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MEDITATION:

Today’s reflection is from the April, 2021 edition of Tabletalk magazine.

Jesus tells us in John 8:36 that “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” These words have been treasured for generations as the gospel’s proclamation of liberty not only from sin but from the unlawful demands that the consciences of other people may place on us. In first century Corinth, the believers enthusiastically embraced their freedom in Christ. However, their understanding of Christian liberty was inadequate. They flaunted their freedom in such a way that they ended up harming other believers. The solution to the Corinthians’ problem was to combine their freedom with Christian love. Nothing that believers do should be done apart from love, and as the Apostle Paul shows us, mature believers must take care in exercising their liberty so that the church as a whole is built up in faith and love.

PRAYER:

Written by Stella Dhinakaran, a contemporary author and woman of prayer.

Our loving heavenly Father, we look unto you, for you alone have the power to deliver us in the times of trouble. You are a great God who delivered your servants as you promised them. Master, I am a broken vessel, I commit my life into Your hands, mold me and strengthen me to overcome this world. In Jesus name, Amen.

MEDITATION:

Written by Henri M. Nouwen (1932-1996), a Dutch priest, professor, writer, and theologian. This is an excerpt from his book “Lifesigns.”

The joy that Jesus offers his disciples is his own joy, which flows from his intimate communion with the One who sent him. It is a joy that does not separate happy days from sad days, successful moments from moments of failure, experiences of honor from experiences of dishonor, passion from resurrection. This joy is a divine gift that does not leave us during times of illness, poverty, oppression, or persecution. It is present even when the world laughs or tortures, robs or maims, fights or kills. It is truly ecstatic, always moving us away from the house of fear into the house of love, and always proclaiming that death no longer has the final say, though its noise remains loud and its devastation visible. The joy of Jesus lifts up life to be celebrated.

PRAYER:

Written by Stephen and Brooksyne Weber, contemporary hosts of the Daily Encouragement Net teaching ministry.

Father, there are many troubling situations that weigh our heart down when that is our primary focus. But You want us to bring these troubles to You in prayer, entrust them to Your care, and be joyful on our journey. Nehemiah reminds us, “The joy of the Lord is my strength.” So help us not to live in a state of alarm, but to have a joyful disposition so that we can bring cheer to those around us. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

MEDITATION:

Written by Richard M. Gula, a contemporary Sulpician priest, lecturer, and author. This is an excerpt from his book “To Walk Together Again.”

When we begin to confine God to specifically religious areas of life, we are forced to turn away from the ordinary experiences of life in order to be touched by the gracious reality of God. Yet this is not the way it was for Jesus. The fundamental message of Jesus about God is that human life is the home of God. Do not look anywhere else. All the parables of Jesus are stories about experiencing God. These stories are filled with very human characters and very human experiences. Yet none of them ever mention “God” directly. What the theologians seem to be saying today, and what so many people searching for God force us to admit, is that if it makes sense to speak of God at all, then we must be able to experience God in the center of our lives where we spend most of our time and expend most of our energy. To realize that God is there in the center of our lives at the deepest dimension of every human moment means that God is never far from us. To experience God in the depths is to be aware that we are related to a larger mystery within which we live…Our relationship to God and response to God cannot be relegated to special activities or special moments. Our relationship and response to God are going on all the time, whether we want them to or not.

PRAYER:

Written by Josemaria Escriva (1902-1975), a Roman Catholic priest who founded Opus Dei, an organization of laypeople and priests dedicated to the teaching that everyone is called to holiness by God.

My Lord and my God: into your hands I abandon the past and the present and the future, what is small and what is great, what amounts to a little and what amounts to a lot, things temporal and things eternal. Amen.

MEDITATION:

Written by Craig Denison, a contemporary author of the daily devotional First15.

