"Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evildoers; let me not eat of their delicacies." -- Psalm 141:3-4

If we think about the brokenness in our relationships, how much of that brokenness due to things that have been said?  In the heat of a fight, we say things that we wish we'd never said.  Our hurt causes us to want to hurt others.  And once something is said, it cannot be unsaid.  As the people created by God, and in God's image, we were not created to harm one another.  That is willful disobedience when we do so.  That is sin.  But everyone argues, fights, and blows off steam... it's human, right?  Well, yes it is human to feel anger and to express it, but when considering our relationships, it's important to lay out rules of engagement.  When fighting and arguing with people you love, name calling, demeaning each other, and hurtful language should be off-limits.  Care for one another even when you don't feel much like caring.  Protect one another even when you feel like hurting each other.  Always remember that the argument will pass, but the damage done may not be repairable if it goes too far.  "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me..."  Remember that?  It's a lie.  Pray that God guard your tongue.

Readings:  2 Kings 4:18-5:27; Acts 15:1-35; Psalm 141:1-10; Proverbs 17:23

"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." -- Proverbs 17:22

Be oh so careful when the dark clouds of doubt, depression, and despair try to overtake your spirit.  When you feel life is beginning to spin and you're having a hard time finding the good in it, take radical steps to change it before you're overcome.  As if it were a matter of life and death (because it is), start journaling everything you're  grateful for.  Tell God everything you are grateful for.  And tell the people in your life how you are grateful for them.  Start affirming everyone you meet.  And affirm yourself.  If you've fallen and can't get up, just breathe and encourage yourself for that.  You will regain your strength, and you can find your way back to having that cheerful heart, but sometimes it takes intention.  You will have joy when you have fulfillment.  Ironically, you are most fulfilled when you transcend yourself and experience selflessness.  Nobody needs their bones dried up by a crushed spirit.  Lift someone else's spirit, and yours will be lifted as well.

Readings: 2 Kings 3:1-4:17; Acts 14:8-28; Psalm 140:1-13; Proverbs 17:22

"O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord."-- Psalm 139:1-4

For those of us who shun intimacy, it's hard to accept the intimate nature and presence of God.  To be so known, so loved... it can be downright uncomfortable.  You can hide from the world, and you can turn away from God.  But with God, you can run, but you cannot hide... and then the Psalm continues:

"You hem me in-- behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths,
you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths,
you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
 your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, 'Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,'
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully
and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful
I know that full well."

                             -- Psalm 139:5-14


Readings:  2 Kings 1:1-2:25; Acts 13:42-14:7; Psalm 139:1-24; Proverbs 17:19-21

"Therefore my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses." -- Acts 13:38-39

It's hard for us to place ourselves in the time period of the New Testament.  Imagine being a person of faith, and someone for whom a relationship with God was most important in your life... but as much as you wished to be loved by God, something kept getting in the way: you.  To live according to the law of Moses was the greatest burden of faith imaginable.  No matter how hard you tried, no matter how much you desired to be righteous and holy, your human condition made you fall again and again... always keeping you just out of reach in having a full connection and confidence in God's love for you.  Imagine now the good news as it hits you that no longer are you condemned by God, but are forgiven and freed of your debts because someone named Jesus comes along and shows you the way to God.  Would you follow?  I imagine so!  Who wouldn't?  Well there's an answer to that one too... who wouldn't follow are those who enjoy lording the law over others.  If you play the gatekeeper to God and others allow it, you have enormous control and influence.  The Good News for you is bad news for the corrupt religious abusers.  2000 years later, they're still out there... preying on the unsuspecting and people who lack understanding of the Bible.   But that's not you, faithful reader.  You know the Good News.

For a contemporary look at how religious abuse can occur, check out the post-apocalyptic film The Book of Eli.  Not for kids though.

Readings:  1 Kings 22:1-53; Acts 13:16-41; Psalm 138:1-8; Proverbs 17:17-18

"One who puts on his armor should not boast like one who takes it off." -- 1 Kings 20:11

Oh the things we are going to do!  How many times have you said to yourself or someone else, "I'm going to..."  In our mind we see no roadblocks, no turns, and no reason why we shouldn't succeed at whatever we set our hearts and minds to accomplishing.  And that's true.  There shouldn't be a reason you can't do anything you set your mind to doing.  But intending to do something, expecting to do something, and wanting to do something are all considerably different from actually doing it.  We've been told so much that if we want to achive something, we have to believe it will happen.  Some of us get the cart before the horse though, and start talking as though the dream has been realized-- even going so far as to convince ourselves it has.  And what of the dream?  It fades.  Then our speech takes a turn.  It goes to: I would've, I could've, I should've...

So go after it, but have reality checks along the way.

Readings:  1 Kings 20:1-21:29; Acts 12:24-13:15; Psalm 137:1-9; Proverbs 17:16

"Then I heard a voice telling me, 'Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.' I replied, 'Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' The voice spoke from heaven a second time, 'Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.'" -- Acts 11:8-9

This reflection is actually from yesterday's readings... Peter is undergoing massive transformation as he moves from identifying himself as primarily Jewish to this new understanding of what it means to be a Christ-follower.  It's a struggle moving from such strict legalism to a newer transcendent understanding of the law and its purpose.  Here, we see Peter beginning to understand what Jesus meant when he said "it's not what goes into the mouth, but what comes out that defiles..."  It's a hard thing to break a lifetime's worth of reinforcing a habit or an understanding.   That's why you and I have to really listen to the old tapes that run through our minds of  what we perceive in the world to be okay and what's not.  Our tendency is to react to situations based on what we've always known.  How have we known?  It's what our parents told us.  How did they know?  It's what their parents told them... and so on.  Do you see how the cycle goes?  Peter wasn't just fighting his own understanding, but a cultural understanding that had been passed down for generations.  What are we blind to today?  How resolute are you in the assumptions you make when taking a position on something?  Pray for fresh and clear guidance today.  Pray that God remove the scales from our eyes.

Readings:  1 Kings 19:1-21; Acts 12:1-23; Psalm 136:1-26; Proverbs 17:14-15

June 15-17, 2012

I will be without internet for the next three days!  So, I will pick back up on the reflection on Monday, but in the meantime, here are the assigned readings for Friday-Sunday:

Friday, June 15:  1 Kings 14:1-15:24; Acts 10:1-23A; Psalm 133:1-3; Proverbs 17:7-8


Saturday, June 16:  1 Kings 15:25-17:24; Acts 10:23B-48; Psalm 134:1-3; Proverbs 17:9-11


Sunday, June 17:  1 Kings 18:1-46; Acts 11:1-30; Psalm 135:1-21; Proverbs 17:12-13