No Distinctions

As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:27-28

It is human to make distinctions between people.  We love to decide who's in and who's out, who counts and who doesn't.  Our country is founded on the principles of making distinctions between people.  First it was the Native Americans who were deemed to be less than deserving of their land.  Because they were considered less than fully human the early immigrants decided they could justify their genocidal agenda.  Then it was the highly lucrative slave trade.  Because Africans were subhuman they could be used as property and exploited in order to generate more profit for the burgeoning cotton market.  In fact many pastors and religious leaders used the bible to justify slavery. Women were oppressed and kept from voting, gays and lesbians are denied the right to marry and receive benefits, and the poor are constantly blamed and told they are undeserving.  This is a brief sketch at how we as a society have made distinctions and share in a national history that is deeply flawed and troubling. 
As individuals we too make distinctions about people who matter and people who don't.  But, as Paul reminds us, in Christ there are no distinctions.  In Christ these differences are not important.  Through Christ we share a deep connection to every person.  We are all children of God.  So what should this mean for how we live?  There are of course those who can bend these scriptures to imply that in the heavenly realm these distinctions will dissolve, even as they remain in place.  After all, Paul never condemned slavery.  But do not be misled.  God's saving grace has deep ramifications for eternal life and life here and now.  Because God makes no distinctions, we are called to see all people as children of God.  Because God loves all people, we are called to love all.  Until we confront our own sinful tendency to discriminate and make distinctions we cannot truly understand the deepness of God's love--it is truly a radical for all kind of love.  The kind of love that changes everything.

Living on Purpose

Now the word of the Lord came to me saying, ⁵“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:4-5

We are all here for a reason, created by God for a purpose.  No one is here by accident; we all matter to God.  The call story of Jeremiah is powerful because it implies that God had created him to be a prophet, he was set apart prior to his birth for God's purposes.  I believe this is true for each of us.  The difficulty for many is that divine declarations such as this are rather uncommon.  Very rarely does God issue edicts from on high that are easily understood and followed.  Instead we each must discern God's call in our life.  We each must discover who God created us to be.  For some this journey takes a lifetime, while others know very early. 
The key to discovering our purpose is to truly believe that we are here for a reason, that our life has significance. A second step is to find our passion or gift.  God has created us just the way we are and for a reason.  We get into trouble when we compare ourselves to others or try to be something we are not.  God made you the way you are and not like someone else.  Finally, when we connect our gifts and passions to helping others we often find our purpose.  God made us who we are for a reason and that reason is to love and serve others.  When we employ our whole selves for the sake of others--in whatever form it may take--we are fulfilling our purpose. 
For Jeremiah this meant becoming a prophet who would speak God's word to God's people.  He would comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.  His words would not be popular but he would change hearts and lives.  So it is with us.  When we discover God's purpose for our life we are not guaranteed riches or comfort, an easy life or acclaim.  But we will discover who we are and find deep fulfillment.  We will be tested and go through hardship, but we will emerge as God's people.  May we become God's people, bringing forth light and life into a dark, troubled, and broken world.

Cheerful Giving

The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ⁷Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  2 Corinthians 9:6-7

When we give we should give as God does--willingly and generously.  When we learn to be generous with all we have we experience a deep joy that no amount of riches can match.  Paul argues that those who sow sparingly will reap sparingly--those who hold back and are not generous will not receive the benefits of being generous.  They will not experience the deep trust that takes place, they will not experience the joy of being part of something bigger than their self.  We are called to give as a way to honor and thank God, but it also gives the giver a deep fulfillment and sense of purpose.  This is why God loves a cheerful giver because the result of becoming generous is joy.

But how do we get there?  How can we convince ourselves or our spouse or anyone else to take the generosity plunge?  Rather than wait for someone to cognitively believe what Paul suggests before becoming generous, I would submit that we need to behave our way into new belief.  We must begin to act more generously to begin to believe that generosity builds trust.  We must give ourselves away first in order to understand the joy that comes.  If we wait until we believe in order to act, it will not happen.  This is why scripture so often frames giving as a command, because if it were not commanded no one would do it! But God knows what we need and knows how blessed we will be when we give.  God is the most generous giver, and when we become generous we share in a small way "the image of God."  May we behave our way into new belief.

