This devotional guide is brought to you with much love and grace.
Community Baptist Church 143 Log Cabin Road NE Milledgeville, Georgia 31061 (478) 453-2380
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This work is dedicated to Frank Wells Hill – a brilliant man, a great friend, and a wonderful father. This Lenten devotional book is dedicated to the memory of my good friend Frank Hill. Frank died on February 3, 2010. He was diagnosed early last year with esophageal cancer. Frank had a profound determination to do his best at everything he put his hand to. He took that same approach with this disease. The battle was hard, but I cannot say the disease beat him because Frank was at peace with the course of events in his life. He truly fought a good fight, it may be said with confidence that he kept his faith, and now he is enjoying the reward that God prepared for him a long time ago. I did not know Frank as a young man, but I first met him several years ago at Darien Baptist Church in Linton, Georgia. He served as a deacon there and had family connections in the congregation. His four children, three who were members of Darien Baptist Church at that time, were the joy of his life. On numerous occasions he and I discussed the lives of these four offspring and talked about things they were going through, challenges they were encountering, and how each of them were turning, have turned, into outstanding adults. Frank was so very proud of each of them and loved them more than they can know or imagine. Frank had one of the most brilliant minds I know of. It is doubtful to me that he ever forgot anything. I was constantly amazed in conversation at the things he was aware of. When his memory was coupled with his voracious appetite for knowledge, he was surely an intellectual force to be reckoned with. The best aspect about my friend Frank was that he was a helper. It seemed that he was always helping others. We laughed at his memorial service about how he would help people recover computer passwords after they forgot them. He helped so many people with so many things. One photograph, during his college years, shows Will Humphrey leap-frogging over Frank’s head. Frank tried to help him over the top by standing on his tiptoes. That was a bit too much help and Will did not quite make it over. The best testament to his life is found in three things. First, his memorial service was packed with people – the shear number of friends who came to celebrate his life speaks volumes. Second, his children are the kind of people that would make any parent proud. It was the final aspect of Frank’s life, the aspect of a living faith, that attracted friends and created children like his. It is my hope that this is a worthy memorial to his faithful life. For my friend Frank whom I shall see again on that day when Christ returns to claim those who belong to him,
Keith Vaughn
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Instructions for this Lenten guidebook: This guidebook is designed to use in conjunction with the scripture listed. You may find it beneficial to read the scripture carefully before you read over the devotion written for that day. I followed the New Revised Standard Version. Follow this with prayer and meditation. Journals are good places to store a record of our lives. Each page is a different drawer where we file away thoughts, events, hopes, and dreams. The journal is an appropriate place to store a record of your travels through this Lenten journey. Give it a try. Finally, you will note that there are no devotions written for any of the Sundays during this time period. I have inserted a few pictures on these days hoping to assist the visual learners in some small way. Perhaps these photos may be starting points for your quiet meditation. Travel safely. Enjoy the adventure, and may you find peace and contentment along the way.
INTRODUCTION History means roots — deep roots. The roots of Lent drive deeply into our ancient Christian heritage. These roots stretch across a boundary of time that mark out and hold us to the ground we call Easter. One way to think about the Lenten boundary is to imagine Ash Wednesday, February 17th, as a signpost that marks a particular distance from Easter Sunday — forty days (except Sundays). Each day through the journey of Lent is as if we are passing another mile marker on that journey until we arrive at sunrise on Easter Sunday morning: April 4th this year. Many Christians throughout history have used this period of time as an opportunity to reflect on their life and the life of Christ. Reflection can take the form of meditation or pondering as our friend Jim Dant says. Prayer is a vital part of this Lenten journey. God uses the opportunity of our pondering to reveal truths to us. As our hearts are enlightened with God’s word, and as our minds grasp the truth it contains, then an appropriate response is prayer. Through this process we are changed. It is my hope that God will use your reading, pondering, and your prayer this Lenten season to reveal new insights to you. May the peace of Christ be yours — now and forever – Amen.
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ASH WEDNESDAY 02/17/2010 – Day 1 Joel 2:12-18 In his book, Black Holes and Baby Universes, Steven Hawking observed, “Although science may solve the problem of how the universe began, it cannot answer the question: Why does the universe bother to exist?” Mr. Hawking went on to say, “I don’t know the answer to that.” When considering the sinfulness of humanity, and mine in particular, I fail to fully understand a God who forgives all my sin. In a way I feel like Mr. Hawking. My faith informs me of the depravity of humanity and of God’s great love, but intellectually I cannot understand why he does it. When the sinfulness of humanity is placed in juxtaposition with the goodness of God, I find it difficult to stretch my mind between the two. Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting, weeping, and mourning—a time to rend our hearts. This is the day our faith tradition marks for us as the beginning of a time of reflection and introspection. As you consider your particular point of need, consider this: Our God is a gracious and merciful God. He is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. No matter where you begin this journey, the end point is a God who loves you far more than you can understand – or even imagine.
THURSDAY 02/18/2010 – Day 2 Deuteronomy 30:15-20 Many of the classic stories we read follow a similar pattern – call it a journey motif. In the journey narrative, the pilgrim, traveler, or wanderer sometimes comes to a fork in the road, confronts a raging river, or at times encounters deep gorges or high mountain peaks. All of these serve as symbols for adventure or danger and result in decisions the traveler needs to make. Does she turn right or left at the fork in the road? Should he ford the raging stream or go south three miles to the bridge? Which is the better choice for that person’s particular situation in life? So many times real life presents us with choices – hard choices – that must be weighed carefully prior to making a selection. As in the journey motif, an incorrect choice in eternal matters can spell doom for the unsuspecting pilgrim. God has set eternal choices before us today. No matter how our particular journey on earth develops – whether it should include hardship, sickness, disease, or death – the choice for our eternal journey calls for obedience to a God who wants us to love him and love each other. That is a choice of obedience to his commandments. The choice is ours: eternal life and prosperity, or eternal death and adversity. Our God sets these choices up as if they were forks in the road, and each of us must choose to follow him or reject him – love him or leave him. What is your choice?
FRIDAY 02/19/2010 – Day 3 Isaiah 58:1-9a I am not a scientist. I am a theologian. Although I do not claim any scientific credentials, I do believe that science and theology have a few things in common. Science and religion share an isle at Barnes & Noble. In another quirky coincidence, there is a scientific theorem that stuck 5
somewhere in the recesses of my mind. It says, “Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.” Upon careful examination, we may find this theorem holds true in theology too. You and I have no trouble accepting these words as true in the physical realm. If Sarai rolls a ball toward Benjamin, the speed and distance of that rolling ball are determined by the initial conditions of thrust (energy) Sarai puts behind it. Energy in equals energy out – equal and opposite reactions. Keep in mind that I told you at the outset that I was no scientist. In my understanding, this rule governs not just forces like gravity; this law applies to my spiritual relationships as well. Reading Isaiah beings this into focus. The way I understand it is like this: the way I relate to those around me strongly influences how my Lord relates to me. Like I said, I’m not a scientist – I’m a theologian.
