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Revelation 14:14-20

26 Nov

14 Then I saw a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was someone like the Son of Man. He had a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.

15 Then another angel came from the Temple and shouted to the one sitting on the cloud, “Swing the sickle, for the time of harvest has come; the crop on earth is ripe.” 16 So the one sitting on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the whole earth was harvested.

17 After that, another angel came from the Temple in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. 18 Then another angel, who had power to destroy with fire, came from the altar. He shouted to the angel with the sharp sickle, “Swing your sickle now to gather the clusters of grapes from the vines of the earth, for they are ripe for judgment.” 19 So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and loaded the grapes into the great winepress of God’s wrath. 20 The grapes were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress in a stream about 180 miles long and as high as a horse’s bridle.

Revelation 14:14-20

Dear God, the harvest is the end of the world. That’s actually the name of a song by Charlie Peacock that I just thought of as I started to write this: “The Harvest is the End of the World.”

This song doesn’t necessarily line up with this specific passage, but it includes angels with their sickles so it’s at least adjacent to this passage. My wife and I gravitated to this song because it came out a year after our miscarriage and right when our son was born. As we thought about the daughter we lost and the son we were gaining, this part of the song really struck us:

I see angels in the distance
In the distance, I see angels
And their shadows fall
Like crosses on the fields
Some are swinging low the sickles
Some are binding up the sheaves
Some are sifting out the harvest yield

Rachel, run to join the angels
In the harvest in the distance
Rising from your bed as from a dream
In the feint and splintered line
Where the wheat field meets the sky
You might find your sorrow made complete

To quote another song, “Lord, I don’t know where all this is going or how it all turns out. Lead me to peace that passes understanding. A peace beyond all doubt.” I have concerns. I have sorrows. I have things that burden me. Help me to lean on you as part of this. Help me to trust you when it seems like things are going in ways I do not like. Help me to turn loose of my idols and look to you as my only source of peace and comfort. Help me to repent when I need to repent, serve when I need to serve, and listen when I need to listen. Help me to worship you well throughout my entire being. Then I will let the end of the world happen as you have ordained it and go through whatever you’ve decided I must go through.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 26, 2024 in Hymns and Songs, Revelation

 

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“He’s Everything to Me” by Ralph Carmichael

25 Nov

“He’s Everything to Me” by Ralph Carmichael

In the stars His handiwork I see,
On the wind He speaks with majesty,
Though He ruleth over land and sea,
What is that to me?
I will celebrate Nativity,
For it has a place in history,
Sure, He came to set His people free,
What is that to me?

Till by faith I met Him face to face,
and I felt the wonder of His grace,
Then I knew that He was more than just a
God who didn’t care,
That lived a way out there and

Now He walks beside me day by day,
Ever watching o’er me lest I stray,
Helping me to find that narrow way,
He’s Everything to me.

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Ralph Carmichael

Dear God, I was listening to an interview this morning, and I heard the woman, speaking of you, say, “He’s everything to me.” That made me think of this song. And as I thought about this song, I realized I knew every word, but I hadn’t thought about it in a long, long time. Like maybe since I was a camp counselor 35 years ago. But I think we sang it a lot back then.

I went to YouTube to look for a good recording of it, and I am sorry to say that it seems to have completely disappeared. Every recording was old and arranged like 1980s Christian music. I need to find someone to revive this song and help it be more contemporary with our times because it’s a good song.

The video I did find related it to the Billy Graham Crusades, which makes sense. So I thought I would spend some time with the lyrics this morning and worship you with them.

I seem your majesty everywhere. It’s quite amazing. The stars. The weather. The amount of complexity on this one planet is amazing. Then to think there are so many different worlds and planets (and “so many” is an understatement) that have more complexity than this one. You are amazing, Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit. You are AMAZING!

Then I think about your incarnation to come be with us. Your nativity. You physically entered our history and moved among us. You taught us. You sacrificed for us. You saved us. AMAZING!

