the man has done anything wrong, they can press charges against him there.”

After spending eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he convened the court and ordered that Paul be brought before him. When Paul came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They brought many serious charges against him, but they could not prove them.

Then Paul made his defense: “I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar.”

Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?”

Paul answered: “I am now standing before Caesar’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well. If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”

After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!” (New International Version)

The Story Up to Now

Paul was in a pickle. Earlier in his life, as an up and coming star amongst the Jewish Pharisees, he had a life-changing encounter with the risen Christ. Paul did a complete 180 degree turn from opposing and persecuting Christians to becoming a Christian himself.

As you might imagine, this did not go over well with the Jewish establishment, and especially the Pharisees. From the event of Paul’s conversion and onward, he was a marked man. And he knew it.

But Paul didn’t care. He embraced his new life and calling with as much or more zeal than his old life. Paul dedicated himself to missionary journeys, proving that Jesus is the Christ, and establishing churches. Some of the Jews (by no means all) hated him for it. As a result, the Apostle Paul was whipped, stoned, and left for dead more than once. Finally, the upset Jews were able to get Paul arrested and jailed.

And that is where we pick up Paul’s story. And it’s also likely why he appealed to Ceasar instead of staying in Palestine; he knew he wouldn’t survive for too long surrounded by the same sort of people whom he used to run with in trying to stamp out the Christians.

The Present Story

Paul originally dealt with Felix (Acts 24) but then with a change in administration, he faced Festus. The Jews who opposed Paul wanted him transferred to Jerusalem from Caesarea. But Festus was no dummy; he knew this was an age old trick to try and ambush the Roman guards on the way and assassinate Paul. So, Festus went and saw Paul in Caesarea.

Things went as one might expect: Unsubstantiated charges are leveled against Paul in court; Paul maintains his innocence; Festus asks Paul if he wishes to go to Jerusalem for trial, or not; and Paul refuses. But the thing that no one expected is that Paul took the further step of appealing directly to the emperor himself.

We aren’t told why Paul made this appeal – although it certainly appeared as if he may not get a fair trial in Palestine. Yet, we do know that Paul had a desire to fulfill his calling of bearing witness to the gospel of Christ in the West, and to Rome.

It seems to me that, at this point, Festus saw an opportunity to rid himself of all this Jewish weirdness (as he saw it) and send Paul off and out of his own jurisdiction. One less difficult Jewish problem to have to deal with in this far off Roman outpost in the Middle East.

The Story to Come

As Bible readers, we know what is upcoming for Paul – all of the dramatic events and twist and turns of his life getting to Rome and under house arrest in the city. Yet, even though none of us really know what another day will bring, the Apostle Paul was driven by his purpose of gospel proclamation and bringing the message of Christ to the farthest western reaches of the Roman Empire. And to that end, he was not going to be dissuaded or deterred, even when he had little to no control over his life as a prisoner.

A person with meaning and purpose is a person with faith and hope. And when love is the thing animating the purpose, then it doesn’t much matter what the outward circumstances are. Perseverance and resiliency always find a way where there seems to be none.

Half of life is spent discovering, learning, and developing our skills, gifts, and abilities. The other half is applying and honing those skills in new and different contexts. As long as we know what we’re about, and we keep putting in the hard work and practice it takes for continued and sustained excellence, then each situation we encounter becomes an opportunity to extend my purpose in a new experience.

And that is what the Apostle Paul did. It wasn’t about changing or manipulating situations or people; rather, it was about finding pathways to accomplishing his mission on this earth with the calling he received from God. I would say that Paul did a pretty dang good job at that.

I also believe that you and I can do it, too.

Holy God, you search us out and know us better than we know ourselves. Help us to discern your voice and your calling. We seek to listen and learn from the wisdom of Christ. Raise up faithful people who will speak words of life with clarity and grace, with justice and true compassion; in the strength of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Listen Carefully (Mark 4:21-25)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading BlogLeave a comment

Jesus went on: “Does anyone bring a lamp home and put it under a bucket or beneath the bed? Don’t you put it up on a table or on the mantel? We’re not keeping secrets, we’re telling them; we’re not hiding things, we’re bringing them out into the open.

“Are you listening to this? Really listening?