SATURDAY 02/20/2010 – Day 4 Isaiah 58:9b-14 It has been said that I take life too seriously. These words are true. Too often I have been like Ebenezer Scrooge – stern, demanding, and exacting. Almost everything I do has to have purpose and meaning; life has far too little fun mixed in. At my age it is difficult to change, but I’m working on it. My friend Frank Hill and I recently discussed our serious natures. Frank is not one to play games. There are too many interesting things to learn, and he does not spend much time on trivial things. Taking some things seriously does have its benefits. Academic excellence does not come to those who weigh in too heavily on the side of frat parties – but to those who engage in serious study. This is just one small example. Life is a serious matter. Sure we can joke around a lot and poke fun at each other – that’s okay. There is, however, another side to life that deserves our attention. Isaiah suggests some ways we can seriously engage with our brothers and sisters who struggle with some heavy issues in their everyday lives. There is one additional item I would suggest we add to our “serious” list. Consider, for a moment, the seriousness of Sabbath. It was designed to be a day of rest from the toil of life – a day set apart for God. How would your life change if Sabbath were taken seriously?
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WEEK ONE
MONDAY 02/22/2010 – Day 5 Matthew 25:31-46 Lisa and I were traveling to Macon recently on a Saturday evening. As we approached the Spring Street Bridge, she slowed the car and glanced underneath the bridge supports to see who was there. There are often homeless persons who spend cold nights underneath that bridge. Because of her work relationships, Lisa occasionally recognizes them. On this particular evening, with a stiff wind blowing the forty-degree air, she did recognize the individual perched underneath the bridge abutment. In discussions with various church groups, Sunday school classes, Wednesday prayer groups, and the like, I have encountered various reactions to these poor unfortunate men and women whose prosperity is bound up in our level of generosity. Some will give a coin or a couple of bucks to the person who encounters them with a hand held out. Others look at these homeless persons as if they were the refuge of society. “Go find a job,” they say. “Those people could work if they wanted to – they’re just lazy.” Opinions can create heated discussions – even in church. I think of the man who recently stood at the end of the exit ramp there on the Spring Street exit from I-16. He was holding his hat out for handouts from passersby. Digging a couple of coins 7
from my ashtray, I rolled down the window and dropped them in his hat as my car rolled by. He said thank you. I wonder if there are eternal implications, not in the action but in the attitude, for those who choose to simply drive by without even acknowledging his presence?
TUESDAY 02/23/2010 – Day 6 Matthew 6:7-15 We recited the Lord’s Prayer in church this morning. It isn’t often that we do, so I’m not concerned that we have reached the “vain repetition” stage. The phrases of this prayer have deep meaning for Christians – worldwide and centuries deep. Our version of the Lord’s Prayer dates from the year 1662 when it was first printed in the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. Have you ever noticed how the commonly recited words differ from those on the printed page? Of course we still hold on to the vestiges of the Old English with our “art” and our “thou” sprinkled throughout. We also attribute kingdom, power, and glory to the Father. These are but small differences. Of all the sermons I have heard preached, and of all the Sunday school lessons learned from this passage, I just don’t recall anyone including the two verses that trail this prayer: the final two for our lesson this day. They aren’t formally part of the prayer. These words are a sort of postscript: a signature. These words are printed but seldom spoken. They are easy to say. Try it when someone offends you. Just say, “I forgive you.” Well that’s what it says. I don’t make this stuff up.
WEDNESDAY 02/24/2010 – Day 7 Luke 11:29-32 I recall a road trip to Saint Petersburg, Florida, in the early 1990’s with a friend of mine who was blind. We went to the Promise Keeper’s event. If I recall correctly, the event was well attended. The scene was replicated across the United States that summer. John and I went to hear and experience what God was doing in the lives of men just like us. We wanted to hear God speak through world-renowned religious leaders. It was an amazing time to share with tens of thousands of Christian men from various denominations. Crowds gather when good things happen. This is true in our day, and the same was true when the Queen of Sheba (Queen of the South) went to visit Solomon. People from all over wanted to hear the wisdom in Solomon’s words. I think we like to spend time with successful and influential people. This is true in our day as it was in Solomon’s. God was speaking through a man who was well connected politically and who was wealthy beyond belief. There was also the sure sign that God was doing something in Jonah’s life. Spending three days and nights in the belly of a fish tends to bleach and burn the skin. One look at him, and you’d know God was using him in spite of his skin issues. It wasn’t the skin changes that God used as much as it was God using the person who had been through something that created scars. Not every person with physical marks can say that the scars are sign from God, but we’ve seen others like Jonah. Some, like Ignatius Loyola, have been scarred by war. There are others whose bodies are 8
racked with debilitating illness or blind like Fanny Crosby, or who bear what they understand to be the physical marks of God’s touch – a sign perhaps. What kind of sign do you look for? Do you look for something more than the person who stands in the pulpit of your church each Sunday morning hoping to connect the flock with God in some small way? Would it help you connect with God if he did something big – really big? Well how big does it have to be? Does he need to attract huge crowds, baptize converts weekly, or build a multi-million dollar building complex to the glory of God? What kind of sign does God really need to produce to get your attention? Does it need to be bigger or greater than Christ?
THURSDAY 02/25/2010 – Day 8 Matthew 7:7-12 I enjoy receiving invitations to exciting events or parties where people share good times. The invitation is my ticket to several hours of pleasure. What would be really exciting would be an invitation to an adventure. The adventure I have in mind is one where the end result is locating a treasure that is incomprehensible. These verses are as an invitation engraved on fine parchment. The envelope is not addressed with my name only, but is simply addressed: To Humanity. It is an invitation for all of us to share in this great adventure where hidden treasures await discovery. The words draw me to imagine fantastic adventures in search of inconceivable riches. This wealth is not in the form of gold coins and silver chalices, but the treasures, yet to be revealed, are hidden within life itself. These are not articles to be held in our hands – but in our hearts. The adventure begins – now.
FRIDAY 02/26/2010 – Day 9 Matthew 5:20-26 I bet that Cain held a grudge against his brother Abel. That wouldn’t surprise me a bit. Cain acted like everything was good – then wham – God rejected his gift. Boy did that make Cain mad. Aren’t you so glad that this pronouncement by Jesus doesn’t apply to you? After all, in hurt relationships, isn’t it always “their” fault?
SATURDAY 02/27/2010 – Day 10 Matthew 5:43-48 I guess that if some had their way, there would be clearly marked lines on some international borders: drawn there by the dense green growth of fruit trees, vegetable plots, and manicured lawns. On the other side of this line would be a barren scrubby plain: dotted here and there with withered plants, stunted trees, and clay from which all moisture has been sucked by a relentless sun. This is the world some live in. Dividing boundaries can be as clearly marked as a set of railroad tracks that ran through the guts of the Southern towns of my childhood. Those on the blessed side knew full well that God had 9
shown his favor and didn’t mind telling you all about it. In reality, the boundary lines are drawn as much by love and hate as they are by anything. When I was in the third grade, enjoying a coke float down at the College Street Pharmacy in Eastman, a man sat on a barstool beside me. Forces from outside Dodge County – outside of his political control – drew new boundary lines concerning integration in public schools. His words about my new school friends were stern and hateful. This man lived on the right side of the tracks and tried to paint a very bad picture of those children I played and studied with at school each day – children who still were not allowed to sit at the soda fountain with me. My parents didn’t talk like that man. They helped me draw different boundaries around my little plot of land called life. Although my little world is not yet perfect, I do know what Jesus meant. “You have heard that it was said, ________.” Now you can fill in the blank. Just remember that the ending of your story is influenced by the events in the middle. A perfect ending doesn’t just suddenly happen.
