Nashville, Tennessee, United States - Upper Room Daily Reflections - daily words of wisdom and faith “To Love One Another” for Sunday, 25 May 2014

Nashville, Tennessee, United States - Upper Room Daily Reflections - daily words of wisdom and faith “To Love One Another” for Sunday, 25 May 2014

Today’s Reflection:

ALL OF US are like [the prodigal] son, needing more desperately than anything else the strong and gentle embrace of the hands of God. We must be those hands for each other – not someday, but today . . . .

Let us be gentle with each other. Let us touch each other. Let us touch even those who seem in some superficial way to be different. For we are all of us sons and daughters of God.

I once heard Peter Storey, preaching in Johannesburg during the reign of apartheid, suggest that we should be prepared when we sing that old child’s hymn: “Into my heart, into my heart, come into my heart, Lord Jesus.” Storey imagined that Jesus’ reply would be: “Okay, here I come, but I’m bringing all these other people with me.”(James C. Howell, Yours Are the Hands of Christ)

From page 59 of Yours Are the Hands of Christ: The Practice of Faith by James C. Howell. Copyright © 1998 by James C. Howell. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.

Today’s Question:

Is there someone for whom you are being led to pray?

Today’s Scripture:

They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.--John 14:21, NRSV

This Week: pray for those seeking employment.

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Did You Know?

In need of prayer? The Upper Room Living Prayer Center is a 7-day-a-week intercessory prayer ministry staffed by trained volunteers, call 1-800-251-2468.

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Saints, Inc.:

This week we remember: 

Bernardino of Siena (May 20).

Bernardino of Siena (1380-1444) was born near Siena, Italy. When he was orphaned at age six, his aunt raised him and helped him receive an extensive education (including a law degree). During a bubonic plague outbreak in Siena, Bernardino cared for the sick, then joined the Franciscan Brothers in 1402. He traveled by foot across Italy preaching with great passion, attracting huge crowds, and calling people to repentance. Because he felt strongly called to be a preacher and missionary, he turned down episcopal positions offered to him.

Bernardino wrote theological works and established Franciscan schools of theology in Monteripido and Perugia. He resigned administrative duties in 1442 and spent the last two years of his life on an extended preaching mission, traveling around Italy by donkey. He died on May 20, 1444, and was buried in Aquila. Soon, people were claiming miracles in his name.

Bernardino is the patron saint of advertising and communications.

If Bernardino of Siena had taken the Spiritual Types Test, he probably would have been a Sage. Bernardino of Siena is remembered on May 20.

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Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

Lectionary Scriptures for:

*Acts 17: 22 Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus, and said, “You men of Athens, I perceive that you are very religious in all things. 23 For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I announce to you. 24 The God who made the world and all things in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands, 25 neither is he served by men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself gives to all life and breath, and all things. 26 He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined appointed seasons, and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live, and move, and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’ 29 Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold, or silver, or stone, engraved by art and design of man. 30 The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent, 31 because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead.”

Psalm 66: 8 Praise our God, you peoples!

    Make the sound of his praise heard,

9 who preserves our life among the living,

    and doesn’t allow our feet to be moved.

10 For you, God, have tested us.

    You have refined us, as silver is refined.

11 You brought us into prison.

    You laid a burden on our backs.

12 You allowed men to ride over our heads.

    We went through fire and through water,

    but you brought us to the place of abundance.

13 I will come into your temple with burnt offerings.

I will pay my vows to you, 14     which my lips promised,

    and my mouth spoke, when I was in distress.

15 I will offer to you burnt offerings of fat animals,

    with the offering of rams,

    I will offer bulls with goats.

Selah.

16 Come, and hear, all you who fear God.

    I will declare what he has done for my soul.

17 I cried to him with my mouth.

    He was extolled with my tongue.

18 If I cherished sin in my heart,

    the Lord wouldn’t have listened.

19 But most certainly, God has listened.

    He has heard the voice of my prayer.

20 Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer,

    nor his loving kindness from me.

