Sunday, May 7, 2017
"The Birds and the Bees 'Jesus and a Divorcée'”
Scripture: John 4:5 He came to a town in Shomron called Sh’khem, near the field Ya‘akov had given to his son Yosef. 6 Ya‘akov’s Well was there; so Yeshua, exhausted from his travel, sat down by the well; it was about noon. 7 A woman from Shomron came to draw some water; and Yeshua said to her, “Give me a drink of water.” 8 (His talmidim had gone into town to buy food.) 9 The woman from Shomron said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for water from me, a woman of Shomron?” (For Jews don’t associate with people from Shomron.) 10 Yeshua answered her, “If you knew God’s gift, that is, who it is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink of water,’ then you would have asked him; and he would have given you living water.”
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Prayer Tip: Jesus and a Divorcee
Daily Scripture
John 4:5 He came to a town in Shomron called Sh’khem, near the field Ya‘akov had given to his son Yosef. 6 Ya‘akov’s Well was there; so Yeshua, exhausted from his travel, sat down by the well; it was about noon. 7 A woman from Shomron came to draw some water; and Yeshua said to her, “Give me a drink of water.” 8 (His talmidim had gone into town to buy food.) 9 The woman from Shomron said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for water from me, a woman of Shomron?” (For Jews don’t associate with people from Shomron.) 10 Yeshua answered her, “If you knew God’s gift, that is, who it is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink of water,’ then you would have asked him; and he would have given you living water.”
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Prayer Tip:
I start my mornings (well, weekday mornings anyway) in prayer and Scripture. I read from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young, My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers, and the Bible. A few weeks ago, I read something in Chambers’ book that has stuck with me. He addressed the attitude with which we pray. He suggests that “we awaken ourselves to the point where God is able to convey His mind to us regarding the people for whom we intercede.” He asks the question “Can Jesus Christ see the agony of His soul in us?” and then answers, saying, “He can’t unless we are so closely identified with Him that we have his view concerning the people for whom we pray.”*
What I take from that is that, if we want to pray for God’s will, we must first learn to discern what that will is. Sometimes, I get so worried about a person or situation that my first thought is to pray immediately, and to pray for the outcome I desire. I think learning to pray God’s will is not quick or easy. In order to understand God’s will, we have to get to know God. We do this by spending time in prayer and Scripture. We can ask that clichéd question, What Would Jesus Do? (or What Would Jesus Pray?). We can look to the Bible for guidance on how Jesus would see a specific situation and those involved. We can even begin our prayers by asking for God’s vision.
Holy God,
We are grateful for the opportunity to come to you in prayer. What a privilege it is to commune directly with you, sharing exactly what is on our hearts. As we grow in maturity, let us continue to openly reveal all of ourselves to you, but also show us how to pray your will as we pray our desires. Draw us close to you, that we might know you more, and be able to more fully love others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.[Angela LaVallie Tinsley, Prayer and Funeral Ministries]
* Chambers, Oswald. My Utmost for His Highest. Special Updated Edition. Edited by James Reimann, Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd., 1995.
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Prayer Tip: Jesus and a Divorcee
Daily Scripture
John 4:5 He came to a town in Shomron called Sh’khem, near the field Ya‘akov had given to his son Yosef. 6 Ya‘akov’s Well was there; so Yeshua, exhausted from his travel, sat down by the well; it was about noon. 7 A woman from Shomron came to draw some water; and Yeshua said to her, “Give me a drink of water.” 8 (His talmidim had gone into town to buy food.) 9 The woman from Shomron said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for water from me, a woman of Shomron?” (For Jews don’t associate with people from Shomron.) 10 Yeshua answered her, “If you knew God’s gift, that is, who it is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink of water,’ then you would have asked him; and he would have given you living water.”
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Prayer Tip:
I start my mornings (well, weekday mornings anyway) in prayer and Scripture. I read from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young, My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers, and the Bible. A few weeks ago, I read something in Chambers’ book that has stuck with me. He addressed the attitude with which we pray. He suggests that “we awaken ourselves to the point where God is able to convey His mind to us regarding the people for whom we intercede.” He asks the question “Can Jesus Christ see the agony of His soul in us?” and then answers, saying, “He can’t unless we are so closely identified with Him that we have his view concerning the people for whom we pray.”*
What I take from that is that, if we want to pray for God’s will, we must first learn to discern what that will is. Sometimes, I get so worried about a person or situation that my first thought is to pray immediately, and to pray for the outcome I desire. I think learning to pray God’s will is not quick or easy. In order to understand God’s will, we have to get to know God. We do this by spending time in prayer and Scripture. We can ask that clichéd question, What Would Jesus Do? (or What Would Jesus Pray?). We can look to the Bible for guidance on how Jesus would see a specific situation and those involved. We can even begin our prayers by asking for God’s vision.
Holy God,
We are grateful for the opportunity to come to you in prayer. What a privilege it is to commune directly with you, sharing exactly what is on our hearts. As we grow in maturity, let us continue to openly reveal all of ourselves to you, but also show us how to pray your will as we pray our desires. Draw us close to you, that we might know you more, and be able to more fully love others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.[Angela LaVallie Tinsley, Prayer and Funeral Ministries]
* Chambers, Oswald. My Utmost for His Highest. Special Updated Edition. Edited by James Reimann, Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd., 1995.
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”God’s original plan: enduring marriages"
Monday, 8 May 2017
Malachi 2:14 Nevertheless, you ask, “Why is this?”
Because Adonai is witness
between you and the wife of your youth
that you have broken faith with her,
though she is your companion, your wife by covenant.
15 And hasn’t he made [them] one [flesh]
in order to have spiritual blood-relatives?
For what the one [flesh] seeks
is a seed from God.
Therefore, take heed to your spirit,
and don’t break faith with the wife of your youth.
16 “For I hate divorce,”
says Adonai the God of Isra’el,
“and him who covers his clothing with violence,”
says Adonai-Tzva’ot.
Therefore take heed to your spirit,
and don’t break faith.
Matthew 19:3 Some P’rushim came and tried to trap him by asking, “Is it permitted for a man to divorce his wife on any ground whatever?” 4 He replied, “Haven’t you read that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female,[Matthew 19:4 Genesis 1:27, 5:2] 5 and that he said, ‘For this reason a man should leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two are to become one flesh’?[Matthew 19:5 Genesis 2:24]6 Thus they are no longer two, but one. So then, no one should split apart what God has joined together.”
