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Category Archives: Romans

Romans 5:3-4

23 Sep

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
Romans 5:3-4

Dear God, I spoke to a home church last night and it struck me that there was this one part of our time together that we talked about parenting our adult children. Knowing when to help. Knowing when not to help. When to advise and when to remain silent and let you work.

Now that mine are both in their 20’s, I have taken a huge step back and my prayer every day is that you will do in their lives what you need to do to accomplish your will. You choose their significant others. You choose their struggles. You choose their circumstances. I will be here to love them and to give them the knowledge that their father loves them. I will reach out to them every once in a while to maintain that connection, but at this point, their lives are theirs. And my life is mine. I have my own struggles. I have my own challenges. I have my own path that you laid out for me. Their lives are not mine. They are yours. My life is not mine. It is yours.

Father, help me to embrace the trials before me. Redeem them into things that will bring you glory. Whether that be strengthening me or using me in the lives of others, please help me to glorify you in all that I do. Give me what you need me to have. Give to others what you need them to have through me. And please surround my wife and children. Guide them and love them.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 23, 2019 in Romans

 

Romans 12:3-8

26 Aug

Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
Romans 12:3-8

Dear God, this is one of those lessons that bears repeating. You didn’t design us to be effective on our own. We need community. Adam needed community.

This is a little different take on this, but this morning I’m thinking of the widows I know. There’s a woman I know in town who is stubbornly hanging on to her independence even though her health is failing and her friends are trying to get her to move into an assisted living place in town. She needs what these friends and others are offering her, but she isn’t willing to accept it.

Accepting what others have to offer us can be so hard. For the person with dementia who needs to yield some amount of control. For the worker who tries to do everything themselves instead of enjoying the camaraderie of a team and sharing the load.

As for me, in some ways I’m getting better at this and in others I’m still stuck in the “get out of my way and just let me do it” mode. But I really am getting better.

Father, help me to 1.) continue to improve in becoming part of your body and 2.) help others to overcome their resistance to the help you might have called me to give them. Help me to accept help and to give help freely. Do it all for your glory and your kingdom’s progression on Earth.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on August 26, 2019 in Romans

 

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“No Insult Like the Truth” by Charlie Peacock – No lie like independence, no demon like control

27 Jul

“No Insult Like The Truth” By Charlie Peacock

I’ve run my ship aground
on the rocks of the soul
There’s no lie like independence
there’s no demon like control
I’ve fanned the burning embers
til my house was on fire
There’s no parody like power
There’s no fever like desire
I’ve drained the wine of darkness
to the dregs of deceit
There’s no drug as strong as pride
There’s no blindness like conceit
I’ve railed against the mountain
With a pickaxe and a file
There’s no minefield like presumption
There’s no death wish like denial

There’s no gunshot like conviction
There’s no conscience bulletproof
There’s no strength like utter weakness
There’s no insult like the truth

I’ve adjusted my prescription
til I couldn’t trust my vision
there’s no killer like convenience
there’s no sickness like omission
I’ve amended resolutions and resisted explanation
There’s no trap door like emotion
There’s no pit like reputation

There’s no gunshot like conviction
There’s no conscience bulletproof
There’s no strength like utter weakness
There’s no insult like the truth

There’s no cancer like ambition
There’s no cure like crucifixion
There’s no cancer like ambition
There’s no cure like crucifixion

There’s no gunshot like conviction
There’s no conscience bulletproof
There’s no strength like utter weakness
There’s no insult like the truth

This is part of a series dissecting the song “No Insult Like the Truth” by Charlie Peacock. In the series, I am taking two of the statements he makes and exploring the depth of meaning behind them and what I can learn about myself in the process.

Dear God, it’s time to dig in and spend some time with that.

Part 1: There’s no like like independence.

I looked up the definition of independence today. Of course, there were many. The basic idea, however, is that you are able to do it. Yourself. No accountability. No help. No need for help.

My first thought is to think of a child becoming an adult. Becoming independent. Of course, they want that independence long before they are ready for it. It’s probably the root of most of the conflicts that teen children have with their parents. Okay, children of all ages, including toddlers.

