Welcome to the October 2024 Archive. You are welcome to read the entire archive, or find a topic on the list below that is of interest to you. Just click the link, and you will be taken directly to the day it was written. Enjoy, and may you know God's peace as you read His Word.
You are welcome to use these writings or pass them on. All we ask is that in all things you remember the Author and give Him the glory, and remember this vessel which He has used to bring them to you. Peggy Hoppes
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A WORD FOR TODAY, October 2024
No WORD Posted from October 1st to 13th. I will return on October 14th
October 14, 2024
“The heavens declare the glory of God. The expanse shows his handiwork. Day after day they pour out speech, and night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their voice has gone out through all the earth, their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his room, like a strong man rejoicing to run his course. His going out is from the end of the heavens, his circuit to its ends. There is nothing hidden from its heat.” Psalm 19:1-6, WEB
My husband and I spent twelve days on a road trip to Wyoming. We spent time in Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and a Christian retreat center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. We traveled 3650 miles through six states and saw so much of God’s beautiful creation. We watched sunrises and sunsets, saw mountains, hills, and plains. We saw streams, rivers, lakes, and waterfalls. We experienced the rush of spotting animals of every shape and size, from bull moose to chipmunks, bald eagles and pronghorn sheep. Some were in the wilds of the parks, and some were in fields beside the road during our trip. We were fascinated by the hydrothermal areas of geysers, mud pots, hot springs, and fumaroles. The landscape was dotted with many types of trees, some coniferous that will remain green through the winter and others deciduous that were ablaze in the changing colors of autumn. We even found wildflowers and cactus along some of our hikes.
We also saw evidence of ancient volcanos and earthquakes, as well the ravages of fire, both natural and those caused by human error. We saw the natural course of life on earth, life and death, beauty and ugly. Drought has wreaked havoc on some areas of the parks; the hot springs were dry and most of my photos have at least one tree that is dying. We talked to one woman who was really disappointed with one area of the park. “It was too dry.” It was not what she expected, but these areas are constantly changing from the weather and the geologic activity underneath the ground.
We had our disappointments during the trip. We did not find some animals we’d hoped to see, and many of my pictures are a bit fuzzy and unfocused. Major wildfires around the parks filled the air with smoke, making the valleys hazy. The Teton range was nearly as elusive as some of the animals, hidden behind the lingering smoke. We struggled with the smell of smoke and watery eyes.
Still, we were constantly awed by everything we saw, even what some might call ugly. I commented to my husband early in the trip that I wished someone would go through the forest to remove the dying trees so that I could get that “perfect shot.” Yet, I learned during a tour that Yellowstone National Park purposely lets nature take its course. In the fire burnt regions, many trees just stand bare on the hillside, while others have fallen and lie on the ground. In places outside the park, trees are harvested to use, but the National Park lets them return to the earth. Yellowstone is an active super volcano, the top soil is only about eight inches deep.
It is amazing to think that those trees can even grow in such a landscape. That eight inches of soil is there because over history forests have burned, and the trees have decomposed into soil, giving a place for more grasses, flowers, and trees to grow. New growth can be seen where trees are still returning to the earth. It takes at least a hundred years for a tree to become soil. In the meantime, they provide a place for bugs to live, which are used as food for small creatures, which are food for larger creatures. Even in the “ugly” parts of the parks we saw the beauty of God’s creation. God has made a world that is able to renew itself in incredible ways.
We saw so much during our twelve-day trip, praising God every day for the world He gave us. We were sometimes reminded about our failure to be good stewards of this world, but also God’s grace to care for us anyway, teaching us with every surprise that there is good amidst the bad, hope in death, and peace in the chaos of life. Everything under the sun was created by God and moves according to His will and purpose. Everything under the sun glorifies Him and points to the reality of Him. When you doubt that God exists, look at the world. Don’t just look at the beautiful things but see the beauty in the way God is able to use even the ugly to teach about life to His people. Even fire has a purpose, and though we will never see that tree return completely to the earth, we know that it will become the soil that will feed a new generation in a hundred years, trees that will support new life for those who follow us in life in God’s great big, beautiful creation.
“As he was going out into the way, one ran to him, knelt before him, and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good except one - God. You know the commandments: “Do not murder,” “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not steal,” “Do not give false testimony,” “Do not defraud,” “Honor your father and mother.”’ He said to him, ‘Teacher, I have observed all these things from my youth.’ Jesus looking at him loved him, and said to him, ‘One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me, taking up the cross.’ But his face fell at that saying, and he went away sorrowful, for he was one who had great possessions. Jesus looked around, and said to his disciples, ‘How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter into God’s Kingdom!’ The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus answered again, ‘Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter into God’s Kingdom! It is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom.’ They were exceedingly astonished, saying to him, ‘Then who can be saved?’ Jesus, looking at them, said, ‘With men it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God.’ Peter began to tell him, ‘Behold, we have left all, and have followed you.’ Jesus said, “Most certainly I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or land, for my sake, and for the sake of the Good News, but he will receive one hundred times more now in this time: houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land, with persecutions; and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last; and the last first.’” Mark 10:17-31, WEB
The life of St. Teresa of Avila is celebrated today. She was born in a time of great upheaval in the world. Christopher Columbus had recently discovered the New World, and adventurers were traveling to distant lands in search of wealth and fame. A few years later, Martin Luther fought against the mammon-centered focus of the Church which was selling indulgences to build a bigger and more ornate building in Rome.
Even the Carmelite nunnery in which Teresa had committed her life to serving God sought wealth above piety. As a matter of fact, the nuns were known to dress in finery to entertain visitors in the parlor of the convent. Teresa taught lessons on prayer for money to aid the financial position of the house. It was thought that wealth bred respect, so the nuns sought wealth to earn the respect of the community. The nuns were even sent out into the world to live among the people, not to serve, but in search of gain for the order.
Teresa was not a particularly righteous or saintly woman. As a matter of fact, she is as known for her ability to create trouble as she is for piety. Even in prayer, Teresa the mystic provided fodder for her detractors. At a very young age, she convinced her brother to leave home with her to go be beheaded by the Moors. She was charming and well liked. She considered her greatest vice her enjoyment of her friends. She joined the Carmelite order not because she felt called to serve God, but because it seemed like the easier path for her to take. As she grew older, she focused her life more on God and her prayer life developed into something misunderstood by many as being a gift of the devil. She tried to reform the Carmelite order, but she also retreated into herself where she found comfort in the presence of God.
She succeeded in creating a reform movement, establishing houses for nuns that centered on God rather than power, position, or wealth. It was a simple life, living strictly in the monastery. They identified with the poor by going shoeless. Though money was not the goal the sisters worked hard to earn enough to support the community and their mission to serve Christ in the world.
We look at the story of the rich young ruler and we wonder what might have happened to him after he walked away from Jesus. Did he continue to live the life of wealth, seeking after the things of this world? Or did he perhaps continue to listen to Jesus and slowly come to the realization that the life he was living did not really fit God s intention for his life? Teresa is not the best example of a saint who has turned their back on everything worldly for the sake of God and the Gospel. However, on her feast day we can look at her life and see that change often takes a lifetime.
