Tag: hope

A Psalm of Lament For the Government of the United States of America

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Pastor Tim's PonderingsLeave a comment

Many, if not most, people fail to acknowledge their grief, and therefore fail to lament their significant changes and losses in life.

What’s more, many, if not most, Christians do the same thing because they focus too much upon triumphalism to the exclusion of dealing with suffering. “Just get over it!” is the mantra to themselves and others.

But that is not a biblical approach to change and loss. 62 out of the 150 Psalms in the Old Testament are laments; some are communal, and others are individual expressions of grief.

Even God laments. We must never forget that a major role of God in our own loss is that the Lord grieves and laments along with us.

Keep in mind that grief can attach itself to any significant change or loss; it is the normal emotional, spiritual, physical, and relational reaction to that loss.

Lament is an intentional process of letting go of relationships and dreams, and living into a new identity after the loss or change.

Please know that everyone’s grief is personal; there is no one-size-fits-all. Thus, the following psalm of lament is my own. It is not meant to be a dig on someone else who rejoices in what I happen to lament. It’s just simply my own sadness over the state of affairs in my beloved nation…

O Lord, I’ll get right down to it: Help!

          I have always taken my refuge in You.

Rescue us, the American people;

          free us from the injustice and unrighteousness rampant in our government.

Be a strong rock to which the oppressed may rely upon;

be a place where I may always go.

You, O God, have saved us many times in the past,

          and Your divine providence has guided us, despite our past and many sins.

My God, free the innocent and the poor from the hands of wicked persons,
         from the grasp of the cruel and unjust President of the United States.

For decades, members of both political parties agreed to safely regulate business;

they’ve decided to provide a social safety net, promote infrastructure, and protect civil rights.

Ideally, the U.S. government has sought to protect every American,

by access to education, healthcare, transportation, communication, employment, and resources.

And elected officials thought primarily of the common good,

so that every American could work hard and prosper.

But what is happening today in the United States,

is the same thing which occurred so long ago in ancient times.

We are in similar situations when the Old Testament prophets called out greed,

          injustice, and abuse in Israel and Judah.

Hear this word that I take up over you in lamentation, O house of Israel…  

They [the rich and powerful] hate the one who reproves in the gate,
    and they abhor the one who speaks the truth.
Therefore because you trample on the poor
    and take from them levies of grain,
you have built houses of hewn stone,
    but you shall not live in them;
you have planted pleasant vineyards,
    but you shall not drink their wine.
For I know how many are your transgressions
    and how great are your sins—
you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe
    and push aside the needy in the gate.

Hate evil and love good,
    and establish justice in the gate. (Amos 5:1, 10-12, 15a, NRSV)

Perhaps because so few persons even read the prophetic books anymore,

our ignorance has allowed evil means and ways to take over the government.

We are in a nation and in a world full of oligarchs,

who care only for their exorbitant wealth, abuse of power, and self-interest.

As for me, I will not amble down the path of injustice,

          but walk the path of light and life.

I will embrace truth and harmony,

          unlike so many Republican politicians and their lackeys.

They say one thing and then do another;

          lies and corruption are on their lips.

If we say we are in harmony with him [God] yet walk a path of darkness,
we are living a lie and not following the truth…
If we say that we have no broken ways,
we are lying to ourselves,
and the truth is not alive in us.

(1 John 1:6, 8, First Nations Version)

I must, I will, view our problems differently,

because You are my hope, O Almighty Lord.

You have been my confidence ever since I was young;
          I depended on You through many hard times.

My songs of praise constantly speak about You,

for You are my strong refuge,

the Rock I have built my life upon.

Therefore, my mouth is filled with your praise,

and with your glory all day long.

I make my appeal to You, merciful God;

          I ask for divine intervention and deliverance,

          from the ignorant and sinister machinations of the U.S. President.

Do not reject us forever, O Lord,

or abandon us whenever we are too weak to carry on.

My political (and spiritual) enemies talk about me behind my back,

and plot their evil schemes to silence the truth.

They say, “God is not with him and his nonsense;

          put him in his place because no one will help him.”

O God, be close to me, and to all who love the truth;

          O Lord, come quickly to my aid.

Let those who traffic in lies come to a shameful end;

          let them be covered with disgrace and humiliation.

As for me, I will always have hope,

          because You are the God of all hope.

