Great Expectations
(NRSV) 2 Sam 7:21 Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have wrought all this greatness, so that your servant may know it. 22 Therefore you are great, O LORD God; for there is no one like you, and there is no God besides you,
(NRSV)
Ps 130:5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning. 7 O Israel, hope in the LORD!
For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem.
When I was a young girl, I read—I read a lot. And one of my most frequently read authors was Charles Dickens. Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, and of course, Great Expectations—each one a classic and each one a story of struggles to be better and to do better.
The narrative centered on a young man named Pip, whose social status and lack of education hindered him, at least he thought, from marrying the girl of his dreams and living the life he desired.
Our scriptures today do not compare Pip with David. I simply borrowed the title Dickens used to encourage us to have “great expectations’ when we pray. I was cautioned years ago that if we pray for nothing in particular, then we will receive nothing in particular. Instead, I surmised, we should enter into our prayer time with great expectations that God, the author and finisher of our faith, can do exceedingly and abundantly above all that we ask or think as Paul said in Ephesians 3:20.
David shows a pattern of behavior that we would do well to follow. First, he praises God for who He is. Then, David waits upon the Lord. Finally, David hopes in the Lord. Can you see how praising, waiting and hoping lead to expecting?
May each of us meet God every day, having great expectations in what He will do in us, and through us, and for us.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Friends
(NRSV) 1Sam 10:1 When David had finished speaking to Saul, soul of Jonathan was bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. 3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul.
Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting with friends not only from high school, but we also attended elementary school together. I had lunch with one of the ladies around ten years ago, but I had not seen the other two in over forty years. My twin, Cheryl, was supposed to join us but she was ill. It was so much fun reminiscing about teachers and events, and sharing pictures of kids and grandkids.
After returning home, I began to think about friendship in the Bible, and of course my mind went to the extraordinary friendship between David and Jonathan. David was still a teen when he felled Goliath, and Jonathan was probably ten years older. But they developed a covenantal relationship and it existed until Jonathan died on the battlefield.
Their friendship was not one that could have been predicted. Jonathan was the son of a king, while David was merely a shepherd. But what made the friendship even less likely was the fact that, as David grew, it became apparent that he, and not Jonathan, would inherit Saul’s kingdom. Rather than being envious of, and even threatened by David, Jonathan loved him, even to the point of trying to protect him from Saul’s unwarranted attacks.
People who retain lifelong relationships are so fortunate, and it occurs to me that such connections do not just happen—they take commitment and effort. I am so thankful to Lanita for reaching out to us so that we could renew old friendships, and as we parted we made the commitment to get together again soon.
As Christ followers, we each have a friend in Jesus, and neither time, nor distance, nor circumstances of life can ever separate us. For that blessed assurance I can say, “thanks be to God.”
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
As I was getting ready to prepare my devotional, I ran across this paper I wrote for one of my Theology classes. (I don’t recall which one). I read it and thought this excerpt might help someone who could be struggling with their faith. It was titled “A Reflection Paper on Exodus 3 and 4)
The Calling of God
Where were you when JFK was killed? It was a common question even twenty years ago because it was a defining moment in our lives. There have been many such moments since then, but an even more burning question is “Where were you when God’s call was placed upon your life?”
Moses: I have a question, Lord. If my brother had been tending sheep and he had diverted to see the burning bush, would you have sent him instead of me?
God: Oh, Moses, I could have set a bush on fire anywhere upon that mountain. You were my chosen and when I have made a choice there is no plan B.
Moses: But God, my fears were so much greater than my capability, how could you be sure that I could fulfill your calling?
God: I am who I am, remember? It was I who set the stars in the sky, who put this very earth into motion. I knew you would say yes, and I knew you would accomplish that for which you had been sent.
Moses: You have more faith that you should have.
God: No, Moses, it is you who has the faith. I do not need faith because I know all things before they even take place. But you are called to believe in things you cannot see. That is real faith.
Moses: There were times that what you called me to do were above what I could accomplish, and there were other times when I was really afraid. How can someone with that much fear have faith?
God: Fear does not mean you do not have faith, it only means you know your limitations. It took faith to stand before Pharaoh time after time announcing yet another plague. When your faith is large enough to help you overcome your fear you have succeeded in doing my will.