Every Christian I know wants to live an effective life for Jesus. The key to succeeding in this is abiding in him. Abiding in Christ is foundational to centering your whole life around God. Tapping into Christ’s presence and power is what will allow you to bear good fruit in this life. So often out of the right desire to do good and God-honoring works we try to force fruit out of ourselves without taking the time to rest and receive the nutrients we can only get from abiding in our heavenly Father. A branch disconnected from an apple tree can no more produce good fruit than you and I can do good works apart from continual abiding in love, grace, and presence of God…God’s heart is for us to abide in him all day, every day. How incredible is that! You and I can graft ourselves every day into the perfect, good, and powerful vine of our heavenly Father. We can wake up every day, open our hearts to God, and live out of the union afforded us by the powerful sacrifice of Jesus. Rather than striving to do good works from the moment our feet hit the ground, we must take time to be loved by our heavenly Father. Rather than making our own opportunities to serve God, we must allow him to guide us to the works he’s set out for us. Rather than trying to lead others to Jesus by our own efforts, we must simply live openly and honestly with others, thereby revealing God’s heart to meet with those who are broken and in need of him. And rather than living as if God has left us to our devices, we must acknowledge our union with the Holy Spirit in every moment, thereby allowing his loving presence to permeate everything we do.

PRAYER:

Written by Thomas Aquinas (1224-1274), a Dominican friar and influential philosopher and theologian in the church.

O God, who in this wondrous sacrament has left us a memorial of your passion; grant us so to venerate the sacred mysteries of your body and blood, that we may ever continue to feel within ourselves the blessed fruit of your redemption. Who livest and reignest God, for ever and ever.

MEDITATION:

Written by Christine Caine, a contemporary Australian activist, evangelist, author, and speaker.

Disappointment is a sad and terribly lonely place. We all land there at some point in life. Our children move away and never call. Colleagues betray us. The company to which we’ve devoted our years “downsizes,” and we’re on the layoff list right along with the newcomer and the slacker. The man we love doesn’t love us back. The perfect child we dream about and tend in pregnancy is born with defects that will make the rest of our lives, and all our family members’ lives, nothing less than challenging. We get a disease or suffer an injury for which there is no relief or cure. Our investments dwindle. Friends disappear. The one we’ve prayed to find Jesus never does. Our dreams shatter, and our best-laid plans go astray. Other Christians fail us. People disappoint us. We even disappoint ourselves. The long series of disappointments we accumulate in a lifetime can stop us from moving forward into all the goodness God has planned for us—and that means they’ll be stopping not only us but also those God has destined us to reach along our life’s journey. After all, how can anyone stuck in their own disappointment help others out of theirs? How can we convince others of the wonder of God’s promises if we doubt them ourselves? How can we share how God has saved us when we don’t feel saved at all?

Why is it that we can know in our heads that God has our good in mind and that he can redeem any and every circumstance, and yet we can still feel hugely disappointed and deeply despondent? Our heads tell us God is trustworthy—but in a moment of aching disappointment, our hearts tell us he’s not even there. In these places of deep disappointment, we must remind ourselves of those things about God that we know to be true, though they might not feel true at the moment. We must conclude for ourselves that the valley of death we are walking through isn’t, to borrow an image from Pilgrim’s Progress, a Slough of Despond from which we would never emerge, but simply a shadow, and that shadow does not define our lives. Christ does. There is so much we don’t know. But we do know this: If we are to accept the disappointments that we cannot escape in life, we must turn to God’s Word for hope and encouragement.

PRAYER:

Written by Francois Fenelon (1651-1715), a French archbishop, theologian, poet and writer.

Lord, I do not know what I ought to be asking of you. You are the only One who knows what I need…All I can do is present myself to you. Lord, I open my heart to you…I no longer have any desire other than to accomplish your will. Teach me to pray. Amen.

MEDITATION:

Written by Billy Graham (1918-2018), an American evangelist and minister.

July 4th commemorates the day in 1776 that our nation declared itself to be an independent nation, and no longer a colony of England. On that date, a number of our leading citizens signed what is known as the Declaration of Independence, stating our determination to become a free country. Our independence did not come easily; only after several difficult years of war would it finally be won. Nor were our first years as a nation free from problems and controversies (as is still true). But our forefathers were determined to establish a free and democratic system of government, and the Declaration of Independence (together with our Constitution and the Bill of Rights) became the foundation for this. They have stood the test of time, and on July 4th we give thanks for the wisdom and faith and courage of those leaders.