I vow to testify when Your righteousness wins the Day;

          I will never cease to praise Your sacred way of life.

Even when I am old and my mind is no longer clear,

          do not abandon me, O God.

Let me continue to tell the people of this age

what Your divine strength has accomplished,

to someday tell about how Your power delivered us from evil leadership.

Your righteousness and justice reaches to the heavens, O God;

You have done great things.

O Lord, who is like You?

          saving the poor from injustice,

          and delivering the oppressed from evil.

We, indeed, are enduring many terrible troubles;

          yet You, God, are expert at restoration, right relations, and harmonious ways.

You are the One who comforts the afflicted,

and the One who afflicts the comfortable.

Because of your faithful and steadfast love, O God,

          I will give thanks to You as long as I live.

As long as I have a mouth to speak,

          I will tell about your righteousness all day long.

Evil will not prevail;

          ungodly leadership shall not endure.

May Your divine and loving ways come to this country, O God,

          and may your moral will be done,

          on this earth, as it is always done in Your heaven. Amen.

A Prayer of Reception and Resistance (Warfare Prayer)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog2 Comments

Almighty God, blessed heavenly Father:

I bow in worship and praise before You. I take upon myself the yoke of the Lord Jesus Christ. I take up His words and ways, His person and work, and cover myself with His very life as my protection. (Matthew 11:29-30; Romans 13:14)

I surrender myself to You, gracious God; completely submit every area of my life to Christ; and listen to the Holy Spirit. Therefore, I now take a stand against all the work of evil and every satanic stratagem that seeks to hinder me in my prayer life. I address myself only to You, true and living God, and refuse any sinister involvement of demonic forces in my prayers. (Matthew 23:12; Mark 9:7; Ephesians 6:11)

Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.

Jesus (Matthew 21:22)

As a blood-bought believer and adopted child into the family of God, I take up the authority and position graciously given to me because of the work of Jesus Christ on my behalf. Therefore, Satan, I command you, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to leave my presence with all of your demons. I bring the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ between us. (Ephesians 1:5, 20-22)

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.

1 Peter 5:8-9

Blessed Holy Trinity – Father, Son, and Spirit – I worship You alone. I recognize You are worthy to receive all glory, honor, and praise. I renew my allegiance to You and humbly ask that You, Holy Spirit, enable me and strengthen my faith in this time of prayer, and throughout this day. (Ephesians 6:10; Revelation 4:11)

I am thankful, heavenly Father, that You have loved me from eternity past; and that You sent the Lord Jesus Christ into this world to die as my substitute. (Ephesians 1:4, 7)

I am thankful, merciful Christ, that You came as my representative; and that through You I am completely forgiven. Blessed Father, You have adopted me into Your family; You have assumed all responsibility for me; You have given me eternal life; You have given me Your perfect righteousness, so that I am now justified and free. (Ephesians 1:3-14)

I am thankful, gracious God, that in Jesus Christ, and through the Holy Spirit, You have made me complete. You have offered Yourself to me, to be my daily help and strength. Open my eyes that I might see how great You are and how complete Your provision is for me this day. (Matthew 20:33; Romans 16:25-27)

I am thankful, Lord Jesus, that the victory You won on the cross and in Your resurrection has been given to me; and that I am seated with You in heaven. Therefore, I take my place with You, Lord Jesus, and recognize by faith that all wicked spirits, and even Satan himself, are under my feet. I declare that the devil and his demons are subject to me in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:54-57; Ephesians 1:22-23)

I am thankful, mighty God, for the armor You have provided. Today, I put on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the sandals of peace and the helmet of salvation. I lift up the shield of faith against all the fiery arrows of the enemy; and I take in my hand the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. I choose to use Your Word against all the forces of evil in my life. I put on this armor and live and  pray in complete dependence upon You, blessed Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 6:13-17)

I am thankful, Lord Jesus, that You disarmed all power and authorities, triumphing over them by the cross. Therefore, I claim all victory for my life today. I reject all the insinuations, accusations, and temptations of Satan.  I affirm that the Word of God is true. I choose to live today in the light of God’s Word. (Colossians 2:13-15)

Everyone who asks, receives.