But here’s the secret. We are never independent. Unless we move to the woods, forage for our own food and build our own shelter with our bare hands (no tools made by someone else), we will always be in need of something that someone else does. Business people need customers and staff. They need suppliers and deals. Consumers need home builders/apartments, grocery stores, banks, etc. Just to live, we need community.

But on a deeper level, we all benefit from people who reach out and help us, whether we want to acknowledge it or not. My dad is very accomplished, but he is quick to tell anyone the long list of people who impacted his life and helped him achieve what he did. He didn’t do it “on his own” even though he would be considered a “self-made man.” For me in my life, beyond my parents, I have had several people who have blessed me and helped me over the years. As the director of a nonprofit, we depend on literally hundreds (actually over 1,000) of people every year to do what we do.

Then there’s you. I need you. I need the forgiveness and love that you give to me. I need the accountability. I need it for peace. I need it because a truly independent life is a lonely life.

Yes, I think it is fair to say that there is no lie like independence.

Part 2: There’s no demon like control.

What are the things I try to control? I try to control myself. In fact, one of the “fruits of the Spirit” in Galatians 5:22-23 is self-control. But good self-control is something that flows from being in right relationship with you and the Holy Spirit living in me. It isn’t something that I can will. Paul makes that clear in Romans 7:15-20.

What about controlling others. As I think about it this morning, I wonder if this is what is behind a lot of our current national angst. Is the reason a lot of us feel the need to put our opinions up so freely on social media because we are needing to feel like we can control something that we want to control. Do I want to control what is happening politically? Religiously? Socially? Is that Satan’s primary tool that he uses to divide us? Control?

I’m about to head out on vacation today. What kind of control will I try to exercise in the name of leisure? Will I try to dictate our schedule? Our driving route? Our menu and meals? What we listen to? Our conversation? And if I do, what kind of division will it cause between my wife and me and how much will Satan enjoy that?

That example can be applied to a lot of things. Control is selfishness–the root sin. Independence is it’s cousin.

—

Father, help me to die to myself enough to recognize that I am completely dependent upon you and others. Let my pride go by the wayside so that I might be a blessing to others instead. And help me to be part of building them up as well. Help me to go through the next week thinking about giving up control and enjoying the freedom you offer.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 27, 2019 in “No Insult Like the Truth” by Charlie Peacock, Galatians, Hymns and Songs, Romans

 

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Romans 12:3-5

01 Jul

Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.
Romans 12:3-5

Dear God, I think this is one of those lessons that we learn with age and experience. Although, I suppose we have to allow ourselves to be humble enough to learn the lesson. Probably the biggest temptation is to recognize that we need others to do things we can’t, and then letting it turn into seeing their contributions as inferior to ours.

I guess that part of our fallen nature is to see others as threats to our feelings about ourselves. Too often we see a zero sum gain in a situation and thing that if I elevate someone else in esteem in the eyes of others or my own eyes then I will be lowering the value I offer to the system and people will think less of me. I will think less of me. But the truth is that the people I look up to most are those who are the most respectful to others. They don’t need to gain at someone else’s expense.

Father, of course, the reason for all of this is so the you might use my life to bring the maximum glory to you in the eyes of others, and so that your kingdom will come and your will will be done to earth through me as one of your ambassadors. Please open my eyes to see how I might be going against these principles and hurting others.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 1, 2019 in Romans

 

The Drunkeness of Noah – Genesis 9:8-15, 20-23

22 Jun


The image above is from Revealed: A Storybook Bible for Grown-Ups by Ned Bustard. The image is called “Failed Savior” and was created by Ned Bustard.

8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: 9 “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you 10 and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. 11 I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”

12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life…

20 Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. 21 When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked.
Genesis 9:8-15, 20-23

Dear God, when I opened Revealed: A Storybook Bible for Grown-Ups this morning, this is the first image I turned to. I’ve never liked this story, and I almost turned away. But then I got to thinking that perhaps I should explore this story more. Why does it hit me that way?