Although it is not a religious holiday like Christmas or Easter, for many Americans July 4th is a time to reflect on God’s goodness to us as a nation. Molded into the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia (which proclaimed our independence) are these words from the Bible: “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof” (Leviticus 25:10). Our legal system reflects our Judeo-Christian roots. While we look with gratitude to the past on this July 4th, may we also look in faith to the future, and commit it and our lives to God and His will. The ancient words of the Psalmist are still true: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 33:12).

PRAYER:

Written by Rebecca Barlow Jordan, a contemporary author and speaker.

As a nation, God, help us to desire righteousness more than rights, and to mirror sacrifice more than selfishness. You know us well, and You understand our flaws. Turn those weaknesses into strengths; bathe us with Your grace and mercy, though none of us deserve it. Fill us with the boldness to choose the kind of freedom that will benefit all, rather than a few. Open our eyes to see others as You do—with godly potential and value. But help us, too, to recognize our own pride in trying to elevate ourselves and others above You and Your purpose for our lives. We need, You, God. Oh, how we need You! You have exercised nothing but faithfulness and fairness in Your treatment of our country, even when we’ve turned our back on You and forgotten Your goodness to us. Your discipline at times is hard, but You are just. Your purpose is always to draw us close to You, to bless us, and to make us a great nation who honors You. You are a good, good, Father—and Your love for us has a proven track record. Amen.

MEDITATION:

Written by John E. Biersdoft, a contemporary pastor and author. This is from his book “Healing of Purpose.”

Love, according to the Christian gospel, is what God is about. Therefore, according to the same gospel, love is what we are to be about. Love completes the dimensions of commitment and freedom. By commitment we take charge of our commitment intimations from God that the world is not random chaos, but an arena for purposeful activity to bring all things to God. As we mature in our commitments and participation in God’s mission in the world, we come to moments of freedom when the creation becomes transparent, and the bright epiphany of God’s direct and immediate presence shines through phenomenal reality. Then we see that God is all in all, in all things arising and passing away. In those moments of meditation we realize that reality is infinitely more marvelously magical than any supernatural expectations we could have manufactured. We are truly surprised by God and know that in the ultimate sense there are no limits—all things are possible for those who love God, who are called according to God’s promise.

PRAYER:

Written by Margaret Grun Kibben, contemporary Chaplain to the US House of Representatives and former Chief of Chaplains for the US Navy.

Gracious God, we earnestly pray today to walk in Your presence. With You beside us, may Your nearness both inspire and compel us to take steps in response to Your divine mercy, in obedience to Your divine guidance, and in gratitude for Your divine compassion for us.

May each thought that comes to our minds be of Your will. May each aspiration our souls conjure be worthy of Your blessing. May every action we take reveal Your love to those who need it so desperately. May every word we speak give honor to You.

It is our humble prayer that in everything we do today, we would be instruments of Your transcendent love in this place, of Your sacrificial love for all of creation, and of Your redeeming love for this world and for each of Your children. We offer ourselves to You in the hope of Your mercy and in the strength of Your name. Amen.

MEDITATION:

Written by John Wijngaards, a contemporary scripture scholar, author, and a laicized priest. This is an excerpt from his book “Inheriting the Master’s Cloak.”

In the face of the needy, the sufferer, the enemy, we see the face of the incarnate God. What we do to the needy, the Some time ago, when I was browsing through John’s Gospel, I came across these reassuring words of Jesus: “Whoever believes in me will do what I do – yes, he will do even greater things” [John 14:12]. That is surely an exaggeration, I thought. It cannot be true. This has to be understood as hyperbolic language. Doing greater things than Jesus has done? But when I studied the context and began to think about it, the full impact of Jesus’ statement dawned on me. Jesus meant what he said, and its message has weighty implications.  Jesus has just declared, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” He goes on to say that he is in the Father and the Father in him. Also, his teaching is not his own teaching, but the Father’s. Jesus’ activity, in other words, what he does and says, reveals the Father. Whatever Jesus does—the preaching on the kingdom, the manifestation of his power, his service to the people—is all work done by the Father. In the same way the Father will work in Jesus’ disciples. Jesus is going to heaven, but in the disciples the same work of the Father will go on. The disciples, therefore, will do what Jesus did—yes, even greater things than he did.

