As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you

Isaiah 66:10-14

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁰ “Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her,
    all you who love her;
rejoice greatly with her,
    all you who mourn over her.
¹¹ For you will nurse and be satisfied
    at her comforting breasts;
you will drink deeply
    and delight in her overflowing abundance.”

¹² For this is what the Lord says:

“I will extend peace to her like a river,
    and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream;
you will nurse and be carried on her arm
    and dandled on her knees.
¹³ As a mother comforts her child,
    so will I comfort you;
    and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”

¹⁴ When you see this, your heart will rejoice
    and you will flourish like grass;
the hand of the Lord will be made known to his servants,
    but his fury will be shown to his foes.

Today's Old Testament lesson is some pretty sweet poetry, not to mention seriously savory Gospel.
Sure the 10-14yr old boys will probably snicker at the breast-feeding image.
Be that as it may, it is an incredible image, finding comfort in the arms of a nurturing and compassionate parent. THAT is our God.

I may take flack for this from conservative LCMS Lutheran theologians, but lets face it, for eons many believers have likened the Holy Spirit to God's "feminine side." From the church of the Holy Wisdom (Saint Sophia) in Constantinople, to Michelangelo painting a woman at God the Father's side in the portion of the Sistine Chapel that depicts the creation of Adam (is she Eve, just some Angel, or the third person of the Trinity?). Skip all that if you like, God Himself is comparing His love and comfort for us to that of a new mom! Comfort personified.

My hyper-analytical brain went to work on the name Jerusalem right away. Was Isaiah talking about the geographical city of Jerusalem? or the new Jerusalem in Revelation 21:20? For that matter, are God, Isaiah, & St. John all speaking allegorically?

"Salem" is Hebrew for peace or completion (better yet, whole, perfect & complete peace- Philippians 4:7). but no one really knows the true meaning of the prefix "Jeru." See, Jerusalem isn't exactly a Hebrew word. There was a city of Jerusalem before there was a kingdom of Israel (Genesis 14:18-20). Some people have said that it may mean something like "the King's" or "God's," thus Jerusalem would be either "City of God, or City of God's Peace." I know, ironic that so many have warred over it for so many years, right.

So let me speculate (God, and whatever Lutheran clergy forgive my if I'm being waaay off base here), I'm the first to admit that I'm no expert. But what if the Jerusalem Isaiah and John are both talking about here isn't a place, but a concept? The concept being the church. God's people. The "Body of Christ."

Revelation 21:9 says that the New Jerusalem is THE bride of the Lamb of God. Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel all have God comparing Israel and/or Jerusalem to an adulterous wife. I have to be careful here, don't misinterpret what I'm talking about as antisemitic; its not as simple as the Jews rejected Jesus as the Messiah, so the message of salvation goes to the gentiles. What I guess I'm getting at is that if the Church is His "Bride," and its the Holy Spirit who "calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies" the Church...

I understand that the visible church, the hierarchies and institutions, the politics and sin and abuse and denominational rifts and sects- that's not a nursing mother. Hours of banal council and trustee meetings surely isn't comforting. God knows plenty of pastors and evangelists have at least been raging hypocrites and and worst heinous monsters. So it may be hard to imagine the church on Earth being Christ's bride. But keep wresting with this idea with me.

Peter does talk about God's Word (the Bible) as mother's milk for newborn babies (1 Peter 2:2). Jesus Himself is the Word of God... and while we're at it, the Holy Spirit is the very breath (pneuma) of God. Maybe this is just all so much Divine mystery, but stay with me just a little further. There is what people call the "invisible church."

The point was this- That if/when we allow God to live and work in and through us collectively (call it fellowship or koinonia or communion or whatever), then this "body" can surely share the satisfying, consoling love, joy,comfort and peace, which can only originate from God Himself.

We are (or should be) the new Jerusalem, the bride of Christ and there for, the city, the kingdom, the community, even the very body of of Christ. And in that way, His PARTNERS.

So that not only are we welcomed by God the Holy Spirit (Soul, Wisdom, Breath, Thinking, Inspiration) to find warmth and comfort under Her wings (Matt. 23:3&), but as we gather into God's family, we too can extend peace like a river to those who need it, by sharing God's love, forgiveness, and grace.