7 They said to him, “Then why did Moshe give the commandment that a man should hand his wife a get and divorce her?”[Matthew 19:7 Deuteronomy 24:1, 3] 8 He answered, “Moshe allowed you to divorce your wives because your hearts are so hardened. But this is not how it was at the beginning. 9 Now what I say to you is that whoever divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery!”
10 The talmidim said to him, “If that is how things are between husband and wife, it would be better not to marry!”
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Because Adonai is witness
between you and the wife of your youth
that you have broken faith with her,
though she is your companion, your wife by covenant.
15 And hasn’t he made [them] one [flesh]
in order to have spiritual blood-relatives?
For what the one [flesh] seeks
is a seed from God.
Therefore, take heed to your spirit,
and don’t break faith with the wife of your youth.
16 “For I hate divorce,”
says Adonai the God of Isra’el,
“and him who covers his clothing with violence,”
says Adonai-Tzva’ot.
Therefore take heed to your spirit,
and don’t break faith.
Matthew 19:3 Some P’rushim came and tried to trap him by asking, “Is it permitted for a man to divorce his wife on any ground whatever?” 4 He replied, “Haven’t you read that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female,[Matthew 19:4 Genesis 1:27, 5:2] 5 and that he said, ‘For this reason a man should leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two are to become one flesh’?[Matthew 19:5 Genesis 2:24]6 Thus they are no longer two, but one. So then, no one should split apart what God has joined together.”
7 They said to him, “Then why did Moshe give the commandment that a man should hand his wife a get and divorce her?”[Matthew 19:7 Deuteronomy 24:1, 3] 8 He answered, “Moshe allowed you to divorce your wives because your hearts are so hardened. But this is not how it was at the beginning. 9 Now what I say to you is that whoever divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery!”
10 The talmidim said to him, “If that is how things are between husband and wife, it would be better not to marry!”
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Malachi saw people who casually broke their human marriage “covenant” as a symptom of Israel’s infidelity to God. His concern may have reflected a rabbinic debate over how to apply Deuteronomy 24:1, as did the question Jesus’ enemies posed to him. Jesus said, in effect, “that was the best Moses could do,” but he wouldn’t agree that one verse in Deuteronomy was the final word. Instead, he said, the Creation story showed God’s ideal more clearly.
• Some rabbis taught that Deuteronomy 24:1 allowed divorce for any offense—even burning breakfast! It was in the Bible, they argued, so it must be what God wanted. As in other cases, Jesus looked at the entire Bible, not just a verse here and there, and taught a higher, more loving ideal. When have you seen snippets of Scripture used, as the Pharisees did, in ways that hurt rather than helping people?
• The prophet Malachi did not address unavoidable divorce (e.g. if there was physical or psychological abuse). He just said God didn’t favor routinely breaking marriage vows. Saying God “hates divorce” did NOT mean God hates divorced people. (We’ll read John 4 tomorrow through Thursday. Spoiler alert: it told of Jesus’ care for a woman divorced five times.) How can living out marriage vows with integrity, when possible, help us grow spiritually? How can it set a tone of integrity for all issues that depend on honoring our word?
Prayer: Lord God, through your Spirit’s presence, give me a clearer vision of your lofty ideals, and of how you want me to honor my commitments to you and to those to whom I am closest. Amen.
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Amie Littrell
Amie Littrell is a Saint Paul Fellow. She is a full-time student, part-time Pastoral Intern, and Mom of three.
After 15 years of my own personal marriage experience, I'd like to share what is simply my own opinion: marriage is hard.
Someone recently told me that marriage was not supposed to be hard. They told me that if it's too hard for a long period of time, that means that's not the right person for you. I disagree (with a big caveat).
Caveat: Some people wonder why Jesus speaks only of sexual infidelity and not of abuse and neglect. Jesus may not have needed to comment to the Jews about situations of abuse and neglect, because they all agreed that abuse or neglect were grounds for leaving a marriage. The law book that Jesus and the other Jews of his time believed was the first 5 books of the Bible, the Torah. In Exodus 21:10-11, the law says that if a man doesn't provide "food, clothing, and marital rights" for a woman he marries, then she is able to go free. Don't miss this important verse! The God of the Bible is for health and life for all persons! The God of the Bible wants everyone to thrive, have abundant life, and escape dangerous, threatening, or life-killing people.
The question they were disputing in that culture was whether or not it was cceptable to divorce a woman "for just any reason." (Matthew 19:3) Jesus' definitive response is "no."
Marriage is going to be hard, because life is hard. Life doesn't hit us all in the same way, or to the same degree, but it hits all of us. Some married people find themselves caring for a chronically ill or disabled partner. That can be a hard situation for many years. Some marriages face financial struggles, not just for a little while, but for many years. That can be hard for a long time, even if both partners are working their best to change the situation. Some partners must learn how to care for and raise children with special needs, or who are mentally ill, or present any other number of challenges. Parenthood can feel like several back to back marathons. It can be hard! For a long time! In any one of these situations, it might be tempting to bail on commitments made because "it's just too hard" or because "I deserve to be happy or have an easier life." Unfortunately, if we were to withdraw our care and support in any of those situations, we would be making an already hard situation twice as hard for our partners. Jesus says that's not the way.
How is it humanly possible, then, to endure any of these situations? Maybe it's not. But every person is valuable, deserves to be cared for and have basic needs met. That's where God enters the scene. I have not been able to handle many of the challenges I've faced in my marriages. They have truly seemed humanly impossible. But something amazing happens when I cry out to God: God gives me what I need. Divine strength, endurance, peace in storms, love when there was little left. Looking back, I think, "How in the world did I get through that season of life?" The only answer I have is God. I give God thanks and praise that somehow he has made ways for me to honor the people that I've made commitments to, even when it seemed impossible. From the depths of my soul I say, "thank you" to you, God.
What do you need to ask God for today, so that you can honor the commitments you've made to others?
Amie LittrellAmie Littrell is a Saint Paul Fellow. She is a full-time student, part-time Pastoral Intern, and Mom of three.
After 15 years of my own personal marriage experience, I'd like to share what is simply my own opinion: marriage is hard.
Someone recently told me that marriage was not supposed to be hard. They told me that if it's too hard for a long period of time, that means that's not the right person for you. I disagree (with a big caveat).
Caveat: Some people wonder why Jesus speaks only of sexual infidelity and not of abuse and neglect. Jesus may not have needed to comment to the Jews about situations of abuse and neglect, because they all agreed that abuse or neglect were grounds for leaving a marriage. The law book that Jesus and the other Jews of his time believed was the first 5 books of the Bible, the Torah. In Exodus 21:10-11, the law says that if a man doesn't provide "food, clothing, and marital rights" for a woman he marries, then she is able to go free. Don't miss this important verse! The God of the Bible is for health and life for all persons! The God of the Bible wants everyone to thrive, have abundant life, and escape dangerous, threatening, or life-killing people.