We are brought face to face with the truth that we too have our failings that separate us from God when we hear Jesus say, “one thing you lack.” Even the most pious or righteous person can’t reach God’s expectations. That’s why we need Him. St. Teresa once said, “God teats his friends terribly, though he does them no wrong in this, since he treated his Son in the same way.” Jesus’ answer to the rich young ruler seems so wrong: to require him to give up everything is beyond extreme. Yet, in this very act the man would have found something even greater. Perhaps one day he did; we might never know. We can rest in the hope that as we go through life, all too often focused on all the wrong things, we might truly understand the gift God has given by grace through His Son Jesus Christ.
Lectionary Scriptures for October 20, 2024, Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost: Ecclesiastes 5:10-20; Psalm 119:9-16; Hebrews 4:1-13 (14-16); Mark 10:23-31
“For he shall not often reflect on the days of his life; because God occupies him with the joy of his heart.” Ecclesiastes 5:20, WEB
Today’s Gospel story begins the transition between Jesus’ ministry and Jesus’ passion. Jesus spent about three years teaching about the Kingdom of God and doing miraculous things. The people in power watched Him until an appropriate moment. The time was near when they would have to do something about Jesus, a man they deemed dangerous to the nation of Israel. He was dangerous to them, or so it seemed. Mark 10 is the culmination of the interaction between them that would ultimately lead to His death. In these last teachings before the Triumphal Entry, Jesus addressed some of the issues of His day, teaching about those in their society that are often dismissed: women, the powerless (children), those who value God more than the world, servant-hearted leaders, and those with bold faith. In today’s story, Jesus reminds the disciples that they are to be like those who are dismissed, to trust that God will accomplish His work even when we experience rejection and persecution.
Jesus’ teaching in today’s passage is in response to a question from a man who introduced in verse 17 where he ran up to Jesus and knelt at his feet. “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” On the surface it seems as though the man honors and respects Jesus and His teachings. His words and actions, however, appear to be mere flattery spoken by someone who wants Jesus to justify the life he was living. The man is said to be quite wealthy. He was possibly part of the ruling class, maybe even a Pharisee.
What would you think if someone came up to you and offered you a million dollars? If you are human, your first reaction will probably be, “What do I have to do?” No one gives us something so extravagant without expecting sometime in return. We even feel like we have to reciprocate smaller gifts. We invite someone to dinner who has had us to dinner. We buy presents because someone gave us presents. I’ve even had people write me notes in response to notes I’ve written to them (I don’t argue, I love to get the notes.) We can’t seem to accept a simple act of kindness without trying to pay it back. The man wanted Jesus to tell him what he needed to do to earn a place in heaven.
Jesus’ initial answer was uplifting to the young man. Jesus quoted the Decalogue, listing the laws that involved relationships between human beings. The man could easily respond that he never killed, cheated, stole, lied or coveted and he honored his parents. “Teacher, all these things have I observed from my youth.” He was a good man, good according to the expectations of his religious community. I can almost hear Jesus’ sigh; I hear it every time I think of myself as a good person. I too can say that I have lived up to the words of the law. I’m fairly generous with my resources and I try to do kindnesses for my neighbors.
“Jesus looking at him loved him.” He looks at us the same way. We aren’t much different than the man. We want to know what we have to do to earn the kingdom of heaven. We respond to Jesus’ initial answer with a sigh of relief. It should be easy for us to earn heaven because we are generally good people. Murder, theft, adultery are not part of our daily lifestyle. We try to bring our good life before the Good Teacher with humbleness and respect. “I have done all these things.” Jesus looks upon us with love.
Yet, in love He responded with a greater expectation. “One thing you lack,” He continued. Even though we do everything right and are even generous with our resources, we still have something in our life that is more important to us than our God. We aren’t willing to give it all up, to pick up our cross and follow. We aren’t willing to let go of our old life and follow Christ without the burdens and baggage of the life we enjoy. The burden was wealth for that man because he had much. He was deflated when Jesus told him that he had to sell everything, give it to the poor, and then follow. He walked away because Jesus expected too much.
I wonder if the response would have been different if Jesus had said, “Give half your stuff to the poor.” The man would then have still had enough to survive in the world without relying on the charity of others. He would have had a place to hang his hat. He would have had finances to support the ministry he may have been willing to do. Jesus said, “Get rid of it all.” The young man wanted to know what he had to do to earn what God was giving for free, so Jesus made the payment beyond the young man’s ability to pay.
The disciples were shocked and asked, “Then who can be saved?” The truth is that none of us can be saved by our own goodness or good works. Jesus answered, “With men it is impossible, but not with God: for all things are possible with God.” This is good news. God offers us a gift worth far more than a million dollars and He expects nothing in return. When we ask what we have to do to earn this gift, the cost is always beyond our ability to give. How will we respond? Will we respond with sadness and turning away from God, or will we truly be humbled, embracing His gift for what it is: His amazing grace.
It might not always seem so, but we inherently have a need to accomplish something. There are some who might be considered lazy, but many people simply need to know and understand their purpose. They are “lazy” because they don’t know what they are supposed to do. Yet, most of us are constantly busy, sometimes never really accomplishing everything. We work because we have to work. I have been doing laundry this morning. After our long vacation, I had a lot of clothes to clean. I did a load here and there since we got home, and finally caught up today. The sad part is that I still have dirty clothes. Unless you do your laundry naked, there is always more clothing to wash. It also seems like there are always dishes to wash, dust to wipe, floors to scrub.
God created the world in six days, and then He rested. He did not rest because He was tired, but because His work was done. The Sabbath is a gift given to us from God so that we will stop and rest for a moment, knowing our work is done. But our work is never really done, is it? We never really get to stop and rest we need. We get days off from our paid jobs but use that free time to do whatever else must be done, like mow the lawn or do the laundry. We go grocery shopping or get the oil in our car changed. We volunteer at church or sports, prepping for our other responsibilities. We might take an hour or so on Sunday to rest at worship, but we use the rest of the day to get done what we didn’t get done on Saturday. By Monday morning, we begin again without ever really finishing.
It is not bad to be busy with commitments, especially when we are serving our family, friends, and neighbors; it is not bad to sacrifice our time, energy, and resources for others. At times, however, our responsibilities become burdens. We no longer “want to” do these tasks, we believe we “have to” do them. We grumble and moan when we need to attend another meeting. Our work is never done, and we get very tired of it all. Too often, we fear that if we don’t do everything that comes our way, we will disappoint our Father. We think we are righteous by what we do, so we feel we need to do more and more to be right with God. We never enter His rest.
Have you ever watched a mom juggle all the things necessary to take care of her baby? Each item has its place on her shoulder or under her arm. She is burdened with so much baggage and yet she somehow manages to take care of everything. Moms seem to gain a few extra hands during those early years. They become Octopus Mom, but there are times when even a mom needs help.