To the Wealthy

As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. ¹⁸They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, ¹⁹thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.  1 Timothy 6:17-19

Most likely you are, like me, are not rich.  But by worldly standards if you own a car, have indoor plumbing, food each day, and a roof over your head you are in fact rich compared to others in the world.  So this scripture is important to understand for we who have been given much.  The spiritual issue of wealth and possessions centers around ownership.  If we understand that God has created everything and given us all that we have--that God is in a sense the owner of all creation--then we rightly understand ourselves as stewards of God's gifts.  A steward is a caretaker of another's property.  A steward is deeply committed to ensure that the goods in their possession are cared for and used properly.  A biblical understanding of money and possessions starts here.  We have been given much to care for, but how we use it should reflect God's values.  It matters to God how we spend our money.  It matters to God how we use our time.  It matters to God how we employ our God-given gifts and talents.  We must continually remember that God is the owner and we are to be good stewards.  With this clear understanding the call to be generous flows naturally.  In a world where there is a great inequality and a deep and growing chasm between the wealthy and the poor, what is the response of people of faith?  1 Timothy suggests that being generous not only honors God, but unlocks for the wealthy "the life that really is life."  When we become more and more generous with what we have, we discover the divine joy of giving.

Fruit of the Spirit

By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. Galatians 5:22-23

There is no law against these things.  For some reason I find this phrase in scripture quite humorous and revealing.  Why would there be a law against any of those things?  I know that when Paul talks about the law he is talking about the Old Testament laws that guided the faith and community life of the Jewish people, but can you imagine if there were laws that forbid such things?  It is unlawful to love others. It is unlawful to have peace and patience.  It is unlawful to be generous or faithful, to be gentle or exhibit self-control. Hard to imagine that these ultra positive, relationship building and sustaining virtues would ever be considered against the law. Yet, Paul adds this tidbit.

They key to understanding this passage is these virtues are the fruit of the spirit.  The holy spirit produces these qualities in us.  On our own we function like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are against the law because we rarely do them on our own.  Left to our own devices and agendas we will rarely love others, we are anxious and need to control, we will lack patience with others, we will hold back and do not give, we will not have the courage and strength to be faithful, we will treat people harshly, and we will lack self-control with our appetites and urges.  Without the intervening of the spirit, we cannot produce the fruit of the spirit.  We need God's presence in our life to live out the best of ourselves.  We need the spirit in our life to lead us to a life worth living.  Without God and the work of the spirit in our life we function like virtues are illegal.  So let us submit ourselves to the spirit's work and allow God to lead us.

Giving All

He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; ⁴for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.” Luke 21:3-4

 

 

As people came to the temple to worship they brought forth offerings.  Jesus noticed that those who were rich offered large amounts while a poor widow put in two small copper coins.  He then praises the widow for her generosity and chastises the rich for only giving from their abundance.  Being a generous and giving person is not so much about how much we give, but how much we trust.  Do you trust God to provide for all of your needs and thus enjoy the freedom to be generous with all you have?  Or do you only give from your abundance, holding back and staying safe?  Jesus challenges us to give all of ourselves, to hold nothing back.  What holds you back?  What is keeping you from trusting God more fully?  Giving is a place in our spiritual life where we made need to behave our way into new beliefs.  We may need to become more generous in order to increase our trust, rather than developing more trust in order to become more generous.  The widow had little but gave all, how about you? 

The Macedonians

We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches of Macedonia; ²for during a severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. ³For, as I can testify, they voluntarily gave according to their means, and even beyond their means, ⁴begging us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in this ministry to the saints

 2 Corinthians 8:1-4

 

Throughout his missionary journeys Paul was able to form relationships for Christ with many different people in many different places.  As he went from place to place he preached the gospel, established churches, and trained leaders.  Once a local church was in place he moved on to the next location and began again.  What we have recorded in the scriptures is Paul’s correspondence with the churches he established.  The correspondence often took the form of encouragement, ongoing instruction, and addressing issues within the church. 

Paul also was collecting money from each the churches he worked with to help support the church in Jerusalem.  In this passage, Paul encourages the church in Corinth by citing the example of the Macedonian church, who while poor gave generously to support the Jerusalem church.  The church in Corinth had more wealth and Paul believed they needed to become more generous in their giving.  It is reasonable to assume that Paul had mentioned the Jerusalem collection before and had not received a favorable response—otherwise it would not be in the letter.  The Macedonians gave generously in spite of limited means, even begging to be part of the broader church.  The Corinthians seemed to have fallen into the trap of turning inward and denying the connections to their sisters and brothers in the larger church. 