1 Peter 3: 13 Now who is he who will harm you, if you become imitators of that which is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “Don’t fear what they fear, neither be troubled.”[a] 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear: 16 having a good conscience; that, while you are spoken against as evildoers, they may be disappointed who curse your good way of life in Christ. 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, that you suffer for doing well than for doing evil. 18 Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19 in which he also went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who before were disobedient, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, while the ship was being built. In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21 This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you—not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.

Footnotes:

a. 1 Peter 3:14 Isaiah 8:12

John 14: 15 If you love me, keep my commandments. 16 I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor,[a] that he may be with you forever,— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world can’t receive; for it doesn’t see him, neither knows him. You know him, for he lives with you, and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more; but you will see me. Because I live, you will live also. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 One who has my commandments, and keeps them, that person is one who loves me. One who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will reveal myself to him.”

Footnotes:

a. John 14:16 Greek παρακλητον: Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, and Comforter.

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John Wesley’s Notes-commentary for:

*Acts 17:22-31

Verse 22

[22] Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.

Then Paul standing in the midst of the Areopagus — An ample theatre; said - Giving them a lecture of natural divinity, with admirable wisdom, acuteness, fulness, and courtesy. They inquire after new things: Paul in his divinely philosophical discourse, begins with the first, and goes on to the last things, both which were new things to them. He points out the origin and the end of all things, concerning which they had so many disputes, and equally refutes both the Epicurean and Stoic.

I perceive — With what clearness and freedom does he speak! Paul against Athens!

Verse 23

[23] For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

I found an altar — Some suppose this was set up by Socrates, to express in a covert way his devotion to the only true God, while he derided the plurality of the heathen gods, for which he was condemned to death: and others, that whoever erected this altar, did it in honour to the God of Israel, of whom there was no image, and whose name Jehovah was never made known to the idolatrous Gentiles.

Him proclaim I unto you — Thus he fixes the wandering attention of these blind philosophers; proclaiming to them an unknown, and yet not a new God.

Verse 24

[24] God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

God who made the world — Thus is demonstrated even to reason, the one true, good God; absolutely different from the creatures, from every part of the visible creation.

Verse 25

[25] Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

Neither is he served as though he needed any thing — or person - The Greek word equally takes in both.

To all — That live and breathe;-in him we live; and breathe - In him we move. By breathing life is continued. I breathe this moment: the next is not in my power: and all things - For in him we are. So exactly do the parts of this discourse answer each other.

Verse 26

[26] And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

He hath made of one blood the whole nation of men — By this expression the apostle showed them in the most unaffected manner, that though he was a Jew, be was not enslaved to any narrow views, but looked on all mankind as his brethren: having determined the times - That it is God who gave men the earth to inhabit, Paul proves from the order of times and places, showing the highest wisdom of the Disposer, superior to all human counsels.

And the bounds of their habitation — By mountains, seas, rivers, and the like.

Verse 27

[27] That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

If haply — The way is open; God is ready to be found. But he will lay no force upon man; they might feel after him - This is in the midst between seeking and finding. Feeling being the lowest and grossest of all our senses, is fitly applied to the low knowledge of God; though he be not far from every one of us - We need not go far to seek or find him. He is very near us; in us. It is only perverse reason which thinks he is afar off.

Verse 28

[28] For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

In him — Not in ourselves, we live, and move, and have our being - This denotes his necessary, intimate, and most efficacious presence. No words can better express the continual and necessary dependence of all created beings, in their existence and all their operations, on the first and almighty cause, which the truest philosophy as well as divinity teaches.

As certain also of your own poets have said — Aratus, whose words these are, was an Athenian, who lived almost three hundred years before this time. They are likewise to be found, with the alteration of one letter only, in the hymn of Cleanthes [(Cleanthes (331-232 B.C.) was a disciple of Zeno the Stoic. He considered the universe a living being and said that god was the soul of the universe and the sun its heart.)