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WEEK TWO
MONDAY 03/01/2010 – Day 11 Daniel 9:4-10 When Lisa and I were engaged, I bought her a ring that I presented to her on our wedding night. The stone was a marquis cut dark blue sapphire set in yellow gold. It was a beautiful ring: of course it was – I picked it out. (Laugh here.) We were married for a few years when Sarai, our first child, turned four or five. One day when Sarai was still young, Lisa found her ring sitting on the bedroom dresser. What had been a very nice piece of jewelry was mangled almost beyond recognition. From the looks of it, we deduced that small teeth crunched the ring – much as a small pair of vice-grips would do. When confronted with the evidence, Sarai refused to acknowledge guilt. Now there were only the three of us in the house at this time, and we knew that neither Lisa nor I were responsible for reshaping this ring. Try as I might, I could not get Sarai to indicate in any way that she knew anything about it. What does a parent do in a case like this? I put the remains of the ring in a zip-loc bag and put it in my drawer with the intent of taking it to Mr. Grant at Grant’s Jeweler’s for repair. Several days later, when I was getting ready for work, I put the bag containing the ring in my truck. Since I took Sarai to her daycare, she and I got ready that morning. When she got into the truck, I pulled out the zip-loc bag containing the ring and asked, “Were you there when this ring was bent?” 11
An affirmative nod of the head was all I needed – gotcha! With that affirmation, I continued the questioning in my best parent/lawyer voice, “You did this – right?” The rest is history. Confession begins with admitting our sin. That is where it starts for all of us. When we are honest with ourselves, with others, and with God, healing takes place. If confession is good for a person’s soul, then public, group confession is good for the soul of the community. There are times when a person’s confession needs to be kept in the closet, and there are times when we can merge our confession, when the guilt is corporate and the entire family, community, people, or nation is at odds with God’s design. Truth in confession is good too. How can we practice that today? TUESDAY 03/02/2010 – Day 12 Isaiah 1:10, 16-20 Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed long ago in a burning heap of fire and brimstone – long before Isaiah wrote these words. If that is true, something else must be at work in this story. Isaiah is addressing people and their rulers who must have some similarity, a link with the inhabitants of these two long-dead cities. Isaiah’s audiences, both then and now, can find comfort in his words. Life does not need to end in a destructive chaotic mess. There is a better option – Plan B. It is so easy to get caught up in living for yourself. That is what I am calling Plan A. When life is lived according to this plan, the well-being of others is not a concern of ours. It seems that this is at the root of the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah. Plan B happens when you realize that we are in this together: you, the stranger, God, and me, and then you do something about it. You change. You quit living for yourself and begin considering others’ needs. Living for self is definitely not God’s design – he will eventually bring that to an end. Remember Sodom and Gomorrah? WEDNESDAY 03/03/2010 – Day 13 Jeremiah 18:18-20 How difficult life was for Jeremiah. He had some very powerful enemies who were supposed to be speaking a word from God. They used their influence to make Jeremiah’s life miserable – and the leaders of Judah listened to them. Our words are powerful tools, which may be used for evil or for good. They can dig pits into which others fall, or they may create adversaries. Words may separate and divide even the best of friends. Conversely, our words have the ability to lift up the fallen. Good words repair breaches in relationships. Well-chosen words heal. With each syllable that slides from our tongue, we choose the direction of travel. Once released, words find no rest until they have fulfilled their destiny – either cursing or blessing. Where will you send your words today? THURSDAY 03/04/2010 – Day 14 Jeremiah 17:5-10
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There are some who know the feeling that comes from missing a paycheck. Perhaps that slip of paper is something that has come with predictable regularity for 10, 20, or even for 30 years. Now there is no one handing it to you on Friday afternoon. Perhaps some have experienced that first morning without a spouse lying by your side in the bed. Those first minutes, lying there awake in the dark, knowing that the one who has been there for you is no longer there. Your world crumbles. During these times life may shift from a beautiful thing to something quite terrifying. It is as if your once-lush green garden has changed into a dry and barren wilderness. You are the lone shrub standing in the scorching heat of the desert air trying to suck the moisture of a secure life from shifting sands. Placing our security in things or people, either of which come and go, does not allow us to thrive in tough times. The blessed person trusts in the Lord. He is the only one that can provide us with the proper sustenance to sustain life during the dry times. When your life is rooted in him, you will find that your security is not bound up in those things that come and go. Life will be healthy. What is the true source of your security? Be honest with yourself. God already knows. FRIDAY 03/05/2010 – Day 15 Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13, 17-28 Youth is full of dreams, hopes, and aspirations. The young look for a place to anchor their dreams, and we hold the power to enable them to achieve great things. Joseph’s older brothers saw things differently. They hated Joseph’s dreaming. Perhaps that was because Israel placed too much emphasis on Joseph’s dreams and too little on the dreams of his brothers. As a result, the dreams of the eleven withered away to nothing until there was no imagination left to see the potential of this lone dreamer. I wonder if we, like Israel, favor the dreams of some over others? If we help the young locate a place to anchor their dreams, then maybe we will never know what it is like to sit and watch the last dream slip from our grasp – as one who rides a camel over the last hill. SATURDAY 03/06/2010 – Day 16 Micah 7:14-15 Micah’s words call God’s attention to the condition of a people who are living in a chaotic mess. The lush pastures of Bashan and Gilead were lost to Israel in the eighth century B.C. Foreigners invaded and snatched away these lands, which were part of the promise. Now they were under foreign domination. Micah expresses the hope that we all have buried deep within. There is a very deep longing in the human heart – a desire for peace. The poetic language, which describes a shepherd with his staff, who watches over his flock, conjures for us an image of green pastures and cool streams – a place the stress of this world is unable to invade. It is a place of safety and security, a protected spot that is steady and sure. One of our deepest needs is for God to run the invaders out of our lives and place us securely in the center of his promise. Take a moment and consider such a place. What is it like for you?
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WEEK THREE
MONDAY 03/08/2010 – Day 17 Luke 4:24-30 Sometimes pointing out the obvious can create unexpected tension in the room. Of course Elijah found food in a widow’s home. Would no household in Israel welcome him in and feed him? I tell you that she was blessed for her service. Then there is the case of Elisha’s healing Naaman the General of the Syrian army. Naaman found unexpected healing in the muddy waters of the Jordan. Would no Israelite of rank or statue stoop low enough to visit with God’s man and receive a blessing? We expect God to bless us – not them! After all, we are his people – right? When our focus is on what God is not doing for us, we risk letting his blessing slip right out of our grasp.
