Upper Room Daily Reflections - daily words of wisdom and faith “Restore
Us, Lord” for Sunday, 23 February 2014
Today’s Reflection:
RESTORE US, LORD. Once we prayed, knowing our help came from
you. Once we defied injustice, knowing that you were on our side. Once we
prayed all night ’til our help came. Once we apologized for calling someone a
fool. Once we believed it was important to please you. Restore us as people who
follow God even when no one is looking. Restore us, Lord. Amen!-–Kwasi I. Kena
in The Africana Worship Book: Year B“
From page 147 of The Africana Worship Book: Year B, edited by
Valerie Bridgeman Davis and Safiyah Fosua. Copyright © 2007 by Discipleship
Resources. Used by permission of Discipleship Resources.
http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.
Today’s Question:
Pray today’s prayer: RESTORE US, LORD. Once we prayed, knowing
our help came from you. Once we defied injustice, knowing that you were on our
side. Once we prayed all night ’til our help came. Once we apologized for
calling someone a fool. Once we believed it was important to please you.
Restore us as people who follow God even when no one is looking. Restore us,
Lord. Amen!
Today’s Scripture:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor
and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those
who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he
makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous
and on the unrighteous.”--Matthew 5:43-45, NRSV
This Week: pray for someone carrying a heavy burden.
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Saints, Inc.:
This week we remember:
Polycarp (February 23).
Feastday: February 23
Imagine being able to sit at the feet of the apostles and hear
their stories of life with Jesus from their own lips. Imagine walking with
those who had walked with Jesus, seen him, and touched him. That was what
Polycarp was able to do as a disciple of Saint John the Evangelist.
But being part of the second generation of Church leaders had
challenges that the first generation could not teach about. What did you do
when those eyewitnesses were gone? How do you carry on the correct teachings of
Jesus? How do you answer new questions that never came up before?
With the apostles gone, heresies sprang up pretending to be true
teaching, persecution was strong, and controversies arose over how to celebrate
liturgy that Jesus never laid down rules for.
Polycarp, as a holy man and bishop of Smyrna, found there was
only one answer -- to be true to the life of Jesus and imitate that life. Saint
Ignatius of Antioch told Polycarp "your mind is grounded in God as on an
immovable rock."
When faced with heresy, he showed the "candid face"
that Ignatius admired and that imitated Jesus' response to the Pharisees.
Marcion, the leader of the Marcionites who followed a dualistic heresy,
confronted Polycarp and demanded respect by saying, "Recognize us,
Polycarp." Polycarp responded, "I recognize you, yes, I recognize the
son of Satan."
On the other hand when faced with Christian disagreements he was
all forgiveness and respect. One of the controversies of the time came over the
celebration of Easter. The East, where Polycarp was from, celebrated the
Passover as the Passion of Christ followed by a Eucharist on the following day.
The West celebrated Easter on the Sunday of the week following Passover. When
Polycarp went to Rome to discuss the difference with Pope Anicetus, they could
not agree on this issue. But they found no difference in their Christian
beliefs. And Anicetus asked Polycarp to celebrate the Eucharist in his own
papal chapel.
Polycarp faced persecution the way Christ did. His own church
admired him for following the "gospel model" -- not chasing after
martyrdom as some did, but avoiding it until it was God's will as Jesus did.
They considered it "a sign of love to desire not to save oneself alone,
but to save also all the Christian brothers and sisters."
One day, during a bloody martyrdom when Christians were attacked
by wild animals in the arena, the crowd became so mad that they demanded more
blood by crying, "Down with the atheists; let Polycarp be found."
(They considered Christians "atheists" because they didn't believe in
their pantheon of gods.) Since Polycarp was not only known as a leader but as
someone holy "even before his grey hair appeared", this was a
horrible demand.
Polycarp was calm but others persuaded him to leave the city and
hide at a nearby farm. He spent his time in prayer for people he knew and for
the Church. During his prayer he saw a vision of his pillow turned to fire and
announced to his friends that the dream meant he would be burned alive.
As the search closed in, he moved to another farm, but the
police discovered he was there by torturing two boys. He had a little warning
since he was upstairs in the house but he decided to stay, saying, "God's
will be done."