I’ve never liked the image of the human Noah. Why tell us this story? Why not just leave it at verse 19 and the part about you putting your bow in the sky as a reminder of your covenant with us? I really don’t need to know about Noah getting blackout drunk and being discovered by his son. Or do I?

My first inclination was to focus on Noah’s shame in this image and the reaction of his sons (and then his subsequent response to them). When I looked at Bustard’s image, I saw:

  • A fat old man passed out.
  • An umbrella. I thought it was a clever nod to the rain and a way to use it to give Noah a little modesty. Obviously, Bustard wasn’t going for a period piece.
  • The wine bottle and glass are also obviously not period, but communicate that the subject of the image is drunk and passed out.
  • The life preserver was a nice nod to the ark.

That’s what I saw. But here’s Bustard’s description of the piece:

Hebrews 11:7 states that “By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” But although he was instrumental in saving all of the living, Noah was not the promised Savior. Noah is shown here drunk, lying in a cruciform, and with a life preserver forming a halo of sorts around his head. He is an inebriated old man, and the symbol of his saving work is broken and covers him as poorly as the fig leaves covered the shame of Adam and Eve.

Hmm. I had never thought about comparing Jesus and Noah. I hadn’t thought about Noah being your “savior” for the remnant of humanity and comparing that with Jesus being our Savior. The halo. The cruciform. The fact that the umbrella is broken. I had missed all of that. Interesting.

Father, there is none righteous, no not one (Romans 3:10). Except for Jesus, of course. Thank you for a complete savior. Thank you for an inclusive savior. Noah was an exclusive savior, sent by you to preserve the remnant of mankind. Jesus was sent to rip away the veil between you and us and present all of us to you as an unblemished bride. Help me to live into that and to carry that to others who need you today.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 22, 2019 in Genesis, Revealed: A Storybook Bible for Grown-Ups, Romans

 

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“The Valley Song (Sing of Your Mercy)” by Jars of Clay

16 Jun

“The Valley Song (Sing of Your Mercy)” by Jars of Clay

You have led me to the sadness
I have carried this pain
On a back bruised, nearly broken
I’m crying out to You

I will sing of Your mercy
That leads me through valleys of sorrow
To rivers of joy

When death, like a gypsy
Comes to steal what I love
I will still look to the heavens
I will still seek your face

But I fear You aren’t listening
Because there are no words
Just the stillness
And the hunger
For a faith that assures

I will sing of Your mercy
That leads me through valleys of sorrow
To rivers of joy

alleluia, alleluia
Alleluia, alleluia

While we wait for rescue
With our eyes tightly shut
Face to the ground using our hands
To cover the fatal cut

Though the pain is an ocean
Tossing us around, around, around
You have calmed greater waters
Higher mountains have come down

I will sing of Your mercy
That leads me through valleys of sorrow
To rivers of joy
I will sing of Your mercy
That leads me through valleys of sorrow
To rivers of joy

Alleluia, alleluia
Alleluia, alleluia

Songwriters: Aaron Sands / Charlie Lowell / Dan Haseltine / Matt Odmark / Stephen Daniel Mason

Dear God, this Father’s Day is less painful for me than past Father’s Days have been, but I still found myself being very aware this morning that Father’s Day and Mother’s Day can be very painful for some. I know several people who are experiencing their first Father’s Day without a child that they lost–some within just the last couple of weeks. I know some who have children leading lives that grieve their parents. Frankly, there are countless reasons Father’s Day can be painful for people, including having lost their own father.

With all of that in mind, I came across this song this morning. I’ve had it on my playlist for a long time, but I really stopped to listen to it while I was driving on a road trip earlier this week. I think it works because it doesn’t gloss over pain or tell me that my job is to push through to the other side. It simply says that sing of your mercy through my pain.