Doors are a difficult obstacle for anyone with an armful of stuff, particularly when it needs to be pulled open. I can’t count how many times I’ve had to put down burdens to get through a door. I am happy when someone helps by opening the door. I confess that sometimes I acted like I didn’t need any help, insisting that I could do it all with my own strength, like I was Supermom. Even as Christians, we tend to carry our own pain, unwilling to burden our family or friends. We try to be Superchristians, defeating the greatest evil with our own power.
Jesus wanted the man to put down his burden so that he could embrace the opportunity to be blessed by God’s rest, but I get the man’s disappointment. I have so much. How do you get rid of everything you own?
I often ask this question when I see stories of those people who have chosen to live in tiny houses. My art supplies would never fit into such a small space, let alone my whole life. As a matter of fact, my husband and I did not downsize when we bought our latest house, as many do when they become empty nesters. We bought a larger house so that I would have room for an active lifestyle and so that there is space for people to visit. This is the first house we’ve had that doesn’t have furniture pushed against every inch of every wall. There is room to move. I can’t imagine every getting rid of everything to move into a house that is just a few hundred square feet.
Perhaps it sounds like I am a hoarder, but I know how to purge. We moved regularly as a military family, and while we probably moved too much, we always let go of things we knew we would not need. Well, almost always. Our tour in England required some storage, but when we returned to the United States, we ended up getting rid of almost everything that we did not use during those four years. Our latest move twelve years ago was an incredible undertaking. We had lived in that house eight years and it is so easy to let things pile up. The kids were on the verge of adulthood, so we donated truckloads of things we didn’t want to move to another house.
When the pandemic hit, I joined millions of others in the quest to simplify life. We did some redecorating, which meant moving furniture, including a desk. The desk drawers were filled with junk from the last house, so I emptied each one, separated the good from the bad. I threw out useless items and filled many boxes to donate. After the desk, I began cleaning the other junk drawers in our house. I cleaned bookshelves and purged hundreds of books from our collection. I gave kitchen items to my children. I got rid of some furniture. Even after all that purging, I know I could get rid of more.
While I still have too much stuff, I have also learned to limit my collecting. We had a wonderful vacation in Wyoming and Colorado. We visited two national parks and a Christian retreat center. I like to buy souvenirs to remember our travels. I know I didn’t need another Christmas ornament. I didn’t need a pile of informational books. I didn’t buy everything I wanted to buy, but I’m sure I bought too much. With Christmas around the corner, my family will ask what I want to receive under the tree. I have a hard time answering because I really don’t want anything. Do I really need another tchotchke to clutter my shelves? Do I really need the latest kitchen gadget? It isn’t that I want to be difficult, I am just content. That said, I still don’t think I could get rid of everything for Jesus’ sake.
Today’s Old Testament reading from Ecclesiastes is a little uncomfortable for those of us who love our stuff. The writer writes, “He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase: this also is vanity.” Have you ever noticed that when you satisfy one desire, you soon have another? Just like our desire to accomplish something, we always have a desire to collect something new. We start with a little, but we always want more. Who can eat just one potato chip? It is hard to collect just one porcelain figurine. No one has just one pair of sneakers, but I confess that I have shoes of every color so that I can match my shoes to my clothes. I also have socks to match. I also have a pile of sweaters to match my shoes.
The writer of Ecclesiastes talks about the vanity of collecting stuff, after all, we can’t take it with us. We labor for everything we have. Our work is never done because we chase after that next thing, laboring to buy, maintain, and protect our stuff. Our focus is on our stuff, and we lose sight of what is important. Too many men pay more attention to their car than their girlfriend. Too many women are more concerned about which shoes or dress to wear. Children don’t like to share because they are afraid someone will break their toys. We lose sight of joy because we are worried.
There is a joke about a man who was near death. He had spent his life working hard for his possessions and he prayed that he might take some of it with him to heaven. An angel heard him, and though the angel told him that he could not take anything, the man implored the angel to ask God. After a time, the angel reappeared and told him he was allowed to take one suitcase. He died and went to heaven. At the pearly gates, St. Peter stopped him and said that he couldn’t bring the suitcase. He retold the story of the angel’s visit and after St. Peter checked it out, he returned and said, “Ok, but I have to see what is in there.” St. Peter opened the suitcase to find bricks of pure gold stacked neatly inside. He said, “Pavement? Why did you bring pavement?” We love our things, but we have to remember the value of anything in this world is miniscule compared to what we will experience in eternity. We don’t need to take gold to heaven because the sidewalks are paved with gold. Everything in heaven will be better than anything we have on earth.
The message of Ecclesiastes isn’t all bad news. God wants us to enjoy our life on this earth, not to the point that our possessions are our focus, but in thanksgiving for the God who has made all good things possible. “Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor - this is the gift of God.” We are called to a life in which God is our focus. Our stuff is meaningless in terms of eternal destiny, but they are blessings to be enjoyed.
Jesus told the man to sell everything and follow Him. This doesn’t mean that the man would have nothing. He’d have everything because He would have Jesus. The key is to remember the priorities of life. The Ecclesiastes passage reminds us that we don’t need to worry about today or about our stuff because our hearts are filled with real joy in knowing that our God is gracious. When we put down our burdens, we find it much easier to accomplish the work God is calling us to do.
The man missed what was important in the encounter with Jesus: that Jesus loved him. Jesus knows that the world tries to distract us with shiny bobbles. “It is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom.” His words were shocking to the disciples because they did not see who could be saved, but Jesus promised that those who are willing to set aside the things of this world for the sake of the Gospel will be blessed beyond measure with even more. However, it will come with a price: persecution. We have reason to rejoice because the promise of eternity is greater than the wealth of this world, and even if we suffer now, we can do so with joy because the day will come when the promise will be fulfilled.
Some people, even Christians, never really experience the rest that comes with faith in Christ. This is not a rest that means we do nothing with our lives. God calls us to work. He calls us to produce. He calls us to be witnesses and to serve others. He calls us to be good stewards of all we have been given. He doesn’t even mind that we fill our lives with things that we enjoy. But He will ask us to consider our priorities so that we can follow Him completely. This is a call to trust that God is faithful to His promises and the blessings of this world are simply a foretaste of that which is to come in Heaven. One thing we lack is complete trust in God and the joy of knowing that God is the center of our blessedness.
The psalmist asks how a young man can be pure. The answer is by obeying God’s divine spoken Word. We can look for Him in our religious obligations, but we must keep His promise close to our heart so that we won’t turn from Him and do what is wrong. We can seek God’s teaching on how to live properly and according to His rules. We can accept God’s judgment when we do wrong and rejoice through our worship practices. We can, and must, focus on God’s authority over our lives because it is there that we will find rest.
Jesus was so much more than we can expect or desire. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is Redeemer. He is the Great Shepherd. He is our brother, our friend, and our master. He is our teacher. He is the Great High Priest as the writer of Hebrews describes in this week’s epistle lesson.
A priest is not one who rules over a people, but rather one who serves God and man. A priest is a servant and in the case of Jesus, the perfect servant who though He was tempted He never sinned. Though the human response to such greatness would tend to make such a man unreachable, in the case of Christ this is a title that makes Him even more gracious. He knows what we are experiencing, so He offers mercy. The pompous sounding title does not make Him beyond our reach. Instead, He calls us to approach Him with boldness, to set everything aside to put Him first.