Then he went downstairs, talked to his captors and fed them a
meal. All he asked of them was that they give him an hour to pray. He spent two
hours praying for everyone he had every known and for the Church,
"remembering all who had at any time come his way -- small folk and great
folk, distinguished and undistinguished, and the whole Catholic Church
throughout the world." Many of his captors started to wonder why they were
arresting this holy, eighty-six-year-old bishop.
But that didn't stop them from taking him into the arena on the
Sabbath. As he entered the arena, the crowd roared like the animals they
cheered. Those around Polycarp heard a voice from heaven above the crowd,
"Be brave, Polycarp, and act like a man."
The proconsul begged the eighty-six-year-old bishop to give in
because of his age. "Say 'Away with the atheists'" the proconsul
urged. Polycarp calmly turned to the face the crowd, looked straight at them,
and said, "Away with the atheists." The proconsul continued to plead
with him. When he asked Polycarp to swear by Caesar to save himself, Polycarp
answered, "If you imagine that I will swear by Caesar, you do not know who
I am. Let me tell you plainly, I am a Christian." Finally, when all else failed
the proconsul reminded Polycarp that he would be thrown to the wild animals
unless he changed his mind. Polycarp answered, "Change of mind from better
to worse is not a change allowed to us."
Because of Polycarp's lack of fear, the proconsul told him he
would be burned alive but Polycarp knew that the fire that burned for an hour
was better than eternal fire.
When he was tied up to be burned, Polycarp prayed, "Lord
God Almighty, Father of your beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, through whom
we have received knowledge of you, God of angels and powers, of the whole
creation and of the whole race of the righteous who live in your sight, I bless
you, for having made me worthy of this day and hour, I bless you, because I may
have a part, along with the martyrs, in the chalice of your Christ, to
resurrection in eternal life, resurrection both of soul and body in the
incorruptibility of the Holy Spirit. May I be received today, as a rich and
acceptable sacrifice, among those who are in you presence, as you have prepared
and foretold and fulfilled, God who is faithful and true. For this and for all
benefits I praise you, I bless you, I glorify you, through the eternal and
heavenly High Priest, Jesus Christ, your beloved Son, through whom be to you
with him and the Holy Spirit glory, now and for all the ages to come.
Amen."
The fire was lit as Polycarp said Amen and then the eyewitnesses
who reported said they saw a miracle. The fire burst up in an arch around
Polycarp, the flames surrounding him like sails, and instead of being burned he
seemed to glow like bread baking, or gold being melted in a furnace. When the
captors saw he wasn't being burned, they stabbed him. The blood that flowed put
the fire out.
The proconsul wouldn't let the Christians have the body because
he was afraid they would worship Polycarp. The witnesses reported this with
scorn for the lack of understanding of Christian faith: "They did not know
that we can never abandon the innocent Christ who suffered on behalf of sinners
for the salvation of those in this world." After the body was burned, they
stole the bones in order to celebrate the memory of his martyrdom and prepare
others for persecution. The date was about February 23, 156.
In His Footsteps:
When faced with challenges to your Christian life, try a version
of Polycarp's prayer of martyrdom: "Lord God Almighty, Father of your
beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, through whom we have received knowledge
of you, God of angels and powers, of the whole creation and of the whole race
of the righteous who live in your sight, I bless you, for having made me worthy
of this day and hour, I bless you, because I may have a part, along with the
martyrs, in the chalice of your Christ, to resurrection in eternal life,
resurrection both of soul and body in the incorruptibility of the Holy Spirit.
For this and for all benefits I praise you, I bless you, I glorify you, through
the eternal and heavenly High Priest, Jesus Christ, your beloved Son, through
whom be to you with him and the Holy Spirit glory, now and for all the ages to
come. Amen."
Prayer:
Saint Polycarp, sometimes Christ seems so far away from us.
Centuries have passed since he and the apostles walk the earth. Help us to see
that he is close to us always and that we can keep him near by imitating his
life as you did. Amen
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Lectionary Readings
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Leviticus 19:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to all
the congregation of the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘You shall be holy;
for I, Yahweh your God, am holy.
