Today's daily lesson comes from Mark 15 verse 23:
"And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. "
Jesus refused the myrrh; he refused to be taken out of his own misery.
I want to be careful here. There is a danger that we misread this lesson and draw from it a misleading conclusion. What is not to be concluded is the idea that the relief of suffering is a bad thing. For most certainly the relief of suffering is not bad -- especially at the end of life. We ought never to make an idol of our own or anyone else's suffering.
Rather, the point the text is getting at is that Jesus demonstrated extraordinary courage in his willingness to be near suffering -- so much so that He became one with it. At the cross He took on both the sin and also the suffering of the world. In that sense, it was not so much that he was experiencing his own misery but in fact the misery of all humanity. This is the full and ultimately devastating reality of Incarnation -- that the one who knew no sin or death became sin and death for us.
We are most Christ-like, not when we refuse to avoid our own pain, but rather when we chose to enter into the pain and suffering of others -- when we sit with the sick, when we bear the harsh words of the afflicted, when we stand on the side of the scorned and the oppressed, when we suffer the scandal and shame of the weak, vulnerable, aged, and dying.
To refuse the myrrh is to come and be near the pain and suffering of others. And it is to be near to Christ also; for it is with those who suffer and are in pain that He is always to be found.
Friday, September 4, 2015
Thursday, September 3, 2015
Daily Lesson for September 3, 2015
Today's daily lesson comes from James 4 verse 6:
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Grace is "free and unmerited gift". The sooner we discover this the sooner we put off all pride, judgement, account of wrongs, claim to rewards, enmity with neighbors, and hostility towards unbelievers and strangers.
Once we realize we are merely sinners saved by grace then humility begins to do its work. The word "humility" is the same word we get "human" from -- and also "humus". It is from the Latin humando meaning "burial" or "of the earth". To be humble is to remember that we are but dust, and that we will be buried, and that there is nothing we can do to change that. So in the end, only the grace of God can raise us up again.
Once we are humble enough to receive salvation as grace it is -- solely a gift from God, then our lesson today tells us God begins to give us "more grace." Among this might be the grace to forgive others as we've been forgiven, the grace to accept things we cannot change, the grace to love even when loving is hard and comes with a toll, the grace to say, "I may be wrong," and the grace to be kind to ourselves when we don't quite match up. These are more of the gifts God has for us if we're ever humble enough to receive them.
"All is grace," the country priest says at the end of his life "Diary of a Country Priest". All is grace -- including the free and unmerited joy of knowing it.
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Grace is "free and unmerited gift". The sooner we discover this the sooner we put off all pride, judgement, account of wrongs, claim to rewards, enmity with neighbors, and hostility towards unbelievers and strangers.
Once we realize we are merely sinners saved by grace then humility begins to do its work. The word "humility" is the same word we get "human" from -- and also "humus". It is from the Latin humando meaning "burial" or "of the earth". To be humble is to remember that we are but dust, and that we will be buried, and that there is nothing we can do to change that. So in the end, only the grace of God can raise us up again.
Once we are humble enough to receive salvation as grace it is -- solely a gift from God, then our lesson today tells us God begins to give us "more grace." Among this might be the grace to forgive others as we've been forgiven, the grace to accept things we cannot change, the grace to love even when loving is hard and comes with a toll, the grace to say, "I may be wrong," and the grace to be kind to ourselves when we don't quite match up. These are more of the gifts God has for us if we're ever humble enough to receive them.
"All is grace," the country priest says at the end of his life "Diary of a Country Priest". All is grace -- including the free and unmerited joy of knowing it.
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Daily Lesson for September 2, 2015
Today's Daily Lesson comes from James chapter 3 verses 7 through 12
7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers,these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
With the tongue we both bless and curse; and in the South we do both in one fell swoop. We say: "Susie Q, God bless her, what a ditz." A variant of this is: "Susie Q, God love her, what a ditz." We bless and pray for Susie and then dish on her. And if we're real sophisticated it comes out like this. "You know Susie Q, God bless her, but she can be a ditz. We really need to pray for her and I need to tell you why we do . . ." That's gossip masquerading as a prayer concern.
As our lesson says today: "These things ought not to be so."
The lesson also says no human being can tame the tongue, but I heard of a group that tried. Before it was shut down by the Nazis, Dietrich Bonhoeffer formed a small, "underground" communal seminary in a place called Finkenwalde. One of the rules at Finkenwalde was nobody could talk about anybody else without the presence of the other person being in the room. After WWII, Bonhoeffer's former students wrote about that time in seminary and admitted that the rule was absolutely impossible to keep; however, they said just trying to keep the rule totally reshaped the character of the Finkenwalde community.
