Calling All Saints

Posted on by Betsy

Saints. They can be canonized heroes of our faith, plaster statues in a cathedral, a football team in New Orleans, or the person sitting next to you.

We usually balk at the notion that every day folks are saints, and the thought that we ourselves fall into that category is especially squirm-worthy. Comparing ourselves with the likes of the Apostle Paul, Mother Teresa, and Gabriel the Archangel is uncomfortable at best, unless you have a really, really big ego. Most Protestant denominations don’t have saints like our Catholic brothers and sisters do. Our traditions don’t include canonization, but we do have saints of the ordinary variety.

You and me.

All Saints’ Day is a way of marking the ordinariness of extraordinary people of faith. Many churches observe this on the first Sunday of November. Names of those who have died in the last year are read, and a candle is lit for each. Sometimes a bell is tolled as well. It is a sacred and solemn day of remembrance and thanksgiving for the faithfulness of these folks.

The phrase saints appears in the Bible over 60 times. In Colossians 10, Paul assures us that all of us are saints:

Colossians 1:10-14 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

10 So that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. 11 May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins

The root of the word saint comes from the word sanctified. To be sanctified is to be “set apart for holy use.” We have been called out of the world to be the reflection of Christ to a world that doesn’t know him but needs him desperately.

Many years ago, I traveled to Israel. Most of the holy sites are maintained by different churches: Roman Catholic, Coptic, Greek Orthodox, Franciscans, etc. As an American Methodist, I was struck by all of the plaster statues and busts of saints I knew nothing about. It was an interesting distraction from the holy site itself.

When I got home, I reflected on our Protestant understanding of saints as ordinary people, and I sadly realized that in many instances, I have been and continue to be a plaster saint. How about you? Do you ever feel that way … That if people knew what was really going on inside of you, they surely would feel differently about you?

The scriptures may affirm us as saints with the rest of the members of the household of God, but in so many ways, our usefulness as those set apart for holy use only runs skin deep. I may appear somewhat saintly on the outside, but the plaster is covering who I really am and hiding my less-than-sanctified-self from the world.

In our ordinariness, we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. Then we put on a plaster cast and show a holiness to the world that doesn’t really speak to who we are inside. As they say, actions speak louder than words, and people can easily see past the mask. And so can God.

On this All Saints’ Day, let us spend a moment meditating on that. Do you mirror the image of God in everything you say, do, think, and post? Or is your sainthood just a plaster façade, hiding an inner self you don’t want others to see? Let us mark this day with self-examination, confession, repentance, and change.

As saints, we are called to work hard in every way to do the right thing and endure in good works no matter the cost. We are instructed to grow in our knowledge of God, so keep doing your daily devotionals, people! Thank you for reading! Saints endeavor to live a life worthy of God, not just show up to church occasionally so we can check that box.

You see, the whole point of sainthood is not to be perfect, but to be redeemed, forgiven, and strengthened by the Holy Spirit to live a life that reflects our faith. And someday, when the saints go marching in, oh Lord, let us be in that number!

Stone Saints by Alan Janesch

Hear

Posted on by Betsy

If you could distill everything important you wanted your family to know about you and put it in a box, what would you include? I recently purchased a NOKBOX (Next of Kin Box) for my husband and I to consolidate all of our important papers and information for our next of kin in the event of our passing. He has been working on it for weeks and finally completed it. It has preprinted file folders that you simply fill with the necessary documents, and viola, there it all is in one box. You’re welcome, kids! We recently had a relative die very unexpectedly and his widow and children are still trying to chase down all of the necessary documents that one must produce in these situations. This motivated us to consolidate all the important things in one location for our family when we go. I hope you have some kind of system in place for your next of kin as well.

In a strange way, today’s scripture is like a NOKBOX. Moses had brought the nation of Israel to the entry way to the Promised Land after finally escaping from Pharaoh’s grip. The years of wilderness wandering have left them depleted in many ways. They are tired of their nomadic life and long for a home. A generation has come and gone and they don’t remember what it is like to be Hebrew. More importantly, they have lost sight of the commandments that God gave them in a love letter on stone tablets. Before they move on, it was time to go over all the important parts of the covenant with God.

