Daily Lesson for February 11, 2014

Today's Lesson is from John 8:

4 [T]hey said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

She is a pawn in their scheme against Jesus and what he represents - for a man who claims that God does not condemn is a threat to system built on he fear of condemnation. So they hatch the plan; they catch an easy target and bring her before Jesus to test him (Exhibit A demonstrating this is only a test is the fact that there is no man here to be judged; Jesus is the man they intend to judge). They assume that Jesus will tell them to let her go and thus incriminate himself by calling for disobedience to the Law.

Instead, Jesus does something surprising. He bends down and begins to write with his finger in the dirt. The men, who cannot see what Jesus is writing because of the angle of his body, continue to demand his answer. "What should be done with this woman? Should she be stoned as Moses called for?"

Finally Jesus stands up straight. "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone," he says. One by one the men turn and walk away.

What made the men give up their attack? There is an old tradition that says what he wrote down was what turned them back - that he wrote down their own sins.

Jesus did not incriminate himself by calling for disobedience to the Law. But he did say, "The measure you give shall be the measure you get." In other words, we must all be ready to face the same judgement we meet out on others. That means that before we go off casting stones at others for their more obvious shortcomings, we should ask ourselves if we would really wish Jesus to stand up straight and reveal our most secret sins also?

God didnt make rocks to fly through the air but to lie at rest flat on the ground. This story should ensure they stay on the ground.

Daily Lesson for February 10, 2014

Today's Lesson comes from Genesis 25:

"27 When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents. 28 Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob."

Favoritism in the household is a lot easier to see from the outside than it is from the inside. Our children are all different. Some have interests and avocations which are near and dear to our own hearts while their brother's or sister's passions may be a bit more far afield from our own. Let's be honest; some of our kids' interests are light years from our own.

Henri Nouwen said hospitality is opening a space for the other to be himself or herself. Parenthood is an act of hospitality. In the act of parenting we invite our our children into our lives and give them the freedom to be who they are - and not just who we wish they would be. We reach out in loving relationship toward them and seek to be present to them where they are - and not just where we wish they would be.

Perhaps the saddest thing I've heard a father day is, "I just don't relate." On the other hand, one of the most hopeful things I've heard a father say is, "What's your Barbie's name?"

Isaac couldn't relate with his son Jacob. Isaac was an outdoorsman - a man's man. His first-born son Esau was the same. Isaac's second son Jacob was more interior - he liked to stay indoors and help around the house. When it came time for Isaac to give his blessing, Jacob had to steal it. This was of course the source of terrible conflict among the boys and great heartache for the family.

I wonder if all that heartache might not have been spared if Isaac had thought to offer two blessings - one to Esau and another to Jacob. One to the son he was more naturally close to and the second to the son who was more distant. Both blessings would have required reaching out; but the second would have required reaching a little further.

Daily Lesson for February 7, 2014

Today's Daily Lesson is from Psalm 69 verse 6:

"Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me,
O Lord God of hosts;
let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me,
O God of Israel."

This is the prayer of a person caught up in a storm of scorn and reproach.  It is the prayer of one who has been lied on and falsely accused.  It is the prayer of the Godly who fear dishonor might come upon the LORD as a result of the mischaracterization.  It is a prayer for rescue - for ultimate vindication.

This is a prayer of David, we are told. It is also a prayer of Jesus.  And perhaps it is your prayer also.

Unfortunately, it is not a prayer that is always answered.  Yes, of course, in the age to come all truth will be revealed and the righteous will be made known; but that's not what I'm talking about. I am saying, right here and right now on his earth there is a lot of spurious accusation based on jeolousy, insecurity, assumption, prejudice, and partial fact that never gets put to rest.

But perhaps real vindication doesn't so much mean having the true facts come to light.  Rather, true vindication happens when the substance of a person's character comes out even as a result of the maelstrom of condemnation.  True Godliness is revealed not so much in proving one's innocence, but rather in the way one keeps one's dignity and honor in the face of false accusation and even perhaps - like Jesus - false conviction.

I think of St. Stephen, the Church's first martyr.  He is saint, not because he was falsely charged and then wrongly executed.  He is a saint because in the face of the stones being thrown at him, he nevertheless had the Godly character to pray for his assailants.

"Blessed are those who are persecuted and have all manner of things spoken against them," Jesus said.  Blessed, indeed - if they remain blessed.

Daily Lesson for February 6, 2014

Today's Lesson from Hebrews 12 verse one:

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us . . ."

I've never run a marathon, but I've been told that there is now technology which allows friends and family to give personal messages of encouragement to runners along the way.  Loved ones can send along messages ahead of the race to be posted on marquees at certain points in the race. A barcode attached to each runner's shoe  signals the marquee as the runner goes by.

That's what I think of when I read Hebrews chapter 12.  The author of Hebrews compares the life of faith to a race.  We are running, following Jesus toward our ultimate destination, which is life with God.  And, the author says, on the way we are surrounded by "a great cloud witnesses" - living and dead, the people of faith who we read of in the Bible or know of from from our own lives.

Here's something to think on.  What messages would that great cloud of witnesses have for you at this stage in the race?

