Desperation

Jeremiah 37:20 “Now hear, please, O my lord the king: let my humble plea come before you and do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the secretary, lest I die there.”

Jeremiah’s prayer of desperation. He had been put in prison for prophesying against the king. While in prison, he was horribly mistreated and beaten, then neglected and forgotten. It was a place of darkness, loneliness and pain. “Don’t send me back there.”

Jonah’s prayer of desperation. “When my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.” Jonah was in the belly of the fish, a place of darkness, loneliness, and death. “Save me, dear God, from this place.”

Paul’s prayer of desperation. “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” Paul was in the place of darkness in his own body. He was crying out from a place of darkness and war, mind against body, soul against nature. “I want to do the right thing, but I can’t seem to do it.”

Jesus’ prayer of desperation. “ ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” On the cross, Jesus cries out into the darkness, from a place of absolute isolation, excruciating pain. “Where are you Father? Why have you left me here, all alone?”

What is your prayer of desperation? What do you cry out to God when you are in the dark places, whether physically, emotionally, psychologically? Cry out to God. He hears your prayers and knows your state. He promises to hear and answer our prayers, according to His divine will and knowledge. I can’t promise miraculous deliverance. I can promise the assured presence, forgiveness and steadfast love of God, through His son, Jesus, our Lord and through the Holy Spirit. Know that he is there with you, wherever you are. You are not alone.

God, help me!

Fixing the Floor part 3

When you know the floor is creaky and unsafe, you call in an expert to give you an estimate on what it will take to fix the floor. Back in October, we had such an expert come in. His name was Les Stroh. In two short days, he guided us through part of a process to evaluate the floor and find the weak spots. He also helped us to begin the process of restoring the floor, even building a new floor, if that's what it takes.

So together with several people who comprise the leadership of Zion Lutheran Church in Fairbanks, we worked to evaluate the floor, test the weak spots, and imagine a new floor. The new floor has the potential to look fundamentally different than the old floor. It's kind of like replacing carpet with hardwood. Though it may only seem cosmetic, foundationally, these floors are different.

The work has begun and we are beginning to address one of the weakest spots of our floor: Our Core Values. We've never really talked about them, as far as I know. What is it that we truly hold dear here at ZLC? Why do we think God has put us here? Because this spot has been weak for so long, other parts have been weakened as well. We're not sure why we're here, so we're not sure what we should be doing. Since we don't know what we should be doing, we just do stuff. Any stuff, in the hopes that something comes out of all of the doing stuff.

We're not to the doing stuff part of our floor work yet. We're still working on the foundation of the floor. We're rebuilding the joists that hold us up. It's going to take a while, but it's worth the work in the long run. Les Stroh uses the terms "Core Values and Critical Targets". We're addressing the core values. I'll let you know what we come up with and where we go from here.

Calling all carpenters!

God With Us

Jeremiah 23:23 “Am I a God at hand,” declares the LORD, “and not a God far away?”

Did you know that there are video cameras all over the place keeping watch over the citizens? I don’t say this in order to cause paranoia, but only to help us remember that because of security reasons, we are constantly being monitored. It’s really a strange feeling, knowing that we are being watched.

Some people feel that way about God. They see him as a distant, divine police officer waiting to catch us slipping up. Then, when the day of judgment comes, we’ll sit in a room and he’ll play back all of the tapes. What a sickening feeling! Can you imagine having to relive all of the highlights, lowlights and horrible-lights of your life while God sits there with crossed arms and raised eyebrows?

But that’s not who God is. He is a God-at-hand. This means that he is here and now, as well as then and later. There is no place that you can go that he is not. He’s everywhere. That could be a scary thing, but, for me, it’s extraordinarily comforting. There is no place that God is not. That means wherever I go, He is with me. He’s not with me with a divine checklist like a driver’s ed instructor. He’s with me as a guide and comforter. He is with me as a protector and provider.

He is a God-at-hand. He is a God made flesh. He is a God with us. Immanuel. Jesus. He is a God who knows our every need and has promised to provide daily bread. He is a God who in every way is as human as you and me, yet is without sin. He is a God who died on the cross to be the final sacrifice and He is a God who rose again to life everlasting.

God promises to you and me that when our sins are forgiven, he remembers them no more. He forgives and forgets. So he keeps no record of our sins. Will you sit in a room and watch your life in replay? No, because a life lived is a life lived. God does not keep your sins on tape.

Heavenly Father, what a comfort it is to know that you are at hand. You are not a God who is far away, but one who is right here with us. You showed yourself to us in your son, Jesus. Through his life, death and resurrection, you keep us close to you. In the Holy Spirit, you are nearer to us than we are to ourselves. Thank you for your forgiveness and your promises. In Jesus’ name, amen.

A Mouthful

Deuteronomy 30:14 [The Lord said] “But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.”

Don’t talk with your mouth full. Kids around the world have heard that said from the beginning of time. Some adults still need to be reminded of that life lesson. Yuck! It’s rude to talk with your mouthful or to chew with your mouth open. That’s why God gave you lips.

Have you ever had someone put words in your mouth? What an odd expression. How can anyone put words in your mouth? I can put food in my mouth. Words come out of my mouth. But words don’t go in my mouth.

Let’s put the two together. How about this: You should talk with your mouth full of words that God has put there. God has put words in your mouth and words in your heart. So with a heart and mouth full of words, go and talk.

What word has God put in your mouth and heart? Jesus, forgiveness, love, grace, mercy, peace, hope, joy, Law, Gospel, faith. Take your pick. All of these words come from God and he put them there through his Son, Jesus. He stirs them up with the Holy Spirit and fills your mouth with good things to say.