But then it’s all personal to me. I was nine years old when I first repented and submitted my life to you. And while I’m sure what they were selling me was “fire insurance,” what I remember is not feeling like I was celebrating heaven, but celebrating freedom from shame and my sin. Celebrating feeling loved by you.

And now you and I have this relationship. I meet with you. You put up with me. And you seemingly do it gladly and lovingly. And while you might watch over me, it’s not necessarily in a “keep me from harm” way, but a level of interest in me, and rooting for me, and wanting the best for me through my development into becoming more and more Christlike way. You want to live in me and grow in me. You want to connect with me. And how ridiculous is that? You, the creator of all, want to be with me!

Father, you are EVERYTHING to me, and I love you!

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 25, 2024 in Hymns and Songs

 

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Colossians 2:4,8

24 Nov

4 I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments. 

8 Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.

Colossians 2:4,8

Dear God, I took these two verses and put them together because they are actually the same thought, but separated by some exposition in verses 5-7.

It is so easy to be deceived by well-crafted arguments. And I’m not immune to it. I think my problem is that if I am going to hold to a theological or philosophical position, I want to know my why. Why do I believe this or that. If asked to defend it, what is my why?

For example, I know many, many young people who are living together now with either zero plans of marriage or with the philosophy that it is better to test drive the person before they buy. Well, that is a pretty simple argument that on the surface makes a lot of sense. And although my wife and I did not officially live together before we were married, we certainly blurred those lines beforehand. Either she would stay at my place sometimes, or I would stay with her. But even that wasn’t comingling our complete lives until we had the commitment of marriage. But now if I have some young friends who are talking to me about not wanting to get married because it’s too big of a commitment, and I can intuitively see the problem with that philosophy, do I have enough understanding of my own opinion or your opinion on the topic to make an articulate argument.

Here is a list of things that many churches right now are struggling through that are difficult because, I believe, they have the belief without knowing their why besides simply answering, “Because God said so.”

  • LGBTQ+ issues
  • Premarital sex
  • Living together before marriage
  • Women as senior pastors or in leadership at all
  • Immigration
  • Any number of denominational issues

I have varying opinions on all of these things, with some more conservative and some more liberal, but do I know my why? Do I know how to articulate and argue either against the empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense of the world or against a dogma that has been handed down through the church for millennia that may or may not be of you?

Father, I need your Holy Spirit to whisper in my ear. I need your wisdom. I need to make space for quiet. And I also want to know when to be firm in my stance and when to understand that I am just a source of your love and it is your Holy Spirit’s job to convict when it’s time to convict. So give me your wisdom. Give me your insight. And then flow through me in all of my relationships so that those you are calling will find you through my life.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 24, 2024 in Colossians

 

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Luke 20:27-40

23 Nov

27 Then Jesus was approached by some Sadducees—religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead. 28 They posed this question: “Teacher, Moses gave us a law that if a man dies, leaving a wife but no children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother’s name.[c] 29 Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children. 30 So the second brother married the widow, but he also died. 31 Then the third brother married her. This continued with all seven of them, who died without children. 32 Finally, the woman also died. 33 So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her!”

34 Jesus replied, “Marriage is for people here on earth. 35 But in the age to come, those worthy of being raised from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage. 36 And they will never die again. In this respect they will be like angels. They are children of God and children of the resurrection.

37 “But now, as to whether the dead will be raised—even Moses proved this when he wrote about the burning bush. Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, he referred to the Lord as ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38 So he is the God of the living, not the dead, for they are all alive to him.”

39 “Well said, Teacher!” remarked some of the teachers of religious law who were standing there. 40 And then no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Luke 20:27-40

Dear God, I really love my wife. I mean, she is unbelievably important to me. I enjoy her. I like her. I cannot imagine life without her. After 35 years of knowing each other, we still spend huge amounts of time talking and sharing with each other. And it breaks my heart to know that the odds are that one of us will die before the other. So I am one of those who would want to know what our relationship will be like on the other side of our earthly existence. Will she be my wife in your kingdom? The idea that she won’t disappoints me a little. But then I read passages like the one I did a couple of days ago in Revelation 4, about the 24 elders worshipping you and I think, “Of course! Anything I know now won’t even be enough to pale in comparison to what I know then! She will be there, but our existence will be on a completely different level than I can comprehend.”