Deuteronomy 6 (New Revised Standard Version)

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. 7 Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. 8 Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead,9 and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. Right from the start the monotheistic nature of the Jewish faith is asserted. They are about to enter a land of pagans with false idols, so getting this part straight from the get-go would ensure their survival. They are reminded to love their Lord with everything they have. The prayer continues with an invitation to keep these words in their hearts, recite them in their homes, and put them on their hands, foreheads, and doorposts. This was done by writing this shema on tiny pieces of paper and placing them into small boxes called phylacteries, which could be bound to the arm and forehead with leather straps. In a literal sense, they boxed up everything important about God and wore them on their bodies.

One of the things that our NOKBOX does not include is a space for us to express how much we love and cherish our children and grandchildren, and how extremely proud we have always been to be their parents. This is a file that we need to add. In the meantime, I will wear my love for them on my arms and my forehead, and write it over my doorpost.

New Neighbor

Ride or Die

Posted on by Betsy

Do you have someone in your life who is your “ride or die”? A ride or die friend or relative is one who will come to your side no matter what the situation. They are the first to call, the first to show up, the first to take your side, the first to defend you, and the last to leave. They are the person who will sit at the vet’s office with you for hours on a Sunday morning, call you 30 minutes after a particularly stressful meeting to make sure you’re okay, rush to your side with hot soup when you are ill, and always sends flowers for your birthday. I hope you have someone in your life like that, and I especially hope you are a ride or die for someone else.

In today’s lectionary passage, we meet a young Moabite woman who was a ride or die for her Jewish mother-in-law. Does that surprise you? Not everyone is blessed with a strong relationship with their mothers-in-law. I was, and I count myself very blessed. The story of Naomi and Ruth is an inspiration for any committed relationship between two people.

Naomi’s husband and adult sons have died, and so she and her daughters-in-law have decided to move to Naomi’s hometown. Watch what happens:

Ruth 1 (The Message)

8-9 After a short while on the road, Naomi told her two daughters-in-law, “Go back. Go home and live with your mothers. And may God treat you as graciously as you treated your deceased husbands and me. May God give each of you a new home and a new husband!” She kissed them and they cried openly.

10 They said, “No, we’re going on with you to your people.”

11-13 But Naomi was firm: “Go back, my dear daughters. Why would you come with me? Do you suppose I still have sons in my womb who can become your future husbands? Go back, dear daughters—on your way, please! I’m too old to get a husband. Why, even if I said, ‘There’s still hope!’ and this very night got a man and had sons, can you imagine being satisfied to wait until they were grown? Would you wait that long to get married again? No, dear daughters; this is a bitter pill for me to swallow—more bitter for me than for you. God has dealt me a hard blow.”

In Jewish tradition, women who were widowed at an early age could marry their husband’s brother to keep the family line going. But because all of her sons are gone, Naomi cannot provide husbands for these women. By urging them to leave her, she is offering them a second chance at life.

14 Again they cried openly. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye; but Ruth embraced her and held on.

15 Naomi said, “Look, your sister-in-law is going back home to live with her own people and gods; go with her.”

16-17 But Ruth said, “Don’t force me to leave you; don’t make me go home. Where you go, I go; and where you live, I’ll live. Your people are my people, your God is my god; where you die, I’ll die, and that’s where I’ll be buried, so help me God—not even death itself is going to come between us!”

This is some of the most beautiful language in the Old Testament. Wherever you go, I go. Wherever you live, I will live. Your people are my people! Such devotion and commitment is remarkable, especially in the context of an in-law relationship. Ruth had her heart set on staying with Naomi.

18-19 When Naomi saw that Ruth had her heart set on going with her, she gave in. And so the two of them traveled on together to Bethlehem.

We can see the Holy Spirit at work here. Naomi and Ruth move to Bethlehem, and you remember what happened in Bethlehem. Ruth eventually married Boaz, who became her kinsman redeemer. They had a son named Obed who had a son named Jesse who had a son named David, who became king. As Jesus was from the line of David, Ruth is forever remembered as one of Jesus’ direct ancestors.

This story points out another thing to us. We have someone in our lives who promises to go wherever we go and live wherever we live. A descendant of Ruth, he is our own personal kinsman redeemer. He rode a donkey into Jerusalem and died on a cross for our salvation.

Jesus is the greatest ride or die we will ever have.

Sky Ride by Kathy Schumacher

Anti-Toxin

Posted on by Betsy

We are rounding the corner when holidays challenge us to try to spend time with our families. There is an expectation of togetherness that dominates our schedules between Halloween and New Year’s Day. For families that are experiencing dysfunction, these next few months can be extremely disruptive.

