Reflection for June 27, 2014

"Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb."(Revelation 19:9)

I don't get a lot of invitations to dinners etc.  I certainly will go to dinner if invited, I'm not anti-social, I just don't get a lot of invitations.

Because my current parish is not a "wedding destination," I don't go to many wedding receptions either.

The invitation to the marriage supper of the Lamb however is one that I believe I have been invited to.  I've accepted the invitation to follow Christ.  I believe that I feast daily on the richness of his blessings.

Getting invited is always nice.  Accepting the invitation is ours to choose.

Blessings,
Ed

Reflections for June 25, 2014

"That when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, drum, and entire musical ensemble, you are to fall down and worship the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. "(Daniel 3:5)

I'm a big fan of music  All kinds of music.  When I'm exercising at the gym I need music to energize me.  When I'm driving in my car, I like the radio or MP3 player to be blasting away.  Music makes me get on my feet.  Whether that's rocking out at a concert or worshipping in church, up to sing.  Same thing at my other passion baseball, they don't call it the seventh inning stretch for nothing..

Music can stir emotions within me, happy as well as sad.  There are songs I associate with different people in my life and different times in my life.  I can be brought to tears with certain hymns.  Music is just that important to me.

I will say that music has never made me bow down in forced worship.  And that of course was the problem for Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego, they wouldn't bow down to a statue, no matter how catchy the tune.

There are many things in life that should point us to God, and music can be one, when it takes us away from God and makes us focus our love and attention elsewhere, then there's a truly out of key tune.

Blessings,
Ed

Reflections for June 24, 2014

"In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed such dreams that his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him."(Daniel 2:1)

All of us dream.  It is an integral part sleeping.  We also day dream which is really just thinking.

There are times that I can recall dreams and still remember the gist of them.  The one that I know has repeated itself often involves going back to High School and trying to wrestle again.  I don't go back as a teenager but as an adult.  I don't know that the dream is a forewarning of something, I doubt it.  Probably more of a trying to come to grips with what could have been but will never be.

I certainly have had dreams that had me so worked up, that while I don't recall the details, I do remember either screaming in my dream to wake up, or just a voice reassuring me that it wasn't real during the dream itself.

Sometimes I've considered keeping a pad nearby so that when I wake up, I could write down what I was dreaming.  To date this has stayed as a day dream.

I am thankful that most of my dreams do not disturb me.  And that I rarely feel like they contain any prophesy for me.

I do know that I prefer the day time dreaming.  Now if only I could muster the courage to follow through on those dreams.

Blessings,
Ed

Reflections for June 23, 2014

"For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways."(Psalm 91:11)

You have probably heard someone say they have a "guardian angel."  Perhaps you feel you have one.   There's always been a fascination with angels.  A being that is closer to God than us, works for God and has been assigned to us.  Many a great movie has had an angel of some kind involved.

I once took a class at New Brunswick seminary and one of my classmates said that angels didn't exist because they weren't in the Bible.  I had one of those, "what did he just say moments," knowing full well that angels are found throughout the Bible.  I don't know if he was trying to make a different point, but I knew he was mistaken.

I've never said that I had a guardian angel, one specifically assigned to watch Ed.  I certainly have felt the presence of God in many ways throughout my life. No matter where I've gone, I've sensed not being alone.  I've also had times where hindsight has said, wow how did I avoid that?  Perhaps that also can be seen as angelic intervention.

I'm not going to dismiss folks who hold fast to their belief in angels.  Sometimes they come to us unaware, after all.

Blessings,
Ed

Reflection for June 18, 2014

"You have caused friend and neighbor to shun me, my companions are in darkness."(Psalm 88:18)

I have never personally been shunned.  I certainly have lost touch with people, but I can't recall anyone deliberately letting me know that we are no longer friends or neighbors.  Nobody crosses over to the other side of the street when they see me coming.

I can't imagine a more lonely feeling.  To be out and about in the world and have no one notice you and especially when you did have friends at one time.

I can picture calling out to God and asking why.  What could I have possibly done to deserve this treatment?  Interesting to me is how the psalmist sees this as being done to him by God.

I hope that I never shun anyone.  I try very hard to maintain my friendships.  If I am to proclaim that I believe in forgiveness of sins, then whatever might have led to shunning someone, needs to find a way to forgive.

Blessings,
Ed

Reflection for June 17, 2014

"So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll; and he said to me, 'take it and eat ; it will be bitter in your stomach, but sweet as honey in your mouth."(Revelation 10:9)

I have certainly had experiences of eating something that tasted good at first but came back to revisit me with a vengeance a little later.  There are also times when I've said something that I thought was the right thing to say, that later on just caused me a bad feeling in my gut.

I think that happens from time to time, our mouths make proclamations that we believe should be taken one way and our received another. Or a few moments after the words are literally out of our mouth we wish we could take them back, before anyone has a chance to actually digest what was said.