I hope that whenever I have to choose between God and the world that I will make the right decision. I know, however, that Jesus loves me even when I fail. I know that He understands the draw of the world and the bobbles that it promises. I know that He sees my heart and that He sees the flicker of faith that is at the center of my being, the faith that He has given by His grace. Day by day, Today even, I find I can let go more and more as He fills me with Himself. One day I will have to give it all up; one day I'll die and stand at those pearly gates. I don’t have any pavement to take with me, but I hope that I won’t feel the need to beg God to let me take a few of my favorite things. I hope that my little faith will be enough to keep my focus on the Lord now so that I won’t worry day by day what will happen to my stuff because the joy in my heart is from God. For now, I pray that God will help me remember that the meaningless stuff I will have to give up when I die will be replaced with so much more: eternal rest and joy and peace.
Our salvation is never dependent upon our works. God created the world and on the seventh day He rested because His work was finished, and it was good. The Sabbath was given to man so he could celebrate the finished work of God with joy. In Christ the Sabbath is no longer one day a week: it is Today, every moment we rest in the salvation He won for us at the cross. Though God’s work was complete from the beginning, it is in the work of Jesus Christ that we receive the true rest of God. In Christ, our work is no longer a burden, but a joy. Our righteousness is founded in His love and His work on the cross, not in a schedule filled with commitments. Today, when you hear His voice, know that the work is complete and rest in Him, then your thoughts, words, and actions will truly glorify Him. Don’t try to find your rest in an hour of worship once a week; find it in Jesus.
God says, “You don’t have to exhaust yourself over all this; put me first and you’ll have enough. You will have even more in the Promised Land. Rest in me, for in Me is the true blessing.”
“‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,’ says Yahweh, ‘thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope and a future. You shall call on me, and you shall go and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You shall seek me, and find me, when you search for me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ says Yahweh, ‘and I will turn again your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places where I have driven you, says Yahweh. I will bring you again to the place from where I caused you to be carried away captive.’” Jeremiah 29:11-14, WEB
We spent three days in Yellowstone National Park and two days in Grand Teton National Park. These parks are right next to one another, but they are very different. Yellowstone is an active supervolcano with many hydrothermal features like geysers, hot springs, mud pots, and fumaroles. There are mountains and canyons; some of the hills are made of lava from ancient eruptions. About five percent of the 3472 square miles of park is water surface, including three hundred waterfalls, six hundred lakes and ponds, and one thousand rivers and creeks. It would be impossible to see it all in a lifetime, let alone in three days.
Grand Teton is more about the impressive mountains and the landscapes that dot the base. The Teton Range is about forty miles long, with eleven active glaciers and many waterfalls. There are forty named lakes and more that are unnamed, plus wetland habitats. The main river is the Snake River, but there are many forks and creeks around the park. Jackson Hole is the valley between the Tetons and the Gros Ventre, which includes grasslands, historic sites, and biking trails. We saw as much as we could, but it would be impossible to hike every trail and see it all in a lifetime, let alone in two days. The National Parks are surrounded by National Forests, extending the land area to 89,000 miles.
We can all name the major reasons for visiting the two parks. Everyone wants to see Old Faithful erupt. We want the picture of the waterfall with the rainbow in the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. We want to see the Grand Prismatic Spring and Mammoth Hot Springs. We want to drive the Lamar Valley. In Teton, we all want the photo of sunrise on the Tetons with the Mormon barn in the foreground. We want to see the Tetons framed by the window in the park church. We want to take the ferry across Jenny Lake. And we want to see critters.
Yellowstone is known for huge herds of bison and elk. There are also bears, wolves, coyotes, cougars, bald eagles, pronghorns, big horn sheep, and so many others. Many of the same animals are found in Grand Teton, but moose are more common there than in Yellowstone. We were constantly on the lookout for different animals, and we managed to see quite a few in both parks. We paid for a photo tour our first day in Yellowstone, and our driver took us on a chase of elk, bald eagles, swan, pika, and bears. We went to places he knew were common hangouts for the animals and other places where some animals were last reported to have been seen.
We learned very quickly that crowds of people parked along the roads generally indicated an animal sighting. In Yellowstone, most of those crowds were watching herds of bison, but a few times there was rumor of bear. In Grand Teton, we were able to see a bear and several moose by joining the crowds. Whether we were with our tour guide or chasing on our own, we would ask what they were seeing. There were two spots where people were gathered watching for big horn sheep. Unfortunately, we often arrived too late; the crowds dispersed because the animal was too far away or had disappeared into the woods. The big horn sheep were never visible with the naked eye, and even with a decent camera, I couldn’t possibly get a photo.
We had a chance to see big horn sheep in Colorado, as a herd hangs out in the area where we were staying. Unfortunately, like many of the other animals we might have seen, they were elusive. We sat awhile but could not wait long enough “just in case.” We never saw pronghorn at Yellowstone, though we saw many on the grassy plains of eastern Colorado. Despite sitings and a good tour guide, we never saw any bear in Yellowstone, or some of the other animals that we’d hoped to see. We did manage to see a grizzly bear in Teton and a black bear in Colorado Springs. We saw five moose in Teton. We didn’t have the time to be patient, to wait and watch. The reality, though, is that the parks are huge, and the animals could be anywhere. We were disappointed we didn’t see everything we wanted to see, but we know we were lucky to find what we could.
I wonder, sometimes, if people who want to know God think He that is elusive like those animals. They seek Him, but never find Him. They want to believe but have a hard time doing so because they can’t see Him. He is more than one small bear in a huge park, however. Our God is everywhere. He is not hard to find. As a matter of fact, He finds us. We may not think we have time to be patient, to wait and watch for Him, yet it is worthwhile to look for Him, for He will be found. The animals may hide from human interaction, but God is always near and ready to embrace us with His grace.
October 18, 2024
“From that time, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This will never be done to you.’ But he turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, for you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of men.’” Matthew 16:21-23, WEB
We seek God, and sometimes He seems elusive even though He is always nearby. Sometimes He is blocked by something in this world, keeping us from seeing Him clearly.
The animals were not the only thing that was elusive for us during our vacation. We enjoyed visiting Grand Teton, but we barely saw the Tetons! There are serious wildfires in Wyoming and Idaho. The haze was noticeable in the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone, but we could still see the animals, river, and mountains. The smoke was far worse farther south in Jackson Hole.
There is an iconic photo that many camera buffs try to capture when they are in Wyoming. At the southern end of Jackson Hole (the valley between the Teton Range and the Gros Ventre Range) is a historic site where Mormon homesteaders settled. Though largely abandoned, many of the barns and houses that were built in the late nineteenth century continue to stand, making Mormon Row a picturesque place. There are two barns that are perfectly located so that when the morning sun rises over the Gros Ventre Range, the sun shines off the Teton mountains behind the buildings. As the sun rises higher in the sky, the barns almost glow.