Does your family put the “fun” in dysfunctional or is there a deep and toxic undercurrent that threatens your peace? I spoke to a mother who has been battling with a very toxic relative who refuses to listen to her and has rejected all of her words and counsel. When that relative suddenly announced that they were coming for Thanksgiving, the mother responded that this would not work this year. I applaud her conviction in standing up for herself. Let me say this out loud for those in the back: it is okay to walk away from toxic relationships. You can still love people from afar, but to put appropriate boundaries around your heart, your mind, and your sanity is sometimes the only way to negotiate relationships that threaten to undo you.

Not only is it okay to walk away from toxic relationships, but it is also biblical.

In the tenth chapter of Matthew, Jesus was training his disciples to go out and announce that the Messiah had come. He instructed them to knock on the door and offer a blessing of peace. If the blessing was rebuked, Jesus told them to “let your peace return to you” and walk away.

Matthew 10 (New International Version)

13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.

Think about your most challenging relationships. If the relationship is deserving, let your peace rest on it. If your words, advice, and loving counsel are rejected over and over again, step away from that relationship and dust off your feet.

This is not to say that we are suddenly relieved of our duty to love others as Christ loves them. This does not discount unconditional love. But loving with healthy boundaries and space is appropriate. Jesus said so.

Are you dreading the holidays? Do you wish you didn’t have to deal with someone this season?

Dust off your feet, stand up for yourself, and walk toward your own peace of mind.

When Peace, Like a River by Kathy Schumacher

Tone-Blind

Posted on by Betsy

Have you ever been in a situation where you suddenly realized that the person you are with is completely incapable of seeing the reality in front of them, in spite of your repeated attempts to explain, describe, reveal, and expose exactly what is going on? Like people who are tone-deaf and can’t hear the nuances of musical notes and overtones, tone-blind people are folks who can’t or won’t see the stark reality of a situation right in front of them.

I had a very hard conversation with a friend who described his 98 year-old father’s extreme deterioration. Not able to talk, walk, stand, hear, or eat for months now, he is confined to a nursing home with a feeding tube. My friend desperately wants his father to be released from this world and ushered into God’s loving arms, where he will be made whole. The doctors and nurses support this. His siblings, however, insist that if he could just get enough nutrition through the feeding tube his situation will completely turn around. My friend feels that his siblings are tone-blind. Their need for their father in their lives has blinded them to the reality of their father’s current and real situation. They can’t see the layered tones of what his “life” has really come to.

Our scripture today talks about a time when Jesus healed a blind man. I imagine my friend wishes Jesus would heal his family and allow them to see their situation through the eyes of faith, which surely would bring comfort about the reality of their father’s eternal life in a whole and functioning body, living in God’s presence. When we forget that death brings resurrection, we become myopic to the whole thing.

As you read this, imagine yourself as a bystander on the road, watching this whole scene:

Mark 10 (Common English Bible)

46 Jesus and his followers came into Jericho. As Jesus was leaving Jericho, together with his disciples and a sizable crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, Timaeus’ son, was sitting beside the road. 47 When he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was there, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, show me mercy!” 48 Many scolded him, telling him to be quiet, but he shouted even louder, “Son of David, show me mercy!”

The crowd’s shushing and his response by yelling even louder makes me smile. He surely knew what Jesus was capable of, didn’t he? He understood that Jesus alone could heal him, and he wasted no time in working hard to get Jesus’ attention. This was his one and only chance and he was not about to miss it!

Have you ever been in a situation like that, where you saw that there was one way out of your predicament, but it involved loudly asserting your need for help? Did you shut up or yell louder? I hope you yelled louder.

49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him forward.”

They called the blind man, “Be encouraged! Get up! He’s calling you.”

50 Throwing his coat to the side, he jumped up and came to Jesus.

These two actions of “throwing down the coat” and “jumping up” paint a beautiful word picture. We can feel his anticipation and excitement. His lifelong affliction was about to be over.

51 Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”

The blind man said, “Teacher, I want to see.”

52 Jesus said, “Go, your faith has healed you.” At once he was able to see, and he began to follow Jesus on the way.

Faith healed him, because faith was the oomph and the push to get right in Jesus’ face and demand healing. Yes, demand. There was no politeness here in his actions or his tone. He trusted that Jesus would immediately see and understand his despair, and rush right back to him to heal him … which Jesus did.

