Daily prayer featuring lectio divina or sacred reading.
I ask for the grace to pray and meditate faithfully. I ask for patience, tolerance, compassion, and empathy. I ask to abstain from anger, anxiety, compulsive behaviour, discouragement, and self-importance. I ask to know and follow Jesus more closely, seeking justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly.
18 Children, it is the last hour! As you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. From this we know that it is the last hour. 19They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But by going out they made it plain that none of them belongs to us. 20But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge. 21I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and you know that no lie comes from the truth. 22Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23No one who denies the Son has the Father; everyone who confesses the Son has the Father also. 24Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25And this is what he has promised us, eternal life.
1) "...it is the last hour;" "...many antichrists have come;" "...it is the last hour;" "...for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us;" "...all of you have knowledge;" "...abide;" "...eternal life;" "...and this is what he has promised us, eternal life;"
2) Ugh. So, when all else fails, demonize those who differ in opinion from you, and totalize: if they were part of us they would not have left us. I cannot affirm the arguments here. It denies the grief of breaking with those we have loved. It denies the possibility that there can be two less that perfect understandings of the truth. It denies diversity of opinion and experience. It denies Jesus' teaching, "those who are not against us are with us." The fledgling church experience no end of conflict as it worked out future dogma. But wouldn't Christ have us hold one another compassionately. Christ was far more concerned about feeding the hungry, healing the sick, comforting the grieving and liberating the oppressed than with "the last hour." It pains me what became of his message. Here "Eternal life" has already started to be coopted into an end-times, "other worldly" booby-prize, rather than a lived political reality of treating one another with compassion and empathy. Were we to truly to abide in 'the Father and the Son" and "the Father and the Son" were to abide in us we would not longer feel the need to talk about "antichrists". To "the Father and the Son" what is the "antichrist"?!? Nothing. Eternal life extends in all directions here and now, into our past, outward - connecting us to every part of creation, the heavens and the earth - and into the future, the end (purpose) of all creation. What we heard from the beginning was that "it was good," and that we are beloved as part of that good creation, each of us made in the image and likeness of the creator.
3) What is the invitation in all this? To abide in "the Father and the Son;" to abide in Christ and to let Christ abide in us.
"Holy One, abide in us."
"The Word of God... Abides in You."
I ask for the grace to pray and meditate faithfully. I ask for patience, tolerance, empathy, and compassion. I ask to abstain from anger, anxiety, compulsive behaviour, discouragement, and self-importance. I ask to know and follow Jesus more closely, seeking justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly.
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world; 16for all that is in the world—the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17And the world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live for ever.
1) "...your sins are forgiven;" "...from the beginning;" "... the world and its desire are passing away;" "...do the will of God;" "...live for ever;" "...the word of God abides in you;"
2) I'm not sure what to do with this passage. If feels a little "works righteousness" with "because you have conquered the evil one." And I'm not sure how literally it takes "the things in the world." Certainly, all things in our world are passing away. But this passage seems to abandon being in the world; does it deny the incarnation? It seems very Greek in its dualism. I appreciate the call to doing the will of God. "The word of God abides in you," but the implication is that the word of God abides in you because "you have conquered the evil one," because "you know him who is from the beginning," because you "do not love the world or the things of the world;" and that would be a very strong works righteousness. Or is it because God abides in you... you are then able to do these other things. The language, translated here, isn't clear. The passage does begin with "because your sins are forgiven on account of his name" not because of anything you have done. When are we aware that the word of God is abiding in us? I did some beautiful visits yesterday. I meditate. I play with watercolour. We celebrate lives well lived. We feed, clothe, and shelter so many people here at Trinity, all the time.
3) What is the invitation in all this? To let God's word abide in us. It abides in us whether we bid it or not, but we do choose whether we live as though God's word abides in us. "Do the will of God."
"Holy One, abide in us. Guide us to do your will."
Breathprayer: "The word of God... abides in you."
"The True Light... Already Shining."
7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word that you have heard. 8Yet I am writing you a new commandment that is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 9Whoever says, ‘I am in the light’, while hating a brother or sister, is still in the darkness. 10Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light, and in such a person there is no cause for stumbling. 11But whoever hates another believer is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know the way to go, because the darkness has brought on blindness.