The question they were disputing in that culture was whether or not it was cceptable to divorce a woman "for just any reason." (Matthew 19:3) Jesus' definitive response is "no."
Marriage is going to be hard, because life is hard. Life doesn't hit us all in the same way, or to the same degree, but it hits all of us. Some married people find themselves caring for a chronically ill or disabled partner. That can be a hard situation for many years. Some marriages face financial struggles, not just for a little while, but for many years. That can be hard for a long time, even if both partners are working their best to change the situation. Some partners must learn how to care for and raise children with special needs, or who are mentally ill, or present any other number of challenges. Parenthood can feel like several back to back marathons. It can be hard! For a long time! In any one of these situations, it might be tempting to bail on commitments made because "it's just too hard" or because "I deserve to be happy or have an easier life." Unfortunately, if we were to withdraw our care and support in any of those situations, we would be making an already hard situation twice as hard for our partners. Jesus says that's not the way.
How is it humanly possible, then, to endure any of these situations? Maybe it's not. But every person is valuable, deserves to be cared for and have basic needs met. That's where God enters the scene. I have not been able to handle many of the challenges I've faced in my marriages. They have truly seemed humanly impossible. But something amazing happens when I cry out to God: God gives me what I need. Divine strength, endurance, peace in storms, love when there was little left. Looking back, I think, "How in the world did I get through that season of life?" The only answer I have is God. I give God thanks and praise that somehow he has made ways for me to honor the people that I've made commitments to, even when it seemed impossible. From the depths of my soul I say, "thank you" to you, God.
What do you need to ask God for today, so that you can honor the commitments you've made to others?
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“A spring of water that bubbles up into eternal life”
Tuesday, 9 May 2017
John 4:4 This meant that he had to pass through Shomron.
5 He came to a town in Shomron called Sh’khem, near the field Ya‘akov had given to his son Yosef. 6 Ya‘akov’s Well was there; so Yeshua, exhausted from his travel, sat down by the well; it was about noon. 7 A woman from Shomron came to draw some water; and Yeshua said to her, “Give me a drink of water.” 8 (His talmidim had gone into town to buy food.) 9 The woman from Shomron said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for water from me, a woman of Shomron?” (For Jews don’t associate with people from Shomron.) 10 Yeshua answered her, “If you knew God’s gift, that is, who it is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink of water,’ then you would have asked him; and he would have given you living water.”
11 She said to him, “Sir, you don’t have a bucket, and the well is deep; so where do you get this ‘living water’? 12 You aren’t greater than our father Ya‘akov, are you? He gave us this well and drank from it, and so did his sons and his cattle.” 13 Yeshua answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I will give him will never be thirsty again! On the contrary, the water I give him will become a spring of water inside him, welling up into eternal life!”
5 He came to a town in Shomron called Sh’khem, near the field Ya‘akov had given to his son Yosef. 6 Ya‘akov’s Well was there; so Yeshua, exhausted from his travel, sat down by the well; it was about noon. 7 A woman from Shomron came to draw some water; and Yeshua said to her, “Give me a drink of water.” 8 (His talmidim had gone into town to buy food.) 9 The woman from Shomron said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for water from me, a woman of Shomron?” (For Jews don’t associate with people from Shomron.) 10 Yeshua answered her, “If you knew God’s gift, that is, who it is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink of water,’ then you would have asked him; and he would have given you living water.”
11 She said to him, “Sir, you don’t have a bucket, and the well is deep; so where do you get this ‘living water’? 12 You aren’t greater than our father Ya‘akov, are you? He gave us this well and drank from it, and so did his sons and his cattle.” 13 Yeshua answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I will give him will never be thirsty again! On the contrary, the water I give him will become a spring of water inside him, welling up into eternal life!”
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In the hot Middle East, most women enjoyed a morning or evening social time at the well. That this woman came alone at noon said she probably didn't wish to meet the other town women. Jesus’ offer of “living water” (in common usage, the term meant fresh, clean running water, not stagnant water from a cistern) was intriguing. But Jacob’s Well wasn’t stale, so at first the woman was a bit skeptical.
• In what ways did Jesus risk rudeness, rejection or damage to his reputation when he chose to speak to the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well? What made him willing to take those risks to offer “living water” to a person of a different, despised race, and a socially outcast woman at that? What does his model teach us about how, as Christ-followers, God may call us to reach out to people who are different?
• Jesus said, “The water that I give will become in those who drink it a spring of water that bubbles up into eternal life” (verse 14). What choices have helped you make your walk with Jesus one that “bubbles up into eternal life”? In what ways are you able to let that life-filled, bubbling quality show as you go about your business (no matter what your natural temperament)?
Prayer: Dear Jesus, you were willing to ask for, and to accept, help even from unlikely people. I ask for your living water, to quench the deepest thirsts of my heart and then to help other thirsty souls. Amen.
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Brandon Gregory
Brandon Gregory is a volunteer for the worship and missions teams at Church of the Resurrection. He helps lead worship at Vibe, West and Downtown services, and is involved with the Malawi missions team at home.I was sitting in a quaint Halal restaurant in Overland Park, across the table from one of my coworkers whom I’d met in passing a few times. We went out to grab a bite to talk about some work matters, but the conversation quickly turned to faith. Both of us were very serious about our religion: Christianity for me and Islam for him. And we were both serious enough about it to realize that there were a lot of religious people who got it wrong and made things harder for those of us who wanted to actually uphold our religious teachings.
I told him about some of the crazy things I’d watched Christians do in the name of God and he laughed and shared similar stories of people he’d seen. Our stories were very similar, as were our hearts. We obviously disagreed on some key religious issues, but both of us were just striving to be the best people we could be and love others as much as we could. It’s funny that the coworker I ended up seeing eye-to-eye with about the role of religion in society was my Muslim friend. Both of us quickly realized that we could learn a lot from each other, and that fed our friendship until he took a job at another advertising agency in town.
When I look at the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well, I’m reminded of my Muslim friend. (Yes, there are some key differences, but hear me out.) The Samaritans were accustomed to Jewish believers just avoiding them. When they were forced into conversation, the communication typically went one way, with Jews telling the Samaritans where they stood. The amazing part of Jesus’ interaction with the woman at the well wasn’t that he talked to her--it was that he asked for her help. In asking for her help, he immediately established an equal relationship between them, instead of one where Jesus just stepped in and told the woman how to live her life. It was a show of respect and humility that we can learn a lot from today.