We rose well before sunrise on the coldest morning of our trip to drive about fifteen miles to Mormon Row. It was just 20 degrees out there in the open grasslands. The smoke was so thick that we would not have known where the mountains were located if we didn’t know which direction to look. I talked to a young couple from France who were there to get “the” photo, but they didn’t know where to look. I pointed to the mountains and toward the sunrise and told them that it would be a disappointing day. Even the sun was invisible behind the smoke until it rose high enough in the sky, but it just looked like a red ball hanging above the buildings. They were going to be in the area a few more days and said that they would be back. Despite not getting “the” photo of sun lighting up the mountains, I was able to take some shots that had an almost ethereal feel. It was different, but beautiful
We were frustrated throughout our two days in Grand Teton. There were moments when the wind blew through the valley, and we could just see the tops of the mountains. There were other times when the smoke settled, and we could barely see the outline. We drove to the top of one mountain that is supposed to have a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree view of the park, but it was disappointing. The mountains, like so many other times during our trip, were elusive, but unlike the animals, it was because smoke was blocking our view.
When it seems like you can’t find God, have you thought about what might be distracting you from seeing Him? It won’t be smoke from wildfires, but it might be sin, unrepentant hearts, and a lack of love for others prevents us from “seeing” Him. Distractions include the busy-ness of life, our jobs and families, our selfish desires and unfulfilled needs. Greed and self-focus clouds our vision. Even familiarity can make it difficult for us to see God as He is. Sometimes we just don’t know where to look.
Jesus didn’t think Peter was Satan, but Peter was unable to see Jesus as He is. Jesus wanted Peter to put aside that which made the reality of God elusive to him. What in your life is standing in the way of your view of God? What is keeping you from knowing Him as He is? What changes to your life do you need to make so that you are facing the right way to see Him? God is always there, even if you can’t see Him. Look past the distractions, set them aside, do what you can to embrace the reality of His presence. He’s not elusive, but we can’t always see what we think we want to see. Maybe we’ll see something just as wonderful.
“On the next day, the multitude that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except the one in which his disciples had embarked, and that Jesus hadn’t entered with his disciples into the boat, but his disciples had gone away alone. However boats from Tiberias came near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. When the multitude therefore saw that Jesus wasn’t there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats, and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.” John 6:22-24, WEB
I have a confession to make: we’ve been home more than a week, and I’m still having trouble getting back into the normal duties of life. We had such a wonderful time that I just want to get back in the car and go on another vacation. I have grudgingly done my work around the house. I have returned to my daily devotions. I have worked on some writing and art projects. However, I’m distracted by the five thousand photos I took, and I have spent so much time choosing which ones I want to share and researching the subject so that the viewers will know the circumstances, history, and science behind what they are seeing. This time spent at the computer helps me relive what we saw and stirs in me that desire to go again.
I have attended many retreats over the years. Many of them end with the question, “How will you take what you learned this weekend into your world?” It is very difficult to leave the fellowship of time away from “normal.” At retreats we pray, laugh, eat, and worship together. Bruce and I did much the same on our vacation. It is exhausting and exhilarating at the same time. We miss our bed, but we love being away from the hustle and bustle of life. We get tired of restaurant food, but (another confession) I love that I don’t have to choose meals, cook, or do dishes!
Even though we miss our family and friends when we are away either at a retreat or on vacation, we know what was waiting at the end of the journey. Life is filled with responsibilities: places to go, people to serve. There is always a pile of laundry, a sink full of dishes, and projects that need to be completed. At times I wonder if it wouldn’t have been better to just skip the time away and stay home keeping up with the work I need to do. Then I realize that the renewal we experience when we are away is necessary to continue to have the strength to do all that God has called us to do.
Jesus took time away. He went on mountainsides and into gardens to pray alone. He left the everyday responsibilities of ministry to be with His Father. His times of retreat gave Him the strength to continue the work that He came to do. I can’t imagine that Jesus wanted to go back into the world any more than we did after this weekend. Who would want to leave that peace, serenity and joy that comes from being in the presence of the Almighty in such a wonderful way? Yet, Jesus always went back into the fray, built up and ready to face the challenges of life.
I am still catching up on the work I left behind while we were away, some of which was set aside because I am procrastinating and avoiding “normal.” I still want to bask in the joy and peace I felt when we were enjoying God’s creation, buried in files of photos and memories of our adventures. I want to ignore the hectic pace of my life. Yet I know that it is because of the time I spent away that I can go on. I was reminded of the presence of God in my life, His strength and the gifts that He has given so that I am prepared to take on the world.
Jesus knew He’d face the crowds once again and He didn’t shy away from His responsibilities. He also knew that the people would seek Him for all the wrong reasons and demand the wrong things. But He went back into the world after His times alone in prayer and continued His ministry to those for whom He was sent. We all have work we have been called and gifted to do, but we are reminded that the most important work we have is to believe in Jesus, to know His presence in every aspect of our life. He is with us when we are on retreat and when we are folding laundry, washing dishes, and trying to accomplish the projects I need to finish. I am so thankful for the time spent away, but I am even more thankful to know that Jesus is the foundation of my life and that God is with me while I face “normal,” giving me the grace to live every day with the same joy and peace that I feel when I am alone with Him.
“One man esteems one day as more important. Another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks. He who doesn’t eat, to the Lord he doesn’t eat, and gives God thanks. For none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord. Or if we die, we die to the Lord. If therefore we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died, rose, and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, ‘“As I live,” says the Lord, “to me every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess to God.”’ So then each one of us will give account of himself to God.” Romans 14:5-12, WEB
We ended family vacations when the children were young with the question, “What was your favorite part of this trip?” It is always a hard question to answer, but I asked Bruce on our way home. Neither one of us could come up with just one thing. My enjoyment has continued as I have gone through my five thousand photos, posting on my personal page some of my favorites. I’m made dozens of posts, each focused on some specific topic; if you asked me which were my favorites, I’d still have a hard time answering. I loved our animal encounters, the sunrises and sunsets, and the waterfalls. I’m still working through my photos of the local flora and interesting features in the parks. I loved the whole trip, and I don’t think I could come up with a top ten list, let alone one favorite.
Many people love to create Top Ten lists. They choose a topic then pick their top ten of that topic. Some of the choices don’t make much sense to me. On one list which wondered which songs could be used to torture someone, the choices were favorite songs or favorite artists. “How could that song torture anyone?” we wonder. Some of my favorite songs are despised by others, and vice versa. We all have our own personal opinions about what is best; we all make our own top ten lists.
We read these lists, which are not in any way official, and wonder what sort of scientific methodology they used to come up with it. We listen to replays of Casey Kasem’s American Top Forty shows from the 1980’s on Sunday mornings. The American Top Forty lists were based on record sales from the previous week. The top National Parks can be identified based on the number of visitors. The top ten baby names are based on recorded birth certificates. But the top ten most annoying songs is based on purely personal opinion. We always wonder how they could leave out our favorite. It is funny to hear people argue about whether one cartoon character is better than another. The answer to this question, in reality, is dependent on a person’s point of view. Someone may love a hard rock group while someone else gets a headache from the heavy base in the music. Someone may love the dance beat of one group while someone else may find that same beat annoyingly simple.