Jesus (Matthew 7:8)

Heavenly Father, I choose to live in obedience to You and in fellowship with You. Open my eyes and show me the areas of my life that do not please You.  Work in me to cleanse and purify me from all ground that may give evil a foothold in my life. In every way, I stand into all that it means to be Your adopted child. (2 Corinthians 7:1; James 4:8; 1 John 1:7, 9)

Blessed Holy Spirit, I welcome all of Your ministry in my life. By faith and in dependence upon You, I put off the old person and stand into all the victory of the crucifixion where the Lord Jesus Christ provided cleansing from the sinful nature. I put on the new person and stand into all the victory of the resurrection and the provision Christ has made for me to live above sin. (Colossians 3:1-17)

I put off the old nature with its myopic selfishness, crippling fear, and deceitful lusts. In its place, I put on the new nature with its love, courage, righteousness, purity, and honesty. (Romans 13:12-13; 2 Timothy 1:9)

In every way, I stand into the victory of Christ’s ascension and glorification, in which everything was made subject to Him. I claim my place in Christ as victorious with Him over all the enemies of my soul. 

Blessed Holy Spirit, I pray that you would fill me. Come into my life, break down every idol, and cast out every enemy of my soul, because I belong to God! (1 Corinthians 10:14, 21; 1 John 4:18)

I am thankful, wise God, for the expression of Your will for my daily life as You have shown me in Your Word. I, therefore, claim all the will of God for my life today. (John 17:16-18)

I am thankful, blessed Holy Trinity, the God whom I serve, that You have blessed me with every spiritual blessing in Christ; and that before I chose You, You chose me. (Ephesians 1:3-4)

I am thankful, gracious God, that You have given me new life into a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3)

I am thankful, merciful God, that You have made provision for me so that today I can live filled in the Holy Spirit with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control. I recognize and affirm that this is Your will for me. (Galatians 5:22-26)

So, therefore, almighty God, I reject and resist all the sinister attempts of evil, and of every wicked spirit to rob me of the will of God. I refuse today to believe any feelings of failure and worthlessness; and I hold up the shield of faith against all the accusations, distortions, and insinuations that Satan would put into my mind. I claim the will of God for my life today. (Ephesians 6:16)

In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I completely surrender myself to You, heavenly Father, as a living sacrifice. I choose not to be conformed to this world. Instead, I choose to be transformed by the renewing of my mind. I pray You to show me Your will. Help me to walk in Your way today. (Romans 12:1-2)

I am thankful, powerful God, that the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of this world, but have divine power to demolish strongholds, arguments, and every pretention that sets itself up against the knowledge of God. I take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

James 4:7

Therefore, in my life today, I tear down the strongholds of Satan and smash the plans of evil that have been formed against me. I demolish the strongholds of Satan against my mind; and I surrender my mind to You, Holy Spirit. 

I affirm, heavenly Father, that You have not given me a spirit of fear but a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. So, I break and smash the strongholds of Satan formed against my emotions today. I give my will to You. I choose to make right decisions of faith. I smash the strongholds of Satan formed against my body today; and I give my body to You, recognizing that I am Your sacred temple. (1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19; Ephesians 2:19-22; 2 Timothy 1:9)

Heavenly Father, I pray now, and throughout this day, that You strengthen and enlighten me. Show me the ways that Satan is hindering, tempting, lying and distorting the truth in my life. Help me to be the kind of person that pleases You; to be aggressive in prayer and in faith; to think rightly; to actively practice Your Word; and, to give You Your rightful place in my life. (Matthew 4:1-11; 2 Corinthians 2:10-11, 11:14; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10)

I now intentionally and volitionally cover myself with the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that You, blessed Holy Spirit, bring all the work of Christ’s crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and all Your powerful work of Pentecost into my life today. (Acts 1:8)

I surrender myself to You, merciful God. I refuse to be discouraged, because You are the God of all hope. You have proven Your power by resurrecting Jesus from the dead. Therefore, I claim this victory over all evil and satanic forces in my life. I pray all of this in the Name and through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ with thanksgiving.  Amen. (Romans 5:1-6, 15:13; 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Peter 1:21)

Living In the Tension of Life (Isaiah 54:1-13)

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

Shout for joy, O barren one who has borne no children;
    burst into song and shout,
    you who have not been in labor!
For the children of the desolate woman will be more
    than the children of the one who is married, says the Lord.
Enlarge the site of your tent,
    and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out;
do not hold back; lengthen your cords
    and strengthen your stakes.
For you will spread out to the right and to the left,
    and your descendants will possess nations
    and will settle desolate towns.

Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed;
    do not be discouraged, for you will not suffer disgrace,
for you will forget the shame of your youth,
    and the disgrace of your widowhood you will remember no more.
For your Maker is your husband;
    the Lord of hosts is his name;
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;
    the God of the whole earth he is called.
For the Lord has called you
    like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,
like the wife of a man’s youth when she is cast off,
    says your God.
For a brief moment I abandoned you,
    but with great compassion I will gather you.
In overflowing wrath for a moment
    I hid my face from you,
but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,
    says the Lord, your Redeemer.

This is like the days of Noah to me:
    Just as I swore that the waters of Noah
    would never again go over the earth,
so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you
    and will not rebuke you.
For the mountains may depart
    and the hills be removed,
but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
    and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,
    says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted,
    I am about to set your stones in antimony
    and lay your foundations with sapphires.
I will make your pinnacles of rubies,
    your gates of jewels,
    and all your wall of precious stones.
All your children shall be taught by the Lord,
    and great shall be the prosperity of your children. (New Revised Standard Version)

Judgment and Grace

Throughout all of the Old Testament prophets, there is a consistent theme within each of them of both judgment and grace.

People continually wax and wane in their faithfulness to God. However, the Lord does not change in being faithful to divine promises and keeping the divine covenant toward Israel.

Judgment comes in order to set things right, and provides justice for oppressed and underprivileged people. The judgment, however, only lasts for a while; whereas grace is continually operative.

Today’s text is one of grace. In the movement and rhythm of God’s judgment and grace, these verses return to the call for celebration and joy in response to divine mercy.

The metaphor of the barren woman refers to the years the city of Jerusalem sat in ruins because of divine judgment. Yet, it will not remain this way. The prophet assures the people that Jerusalem will grow once again. The city will spread out and increase, like a mother with many children.

There is no need for fear, because the Lord is not only the Creator and Maker; God is also Jerusalem’s redeemer and husband. The metaphor is meant to convey the attention and intimacy that God shows to people through divine grace.

Reconciliation and Restoration

Even though the city was like a wife forsaken by her husband, reconciliation is initiated by God through compassion and steadfast love. The Lord will honor the covenant, and not completely toss the people away, never to be seen again.

The Lord scatters; and the Lord gathers. The Lord gives; and the Lord takes away. The Lord extends judgment; and the Lord shows mercy. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

The word “abandon” is not even in God’s lexicon. The Lord is unfamiliar with the concept. There may be natural disasters, terrible diseases, and dilapidated places, but none of these can ever separate us from God’s steadfast immovable love.

Restoration is happening. No matter how bad things get – and things can get awfully bad – nothing can stop the divine band wagon of restoration from coming into town and changing everything.

Renewal and restoration may not happen today, or tomorrow; yet, it is happening, sooner or later. Nothing and no one can stand against the right, good, and just purposes of the almighty and everlasting God.

Redemption and Hope

In Christianity, this hope is focused in the birth of the Christ child. Redemption and new life is a reality in Jesus Christ our Lord. This is the reason for the Christian’s joy and celebration in this season.

On one end of our rubber-band like tension in this present life are the disappointments, brokenness, suffering, and pain we experience. At the other end, is the promise of future glory that is yet to come.

All believers, and every church, lives in this tension between the already and the not yet. We live in an in-between time, an awkward liminal space, that makes hope a sheer necessity in order to make it through the Christian life.

“There is a birth from before the ages, and a birth from a virgin at the fulness of time. There is a hidden coming, like that of rain on fleece, and a coming before all eyes, still in the future.”

St. Cyril of Jerusalem (313-386, C.E.)

The biblical writers, along with the early church fathers and mothers, understood the sacred tension of life:

Without any doubt, the mystery of godliness is great:

He was revealed in flesh,
    vindicated in spirit,
        seen by angels,
proclaimed among gentiles,
    believed in throughout the world,
        taken up in glory. (1 Timothy 3:16, NRSV)

The one who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.”