So that leads me to the trap of getting distracted by tomorrow. I start to get defensive about the things that I like about my life and try to protect them from ending instead of staying in the moment. What you have for me is completely different than what the world has for me. What you have for me in this moment might be compromised by my desire to preserve what I think I want in the next moment. I make decisions out of self-preservation all of the time. And sometimes, they might get in the way of what you want me to do.

I was watching a movie last night, and I watched characters take principled stands against injustice. It is possible that I might be asked to take a principled stand against injustice one day soon that will cost me. Am I willing to pay that price? Do I truly consider my life worth nothing to me (Act 20:24)?

Father, I don’t know where all of this is going or how it all works out. I don’t know when you might need me to stand up for others and sacrifice myself in the process. And I don’t know what that sacrifice looks like. But I know that you are so–and I mean SO–much more than I can imagine or my situations. You are SO much more than my earthly or even eternal life. You are God. I don’t need to be equal to you. I don’t have any standing to even ask anything of you, much less demand anything. I am grateful for what I have in this moment. I am sad about the things I want that I don’t have, but I will not let that sadness or disappointment keep me from recognizing you, worshipping you, and offering all that I am for all that you are.

I offer this feeble, humble prayer to you in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 23, 2024 in Luke

 

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Luke 19:41-44

21 Nov

41 But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. 42 “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. 43 Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. 44 They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you.”

Luke 19:41-44

Dear God, I wonder how things would have been different if they had recognized the time of your visitation. What if everyone had gotten on board. The Pharisees. The priests. The Levites. The common people. What if the disciples, even, had really understood what you were teaching them? What would that have looked like?

Sometimes, I think we are trying to answer that question as the church today, and different churches are coming up with different answers. Some churches want to forcibly bring your kingdom upon the earth, which I perceive is the mistake the Pharisees of the time were making. Some are silent and just quietly worship you without bothering anyone. Those churches are largely dying from old age and attrition. Some are screaming for justice, which is a legitimate cry because there is so much injustice, but it might also distract them from considering their lives worth nothing to them (see Acts 20:24). And then I do believe there are a few churches that are literally doing what they can to follow the radical teachings of Jesus. They love their neighbors. The meet needs. They worship you. They forgive. The eschew hate and lust. They consider the lilies and don’t worry. They give freely of their time and money.

What would it be like if every church in the world, or even in our community, really lived out the Sermon on the Mount? How would we be helping parents raise their children? How would we be helping the school? How would we be working with the prisoners and the courts? How would we be worshipping you so purely and letting your Spirit and its fruit grow so much within us that we would be a beacon that attracts others?

As for me, if I lean toward any of these categories on a personal level, it is probably the kind that silently and quietly worships you. Yes, I volunteer for some things. Yes, I donate to some things. Yes, I talk to those around me about my faith and how I’m living it out. But I’m not really leading people to you. I’m not teaching worship of you. I’m not teaching the fruits that grow from loving you and loving our neighbors.

Father, it was impossible for the people of Jesus’s time to recognize your visitation because 1.) they weren’t ready for that kind of humility and 2.) it wouldn’t have worked with your plan. Maybe that’s one reason you chose that time and place. And it can be hard now to understand what we would do differently if this were the time of your visitation. Would we put you on cable news and have you lead us to power? Would we reject you for your humility when you refused to do it? Yes and yes. But I worship you, now. I thank you now. Help me to love, forgive, serve, and worship well today. And help me to share that faith with others so that they might develop closer relationships with you.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 21, 2024 in Luke

 

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Revelation 4:1-11

20 Nov

4 Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me like a trumpet blast. The voice said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” 2 And instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it. 3 The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow. 4 Twenty-four thrones surrounded him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. And in front of the throne were seven torches with burning flames. This is the sevenfold Spirit of God. 6 In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal.

