Weekly Devotional: The Struggle for Higher Moral Ground

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. –Philippians 2. 5-8 NRSV

Today is Good Friday. As usual, I find myself contemplating all the events surrounding the arrest, trial, execution and death of Jesus. As I think about the political and religious authorities and the people, even some of Jesus’ closest companions, complicit in the violence against Jesus, I can’t help but think of the words of Roman Catholic priest, theologian and professor, Henri J. M. Nouwen, when he wrote:

Authority and obedience can never be divided, with some people having all the authority while others have only to obey. . . It perverts authority as well as obedience. A person with great authority who has nobody to be obedient to is in great spiritual danger. A very obedient person who has no authority over anyone is equally in danger.

Nouwen pointed out that Jesus taught, healed, and lived with great authority, but his whole life was complete obedience to God, as when Jesus, said, “Abba, let it be as you, not I, would have it” (Matthew 26.39). The Apostle Paul also points to Jesus’ full and complete obedience to God quoting the Christological hymn already being sung in his day, that Jesus, “became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

I can’t help but believe that now, as bombs drop and sabers rattle, and people, who have the least authority are being increasingly marginalized by decisions being made by the leadership of our country, that Jesus is weeping. Surely it is time for those of us who follow in Jesus’ way, seeking to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God, who strive for peace in our world – peace of mind and heart, but also peace among all people and nations, and who value and love God’s creation, need to call our elected and appointed leaders, those in authority to be obedient to the greater good for all, not just for some and not just for our nation.

It is startling to know that yesterday, Holy Thursday, the day that we remember Jesus telling us to “love one another as I have loved you,” that our nation’s military chose to drop the largest non-nuclear bomb we have in our vast arsenal on the country of Afghanistan. On our holiest of days violence was done in our name.

On that same day, in a private ceremony, a bill making it possible for the states of our nation to pull funding for various health organizations, primarily Planned Parenthood, that serve the poorest of women with their health needs, was signed into law. And what was it Jesus taught us, “you did it to the least of these?”

I could go on, but you watch the news, you know what is happening. Things done under the cover of darkness and behind closed doors in our name surely ought to make us think about the words of Nouwen again, and the questions he raises at the end of his writing on authority and obedience, “Do we live our authority in obedience and do we live our obedience with authority?”

On this Good Friday, remembering the life and death of Jesus Christ reminds us that the powers and principalities of this world are still at work today. Fortunately, today is not the end of the story. The resurrection of Jesus Christ, which we will celebrate on Sunday morning, April 16, is a reminder that our Creator God, our Redeemer Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit our Guide and Comforter has a different vision for our world. Perhaps more than ever we need to remember Nouwen’s words again (the italics are mine), “A people with great authority who have nobody to be obedient to are in great spiritual danger.” Then it is incumbent upon people of faith and people of good will and people committed for the common good for all people and for creation must call ourselves and our leaders to a higher moral authority.

To do nothing, to say nothing can only mean that our Jesus, who had an affinity for the poor and the marginalized, who is called the Prince of Peace, is crucified once again.

Ah, Holy Jesus, call to us across time and space, challenge us to rise up and seek to live our lives in obedience to God so that the authority that is given us is used with wisdom and compassion. Amen.

Weekly Devotional: What Our Future Depends Upon

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock! Stir up Your might, and come to save us! Restore us, O God; let Your face shine, that we may be saved.    –Psalm 80:1-3 (NRSV)

I have been praying and pouring over a book I read years ago to try and find words for this devotional today.

Since learning of the attack of poison gas on the people of Syria and then, last night, learning of the United States’ attack on an airfield there, I have found it difficult to think of anything else. My heart grieves for the people of Syria, so many of whom have been killed in the violence. I think about all those who have fled their country only to be faced with countries, like our own, closing doors to their plight.

I know that I have a very limited view of this global crisis. I realize that the present administration of the United States is much more informed about everything that is happening. I also recognize that there are no easy answers here. The regime in Syria is at war with its own people. Consequently, innocent people—women, men and children—are being killed by their own government.

Now, our government attacks a target in their country, destroying it. From there, countless countries weigh in on whether or not it was the right or wrong thing to do. Can you see the forces lining up against each other? I fear that it will only be a matter of time before there is another war, and I am concerned that this time it may not be confined to a particular region of the world.