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TUESDAY 03/09/2010 – Day 18 Matthew 18:21-35 There are some very important clues here to kingdom living. The sort of life I am talking about is one that turns common wisdom on its head. God expects us to be little models of him. Of course I am enough of a realist to know that neither you nor I can be perfect 24/7 – but that is not an excuse to set this aside and live contrary to what God expects. Let me tell you one or two things about kingdom living, which this story illustrates. Unplug those calculators. The Christian life is not about keeping score – it keeps no record of wrongs. The story of the king’s forgiveness is meant to illustrate the way of life you and I must model. Of course this is about the most difficult task one of us can face. We are like little children who want to be the one in grade school who takes names while the teacher is absent from the room. May I suggest another list instead? Try keeping a list of those times someone does something good for you. The Christian life doesn’t get much more serious than this. We are meant to be models of forgiveness to our friends, co-workers, and to strangers who cut us off in traffic. If you and I exhibit similar behaviors as our non-Christian friends, what then is the difference that attracts others to Christ? In addition, if I hear Jesus correctly, forgiveness of your sin debt is somehow linked to the forgiveness you show others. Debts may accumulate beyond one’s ability to repay them. In the old days, people were bought and sold just to pay off a few dollars owed. In like manner, you and I do not possess the resources to repay our sin debt. Forgiveness is the only stimulus package that effectively eliminates it. Finally, forgiveness must permeate to the very core of your being – not just skin deep. Forgiveness, for the Christian, must become a way of life. We are all aware that this is a most difficult task. Those pathways in the brain that are scarred by repeatedly tallying the sin debt of others must be rerouted. Our thought processes need to take a different track. If this is a difficult instruction try this. Stand in front of the mirror and envision yourself telling the other person, “I forgive you.” Another suggestion is to do something tangible that will constantly remind you to stay on task. Wear a rubber band on your wrist. With every new opportunity to forgive, the rubber band reminds you to be flexible – not too rigid. Whatever method you might choose, the goal is to allow forgiveness to become part and parcel of who you are. No go out and do some incredibly good things. I forgive you for not knowing all this before now.
WEDNESDAY 03/10/2010 – Day 19 Matthew 5:17-19 I wonder how many times in life we are mistaken about the motives of Jesus or his modernday followers? How often do we think that some Christians are tearing things apart rather than pulling them together – bringing down rather than building up? All this talk of trashing our faith system causes me to think of several names. You may recognize one or two. Walter Rashenbusch, Clarence Jordan, Jimmy Carter and Martin Luther King Jr. are but a few of the people others have claimed are guilty of trying to get rid of the old ways. We could put Jesus’ name right smack dab in the middle of these because some of his contemporaries accused him of trying to do away with the old model of faith living. 15
When many people today think of those who build things up, names like Billy Graham, Joel Osteen, or Rick Warren come to mind. You must admit that in a world where bigger is better these three have had huge followings. Thousands flock to hear their words. The mega-church complex and NFL stadiums become the modern mark for doing things right. Maybe people like Jesus, and some others who live on the fringe of Christianity, focus on the little things. Just maybe Jesus is concerned with the jot and tittle, the dots over the i and the stroke through the t. I am talking about the little things that are insignificant to the world at large – and many Christians – but set right under our noses.
THURSDAY 03/11/2010 – Day 20 Luke 11:14-23 The way of history – kingdoms and empires rise and fall. Phoenicia, Egypt, Babylon, Assyria, Israel, Persia, Carthage, Parthian, Ptolemy, Seleucid, Rome, Mongol, Ottoman, Celts, Huns, Gaul, Great Brittan, and Germany – the list could go for pages. The one fact they all have in common is that they all fall. One day the United States will find itself in the role call of kingdoms who were once strong, but who are no more. Of course we would do all that is within our power to prevent loss of kingdom status. Our president and congress will not hesitate to declare war on any nation. Without blinking, Generals would follow up the declaration of war by amassing mighty armies. Admirals would do their part to prepare their armadas and blockades at each and every strategic corner of this globe. Nations would take sides. Some would join in any battle to help us defend our way of life. Others will surely line up on the opposing side and do anything within their power to bring us down. This passage describes a different sort of warfare. The weapons of war are not swords and shields, but words and miraculous signs. On one side is the kingdom of Satan who has powerful allies on his side. He has an entrenched position on this earth and is a mighty strong contender for the top spot. His armies of this kingdom are prepared to fight to the death. The invading force is the kingdom of God. God’s leading man, Jesus, has come against Satan’s house with effective fighting techniques. One by one Satan’s forces are being overthrown or scattered. Now it looks as if Satan has conscripted humans in a last-ditch effort to shore up his crumbling defenses. Those in the crowd tried to test him with words, decry his actions, and even accuse him of treason – siding with the enemy. The very ones Jesus came to help overthrow this strong man have turned against him. Jesus’ words here are haunting but true. “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”
FRIDAY 03/12/2010 – Day 21 Mark 12:28-34 During my brief life, I have traveled the seven seas and stood on every continent but Antarctica. In those travels, there have been encounters with people who held to customs other than the particular models of living I was raised with. This is expected when one navigates into other people’s lives and cultural settings. 16
Although there are sometimes vast differences in both faith thinking and faith practice, I find that we have much in common with people of other religions. Many across this globe profess some understanding of a divine God who is creator and sustainer of all we know. Another thing we hold in common is the belief that there are certain ways in which we should treat others and ways we should not. We can all agree that God is alone in majesty and glory, and despite what some may think, we also can agree that loving others is more central to our respective religions than hating. I did not need to travel to Hong Kong, Australia, Europe, or Africa to discover that this kind of thinking is not far from God’s heart. You and I can live in a lot of places around this bluegreen ark, but if we are to live within the boundaries of the kingdom of God, we’ve got to have love. It is our passport to living there.
SATURDAY 03/13/2010 – Day 22 Luke 18:9-14 Author’s note on today’s writing: A good number of people have strong opinions on politics and political persons. I hope this writing doesn’t offend anyone. It is not my purpose to pick on any one particular candidate. My hope is that you will read this and learn from it.
Did you know the former President Bill Clinton attended the New Baptist Celebration in Atlanta a couple of years back? That is an event where Baptists from across North American denominational groups meet to worship and discuss how they may work together. Bill Clinton even gave a speech on how to respond to critics with the spirit of love. He ought to know how because Mr. Clinton had his share of critics since he first announced his run for the White House. People dug up all kind of dirt on that boy. With the former President’s background, including controversy on his politics, his supposed ties to foreign fundraising sources, the marital scandal with the White House intern, and other issues too numerous to mention, I wonder if anyone present was looking over their shoulder at him – wondering? Yes, Mr. Clinton was right there at the New Baptist Covenant Celebration. When it came time for the prayer, one old chap gave a prayer asking God for forgiveness for some of the things we have done as a people and as a nation. Bill bowed his head right along with everyone else. If you had been standing in the front row, looking up at the podium full of dignitaries and special guests, and your eyes fell on Bill, what would your mind and heart think? Saying to your self, “God, I’m so glad I’m not like him,” is not an option.
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WEEK FOUR
MONDAY 03/15/2010 – Day 23 Isaiah 65:17-21 A man bought the old Ben Harrell home down in Pulaski County a few years ago. He didn’t buy the land. That contractor from Atlanta only wanted the house and shed. The plans involved taking the heart pinewood and using it in some of the nicer homes in the more influential sections of Buckhead and Alpharetta. When they tore down the old Harrell house, it was like pealing back layers of an onion. At the center of it all was a tiny log cabin, which was probably a hundred years old. It was said that the old cabin originally sat down by the river and Ben moved it up to his place. They lived in it for a while until the time was right, and then Ben built himself and Mrs. Annie a nice home around it. That old cabin was sort of the kernel that everything else grew from. When Ben finished it, the old house looked real nice. Watching these home improvement shows on television reminds me of Ben’s place. He had the shell to start with and made a mighty nice place for himself and the missus. Talk about home makeover – you couldn’t even recognize it when they finished. I have often dreamed of a perfect world. Heck, you probably have as well. Who wouldn’t like to see this place redone – made all over? I hear in Isaiah’s words that this is on his mind too, but Isaiah is dreaming big – even bigger than Ben. 18
Isaiah’s dream is God-sized. This isn’t a weekend fixer-upper project. No. This is something that takes years to finish. For Isaiah, this project is on the drawing board, but for us, living on the other side of the resurrection, we are ready to move in. Get busy. There is still a little more fixing-up to do. When we get through, that’s when we can sit back and enjoy the fruit of our labor.
