Tag: good life

His Resurrection Is Ours

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Pastor Tim's PonderingsLeave a comment
The Resurrection, by Andrea Mantegna, c.1458 C.E.

The story of Christianity, the very heart and essence of the religion, is a tale of transformation from all the obstacles, impediments, and barriers which confine or cripple. The person and work of Jesus accomplished this. In his earthly ministry, Christ continually called people to transformative change into the reality of God’s gracious and benevolent realm.

“I have come to give the good life, a life that overflows with beauty and harmony.”

Jesus (John 10:10, First Nations Version)

Christ’s resurrection made possible our own transformative new life. This is both exciting and scary. Resurrection is frightening because it’s a call to live a life without any of the walls which have defined us and/or imprisoned us.

The massive stone covering the tomb of Jesus Christ was rolled away. He walked out of the grave by the power of resurrection. The cave of death was changed into the place of liberation.

That place is a powerful image of moving aside any and all obstacles to our own faith and freedom. The prison doors have been opened. Our self-contrived inner prisons, as well as the unjust shackles placed upon us, have dropped away.

As a result, those who have been exiled, excommunicated, and treated as expendable are visited by the luminous healing presence of God’s great liberating force: resurrection.

I want to fully know the Chosen One [Jesus] and the power that raised him from the dead. I want to know what it means to participate in his sufferings and to become like him in his death, living in the hope that, like the Chosen One, I will also rise from death to life. (Philippians 3:10-11, First Nations Version)

All of these words may either seem strange and/or compelling. If this is the case, it is a sad situation. Because it’s quite necessary that we become familiar with such language. Unfortunately, the gap between the world we are presently living in, and the world our hearts yearn to know, is quickly coming to an unsustainable place of high stress.

There is now a profound disconnect between the love deep inside us, and the way in which we are living our day-to-day lives on this earth. The issue has become so great as to warrant the need for resurrection.

And I am not simply addressing Christians. In his earthly ministry, Jesus was not only talking to his own Jewish people; he came for the whole world. Jesus is for everyone – whether we acknowledge him according to Christian dogma and doctrine, or not.

The evil gaslighting sort of person wants you to believe that you are alone, bereft of any help – that somehow you need to assert yourself aggressively into the dog-eat-dog world. Wickedness always looks to chaos and war as the path to gaining the life one wants.

But Jesus is the bridge to another kind of thinking, another sort of life. He is the guide to the greatest power which exists in the world: Love. And Love is why resurrection is a reality.

Although we suffer from systemic evil and all kinds of structural “ism’s” in this world, our shackles and chains have been largely forged by ourselves, through spiritual ignorance and misunderstandings of who we are and why we are here.

Resurrection opens us to new life. It provides identity, purpose, and passion to live the good life. Even though we live in this world below, our answers to living in the here-and-now are found in the world above.

Since you have been raised up to a new life with the Chosen One [Jesus] then keep looking upward toward him into the spirit-world above, where he sits in the place of greatest honor at Creator’s right hand. Keep your thoughts and desires centered on the spirit-world above, not on the things from the earth below. (Colossians 3:1-2, First Nations Version)

All of us have experienced walking a dark path in life. But now it is high time to walk away from uncontrolled emotions and evil ways. There are plenty of lying spirits who intend on deceiving you and I for their own selfish purposes. Instead, we can refuse and resist such evil.

We can live in ways that represent the good, the right, and the just. We can experience living a resurrected life. Let us choose the pure path of the new person in Christ, the person you and I were created to be.

The telltale signs of the person living into resurrection are a deep feeling for the pain of others, kindness, humility of heart, a gentle spirit, and long-suffering patience with others. Such persons wear forgiveness like a well-worn pair of jeans.

This is the path of resurrection, the way of unity, peace, and harmony. And these qualities will always guide us and inform us in helpful and sacred ways.

Our current global decline comes from an accumulation of greed and sheer lovelessness. But the possibility of rebirth, of resurrection, rises from our deep universal yearning for the good and the true. It comes from our radical willingness to change and live a different counter-cultural life.

Resurrection does not occur because of lofty thoughts; it comes from a humble, and contrite heart which yearns for a better and more sacred existence.

Only until we find our present life on this world as intolerable with its injustice and persistent carelessness, will we see that we must put love where love is not.

The great lesson of resurrection is that Love makes all things right.

Dear friends, let’s love each other, because love is from God, and everyone who loves is born from God and knows God. The person who doesn’t love does not know God, because God is love. This is how the love of God is revealed to us: God has sent his only Son into the world so that we can live through him. (1 John 4:7-9, Common English Bible)

May resurrection move from being merely a theological concept, to a powerful reality that permeates and fills your life with meaning, power, and love. Amen.

