From Slave to Inheritor

Readings: Isaiah 63:7-16    Galatians 4:1-7     Luke 2:33-40


Mention the word "slave" today, and our blood runs cold. This, of course, is when it is viewed in recent US history. The term "slave", when used in ancient history, had a much broader meaning.


Everyone was a slave at one time in ancient history...everyone.
Even the most royal of the royal.


Childhood back in those days wasn't the marketing dream it is today. Small children were simply seen as little slaves that, if they survived, would have the chance of growing into the title of "son". Kind of harsh, but tough love was pretty much the rule of the day back then.


We won't go where that left the daughters...that's for another time.


However, back to the process.


In accordance with the writings in Galatians 4:1 "What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate," a child had to answer (or be a "slave") to a host of guardians, trustees and, of course, parents, before being deemed by his elders as ready to accept the role of son and heir. 


Now parallel that with our growth in our spirituality--see the pattern? 


We are all "slaves" to so many things of the world; our heads are easily turned. Once we discover the bliss of being truly spiritual, we, for a time, become "slaves" to God's direction through Christ. As we grow, we will be deemed a son and heir. (Thankfully a universal term...all females invited along this time.) Galatians 4:7 "So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir."


Sounds great! Sign us up.


But, it's not that easy...remember those times when the Jews were roaming about in the desert?
There was a reason...this slave to son to heir business is not just something we accept and then move on...we need to live it.


In Isaiah 63: 7-16, the people of Israel were shown some pretty tough love then they forgot the live it part of being inheritors of God's love and kingdom. And, as a good parent reluctantly does, God allowed them to understand the feeling of the result of doing wrong. Tough love. These were God's chosen ones. He showered love upon them as no one can other than God. And yet they turned away in defiance. So they became children of sorts again--slaves. They did a lot of wandering and a bit of pondering...I'm guessing a little whining too. Most kids do if they can get away with it. In their ignorance they just couldn't see why God had turned a deaf ear to them. Eventually, their whining turned to repentance and a plea for forgiveness. The wrongs were realized. And God showered them with love once again...the ultimate greatest parent. 


When looking at the roles of slave or son or inheritor, most of us would more than likely jump right on that inheritor bandwagon. Why be a slave when you can be the pampered one?  


Just be careful...words have many meanings.


When Joseph and Mary took their baby to the temple for his presentation, it was prophesied then and there that  Jesus would, indeed, be a Son and Inheritor. But that same prophesy carried with it the words to Mary, "And a sword will pierce your own soul, too" (v.35)  Being the Son and inheritor would bring the greatest of joys to Christ's mother, but also the greatest of sorrows. Being an inheritor is not always being the pampered one.


So where does that leave us? Starting to think that staying at "slave" status with scads of caregivers and over-seers the safest place to be? It sounds tempting at times. Just hunker down and let the world go by. 


But we're made in God's image...we are inheritors.


Come the bad with the good, the sorrows with the joys, the responsibilities with the perks, we freely accept the inheritance of eternal life and sharing the beyond belief good feeling of being on a higher spiritual plane. 


We all start out as slaves on our life's journey...the inheritance is ours for the taking. 
Be a good heir.


Peace be with you.

Looking for the Endings--Missing the Beginnings

Readings: Deuteronomy 18:15-19

Isaiah 40:9-11

Philippians 4:4-7

John 1: 19-28

How often do we let anticipation take over our lives?

We get to a long-awaited time of relaxation and immediately our minds time travel to the end of the rest period.

We purchase something new and begin bemoaning the fact that it will, before we know it, be old and out-of-date.

We're just funny that way.

It's almost as if we can't toleratre or allow ourselves becoming engulfed and living in the moment. We're too busy racing through time in our minds to find an end to the moment.

We spend so much time looking for the end, we miss the beginnings...

In the book of John,  the Jewish leaders sent by the Sanhedrin to question John the Baptist about his true identity were convinced he was the representation of the end of time. They became quite agitated when be broke the news to them that he wasn't Elijah returned to Earth, and that he wasn't the Prophet coming to Earth to declare its end. They were actually disgruntled when John informed them he was preceding the Messiah--the true Messiah that wasn't coming to destroy the world, but to save it.

They spent a lot of time looking for the end--they missed the beginning...

In Deuteronomy, God proclaimed  that there would be, as a gentle reminder, a prophet of each generation proceeding Moses that would share the good news of a Messiah that would come to us. And not just a Messiah--the Messiah. Still, as history serves, as soon as one prophet came into being, people immediately started looking for the end of time, fully missing the Messiah's time in their moments of life. And, as in verse 19, in all their searching for the end, they failed to heed God's words, "If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account."

Looking for endings--missing beginnings...