1) "...beloved;" "...old commandment;" "..from the beginning;" "...the word that you have heard;" "...true in him and in you;" "...the darkness is passing away;" "...the true light is already shining;" "...no cause for stumbling;" "...whoever loves a brother;" "...the darkness has brought on blindness;"
2) I have to wonder if loving a brother or sister entails affection? I'm pretty sure that even here in 1 John, as in Paul's letters, loving one another is more about how we treat each other than about feeling warm fuzzies for one another. It is hard enough to treat one another with dignity and respect some days without the added expectation that we will also feel warm and fuzzy about each other. And then there are those whom it is so easy to love. Thank God for them! I don't think I'm one of them. I'm quite likeable, I'm charming, funny, and intelligent. But I'm too honest and blunt for most people. and once I think I know the truth of something, I'm dogmatic. "...the true light is already shining;" do we believe that? where do we have access to the true light that is already shining? Those people who are easy to love, maybe. Certainly in those people it is hard to love when we still manage to love them!
3) What is the invitation in all this? To be more open to empathy for those hard to love folk.
"Holy One, keep us mindful of the graciousness you show us by loving us even when we are less loveable."
Breathprayer: "the true light... already shining."
"Know Him... Abide in Him."
3 Now by this we may be sure that we know him, if we obey his commandments. 4Whoever says, ‘I have come to know him’, but does not obey his commandments, is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist; 5but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection. By this we may be sure that we are in him: 6whoever says, ‘I abide in him’, ought to walk just as he walked.
1) "...we have an advocate;" "...for the sins of the whole world;" "...Whoever says, 'I have come to know him', but does not obey his commandments, is a liar;" "...the love of God has reached perfection;" "...whoever says, 'I abide in him', ought to walk just as he walked;"
2) I should think there are few of us who could walk "just as he walked." Another call to humility. I'm not really happy with the image of "the father" in this passage, as if God is wrathful and wanting to do violence to us and Jesus is the only thing preventing that. Not my theology. I do want those of us to who claim the narrative of Jesus to behave more as he behaved. Its a constant struggle. Daily are the trials, but so are the blessings. Yesterday had many blessings, and so too, already, has today. "I have come to know him." What exactly does it mean to "come to know him?" I witness Christ. I believe Christ communes with me and I with him. I believe we have journeyed together, intimately, throughout my life. But would I claim, "I have come to know him?" There are people in my life I might make that claim about, though few. I even surprise myself on no few occasions. What exactly does it mean to say, "I have come to know him?" I'm sure there are plenty of folk out there who make great claims about their knowledge of Christ. I am just terribly, terribly grateful for the ways in which I experience Christ manifest in my life and the life of my community, and I endeavor to live, motivated by that experience. We don't spend enough energy observing the claim that Jesus is atoning "for the sins of the WHOLE world."
3) What is the invitation in all this? To live as one who has "known" Christ.
"Holy One, keep us in the truth, help make us honest."
Breathprayer: "Know him... abide in him."
"God Is Light... Faithful and Just."
I ask for the grace to pray and meditate faithfully. I ask to show patience, tolerance, empathy, and compassion. I ask to abstain from anger, anxiety, compulsive behaviour, discouragement, and self-importance. I ask to know and follow Jesus more closely, seeking justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly.
1) "God is light;" "...in him there is no darkness at all;" "...he himself is in the light;" "...we deceive ourselves;" "...the truth is not in us;" "...he who is faithful and just;"
2) Immediately I have to wonder, what constitutes "darkness" such that there is "no darkness at all" in God? the following line seems to illustrate a little more on what constitutes "darkness." The things that we do that deny God. Is he "light" or is he "in the light"? Walking with God/Jesus is to confess our sins. Walking in the light, means admitting to the shadow that is in us. God is light, faithful, just, and true. Can we trust God's light, faithfulness, justice, and truth enough to confess our shadow/sin/darkness faithfully. I was just listening to a clip on Facebook about raising teenagers. The speaker talked about getting ready to ride a roller coaster. You sit in the car and someone comes a long to put down a metal bar across your lap. Immediately you push and pull on the bar. It is not your desire for the bar to give way. You want the bar to do its job and you are testing it. The speaker compared this to parenting teenagers. Parents put down the bar, and the teenagers push and pull on the bar, not hoping it will let go, but that it will remain in place. Teenagers need to know that they have something in their life that will hold as they go through the ups, downs, bends and turns. Parents need to learn to not take that struggling personally, but to remain steady and in place. Its a useful image. The problem is that no person is going to get 100% on that test. We are human beings, not metal bars locked in by mechanics. Being an adult, or a parent doesn't get us a "get out of sinning free card." Parents fail the test. Teenagers can be stronger than the bar. We end up with teenagers who grow up with out unconditional love who continue to test every relationship to see if it will be the one that is able to love "unconditionally." Our need for God is for an absolutely unconditional lover, who forgives and reconciles even when the bar gives way.