“Listen carefully to what I am saying—and be wary of the shrewd advice that tells you how to get ahead in the world on your own. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity. Stinginess impoverishes.” (The Message)

Karma is a word from Hinduism which refers to the sum of a person’s actions in this life and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in the future. Contemporary Western society has picked up on this and uses the word in reference to a more universal reality.

The proverbial wisdom is that we typically get what we deserve by receiving exactly from others what we give to them in this life.

Jesus let us know that the way we treat others is the way we ourselves will be treated. A generosity of spirit toward one’s fellow humanity will come back in a similar way; and a stingy or miserly spirit will also be returned in kind. It’s a basic reality that we tend to receive what we give.

Every person has the capacity to elevate humanity, because people tend to live up to how they are being treated. What’s more, the initiator of basic human kindness and benevolence will find themselves receiving back much more than they put into it.

Now please understand that this is not some sort of ironclad law of the universe. If I give a dollar to someone, I won’t automatically get two dollars back later. If someone scratches your back, you may not be able to scratch theirs. The idea is rather that – all things being equal – if we live a wise and good life, full of giving and generosity – we will most likely not become destitute and in want.

That’s why classic movies, such as A Wonderful Life, resonate deeply with us. George Bailey went through a very trying time in his life when his business was in a pinch. But his way of living was above board and he freely lent to others, even when things were tough.

In the end, George experienced a rich encounter of his neighbors coming together to help, in the family’s time of need. George had been making a huge difference all along, and he never really knew how impactful it all was, until an angel imaginatively revealed it to him.

There is nothing that is truly hidden; all things shall be disclosed. Nor is anything really a secret; everything will come to light.

Jesus gave to his disciples (and to us) the secret of God’s rule and reign on this earth. Therefore, no one is to be complacent, rest on their laurels, or go about life with a “meh” sort of attitude. We must pay attention to the insight we’ve been given; and act on it.

God’s benevolent kingdom will be successful and have its way in this world. Although the Lord’s ethical agenda shall ultimately win out, there yet remains dark forces which temporarily oppose this good divine plan.

It’s important to be patient, and to persevere in doing good. We will see a harvest of righteousness if we don’t give up. So, keep on having a generous spirit of merciful giving. Keep going with living a humble and pure life. Continue on the path of justice and righteousness.

Whenever we encounter opposition, even persecution, or when evil appears to be having the day, don’t be discouraged. This is all part of the life and ministry to which we are called. We get up in the morning, keep planting gospel seeds of grace, and understand that it is God who gives the growth and the harvest.

Road to Emmaus, by Robert Zünd, 1877

Freely give, as freely as you have received. With the mercy and love shown to you, pass it on to others. As you become filled to the full, with the life of Christ, allow this to spill over onto others who are in need of comfort, encouragement, forgiveness, reconciliation, and hope.

Specifically, Jesus is the revealer of mysteries. In Christ, that which was hidden is now revealed; the secret things of God are on full display in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Jesus is hope and life. Folks place faith in him, and are shown how to love and navigate this world according to the divine agenda. The magnanimous and generous spirit of Jesus Christ changes the world. The waves and ripples of his life and work are still filling the world.

In this present evil age, we have everything we need for life and godliness – because of Jesus.

I am wondering about us, about you and me. We are relational creatures, created by a good God in God’s very own image. The Lord has gone out of the way to create a divine/human connection that is supremely good, life-giving, and enjoyable.

Yet, all of us, in one way or another, have searched in all sorts of places, in vain, for the love which has been right there in front of us the entire time.

Jesus is the Light of the world, the Bread of life, the Good Shepherd, Living Water, and Savior of the world. And he is waiting patiently – to be the light at the end of the tunnel, the spiritual sustainer, the loving guide, and the deliverer from anything and everything that hinders your ability to be truly alive.

The Lord longs to be generous to us. Yet, you and I must be willing to receive, to hold out our open hands and take what God gives us. Our ears need to be open for listening to what the Lord is saying.

If our ears, hands, and hearts are open to others, there is a very good chance that God will be open to us. It isn’t necessarily karma; it’s just the way things are in the gracious and benevolent kingdom of God.

Oh God, our loving Creator and Giver of all good gifts, bless all churches and communities of faith; strengthen our faith and grant us the spirit of Christian stewardship so that we may give generously of our time, talent and treasure to spread your benevolent kingdom here and throughout the world; through Jesus Christ our Lord, in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.