Moses: One last question—why didn’t you heal my speech so that I did not need Aaron as a spokesperson?
God: I did not need your voice, Moses, I only needed your willingness. I did not need Aaron’s willingness, I only needed his voice.
Few people can compare their calling to the one Moses received, and I am no exception. Sometimes I think I was actually called as a child, for I remember praying that God would call me to be a preacher. Life intervened and now, after many detours, @I have answered God’s call and I would imagine at this stage I face the same questions as Moses.
I find myself thinking about being called out of the laity and into the clergy, and just as everyone before me I feel somewhat undone. Am I ready for the challenges? Will I be able to serve, or on some level will I expect to be served? (God forbid) As I offer the sacraments of bread and wine, will I be able to hold myself together or will the observance and remembrance become so powerful that I will lose myself in the emotion of remembering what Christ did for me?
As I join with a new body of believers, this time in the role of pastor, I am steadfast in my faith and in my belief that God will provide all I need according to His riches in glory. And, I know that whatever he asks me to do, I will be able to accomplish through Him and because of Him. How do I know these things? Because God has given me a gift of faith, and my faith is stronger than my fears.
The Red Thread
(NRSV) Joshua 2:12 Now then, since I have dealt kindly with you, swear to me by the LORD that you in turn will deal kindly with my family. Give me a sign of good faith 13 that you will spare my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.” 14 The men said to her, “Our life for yours! If you do not tell this business of ours, then we will deal kindly and faithfully with you when the LORD gives us the land.”
15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the outer side of the city wall and she resided within the wall itself. 16 She said to them, “Go toward the hill country, so that the pursuers may not come upon you. Hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers have returned; then afterward you may go your way.” 17 The men said to her, “We will be released from this oath that you have made us swear to you 18 if we invade the land and you do not tie this crimson cord in the window…
We all know the story of Rahab, the woman who hid the Israelite spies who had come to gather information about Jericho. Oh how I love this story of faith, obedience and redemption which I call “The Red Thread.”
The spies found themselves at the home of a prostitute, who probably could have turned them over to the authorities for a nice reward. But Rahab had heard of the exploits of the Israelites, and she knew God was on their side. So she hid them and then lied to the authorities.
The spies agreed to save Rahab and her family, but only if she hung a red cord from her window so they would know which part of the wall to spare. A red thread, symbolic of the blood of Jesus that would one day save each one of us, became the emblem of her faith. Not only did the spies keep their word, but Rahab became one of two Gentile women in the bloodline of Jesus.
Faith, obedience, redemption and deliverance–can you see how one leads to the other? The stepping stone of faith leads to the obedience of the cross, and at the foot of the cross we find redemption, which then sets us on the pathway to deliverance. God’s plan will always be fulfilled, just as it was for Rahab.
May we each respond to God with obedience, allowing our faith to guide us on the pathway of holiness.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Seeking Peace
(NKJV) Heb 12:14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;
I normally focus on love and joy, but with so much unrest in the world I began to wonder about the root of such chaos. Surely the lack of peace begins early—it does not spring forth full grown.
We have all known people who cannot live in peace. Generally such a person literally seethes with anger. There is no reasoning with such an individual, and their justification is “you shouldn’t have made me so mad.”
I find myself wondering what would have happened if, upon first displaying such unreasonable hostility, the parents had quashed the temper tantrum of their small child. Would that person have learned to live in peace rather than create chaos?
The scripture says we are to pursue peace. In other words, peace does not just happen, we have to seek after it.
And did you know we are to put on holiness? Since we have no righteousness, or right standing with God, apart from what we receive through Jesus, it is necessary for us to put on the garments of holiness.
If our anger provokes us to fits of temper and even rage, then we are not pursuing peace or holiness, without which no one will see God. The scripture goes on to say if we do not seek peace a root of bitterness can spring up, through which many will be defiled. You see, it is not just the person displaying such fits of anger that is damaged, but those subject to repeated assaults can become bitter and resentful.
May we go before God each day, seeking the strength to live according to His good will. If we are angry, may God give us a spirit of peace and reconciliation. And if we are resentful, may God give us a spirit of forgiveness.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Seeking Holiness 