What would Abraham and Sarah have to say to you about keeping the faith for the long distance?

What would Mary tell you about being not afraid?

What would Peter have to say to you about your many stumbles?

What would Paul say to you about the possibility of having your mind changed?

What would John say to you about your need to know you are beloved?

What would your grandmother want to say to you right now?

I hope you'll let these people send their messages as you keep running.

Daily Lesson for February 5, 2014

Today's Daily Lesson from Hebrews 11:30

"By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days."

When the Israelites finally made it out of the Wilderness and into the land of freedom the first place they came to was the City of Jericho. Inside the city was the prostitute Rahab, who harbored the Israelite spies when they came to scout out the city. When the Israelite army returned to Jericho they marched around the city seven times and, as the song says, "the walls came tumbling down." Rahab was rescued.

The story makes clear that God's redeeming work did not end with Israel's deliverance from the slavery of Egypt. In fact, the story of the Exodus was just the beginning. God's freedom movement would go on bringing deliverance to people trapped in systems of oppression, coercion, and slavery - people like Rahab.

God is of course interested in our personal deliverance from the bondage of sin; but God's vision of freedom doesn't end there. God's dream is for all people to be rescued from the dark powers of sin - whether personal or systemic. 

Here is the lead from one of today's USA Today top stories:

"High school students, teens as young as 13 and other children reported missing by their families were among 16 juveniles rescued from forced prostitution during Super Bowl festivities in and around New Jersey, the FBI said Tuesday."

When you read a story like that about girls being trafficked for prostitution think Rahab.

Daily Lesson for February 4, 2014

Today's Lesson is a personal reflection:

Early this morning I was present as my friend Tom Matthew Hodges passed away after a long and courageous struggle with Muscular Dystrophy. Doctors said he would likely pass away in his teens or early 20s. He was 32.

In my four years of knowing Tom Matthew I witnessed his journey from anger and bitterness into the peace that surpasses all understanding. When he passed this morning Tom Matthew was not only ready, he was holy.

This morning on the way to school I shared the news with my daughter Gabby who had a real fondness for Tom Matthew. There was a brief silence in the backseat and then she spoke. 

"I have a question about heaven," she said. "What happens to our bodies?"

I told her the Bible says there will be a new heaven and a new earth and we will receive new bodies also. "What is buried feeble and broken will be raised whole."

"When?" she asked.

"I don't know for sure," I said, "but I hope it's right now." Gabby said she hoped the same thing.

Tom Matthew hoped also. At the end, when he could do nothing else - neither walk not drink not eat- he could still hope. And he did. He grew into hope and then clung to it. He showed me the meaning of what it is to "hope against hope."

After Tom Matthew passed his caretaker Josh went into Tom Matthew's room and brought out CDs he had made for each of his family members. Each CD had a Bible verse Tom Matthew selected to leave behind as final words of consolation and hope.

To Tom Matthew's parents this from John 16:33:

"I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!”

And to Tom Matthew's sister this from John 11: 25, words of Jesus to Martha as she wept at the tomb of her brother Lazarus:

“I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live."

Tom Matthew believed. And because of that he will live. In fact, he lives even now, whole and free with a new body. This is our great hope.

Daily Lesson for February 3, 2014

Today's Lesson from Genesis 19 verse 26:

26 But Lot's wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

Yesterday the world lost a great actor in Philip Seymour Hoffman. More than that, those close to him lost a beloved family member and friend. Our hearts are all heavy.

Apparently, Hoffman died of a drug overdose. Reports say he had a history with drugs but was clean for 20+ years before relapsing last year. It is disturbing to think that someone could be clean that long and then turn back.

I didn't know Hoffman so can't speak to his circumstance, which is obviously tragic.  I dare not add to that tragedy with presumptuous talk.

But I do think I can say something more general about relapse.  In the Big Book of AA the reasons given for relapse are always deep, spiritual reasons. They involve the inability to hope, the psychological weight of guilt and shame, the absence of inner-transforming practices like prayer and meditation, and a failure to reach out to others and share the journey of recovery.

These deep, spiritual maladies are not true for alcoholics only. These are the reasons any one of us could relapse back into our own places of spiritual darkness - whatever those places may be. The journey from the darkness of self destruction toward the light of eternal life is a life-long journey, made step by step, day after day. 

Today's Scripture tells of Lot's wife who while fleeing the city of Sodom stopped and looked back. I don't know why she looked back - perhaps in grief over what was lost behind her or perhaps in fear of what lay ahead of her. Regardless, the message is she stopped moving forward and became a pillar of salt.

Whatever our griefs or fears, we can't stop. We have to keep moving away from the city of destruction and toward freedom. As one friend - still clean after 20+ years - told me last week, "We either grow or we go."

One final thought. It appears that Philip Seymour Hoffman died like so many others who OD - alone. Physically alone and spiritually alone as well. Self-isolation is always the last stage before the beginning of the death spiral. If you in or near self-isolation reach out. Call AA, or NA or call me. It is the trick of evil to cut you off from others so completely that you think you're all alone and there is no way out. Trust me when I say there is and that there are people who know the way.