"Deliver me O Lord from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue." (Psalm 120:2)
There are many things in our life that can hurt us, and one of them for sure are lies. When someone you trust misleads you or just flat out lies it strains and often breaks the relationship. How do you ever trust that person again? Maybe you forgive the first time, but how many times if they seem to have a chronic problem with it? Do you seek to find out what is going on that leads them to believe this is the best way to deal with you? Or does there just come a point where you need to be delivered from them, as hard and painful as that might be?
As I read this Psalm today, I wondered if the psalmist was referring to others or to themselves? Because it also true that in everyone is just as capable of lying as they are in being lied to. Does there come a point when we can feel a lie coming out of ourselves as we try to cover our rear ends for something we did that we know was wrong and hurtful? What do we do? Is crying out for deliverance from this plan something to consider? Is it possible to ask for the courage to be honest?
It would be impossible to get away with a lie to God, that omniscience is a problem. Certainly lying to neighbor, family or friend, will ultimately lead to much bigger problems. Finally lying to ourselves will also become a problem. When I can't let myself know the truth about me, when I can't or won't face the facts, I can not make the changes necessary. I'd much rather learn to deal with the real me, than continue to pretend to be something I'm not, wishing that it might come true.
Blessings,
Ed
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Monday, January 28, 2013
Reflection for 1/28/2013
"Because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in you heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."(Romans 10:9)
There are very few things in this world that make my blood boil. Someone attacking verbally any member of my family is one, and another is a fellow Christian questioning my faith. I'll admit these things don't happen often, probably why I don't get really mad very often, but it has happened.
The last time that I remember it occurring was in the parking lot of a local supermarket. A fellow Christian decided I needed to be evangelized. I guess he hadn't made his quota yet. He didn't witness to me about his own faith, that I could have taken, but instead attacked mine, that I don't put up with. In his estimation I was not saved. What he really meant was that since I didn't see it his way or go to his church I wasn't saved.
But how are we saved? The above quote is an answer to that question it is about confessing our faith, audibalizing as it were and believing in one's heart.
I've always been good with the second part. I've gotten much better over time with the first part. While I will never be someone who rams my faith down other people's throats, I won't hesitate to state where my allegiance is if I am asked. And much like Mary I treasure and ponder in my heart many things about Jesus, including his resurrection.
I also know that I find that I much more prefer to put my faith into actions of service for others, because Jesus is my Lord and because God raised him from the dead, and because I am called to be his witness and servant here in my day and place.
Blessings,
Ed
There are very few things in this world that make my blood boil. Someone attacking verbally any member of my family is one, and another is a fellow Christian questioning my faith. I'll admit these things don't happen often, probably why I don't get really mad very often, but it has happened.
The last time that I remember it occurring was in the parking lot of a local supermarket. A fellow Christian decided I needed to be evangelized. I guess he hadn't made his quota yet. He didn't witness to me about his own faith, that I could have taken, but instead attacked mine, that I don't put up with. In his estimation I was not saved. What he really meant was that since I didn't see it his way or go to his church I wasn't saved.
But how are we saved? The above quote is an answer to that question it is about confessing our faith, audibalizing as it were and believing in one's heart.
I've always been good with the second part. I've gotten much better over time with the first part. While I will never be someone who rams my faith down other people's throats, I won't hesitate to state where my allegiance is if I am asked. And much like Mary I treasure and ponder in my heart many things about Jesus, including his resurrection.
I also know that I find that I much more prefer to put my faith into actions of service for others, because Jesus is my Lord and because God raised him from the dead, and because I am called to be his witness and servant here in my day and place.
Blessings,
Ed
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Reflection for 1/24/13
"I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate."(Romans 7:15)
Inner struggles are certainly not unique to Paul. I can fully relate to this line with my constant struggle with my weight. I know exactly what I have to do. I know how to do it. I deeply want to weigh less and yet, it takes only one potato chip and I'm in full eating mode. I can even name the sin, gluttony combined with acedia. Deadly for sure.