In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back. 7 The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. 8 Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—
    the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”

9 Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever), 10 the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say,

11 “You are worthy, O Lord our God,
    to receive glory and honor and power.
For you created all things,
    and they exist because you created what you pleased.”

Revelation 4:1-11

Dear God, my worship of you is pathetic. And I don’t care how much I would be able to ratchet it up. Compared to this, it would be pathetic.

You know I don’t read too much in Revelation, but since this was the New Testament reading for the Catholic church today I thought I would go ahead and sit with it a bit. Reading it through, I was seeing the descriptions of the different beings and thinking, “Why do I need to know this in my life today?” when it got to the end of the description of the four beings and said starting in 8b:

Day after day and night after night they keep on saying,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—
    the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”

9 Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever), 10 the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say,

11 “You are worthy, O Lord our God,
    to receive glory and honor and power.
For you created all things,
    and they exist because you created what you pleased.”

I mean, I could spend every day, 24/7, attempting this, and it would still never come close to this amount of worship of you. The amount of worship of which you are worthy. The amount of worship you deserve. I was reading about the 24 elders in verse 4 and wondering who exactly they were and how great they must have been to be one of the 24. Could I ever be that good? (Yes, my selfish, sinful, carnal heart had the audacity to ask that question.) Then I saw that these great beings were on their faces laying their crowns before you.

Father, I get caught up on questions about heaven like, “Will I know my wife?” “Will I know those I love?” “Will I get bored?” But then I read this and I realize that I simply have no frame of reference for what the other side of death will be. All I know is that I’m not worthy, and if I am with you past this life it is only because of your grace through Jesus. If, on a scale of 1-10, my worship of you is currently a 2 (that’s about how it’s feeling right now), help me to get to a 2.1 today. Honestly, I don’t know if I can ever really get beyond 3 in this life, but the scale of the worship you deserve is so large, there is a lot of room between 2 and 3. So help me to worship you better. And help me to simply turn loose of my ego and be a nobody trying to tell everybody all about somebody who saved my soul. (Shout out Casting Crowns).

I love you, Lord.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 20, 2024 in Revelation

 

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“Psalm 1” by Kim Hill

19 Nov

“Psalm 1” by Kim Hill

Blessed is he who will follow the Lord
He will not stand in the path of the sinner
He will not sit in the seat of the scoffer
For the law of the Lord is his delight

In his law he meditates, day and night
He will be like a tree planted by water
He will yield his fruit in its season, his leaves won’t die
In whatever he does, he will prosper

Blessed is he who will follow the Lord
He will not stand in the path of the sinner
He will not sit in the seat of the scoffer
For the law of the Lord is his delight

For the lost, they are like chaff that the wind drives away
They are not safe at any time their life could perish

Blessed is he who will follow the Lord
He will not stand in the path of the sinner
He will not sit in the seat of the scoffer
For the law of the Lord is his delight

The Lord holds the plans, and the paths of all who follow him
The righteous will stand secure and last forever

Blessed is he who will follow the Lord
He will not stand in the path of the sinner
He will not sit in the seat of the scoffer
For the law of the Lord is his delight

Dear God, this is the second Kim Hill song I’ve thought of over the last couple of days, and there probably aren’t many people who remember her music enough to think of two songs by her in the span of three days. I guess I have a unique knowledge of 90s Christian music.

In this case, the verse of the day from Bible Gateway was Psalm 1:1-2. I pulled up the whole psalm and then this song came to mind since it’s literally called “Psalm 1.” Here is the NLT version of Psalm 1:

1 Oh, the joys of those who do not
    follow the advice of the wicked,
    or stand around with sinners,
    or join in with mockers.
2 But they delight in the law of the Lord,
    meditating on it day and night.
3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
    bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
    and they prosper in all they do.