Most glorious of the immortals, invoked by many names, ever all-powerful,

Zeus, the First Cause of Nature, who rules all things with Law,

Hail! It is right for mortals to call upon you,

since from you we have our being, we whose lot it is to be God's image,

we alone of all mortal creatures that live and move upon the earth.

Accordingly, I will praise you with my hymn and ever sing of your might.

The whole universe, spinning around the earth,

goes wherever you lead it and is willingly guided by you.

So great is the servant which you hold in your invincible hands,

your eternal, two-edged, lightning-forked thunderbolt.

By its strokes all the works of nature came to be established,

and with it you guide the universal Word of Reason which moves through all creation,

mingling with the great sun and the small stars.

O God, without you nothing comes to be on earth,

neither in the region of the heavenly poles, nor in the sea,

except what evil men do in their folly.

But you know how to make extraordinary things suitable,

and how to bring order forth from chaos; and even that which is unlovely is lovely to you.

For thus you have joined all things, the good with the bad, into one,

so that the eternal Word of all came to be one.

This Word, however, evil mortals flee, poor wretches;

though they are desirous of good things for their possession,

they neither see nor listen to God's universal Law;

and yet, if they obey it intelligently, they would have the good life.

But they are senselessly driven to one evil after another:

some are eager for fame, no matter how godlessly it is acquired;

others are set on making money without any orderly principles in their lives;

and others are bent on ease and on the pleasures and delights of the body.

They do these foolish things, time and again,

and are swept along, eagerly defeating all they really wish for.

O Zeus, giver of all, shrouded in dark clouds and holding the vivid bright lightning,

rescue men from painful ignorance.

Scatter that ignorance far from their hearts.

and deign to rule all things in justice.

so that, honored in this way, we may render honor to you in return,

and sing your deeds unceasingly, as befits mortals;

for there is no greater glory for men

or for gods than to justly praise the universal Word of Reason.] to Jupiter or the supreme being, one of the purest and finest pieces of natural religion in the whole world of Pagan antiquity.

Verse 29

[29] Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

We ought not to think — A tender expression especially in the first per son plural. As if he had said, Can God himself be a less noble being than we who are his offspring? Nor does he only here deny, that these are like God, but that they have any analogy to him at all, so as to be capable of representing him.

Verse 30

[30] And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

The times of ignorance — What! does he object ignorance to the knowing Athenians? Yes, and they acknowledge it by this very altar.

God overlooked — As one paraphrases, "The beams of his eye did in a manner shoot over it." He did not appear to take notice of them, by sending express messages to them as he did to the Jews.

But now — This day, this hour, saith Paul, puts an end to the Divine forbearance, and brings either greater mercy or punishment. Now he commandeth all men every where to repent - There is a dignity and grandeur in this expression, becoming an ambassador from the King of heaven. And this universal demand of repentance declared universal guilt in the strongest manner, and admirably confronted the pride of the haughtiest Stoic of them all. At the same time it bore down the idle plea of fatality. For how could any one repent of doing what he could not but have done?

Verse 31

[31] Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

He hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world — How fitly does he speak this, in their supreme court of justice? By the man - So he speaks, suiting himself to the capacity of his hearers.

Whereof he hath given assurance to all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead — God raising Jesus demonstrated hereby, that he was to be the glorious Judge of all. We are by no means to imagine that this was all which the apostle intended to have said, but the indolence of some of his hearers and the petulancy of others cut him short.

Psalm 66:8-20

Verse 10

[10] For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.

Proved us — As it were in a burning furnace; and with a design to purge out our dross.

Verse 11

[11] Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins.

Net — Which our enemies laid for us.

Verse 12

[12] Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.

To ride — To use us like slaves.

Verse 15

[15] I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. /*Selah*/.

I will go — One speaks in the name of all the rest.

Incense — With the fat of rams, which is no less pleasing to God than incense.

Verse 18

[18] If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

Iniquity — Any sin.

In heart — If my heart had been false to God, although I might have forborne outward acts. If I had been guilty of that, by heart was set upon sin, or I desired only that which I resolved in my heart to spend upon my lusts.