What might this mean for us today?  Are we more like the Macedonians or the Corinthians?  Do we see giving as a privilege we enjoy to be part of what God is going in the world?  Or is giving an obligation that we reluctantly participate in?  The attitude we bring to what we have makes all the difference.  The Macedonians lived in thanksgiving for what God had done in their lives, and from their thanks came generous gifts.  Paul holds them up as an example of faithfulness in order to inspire others.  I pray we might all be so inspired!

Contentment

I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. ¹³I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:12-13

When Paul writes the Philippians he writes from prison awaiting his death sentence.  As he writes the church at Philippi he writes of having found a place of such deep contentment that he can do all things through Christ.  Paul has such deep trust in God that he can endure suffering, pain, and the knowledge that he will be put to death for his faith.  Paul is content in times of abundance and in times of great need.  This is a faith to live for! This is the spiritual maturity that comes through a lifetime of faithfulness and trials.  Paul was continuingly tested in his ministry and endured great hardship.  Each test however led Paul to a greater trust and stronger faith.  The secret is trusting God is with us even when life is difficult.  The secret is knowing that God has already written the end of the story--the story of the full redemption and restoration of all creation, including us!.  The secret is a faith that is bigger than anything we face in this life.  Paul writes to the church and shares his faith because he knows that we too will face trials.  He encourages us all to develop the kind of faith that can find contentment in all conditions and truly believe that through Christ all things are possible.  When we know this in our heart we will have real peace, real contentment that the world cannot offer.

 

For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. Philippians 1:21

Greed

And he said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” Luke 12:15

How much is enough?  How many things in our life do we need before we can feel secure?  Jesus tells his followers to be on guard against all kinds of greed because he understands how easy it is to get sucked into a materialistic lifestyle.  When we think of greed we often confine our thinking narrowly.  We think of the super rich scrooge like person who has achieved their wealth by depriving others and is a terrible and miserly person.  This is greed but only an extreme version.  The spiritual issue Jesus is concerned with is having anything come before God--it is about idolatry.  In terms of our possessions, greed takes the form of possessions possessing us.  Are there things you accumulate and collect?  Are there things you cannot live without?  This would be a good place to begin to take inventory. 
The cultural phenomenon we need to be aware of in regards to possessions is our insatiable appetite for more.  It is not just that we have too much stuff, but it is the frequency that we feel we must replace the old with the new.  I find myself getting lured into this kind of thinking frequently.  We need a new TV because our old one isn't a flat screen high definition.  The old one still works fine.  We need new phones because they don't have internet or other new features, but our old phones still work.  We sometimes dream of new furniture that would be updated and stylish, but our current furniture is still functional and comfortable.  In the past I have found myself thinking of new cars, a new house, and new gadgets that would make life more enjoyable.  This is the lie we all buy into--that new stuff we make our lives better.  Sometimes we do need something new, but mostly we want it.  Our desire for more becomes an appetite and perhaps an addiction.  It also keeps us from being thankful for what we have and makes contentment impossible.  Jesus knew that kind of anxiety-filled life that a possession driven mentality produces.  He knew the lure of abundance and the false comfort of things.  He knew and warned us.  May we take a deep look at our own lives and be on guard!

Judgment and Repent

Therefore because you trample on the poor and take from them levies of grain, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not live in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine. ¹²For I know how many are your transgressions, and how great are your sins— you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and push aside the needy in the gate. Amos 5:11-12

How we spend our money matters to God and reveals our true values.  All we have is a gift from God and we called to good stewards of the resources at our disposal.  God's hope is that we would use our resources to be a blessing in the world.  Far too often however, we use our resources for our own purposes and neglect God's commands.  Each of us is called to repent and seek the transforming power of God's love.  The good news is that we are given a new chance and a new way through Christ.  But every now and then we need to hear from Amos and the prophets. 
Amos offers a startling indictment against the people of Israel.  They have forgotten the goodness and mercy of God and failed to care for the poor.  They have built beautiful homes, pleasant vineyards, and have an abundance of everything while they "trample" on the poor.  God's judgment comes in the form of the Assyrians who will conquer God's people and lead them away in exile.  Because they have neglected to love their neighbor and remember God's goodness and commands, they are no longer under the blessings of God.  Similarly, when we lead lives that are against God's vision for life we will struggle to find peace, happiness, and meaning in life.  It doesn't mean God is punishing those who oppose God's ways.  It means when we live life only for ourselves and neglect our neighbor we will reap what we sow.  We are the masters of our own destruction.  But it is not too late and despite the harshness of Amos' critique there is always hope in the voice of the prophets.  "Seek the Lord and live." (5:6)  Seek the Lord, seek out God's ways and you will be blessed and become a blessing for others.