In our own lives, when speaking to marginalized groups--whether those are people of other religions or sexual orientations, or any other group--it can be tempting to swoop in and deliver salvation. This is the same relationship the Jews had with the Samaritans, and it wasn’t healthy. We can follow Jesus’ example by honestly asking for their help, whether that’s advice, an invitation to do a project together, or just to hear their story to broaden our own perspectives. That’s how my relationship with a Muslim coworker ended up being a valued friendship rather than a crusade. If we begin a relationship by asking, “What can I learn from this person?” rather than, “How can I change this person’s life?” we’re much more likely to develop life-changing relationships that will improve both parties.-------
Brandon GregoryBrandon Gregory is a volunteer for the worship and missions teams at Church of the Resurrection. He helps lead worship at Vibe, West and Downtown services, and is involved with the Malawi missions team at home.I was sitting in a quaint Halal restaurant in Overland Park, across the table from one of my coworkers whom I’d met in passing a few times. We went out to grab a bite to talk about some work matters, but the conversation quickly turned to faith. Both of us were very serious about our religion: Christianity for me and Islam for him. And we were both serious enough about it to realize that there were a lot of religious people who got it wrong and made things harder for those of us who wanted to actually uphold our religious teachings.
I told him about some of the crazy things I’d watched Christians do in the name of God and he laughed and shared similar stories of people he’d seen. Our stories were very similar, as were our hearts. We obviously disagreed on some key religious issues, but both of us were just striving to be the best people we could be and love others as much as we could. It’s funny that the coworker I ended up seeing eye-to-eye with about the role of religion in society was my Muslim friend. Both of us quickly realized that we could learn a lot from each other, and that fed our friendship until he took a job at another advertising agency in town.
When I look at the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well, I’m reminded of my Muslim friend. (Yes, there are some key differences, but hear me out.) The Samaritans were accustomed to Jewish believers just avoiding them. When they were forced into conversation, the communication typically went one way, with Jews telling the Samaritans where they stood. The amazing part of Jesus’ interaction with the woman at the well wasn’t that he talked to her--it was that he asked for her help. In asking for her help, he immediately established an equal relationship between them, instead of one where Jesus just stepped in and told the woman how to live her life. It was a show of respect and humility that we can learn a lot from today.
In our own lives, when speaking to marginalized groups--whether those are people of other religions or sexual orientations, or any other group--it can be tempting to swoop in and deliver salvation. This is the same relationship the Jews had with the Samaritans, and it wasn’t healthy. We can follow Jesus’ example by honestly asking for their help, whether that’s advice, an invitation to do a project together, or just to hear their story to broaden our own perspectives. That’s how my relationship with a Muslim coworker ended up being a valued friendship rather than a crusade. If we begin a relationship by asking, “What can I learn from this person?” rather than, “How can I change this person’s life?” we’re much more likely to develop life-changing relationships that will improve both parties.-------
"Jesus offered an oft-divorced woman new life, not condemnation"
Wednesday, 10 May 2017
John 4:15 “Sir, give me this water,” the woman said to him, “so that I won’t have to be thirsty and keep coming here to draw water.” 16 He said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come back.” 17 She answered, “I don’t have a husband.” Yeshua said to her, “You’re right, you don’t have a husband! 18 You’ve had five husbands in the past, and you’re not married to the man you’re living with now! You’ve spoken the truth!”
19 “Sir, I can see that you are a prophet,” the woman replied. 20 “Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, but you people say that the place where one has to worship is in Yerushalayim.” 21 Yeshua said, “Lady, believe me, the time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Yerushalayim. 22 You people don’t know what you are worshipping; we worship what we do know, because salvation comes from the Jews. 23 But the time is coming — indeed, it’s here now — when the true worshippers will worship the Father spiritually and truly, for these are the kind of people the Father wants worshipping him. 24 God is spirit; and worshippers must worship him spiritually and truly.” -------
19 “Sir, I can see that you are a prophet,” the woman replied. 20 “Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, but you people say that the place where one has to worship is in Yerushalayim.” 21 Yeshua said, “Lady, believe me, the time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Yerushalayim. 22 You people don’t know what you are worshipping; we worship what we do know, because salvation comes from the Jews. 23 But the time is coming — indeed, it’s here now — when the true worshippers will worship the Father spiritually and truly, for these are the kind of people the Father wants worshipping him. 24 God is spirit; and worshippers must worship him spiritually and truly.” -------
Jesus frankly described the life situation at the root of the woman’s shame—likely the reason she was at the well alone. She acknowledged that he was accurate, but tried at first to shift the subject by raising a religious debate between Jews and Samaritans (verses 19-20). Jesus wouldn’t take the bait. He said finding the “right” place was not the key to worshipping God fully. What mattered most was laying aside shame to worship God “in spirit and truth” (verse 24).
• In verses 16-18, Jesus showed the woman that he knew her history. She still seemed to resist opening up to Jesus about her life. When you have opened up to people about a challenge or struggle, has that proved beneficial or hurtful? How can you recognize trustworthy people? When has God supported and strengthened you through such “safe” people? Are you willing to be vulnerable to people like that when you need to be?
• Jesus said God is spirit (a word that also meant “breath” or “atmosphere”). That may have been a way to say God is with us always, and knows all about us. What’s more, knowing us even better than we know ourselves, God deeply loves each of us! Coming to God in total honesty is not cause for shame, but for gratitude for his love, mercy, and grace. What’s on your heart today? What do you need to bring to the Lord in full honesty, knowing that God loves you as his child?
Prayer: Jesus, sometimes I shrink in shame from being completely honest with you. Help me to trust you, to embrace the truth of your love and mercy and worship you more fully. Amen.
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Jennifer Creagar
Jennifer Creagar is the Financial Care Program Director in Congregational Care at Resurrection Leawood. She is married and loves spending time with her family, and she enjoys writing and photography.
Today's reading comes from probably my favorite Bible story. Here is Jesus, the Son of God, reaching out in completely approachable human form to a woman leading a life made difficult by her culture, experiences, and her own (not always good) choices. It’s an amazing conversation.
In today’s GPS, we join the conversation right after Jesus has offered this woman living water, promising that those who drink it will experience “a spring of water that bubbles up into eternal life” (John 1:14). The woman, like so many of us, only paid attention to the first part of Jesus statement, the words that caught her attention. She heard the “never be thirsty again,” but completely missed the part about eternal life.