TUESDAY 03/16/2010 – Day 24 Ezekiel 47:1-9 They say that the Ocmulgee River begins as a trickle of water somewhere under Peachtree in downtown Atlanta. I have heard this all my life. This rumor may or may not be true; however, there are other rivers that join this one along its meandering to the coastal waters of Georgia. Together they create many spectacular sights along their way. By the time the South and Yellow Rivers meet up with it within Jackson Lake, and the Oconee River in Lumber City where it becomes the Altamaha, this body of water is broad – but not too deep. All along the way this water supports life – fish, trees, and people. I wonder what Georgia would look like without these waters. As we know, everything lives where the river goes. Juan Ponce de Leon, the Spanish explorer, traipsed all over this part of the country in search of the mythical life-giving waters known as the Fountain of Youth. Throughout the swamps of the Deep South they followed Indian rumors and stories as they searched for the non-existent waters. I wonder how many streams, creeks, and rivers Ponce de Leon and his men drank from? Despite their desperate search, the goal eluded these Spaniard explorers. Ezekiel’s vision is of a different sort of river. I can’t say for certain that the water he wades in is real. Visions are like that – full of symbolism but lacking any tangible substance. So if this isn’t a real river Ezekiel and his outdoor guide wade through, what is its symbolic meaning? Throughout scripture, moving water – living water – is symbolic of life. At the end of Ezekiel’s vision, a trickle of water is transformed into a river that supports trees and fish and it brings healing to the briny waters of the Dead Sea. Even the desert region of the Arabah turns green. Only God can bring life to barren places. Maybe the meaning is just that simple. God gives life. Everything lives where the river goes.
WEDNESDAY 03/17/2010 – Day 25 Isaiah 49:8-15 The human mind has the capacity to remember many things. My mother-in-law never forgets a birth date or anniversary – for any family member. If you sat with her to discuss genealogy, she would recite a litany of names and dates as she labeled each branch of her family tree. I could not fill in the blanks on a high school enrollment form for my immediate family members without asking, “Were you born in March or April?” Some things are difficult for me to remember. When it comes to remembering promises, then things get a little tougher for most people. We start out with the best intentions; however, somewhere along the way we get sidelined and the memory of a promise made is gone. It is so easy to forget something we said years before no matter how serious we were at the moment. 19
Life may deal you severe blows at awkward moments. Zion reached the point where they thought God forgot about them. You may experience things in a way that causes you to stop and consider the possibility that God has forgotten all about you. How could he? How could God forget even one of his blessed children? He can’t and won’t. Neither will he forget his promises to you.
THURSDAY 03/18/2010 – Day 26 Exodus 32:7-14 When presented with the option, many people would go along with God’s offer. It is an attractive option. Get rid of them, then start all over with me. This must be a huge temptation for Moses. I know it would be an awfully tempting offer if I were standing in his sandals at the top of Mount Horeb. Think about it for a moment. All these lowly slaves that God and Moses worked so hard for are playing them for fools. They have been released from a miserable existence – and now look at them. Don’t they know why they are in the desert? Don’t they have any respect for God and for Moses? These people need constant supervision. They might be a bit like us: people who leave church on Sunday morning and have forgotten the theme of the morning service before we pull into the parking lot of our favorite restaurant. By sundown some have located two or three new images to focus their attention on. Once Friday night rolls around, one would wonder if God ever considered starting over. I know that I’ve stood in that crowd at the foot of Mount Horeb worshiping things that don’t amount to much – and knowing it all the while. Who among us hasn’t been stiff-necked and hardheaded? There are a lot of hands being raised right now. Knowing the way that you and I are, which of us has not been the object of God’s promise? Isn’t it amazing that he keeps those promises the way he does? I also find comfort in the fact that God seems open to changing his mind when faced with a life-or-death – keep ‘em or leave ‘em – situation for his children.
FRIDAY 03/19/2010 – Day 27 Wisdom 2:1a, 12-22 (This scripture is included below because this book is not in versions commonly in use today in our Protestant churches. The Wisdom of Solomon, commonly called Wisdom, is from the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books of The Old Testament.) For they reasoned unsoundly, saying to themselves,… 12 “Let us lie in wait for the righteous man, because he is inconvenient to us and opposes our actions; he reproaches us for sins against the law, and accuses us of sins against our training. 13 He professes to have knowledge of God, and calls himself a child of the Lord. 14 He became to us a reproof of our thoughts; 15 the very sight of him is a burden to us, because his manner of life is unlike that of others, and his ways are strange. 16 We are considered by him as something base, and he avoids our ways as unclean; he calls the last end of the righteous happy, and boasts that God is his father. 17 Let us see if his words are true, and let us test what will happen at the end of his life; 18 for if the righteous man is God’s child, he will help him, and will deliver him from the hand of his adversaries. 19 Let us test him with insult and torture, so that we may find out how gentle he is, and make trial of his forbearance. 20 Let us condemn him to a shameful death, for, according to what he says, he will be protected.” 21 Thus they reasoned, but they 20
were led astray for their wickedness blinded them, 22 and they did not know the secret purposes of God, nor hoped for the wages of holiness, nor discerned the prize for blameless souls; Don’t you just hate office politics? I have never been adept at playing those games some people play daily as they make alliances with some and plot evil for others. Heck, I never wanted to play these games. This method of social interaction reminds me of the trend in recent years toward what is called “reality television.” Lock up a bunch of folks in a house and see what happens. They start playing games – plotting and planning one another’s demise. This reading doesn’t sound much like a game. Someone’s life is at stake. It reminds me of a group of criminals who are plotting the demise of someone who has alerted the authorities to the gang’s activities. Now the good guy is in trouble. There is nowhere to go – nowhere to hide. Looking back, we know they failed to consider the implications of their action. I like how the wisdom writer made the comment, “for they reasoned unsoundly” in the opening of today’s reading. It causes me to wonder about my logic and reasoning when I plan my own path without consulting with God or including him in my plans. Rejecting God’s guidance is a poor way to becoming anything of importance – reaching my full potential in God.
SATURDAY 03/20/2010 – Day 28 Jeremiah 11:18-20 As I write these words, a dear friend of mine lies dying in an Atlanta hospital. His condition is critical. Cancer cells have become tiny killers over which he has no control. The disease brings great sorrow to his children who would do anything to heal their dad. One person wrote on his blog – “I still believe in miracles. God will take care of you.” Other than diseases, there are times when people bring us pain and sorrow. In the course of doing ministry, I have been exposed to the schemes people devise to trap others and bring them down. These deeds sometimes come in the form of lies or even half-truths. Fortunately the schemes I have witnessed are not unto death, but they still destroy reputations and relationships. As much as we want to bring out the big guns, it is useless to fight against these schemers and not become like them in the process. That is the way retaliation works. You hurt me, then I hurt you more. Next, you come back and hurt me even more. Of course my next move is…oh well – you know. The cycle ends when the opponent is either dead or can no longer fight back. It is very difficult to let go and let God when someone is destroying our reputation or hurting our image in other people’s eyes. But you know what? I still believe in miracles too. God will take care of you.