I guess it is true that we literally have to be careful what we "swallow" both food and thoughts.  Both have the potential to nourish and satisfy and also the potential to make our stomach's churn.

Blessings,
Ed

Reflection for June 16, 2014

"A new heart I will give you, and a  new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."(Ezekiel 36:26)

The Rolling Stones had a song about never breaking a heart of stone.  The idea being that someone could be basically callous, heartless, hard hearted if you will.  And there would be nothing that could be done to change them.

There are times that all of us have probably had hearts of stone.  Not in a biological sense because that would be death.  But in a spiritual and relational sense  a heart of stone can be like death. We lose any level of sympathy or empathy for others.  We can only see our needs and not those of anyone else.

Throughout the history of God's people we find this occurring and atrophying of the relationship between God and humankind.  Somehow God though still keeps coming back and replacing that heart of stone with  a heart of flesh, one that can feel, one that can empathize, one that has compassion.

A new spirit and a renewed purpose and direction can come when we allow God to work on our hearts.  That actual heart may keep beating, but the spiritual one needs just as much attention.

Blessings,
Ed

Reflection for June 14, 2014

"Yet your people say, 'The way of  the Lord is not just,' when it is their own way that is not just."(Ezekiel 33:17)

As a parent I have certainly heard more than once "that' not fair."  When things don't go the way we want that is usually the first thing that comes to our mind, it is not fair.

Yet if we take the time to think about why something didn't go our way, or how we would have dealt with it if we were in charge, the fairness question seems to disintegrate. 

Nobody likes disappointment and we certainly don't like to be punished.  But the reality is that fairness and justice will always be in the eyes of the beholder. However there are occasions when we can see a better more just way to deal.

Blessings,
Ed

Reflection for June 13, 2014

"After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count from every nation, form all tribes and peoples and languages standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands."(Revelation 7:9)

I have never personally been asked this, but I have heard that it happens, "are you part of the 144,000 sealed?"  It seems like such a funny question to me.  I understand where it comes from, Revelation chapter 7:1-8.  And that's a pretty big deal, only 144,00 chosen.  Though it would seem like a small number for two millennium.  Let's not forget that you also must come from one of the twelve tribes of Israel.  I again wish me luck figuring out which one. since I can barely get past the 16th century when looking at my family tree. 

I suppose if asked that question, probably by someone who believes they are, what makes them so sure? How do they know the quota hasn't been filled? Do they know which tribe they come from?

My assurance really comes from the hope of being part of the great multitude that no one could count!  The odds are in my favor, and the list keeps growing daily. 

I don't know what motivates people to ask questions that might actually exclude them as well.  I'd rather go with a vision of heaven and God's love that includes as many as want to be in.

Blessings,
Ed

Reflection for June 11, 2014

"I say, 'You are gods, children of the Most High, all of you.'"(Psalm 82:6)

I know that I am a beloved child of God.  I proclaim through my baptism, I am a child by adoption.  That all of us are God's children though some of us know that divine parentage and others don't or have rejected it.

I rarely hear anyone in a humble way or perhaps even a serious way claim to be a god.  The problem of course is that with such power, however that power might be manifest, comes great responsibility. 
We are not God, but we are gods.  There are people who put their trust in us, who look to us for guidance, help and presence.  Yet because we are also human we often fall short of living the divine life.  Another stumbling block in making this claim of being a god, is that we can fall into the trap of feeling like we should be worshipped and others should sacrifice to us.  This is again misunderstanding what the Psalmist is trying to say.

So how are you at living into that title of god?  Are you loved and respected because you have revealed the divine to others?

Blessings,
Ed

Reflection for June 10, 2014

"So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels."(Psalm 81:12)

Most of us have known someone who is stubborn.  A person so set in their ways, or who dig their feet in that to deal with them seems to be an effort in futility.  If it is someone of a passing acquaintance probably not that big a deal.  However when it is someone we have to deal with daily or who we love deeply it can be a very big deal.

While I generally will admit to following my own gut instincts on things, I do try to bounce off of at least one other person what I'm thinking.  A different perspective is sometimes really helpful.  Some push back might help us to see a little more clearly and to perhaps make a more informed decision.

When the only person we listen to is ourselves then trouble often follows.  While we may know ourselves pretty well, it isn't to hard to be blind to our faults either.

For those of us for whom our relationship with God is important, then the counsel of God, which can be discerned through prayer and reading and meditating on God's word found in scripture needs to be a part of that decision making as well.  Why I like to have at least one other person along with myself in wrestling with issues is because where two or three are gathered God is present. Therefore all who I need to listen to can help me hear.

Blessings,
Ed

Reflection for June 9, 201

"I know your works, you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot."(Revelation 3:15)

Unlike Billy Joel I don't tend to go to extremes.  I usually reside in the grey areas of life.  There are things that I am passionate about, but not usually at the expense of other things.  I try to remain consistent and even keeled as often as possible.