9 “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly
reap the corners of your field, neither shall you gather the gleanings of your
harvest. 10 You shall not glean your vineyard, neither shall you gather the
fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the
foreigner. I am Yahweh your God.
11 “‘You shall not steal.
“‘You shall not lie.
“‘You shall not deceive one another.
12 “‘You shall not swear by my name falsely, and profane the
name of your God. I am Yahweh.
13 “‘You shall not oppress your neighbor, nor rob him.
“‘The wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all
night until the morning.
14 “‘You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block
before the blind; but you shall fear your God. I am Yahweh.
15 “‘You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be
partial to the poor, nor show favoritism to the great; but you shall judge your
neighbor in righteousness.
16 “‘You shall not go up and down as a slanderer among your
people.
“‘You shall not endanger the life[a] of your neighbor. I am
Yahweh.
17 “‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall
surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.
18 “‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against
the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am
Yahweh.
Footnotes:
a. Leviticus 19:16 literally, “blood”
Psalm 119: HEY
33 Teach me, Yahweh, the way of your statutes.
I will keep them to
the end.
34 Give me understanding, and I will keep your law.
Yes, I will obey it
with my whole heart.
35 Direct me in the path of your commandments,
for I delight in them.
36 Turn my heart toward your statutes,
not toward selfish
gain.
37 Turn my eyes away from looking at worthless things.
Revive me in your
ways.
38 Fulfill your promise to your servant,
that you may be
feared.
39 Take away my disgrace that I dread,
for your ordinances
are good.
40 Behold, I long for your precepts!
Revive me in your
righteousness.
1 Corinthians 3: 10 According to the grace of God which
was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another
builds on it. But let each man be careful how he builds on it. 11 For no one
can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus
Christ.
16 Don’t you know that you are a temple of God, and that God’s
Spirit lives in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him;
for God’s temple is holy, which you are.
18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone thinks that he is wise
among you in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise. 19 For
the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He has
taken the wise in their craftiness.”[a] 20 And again, “The Lord knows the
reasoning of the wise, that it is worthless.”[b] 21 Therefore let no one boast
in men. For all things are yours, 22 whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or
the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come. All are
yours, 23 and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.
Footnotes:
a. 1 Corinthians 3:19 Job 5:13
b. 1 Corinthians 3:20 Psalm 94:11
Matthew 5: 38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for
an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’[a] 39 But I tell you, don’t resist him who is
evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40 If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also. 41
Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks
you, and don’t turn away him who desires to borrow from you.
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your
neighbor[b] and hate your enemy.’[c] 44 But I tell you, love your enemies,
bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those
who mistreat you and persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father
who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and
sends rain on the just and the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you,
what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? 47 If you
only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don’t even the tax
collectors[d] do the same? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your
Father in heaven is perfect.
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 5:38 Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21
b. Matthew 5:43 Leviticus 19:18
c. Matthew 5:43 not in the Bible, but see Qumran Manual of
Discipline Ix, 21-26
d. Matthew 5:47 NU reads “Gentiles” instead of “tax collectors”.
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John Wesley’s Notes/Commentary:
Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18
XIX Various Precepts to be holy, ver. 1, 2. To honour parents
and sabbaths, ver.
3. To shun idolatry, ver. 4. Duty to eat their peace-offering,
ver. 5- 8. To leave gleanings for the poor, ver. 9, 10. Not to steal, lie,
swear falsely, or defraud, ver. 11-13. Not to curse the deaf, or put a
stumbling-block before the blind, ver. 14. Not to judge unjustly, carry tales,
or bear false witness, ver. 15, 16. To reprove sinners, not to revenge
themselves; to love their neighbours, ver. 17, 18. Not to mix different things,
ver. 19. Not to lie with their bond- maids, ver. 20-22. Not to eat of the fruit
of the land for four years, ver. 23-25. Not to eat blood, use enchantments, or
heathen customs, ver. 26-28. Or prostitute their daughters, ver. 29. To
reverence God and his sanctuary, ver. 30. Not to regard wizards, ver. 31. To
honour the aged, ver. 32. Love and right the stranger, ver. 33, 34. Do no
injustice, ver. 34,
35, 36.