Focus and Remember

Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. ⁵You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Deuteronomy 6:4-5

This passage is called the shema and it is a centerpiece in the Jewish faith.  It has traditionally been recited as a daily prayer and reminds the faithful of who God is, what God has done for the people, and how to respond.  The Lord has brought the people out of Egypt and into the land of Israel. (6:10-11)  The Lord has been faithful and fulfilled the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  What the Lord asks for is to be loved and not to forget.  The Lord asks of us to focus our lives on God and not forget the many blessings we have received from God.

It is all too easy to get distracted in life and forget the things that truly matter.  We can get caught up in our daily stress and grind and fail to give thanks.  We become consumed with the details and decisions, awash with anxiety and we forget to make God the center.  The shema is a clarion call to repent and return.  It is simple to understand but hard to live out.  Making God the center of our lives and not forgetting, is spiritually difficult but has the potential to transform our lives.  The ancient Israelites understood this.  The shema became the center of their prayer life and they were given instructions on how to pass the faith on to their children and future generations (6:6-9).  We need these same reminders today.  We need the shema as part of our daily spiritually discipline.  We need to focus and remember.

We Get Distracted

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Matthew 6:25

 

 At some level we truly do know that God is in charge.  We can acknowledge that God has created all things, given us all we have, and ultimately has and will be good to us in the future.  I think we get that--at least at a head level.  But we still worry. We still have trouble trusting.  We still find ourselves fixated on the small things in life and pay too little attention to the big things.  Jesus' words speak to the human condition of anxiety. We wonder about our health, our financial future, and our relationships.  The world around us is constantly changing and life is incredibly fragile.  So we worry and fret for ourselves and our loved ones and sometimes we get stuck in worry and mired in anxiety.  How can we move beyond this?

 

Jesus reminds his audience about the birds in the air and lilies in the field.  God has provided for their needs and they are free to live a life without worry.  "Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" (6:26) The birds do not store up food for tomorrow but trust that God will provide.  They have this trust because each day they find food.  The old adage that the best predictor of the future is the past seems apropos.  We can trust God to meet our needs because God has met our needs.  God has provided for us in the past and will provide for us in the future.  We may not be able to predict or control exactly what that looks like (there is a deep connection between a need to control and anxiety) but we will be ok.  We need to remember each day what God has done for us.  We need to give thanks for the many gifts of grace and love we have received.  By remembering and giving thanks we prod our worrying and anxious hearts to trust.



God is First

Then God spoke all these words: ²I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; ³you shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:1-3

 

Idolatry is a slippery thing.  We might think the first commandment is about worshipping foreign gods or statues, and it is.  But idolatry is also about the things that get in the way of our relationship with God.  When things other than God are first place in our lives they function as an idol.  It can be negative things like money or pride or power, but it can also be benign things like health and family and security.  The other gods in our lives beg us to trust them rather than God.  These other gods seek our attention and devotion and promise happiness, success, and security.  God called the Israelites to faithfulness and to remember all that God had done for them.  We need this reminder too.  We need to remember that God has given us all we have and will ever be.  We need to remember that God is God and nothing else is. God is calling us to a faithful life in which God comes first.  May we have the strength and wisdom to put God first and reject the siren song of the idols which call our name.

Focus on God

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; ²⁰but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.  Matthew 6:19-20

Like most people, I have a lot of stuff.  I don't think about how much stuff I have very often; it is there but goes unseen. But I have a closet full of clothes, a full dresser, jackets, shoes, computers, furniture, gadgets, and lots of junk.  And I consider myself non-materialistic! I have been storing up for myself treasures on earth for sure!

When Jesus tells his listeners and us to store up treasures in heaven he is telling us to get our priorities straight.  Historically, he was most likely talking to people who were mostly in poverty and had very few possessions.  To them his message seems to be: do not aspire to be like the rich who hoard money and possessions, but instead focus your attention on God--the thing that really matters.  On the other hand, when you have a life of abundance and comfort you may not notice all that you have.  It can however become the focus.  We are not content to have enough, we have an appetite for more and more. 