Matthew 23:37

37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.

Cesar Chavez Prayer

Show me the suffering of the most miserable, so I will know my people's plight. Free me to pray for others, for you are present in every person. Help me take responsibility for my own life, so that I can be free at last. Grant me courage to serve others, for in service there is true life. Give me honesty and patience, so that the Spirit will be alive among us. Let the Spirit flourish and grow, so that we will never tire of the struggle. Let us remember those who have died for justice, for they have given us life. Help us love even those who hate us, so we can change the world. Amen.

- A prayer by Cesar Chavez

Equality & Justice

The LORD promotes equity and justice; the LORD's faithfulness extends throughout the earth. ~Psalm 33:5

I don't know about conservatives, but as a liberal, this is what I think of when I pray "Thy kingdom come." ALL men are created equal and endowed with certain inalienable rights."

Maybe the right wingers aren't so off when they say that our laws were based on the Bible. Ya suppose Jefferson ever read this verse in Psalm 33?

Ah, but to we Americans really believe in and treat everyone equally? Throughout the Earth? Do we evenly & fairly offer genuine justice? To everyone?

I don't have a problem including "under God" in the pledge, so long as we remember the "with liberty and justice for ALL" part, and try to make it come true.

POEM; Denominational Deconstructionism

The end is near

God is angry
about permissiveness
about abandoned traditions
about relativism most of all.

Meanwhile
there are bats in our belfry
and snakes in our basement
disregarded Tupperware in the kitchen
that the Ladies' Aid would like to have claimed
or they will put it on the auction block next Summer
Should we contract ahead for fuel oil now
for next winter?


Somewhere between esoteric eschatology
and banal minutia

I sit

brooding

with Tillich and Kierkegaard,
Barth and Dostoevsky
squirming
and stewing
in Purgatory.

No matter how many indulgences
Tetzel would sell
he'd never get me out of this Earthly Hell.

Its not other people, as said Kant
but out of this church voters' meeting
that I want!

Motion to adjourn

to the tavern
with professors Luther and Melanchthon
for a pint

Perhaps
Erasmus
will join us.

Luke 11:29-54

When you read Luke 11:29-54 (especially the 7 woes), what you might notice is that it's not that Jesus is such a social or political revolutionary (He is first and foremost the Son of God and our spiritual messiah, He is about our souls), but those who opposed Him, the Pharisees & teachers of the law- they were all about social & political power and prestige when THEY'RE the ones who should've been concentrating on the spiritual.

It's kind of like how those who claim to oppose class warfare are usually the ones who've already been benefiting from waging war on the poor.

Jesus makes clear that God desires mercy over sacrifice, sincerity over lip-service, a real relationship with Him rather than just fiercely identifying yourself with Him. Repentance and regret over the sins of our ancestors rather than fancy memorials. And justice, liberty, and equality rather than institutionalized religious elitism.

I can see participants in the reformation seeing Luke 11:29-54 as applying to the church of the renaissance as much as to the Pharisees. We need to read it as if it applies to us in the 21st century West too.

The War's Over!

Though devils all the world should fill,
All eager to devour us.
We tremble not, we fear no ill,
They shall not overpow'r us.
This world's prince may still
Scowl fierce as he will,
He can harm us none,
He's judged; the deed is done;
One little word can fell him. 

~'A Mightly Fortress' by Martin Luther

This past week things just seemed to pile on. I admit, I'd succumed to the "diabolical D's;" doubt, discouragement, and depression. It felt like I was under attack. Too many hassles seemed to continue to wear me down. I really began to wonder if there wasn't some kind of spiritual aspect to my stress. Was this "Spiritual warfare?"

While I'm not so fundamentalist/evangelical to blame every problem, stressor and mistake on Satan- I'm also not skeptical/humanist enough to discount or deny the existence of angels and demons. I may be my own worst enemy and there are plenty of obstacles provided by the world itself, but I also know that the Devil would love to see us harm, whether he has a direct hand in it or not.

So, I hunkered down on my daily scripture reading/devotions & prayer time and I sought some prayer-cover from some warriors I know. 