PRAYER:

Written by James Merritt, a contemporary pastor and author.

God, Your Son Jesus gave me the ultimate example of what it means to be a servant. Not only did He serve in practical ways, but He also served me to the point of giving His own life for my sin. Reveal to me ways in which I can serve others every day. Broaden my horizon when it comes to serving, and help me to not only look for practical ways to serve others every day, but also to grow in my service by acting as a servant in every facet of life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

MEDITATION:

This meditation is an excerpt from the book “Seeking God’s Peace in a Nuclear Age: A Call to Disciples of Christ,” edited by Ronald E. Osborn.

In the face of the needy, the sufferer, the enemy, we see the face of the incarnate God. What we do to the needy, the sufferer, the enemy, we do to God. Moreover, our every action as Christians either expresses or denies the intention of Christ who, in indwelling our humanity, lives not only in all other persons, but in each of us as well. Conversion to the way of Christ demands the radical change which follows our acknowledgement of this indwelling: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). The Christian life is a continuing effort to release the divine impulse through all that we say and do.

PRAYER:

This prayer is from the Leonine Sacramentary, the earliest surviving collection of Roman Mass formularies and ordination prayers from the early 7th century.

Grant to us, Lord, We ask You, the spirit to think and do always such things as be rightful; that we, who cannot do anything that is good without You, may by You be enabled to live according to Your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

MEDITATION:

Written by Donald J. Shelby (1931-2012), a minister, speaker, and writer. This is an excerpt from his book “Forever Beginning.”

Meeting Jesus does not inevitably lead to his becoming our personal savior. We must make room in our life for him; we must choose him and accept him as our savior by claiming his presence. We must let him be Lord of our lives. That decision involves opening ourselves to Jesus and receiving him into the most intimate dimensions of our lives. Because Jesus comes to us in love, he refuses to exploit or manipulate us, to be coercive or invasive, for to do so would contradict the very nature of love. If he would be loved by others, we must let them love us. We must be vulnerable and reachable enough that others can get close enough to love us, including Jesus. So Jesus approaches the threshold of our being with beckoning love, and he waits for us to open our life to him from the inside….

To enter into that intimate relationship where Jesus becomes our savior is to let Jesus be with us and within us, person to person, on the emotional and volitional levels of our being. It is to respond to the contagion of his presence. It is to let down whatever defenses we hav in place so that we come together heart to heart, so that the spirit in him touches and resonates with the spirit in us. It is to meet him with our deepest feelings and fears, with our aspirations and imaginations, with our desires and loyalties, with our creative energies and self-understanding. It is to meet him with our shadow-side and our hidden face, risking his acceptance of all we are – even those things about ourselves we have rejected and tried to disguise. It is to meet him with the expectation that what happens between him and us will enlarge life with fulfillment and beauty. It is to enjoy with him that same pervasive sense of well-being and excitement that quickens in us when we spend unhurried time with good friends or when we share intimate moments of oneness with those we love. It is to meet him with gratitude and a sense of wonder over the gift of himself that Jesus offers.

PRAYER:

Written by Phil Togwell, a contemporary writer and   leader of the Anglican Diocese of Durham’s Prayer Project.

While I may not have any actual enemies, I can think of a few people who annoy me, people who have upset me, hurt me, and offended me. Jesus, help me to love them. And as I pray my best prayer for them now, I choose to bless them in your name. Jesus, I am deeply grateful that you love me as I am, but also that you don’t leave me as I am. Because you love me, you admonish me, you don’t let me get away with bad behavior, you discipline me. And I yield to it all again. Help me to become a little more like you in the way that I love others today. Amen.