February 20-26, 2011

In this blog, I’ll be using The Upper Room Disciplines 2012, as the basis for my reflections.  In that book, there is a devotion provided for each day.  I’ll be picking and choosing from those devotions each week and not using all of them–probably dependent upon the text/theme of the upcoming Sunday’s sermon.  If you have a copy of the book, it will probably make the discussion more meaningful, but don’t hesitate to participate even if you are not regularly reading the book.  I will note the Scripture references, so that you can read them, to give you background for the discussion.  Feel free to make a response on this blog, or if that’s too public for you, just enjoy reading/reflecting.

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Genesis 9:8-17 may seem a strange reading for the beginning of Lent.  It’s the story that concludes the flood event, where we hear about God’s covenant with Noah and his family, reaffirming God’s faithfulness to all creatures.  God’s commitment and promises to us, as well as our commitment and promises to God may very well be good points of reflection for these days of Lent.

–What more can we do, to show God’s love for the earth and its inhabitants?

–The rainbow sign serves as a reminder of God’s investment in all of creation.  What are the signs around us of either humanity’s investment in creation, or our disinterest?

February 13-19, 2012

The story of the transfiguration (Jesus’ appearance was transfigured–changed before their very eyes),  is always the Gospel reading for the Sunday before Ash Wednesday.   You will find Mark’s version in Chapter 9:2-9.   It’s an intriguing story on many levels, but is made a little more complex by this mountaintop experience with Peter, James and John, as well as the presence of Elijah and Moses.  Talk about gathering in the saints from many generations!  It’s one of those stories where one can easily imagine a movie with all kinds of special effects.  Given all of that, what sense can be made of this story for out contemporary lives?

–Mountaintop experiences are great, and some of them we remember forever, but “mountaintops are to be visited, not lived on.”  (W. Paul Jones)  Has this been your experience?  What have been your mountaintop times that you wouldn’t have wanted to miss?

–What can mountaintop events give to us that we need for living the rest of our days, sometimes days it feels like we live in the valley?

–Have you had times where generations of the faithful were together?  What was that like and what did you learn?

February 6-12, 2012

In Mark 1:40-45, we read the story of the leper who came to Jesus for healing.  He puts the responsibility for his healing on Jesus–”if you choose, you can make me clean.”  Yet, because he made the request, the leper is also indicating his belief that this is really possible.  This may be an early example of the spiritual and physical working together to move toward wholeness.  “There exists a real, though not yet fully understood relationship between mind and body–belief and health, the spiritual and the physical.  The old dichotomies between body and spirit are questioned, if not challenged.”  (P.C. Enniss)

–How have you experienced this mind/body connection operating in people’s lives?

–When have you experienced healing and well-being?

–How can we be a part of the process that works to heal a hurting/sick world of a variety of maladies?

–Why do you think the leper went out and told everyone about his healing, after being told specifically by Jesus to not do so?

January 30-February 5, 2012

This is one of those passages where we are hearing from a Paul who has great fervor for preaching the gospel.  His life seems to be driven by his faith.  Yet, then as now, he is taking that gospel message into a world where many have not heard it before.  Within the diversity that’s a part of his society, he has to determine how best to operate.

–There is a quote that is attributed to St. Francis, which probably didn’t come from St. Francis, which says: “Preach the gospel at all times.  Use words if necessary.”  I think there’s nothing wrong with using words, but I believe our most powerful witness may just be the way we live our lives–our actions.  What do you think?

–What does the gospel look like in our lives, when we go-public with it?

–How do we identify with others–live in our very real world, while still maintaining a kind of distinctiveness as Christians?

January 23-29, 2012

The passage from 1 Corinthians 8:1-13, may sound a little strange to us, because it’s all about what foods people are allowed to eat.  In our contemporary context, it may be difficult to understand what is the big deal here.  The real life situation behind the story is that much of the meat sold in the market places had come from animals sacrificed in pagan temples.  Some Christians didn’t believe it was right to eat that meat, others didn’t have a problem with it.

–What issues in our time, get people all bent out of shape, some people thinking they are absolutely right, others believing something else?

–How can legalism block unity in the life of the church community?

–How does belief in “one God” help/hinder us in dealing with our differences?

January 16-22, 2012

Mark 1:14-20 is one of the accounts of the calling of the first disciples.    The other very similar story is found in Matthew 4:18-22.  Here are two sets of brothers, who were fishers and proceeded to leave their nets behind and follow Jesus.

–In what ways, is discipleship, following Jesus, a reorientation of one’s life?

–What holds people back from fully responding to Jesus’ call to follow him?

January 9-15, 2012

Psalm 139: 1-6, 13-18 is a reminder of God’s constant presence in our lives.  God is there, and has been there with us, every day of our lives–since before we were born.  We are encouraged to give thanks for our very creation.

–How is gratitude a part of your daily life?  What are new ways you could “take things with gratitude instead of taking them for granted”?  (G.K. Chesterton)

–How does it feel to you, to have a God who knows you through and through–knows everything about you?

Jan. 1-8, 2012

January 1-8, 2012

Two of the readings this week, speak about God’s creation of the world–Genesis 1:1-5 and Psalm 29.  In Genesis, we hear about God bringing order out of chaos.  There is a grand sense of the creative activity of God’s spirit that so long ago created this vast universe and everything in it.  It’s one thing to think about God as a creative being, but how does that thought translate into our humanity?  How does God’s creativity impact our lives? How do we see ourselves as creative people?

The author speaks of the “nonverbal cues” as a way of describing God’s way of creating and communicating.  Where has God moved in your life, speaking through non-verbal cues?  If God were to communicate a message to you today, what might it be?