But this warning to the church in Laodicea, I may need to pay attention to.  You can't be lukewarm, a fence sitter all the time.  There are times and issues that demand our deepest most passionate response.  There are also times when we may be asked to let go to not cling to something at all.  But that sort of I have enough, no decision needs to be made today attitude may be nothing more than avoiding the harder work in front of me.

I don't wish to be "spit out."  There is a point when opportunity knocks and is waiting to see if I'll open the door or not.  It may be the right time to take a temperature and check for a pulse.

Blessings,
Ed

Reflection for June 5, 2014

"A child shall not suffer for the iniquity of a parent, nor a parent suffer for the iniquity of a child; the righteousness of the righteous shall be his own, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be his own."(Ezekiel 18:20)

Most of us would rather be judged by our own actions.  I know I like to.  I'd rather be known for who I am and what I've done.  I'm happy to be part of a team, nothing wrong with a group effort.  But I do not wish to ride on someone else's laurels.  I shouldn't get credit or undeserved benefit of the doubt based on family of origin.

 Luckily my parents were both good people and hopefully I didn't cause them too much grief.  I also know that I would have been miserable if I thought I couldn't catch a break because of the reputation of my parents.

This verse from Ezekiel sets a different standard for God's judgment on us.  Instead of children being punished for the sins of their parents up to some ridiculous number of generations, it was introduced the concept of individual responsibility.

While I'm thankful that God looks at me with infinite mercy and compassion, at least I know and trust that I'm accountable for my actions only.

However it is also true that outside of God, children sometimes do pay for the sins of their parents. Addictions, abuse, bad financial sense can wreak havoc on the lives of children through no fault of their own.  And sometimes those habits keep getting repeated generation to generation, until someone puts a stop to it.

And it is true that parents do suffer from time to time because of the choices their children make.  The suffering can happen because of fines imposed by courts, but more often just in the heartbreak of watching someone you love ruin their lives and the helplessness that you feel because there is nothing you can do to stop it.

While we are responsible for our own actions and the reward or consequence that goes with it, because of the interconnection we share with others we affect by those actions and are affected by the actions of others in sometimes profoundly joyful and sometimes profoundly painful ways.

Blessings,
Ed

Reflection for 6/4/2014

"This was the guilt of your sister Sodom, she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy."(Ezekiel 16:49)

Bring up the story of Sodom and Gomorrah and the talk will usually head into sexual sin, specifically homosexuality.  If you're not familiar with the story, God tells Abraham that he's going to go visit these two towns because he's heard they are notorious sinners.  No mention of what makes them so is given by the way. God is obviously convinced that the stories are true and tells Abraham that he's going to destroy those towns.  Abraham dickers God down to 10 righteous folk residing there to call of the plan, to which God agrees or at least ends the bargaining session.

We know that the men of the town are hostile to these visitors, asking to "know them."  Usually a euphemism for sex.  They are of course wanting to rape them which isn't quite the same as having sex.  Lot offers his daughters instead, which doesn't make the story any better.  Nobody ultimately gets raped but the towns are destroyed.  And thus the conclusion reached that this is what happens to places where sex is out of control, and especially certain kinds of sex.

I find it interesting that Ezekiel doesn't mention sex.  In the next verse he does say that they were haughty and did abominable things, but doesn't elaborate on what those things are.  But not aiding the poor and needy in spite of being blessed materially is specifically mentioned. A problem that is brought up over and over again throughout the whole Bible.

While it isn't sexy to worry about not caring for the poor and needy, it is a place where we are called to place our focus.  If as much time and energy was spent on caring for the poor and needy as is spent on who is sleeping with who and what positions they use, we might be better in God's eyes.

Blessings,
Ed

Reflection for June 3, 2014

"Although I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink; instead, I hope to come to you and talk with you face to face."(II John 12)


When I was in college in the mid 80's I would walk to the student mail room and anxiously look into my mail box hoping to see a letter.  Usually this was from my "girlfriend" and occasionally from my grand parents.  While I could talk on the phone, the letters were always better. In reality they made me long to talk face to face with those folks.

Letter writing has gone out of style in this era of electronic communication.  I can now text, email, Facebook message and in thanks to Skype and other video communication I can even talk "face to face" in a way.

And yet even with all that more instant communication, nothing replaces being in the actual physical presence of those we long to see.  You can only get a true read of someone by seeing them.  I'm actually convinced that Skype doesn't show the whole picture either.

I am grateful for the ways that I can communicate with others who it is hard to see given distance and schedule.  But I also know that the times that I've gotten to reunite with old friends and be with them in the same physical space is much more satisfying.

There are things that can't be expressed in any other way other than face to face.

Blessings,
Ed