So, what is a person of faith, what is a follower of Jesus, to say and do about all of this? The book I turned to for wisdom is one written by United Methodist theologian and scholar, Walter Wink. The book, The Powers that Be: Theology for a New Millennium (1998), is a summary of a three-book, intensive study on “powers and principalities” in the New Testament scriptures.

In the book, Wink talks about the “Myth of Redemptive Violence,” saying that “redemptive violence is, in short, nationalism become absolute. This myth speaks for God; it does not listen for God to speak.” Wink then goes on to write, “The Domination System—a system characterized by unjust economic relations, oppressive political relations, biased race relations, patriarchal gender relations, hierarchical power relations, and the use of violence to maintain them all—grows out of the fundamental belief that violence must be used to overcome violence.” This is the Myth—that violence can stop violence, which has never worked in the history of humankind.

Okay, that’s a lot to digest. But, it is important for us to understand in the midst of the rising violence around the world and even here at home. So, I ask again, what is a person of faith, what is a follower of Jesus to be and do living in the midst of the Domination System and the Myth of Redemptive Violence?

Well, as simplistic as this is going to sound, it is essential for our future. We are called to pray as the Psalmist did, asking God to hear us, restore us, turn God’s face to us and come and save us. And not just us—meaning you and me—but that God will save our world. Then, if we are really serious about following Jesus, we will commit to lives of non-violence in our words, our actions, and our very thoughts. Thinking “I hate him” is detrimental and violent to your state of mind.

Finally, you and I need to seriously think about how we can impact our communities, our states and our nations by writing letters and emails, making phone calls, going to rallies, marches and, most importantly, meetings and standing for, and speaking for, the rights of those most marginalized by our society and most harmed by the Myth of Redemptive Violence.

I am growing more and more concerned about the state of our nation and the world today. I hope you are, too, and I hope and pray that you will join me in being the living, breathing, loving, giving and even dying to self-presence of Jesus Christ in our world. Our future is depending on it.

O Shepherd of Israel, listen! You who lead us like a flock! Stir up Your might, and come to save us! Restore us, O God; let Your face shine upon us, that we may be saved. Amen.

Weekly Devotional: Emerging from the Desert – New Life!

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing . . .. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God.               – Isaiah 35. 1 & 2

A few years ago, I purchased a pop-up greenhouse, so that I could keep my plants from freezing during the winter. It seemed like a good idea at the time. The problem is that the greenhouse is conveniently located in the backyard, so it is easy to forget about.

Each day, each week, I would tell myself, “You really need to go water those plants.” Still, I would conveniently forget. After a while, I couldn’t bring myself to go out to the greenhouse because I was afraid all of my plants were dead. I was particularly grieved over a heritage rosebush that I have nursed through many winters and dry summers. Fortunately, I had a friend who would come over and occasionally water for me.

Then, just this week, trusting that we wouldn’t have another freeze, I finally pulled all of my plants out of the greenhouse. As I expected, a few of them were dry and dead, but interestingly, several of the plants were showing signs of life and even springtime growth.

Yesterday, I went out for a second round of watering and discovered that the rosebush, so dear to me, was not only alive, it was thriving! It would seem that even though I had not done my part to sustain life for the rosebush, life was still coursing through its roots, stems and leaves. It was not dead, as I had assumed—it was alive.

As I watched the water bead up on the beautiful new leaves, I couldn’t help but think about promises of God given to the people of Israel. You see, they had been a conquered people, living in a foreign land. We could safely assume that their lives were dry as a dessert. But through the Prophet Isaiah God promises the people of Israel that upon their return, “the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; and rejoice with joy and singing.” Moreover, through this new life the promise continues and “they shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God.”

And, that same promise is ours as well, even if we haven’t done our part to bring about new life, or even if something beyond our control has caused us to be living dry, desert lives. God will bring us out of the desert of our living and into new life where we can see the glory of the Lord.

We are coming up on the most important Sunday of the year, the Sunday when we will join in the proclamation of Isaiah that God will cause the deserts in our lives to bloom again, and that in that renewed life we will see the glory of God. So, no matter where you are in this journey of life, no matter how dry the landscape of your days, the promise of God that we will proclaim on Easter Sunday and every Sunday, is that our God is a God of hope, a God of love and a God of life, bringing even Jesus Christ from death to life and, so, us as well. It is an amazing promise of hope for you and me, and even a small rosebush. Thanks be to God.

Holy One, open my eyes that I may see your glory even in the dry, desert places of my living. Help me to hear your promise of new life for even me. Amen.