Verse 2. Be ye holy - Separated from all the forementioned
defilements, and entirely consecrated to God and obedient to all his laws. I am
holy - Both in my essence, and in all my laws, which are holy and just and
good.
Verse 10. I am the Lord your God - Who gave you all these things
with a reservation of my right in them, and with a charge of giving part of
them to the poor.
Verse 12. Ye shall not swear falsely - This is added, to shew
how one sin draws on another, and that when men will lye for their own
advantage, they will easily be induced to perjury. Profane the name - By any
unholy use of it. So it is an additional precept, thou shalt not abuse my holy
name by swearing either falsely or rashly.
Verse 14. Before the blind - To make them fall. Under these two
particulars are manifestly forbidden all injuries done to such as are unable to
right or defend themselves; of whom God here takes the more care, because they
are not able to secure themselves. Fear thy God - Who both can and will avenge
them.
Verse 15. The poor - So as through pity to him to give an
unrighteous sentence.
Verse 16. Stand against the blood - In judgment as a false
accuser or false witness, for accusers and witnesses use to stand, whilst the
Judges sit in courts of judicature.
Verse 17. Thou shalt not hate - As thou dost, in effect, if thou
dost not rebuke him. Thy brother - The same as thy neighbour, that is, every
man. If thy brother hath done wrong, thou shalt neither divulge it to others,
nor hate him, and smother that hatred by sullen silence; nor flatter him
therein, but shalt freely and in love, tell him of his fault. And not suffer
sin upon him - Not suffer him to lie under the guilt of any sin, which thou by
rebuking him, and thereby bringing him to repentance, couldst free him from.
Verse 18. Thy neighbour - Every man, as plainly appears,
1. By comparing this place with ver. 34, where this law is
applied to strangers.
2. Because the word neighbour is explained by another man, chap.
xx, 10 Rom. xiii, 8. As thyself - With the same sincerity, though not equality
of affection.
Psalm 119:33-40
Verse 36. Covetousness - He mentions this in particular, because
it is most opposite to God's testimonies, and does most commonly hinder men
from receiving his word, and from profiting by it: and because it is most
pernicious, as being the root of all evil.
Verse 37. Vanity - The vain things of this present world, such
as riches, honours, pleasures: from beholding them, with desire or affection.
Quicken - Make me lively, vigourous and fervent in thy service.
Verse 38. Stablish - Confirm and perform thy promises.
Verse 39. I fear - For my instability in thy ways; which in
respect to my own weakness, I have great cause to fear.
Verse 40. Longed - After a more solid knowledge and constant
performance of them. In - According to thy faithfulness.
1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23
Verse 10. According to the grace of God given to me - This he
premises, lest he should seem to ascribe it to himself. Let every one take heed
how he buildeth thereon - That all his doctrines may be consistent with the
foundation.
Verse 11. For other foundation - On which the whole church: and
all its doctrines, duties, and blessings may be built. Can no man lay than what
is laid - In the counsels of divine wisdom, in the promises and prophecies of the
Old Testament, in the preaching of the apostles, St. Paul in particular. Which
is Jesus Christ - Who, in his person and offices, is the firm, immovable Rock
of Ages, every way sufficient to bear all the weight that God himself, or the
sinner, when he believes, can lay upon him.
Verse 16. Ye - All Christians. Are the temple of God - The most
noble kind of building, ver. 9.
Verse 17. If any man destroy the temple of God - Destroy a real
Christian, by schisms, or doctrines fundamentally wrong. Him shall God destroy
- He shall not be saved at all; not even as through the fire."
Verse 18. Let him become a fool in this world - Such as the
world accounts so. That he may become wise - In God's account.
Verse 19. For all the boasted wisdom of the world is mere foolishness
in the sight of God. He taketh the wise in their own craftiness - Not only
while they think they are acting wisely, but by their very wisdom, which itself
is their snare, and the occasion of their destruction. Job v, 13.
Verse 20. That they are but vain - Empty, foolish; they and all
their thoughts. Psalm xciv, 11.