You have led me to the sadness
I have carried this pain
On a back bruised, nearly broken
I’m crying out to You

I will sing of Your mercy
That leads me through valleys of sorrow
To rivers of joy

As I pray all of this to you, I am thinking about three friends, in particular, who are experiencing the grief of having lost a child in the last year. One of the things I learned when watching my wife go through the loss of her mother is to encourage people to allow themselves to be sad. Don’t try to be the person who is handing it “well.” Just let it be sad. For these friends, I sing these words this morning.

When death, like a gypsy
Comes to steal what I love
I will still look to the heavens
I will still seek your face

But I fear You aren’t listening
Because there are no words
Just the stillness
And the hunger
For a faith that assures

I will sing of Your mercy
That leads me through valleys of sorrow
To rivers of joy

alleluia, alleluia
Alleluia, alleluia

“But I fear you aren’t listening because there are no words. Just the stillness and the hunger for a faith that assures.” Sometimes, all we have is a faith that is beyond what we can see (Hebrews 11:1). And I believe that this is when we really have the Holy Spirit groaning for us with utterances beyond words. Our advocate and our helper is with us, walking with us, and praying for/with us (Romans 8:26).

While we wait for rescue
With our eyes tightly shut
Face to the ground using our hands
To cover the fatal cut

Though the pain is an ocean
Tossing us around, around, around
You have calmed greater waters
Higher mountains have come down

I will sing of Your mercy
That leads me through valleys of sorrow
To rivers of joy
I will sing of Your mercy
That leads me through valleys of sorrow
To rivers of joy

Alleluia, alleluia
Alleluia, alleluia

I love that the spirit of this song is to simply sink into the pain and wait on your healing. And yet, in the midst of the pain, we keep singing. We sing of your mercy that leads us through valleys of sorrow to the rivers of joy. One day, there will be not just one river, but many rivers of joy for us. There is a hope. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

 
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Posted by on June 16, 2019 in Hebrews, Hymns and Songs, Romans

 

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Romans 12:15

28 May

Romans 12:15
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

Dear God, this seems like a pretty simple statement from Paul, but it can be harder than it seems. Of course, this is the middle of a section where Paul is encouraging the readers to be loving. And this is what love looks like.

I have to say, this passage is actually not a strength of mine. I don’t mind addressing problems and serving others on a macro level, but I don’t often enough reach out to people individually. I have a former coworker who is going through some serious health issues right now, and I have gone over to visit him quite a bit, but that is certainly the exception. I can still be very selfish with my time.

Father, help me to be aware of the needs around me, and help me respond to your still small voice when you have work for me to do in the lives of individuals who are either mourning or rejoicing. Live through me so that your glory might be not only in my life, but also in their lives as well.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 28, 2019 in Romans

 

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Romans 15:5-7

20 May

Romans 15:5-7
May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.

Dear God, last night, as our church group wrapped up, we started talking about dissension within our church. There is apparently a vocal segment of our church (I have zero idea how large) that has started a letter writing campaign to the diocese complaining about the local congregation’ leadership. Assuming that there are some complaints that are legitimate, some that are frivolous, and some that are ridiculous, it has left me wondering what is the proper way to handle this tension. I’m pretty sure that all of us, including me, are not living up to Paul’s admonition here in Romans 15.

Obviously, the trickiest situation right now is for the lead reverend. I want to pray for him this morning that he will really hear you and receive your guidance. Whether it is the decisions he is making about how things should be done or how he is selling and implementing those changes, he needs you. He needs to completely feel your love and acceptance. And he needs to hear your call on how to love this congregation.

Then there are those in lay leadership. They need to work honestly with him and help to guide the relationship between him and the church. They need to help him find his footing and he needs to allow them to do it.

Of course, there is the bishop. He needs to make some hard decisions. He needs your wisdom and discernment. Please be with him and guide him. Give him the wisdom you gave to Solomon.

And finally there is the rest of us. Help us to love our leadership as ourselves. Help us to want the best for him and to help him grow in his relationship with you. And help us to Major in the majors and only care about what you consider important.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 20, 2019 in Romans

 

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Romans 11:33

18 May

Romans 11:33
Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!