The choices are based on experiences and emotions. We all have songs that we either love or hate because of the events with which we identify them. I know that some will make fun of me for this, but I like disco music because of the memories it brings on. I remember disco dancing in the basement of a friend’s house, and I remember having such a good time. Songs evoke powerful emotions, sometimes happy, bringing back good memories. We might like or hate a song because they come from times of sadness or anger. Music even affects our bodies in different ways. Some songs actually make my head hurt. If you found one of those songs and used it to torture me, I would break quickly just to make it stop. Yet, those very songs are probably someone’s favorites.
Which villain is really the meanest? I might think Cruella de Vil is the meanest villain because she threatens cute little puppies. Or I might think Dr. Hannibal Lector is the meanest because he is so cruel psychologically. Our top ten list of evil people will depend on our idea of evil. Our deepest, darkest fears and the things we love the most will show as we place first those villains that use that fear and love to do their evil work.
Needless to say, it is ridiculous to argue over which movies, videogames, food mascots, books, television moms, or anything else belong on any top ten list. My choices will naturally be different than your lists. It almost seems silly to create these lists, although they are fun ways of making people think about life. When a famous person dies, remembering their best movies or songs is one way of honoring their memory. Favorite book lists help others find new books to read. Looking at the top ten list of food mascots helps us to realize how the advertisers use cute, or not so cute, characters to make us want to purchase their products.
If we can’t agree which cartoon character is the cutest, it is no wonder that we can’t see the things of faith in the same way. Not only will we have different points of view about religious things based on experience and emotions, but also based on our gender, geographic location, and even how long we have been a Christian. A newly converted adult will see the things of God in a different way than a person who has been part of a church since childhood. We have even seen things differently through the stages of our life. A child sees with innocence, a teenager with the aggression of impending independence, a young mother through the eyes of hope for her child, a middle-aged father as he’s facing the final years of his life, an elderly couple as they live out their faith with a new hope for what will be in eternity. So, as we look at our brothers and sisters in Christ, it is good to remember that they see the world through different eyes. Rather than judge them for their “top ten list,” we can love one another as Christ loved us.
Lectionary Scriptures for October 27, 2024, Reformation Day: Revelation 14:6-7; Psalm 46; Romans 3:19-28; John 8:31-36
“You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” John 8:32, WEB
Reformation Day is on October 31st. On that day we remember the bold action of Martin Luther, who in 1517 posted ninety-five theses on the door of Wittenberg Church. The theses were written to open debate between scholars about the abuses in the Church at that time. This began a reform movement that sought to restore the Church the Christ built. Luther, other reformers, and those who followed them were fighting against a body that had lost touch with God’s grace. Religion was much like it was in the day of Jesus Christ, with leaders determined to keep or enhance their positions and power. It was a religion that burdened God’s people with Law, losing touch with the center of God’s salvation: the cross. They sold indulgences to raise funds to build a massive new church building in Rome and they did this by feeding the fears of hell that were held by the people. They made the people believe that the only way they would make it to heaven was to pay for it. They even offered salvation for those who had already died: they could pay to free their loved ones who were wallowing in purgatory.
Luther was a priest and a teacher, burdened heavily by his calling. He feared sin and he feared that his own sinfulness was greater than the mercy and grace of God. He did not see how he could be forgiven and spent hours in confession. Luther was at the point of despair when he sought solace from God’s word and his confessor. Johann von Staupitz, tired of Luther’s lengthy confessions, reminded Luther of the Gospel of grace, that Christ died for his sin. Luther grasped this grace when he read Romans 3, the text we always use for Reformation Sunday. “But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all those who believe.” It is by faith we are saved, not by works. Jesus completed the work of justification on the cross.
Martin Luther realized that eternity in heaven is dependent entirely on the grace of God. When Martin Luther rediscovered this truth, he realized that our own works would never earn us salvation. In faith we cry out to the God who saves. In that faith we have hope and the freedom to live in God’s kingdom now while we wait for God’s kingdom to be fulfilled.
In Luther’s quest to help Christians grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ, he invited them into the conversations of theology and church. Instead of answering his critics with a typical Latin answer, Luther wrote in German, then had the works published and sold to anyone. Though the printing press existed for fifty years, Luther worked to make it a viable form of communication. He encouraged and supported the printers. He helped design a format that was appealing to the masses. His pamphlets and books, often written to respond to the questions of other theologians, were published by dozens of printers in many cities. His work changed the publishing industry in ways that we still use today. Even our morning newspaper today was influenced by the way Luther published his works.
The timing was just right: the printing press provided widespread distribution of his message. It was a time of political, social, and scientific upheaval. He had the support of powerful men, so his reforms reached far past the religious realm. He sought education reforms, desiring that all children be literate. Schools were built and children were treated less like cattle and more like the future of the nation and Church. He recognized that we live in two kingdoms - temporal and spiritual, an ideology that encourages justice - so that all people might work for the glory of God even when following earthbound vocations. When we do not have to buy our way to heaven, we are given the freedom to live in God’s grace today, looking forward to the promises of God that will be fulfilled in His time and way.
For Luther, freedom was not to do whatever we wanted to do, it was freedom to be as God created us to be. He never sought division; he sought change. Unfortunately, just like the religious leaders in Jesus’ day, the religious leaders in Luther’s day had no room for God’s word in their lives. They began building walls between Christians that has lasted more than five hundred years. Yet, even as Luther was willing to risk division by speaking forth God’s grace, he longed that the Church would remain whole. We continue to live in the freedom given by God through Jesus Christ so that we can reach out to our brothers and sisters in Christ, so that someday the Church will be healed and made whole once again. If not in this life, at least God’s promises will bring us together to share the feast of victory for eternity.
A WORD FOR TODAY reaches a wide audience that spans the spectrum of the Christian world. There are readers from many nations, conservative and liberal, high church with all the bells and whistles and more casual worship, charismatic and traditional. Sadly, some of my readers may question the authenticity of others because of their point of view. Despite our differences, we are encouraged to gather together on a regular basis to hear God’s Word and consider what it means for our own personal lives.
I certainly have a very specific point of view. We are in the middle of a difficult and divisive political season in the US, and I have my own opinions about how the upcoming election should end. I also have very strong opinions in matters of faith. I am a Christian with a Lutheran perspective. I don't usually blatantly divulge my opinions, although I suspect that my writing reveals much more than I realize. I write from my point of view, and though I know it is just one perspective, I hope it shines the light of Christ and helps Christians live the life they are called to live.
I do often allow myself a limited focus when the Church calendar reaches Reformation Sunday. I think one of the reasons why I continue to be a Lutheran is because we are serious about theology. Following Martin Luther’s example, we think deeply about the things of God. This isn’t to say that others are less interested in theology or that they don’t think deeply about God, but learning and understanding the scriptures is a foundational characteristic of my Lutheran faith. Is every Lutheran a theology geek like me? I have to admit that I am an odd man out: I have studied the scriptures for this devotion and for the classes and workshops I have led over the years. I often choose books to challenge myself to better understand different aspects of our faith. Every denomination has people who are very serious about these things and others who choose their local congregation for other reasons. I write about Martin Luther for Reformation Sunday because I like to be reminded once a year of my spiritual heritage.