Have Enough Sense to Learn Some Life Lessons (Proverbs 19:24-29)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment

Some people are too lazy to put food in their own mouths.

Arrogance should be punished, so that people who don’t know any better can learn a lesson. If you are wise, you will learn when you are corrected.

Only a shameful, disgraceful person would mistreat his father or turn his mother away from his home.

My child, when you stop learning, you will soon neglect what you already know.

There is no justice where a witness is determined to hurt someone. Wicked people love the taste of evil.

A conceited fool is sure to get a beating. (Good News Translation)

I believe one good practice is to ponder the biblical proverbs and write them in our own words. So, here is today’s Proverbs lesson in my own colloquial words, with a brief bit of commentary:

There are folks who have gotten so used to laziness that they don’t even use their hands to feed themselves.

It’s important not to enable such persons to be this way by bringing them food and feeding them. It reinforces bad behavior, and will only frustrate you if you give-in to the rationalizations from the lazy person.

Arrogant fools need sense enough to see that foolish stupidity leads to punishable consequences; but a person with good sense learns the humility of being corrected without having to be harshly punished.

Part of what makes a person foolish and arrogant is that they honestly believe they’re an exception to the rules, that they can do what they want and not suffer the consequences. Conversely, the wise person doesn’t always need to learn the hard way. They listen to correction and accept it, thus avoiding adverse consequences from continuing in a particular way.

Kids without any sense at all are a disgrace to their parents; they steal from mom and dad and refuse to care for them in their need.

A parent’s greatest shame is when one of their children ignore what they’ve been taught and use the parents to get what they want. And then when mom and dad have a need, the kid has every excuse in the book to not help them. Unfortunately, there are times when a parent must take action to protect themselves from a wayward child. It isn’t healthy to let your children use you with impunity.

If you have no inclination to learn, you will eventually become as dumb as a brick.

Anyone who doesn’t take the stance of being a life-long learner will end up losing what little knowledge they have. That’s because memory is tied to actionable learning. If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it.

A witness who lies brings harm to both the court system and the persons involved; he is just like a criminal who commits crimes and revels in a lie as if it was a delicious meal.

Sadly, there are some people in this old fallen world who take delight in lying, cheating, and stealing. It gives them a twisted feeling of superiority and control to manipulate a person or a system. So, beware of the one who has no conscience.

The only thing an arrogant fool can expect to get in this life (and the next) is punishment.

A fool is a fool because they neither learn a lesson from observing what happens to others, nor learn from their own mistakes, misplaced words, and bad behavior. Although they shouldn’t be surprised whenever they are fired from a job, arrested by the police, or have a spouse leave them, they are; somehow they feel entitled to live as they please and have others accommodate to their life.

The biggest chunk of the Book of Proverbs (chapters 10-22) are wise sayings framed mostly in couplets. The majority of the verses are a contrast between the wise and the foolish, the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad.

The contrasts are meant to demonstrate consequences. If we make decisions and live our lives in a good and right way, then it is likely that we will be successful and have some overall happiness.

However, if we choose to go through life like the fool, then we should expect some rather adverse consequences.

For example, both parents and children need to make some responsible choices in order to live well. Parents are to put a great deal of effort into raising, training, and loving their children so that they can be successful in life. Children are to respond by accepting parental teaching and seeking to live into the wisdom taught to them.

And yet, there are parents who are uncommitted to preparing their children for adulthood. And there are adult children who want nothing to do with anything their parents tell them, believing their mom or dad to be stupid or out of touch. However, sooner or later, they will learn a hard lesson.

A happy family is a beautiful thing; a contentious bunch of relatives always walks away hurt.

Every day is an opportunity to build on a wise foundation of life. The sorts of decisions we make, and why we make them, is of upmost significance for a good, right, and just way of living. And this wisdom, ideally, is to be passed on by both words and actions.

No matter who we are – whether parents or children, community leaders or citizens, managers or employees, neighbors or nations, we are all to grow in maturity by learning to make wise choices in life which bless others, and thus, bless yourself.

We are neither to live arrogantly and selfishly, nor are we to allow bad attitudes and behaviors to exist within our families, communities, and workplaces.

The beginning of wisdom in living a good life is to know God and be a life-long learner of sacred wisdom literature. This is the first and most important choice of all.

All-wise and all-powerful God of the universe, you have given dominion over this earth, in order that we may steward good and right living which allows all life to thrive and flourish. Give us wisdom to use all that you have given, so that no one may suffer from our foolish stupidity, and that the generations yet to come may know that there is a good God in heaven who blesses those who do right and forsake evil. Amen.