I think I'm going to try to keep that rule today.
7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers,these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
With the tongue we both bless and curse; and in the South we do both in one fell swoop. We say: "Susie Q, God bless her, what a ditz." A variant of this is: "Susie Q, God love her, what a ditz." We bless and pray for Susie and then dish on her. And if we're real sophisticated it comes out like this. "You know Susie Q, God bless her, but she can be a ditz. We really need to pray for her and I need to tell you why we do . . ." That's gossip masquerading as a prayer concern.
As our lesson says today: "These things ought not to be so."
The lesson also says no human being can tame the tongue, but I heard of a group that tried. Before it was shut down by the Nazis, Dietrich Bonhoeffer formed a small, "underground" communal seminary in a place called Finkenwalde. One of the rules at Finkenwalde was nobody could talk about anybody else without the presence of the other person being in the room. After WWII, Bonhoeffer's former students wrote about that time in seminary and admitted that the rule was absolutely impossible to keep; however, they said just trying to keep the rule totally reshaped the character of the Finkenwalde community.
I think I'm going to try to keep that rule today.
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Daily Lesson for September 1, 2015
Today's daily lesson comes from Psalm 26 verse 8:
O Lord, I love the habitation of your house
and the place where your glory dwells.
Last night our Leadership Team at church had an important meeting on an important subject. Though there was a clear difference of opinion in the room there was also mutual respect, holy listening, and a space for all to speak the truth as they see it -- even when their truth appeared to be at odds with others' truth. As I listened, I kept remembering and even praying Paul's words of confession: "We see through a glass darkly."
At the end of the meeting there were still a lot of diverse opinions; I don't know that anybody changed anybody else's mind. There was some agreeing to disagree. But there was also respect -- and the recognition that someone could see it differently from you and still belong deeply and fully to the Body of Christ. In other words, the people put into practice an old watchword of Christian unity: in necessariis unitas, in dubiis liberate, in omnibus caritas -- "in essentials unity, in mystery freedom, and in all things love".
As we concluded the meeting the chairperson called on one of the true pillars of our church to say the prayer. With quivering voice, he began with these words, "LORD, I know I loved this church; but I have never loved it more," and went on with a beautiful prayer which ended in a quote from the book of Acts: "See how they love one another."
Belonging to our church in all its diversity is not always easy, but it is good. And surely the presence of the LORD is in this place.
O Lord, I love the habitation of your house
and the place where your glory dwells.
Last night our Leadership Team at church had an important meeting on an important subject. Though there was a clear difference of opinion in the room there was also mutual respect, holy listening, and a space for all to speak the truth as they see it -- even when their truth appeared to be at odds with others' truth. As I listened, I kept remembering and even praying Paul's words of confession: "We see through a glass darkly."
At the end of the meeting there were still a lot of diverse opinions; I don't know that anybody changed anybody else's mind. There was some agreeing to disagree. But there was also respect -- and the recognition that someone could see it differently from you and still belong deeply and fully to the Body of Christ. In other words, the people put into practice an old watchword of Christian unity: in necessariis unitas, in dubiis liberate, in omnibus caritas -- "in essentials unity, in mystery freedom, and in all things love".
As we concluded the meeting the chairperson called on one of the true pillars of our church to say the prayer. With quivering voice, he began with these words, "LORD, I know I loved this church; but I have never loved it more," and went on with a beautiful prayer which ended in a quote from the book of Acts: "See how they love one another."
Belonging to our church in all its diversity is not always easy, but it is good. And surely the presence of the LORD is in this place.
Monday, August 31, 2015
Daily Lesson for August 31, 2015
Today's daily lesson comes from Psalm 25 verses 6 and 7:
6 Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!
And James 2 verse 13:
"For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment."
I have always liked the story of what the archbishop said while sitting for his official portrait. The artist, trying to make him comfortable, told the archbishop, "Do not worry; I shall treat you justly." "Oh please do not treat me justly," the archbishop said, "at my age I would much prefer mercy over justice."
In the end, we shall all desire to be treated mercifully rather than justly. And our plea is the same as that of the psalmist's, that God would remember us not as we have been or are or will be, but rather as He is -- that God would remember us, not according to our deeds, but rather according to His steadfast love and mercy.
St. James wrote, "Mercy triumphs over judgement."
Thank the LORD.
6 Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!
And James 2 verse 13:
"For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment."