Two things got me thinking about the very concept of spiritual warfare though. First (and most importantly) Easter. Jesus paid the ultimate cost on the cross, but then He didn't descend into Hell to suffer more, He went there to declare victory. Christians should always remember that Jesus won the victory against sin, death , and the Devil. There is nothing that we can add or detract (like Lincoln said about Gettysburg). 

The other thing that got me thinking was how many (so called "Christians") use fear and anger to manipulate people into accepting Christ. Hell, judgement, an angry God, torture by demons all seem to be ways that some among us seek to guilt and pressure us into falling into line with their positions and opinions. They want us to believe that we're either on God's side, or on Satan's side.

First of all, Satan is NOT God's equal and opposite. Satan is finite, individual, limited, and defeated. Secondly, God IS love. He does not coerce or manipulate. He is patient, kind, and merciful. He loves us enough to sacrifice His only begotten Son so that we can become His adopted sons and daughters.

Now, I'm still a bit beleaguered and fatigued, anxious and stressed. And I'm sure's heck accepting and grateful for the prayers of others. Perhaps I'm being tested, or "on the anvil" as author Max Lucado calls being tempered and prepared by the Lord. Perhaps I'm not facing anything that anyone else goes through. But no matter how tough it gets (and believe me, a lot of people have it a lot worse than I do), I know that my Redeemer lives. I also know that I don't have to worry about fighting, all I have to do is stand firm and claim the victory Jesus already won.

See also Psalm 46: 1-11, Romans 8:31-19, Ephesians 6:10-17, and Revelation 19:11-16

No Harm (so no fear)

Luke 10:19-20 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Love enemies | Do unto others | Judge not | Produce good fruit

I read Luke 6:27ff for morning devotions today.

Once again I'm dumbfounded how anyone could read Jesus teachings and claim to believe & follow Him, yet also behave the ways we often do and support media, business, & political leaders who behave the way they do.

Luke 6:27-45, reminds me of kind, compassionate, & humble people who advocate for the oppressed and oppose bullying.

How if one reads & internalized Christ's teaching in Matthew 5 & Luke 6 could anyone still hold onto a philosophy focused on self interest?

I encourage my non-Christian and skeptical, agnostic, & humanist friends to read just these 2 chapters of the Bible. I'll bet you'll end up appreciating, respecting, even admiring Jesus in spite of how ridiculously hypocritical His followers can be.

I also encourage my conservative and religious friends to review Matt 5 & Luke 6. I'll bet the Holy Spirit will open your eyes to just how much 21st cen American Christians are just like the Pharisees and teachers of the law during Jesus time. My prayer is that God will reveal to you how the media demagogues, political shills and televangelists we listen to and support are just the blind leading the blind.

May knowing what Jesus really taught change all our minds... and hearts.

Psalm 49; The Rich Die Too

5 Why should I be afraid in times of trouble, when the sinful deeds of deceptive men threaten to overwhelm me?
6 They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches.
7 Certainly a man cannot rescue his brother; he cannot pay God an adequate ransom price
8 (the ransom price for a human life is too high, and people go to their final destiny),
9 so that he might continue to live forever and not experience death.
10 Surely one sees that even wise people die; fools and spiritually insensitive people all pass away and leave their wealth to others.
11 Their grave becomes their permanent residence, their eternal dwelling place. They name their lands after themselves,
12 but, despite their wealth, people do not last, they are like animals that perish.
13 This is the destiny of fools, and of those who approve of their philosophy. (Selah)
14 They will travel to Sheol like sheep, with death as their shepherd. The godly will rule over them when the day of vindication dawns; Sheol will consume their bodies and they will no longer live in impressive houses.
15 But God will rescue my life from the power of Sheol; certainly he will pull me to safety. (Selah)
16 Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich and his wealth multiplies!
17 For he will take nothing with him when he dies; his wealth will not follow him down into the grave.
18 He pronounces this blessing on himself while he is alive: "May men praise you, for you have done well!"
19 But he will join his ancestors; they will never again see the light of day.
20 Wealthy people do not understand; they are like animals that perish.

Short, Simple Prayer

"Lord... Look down here," ~Athol Dickson

Good thing too

"God can pick sense out of a confused prayer." ~Richard Sibbes

Something every teen & preteen needs to learn

"...and patience is better than pride." Ecclesiastes 5:8b