Author: fmpastor

Read Psalm 14.

The readings thus far this week do not paint a very flattering picture of humankind. In this psalm, we read of foolishness, corruption, and evil. The psalmist pictures God searching for someone who is a wise seeker of God, only to be disappointed. “There is no one who does good, no not one.” While it’s tempting to think that the psalmist is just having a bad day and feeling frustrated, there is a nugget of truth in their words. Each of has, at times, been foolish. Each of us has gone astray or made things more difficult for someone.

Can you think of a time when God corrected your foolishness? Did it happen through some sort of enlightenment or did it come through suffering negative consequences? Despite its tone of doom and gloom, I hear two reasons for hope in this psalm. First, God has not abandoned us to our waywardness, but searches us for goodness. Secondly, in the last verse, the psalmist doesn’t say, “If the Lord restores the fortunes of his people,” but instead says, “When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people…” Even when we lose hope for ourselves, God does not. Out of steadfast love and faithfulness, God will continue to work to restore us, as individuals and collectively, to our God-created, best selves.

Offer a prayer of thanksgiving for the good that God has inspired and continues to bring out of God’s children.

Read Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28.

In these chapters, the prophet shares his vision of disaster upon disaster. Everything, both natural and manmade, is laid waste. Throughout, his listeners are told that this is their own doing. They have been foolish; they are “skilled in doing evil, but do not know how to good”; they have worshiped idols and hardened their hearts towards God.

Think about the landscape of our culture. What areas are desolate and scorched? Where can you see life and new growth? Which tends to get more of your attention? What, if any, steps are you taking towards bringing beauty from the ashes? In what ways are you partnering with God to restore balance both in nature and in your community, relationships, and health (physical, mental, spiritual)?

Offer a prayer of confession for the ways you have been foolish, taken God’s goodness for granted, or been hard-hearted towards God. Find assurance in the promise found in the next chapter: “Even in those days, I will not make a full end of you” (Jeremiah 5:18).

Read Luke 14:25-33.

Here, Jesus is speaking to a group of followers who have been inspired by all he has done. Maybe they want to follow so they can be fed and healed and empowered, but Jesus reminds them that discipleship is not all about what Jesus can do for them. It’s also about what they are willing to sacrifice to truly follow him.

What have you sacrificed to follow Jesus? What might Jesus be calling you to leave behind?

Offer a prayer of thanksgiving that Jesus continues to lead you even when you’re dragging a lot of extra baggage.

Read Philemon 1-21.

In this letter, Paul is trying to convince Philemon to welcome back Onesimus, a runaway slave. He reminds Philemon of their shared history and praises him for his faithful discipleship and evangelism. Paul urges Philemon to not only forgive Onesimus any debts he may owe, but to welcome him back as a brother. A cynical read of this letter might lead us to believe that Paul is being a bit manipulative – that he’s buttering Philemon up before asking a favor. And in case flattery doesn’t work, he drops in the line in vs. 19, “I say nothing about your owing me even your own self.”

I wonder if instead, Paul is reminding Philemon of what it means to live the life of Christ – one of forgiveness, of welcome, and of freedom. Rather than using his authority to get what he wants, Paul essentially says, “Look, this is who you are: loving, faithful, and encouraging. Because of this, I trust you to make the better choice.”

How do you tend to get your way? Do you manipulate, steam roll, or state your case and let it rest at that? To what degree are you willing to trust others, especially if their decisions aren’t what you think is best? To what degree do you trust God when outcomes don’t match with what you want? Today, consider a decision that is before you. It might be something in your personal life or in the church or in an organization you are a part of.

In prayer, offer this decision to God, ask for the wisdom to state your case well and for the peace to trust that no matter the outcome, all will be well.

Read Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18.

Here, God is again imagined as an artist who knits and weaves us into who we are to become. God knows our innermost selves, our fears and our failures, our hopes and our dreams. God was already at work in our lives even before our mothers knew about us. God knows the thoughts we are afraid to speak out loud. God equips us to be the right person for just the right moment. Often, it is not until afterwards that we can see God’s hand in situations where God has used us. This points us to a God who is always attentive and near.

Imagine God knitting you together in your mother’s womb. What do you think God had in mind for your life? How have you been gifted for the work of God’s kingdom? How eagerly are you using these gifts?

Pray for God’s vision to infuse you with a strong sense of purpose and to empower you for the work.

Read Jeremiah 18:1-11.

This passage invites us to imagine God as an artist, shaping and reshaping people and nations over and over. Unlike fired clay that is dry, hard, and often meant for one fixed purpose, we are soft and malleable in God’s hands.

What events in your life point to the Potter’s hands at work? How might the Potter be reshaping you even now?

Pray for a soft, malleable spirit that is open to God’s shaping.

Read Luke 14:1, 7-14.

In verse 1, we read that Jesus is dining at the home of a Pharisee and that the religious leaders were watching him closely. My guess is that their purpose in watching him closely was not so that they could imitate his ways. Instead, they were hoping to catch him up. Rather than being offended, Jesus uses this as a teaching moment. He speaks of humility and of hospitality. He calls us to extend welcome and grace to the ones who need it the most, rather than the ones who have something to offer back.

This is reminiscent of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 25, where he says, “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink…” We welcome Jesus in the way we welcome the ‘least of these’. In The Rule of St. Benedict, we read, “Let all guests who arrive be received like Christ, for he is going to say, ‘I came as a guest, and you received me.’ And to all let due honor be shown…In reception of the poor and of pilgrims the greatest care and solicitude should be shown, because it is especially in them that Christ is received.”

Take a measure of how well you receive Christ in the way you welcome the poor and the pilgrims. Consider who might be longing for your welcome. Today, pray for those who feel outcast, lonely, or lost.

Read Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16.

So far this week, we’ve been hearing God’s call to worship God alone. We have thought about those worldly things in which we often put our trust. Here, the author of this letter gives us the anecdote to idolatry. Mutual love…hospitality…care for those who don’t enjoy the same freedom as you…contentment with what you have…generosity.

In what ways is your life bearing the fruit of your confession of faith in Jesus? How often and in what ways do you offer a “sacrifice of praise”?

Consider writing a poem or short prayer of praise and keeping it somewhere you will notice it throughout the week.

Read Psalm 81.

In verse 9, God says, “There shall be no strange gods among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god.” Most of us would respond, “Well, of course I wouldn’t worship another god! Why would God even have to say this?” In our minds, we think of foreign gods as statues or icons surrounded by offerings of food or flowers. But our ‘foreign gods’ may, instead, take the form of an addiction of some sort or a political party or material wealth or projecting an image of a perfect life.

It’s all about who or what we’re going to trust. Are we going to trust those people, objects, or attitudes that leave us feeling empty, longing for more? Or are we going to trust the One who invites us to listen to God and to walk in God’s ways – the One who promises to feed us with the finest wheat and to satisfy us with honey from the rock? What ‘foreign gods’ distract you from trusting the Spirit of God in your life?

Offer each one by name in prayer and ask God to free you from them.