The texts for this week are the same texts we use each year on Reformation Sunday. They are texts that I have written about many times over the years. We use them because they speak clearly the message of the Reformation: we are slaves to sin; we can’t do anything good by our own power but Christ died to reconcile us to His Father and save us from ourselves to live and love and serve in joy and peace. We are set free by the truth from all that keeps us from the One whom gave us life. That day when Martin Luther rediscovered grace, he was set free from fear and doubt. The texts are a call to trust in God completely. Righteousness comes from the Spirit of God dwelling in the hearts of all who believe, not by the law. It is impossible for mankind to become righteous by our own power; we can’t save ourselves from death by works or indulgences. It is only by the grace of God that we are saved.
I am an artist. I make a type of painting that includes a painted background with a decoupaged frame. I add a cross in the middle and use music pages out of old hymn books for the decoupage. I love to search antique stores for those old books. There are specific things I want in an old hymnal: slightly yellowed pages, attractive type set, song titles at the top of the page. I also look for specific songs in the book. Unfortunately, I once purchased a hymn book that was almost useless; though it looked like a Christian hymnal, it had songs with non-Christian theology. Even the name of Jesus was impossible to find in its pages. I was able to pull just enough pages to make one painting, but I recycled the rest. Though I use just bits and pieces of the pages, I am careful to make the hymns I use recognizable by specifically choosing words and lines that we know and love. Those songs in that strange hymnal were not at all familiar.
I always look for one specific hymn when purchasing those hymnals: “A Mighty Fortress.” This is a beloved hymn for me as a Lutheran, but I’ve discovered that most denominational hymnals include it. Martin Luther was a prolific writer and hymnwriter, but “A Mighty Fortress” is probably the most well-known of his work. It has often been called “The Battle Hymn of the Reformation” but it can be found even in Roman Catholic hymnals. It has been translated into many languages, including seventy different translations in English.
The text of the hymn follows the message of Psalm 46 very closely. The psalm is a Zion hymn, which were written to praise God for establishing his people and his kingdom. They are a mix of history, culture, tradition and loyalty. They are dedicated to extolling the city of God. No other place on earth warrants this praise, according to the poets. For Luther, Zion was not just a city but was God Himself, our refuge and our strength. We sing “A Mighty Fortress” to praise God for being with us. The psalmist expresses trust in God in the midst of chaos; though the world is in turmoil, there is quiet and safety in God, our refuge.
We need to be reminded regularly of how great God is. God seems smaller in our eyes when we fail to look at Him and His Word. The more we study and pray, the bigger He is, the more we trust that He will help us, the more we will know He is God. We are to realize, acknowledge, experience, enjoy, and appreciate God. The more we praise Him, the more He will grow in our eyes and the world will see Him through us. The psalmist teaches us that God’s presence on Zion brings protection, but no building is a talisman against defeat. Jesus in the Temple, the very presence of God. We can find confidence in Christ’s presence. Jesus Christ is the source of God’s protective strength in our lives. We need not fear because Christ’s kingdom will enjoy a rule of absolute peace.
Psalm 46 was among Luther’s favorite passages; it is the passage on which he based the hymn “A Mighty Fortress is our God.” If there is anything we can learn from the life of Martin Luther, it is that God is indeed our refuge and our strength. Life was never easy for this man of faith. Many people hated him, sometimes for very good reason! He was not the most gracious person. He was bold and unwavering with his opinion. He has been described as arrogant and chauvinistic. He said some things that I am sure he would regret today, words that have been used for generations in all the wrong ways. But he loved his wife, children, and God’s people. Most of all, he was grateful to God and trusted in His mercy and grace; he “sinned boldly” knowing that God’s grace was greater than his failure. He sought to live out his calling in this world by sharing the true Gospel with all who would listen. The Psalmist wrote, “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations.” Luther heard those words and lived them to the glory of God, setting aside His fear for faith.
There are very real reasons to be afraid in our world. I’m not sure that there are more reasons today, although it seems like it sometimes, doesn’t it? We are afraid of the things that will affect the world and our nation. We are afraid of the crime in our neighborhoods. We are afraid of natural disasters that can destroy our homes. We are afraid of more personal things like financial ruin. We have a collective fear of disease. The political conversation is filled with fear. Sometimes we don’t even really know what we fear.
We look to God as a refuge, yet John wrote in the text from Revelation, “Fear the Lord.” There are benefits of being afraid because we react to our fear by doing what needs to be done to avoid the bad things that can happen. However, we can be so focused on fear that we miss the blessings of life. So, why would we have to fear the One who has promised to be our source for joy and hope and peace?
Fear of the Lord is not the same kind of fear we experience when we face crime or natural disaster or financial ruin or disease. It isn’t the fear we experience in the haunted house or the movie theater. It isn’t the fear we experience when we are threatened. Fear of the Lord is a reverence for the Holy One, trusting that He is where we’ll find our joy and hope and peace. Solomon tells us in the book of Proverbs that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Awe in the One who is our salvation will make Him grow in our eyes and in the eyes of the world.
We need not fear, like Martin Luther feared for himself and for his congregation, because God is a very present help in trouble. God is always there. He is a fortress in times of difficulty and a refuge in times of need. When things are looking bad in the world, as they must have looked to Luther in 1517, we can rest assured that God is present, active, and faithful.
In Jesus’ day, the leaders demanded obedience to the old laws that they taught were required for righteousness and did everything they could to keep the people in line. They laid heavy burdens on the people, and the people failed. The New Covenant gives the believer the faith and freedom to live according to His Word. The New Covenant gives us a new attitude; it changes how we look at God’s Law and God’s Word. In faith we respond to the call of God. The Old Covenant, which comes from outside, is replaced with a covenant that dwells inside our hearts. The Law still has a purpose: it helps us to see that we need a Savior. When we hear the Gospel, God’s Word is placed in the heart; faith is given so that the believer can act out of love rather than fear or greed. We are no longer burdened by that Law, but we are set free by faith to live out God’s Word in the world.
The brief Gospel lesson for this week took place after an encounter Jesus had with a crowd that was about to stone a woman who had been taken for adultery. We note that there was no man so threatened, but it has been suggested that some who would throw the stones were guilty with her. Jesus said, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw the first stone at her,” and they were cut to the heart. One by one they walked away; no one was able to cast the first stone because they were sinners, too. The religious leaders then questioned Jesus. “Who are you to do these things?” They wanted to know where He got His authority. “You testify about yourself. Your testimony is not valid.” In that conversation, Jesus revealed that they did not know the Father, but many came to believe in Him.
Jesus told those listening that the truth would set them free, but the Jewish leaders didn’t understand what he was talking about. “We are Abraham’s offspring and have never been in bondage to anyone. How do you say, ‘You will be made free’?” They relied on their heritage; they relied on Abraham and Moses for their salvation. But since they could not keep the Law perfectly, they would always fail to live up to the expectations of that Law. Jesus said that whenever you sin, no matter how small or insignificant, you are a slave to sin. This is what Martin Luther discovered when he was trying to confess himself into salvation. I love my Lutheran heritage, but I know that it is only Jesus that can save.
