Author: fmpastor

Read Mark 7:24-37.

The first half of this reading is one that stops me in my tracks every time I read it. Did Jesus really just call that woman a dog?! I wonder if, rather than trying to insult her, Jesus was pushing her to claim hers and her daughter’s worthiness. The mother claimed her own worthiness in crossing religious and cultural barriers to even ask for healing on her daughter’s behalf. Regardless of her background, she believes her daughter is worthy of a life free from whatever it is that torments her.

The second half of the reading could also be looked at in terms of worthiness. In vs. 37, the bystanders say, “he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.” That word “even” infers that only Jesus would bother with someone who was deaf and blind. Where the people around him only see what is wrong with those they view as flawed or contaminated or worthless, Jesus looks on them with compassion and mercy, offering a new life and a new identity that they probably had never imagined for themselves.

To what extent do you believe you are worthy of Jesus’ healing? What voices try to convince you that you are not worthy of love, connection, and belonging? Are they the voices of others or is it that critical, inner voice?

Today in prayer, claim your worthiness as God’s beloved and boldly ask for healing of body, mind, spirit, and/or relationship.

Read James 2:1-17.

For the author of this letter and for many theologians who have followed, good works are not what ensure our salvation. Instead, good works are the outflow of our faith. When we receive the gift of grace in our lives, we cannot help but to be more gracious. When we have felt the relief that comes with being forgiven, the more apt we are to offer forgiveness to someone else. When we know what it’s like to be known, accepted, and loved as our truest selves – warts and all – then we tend to be more accepting and loving of others. When we recognize that everything we have comes from the Provider of All that is Good, we are more generous with what we believe is meant to be shared.

What do you believe about the connection between faith and works? In what ways does your faith affect the way you think, speak, and act? How do you respond to vs. 17, where we read, “So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead”?

Offer a prayer of commitment today, promising to “put feet” on your faith in tangible ways.

Read Psalm 124.

There’s a song in our “Faith We Sing” hymnal called, “If It Had Not Been for the Lord on My Side.” (You can hear it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=300qRoaZD5c) The lyrics ask the question: if it had not been for the Lord on my side, where would I be?

Sometimes we make the mistake of thinking that if the Lord is on my side, then the Lord must not be on “their” side (whoever “they” might be). It seems to me that this is a flawed way of thinking. If we are committed to walking in the way of the Lord and committed to the values of mercy, justice, and compassion, then God is on the side of us all. God wants all people to have fullness of life. God works within us, among us, through us, and sometimes in spite of us towards that end.

In prayer, reflect on the question mentioned above. If it had not been for the Lord on your side, where would you be? Express thanks and praise for all the ways God has stepped in to save, guide, and bless you.

Read Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23.

Often, we focus too much on what makes us different. In this passage, though, the wise one suggests we look at what we share in common: that we all come from the same Creator and source of life. Think about the people you care about and enjoy being around. What do you share in common with them? What do you appreciate about them? Now think about the people with whom you struggle. Try to think of something you might have in common with them and something you can appreciate about them.

Offer a prayer, thanking God for the gift of all of God’s children – for the ways they bless us and for the ways they stretch our capacity to love.

Read Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23.

According to Jesus, what matters most is what’s in our hearts. We may be nice and sparkly, pleasant and upbeat on the outside, but be harboring all sorts of ill-will and ill intentions on the inside. We may be smiling on the outside and full of judgment, hatred, and self-righteousness on the inside. A good sign that we need to spend a little time in self-reflection and prayer is when our outward words and behaviors don’t match up with what is in our hearts. According to Jesus, following him isn’t about giving lip service and putting on a good show. It’s about having a soft, malleable heart that looks at the world through the eyes of God’s love. It’s about aligning our will and our values with those of God’s.

Today, take some time to identify any hypocrisies within yourself. When do your inner thoughts or attitudes conflict with who you profess to be? Offer a prayer of confession for the issues that you find within yourself and trust God’s assurance of forgiveness.

Read James 1:17-27.