Dear God, you must be really trying to teach me something because I’m getting this recurring theme in our times together–that I don’t know what the future holds. And during this time of year, what with all of the graduations and anniversaries, I am constantly reminded that life always, and I mean always, brings us surprises.

Yesterday, I saw a picture on Facebook that a friend posted. It was a montage of 9 pictures from their previous 31 years of marriage. If any couple I know has lived the life of Job, it is this couple. I like that they didn’t arrange the pictures in chronological order, but scattered them. Still, looking at those early pictures, helped me to really appreciate what life had thrown at them over the last 31 years. Here is the picture for reference.

img_1967

The pictures that run diagonally from the top left to the bottom right are the early pictures. Life was completely ahead of them. They were an active couple. Hiking and biking. He was my high school youth minister.

The pictures in the top and bottom middle look more like their early adult lives. They ended up with some surprise pregnancies and had four children ages four and under. She started to have a severe health issue that was pretty debilitating, but they managed. They were starting churches and serving you.

The top right and bottom left show the kids growing up. As with all of us who raise children, there were unexpected challenges too. Especially when his health issues crept up and then slammed the family, driving him to not even be able to be an associate pastor of a church, much less lead churches and hundreds of people into closer fellowship with you. I won’t go into all of the details here, but their story is absolutely remarkable. And through it all, through some VERY rough times, they remained faithful and committed to each other. I cannot tell you how much I admire them.

My daughter gave a brilliant, wise speech her senior year of high school. She talked about all of the plans we make and we ask our young people to make. We make a big deal about their college major. We make a big deal about their career plans. I wonder if they wouldn’t be better served if we focused more on asking them about their peace now, and what they are feeling called to do with today. Yes, we need to put some goals out there to keep us pushing forward (or else we will never move from where we are), but there are a lot more questions to ask a young person beyond what their chosen college or career path is.

Father, my daughter’s thesis on her talk was “prepare to be surprised.” Help me to do that with my own life. Help me to, first, be willing to accept the path you have for me regardless of what it means for me. I have been blessed with good health for my entire family and I know I take that for granted. But if that worm should turn and the health for any of us should go away, help me to embrace that. Help me to let go of my expectations of you and to seek to sink deeper and deeper into your presence. Even today, with what I have planned for this day, help me to not see it as obligation but as opportunity. Help me to be your presence. Radiate through me and love through me. Help me to give my utmost for your highest. And do it all for your glory.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 18, 2019 in Romans

 

Romans 14:10-14

23 Apr

Romans 14:10-14 [NLT]
10 So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For the Scriptures say,

“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bend to me,
and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.’”

12 Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. 13 So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.

 

Dear God, to answer Paul’s questions in verse 10, it’s so that we can feel better about ourselves. I love to judge others because it make me feel smarter than I am, holier than I am–just better than I am. But Paul reminds us in verse 12 that one day I will be standing before you and you won’t be grading on a curve. You won’t put us on a scale of how I compared with this person or that person. No, it will be you and me and I will have to give you an account of my life and my actions.

If all of that is true, then why do so many of us live our lives comparing ourselves to others? I still remember being at a retreat in the late 90’s and hearing a man give his life story. My dad did his introduction, and I was fooled a little. My dad talked about everything this guy had accomplished by the time he was the age I happened to be at that moment. Before the man even talked, I felt like a loser. Then within five minutes the man explained how he had been in federal prison for embezzlement, had lost his wife and his kids, and now he was trying to rebuild his life. I immediately repented to you for looking at the outside of a man instead of looking deeper and considering what else might be a reality in his life.

Of course, now we all get to see each other’s best parts on social media. And we get to judge each other as well. We judge people if we see them posting pictures of partying too much. We judge them if we see them with the new family for which they left their first family. We allow ourselves to feel inferior to the person who seems to have it all.

Father, help me to take my eyes off of the world and to turn them to you. Help me to stop trying to make my own case through comparison to others, and to simply live faithfully. Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil. And please forgive me for failing you so often. I am sorry.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 

 
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Posted by on April 23, 2019 in Romans

 

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