The spiritual answer to wealth and possessions is developing deep trust in God and discovering contentment.  We need to realize that all we have is a gift from God and we are entrusted with what we have to give God glory.  God will continue to provide for our needs so we do not need to store up for ourselves and hoard.  This is challenging and difficult in our culture, but it helps unlock a life of more peace and a deeper sense of God's work in our life.  I am going to clean out my closet...

Spirit and Truth

The woman said to him, “Sir, I see that you are a prophet. ²⁰Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.” ²¹Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. " John 4:19-21

There are occasions at church when someone will come, during now worship times, to pray in the sanctuary.  It doesn't happen too much, but when it does it is someone who seems troubled and is seeking out a space to connect with God.  God is certainly present in the church and it is understandable why people seek out so called "sacred spaces" to connect with God.  But is it only in the sacred places that we can meet God?

When the woman at the well meets Jesus she discusses the sacred space of the mountaintop which had been important to her ancestors and the sacred space of the temple in Jerusalem for the Jewish people.  Jesus refutes this whole worldview be asserting that it is not a space which makes an occasion sacred but the presence of the spirit.  We can have a moment with God anywhere at anytime.  We do not need to be at church, or in nature, or at an appointed time.  Jesus teaches the woman that God seeks those who will worship in "spirit and truth" (4:24).  What is needed to worship God in spirit is an openness to God's presence in our life.  God is everywhere all the time.  When we become aware of God's presence in our life and have eyes to see and ears to hear, then any place or time can be sacred.  To experience the sacred with must slow down, open our hearts, and let God's presence be revealed.

Revelation and Worship

There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. ³⁸At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. Luke 2:36-38

What is the result of a lifetime of worshipping fully?  What happens to a person after dedicating their life to worship and prayer?  The story of Anna suggests it results in understanding what God is up to in the world.  Anna is a widow who has spent many years coming to the temple and dedicating her life to worshipping God.  The moment she sees the 8-day old Jesus she knows the truth.  It will be through this child that the redemption of Jerusalem will take place.  This child is the one they have been waiting for.  Anna sees Jesus and knows immediately. 

Like anything, the more we spend our time devoted in worship, prayer, and reading the word the more we will grow.  We do not become spiritual giants overnight.  Rather, we become more spiritually strong through a lifetime of discipline and effort.  Anna knew Jesus because she had read the word and knew intimately the promises of God.  She was actively looking for signs of God's work in the world and was open.  The revelation that came to her was the result of a lifetime of faithfulness. 

What might God be trying to reveal to us?  How would a lifetime of spiritual discipline better prepare us to see what God is doing in our lives and the world?

Living Sacrifice

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1

To worship fully means giving thanks and praise to God with all of heart, soul, and strength.  But worship is more than an hour a week at church discipline.  According to Paul, worship is to be understood as a whole body experience.  Our bodies themselves not only participate in worship, but are to be presented as worship.  This has tremendous implications for how we live. Worshipping fully means that all that we do should be done as act of thanksgiving to God.  When we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, offer acts of compassion, extend hospitality, offer grace, forgive others, or work for a more just world are lives are worshipful.  This is a concept that transforms how we think of worship and how we ought to think of our lives.

Jesus Models Prayer

Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. ²³And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone. Matthew 14:22-23

To worship fully we must devote our heart to God, we must give thanks and praise for all that God has done in our lives and for all that God is.  Through Jesus, we not only have the opportunity to worship God but also to see an example of a worshipful life.  Jesus models a life of worship by taking intentional time regularly to connect with God through prayer.  He knows that he cannot sustain his ministry of healing and transformation without prayer and worship. 

After Jesus feed 5,000 people with five bread loaves and two fish, the scriptures say he "immediately" sent everyone away and went by himself to pray.  He didn't take a victory lap or enjoy the accolades from his disciples or thanks from the crowd, he simply went away.  Perhaps Jesus needed to spiritually recharge after exerting himself in such a way.  Perhaps he wanted to remain humble and not allow himself to take personal credit for such a feat, and in humility wanted to give God thanks.  Or perhaps Jesus just needed time away; time with God and apart from everyone always needing or wanting something.  Either way, Jesus went off and prayed and then returned the next day to continue the work he was called to.  Jesus provides for us a model for how to live a worship-filled life, may God grant us the grace to live it out.

Worship and Doubt

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Matthew 28:16-17

 What is the relationship between faith and doubt?  Is there a difference between having beliefs and having faith? Is it possible to worship God when you have doubts about what you believe? 