Verse 21. Therefore - Upon the whole. Let none glory in men - So
as to divide into parties on their account. For all things are yours - and we
in particular. We are not your lords, but rather your servants.
Verse 22. Whether Paul or Apollos, or Cephas - We are all
equally yours, to serve you for Christ's sake. Or the world - This leap from
Peter to the world greatly enlarges the thought, and argues a kind of
impatience of enumerating the rest. Peter and every one in the whole world,
however excellent in gifts, or grace, or office, are also your servants for
Christ's sake. Or life, or death - These, with all their various circumstances,
are disposed as will be most for your advantage. Or things present - On earth.
Or things to come - In heaven. Contend, therefore, no more about these little
things; but be ye united in love, as ye are in blessings.
Verse 23. And ye are Christ's - His property, his subjects. his
members. And Christ is God's - As Mediator, he refers all his services to his
Father's glory.
Matthew 5:38-48
Verse 38. Ye have heard - Our Lord proceeds to enforce such
meekness and love on those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake (which he
pursues to the end of the chapter) as were utterly unknown to the scribes and
Pharisees. It hath been said - In the law, as a direction to Judges, in ease of
violent and barbarous assaults. An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth -
And this has been interpreted, as encouraging bitter and rigorous revenge.
Deut. xix, 21.
Verse 39. But I say unto you, that ye resist not the evil man -
Thus; the Greek word translated resist signifies standing in battle array,
striving for victory. If a man smite thee on the right cheek - Return not evil
for evil: yea, turn to him the other - Rather than revenge thyself.
40, 41. Where the damage is not great, choose rather to suffer
it, though possibly it may on that account be repeated, than to demand an eye
for an eye, to enter into a rigorous prosecution of the offender. The meaning
of the whole passage seems to be, rather than return evil for evil, when the
wrong is purely personal, submit to one bodily wrong after another, give up one
part of your goods after another, submit to one instance of compulsion after
another. That the words are not literally to be understood, appears from the
behaviour of our Lord himself, John xviii, 22,
Verse 42. Thus much for your behaviour toward the violent. As
for those who use milder methods, Give to him that asketh thee - Give and lend
to any so far, (but no further, for God never contradicts himself) as is
consistent with thy engagements to thy creditors, thy family, and the household
of faith. Luke vi, 30.
Verse 43. Thou shalt love thy neighbour; And hate thy enemy -
God spoke the former part; the scribes added the latter. Lev. xix, 18.
Verse 44. Bless them that curse you - Speak all the good you can
to and of them, who speak all evil to and of you. Repay love in thought, word,
and deed, to those who hate you, and show it both in word and deed. Luke vi,
27, 35.
Verse 45. That ye may be the children - That is, that ye may
continue and appear such before men and angels. For he maketh his sun to rise -
He gives them such blessings as they will receive at his hands. Spiritual
blessings they will not receive.
Verse 46. The publicans - were officers of the revenue, farmers,
or receivers of the public money: men employed by the Roman to gather the taxes
and customs, which they exacted of the nations they had conquered. These were
generally odious for their extortion and oppression, and were reckoned by the
Jews as the very scum of the earth.
Verse 47. And if ye salute your friends only - Our Lord probably
glances at those prejudices, which different sects had against each other, and
intimates, that he would not have his followers imbibe that narrow spirit.
Would to God this had been more attended to among the unhappy divisions and
subdivisions, into which his Church has been crumbled! And that we might at
least advance so far, as cordially to embrace our brethren in Christ, of
whatever party or denomination they are!
Verse 48. Therefore ye shall be perfect; as your Father who is
in heaven is perfect - So the original runs, referring to all that holiness which
is described in the foregoing verses, which our Lord in the beginning of the
chapter recommends as happiness, and in the close of it as perfection. And how
wise and gracious is this, to sum up, and, as it were, seal all his
commandments with a promise! Even the proper promise of the Gospel! That he
will put those laws in our minds, and write them in our hearts! He well knew
how ready our unbelief would be to cry out, this is impossible! And therefore
stakes upon it all the power, truth, and faithfulness of him to whom all things
are possible.
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