We don't need to dwell on the end. It's in God's hands. We're not in charge of of arranging for the next prophet or the next coming. All the itinerary is taken care of for us. We needn't start that proverbial "first day" of vacation only to dread the end.

And how do we know this?

"He tends his flocks like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young" (Isaiah 40:9-11).

That's why.

We're in good hands. Tender, gentle hands that have only our best interests in mind during our short journeys here on Earth and for our eternal lives beyond.

No need to dread...

No need to worry about endings...

Stop looking for all the endings in life--there are beginnings all around.

Breathe.

Enjoy.

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I say it again; Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all, the Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God. which transcends all understanding, will guard your heats and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:4-7). 

Peace be with you.

Guarantees and Assurances

Readings: Malachi 4:1-6; Romans 15:4-13; Luke 21:25-33

Our mortal lives seem to revolve around guarantees and assurances.  Purchase something and, before you get through the check-out process, you’ll more than likely be asked if you want an extended warranty on something to guarantee repair as needed for a reasonable price or for no cost at all. Our first impulse is to say, “Sure! Sign me up” What could be better than a worry-free relationship with the item we just bought? However, most of these warranties and guarantees are conditional. Lots of “ifs” and “buts” rear their ugly heads; lots of fine print appears. Ultimately, once we study all the fine print and the ifs and the buts, we find that it will probably be worth the gamble to save the money now and then spend it later if needed.

As we expand and move on to the larger necessities in our modern lives, insurance and all its guarantees and assurances merge into the picture. We have assurances non-stop from nice little ladies and gentlemen on the television and over the radio that if we buy insurance they’re touting, that all our worries will cease to be. If something happens to us, the insurance company will come riding in on that white horse and protect from all that is wrong.   Until that unforeseen event actually happens. Then that “white knight” is more like the “dark knight” in most cases. We start drowning in a sea of red tape, we need our own army of attorneys and interpreters to wade through all the fine print, and our “guarantees and assurances” aren’t quite as shiny as originally presented. Once again, lots of “ifs” and “buts” accompany our policies that we purchase. Nevertheless, we are at the mercy of taking the gamble of protecting ourselves against the catastrophic. Not a comfy place for us to be.

Simply put, mortals can have their moments of shiftiness.  We don’t like being cheated—just ask anyone. However, we continue to write policies and guarantees and assurances full of wiggle words that will guarantee and assure one thing—the company in charge of the policies will be on the winning end the vast majority of the time.

How refreshing it is to turn to the one true source of guarantees and assurances we can trust. Throughout the scriptures, we are guaranteed a number of things. These things, however, are not exactly the rosy world that we mortals like to deceive one another with through materialism. No, these are flat-out guarantees about our eternal lives. In all three readings, there are guarantees of destruction to all mankind. Guaranteed. You might not think that a very refreshing thought. And it’s not; no one likes to think of one’s own destruction. The pleasing part of this guarantee is the element of truth. No sugar-coating, no wiggle words. Malachi 4:1 states, “’Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All of the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble and that day that is coming will set them on fire,’ says the Lord Almighty.” How much more straight-forward can it get? Not much. That’s a guarantee.

More guarantees throughout the Bible: in Luke 21:25 the words are written, “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.” These are very factual and tangible events. No gray areas. We can see these things, we can hear them. We have solid proof of their existence.

In our current world, the guarantees we receive are sketchy at best; we have been convinced by ourselves and others that they are a necessary part of life. But are they really guarantees? When compared to the guarantees in the scriptures, they do pale by comparison.  Maybe we should just call them “conditions” or “options”. It seems demeaning to put them on the same level as the true guarantees we have received from God and from Christ.

Another thing that we mortals do cling to are assurances from one another. We want others to tell us what we want to hear. With that initial need, we negate the whole idea of assurances. To assure is to promise or to be so confident that it can be taken as a promise. It has nothing to do with twisting the truth to be told that everything lost to a disaster will be fully recovered, or that the loved one will make a full recovery.  We mis-take the word, and we then feel that others have not been honest with us. Once again, we get ourselves into unnecessary frustrations or periods of hurt due to wanting guarantees and assurances that only fracture their original meaning. It’s just part of the condition of being human.

Is there relief to this disillusionment of mis-taken assurances? Happily, yes. For real assurances that we know will come to pass, we once again need only to turn to today’s readings. They are full of beautiful assurances for all of us who choose to receive the grace of God’s infinite love.  In Luke we are told that “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (21:33). In Malachi, “But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings” (4:2). And, from Romans, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (15:4). Those  words are assurances. They are promises from the only trusted, tried and true maker of promises. They are told to us from the epicenter of confidence—our hope.