4 But not the wicked!
    They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.
5 They will be condemned at the time of judgment.
    Sinners will have no place among the godly.
6 For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,
    but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

I was talking several days ago as I prepared for my friend’s funeral about psalms of orientation, disorientation, and reorientation. I would put this psalm squarely in the realm of orientation. The world makes sense to the psalmist. Those who follow you are blessed. The wicked condemned. When I am disoriented, it seems like those who follow you are abandoned and the wicked thrive. And then when I am reoriented, I can see beyond the physical world and realize that you hold those who love you, whether we can see it or not.

As I look at the first stanza, the one line that hits me is that I will not “join in with mockers.” Oh, how that is so easy and tempting to do. I want to mock those who disagree with me. I want to roll my eyes at people I see as foolish. The frustrate me, and I want to join in with like-minded people and mock them. I want to scoff. I want to make the insecurities I have in my disagreements with them, and use scoffing and mocking to elevate myself over them. That’s my human, carnal solution to it. What should my solution be? I suppose I should be looking to you, examining my thoughts and my heart for and then laying them before you to see if they are your thoughts and your heart. Then, if there is disagreement between you and me, I need to repent. If there is agreement, I need to simply love those who disagree and perhaps develop enough relationship with them where I can speak into their lives.

Father, help me to live up to all of this. It is so much easier to say/type than it is to live. But I want to worship you. I want to represent you to the world. I want to love you well. You are my God, and I want the roots of my life to be deep into your presence. Help me to be that throughout this day.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 19, 2024 in Hymns and Songs, Psalms

 

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John 17:13-19

18 Nov

13 “Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. 14 I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. 18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. 19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.

John 17:13-19

Dear God, thank you for not taking the disciples out of the world. Thank you for the work they did after Jesus’s resurrection and ascension. Thank you that you were able to take the hate the world had for them and use that hate to spread them throughout that part of the world and that those dominoes ultimately got knocked over until they reached my small life. I am here today because of the lives they lead. Thank you.

And I suppose it is my turn now. It is my turn to let my life be one that leads to others knowing you. I don’t feel like I am nearly as good at it as they are. Perhaps I’m too safe. I live in an area that is similar to the one where Jesus lived in that it is filled with a bunch of people who believe in you, but do not follow you in discipleship. They believe, but they are spiritually dead. It seems to me that the apostles were most effective when they went into the world beyond that area and lived among those who had never heard of you at all. I’ve thought about that before. What would it be like to live in a godless place on the west coast where they are hostile towards you? What would it be like to be salt in that environment? It feels like when I try to encourage believers into real discipleship here, it falls on deaf ears. There are times when it feels like I am making very little difference when it comes to introducing people to you and being part of deepening their relationships with you.

Father, you have not taken me out of this world. I am not home yet. Protect me from Satan. Make me holy your truth. By your word. Hold me close, and use me. Prepare hearts that will encounter me and help me to take you to them. And prepare my heart for those who you have to minister to me. Love me through others. Build your church in our community. Do it all for your glory and so that your kingdom will come and your will will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 18, 2024 in John

 

Mark 13:1-2

17 Nov

13 As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!”

2 “Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

Mark 13:1-2

Dear God, is it bad that I just don’t care about end time prophecies? The Gospel reading for the Catholic church this morning is verses from later in Mark 13 when Jesus is describing end times. Is it bad that I’m incurious about them?

I guess it makes me think of the Rich Mullins song “Be With You.”

“Be With You” by Rich Mullins

Everybody each and all
We’re gonna die eventually
It’s no more or less our faults
Than it is our destiny
So now Lord I come to you
Asking only for Your grace
You know what I’ve put myself through
All those empty dreams I chased

And when my body lies in the ruins
Of the lies that nearly ruined me
Will You pick up the pieces
That were pure and true
And breathe Your life into them
And set them free?

And when You start this world over
Again from scratch
Will You make me anew
Out of the stuff that lasts?
Stuff that’s purer than gold is
And clearer than glass could ever be
Can I be with You?
Can I be with You?

And everybody all and each
From the day that we are born
We have to learn to walk beneath
Those mercies by which we’re drawn
And now we wrestle in the dark
With these angels that we can’t see
We will move on although with scars
Oh Lord, move inside of me

And when my body lies in the ruins
Of the lies that nearly runied me
Will You pick up the pieces
That were pure and true
And breathe Your life into them
And set them free?