It’s no great surprise that this woman is having some trouble following the conversation. She is not used to speaking to anyone on her daily trips to the town well at a time when she is unlikely to encounter anyone. If she does, it is not likely that the person will speak to her kindly. She is living in shame and loneliness. These daily trips to the well are painful. No wonder she focused in on the part where Jesus said she would never thirst again. No more daily, painful trips to the well!
Jesus knows this, and he knows why. He knows her heart, her hurts and complications. He knows the choices that have led her to be alone at the well in the middle of a hot day. And he makes sure she knows that he knows. Jesus lets her know that he knows the whole story--the five husbands, the fact that the current man in her life hasn’t even bothered to marry her. He knows the sin in her life, and the sadness.
This woman does what many of us do when we are confronted with something we don’t really want to talk about--she quickly changes the subject. This man is obviously a prophet. Prophets like to talk about religious issues, so she tries to move the focus from her life to the big theological issues of the day in her community--who is right, the Samaritans whose ancestors worshiped on Mount Gerizim, or the Jews who worship in Jerusalem? Pretty smooth move, but it doesn’t work.
Do you ever do this when bringing a problem to God in prayer, or when God is speaking to you about a change in your life, and you would rather not talk about it? I can think of times I’ve come to God in prayer about a relationship and instead of listening and hearing what God is saying, I spend my time listing the wrongs that have been done to me and why healing needs to happen on my terms. I can also think of times when God called me to invest myself completely and personally in someone else’s life, and I try to redirect the conversation toward solving the cultural and political causes of their problems. But I’m not fooling anybody, especially Jesus. He knows us and our hearts and lives, the way he knew this Samaritan woman. And just like his conversation with her, our attempted redirection doesn’t work. Jesus always leads the conversation back to the truth.
Jesus just looks her in the eye and moves the conversation back to the real message--eternal life, and worshiping God “in spirit and truth.” He is bringing her so much more than a chance to avoid the well and the pain that goes with it. He is bringing her the truth, and the promise that that truth will set her free from sin, hurt and loneliness for eternity. And, thankfully, he looks us in the eye and in the heart and tells us the same story every day. “I know you. I know all the good and all the darkness in you and I come to you in spirit and truth to bring eternal life.”
Jennifer CreagarJennifer Creagar is the Financial Care Program Director in Congregational Care at Resurrection Leawood. She is married and loves spending time with her family, and she enjoys writing and photography.
Today's reading comes from probably my favorite Bible story. Here is Jesus, the Son of God, reaching out in completely approachable human form to a woman leading a life made difficult by her culture, experiences, and her own (not always good) choices. It’s an amazing conversation.
In today’s GPS, we join the conversation right after Jesus has offered this woman living water, promising that those who drink it will experience “a spring of water that bubbles up into eternal life” (John 1:14). The woman, like so many of us, only paid attention to the first part of Jesus statement, the words that caught her attention. She heard the “never be thirsty again,” but completely missed the part about eternal life.
It’s no great surprise that this woman is having some trouble following the conversation. She is not used to speaking to anyone on her daily trips to the town well at a time when she is unlikely to encounter anyone. If she does, it is not likely that the person will speak to her kindly. She is living in shame and loneliness. These daily trips to the well are painful. No wonder she focused in on the part where Jesus said she would never thirst again. No more daily, painful trips to the well!
Jesus knows this, and he knows why. He knows her heart, her hurts and complications. He knows the choices that have led her to be alone at the well in the middle of a hot day. And he makes sure she knows that he knows. Jesus lets her know that he knows the whole story--the five husbands, the fact that the current man in her life hasn’t even bothered to marry her. He knows the sin in her life, and the sadness.
This woman does what many of us do when we are confronted with something we don’t really want to talk about--she quickly changes the subject. This man is obviously a prophet. Prophets like to talk about religious issues, so she tries to move the focus from her life to the big theological issues of the day in her community--who is right, the Samaritans whose ancestors worshiped on Mount Gerizim, or the Jews who worship in Jerusalem? Pretty smooth move, but it doesn’t work.
Do you ever do this when bringing a problem to God in prayer, or when God is speaking to you about a change in your life, and you would rather not talk about it? I can think of times I’ve come to God in prayer about a relationship and instead of listening and hearing what God is saying, I spend my time listing the wrongs that have been done to me and why healing needs to happen on my terms. I can also think of times when God called me to invest myself completely and personally in someone else’s life, and I try to redirect the conversation toward solving the cultural and political causes of their problems. But I’m not fooling anybody, especially Jesus. He knows us and our hearts and lives, the way he knew this Samaritan woman. And just like his conversation with her, our attempted redirection doesn’t work. Jesus always leads the conversation back to the truth.
Jesus just looks her in the eye and moves the conversation back to the real message--eternal life, and worshiping God “in spirit and truth.” He is bringing her so much more than a chance to avoid the well and the pain that goes with it. He is bringing her the truth, and the promise that that truth will set her free from sin, hurt and loneliness for eternity. And, thankfully, he looks us in the eye and in the heart and tells us the same story every day. “I know you. I know all the good and all the darkness in you and I come to you in spirit and truth to bring eternal life.”
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"Shocked disciples—transformed woman"
Thursday, 11 May 2017
John 4:25 The woman replied, “I know that Mashiach is coming” (that is, “the one who has been anointed”). “When he comes, he will tell us everything.” 26 Yeshua said to her, “I, the person speaking to you, am he.”
27 Just then, his talmidim arrived. They were amazed that he was talking with a woman; but none of them said, “What do you want?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” 28 So the woman left her water-jar, went back to the town and said to the people there, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I’ve ever done. Could it be that this is the Messiah?” 30 They left the town and began coming toward him.
27 Just then, his talmidim arrived. They were amazed that he was talking with a woman; but none of them said, “What do you want?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” 28 So the woman left her water-jar, went back to the town and said to the people there, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I’ve ever done. Could it be that this is the Messiah?” 30 They left the town and began coming toward him.
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The woman said, “I see that you are a prophet” (verse 19). When Jesus revealed her past without shaming her, she seemed to sense an even greater power, and spoke of the coming Messiah. Jesus replied, “I am” (God’s name, given to Moses—cf. Exodus 3:14). The woman went into Sychar, now drawing attention by telling people about Jesus. Unashamed, she said he was “a man who has told me everything I’ve done!” With wonder, she added, “Could this man be the Christ [Greek for ‘anointed one,’ or ‘Messiah’]?”
• The woman expressed the vague hope that someday the Messiah could answer her questions. “‘I am he,’ said Jesus. ‘You don’t have to wait any longer or look any further’” (verse 26, The Message). Have you ever felt vague ideas about spiritual questions or issues in your life? In what ways can trusting in Jesus’ living presence help you find greater confidence about those questions?