Martin Luther was bold enough to cry out to God in his imperfection, seeking God’s mercy. It is easier for us to keep working toward our goal, to try to make ourselves good enough to come before the Lord. We don’t want God to see our imperfections and we fear what will happen when He does. It is much, much harder for us to embrace God’s grace because we are afraid that we are not worthy. Yet, the true path, the better path, is to cry out in faith knowing that God forgives those who repent. There is nothing we can do to earn His grace, but in faith we can boldly approach Him with our needs. He will listen. He will heal. In Him, and in Him alone, we have joy and hope and peace. That revelation spurred Luther to reform the church.
Martin Luther reminds us of the truth that the work of salvation is not dependent on man but on the mercy of God. When we realize that we are sinners, in need of a Savior, our whole world is turned upside down. We are set free from the burdens of the law so that we might live to the glory of God in His grace no matter who we are. This is what happened to Martin Luther when he read Paul’s words to the Romans; he realized that faith was the key to salvation. Those words changed him, and through his willingness to fight for the Gospel of Jesus Christ the world was changed forever.
God can do whatever He wants to do. This knowledge gave Martin Luther peace. He realized that it was not his works or his words that would bring salvation, and he knew that there was no peace in relying on his own abilities or actions. Only in God can we have peace. God can do whatever He wants to do, and He does all that He has promised. We live trusting in His faithfulness, crying “Hosanna” to our Father, counted among His firstborn despite our unworthiness. All this by grace through faith in the Eternal One who can save.
Martin Luther was like a man living in darkness, weighed down by the burden of his sin. But God answered with the gift of sight – spiritual sight. He was no longer blinded by the foolish ways of the world in which he lived but was bound by grace in faith. He knew the joy of that freedom, the freedom that comes from complete trust in God. We can cry out to God in our blindness and ask Him to see again. He will stop, call us to Himself and grant us what we desire. Jesus continues to intercede for us even as He sits at the right hand of God because His ministry is eternal.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the farmer. Every branch in me that doesn’t bear fruit, he takes away. Every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already pruned clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can’t bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me. I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If a man doesn’t remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you.” John 15:1-8, WEB
I twirled baton when I was young; I was a majorette in Junior High and then in High School I twirled a rifle. I was rarely without something in my hand in those early years, whether it was my baton or rifle. You would probably see me twirling something even if I was just walking down the street to a friend’s house or the bus stop. Constant use meant that the baton became a part of my body, like another appendage. I wasn’t the greatest majorette, many were able to do much harder tricks, but my twirling was smooth, graceful and very natural.
I haven’t practiced in years. There was a brief period when Victoria twirled that I played with my batons, but never really got make the smooth grace of my youth. I have recently picked up my batons again, as a fun way to exercise, but it is no longer a natural activity. I thought about finding a studio where I might practice and get back most of the skills I had, but most places are designed for children or youth, and they are all about competition, not simply enjoyment. Besides, I have adult responsibilities; I can't walk around with a baton in my hand every waking hour. There are other things that are far more important to accomplish, which I can’t do while I’m twirling a baton. We lose skills and habits from lack of use. It has even happened with my prayer and devotional life.
I once saw a comic strip in which a character was talking to Jesus who said, “I don’t feel like praying today.” Jesus answered, “You are talking to me now.” Sometimes the punchline is funny because it is true. We are engaging in prayer any time we think about Jesus. Yet too many of us think that’s enough. We don’t set aside time every day to pray or read the bible. When we are faithful to these practices, they become natural, a part of our day. We miss it if something gets in the way. It takes practice and discipline to get there, though. Most of us are not so faithful. We get caught up in the daily grind, think we don’t have even five minutes to give specifically to time with God. We pray on the run, eat the scriptures like we eat fast food. When we practice the daily routine of our devotional time, it is a natural extension of our being, and we find our days go better. When we stop, for even a few days, it gets harder to keep up the practice and things in our life get out of control. Our devotional time, or lack of it, becomes visible to the world around us. It is in that time with God that we strengthen our relationship and connection to Him.
Ignace Jan Paderewski, a polish pianist, once said, “When I miss a day of practice, I can always tell it. If I miss two days, the critics will pick it up. If I miss three days, the audience will notice it.” The same is true about everything we do. Daily time spent doing the things we love will be manifest in the world, even if we do it behind closed doors. With baton twirling, my daily habit of twirling showed the grace with which I walked and in the way I could move my body. When I stopped, I lost much of the elasticity in my muscles that came from the practice.
Though our devotional time is private, our time spent with God is obvious to the world around us. We go forth in faith, with joy and love, to do all that God would have us do. When we stop spending that time with the Lord, we lose touch with the source of our strength and faith. It does not take long before it becomes difficult for us to even find a few moments alone with God. We claim a lack of time and we try to go at it on our own. We find, all too quickly, that it is only with God’s help that our world is really under control. It is not enough to cry out to God occasionally in passing. It takes practice to develop a good pattern of devotional time, but it is well worth the trouble. For our daily time with God will help us to live more closely in His heart and kingdom.
“Therefore don’t be afraid of them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim on the housetops. 28 Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Aren’t two sparrows sold for an assarion coin? Not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore don’t be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:26-31, WEB
On October 25, c. 285 AD, two brothers were beheaded for their faith. They were named Crispin and Crispinian. They were Roman Christians who went as missionaries to Gaul. During the day the preached the Gospel, at night they worked leather into shoes earning enough to support themselves financially and to share with the poor. They ministered to the pagans who enjoyed their charitable lives. Many were converted to Christianity. Some of the pagans complained to the Roman authorities that hated Christians. Rictius Varus tried to dissuade them by offering them alternately great riches or death, but each time they managed to escape. He was so disturbed by their immovable spirit that he killed himself. Emperor Maximian ordered their beheading.
During their time of persecution under Rictius Varus, Crispin and Crispinian are recorded as saying, “Thy threats do not terrify us, for Christ is our life, and death is our gain. Thy rank and possessions are nought to us, for we have long before this sacrificed the like for the sake of Christ and rejoice in what we have done. If thou shouldst acknowledge and love Christ thou wouldst give not only all the treasures of this life, but even the glory of thy crown itself in order through the exercise of compassion to win eternal life.”
Crispin and Crispinian stood firm in their faith in Christ. They did not allow the terror or the temptation of this world to distract them from their work. Their actions were extraordinary, yet their words are ones we should all take to heart. Death has no sting for Christians who have the hope of eternal life, and the treasures of this world have no meaning for those of us who know what the Kingdom has to offer.
October 25 is the feast day of these incredible men of God. Our world is filled with terror and temptation. Do not be afraid and do not fall under the burdens that this world holds. The Lord God Almighty loves you so much that He knows the minutest details of your life. He is with you, to guard and guide you toward the fulfillment of His promises. When you face persecution - whether the world offers you the grandest riches or the most frightening death - remember the words of your Lord Jesus Christ, “You are worth more than many sparrows.”