So, go ahead. Talk with your mouth full. Just make sure that what it is full of is God’s Word, God’s Son, God’s Spirit.

Heavenly Father, thank you for filling our mouths with good things to say. Our mouths don’t always say good things, but through your Spirit who fills our hearts, we can speak good things. Help us to speak words of truth, grace, mercy, love and forgiveness, through your Son Jesus. Amen.

The Sacrifice

Deuteronomy 12:27b The blood of your sacrifices shall be poured out on the altar of the Lord your God, but the flesh you may eat.

Flesh, blood, and sacrifice are not comfortable words for us in a worship setting. At least in the way that God is using them in Deuteronomy, they sound a bit visceral. Maybe they even sound offensive or gross. But in terms of the life of the early Hebrew people, these words meant what they said. When they were talking “flesh” they were talking about the meat of animals. When they were talking blood, they were talking about the blood from an animal. When they talked sacrifice, they meant killing the live animal in a ritualistic way, according to the Law of God. These are rough words, guttural words, real words.

These words are used in our liturgy for the Lord’s Supper. We talk of flesh, body, blood, bread, wine and sacrifice. But Jesus, the Word made flesh, has changed the significance of these words for us. In John 6:53 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” According to Deuteronomy 12:23, the blood is the life. Jesus says that the “flesh and blood” together are life. I guess that’s the difference between baser animals used for sacrifices, like sheep, bulls and birds and Jesus.

Here’s how Jesus changed things. The sacrifice now is not something we do. We do not bring animals to be sacrificed nor do we sacrifice Jesus. Jesus offered himself as the sacrifice, on the cross. There can be no more human sacrifices that appease God or satisfy the Law. Jesus died once, for all. Jesus said to the Pharisees in Matthew 9:13, “Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’”

The blood we speak of is now not the blood of animals, but of Jesus himself. The blood was spilled on the cross, not on the table. Matthew 26:27, And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Now, the blood of Jesus, the life of Jesus, is poured into our bodies. His life is in our lives.

The flesh, the body, is now not just meat on the grill, to be burned up. Luke 22:19, And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” The flesh, now connected in bread. We do not have wine and meat in the Lord’s Supper. We have wine and bread. The bread, the body, both of which we eat, just as we drink the blood, give us life.

Come to the table. The sacrifice has already been done. The flesh and blood, bread and wine, body and blood are given and shed for you. You don’t have to give or shed your blood in order to make yourself right with God. In fact, you couldn’t give or shed enough blood. Only the blood of Jesus, only the flesh of Jesus, shed and given for you. On your behalf, in your place. Amen! Thank you, Jesus.

Laborers

Matthew 9:37-38 The [Jesus] said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Who is a laborer?

Is it you?

Is it a pastor?

Is it someone who is well-schooled?

Who is a laborer?

Is it you?

Can you pick grain?

Can you pick grapes?

Who is a laborer?

Is it you?

Is it you?

To be a laborer requires no special skill. It requires no special schooling, training or ability. Laborers are required to have only one thing: willingness. Laborers are those who are willing to work. If you aren’t willing to work, you can’t be a laborer. Some laborers do have special skills, training, ability, but it’s not a requirement. Jesus tells his disciples to pray for more people who are simply willing to work in the field, God’s field, to bring in God’s harvest.

Who is a laborer?

Is it you?

Are you willing to share?

Are you willing to listen?

Who is a laborer?

Is it you?

Are you able to show them Jesus?

Are you willing to be patient?

Who is a laborer?

Is it you?

Will you put your hand to the plow?

Will you keep your eyes upon Jesus?

To those who labor, Jesus offers rest. To those who bear the burden, Jesus offers his yoke which is light. To labor does not mean that you must travel far away, knock on doors and tackle people with the 10 Commandments. There are many different laborers, but all sharing the load, carrying the burden as a joy.

May the Lord of the harvest strengthen you with His Spirit so that your days of labor may be a joy in His sight. Amen.

Prayer

Matthew 6:7-8 Jesus said, “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

Prayer is a very personal thing. For some, it comes easy, like talking to a good friend. For others, it’s awkward and feels forced. And still for others, there needs to be a formula to follow. No matter where you are at with your prayers, it is still a vital part of the life of a Christian. We need to pray.

Jesus is talking with his disciples and helping them develop good communication skills with the Father. Apparently there were many examples of prayers even then. Jesus says that the Gentiles heap up empty phrases. Perhaps he was referring to some type of incantation, repetitious but void of any meaning. Maybe it was more like a “ohm” phrase, a mantra if you will. Again, this is something that for Jesus was considered void of meaning.

Each Christian prays differently. Some like to repeat God’s name. Some like to “just” pray. Some only follow the liturgical form. The question that rises is why do you pray like you do? What do you hope will happen from your prayer?

Jesus says that your heavenly Father knows what you need even before you ask him. Just as parents know what their children need, God knows what you need. So then Jesus introduces the disciples to what we call today The Lord’s Prayer. In verses 9-13, Jesus teaches his disciples how they should pray.

Sometimes we’re able to pray without ceasing… 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Sometimes we don’t have the words…Romans 8:26

Sometimes we pray out of darkness… Jonah 2:1

Where ever you are with your prayers, just pray. And when nothing comes to mind or there’s too much on your mind, pray as our Lord Jesus taught us to pray:

Our Father who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name,

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven

Give us this day our daily bread

And forgive us our trespasses

As we forgive those who trespass against us

Lead us not into temptation

But deliver us from evil

For thine is the kingdom

And the power and the glory

Forever and ever. Amen.