• As Jesus’ conversation with the woman unfolded, it was clear that for many Samaritans and Jews “truth” just meant a correct set of intellectual beliefs. But Jesus poetic images like “living water” transformed the woman’s life, more powerfully than just a set of “right” ideas or words would. When Jesus says “I am” to you, what aspects of who you are does that heal and transform beyond just your intellect?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I want to live more fully into the reality of you in the present, not just “someday.” Thank you that I don’t have to wait, but can relate to you as my Savior and Lord this very Thursday. Amen.
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Chris Abel
Chris Abel is the Young Adults Pastor at Resurrection, and he describes himself as a "Pastor/Creative-type/Adventurer." A former atheist turned passionate follower of Christ, he completed his seminary education in Washington, DC. Before coming to Resurrection, Chris was a campus pastor near St. Louis, MO.Just then, Jesus’ disciples arrived and were shocked that he was talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” The woman put down her water jar and went into the city. She said to the people, “Come and see a man who has told me everything I’ve done! Could this man be the Christ?”
During a business seminar in Saudi Arabia, Bill Gates was asked for his opinion whether or not he thought the country would be able to reach its goal of being one of the world’s most competitive economies. His response?
“Well, if you're not fully utilizing half the talent in the country, you're not going to get too close to the top.”
“Half the talent”? You’ve probably guessed who he was talking about.
Women.
In a recent workforce study, Saudi Arabia revealed that women only represent 13% of the workforce. And it goes deeper than just jobs. Women aren’t issued driver’s licenses and aren’t allowed to drive. Women can’t travel, get a passport, get married or divorced without the consent of male “guardians.” Many buildings even have separate entrances for women and if men and women are caught together, they can face criminal charges.
This isn’t the first century we’re talking about. This is modern Saudi Arabia.
For the purposes of this blog, it’s easy for me to point out the massive gender discrepancies in another country. It might even make us feel like we’ve come a long ways in our own. And it’s true. We have. But there’s still inequality in our culture. Simply being able to hold a job or get a driver’s license as a woman isn’t equality. Even in the United States, we see the different ways men and women are treated. As one quick example, when my female friends rise to leadership positions and show decisive and proud attitudes… they’re labeled with very specific (and very nasty) words for women. When my male friends lead with these same qualities, they are seen as competent and brave. It’s wrong. But that’s not exactly what I want to talk about today.
The point of these essays is to bring our unique perspectives to the scriptures. And my unique perspective is one I write and speak of often: I was raised by a single mother. But that’s too passive of a sentence to describe what I witnessed. I watched my mother fight to carve out a space in a man’s world for herself and her boys. I didn’t need statistics about unfair wages or learn about countries like Saudi Arabia to know that sexism exists. I had my mom. I watched as she worked for a company that took advantage of her while giving raises to men who were more aggressive then she was. I watched as she was objectified or dismissed because of her gender. And I watched her set her jaw and tenaciously fight her way through an industry that was built for men.
Sure, times have changed. Some. But I will never forget the childhood anger I felt at the unfairness of it all.
I share all of this because Jesus has a beautiful way of engaging women in the scriptures. Even though he wasn’t married, Jesus would have looked around at the Jewish families around him and seen the reality of women’s lives. Ancient document tell us that Hebrew women could not divorce their husbands, but husbands could divorce their wives for something as trivial as “burning dinner.” (Which puts things into perspective when Jesus speaks very directly about divorce: He’s protecting those who need protection.) We even see a hint of these embedded prejudices within the disciple’s own reactions. They “were shocked that he was talking with a woman.”
But in our passage today, Jesus throws cultural norms to the side. He sees a woman who most people would have passed by. And I love this. I love it because Jesus isn’t stupid. He knows that this conversation is taboo. He knows it’s a story that will get people talking. And yet he still speaks to her. He risks his own reputation.
Why?
Because Jesus, like Bill Gates advised, taps into the potential of everyone.
So may you do likewise.
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Chris AbelChris Abel is the Young Adults Pastor at Resurrection, and he describes himself as a "Pastor/Creative-type/Adventurer." A former atheist turned passionate follower of Christ, he completed his seminary education in Washington, DC. Before coming to Resurrection, Chris was a campus pastor near St. Louis, MO.Just then, Jesus’ disciples arrived and were shocked that he was talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” The woman put down her water jar and went into the city. She said to the people, “Come and see a man who has told me everything I’ve done! Could this man be the Christ?”
During a business seminar in Saudi Arabia, Bill Gates was asked for his opinion whether or not he thought the country would be able to reach its goal of being one of the world’s most competitive economies. His response?
“Well, if you're not fully utilizing half the talent in the country, you're not going to get too close to the top.”
“Half the talent”? You’ve probably guessed who he was talking about.
Women.
In a recent workforce study, Saudi Arabia revealed that women only represent 13% of the workforce. And it goes deeper than just jobs. Women aren’t issued driver’s licenses and aren’t allowed to drive. Women can’t travel, get a passport, get married or divorced without the consent of male “guardians.” Many buildings even have separate entrances for women and if men and women are caught together, they can face criminal charges.
This isn’t the first century we’re talking about. This is modern Saudi Arabia.
For the purposes of this blog, it’s easy for me to point out the massive gender discrepancies in another country. It might even make us feel like we’ve come a long ways in our own. And it’s true. We have. But there’s still inequality in our culture. Simply being able to hold a job or get a driver’s license as a woman isn’t equality. Even in the United States, we see the different ways men and women are treated. As one quick example, when my female friends rise to leadership positions and show decisive and proud attitudes… they’re labeled with very specific (and very nasty) words for women. When my male friends lead with these same qualities, they are seen as competent and brave. It’s wrong. But that’s not exactly what I want to talk about today.
The point of these essays is to bring our unique perspectives to the scriptures. And my unique perspective is one I write and speak of often: I was raised by a single mother. But that’s too passive of a sentence to describe what I witnessed. I watched my mother fight to carve out a space in a man’s world for herself and her boys. I didn’t need statistics about unfair wages or learn about countries like Saudi Arabia to know that sexism exists. I had my mom. I watched as she worked for a company that took advantage of her while giving raises to men who were more aggressive then she was. I watched as she was objectified or dismissed because of her gender. And I watched her set her jaw and tenaciously fight her way through an industry that was built for men.
Sure, times have changed. Some. But I will never forget the childhood anger I felt at the unfairness of it all.