We need to keep all things mortal in perspective—we’re not perfect and our practices throughout daily life will not be prefect, either. We will assuredly be disappointed, disillusioned, and disenchanted throughout life by others and by events and situations. But the thing that keeps us going and makes all these inconveniences pretty much back burner items is the knowledge that it’s just all part of the journey to perfection with the Perfect One. We can be assured that is something indeed  to look forward to—guaranteed.

“May the god of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13)

*Readings used from The NIV Study Bible, 1985.

The Only Priest Needed

"But Jesus lives on forever and continues to be a Priest so that no one else is needed."--Hebrews 7:24

This morning I came across a splendid reading in the book of Hebrews. It explains, in the most direct way, how the lineage of priesthood among the Jews came to a halt with the coming of Christ. Up until that time, there were many priests and these priests were of the lineage of the Tribe of Levi (to the best of my understanding). During the time of Moses' leading the Jews across the dessert, it was the Levites who were responsible for carrying all the items of the Temple, and once stopped for a period of rest or by direction from God, they sat up the Temple and handled all matters holy. However, as with humans, they began to get a bit questionable in their practices. One thing about us...we're quite habitual and our habits of the bad type tend to return to us over and over and over again. 

As explained in Hebrews, Yes, the old system of priesthood based on family lines was canceled because it didn't work. It was weak and useless for saving people. It never made anyone really right with God. But now we have a far better hope, for Christ makes us acceptable to God and now we may draw near to him" (verses 18 & 19)

So now we have an ever-lasting Priest that speaks on our behalf to God--in Christ. He (God) says that Christ has the rank of Melchizedek, a sometimes forgotten but amazingly important person in our Faith. (The mystery of Melchizedek is fascinating and more than worthy of a meditation of its own, so I'll use this only at this time for a point of reference.) We need no other priests: "Under the old arrangement there had to be many priests, so that when the older ones died off, the system could still be carried on by others who took their places. But Jesus lives forever and continues to be a Priest so that no one else is needed. He is able to save completely all who come to God through him. Since he will live forever, he will always be there to remind God that he has paid for their sins with his blood" (verses 23-25)

Many people have become highly disillusioned throughout the ages when those in positions of leadership in the church fail to exemplify, through their daily living, the way of God. Even back in the time of Aaron (during the 40 years in the desert), Aaron himself had that weak moment and, before control could be regained, idols were appearing and people returned to their unsavory habits. Fast-forward to today--people see members of the priesthood, members of the clergy, high-ranking church officials failing to live their faith through example. As a result, the general population thinks what is good for the goose is good for the gander. And the "idolic" way of life returns yet again. How wonderful to read the words of Hebrews and know that all the human foibles of our earthly leaders and would-be leaders have little to do with our faith in daily life. As it is stated: "He is, therefore, exactly the kind of High Priest we need; for he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin, undefiled by sinners, and to him has been given the place of honor in heaven. Under the old system, even the high priests were weak and sinful men who could not keep from doing wrong, but later God appointed his Son who is perfect forever" (verses 26 & 28).

We have everything we need on this earth to help us to become people of Faith. And, through the reading of the book of Hebrews, we know we have the only priest needed.

May God be with you.

Make Me a Vessel

This morning before I poured that first cup of coffee, I enjoyed a period of quiet solitude where my thoughts could flow freely. During those moments it's nearly impossible not to feel inspired by basic processes of thinking and expanding the mind. It's during these moments that I feel most at peace with everything; I know that all is well--on many levels.
Life as the mundane is difficult at best. Tiny, insignificant details cloud the clarity of our vision--both physical and emotional. We get caught up in issues that overwhelm us; we get frustrated, we get our feelings hurt, we strike out in defense and hurt others and then feel guilty. Why? Perhaps because we are in that old adage of "not being able to see the forest for the trees". Our "trees" in life--what others think of us, what we think of others, snap judgments, insecurities, greediness--grow and become so large that we see only them. As a result, the "forest"--all the beauties of life, of nature, of our own ability to process thoughts on a higher level--can't be seen, much less experienced.
No matter who we look to on Earth as our sages in the flesh, if they are truly wise, they all give us the same message: Shed those things that bind you and become a vessel to all that is good. I practice Christianity and one of my favorite verses is "Be Still and Know that I Am". The largess of being still--totally still--is incredible. We use the terms "uncomfortable silence", "the silence was overwhelming" and "silence is golden". That is the power of silence. With that total silence comes the ability to let wisdom enter into our otherwise cluttered minds. What a gift to give ourselves the permission to be silent. To think; to contemplate; to rid ourselves of the mundane. To fully envision our roles in this journey as "empty vessels" waiting to be filled daily with wisdom to do good to and for all those around us. 
I hope today and throughout life you will sit quietly and meditate upon the vastness of your abilities to do good. Become the empty vessel and then be filled with love, with peace, with fairness, with wisdom. Be still.