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WEEK FIVE
MONDAY 03/22/2010 – Day 29 John 8:1-11 Uncle Richard taught Sunday school back in the 80’s when this scripture was the focus of one of our lessons. He’s always been full of life – some say spit and vinegar. Richard is the sort that just loves to kid around with you and pick at you. He used to play with the small kids at the church. In a little game he played, Richard would squat down in the yard and pretend to rub his hand in the dirt. Of course the little three and four year-olds would squat down and actually rub their hands in the dirt as they tried to mimic his actions. That old man always enjoyed making parents squirm. Imagine your child in his or her Sunday best with their hands dirty. All we could do was laugh. I still recall the words Richard used to describe the man in this story. Oh yes, there is a man conspicuously absent from the street into which these guys have dragged the woman. You and I might not see him, but he is still there. Richard described the situation well when he said, “A man can drink, smoke, cuss, and have sex, and people don’t care a whole lot. Heck, some will even pat him on the back and laugh as they talk about his escapades. The woman in the story is different. Thirty years later people will be whispering ‘don’t you remember what she did?’” It is almost as if the man can do no wrong, but the woman’s sin follows her for the rest of her life. 22
Some say Jesus bent down and wrote the Ten Commandments in the sand. Others think he was just killing time while the words he spoke cooked in the minds of those within earshot. I have always wondered if he wrote in the sand like we all used to do when we were young. You know, Joe loves Sally, or Jim loves Sue. Draw it with a big heart and an arrow right through the core. That sort of sand art might get people to thinking. No one is immune from the guilty stain of sin – no one.
TUESDAY 03/23/2010 – Day 30 John 8:21-30 I stood by the bedside of Ed Harrell as he slipped from his body and through the veil that separated him from the other world. Ed’s struggle was lengthy, but at the end he went peacefully into another existence. He went to be with the Father. Ed was a good friend of mine. He was 25 years or so my senior – a farmer from Laurens County. His children are near my age. I knew him well enough to know that, for most of his life, he was not much different from the guys who stood around questioning Jesus. You see, Ed had no concept of spiritual matters until six months prior to his death. For 99 percent of his earthly life, Ed was a stranger, one might say hostile, to Jesus. I still recall the Easter morning service where Ed’s light bulb lit and spiritual matters, like those Jesus speaks of here, became clear and meaningful. We might say that there are two classes of persons. I do not mean something as simple as saved and unsaved – although that fits. There are those from above and those from below. Maybe we can say that some are oriented with a heavenly perspective and others with an earthly one. For the most part, these guys standing around Jesus failed to grasp that heavenly perspective – Jesus as much as told them so. Failure to understand what God was doing through Jesus condemned these men to die burdened with a stack of sin they could do nothing about. As I said, it was an Easter Sunday morning when Ed’s light bulb lit. Sitting right there in the fourth pew from the front, Ed realized that exact thing Jesus tried to get these other guys to grasp. “The one who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” Ed believed, and his life started all over. It was truly a resurrection Sunday.
WEDNESDAY 03/24/2010 – Day 31 John 8:31-42 Many years ago, when Lisa and I were much younger and freshly married, we ended up with two visitors spending the night with us inside that little 10’x45’ wobble box we called home. One of the visitors was a young man who had been incarcerated in the Youth Development Center (YDC) in Milledgeville. I came to know him through a government and business partnership. That partnership was a work program our company engaged in with these young boys, and he was one of the guys who the state van delivered to our doorstep shortly before eight A.M. each workday. The intent of this program was to build work skills the boys could use once they were finally released from YDC. Transient and on his way from Savannah to Griffin, it was one of these young boys, now a young man, who slept with his girlfriend in the other end of our modest home. Not everyone is as willing to take someone into their home as we were with this couple. There are certain risks that come with opening your home to strangers. 23
Now I certainly don’t want to make light of the current economic conditions under which many of the people around us suffer a lack of even some basic needs. God knows that there are many who go to bed with their bellies empty, who brave cold weather without adequate clothing, and who raise families in places in which you nor I can even begin to imagine what the conditions are like. If you keep your eyes open, there will be ample opportunity to help strangers – even in good economic times. There are plenty of chances in life to open your arms, your wallet, or even your home to strangers. God gives you and I opportunities to take risks. Abraham was a tall figure on the distant horizon of Israel. These men who stood around Jesus claimed to be Abraham’s descendants. He was a strong figure of faith that the nation of Israel used to point to and claim close kin. One day, three visitors from God showed up under the palm tree in Abraham’s front yard. Good old Abraham scurried around the barnyard to see if he could rustle up something to eat for his dinner guests. He and Sarah were the perfect hosts who welcomed that heavenly trio. I guess in the old days there were always risks to opening up your tent to strangers, but I get the impression from Father Abraham that he was just that kind of person – a person of risks. Some of the men standing in the circle around Jesus were not men who took risks. Not a one of them was ready to take Jesus home for dinner. Heck, they didn’t feel safe around him and looked for a way to get rid of him. These boys from the hood were even willing to kill him – by whatever means necessary. Jesus stated his work plainly. Freedom doesn’t come by closing yourself off to what God is doing. Freedom only comes by and through embracing the one God sends. Being like Abraham is a lot more than genetics and blood kin.
THURSDAY 03/25/2010 – Day 32 John 8:51-59 Now that’s just crazy talk – never see death? One of my early childhood memories is of a kindergarten playmate named Ricky. Little Ricky was a small blonde-haired kid from Dodge County. Midway through the 1963-64 school year, Ricky caught the measles. Complications arose. The next time I saw my friend, he was lying in a casket at Horne’s Funeral Home in Eastman. There is just something seriously wrong about parents having to bury their young children. I have stood by the bedside of more than one poor soul who has slipped peacefully into eternity. We are all headed in that direction. Sooner or later, the shadow of death falls across our door and that determined knock will arrest our attention. Now it was Jesus’ turn to arrest the attention of his hearers. His word about death hinted at the seriousness with which he engaged them, but they felt like Jesus had just lost his mind and was talking out of his head. Their response was quick. “Now we know that you have a demon.” What cinched this idea in their minds was the language Jesus used. It was as if Jesus knew Abraham personally – speaking in the present tense. Jesus made it sound like they were contemporaries. Not only was that a puzzle, but also he chose to place before them the idea that he existed before old Abraham was born. Saying “Before Abraham was, I am” – only God is the great I am. He made it sound like he was there when the casket was closed on Abraham and that he was equal to the father. That put Jesus in the role of parent – the Father – who buried his child in a cave in Machpelah. Now that’s just crazy talk.