I share all of this because Jesus has a beautiful way of engaging women in the scriptures. Even though he wasn’t married, Jesus would have looked around at the Jewish families around him and seen the reality of women’s lives. Ancient document tell us that Hebrew women could not divorce their husbands, but husbands could divorce their wives for something as trivial as “burning dinner.” (Which puts things into perspective when Jesus speaks very directly about divorce: He’s protecting those who need protection.) We even see a hint of these embedded prejudices within the disciple’s own reactions. They “were shocked that he was talking with a woman.”
But in our passage today, Jesus throws cultural norms to the side. He sees a woman who most people would have passed by. And I love this. I love it because Jesus isn’t stupid. He knows that this conversation is taboo. He knows it’s a story that will get people talking. And yet he still speaks to her. He risks his own reputation.
Why?
Because Jesus, like Bill Gates advised, taps into the potential of everyone.
So may you do likewise.
-------
"Principles and guidelines, not hard and fast rules"
Friday, 12 May 2017
1 Corinthians 7:7 Actually, I wish everyone were like me; but each has his own gift from God, one this, another that.
8 Now to the single people and the widows I say that it is fine if they remain unmarried like me; 9 but if they can’t exercise self-control, they should get married; because it is better to get married than to keep burning with sexual desire.
10 To those who are married I have a command, and it is not from me but from the Lord: a woman is not to separate herself from her husband 11 But if she does separate herself, she is to remain single or be reconciled with her husband. Also, a husband is not to leave his wife.
12 To the rest I say — I, not the Lord: if any brother has a wife who is not a believer, and she is satisfied to go on living with him, he should not leave her. 13 Also, if any woman has an unbelieving husband who is satisfied to go on living with her, she is not to leave him. 14 For the unbelieving husband has been set aside for God by the wife, and the unbelieving wife has been set aside for God by the brother — otherwise your children would be “unclean,” but as it is, they are set aside for God. 15 But if the unbelieving spouse separates himself, let him be separated. In circumstances like these, the brother or sister is not enslaved — God has called you to a life of peace. 16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
17 Only let each person live the life the Lord has assigned him and live it in the condition he was in when God called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the congregations.
8 Now to the single people and the widows I say that it is fine if they remain unmarried like me; 9 but if they can’t exercise self-control, they should get married; because it is better to get married than to keep burning with sexual desire.
10 To those who are married I have a command, and it is not from me but from the Lord: a woman is not to separate herself from her husband 11 But if she does separate herself, she is to remain single or be reconciled with her husband. Also, a husband is not to leave his wife.
12 To the rest I say — I, not the Lord: if any brother has a wife who is not a believer, and she is satisfied to go on living with him, he should not leave her. 13 Also, if any woman has an unbelieving husband who is satisfied to go on living with her, she is not to leave him. 14 For the unbelieving husband has been set aside for God by the wife, and the unbelieving wife has been set aside for God by the brother — otherwise your children would be “unclean,” but as it is, they are set aside for God. 15 But if the unbelieving spouse separates himself, let him be separated. In circumstances like these, the brother or sister is not enslaved — God has called you to a life of peace. 16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
17 Only let each person live the life the Lord has assigned him and live it in the condition he was in when God called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the congregations.
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The apostle Paul was single, celibate and so contented with his status that he almost fell into wishing everyone could be just like him. But he was too wise to try to force everyone to make the same life choices. He saw significant value in some limits on sexual expression that the Greek and Roman cultures largely ignored. But despite his happy singleness, he also saw great value in sexual intimacy as a means of expressing and strengthening marital trust and commitment.
• In verse 7, Paul clearly indicated that he regarded his ability to be happily unmarried as a spiritual gift from God. Verse 17 suggested that he knew God could lead the people of God’s kingdom to a variety of marital and parenting situations. In what ways do you tend to see your current situation as “just circumstances”? In what ways, if any, do you have a sense of calling about your life situation?
• Prayer: Lord God, guide me to live the kind of pure life to which you call me. Preserve me from the urge to judge those who love you but live differently than I do. Bond all of us together as your
people in your love. Amen.
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Ginger Rothhaas
Ginger Rothhaas is a seminary student at Saint Paul School of Theology. She is also a Thursday Live teacher in Resurrection's Women's Ministry and she co-leads the Propel ministry for teens. She and her husband, Rob, helped start the Beds for Everybody program and dream of every child in KC sleeping in a bed of their own. She loves meeting people for coffee and soulful conversation!
Recently, on social media, I saw a photo of a church sign that read:
Just love everyone and
I will sort ‘em out later.–God
This resonated with me as I have been closely watching my beloved Methodism spend considerable energy and emotion debating rules of sexuality, marriage, and who can be in leadership. The Apostle Paul has a reputation as a rules guy. But, he is also passionate about teaching people how to live in full devotion to God. Paul gives many conditions for marriage, singleness, and purity, but he also leaves room for individual circumstances.
He is clearly writing letters to Christians in response to questions they have asked him about how to live in society and honor the teachings of Jesus. As their spiritual teacher, he isn’t giving them rules, more so he is responding to their questions with his advice and opinions. He shares what has worked for him, but he also acknowledges that each person and circumstance is complicated.
Paul writes, “I wish all people were like me, but each has a particular gift from God: one has this gift, and another has that one.” Don’t we all wish people were more like us? Paul had chosen to not marry and practice celibacy, but he recognizes that isn’t for everyone. He is instructing them to choose to do the loving thing in every circumstance. And, in the middle of the instructions, he reminds them, “God has called you to peace.”
Life is complicated, but we are called to transcend toward peace and love. After Paul states his advice for marriage and divorce he ends with, “Nevertheless, each person should live the kind of life that the Lord assigned when he called each one.” I think this is Paul saying, ‘beyond my suggestions, live into the person God created you to be and follow your calling to be an instrument of God’s love.’
Love now. Do the next loving thing. God will sort it all out later.
people in your love. Amen.
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Ginger RothhaasGinger Rothhaas is a seminary student at Saint Paul School of Theology. She is also a Thursday Live teacher in Resurrection's Women's Ministry and she co-leads the Propel ministry for teens. She and her husband, Rob, helped start the Beds for Everybody program and dream of every child in KC sleeping in a bed of their own. She loves meeting people for coffee and soulful conversation!
Recently, on social media, I saw a photo of a church sign that read:
Just love everyone and
I will sort ‘em out later.–God
This resonated with me as I have been closely watching my beloved Methodism spend considerable energy and emotion debating rules of sexuality, marriage, and who can be in leadership. The Apostle Paul has a reputation as a rules guy. But, he is also passionate about teaching people how to live in full devotion to God. Paul gives many conditions for marriage, singleness, and purity, but he also leaves room for individual circumstances.