1 Peter 3:13-22

Verse 13

[13] And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?

Who is he that will harm you — None can.

Verse 14

[14] But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;

But if ye should suffer - This is no harm to you, but a good.

Fear ye not their fear — The very words of the Septuagint, Isaiah 8:12,13. Let not that fear be in you which the wicked feel.

Verse 15

[15] But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts — Have an holy fear, and a full trust in his wise providence.

The hope — Of eternal life.

With meekness — For anger would hurt your cause as well as your soul.

And fear — A filial fear of offending God, and a jealousy over yourselves, lest ye speak amiss.

Verse 16

[16] Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

Having a good conscience — So much the more beware of anger, to which the very consciousness of your innocence may betray you. Join with a good conscience meekness and fear, and you obtain a complete victory.

Your good conversation in Christ — That is, which flows from faith in him.

Verse 17

[17] For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

It is infinitely better, if it be the will of God, ye should suffer. His permissive will appears from his providence.

Verse 18

[18] For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

For — This is undoubtedly best, whereby we are most conformed to Christ. Now Christ suffered once - To suffer no more.

For sins — Not his own, but ours.

The just for the unjust — The word signifies, not only them who have wronged their neighbours, but those who have transgressed any of the commands of God; as the preceding word, just, denotes a person who has fulfilled, not barely social duties, but all kind of righteousness.

That he might bring us to God — Now to his gracious favour, hereafter to his blissful presence, by the same steps of suffering and of glory.

Being put to death in the flesh — As man.

But raised to life by the Spirit — Both by his own divine power, and by the power of the Holy Ghost.

Verse 19

[19] By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

By which Spirit he preached - Through the ministry of Noah.

To the spirits in prison — The unholy men before the flood, who were then reserved by the justice of God, as in a prison, till he executed the sentence upon them all; and are now also reserved to the judgment of the great day.

Verse 20

[20] Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

When the longsuffering of God waited — For an hundred and twenty years; all the time the ark was preparing: during which Noah warned them all to flee from the wrath to come.

Verse 21

[21] The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

The antitype whereof — The thing typified by the ark, even baptism, now saveth us - That is, through the water of baptism we are saved from the sin which overwhelms the world as a flood: not, indeed, the bare outward sign, but the inward grace; a divine consciousness that both our persons and our actions are accepted through him who died and rose again for us.

Verse 22

[22] Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

Angels and authorities and powers — That is, all orders both of angels and men.

John 14:15-21

Verse 15

[15] If ye love me, keep my commandments.

If ye love me, keep my commandments — Immediately after faith he exhorts to love and good works.

Verse 16

[16] And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

And I will ask the Father — The 21st verse, John 14:21, shows the connection between this and the preceding verses.

And he will give you another Comforter — The Greek word signifies also an advocate, instructer, or encourager.

Another — For Christ himself was one.

To remain with you for ever — With you, and your followers in faith, to the end of the world.

Verse 17

[17] Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

The Spirit of truth — Who has, reveals, testifies, and defends the truth as it is in Jesus.

Whom the world — All who do not love or fear God, cannot receive, because it seeth him not - Having no spiritual senses, no internal eye to discern him; nor consequently knoweth him.

He shall be in you — As a constant guest. Your bodies and souls shall be temples of the Holy Ghost dwelling in you.

Verse 18

[18] I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

I will not leave you orphans — A word that is elegantly applied to those who have lost any dear friend.

I come to you — What was certainly and speedily to be, our Lord speaks of as if it were already.

Verse 19

[19] Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

But ye see me — That is, ye shall certainly see me.

Because I live, ye shall live also — Because I am the living One in my Divine nature, and shall rise again in my human nature, and live for ever in heaven: therefore ye shall live the life of faith and love on earth, and hereafter the life of glory.

Verse 20

[20] At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

At that day — When ye see me after my resurrection; but more eminently at the day of pentecost.

Verse 21

[21] He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

He that hath my commandments — Written in his heart.

I will manifest myself to him — More abundantly.

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