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FRIDAY 03/26/2010 – Day 33 John 10:31-42 Many of us are good at dishing out negative reinforcement. When our sons and daughters fail to live up to our standards, we are often quick to punish them. Far too often we are slow to reward for good behavior. When our country was mixed up in racial tension, African Americans sat at a lunch counter in Memphis, a woman sat in the wrong seat on a bus, and rifle shots tore through houses just outside Americus, Georgia because black and white folks worked together on a farm, and they also sat at a table and shared a meal. Why did our country punish them? During the summer of 2009, the youth group at Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, scheduled a mission trip to the Appalachian region of the United States. Because of decisions that adults at that church had made, denominational leadership refused to allow those children access to denomination-owned housing during their mission trip. Why did the denomination punish innocent children? Jesus performed many good works. At a wedding in Cana of Galilee, he turned water into wine and brought real joy into the lives of the host and guests. Sitting by a well in Samaria, he showed a troubled woman and her half-breed neighbors just how inclusive the kingdom of God is. A royal official came to Jesus pleading for healing for his son. Jesus sent healing into this boy’s body even though this boy lay sick miles away from Jesus and this loving father. At a pool called Bethzatha, Jesus healed an invalid who had lain alongside it for thirty-eight years. It was the Sabbath. One afternoon, Jesus fed bread and fish to over five thousand people on a hillside overlooking the Sea of Galilee. The next day, he claimed to be the bread of life. A woman was caught in adultery and brought to stand in the street just in front of the temple where Jesus was teaching. With one comment, Jesus turned the attitude of condemnation away from her. For which of these good deeds, recorded in the book of John, would you punish him? Good works are easy to ignore if they are not presented in palatable settings. As sons and daughters of God, we have an obligation to be living offerings of good works wherever we go. Trouble is, when people misunderstand who we are and what we stand for, they are likely to work against us instead of with us. That’s called negative reinforcement.
SATURDAY 03/27/2010 – Day 34 John 11:45-56 I guess that old saying is true: Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. One has only to take a look around our nation and world today to know that powerful people are often corrupted. Those who have little power are often corrupted as well. There is a story I have heard repeated many times using different names and different church positions, but a story whose theme is somewhat universal: A woman I know once held on to a minor church position of church clerk for a relatively small rural congregation. Her tenure in that position was secure. She managed her role for many years until the church wrote and adopted a constitution and some by-laws. It was the during design process for those documents that some people started thinking “outside of the box” so to speak. Some began to question why the church structured itself in a particular way and whether, perhaps, there were better methods and designs of administration. As thinking shifted within the church, they adopted a rotational model for most of the church positions. Using this model, the persons in a particular position would rotate through 25
that committee or function in three years time. After that someone else would step up to the plate and fulfill the duties of that office for another three years. It seemed like such a good idea at the time. When the church clerk became aware of the changes, things did not sit well with her. Finally the day came and it was time for the big switch. The rotation kicked in. She rotated off, and the newly installed church clerk took over. Sadly, she never darkened the door of that church again. Yes, she was upset at what we did. Some tried to reason with her; however, when she felt a sense of threat, her response was typical of so many with power – the response is often unreasonable. I get the idea that the chief priests and the Pharisees who called this meeting of the council felt some sense of threat. Jesus was doing some very good things. They said so themselves. “This man is performing many signs.” The reasonable thing would be to embrace the good things Jesus did – the unreasonable thing, plot his death. They chose the unreasonable thing. This story causes me to consider how I treat those who are in leadership positions within our churches. God forbid that I should ever plot the demise of those who glorify God through their good works.
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WEEK SIX
MONDAY 03/29/2010 – Day 35 Isaiah 42:1-7 There have been many dealmakers in American history. One name that stands at or above all others is that of John D. Rockefeller who was born in 1839 the son of a flimflam man who peddled elixirs and went by the title, “Dr. William Rockefeller, the Celebrated Cancer Specialist.” J.D.’s father, William, was quite a character – often cheating his own boys with his flimflam ways. John invested in the oil business after the family moved to Cleveland. His $3,000 investment in 1863 was the seed for Standard Oil and created a wealth that turned him into a billionaire in 1913. J. D. Rockefeller once said, “The ability to deal with people is as purchasable a commodity as sugar or coffee.” He was, perhaps, one of the most hated men in America. Rockefeller was contemptuous of workers. He felt jobs were charity. This attitude may have mellowed in the final third of his life, as by his death he had given away over $500 million.1
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Cheryl Moch and Vincent Virga, Deals: The Biggest, The Boldest, The Best: (New York: Crown Publishers, 1984), 18-21.
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Many American financial titans have stepped on more than one unsuspecting soul as they climbed the ladder of success. There is one servant, however, who had no intent of hurting others and who gave away everything. Rather than using others to achieve great things, Jesus set the gold standard for good deeds. He never used others as means to an end. Justice and righteousness were points on the compass of his life. God’s deal with humanity, in other words, our covenant with God, was worth far more than $500 million. It’s even bigger and better than a billion. What a deal!
TUESDAY 03/30/2010 – Day 36 Isaiah 49:1-6 I took the Myers-Briggs personality test my first semester of seminary. It was given as part of the required Spiritual Formation I class that fall. The results were simply amazing. One would think that the school hired a private detective to shadow my every move and write a complete description of me. They really knew me inside and out. The reason for our taking this test was to determine our suitability for ministry. You see, it wasn’t that we were not willing to do ministry, it is just that there have been a few people throughout history who were not well suited to the task. Do you remember Jim Jones? It just isn’t safe to let people like that serve communion. Let’s just say that not everyone has God’s best interest at heart. The school wanted to know that its students were not among those who would misuse the gospel message to acquire some advantage for their own benefit. There is no test, nor is there any other human who may know and understand us as well as God does. Isaiah recognizes this fact and articulates it well. God knows the child in the mother’s womb. He knows those who are scattered across the face of the earth and who are far from their homes and their people. God is familiar with those who are willing to be his servants and those who are not. This passage is about what God knows, his omniscience, but more than that it is about God’s choosing. I believe God carefully chooses his servants to fulfill particular roles. Think of him as a teacher giving assignments to students. The students go home, knowing fully what is expected, and it is they who choose to be obedient to the teacher or to be disobedient – to perform the task or not. Aren’t we so very glad that Jesus was up to the task that God called him to?