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen. (Revelation 22:20-21, NRSV)

Almighty God, give all of us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility, so that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who live and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Delivery and Deliverance (Isaiah 66:7-11)

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

Before she was in labor
    she gave birth;
before her pain came upon her
    she delivered a son.
Who has heard of such a thing?
    Who has seen such things?
Shall a land be born in one day?
    Shall a nation be delivered in one moment?
Yet as soon as Zion was in labor
    she delivered her children.
Shall I open the womb and not deliver?
    says the Lord;
shall I, the one who delivers, shut the womb?
    says your God.

Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her,
    all you who love her;
rejoice with her in joy,
    all you who mourn over her—
that you may nurse and be satisfied
    from her consoling breast,
that you may drink deeply with delight
    from her glorious bosom. (New Revised Standard Version)

Conception. Happiness. Wondering. Uncomfortable. Preparation. Pain. More pain. Delivery. Exhaustion. Joy. Celebration. New life. Bringing children into this world is a process. And its hard work.

Feeding. Pooping. Sleeping. Exhaustion. More feeding. Lots more pooping. Thank God, more sleeping. Still exhausted. So, when does the mother ever get to eat, go to the bathroom by herself, and sleep? Maybe tomorrow, or maybe in another life….

Despite all of this, there are still words which keep mothers (and fathers) going: Satisfaction. Delight. Awe. Praise. Love. Hope. Faith. Yes, faith. Lots of faith. So much faith that it’s as if the parent puts all their weight on it, and leans into it, perhaps more out of sheer necessity than anything else.

The Christian season of Advent has been growing over the past weeks. It is now large and very ready for Christmas Day and the celebration of the Christmas season (the 12 days from December 25 to the Day of Epiphany on January 6).

But we aren’t quite there yet. There is still the anticipation of birth. The Christ child is coming.

It’s quite something to imagine that God would be so humble as to become humiliated. What a wonder it is, that there is such a thing as an incarnation, that Jesus entered this world as both a human baby and a divine king.

God came to this world for us, on our behalf, to redeem, renew, and restore lost humanity. That’s a lot of love. If you think about it, the mother’s incredible love had to come from somewhere.

Love is what sustains the world. So, love must be nurtured. The feelings of it are not always there within us.

Yet, if we will continually seek to maintain the godliness which is love inside of us, we can find ourselves being little incarnations of Jesus walking about this earth providing succor, without any withholding or hatred.

To love is to love. Without conditions. To love a friend but hate an enemy is to cancel out the love. It must be all love, or it isn’t love, at all.

The person, group, organization, institution, community, or church in a miserable and wretched state is in need of restoration. That is, they are in a great need of receiving love and giving love.

If they have responsibilities toward others, and have been neglectful, they must come to the breast of God. And those who did not receive their due justice and fair recompense must also come.

Advent is more than a season in the year to recognize. And Christ’s incarnation is much more than a doctrine to believe. Advent and incarnation are powerful realities which we must live into.

The good news of this season is that God intervenes effectively to do good for those who are faithful. It’s a newness as sudden and as wonderful as the birth of a baby. The Lord does away with barrenness and hopelessness, and brings new life.

It is this good news that brings out joy. Where once there was mourning and sadness, there is now satisfaction, comfort, and consolation. God is the One who brings it about.

Therefore, it is helpful to remember and recall the words of Jesus to his disciples:

Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy. When a woman is in labor, she has pain because her hour has come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world. So you have pain now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. (John 16:20-22, NRSV)

The joy and celebration of this first advent will lead to a second advent, the return of Christ. The peace and satisfaction we may enjoy now is only here in part. The fullness of peace will be ushered in at the end of time.

This is the sort of tension that we must continually maintain, holding together in both hands our sorrow and joy, disappointment and hope, hardship and love, at the same time, all the time, until that day when there is not only a delivery, but a deliverance from all evil.

Lord God, we adore you because you have come to us in the past.
You have spoken to us in the Law of Israel.
You have challenged us in the words of the prophets.
You have shown us in Jesus what you are really like.

Lord God, we adore you because you still come to us now.
You come to us through other people and their love and concern for us.
You come to us through people who need our help.
You come to us as we worship you with others.

Lord God, we adore you because you will come to us at the end.
You will be with us at the hour of death.
You will still reign supreme when all human institutions fail.
You will still be God when our history has run its course.

We welcome you, the God who comes.
Come to us now in the power of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.