There are other aspects of my life, that when I put them in list form or decide to truly focus I get amazing results. So much accomplished and a feeling of real joy. And yet there are those times when I look for almost anything else to do except for the things that need to get done. I don't understand why I avoid things, but when I finally do them I kick myself for not seeing how little time it actually took.
I haven't met too many folk who don't fight with their own to do lists or inner struggles. For me I find myself at least reminding myself that I can with God's help, and thanks be to God for that help and patience with me.
Blessings,
Ed
Inner struggles are certainly not unique to Paul. I can fully relate to this line with my constant struggle with my weight. I know exactly what I have to do. I know how to do it. I deeply want to weigh less and yet, it takes only one potato chip and I'm in full eating mode. I can even name the sin, gluttony combined with acedia. Deadly for sure.
There are other aspects of my life, that when I put them in list form or decide to truly focus I get amazing results. So much accomplished and a feeling of real joy. And yet there are those times when I look for almost anything else to do except for the things that need to get done. I don't understand why I avoid things, but when I finally do them I kick myself for not seeing how little time it actually took.
I haven't met too many folk who don't fight with their own to do lists or inner struggles. For me I find myself at least reminding myself that I can with God's help, and thanks be to God for that help and patience with me.
Blessings,
Ed
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Reflection 1/23/13
"Because you did not carry it the first time, the Lord our God burst out against us, because we did not give it proper care."(1 Chronicles 15:13)
My church has been engaged since September in a program called "The Bible Challenge." It is a year long program of actually reading the whole Bible. Each week we copy and send out the readings assigned for this week.
At the beginning of the year, many of my colleagues started their churches on this program. One of my colleagues the Rev. Marshall Shelly, Rector of St. Peter's Spotswood, started blogging on a passage from each days reading, or at least when he had the time. I thought this was a great idea so I decided I'd find a passage from today's "assigned readings" and see what spoke to me.
You might think this is a weird passage to quote out of context, so here's the context. The folks are carrying the Ark of the Covenant, yes that ark, and it started to look like it might fall and someone reached out to steady it and got killed on the spot. This event led David to consider a better way of transporting it and handling it.
I heard a bizarre explanation of this event involving static electricity, but I leave such modernist questions to the modernists. What I found myself pondering was the last part of the quote, "because we did not give it the proper care."
We often see a label on a package saying "handle with care." Warning us that something breakable or fragile is inside. We know that if living things are not given the proper care they will not flourish or perhaps even die.
And of course there are parts of our own lives that if we don't take proper care of, that will come back to haunt us.
What in your life has not been given the proper care? Is it too late or can with the right attention and care it be fixed? I know that I've become more attentive to the proper care of my physical health and I try to maintain the proper care of my spiritual health also. And while nothing has knocked me dead literally or figuratively, there have been occasional jolts that get me back on track.
Peace,
Ed+
My church has been engaged since September in a program called "The Bible Challenge." It is a year long program of actually reading the whole Bible. Each week we copy and send out the readings assigned for this week.
At the beginning of the year, many of my colleagues started their churches on this program. One of my colleagues the Rev. Marshall Shelly, Rector of St. Peter's Spotswood, started blogging on a passage from each days reading, or at least when he had the time. I thought this was a great idea so I decided I'd find a passage from today's "assigned readings" and see what spoke to me.
You might think this is a weird passage to quote out of context, so here's the context. The folks are carrying the Ark of the Covenant, yes that ark, and it started to look like it might fall and someone reached out to steady it and got killed on the spot. This event led David to consider a better way of transporting it and handling it.
I heard a bizarre explanation of this event involving static electricity, but I leave such modernist questions to the modernists. What I found myself pondering was the last part of the quote, "because we did not give it the proper care."
We often see a label on a package saying "handle with care." Warning us that something breakable or fragile is inside. We know that if living things are not given the proper care they will not flourish or perhaps even die.
And of course there are parts of our own lives that if we don't take proper care of, that will come back to haunt us.
What in your life has not been given the proper care? Is it too late or can with the right attention and care it be fixed? I know that I've become more attentive to the proper care of my physical health and I try to maintain the proper care of my spiritual health also. And while nothing has knocked me dead literally or figuratively, there have been occasional jolts that get me back on track.
Peace,
Ed+
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