WEDNESDAY 03/31/2010 – Day 37 Isaiah 50:4-9a There is an old schoolhouse down in Linton, Georgia. The original building, a two story brick monument to education, burned early in the 20th century. The current structure, put together in the style of a simple wood-frame construction, with cafeteria, auditorium, and two classrooms, was erected following the fire. In 1958 the school was closed when the county schools were consolidated and kids were sent to Sparta for their education. When I was pastor at Darien Baptist Church, there in that small village, I heard the older members of the congregation tell tales of their childhood days when Miss Kathleen taught the village children in that classroom. Little Syd has told the tale many times of an experience she had. You see Miss Kathleen would open the morning class time with prayer. Miss Kathleen might have been a little long-winded: that’s the impression I get from hearing Syd tell this story. According to Syd, some of the children would play a game of chance by sneaking out during the prayer, going outside and running around 28
the schoolhouse, and returning to their seats before the prayer’s end. From the sound of it, the risk of incurring Miss Kathleen’s wrath was low. She was a rather long-winded prayer warrior, and reminds me of some of the good teachers I had. Listening to other stories, we know that she had the children’s best interest at heart. Many teachers do their best, but there are some students who just cause trouble. Syd’s stories are a case-in-point for this assumption. You will find some students who will listen attentively to instruction and some who seem to fight back each and every word that falls on their ears. The writer of Isaiah found the same to be true. Not everyone listens. Taking this passage as prophetic of the ministry of Jesus, we can say that there were some people within earshot of his teaching that just did not listen either. Good teachers do not do all of the talking: they listen too. The best teachers are acutely aware of the concerns, needs, gifts, and challenges of their students. This awareness of others comes only through paying attention – through listening. A teacher cannot know a child’s inner anxiety if the teacher is constantly lecturing. I am reminded of Jesus, who many considered to be an excellent Rabbi. He was gifted in listening skills just as he was gifted in verbal skills. Appropriately placed questions may reveal the deepest needs of the student. Isaiah so aptly said, “Morning by morning he wakens – wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught.” The prophetic utterance can apply to anyone who turns first to God for instruction before blurting out instruction to the students. I do take this scripture as prophetic of Jesus who knew the subject matter. Despite the controversy with others who failed to listen to him, scripture says he set his face like flint and was not shamed. God might be viewed in the role of principal or educational board. He was the one that the approval came from. Jesus was the ideal teacher who listened to God, listened to his students, asked appropriate questions, and spoke only what God instructed him to say. For that he was crucified. THURSDAY 04/01/2010 – Day 38 Exodus 12:1-8 Today is Maundy Thursday. “Maundy” means “command,” a meaning derived from its Latin roots. The particular command for this day in the history of the Jewish people is part of an age-old ritual. It is a ritual that has continued in unbroken practice for over three thousand years, which shows the depth of meaning and seriousness with which the Jewish people place on it. This was serious business in the history of Moses, Aaron, and the Hebrew slaves. God did not want them to forget what he was doing for them on this night. It was in the deep darkness of that Egyptian night when the angel of death swept down from on high with his sharp sickle of death in his right hand. That sickle harvested the lives of all firstborn – Hebrew, Caldean, Egyptian, Ethopian, Phoenician, - all who were in the land that night. The only persons spared were those who fell under the protection of the lamb’s blood – who followed God’s command. Life and death are serious business. Each night the angel of death sweeps through the land. On every night that passes lives are required to satisfy the angel’s bloodthirsty sickle. We cannot escape physical death; however, there is one command that you and I can follow in order to prevent spiritual death. It is only when we meet death and we are under the protection of the true Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, that we might find protection. This is not a lamb that we must sacrifice. No, this lamb has already been sacrificed on a cross almost two thousand years ago. Our command is to trust in him – Jesus. He will save us from our sins.
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FRIDAY 04/02/2010 – Day 39 Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12 Mel Gibson’s movie, The Passion of the Christ, was a very troubling movie for me to watch. This was not simply because it was a movie about a precious religious figure: namely Jesus. No, this movie was difficult and troubling due to its extreme violent content. Although it was troubling to the core, it was fantastically produced so the continuous violence was interlaced with moments of exceptional calm. This was perhaps one of the most well-choreographed movies I can remember hitting the silver screen. Jim Caviezel performed in the role of Jesus as no one else could. But I do not intend to watch it again. The movie disturbed me that deeply. More than anything else, the violence disturbs me. The idea that humans can find whatever wickedness it takes that allows us to treat another human in this way is a sad mark on the evolution of humankind. We have not risen far above the animal kingdom. Our satanic tendency toward violence is a disease that is deeply embedded in the heart of humanity. If you do not believe these words, just open your eyes and look around. Violence permeates our world and is nearly as plentiful as the air we breathe. Violence is part and parcel of who we are. We use it in both overt and covert ways. It is sometimes physical, at other times it is verbal in form. Violence always attacks the mental and emotional aspects of an individual. Both perpetrator and victim are deeply affected by violence: in other words, we are all adversely affected by our violent natures. It seems that we just don’t know how to live without it. What really amazes me about Jesus is that he went to his crucifixion silently without crying out or protesting the wrongness of the event. How many of us would go down kicking and screaming? Neither you nor I would consider holding our tongues at a time like that. We would cry in pain and agony. We would cry again as we cursed our tormentors. We would cry once more as we begged and pleaded for them to stop – IN THE NAME OF GOD STOP THE MADNESS! Jesus did not protest. He did not argue or fight back. No one heard him cry out as the whip bit into his back. He did not even whimper when they pushed the crown of thorns onto his head. As he hung on the cross, straining to breath, excruciating pain pulsating throughout his limbs and joints, he manages to say only a few words. We don’t’ hear him ask God to wipe out his enemies by plague, army, or famine. How unlike us he really was. One of the phrases Jesus chooses reflects his true non-violent nature. “Father, forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing.” The response he chooses to the violence of human nature is otherworldly. No wonder God chose this servant to be exalted and lifted up.
SATURDAY 04/03/2010 – Day 40 Matthew 27:55-61 Death leaves us wishing for one more moment to spend on those we love. Many people wished for one more touch: the women at the tomb, the men in the upper room, even those who were scattered across Jerusalem – all of these spent Saturday remembering the past and wondering how in the heck they would survive without him. Drops of hope are difficult to squeeze from the fruit of anxiety.
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A Threadbare Life at Fifty-One The looms of our lives hum: a unison Of sound much like a pair of winged ruby Throated hummingbirds at springtime’s first bloom. Each day that passes is as if the loom’s Shuttle moves here and there – slides back and forth. Weaving your warp and my weft, our lives Transform into an embodied fabric We inhabit as a precious and a Sacred connection alive between a Mother and child: two garments, now one cloth. Tightly we’re bound in familial spell. The frequency of our weaving loom, This loom we call life, is not audible To the world but is mute before their deaf Senses: our natural threads – hidden. This multi-colored garment we weave, this Tapestry of silver thread from our Golden loom is a work that began in Late September of the year I was born. We wove artfully: thirty-two long years. But then there was a break in the loom’s thread On that fateful day in August of my Thirty-third year – a day I shall not forget. My mind recalls the moment your doctor Said, “You have cancer,” and the shuttle stopped. In an unexpected motion that caused A thread in my heart to break on that day, A ripple of movement set forth the chain Of events, unforeseen by our own eyes: This wore holes, tore threads, left ragged edges. It seemed that each trip to the doctor brought An unexpected break, first here, then there, As our fabric unraveled in a Malevolent way: causing the cloth to be Irreparable – completely ruined. I live far out on the ragged edge of Aloneness: I long for your silken touch As I knew before I became threadbare: Left exposed without your warm thread to weave Into my life – now my fifty-first year.
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EASTER SUNDAY 04/04/2010 Matthew 28:1-6a and 1 Corinthians 15:14-20 More than anything else, this is the one event that really matters to me. As the Apostle Paul so eloquently stated, “Without the resurrection, I have no hope.” I could live without a virgin birth, but I could never live without a resurrection. Christ has been raised by God to become what we anticipate – eternally alive with God. He is the first, but those of us who profess faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and as Savior have the secure hope that we will be like him. What is it that brings hope to your life like nothing else can? If Jesus is not at the top of that list you’re making, I would hope that you rethink his position on that list.
CONCLUSION
I would like to thank you for allowing me to share these thoughts and scriptures with you. Perhaps they were as meaningful and enriching for your spiritual edification as they were meaningful and thought provoking for me during the creative writing process.
May the peace of Christ dwell in you richly, with all wisdom. Keith Vaughn
© Keith Vaughn, 2010 Copy or distribution of this document through print or electronic means is expressly forbidden without the written permission of the author.
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