He is clearly writing letters to Christians in response to questions they have asked him about how to live in society and honor the teachings of Jesus. As their spiritual teacher, he isn’t giving them rules, more so he is responding to their questions with his advice and opinions. He shares what has worked for him, but he also acknowledges that each person and circumstance is complicated.
Paul writes, “I wish all people were like me, but each has a particular gift from God: one has this gift, and another has that one.” Don’t we all wish people were more like us? Paul had chosen to not marry and practice celibacy, but he recognizes that isn’t for everyone. He is instructing them to choose to do the loving thing in every circumstance. And, in the middle of the instructions, he reminds them, “God has called you to peace.”
Life is complicated, but we are called to transcend toward peace and love. After Paul states his advice for marriage and divorce he ends with, “Nevertheless, each person should live the kind of life that the Lord assigned when he called each one.” I think this is Paul saying, ‘beyond my suggestions, live into the person God created you to be and follow your calling to be an instrument of God’s love.’
Love now. Do the next loving thing. God will sort it all out later.
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"God cares about widows, orphans and the lonely"
Saturday, 13 May 2017
Psalm 68:(2) Drive them away as smoke is driven away;
like wax melting in the presence of a fire,
let the wicked perish in the presence of God.
4 (3) But let the righteous rejoice and be glad in God’s presence;
yes, let them exult and rejoice.
5 (4) Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
extol him who rides on the clouds
by his name, Yah;
and be glad in his presence.
6 (5) God in his holy dwelling,
is a father to orphans and defender of widows.
like wax melting in the presence of a fire,
let the wicked perish in the presence of God.
4 (3) But let the righteous rejoice and be glad in God’s presence;
yes, let them exult and rejoice.
5 (4) Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
extol him who rides on the clouds
by his name, Yah;
and be glad in his presence.
6 (5) God in his holy dwelling,
is a father to orphans and defender of widows.
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In Old Testament times, nearly all legal and financial status depended on a connection to a close living male relative. “Orphans and widows” were people who had no such connection, so the phrase became a shorthand expression for all powerless or oppressed people. Interestingly, the psalmist extended the thought, listing “the lonely” and “prisoners” as others about whom God cared. God, the psalmist believed, is the uniquely reliable presence even with the orphaned or lonely. “In the tradition of Israel, the victorious divine warrior fights not simply to gain land or power, but to protect the most vulnerable in society.” *
• At the beginning, Genesis said God declared that it was not good for the man to be alone (cf. Genesis 2:18). Yet in the ancient world, and still today, that design doesn’t always happen for everyone, either by choice or in the mysterious workings of love and attraction. Have you ever needed, in either a brief crisis of loneliness or over a longer time (even a lifetime), to turn to God for nurture and comfort? In what ways did God provide you the “family” you needed? We Methodists live with the conviction that we are God’s voice, God’s hands and feet, in a hurting world. In what ways can you join in God’s work of blessing orphans, widows, the lonely and prisoners? Do you know anyone who may not be an “orphan” or “widow” in the concrete sense of the term, but who you could bless by extending God’s love and care?
Prayer: Lord God, I trust you to be my companion and my strength, even when all else fails. Grow me into a person who can extend your help and strength to others who may desperately need them. Amen.
* Introductory study note on Psalm 68 in The CEB Women’s Bible. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2016, p. 715.
Family Activity: Whether we are married, divorced or single, caring for ourselves is an important part of life. Engage in this activity as a family or as an individual. Prepare a piece of paper with the headings “Physical,” “Emotional,” “Spiritual” and “Mental.” Down the left side of the paper, write the name of yourself and/or each family member. First, ask how each person can best care for him/herself. Are we getting enough rest and eating healthfully? Do we express our emotions in helpful ways? Are we reading our Bible, attending worship and praying? Have we learned any new information recently? Encourage each person to choose one way from each category to commit to growing this year. Pray and ask God to help each of you as you better care for yourselves.
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Dave Robertson
Dave Robertson is the Director of Community Life at Resurrection West.
When I was 30, I was single, never married, and I had two dates a year. That was my rule. And I tried to get the 2 dates in early in the year so there would be no pressure later in the year, especially around the holidays. I really didn't like dating very much, but I also didn't care for being single. I had a great church family and spent time in small groups who were all couples...and me.
I finally got to the point in my spiritual journey when I surrendered all of it to God. Here was my prayer:
"God, if you desire me to be single, I will be single...and happy. If you want me to be married, so be it. My happiness will not be determined by my marital status. God, I give you my life. In you I will find my joy."
It was not long after that I met my future wife, Diane. At one point in our relationship, Diane told me she needed to take a step back. The old me would have been crushed, and threatened by insecurity. The surrendered me told her that whatever she needed to do was fine. I would fully support her decision. My happiness was not to be determined by whether we married or not. She knew I meant it. This past January we have been married 17 years.
I believe God cares for those who are lonely in a couple of different ways. First, if we seek God first, God will give us the strength we need to live joyfully without our joy being dependent upon someone else. Secondly, part of the Christian's responsibility is to support the lonely. I think about those couples who included me in their New Year's Eve parties and social events even though I was the "plus one."
Through the Holy Spirit and Christian friends, we are never alone.
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Dave RobertsonDave Robertson is the Director of Community Life at Resurrection West.
When I was 30, I was single, never married, and I had two dates a year. That was my rule. And I tried to get the 2 dates in early in the year so there would be no pressure later in the year, especially around the holidays. I really didn't like dating very much, but I also didn't care for being single. I had a great church family and spent time in small groups who were all couples...and me.
I finally got to the point in my spiritual journey when I surrendered all of it to God. Here was my prayer:
"God, if you desire me to be single, I will be single...and happy. If you want me to be married, so be it. My happiness will not be determined by my marital status. God, I give you my life. In you I will find my joy."
It was not long after that I met my future wife, Diane. At one point in our relationship, Diane told me she needed to take a step back. The old me would have been crushed, and threatened by insecurity. The surrendered me told her that whatever she needed to do was fine. I would fully support her decision. My happiness was not to be determined by whether we married or not. She knew I meant it. This past January we have been married 17 years.
I believe God cares for those who are lonely in a couple of different ways. First, if we seek God first, God will give us the strength we need to live joyfully without our joy being dependent upon someone else. Secondly, part of the Christian's responsibility is to support the lonely. I think about those couples who included me in their New Year's Eve parties and social events even though I was the "plus one."
Through the Holy Spirit and Christian friends, we are never alone.
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