These are important faith questions that people often wrestle with.  When I was in college I had very serious doubts about God and what I believed.  Yet, I would find myself going to worship on a somewhat regular basis.  I felt compelled to be there, yet while I was there, I felt very conflicted. I could not recite the Lord’s Prayer or creed, and I could not bring myself to sing the words of the hymns. I had doubts and yet there I was in worship.  God was working in my life despite my doubts and questions.

When the disciples met the resurrected Jesus, they had doubts. The original Greek can actually be translated as “they worshipped and doubted.”  Rather than suggesting that some of the eleven worshipped and some doubted, the text implies that worship and doubt can fit together. It is only when we equate faith with belief that doubt becomes the enemy of faith.  Faith can be understood as distinct from belief when we see faith not as the absence of doubt or certainty, but trust in God.  I may not have all the answers or right beliefs about God, but I can have a deep and abiding trust in God.  Simply put, faith is a heart condition while belief is about the head.  While it is important to have beliefs and be able to articulate what we believe, ultimately believing the right things about God is quite different from having a relationship with God.

Life brings challenges and circumstances that can often shake the foundations of what we believe.  As people move through illness, suffering, and loss it is not uncommon to encounter doubts and questions.  Yet in the midst of our questions we can still have faith, we can still hold tightly to the presence and promises of God.  Yes, worship and doubt can and often do fit together and we should cultivate an open environment which lets those of who have trouble saying the words to worship and doubt.

Seeking God

Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, “Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. ²³For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. Acts 17:22-23

I believe that we were all created to be in relationship with God.  A fundamental level, this is the purpose of our life--to connect to God and discover the love and joy that only God can provide.  This is deep truth for me, one which I have come to believe over a period of time.  God creates in us the capacity or even hunger for relationship, but does not force it upon us.  I have experienced this as a journey.  Throughout my life I, as I look back now, have become more and more aware of God's presence in my life.  There were times when I ran from God and times when I ran toward God.  But whether I was cognizant of it or not, I have always been seeking God.  And I also believe God has always been seeking me (even more important). 

Not everyone's journey is the same, but God's heart is the same for each person.  God's loves everyone without exception and is calling each of us into relationship.  Paul certainly understood this for himself and for others.  He had dedicated his life to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, which made it possible for each person to receive and know God's love.  Through Christ, God was opening the door beyond tribal religion and unifying the people of God through God's amazing love and grace.  When Paul comes to Athens, he knows about their many gods.  As he studies the shrines and objects of their worship he notices a shrine to an unknown God.  The Greeks had numerous gods for every occasion and contingency, but they had a shrine to god they were not aware of.  Whether they seeking to cover all the bases or if they were truly open to something new is borne out in the results of Paul's efforts (some dismissed him, others wanted to hear more: 17:32). More importantly the natural openness of the Greeks to something new and something uncertain speaks to the deep truth that without God in our life we are left feeling empty.  No matter what other gods we worship, no matter how successful, educated, wealthy, or respected we might be, nothing can replace God's role in our life.  We are born to seek God and until we find God and are found by God, we will continue to restlessly search until our heart finds contentment in God's love.

Hope and Praise

Isaiah 2:2-4; Psalm 103:1-2

Worship begins with the acknowledgment that God is worthy of worship.  God is more than we can ever understand; more powerful, more loving, more mysterious.  God is God and we are not.  To worship fully we must seek to be in the presence of the living God, who has created, redeemed, and sustains all of creation.  We worship God and give thanks for all we are and ever will be.  We find our identity in our relationship with God and we find our hope for our future.

The prophet Isaiah spoke of the great hope we find in God.  Hope for our future, hope for our redemption, and hope for justice. 

He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. Isaiah 2:4

This vision of the future is filled with hope and filled with the expectation that God can and will bring peace to our relationships and our world.  We place our hope in God because we believe that God's vision for the world will become a reality. We have hope because we know God's promises will be fulfilled.  We give thanks to God in advance and we worship.

The faith community have been worshipping and giving thanks since the beginning and is captured perfectly in the Psalter:

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Psalm 103:1

The Psalms were written for congregational singing and this chorus offers great praise to the Lord.  It seeks not only God's blessing, but that the entirety of the singer be filled with God's presence and blessing.  To worship fully means that all that is within me is focused on God; my whole being is focused on giving God thanks and praise.  This is a song worth singing and a prayer worth praying each day!