If ever we needed this encouragement, it is now. We, as a culture, have become bad at listening to each other. It is almost as if we believe the person who speaks first, who speaks the loudest, or who speaks with the most authority is the one who wins the point. What we fail to realize, though, is that our common life together isn’t a competition. We are on the same team. We all want what is best for our world and for the people who are in it. We may have different ideas about how to get there, but the goal is the same.

Can you imagine how much more progress we would make towards understanding and healing if we would just take this passage seriously? Can you image the ways we could work together towards a more hopeful future for our young people if we would just “practice the pause”? This means when someone is speaking you listen carefully. You wait to formulate your response until after you have heard everything they have to say. Before you respond, you consider a few things: How is my response going to land with the person to whom I am speaking? How is it going to affect our ability to communicate moving forward? Will my response be helpful? Will it inhibit growth or will it encourage it? Will my response bring harm to this person or to our relationship? By the way, these are the same questions we should be asking ourselves before we click “share,” “post,” or “send.”

Today, commit yourself to “practicing the pause” in any conversations you may have.

Read Psalm 72.

In this prayer for the king, the psalmist asks for God to guide the leader into the ways of God’s kingdom. They pray that the king would be righteous and just, both alert and responsive to the needs of the poor and oppressed. In God’s kingdom, the goal is not that the powerful remain powerful or that the status quo be preserved. Instead, it is that every person is safe, cared for, provided for, and that every person has a voice that is heard. In God’s kingdom, there is enough for everyone – enough for each person’s physical, spiritual, and emotional needs – enough for each person to recognize their own worth as well as that of others.

When you pray for our local, national, and international leaders, for what do you ask? Make a list of qualities you think are important in a leader. How do you think these align with the values of God’s kingdom?

Today, offer a prayer for leaders at all levels of government. Bonus points: send a note or email to one expressing your appreciation.

Read Song of Solomon 2:8-13.

This book is unique in a couple of ways. First, it is one of only two books in which there is no mention of God. Secondly, in this book, we hear the woman’s voice just as clearly and powerfully as we hear the man’s. It speaks of mutual, equitable relationship. Taken at face value, this is a book that speaks of human connection and longing for love. No matter how that takes shape in individual lives, love and belonging is a universal need. In this passage, the woman anticipates a reconnection with her beloved. Just as winter gives way to spring, this reunion will bring freshness, new life, and promise.

Think of someone with whom you have/had a deep, loving connection. It could have been a romantic relationship or a friendship or one with a special family member. Can you remember the anticipation of spending time with this person after a time apart? How did that feel? What were your hopes? Were you able to still recognize the blessing of the relationship when it wasn’t perfect? What lessons came from both the great times and the difficult times? How has that relationship shaped you?

Today, offer a prayer of thanks and of blessing for the person that has come to mind.

Read John 6:56-69.

This is the last of our readings on the Bread of Life for a while (thank goodness?!). We aren’t the only ones who are kind of tired of hearing about it – who are ready for Jesus to change the subject. Even some of his disciples found the teaching of Jesus hard to understand and, maybe even more importantly, hard to follow. While much of what Jesus says and does is about bringing comfort and reminding people that they are valued, worthy, and loved, he challenges and stretches too. Sometimes his words convict us or seem counterintuitive.

With which teachings of Jesus do you struggle – those about wealth, about anger, about forgiveness, about generosity, about authority, about religious and cultural tradition, about who is welcome in the Lord’s circle…?

Offer a prayer of confession for those times when you try and fail, or you ignore or you refuse to go along with Jesus’ teaching and example.

Read Ephesians 6:10-20.

Quite often, when we’re gearing up for a challenge or heading into a difficult situation, we think our ability to get through it lies in our own strength, independence, competence, intelligence, or charisma. In this reading, Paul gives us a different uniform: truth, righteousness, peacefulness, and faithfulness – all fortified by the promise of salvation and defended by the Spirit. In many ways, rather than to double down on self-dependence, this is an invitation to trust God to equip us for every task.

Think of the most difficult situation you have ever gone through. What (or who) got you through to the other side of it? In what ways did God equip you to endure that time? How easy is it for you to “let go and let God”? Think of a difficult situation in your life or in the world right now. Imagine it being encapsulated in truth, righteousness, peacefulness, and faithfulness. Now surrender it to God and offer a prayer of trust.