Lady Wisdom Is Speaking (Proverbs 8:1-31)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
Lady Wisdom, by Mikayla Ragsdale

Doesn’t Wisdom cry out
    and Understanding shout?
Atop the heights along the path,
    at the crossroads she takes her stand.
By the gate before the city,
    at the entrances she shouts:

I cry out to you, people;
    my voice goes out to all of humanity.
Understand skill, you who are naive.
    Take this to heart, you fools.
Listen, for I speak things that are correct;
    from my lips comes what is right.
My mouth utters the truth;
    my lips despise wickedness.
All the words of my mouth are righteous;
    nothing in them is twisted or crooked.
All of them are straightforward to those who understand,
    and upright for the knowledgeable.
Take my instruction rather than silver,
    knowledge rather than choice gold.
Wisdom is better than pearls;
    nothing is more delightful than she.

I, Wisdom, dwell with prudence;
    I have found knowledge and discretion.
To fear the Lord is to hate evil.
    I hate pride and arrogance,
        the path of evil and corrupt speech.
I have advice and ability,
    as well as understanding and strength.
By me kings rule,
    and princes issue righteous decrees.
By me rulers govern,
    and officials judge righteously.
I love those who love me;
    those who seek me will find me.
Riches and honor are with me,
    as well as enduring wealth and righteousness.
My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold;
    my crops are better than choice silver.
I walk on the way of righteousness,
    on the paths of justice,
    to provide for those who love me
        and to fill up their treasuries.

The Lord created me at the beginning of his way,
    before his deeds long in the past.
I was formed in ancient times,
    at the beginning, before the earth was.
When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth,
    when there were no springs flowing with water.
Before the mountains were settled,
    before the hills, I was brought forth;
    before God made the earth and the fields
    or the first of the dry land.
I was there when he established the heavens,
    when he marked out the horizon on the deep sea,
    when he thickened the clouds above,
    when he secured the fountains of the deep,
    when he set a limit for the sea,
        so the water couldn’t go beyond his command,
    when he marked out the earth’s foundations.
I was beside him as a master of crafts.
    I was having fun,
    smiling before him all the time,
    frolicking with his inhabited earth
    and delighting in the human race. (Common English Bible)

Statue of Sophia (Wisdom), Sofia, Bulgaria

Wisdom is available. Wisdom is speaking to us. Wisdom lives with prudence. Wisdom enjoys God. And wisdom is personified as a woman (think about that before you have a round table discussion with all men).

To seek, cultivate, and teach wisdom is a worthy pursuit, in and of itself. The benefits of wisdom are great and profound, better than any earthly material thing, like silver or gold.

Actually, wisdom is quite an abstract ideal to pursue, which is likely why it helps to have it presented as a beautiful woman.

Proverbs are wise sayings; they are short pithy statements of experiential truth. This means that wisdom is less universal than it is situational. In other words, the Book of Proverbs is not a textbook or a manual on wisdom; it is rather something to be familiar with when we are facing difficult situations and thorny problems.

If there is a constant universal to all of the wisdom, it is to acknowledge and respect the presence of God in the world. All things change, except God. The Lord is the ever-present Being who is consistently right, just, and good all the time.

This may be why wisdom seems elusive. We can get to know God better and better for an eternity, and yet never exhaust getting to know God completely or fully.

Wisdom is like that. It’s too big, too variegated. There is no such thing as “Wisdom For Dummies,” that is distilled into a neatly bound book.

Truly, wisdom is rather slippery. It is not something to be mastered, but a grand sage presence to be mastered by. We must let Lady Wisdom have her way in our lives.

Lady Wisdom is in opposition to the temptress, the foolish one, who lures people into evil, and young men into the trap of misconduct that will alter their lives forever.

Just because Lady Wisdom has been around a long time – as old as the world – her beauty only increases over time; and her compelling message winsome.

The wise Lady still maintains a childlike wonder amongst God’s creative work. She revels in this world of delight and discovery. It’s fun to be alongside God and enjoy such a large and expansive playground of wonder.

Joy and levity are just as much at the heart of wisdom as brevity and seriousness. If Lady Wisdom can delight in the humans God has created, then we have much to learn from her in discovering how to frolic and play with our fellow creatures in good and wholesome ways.

The metaphorical image of wisdom as a beautiful woman who beckons us, is in competition with other voices that tempt us with quick and tidy happiness. Those other voices, however, never get around to mentioning the cost of their so-called solutions.

To court with foolishness is to make the devil’s bargain. It will only result in regret.

The best and straightest road to wisdom is by loving God and honoring God’s instructions. We get some help in this worthy endeavor through the wise sayings of Proverbs, and by means of Lady Wisdom’s sound advice.

We are called to keep up a pursuit of wisdom throughout the duration of our earthly lives – which means there is a lot of mystery to Lady Wisdom yet to discover; and there is much more to know about her.