3) What is the invitation in all this? I have a number of adult "teenagers" in my community who throw everything they've got at me to see if I will be the "one" to "love" them unconditionally. I can feely admit I regularly fail the test. And, of course, there are certain people with whom I am more likely to fail the test than others. How does God want unconditional love to be expressed through me?
"Holy One, Guide us all in taking responsibility for our actions and expressing your unconditional love."
Breathprayer: "God is light... faithful and just."
1We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us— 3we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
1) "...what was... we have heard... seen... looked at and touched;" "...concerning the word of life;" "...we have seen... testify... declare;" "...eternal life;" "...revealed to us;" "...declare to you what we have seen and heard;" "...We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete;" "...so that our joy may be complete;" "...concerning the word of life;" "...the eternal life that was with the Father;" "...so that you may also have fellowship with us;" "...our fellowship is with the Father and... JC;" "...so that our joy may be complete;"
2) Quite emphatic that the author has witnessed "the eternal life that was with the Father" first hand. And the author writes, so their "joy may be complete" by sharing fellowship between the Father, Jesus Christ and the readers of the text, consequently sharing "the eternal life that was with the Father." How much of what we do here brings us great joy? eternal joy? the joy of eternal life? How does God continue to reveal the eternal life to us? And let me be clear, I don't mean life after death, I mean the life that extends in connectedness in every direction: connected to the earth, the sky, the beginning and the end, to each created being... When have we experienced that kind of connection? And old friend messaged me last night on Facebook. An old girlfriend actually, from when I was maybe 12 or 13. We knew each other throughout our teens. She'd been teaching her grade one art class and came upon a children's animal magazine that had my name and old address on it. The magazine had to be over 35 years old! I'm sure we disposed of those old magazines at least a decade ago, but mom just moved a little over three years ago, so maybe they got sent to a recycle then? No idea. The funny thing was, I'd also just been thinking about my old Owl Magazines and the Mighty Mights that were featured in them. It was good to chat for a while with an old friend. Finding the magazine was the push she needed to reach out and contact me. It was a delicious moment in time, a sweet conversation of reminiscing and recalling old affections. I'm so very grateful for all the old affections, the companions on this life long journey.
3) What is the invitation in all this? To express gratitude for connections, intimate and affectionate.
"Holy One, thank you for the tiny glimpses into eternal life that is with you."
"The Cross of Christ... a New Creation."
I ask for the grace to pray and meditate faithfully. I ask for patience, tolerance, compassion, and empathy. I ask for the grace to abstain from anger, anxiety, compulsive behaviour, discouragement, and self-importance. I ask to know and follow Jesus more closely, seeking justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly.
1) "...may I never boast of anything except the cross;" "...the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world;" "...a new creation is everything;" "...I carry the marks of Jesus branded on my body;" "...May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters;" "...a new creation is everything;" "...new creation is everything."
2) I simply love the playfulness of the first line! See!!! This really is a letter of extremes, from very severe admonishment to incredible affection and familiarity. It is a mistake to read this letter as if it were written for us, or for a "public" audience. It is uniquely intimate, almost a journal entry. I cringe at the thought of people reading my personal letters or journal entries as if they were meant for the public. Rest assured... I censor myself as I write my blog even if I do very little editing!!! In these last lines of the letter, Paul returns to his point..."A new creation is everything." Following the law is nothing if you aren't following the whole law, and following the whole law simply isn't possible without grace. Further, it is a mistake to compromise the gospel in order to avoid being "persecuted for the cross of Christ." What compromises of the gospel do we make in order to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ? How do we keep a new creation in our sights, so as to reduce the temptation to compromise the gospel? What does it mean to say "the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world"? Paul and the world cannot be separated? Paul and the world are suffering because of each other? Paul and the world will participate in each other's redemption? Paul does have scars as a result of his ministry: "for I carry the marks of Jesus branded on my body." What are the marks of Jesus branded on our bodies? How do people look at us and know we are followers of Christ?
"Holy One, may we live for a new creation, may your new creation be our all in all!"
Breathprayer: "The Cross of Christ... a New Creation."
"Sow the Spirit... Reap Eternal Life."
"...Share in all Good Things."
"Live by the Spirit... Belong to Christ."