And when You blast this cosmos
To kingdom come
When those jagged-edged mountains
I love are gone
When the sky is crossed with the tears
Of a thousand falling suns
As they crash into the sea
Can I be with you?
Can I be with you?

I have this down as one of my funeral songs. Whatever happens. However this all works out, I simply just want to be with you. I really don’t want to use any mental energy trying to gain this knowledge because, even if I were the one person who could figure this out (which Jesus says in Mark 13:32), what good would the knowledge gain me? Maybe I could use it to scare people into faith in and worship of you. But that doesn’t seem to be how you motivate people. At least, I don’t think selling people “fire insurance” is a good way to motivate them.

Father, I’ll be fascinated to hear this morning how the priest applies the daily reading (which is actually Mark 13:24-32) here in a little bit. One of the things I’ve decided is a “floor” for my life is that I need to get some good teaching at least once a week. Be with the priest this morning and teach me through him. Teach me through the songs we sing. Teach me through the people I encounter. Teach me through your still small voice as I worship you.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 17, 2024 in Hymns and Songs, Mark

 

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3 John

16 Nov

1 The elder,

To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth.

2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

5 Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you. 6 They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. 7 It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. 8 We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.

9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. 10 So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.

11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. 12 Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone—and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true.

13 I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. 14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.

15 Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name.

3 John

Dear God, yesterday was the whole book of 2 John, and since today’s New Testament reading for the Catholic church was 3 John I figured I might as well do the whole book here. I’ll confess, though, that after seeing this letter was addressed to an individual, as 2 John seemingly was, I went back to see if 1 John was too. It was not. So there’s that.

When I was reading this book this morning, I found myself being delighted for Gaius. I was happy for him to be receiving such a complimentary letter from the Apostle John. People were talking about him behind his back, and it was good. The word had reached John that Gaius was faithful to the truth and walking in it. He is loving strangers. Simply put, he’s a good guy doing things the right way under the authority of Jesus and his teachings.

Next, John warns Gaius to not emulate Diotrephes. He has some terrible things to say about Diotrephes, and he points out to Gaius that they should not be emulated and that John intends to publicly address them when he arrives there. I don’t know what Diotrephes problem is, but this admonition reminds me of two things.

  1. The warning you gave to Samuel in 1 Samuel 3:11-14 about Eli and his sons. Of all the things you could have said to young Samuel in that moment (e.g., I am calling you to be the next judge of Israel, you will do great things in my name, etc.), you focused on the sin of Eli and his sons and basically warned him not to follow them by indicating that they would be severely punished for them. If Gaius was having any doubts about how he was behaving vs. Diotrephes, John put those questions to bed quickly.
  2. A conversation I had with a friend yesterday who is trying to help a certain people group through the nonprofit where he works. A fellow worker in the ministry got upset about this targeted help and physically left the meeting they were in and resigned from the ministry. My friend was befuddled. How could he not see that this is what Jesus would do? How could he not see that their call as Christians is to love them?

Father, I have all kinds of decisions to make in every moment. Oh, how I would love to be Gaius, the kind of person John would write this letter to. And, oh, how I would hate to be Diotrephes, the kind of person John would have to publicly reprimand. But the line between them is not as far apart as I might like to think. At any given time I can get sucked into disparaging others, judging others, and even hating others. My love can be limited and lacking. Not that I shouldn’t publicly challenge someone as John was willing to do if someone is obviously doing something wrong, but I need to be careful about how I do it and that I don’t just privately complain and moan while not doing anything constructive with my criticism. And I need to also have enough self-awareness through the refining of your Holy Spirit to see when I’ve crossed the line and drifted away from the man you need me to be. When I sin. So I am sorry for the sin in my life. I’m sorry for my unconstructive anger. I’m sorry when I am simply foolish and even slothful. I bring myself to you. I worship you. I thank you for everything in my life.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 16, 2024 in 3 John

 

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