Blessed God, help me to pay attention to your good friend, Lady Wisdom, so that in all my words and ways I may live into mercy, purity, and peace; and so, glorify You and enjoy this life you have given me. Amen.

Keep Hold of Wisdom (Proverbs 4:10-27)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment

Hear, my child, and accept my words,
    that the years of your life may be many.
I have taught you the way of wisdom;
    I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
When you walk, your step will not be hampered,
    and if you run, you will not stumble.
Keep hold of instruction; do not let go;
    guard her, for she is your life.
Do not enter the path of the wicked,
    and do not walk in the way of evildoers.
Avoid it; do not go on it;
    turn away from it and pass on.
For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;
    they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.
For they eat the bread of wickedness
    and drink the wine of violence.
But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
    which shines brighter and brighter until full day.
The way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
    they do not know what they stumble over.
My child, be attentive to my words;
    incline your ear to my sayings.
Do not let them escape from your sight;
    keep them within your heart.
For they are life to those who find them
    and healing to all their flesh.
Keep your heart with all vigilance,
    for from it flow the springs of life.
Put away from you crooked speech,
    and put devious talk far from you.
Let your eyes look directly forward
    and your gaze be straight before you.
Keep straight the path of your feet,
    and all your ways will be sure.
Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
    turn your foot away from evil. (New Revised Standard Version)

Life is not a sprint; it is a marathon. Only those who persevere, and have patience over the course of their lives, will know what wisdom is, and how to live a good life.

We never get to a point in life in which we can simply rest on our laurels and slide effortlessly into end of life, and beyond to eternal life. The wisdom of endurance and humility is needed all the time, because decision-making is continually required.

The Book of Proverbs brings up some constant themes for us to keep in mind with our choices in life: There is always a choice of contrasting ways between wisdom and foolishness. That choice typically involves either a quick solution, or waiting for a good outcome.

In some ways, wisdom is the teacher who keeps giving us remedial instruction. The sage advice of the biblical proverbs continues to remind us of the connection between righteousness, justice, and the good life. Over and over we are instructed to remember the consequences to foolish decisions.

Four times in today’s lesson is the repeated exhortation to “keep:” keep hold of instruction; keep it close to your heart; keep your heart; and keep straight the path of your feet. This has the idea of valuing and treasuring the wise sayings given. To have a hold of the heart is to have hold of the life. For we do what we love.

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:20-21, NIV)

The orientation of one’s heart happens from the bottom up, through the formation of habits of desire. Learning to love God takes practice. Walking in the way of wisdom takes time.

The best way to avoid the path of evil, and not throw in your lot with the wicked, is to love righteousness, goodness, and justice. Our love for what is right, good, and just shall win out in the competing voices around us and within us. Peer pressure is no pressure at all, whenever our love is oriented toward wisdom.

You will see evil for the sheer foolishness it is, and will steer clear of it, at all costs. Love brings meaning and connection to life. Love, in the path of wisdom, clarifies one’s own spiritual sense, that there is a moral order to this universe; such a person is determined to not violate that good order.

To reach anyone, the heart must be moved to right thinking and right action. Fear of punishment is a poor means of swaying any person. A parent who threatens a child is being foolish. But a parent who gives wise instruction, along with why it’s important, with a heavy dose of love, is building a relationship which will strengthen the child’s resolve to live justly.

Rules without relationship leads to rebellion. However, the time and attention given to a loving relationship with a child helps them understand the rules, so that they have no intention of stoking a rebellious spirit.

When parents, teachers, faith leaders, mentors, and even corporate bosses aptly communicate a real love and concern, with humility and gentleness, then they are learning the way of wisdom. And this sort of leadership is needed medicine to a sick soul. It makes life good; and work, family, and church a blessing, not a burden.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7, NRSV)

The wise person guards their heart and protects it as the precious possession that it is. They keep to a right and good path of life. Wisdom is their food and drink, their eyes and ears, their thoughts and intentions.

Wise persons refuse to let bitterness and grudge-bearing enter their hearts. Instead, they pay attention to what wisdom teaches them:

Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.

Psalm 90:12, NLT

I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11, NIV)

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1, NIV)

In a sense, we are all curators of our own hearts. That is, we decide what goes into it, and what goes out. We choose what others will experience of us, and what they won’t. Through curating our hearts, we display what is truly valuable and important to us.

It’s up to you and me to decide whether we will keep on the sure, yet narrow, road of wisdom. Or whether we will take an exit onto another road that leads to the graveyard of souls.

Choose wisely, my friends. Choose wisely.

All-wise and good God: I will trust You for generous wisdom straight paths, and a peaceful heart. I praise you for being a great decision-making God. For it is Your right choices which make all the difference. And I will trust You to order my steps according to the way of justice and righteousness. Amen.