I have always liked the story of what the archbishop said while sitting for his official portrait. The artist, trying to make him comfortable, told the archbishop, "Do not worry; I shall treat you justly." "Oh please do not treat me justly," the archbishop said, "at my age I would much prefer mercy over justice."
In the end, we shall all desire to be treated mercifully rather than justly. And our plea is the same as that of the psalmist's, that God would remember us not as we have been or are or will be, but rather as He is -- that God would remember us, not according to our deeds, but rather according to His steadfast love and mercy.
St. James wrote, "Mercy triumphs over judgement."
Thank the LORD.
Friday, August 28, 2015
Daily Lesson for August 28, 2015
Today's daily lesson comes from Mark chapter 14 verses 27-30:
27 And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ 28 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.”29 Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” 30 And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”
Those who read these daily lessons often will know what a an impact my friend Ted had on my life and what loss for me was his passing earlier this year. He came into my life at just the right time. As the old Asian proverb has it, "When the student is ready the teacher will come." Ted came with his wisdom just when I was ready to receive it.
Today's lesson reminds me of a literally life-changing moment I had with Ted. We were sharing together in a group and I was talking about a struggle I was having with trying to keep peace at church while at the same time trying to be faithful to Christ's teachings about things like poverty, wealth, and the sword. Another person in the group asked how I would know whether or not I was selling out. I said I felt confident I wasn't going to sell out and compromise the principles of Jesus for the sake of keeping things pacific at church. Ted looked at me with a soul-piercing gaze and prophetic word, "Ryon, you will sell out. You will compromise. You are not going to live up to the high calling of the Gospel." Then he closed with the words -- a question -- which changed my life:
"So what?"
Those with ears to hear let them hear.
27 And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ 28 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.”29 Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” 30 And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”
Those who read these daily lessons often will know what a an impact my friend Ted had on my life and what loss for me was his passing earlier this year. He came into my life at just the right time. As the old Asian proverb has it, "When the student is ready the teacher will come." Ted came with his wisdom just when I was ready to receive it.
Today's lesson reminds me of a literally life-changing moment I had with Ted. We were sharing together in a group and I was talking about a struggle I was having with trying to keep peace at church while at the same time trying to be faithful to Christ's teachings about things like poverty, wealth, and the sword. Another person in the group asked how I would know whether or not I was selling out. I said I felt confident I wasn't going to sell out and compromise the principles of Jesus for the sake of keeping things pacific at church. Ted looked at me with a soul-piercing gaze and prophetic word, "Ryon, you will sell out. You will compromise. You are not going to live up to the high calling of the Gospel." Then he closed with the words -- a question -- which changed my life:
"So what?"
Those with ears to hear let them hear.
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Daily Lesson for August 27, 2015
Today's daily lesson comes from Psalm 18 verses 25-26:
With the merciful you show yourself merciful;
with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;
with the purified you show yourself pure;
and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
It has been said that in the beginning God created humankind in His own image and likeness, and ever since humankind has been trying to return the favor.
That's a joke; but seriously, how is it that God can seem to become all things to all people? Is God not the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow? How can it be then that, as the psalmist says, God can be merciful to some and yet seem torturous to others?
My sense is that perhaps we don't so much make God in our likeness as we do receive Him according to our character.
I am thinking here of what Augustine said about Pharaoh. How is it that, Augustine asked, that God could harden the heart of Pharaoh? He answered by drawing a parallel to the sun. The sun melts wax and ice cream but it also dries mud and hardens clay. How is this possible? The answer lies in the character and makeup of that which feels the heat.
For some God is a warm and purifying comfort -- full of mercy. But for others the very thought of God hardens the heart into rock hard bitterness and resentment. When that happens it may say a lot more about their character and makeup than it does about God's.
With the merciful you show yourself merciful;
with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;
with the purified you show yourself pure;
and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
It has been said that in the beginning God created humankind in His own image and likeness, and ever since humankind has been trying to return the favor.
That's a joke; but seriously, how is it that God can seem to become all things to all people? Is God not the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow? How can it be then that, as the psalmist says, God can be merciful to some and yet seem torturous to others?
My sense is that perhaps we don't so much make God in our likeness as we do receive Him according to our character.
I am thinking here of what Augustine said about Pharaoh. How is it that, Augustine asked, that God could harden the heart of Pharaoh? He answered by drawing a parallel to the sun. The sun melts wax and ice cream but it also dries mud and hardens clay. How is this possible? The answer lies in the character and makeup of that which feels the heat.
For some God is a warm and purifying comfort -- full of mercy. But for others the very thought of God hardens the heart into rock hard bitterness and resentment. When that happens it may say a lot more about their character and makeup than it does about God's.
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