Do you realize that it is okay to demand God’s attention when you are in trouble? I think when we won’t be silent but just get louder, it demonstrates to God that we are indeed putting our whole trust in his grace, with our faith exercising its right to be heard.

I love the end of this story: As soon as he was able to see, and he followed Jesus on the way. I bet he followed Jesus for the rest of his life, joyfully retelling his story to anyone who would listen and even those who would not. That’s what getting louder will do.

So get loud. Exercise your faith. Demand to be heard. Ask for your healing. And don’t let anyone shush you on the way.

Homeward Bound by Michelle Robertson

When You are Being Trampled

Posted on by Betsy

An old song from the musical “The King and I” kept floating through my mind during the recent hurricanes. As we were bombarded with images of charts and graphs showing the hurricanes increasing in intensity and coming closer and closer, this little song would replay itself. Sung by Anna as she is entering life as a teacher in the great palace of the fierce and intimidating King of Siam, the lyrics are a lighthearted reminder to try to project a brave countenance, even when you don’t feel it:

Whenever I feel afraid
I hold my head erect
And whistle a happy tune
So no one will suspect I’m afraid

I whistle a happy tune
And every single time
The happiness in the tune
Convinces me that I’m not afraid

Make believe you’re brave
And the trick will take you far
You may be as brave
As you make believe you are

The last verse is the best. You may be as brave as you make believe you are. Possibly the success in this lies in the fact that working to project a fearlessness that you don’t feel will distract you from the spinning cycle of despair that would like to swirl you downward deeper into your situation.

Today’s reading is from a time when David definitely felt afraid. The Philistines had seized him in Gath. He was alone, desperate, and very, very frightened. David was in great and constant danger from many enemies, both the Philistines and Saul’s servants. He cried out to God, knowing that divine help could rescue him from any man-made threat. He appealed to the mercy of God, not relying on what he may or may not deserve.

This is such a good place to start, whenever we feel afraid. Appealing to God’s mercy is exactly the right thing to do. David dove right into his petition, and addressed the attacks of his enemies who were “trampling” him.

You may or may not have “enemies” per se, but can you list people who oppose or oppress you? Are there people in your life who attack you on social media, family members who ignore or dismiss you, or rebellious teenagers who are working your last nerve? Who or what tramples you?

Psalm 56 (New International Version)

56 God, have mercy on me because I’m being trampled.
    All day long the enemy oppresses me.
2 My attackers trample me all day long
    because I have so many enemies.

Having made his petition David turned to his God on High, calling him “Exalted one.” This is David’s way of reminding both God and David that he understood the high and powerful nature of the God to whom he cried out. If you were writing this psalm, what name would you use for God? Who is God to you?
Exalted one, 3 whenever I’m afraid,
    I put my trust in you—
4         in God, whose word I praise.
        I trust in God; I won’t be afraid.
    What can mere flesh do to me?

David put his whole trust in God, and it made him feel less afraid. What would it mean to put your trust in God and leave all your fears there?

David now expressed his paranoia over his enemies ganging up against him. Have you ever felt that way? Can you recall a time when you felt ambushed or trapped by people or circumstances that you couldn’t overcome?

5 All day long they frustrate my pursuits;
    all their thoughts are evil against me.
6 They get together and set an ambush—
    they are watching my steps,
    hoping for my death.
7 Don’t rescue them for any reason!
    In wrath bring down the people, God!

But watch what comes next. David remembers and acknowledges where God has been all along. God has kept track of his misery. There is a tenderness in his statement “you put my tears into your bottle.” The tear bottle tradition dates back nearly 3,000 years, when mourners were said to collect their tears in a tear bottle, also called a lachrymatory. Tear bottles were buried with loved ones to express honor and devotion.

8 You yourself have kept track of my misery.
    Put my tears into your bottle—
    aren’t they on your scroll already?

What does it mean to you to know that God has numbered and kept every tear you have shed? For David, it gave him courage. It took his anxiety away and helped him see God’s activity in his situation. Then came this beautiful statement: “I know this because God is mine.” God is yours as well.

9 Then my enemies will retreat when I cry out.
    I know this because God is mine.
10     God: whose word I praise.
        The Lord: whose word I praise.
11 I trust in God; I won’t be afraid.
    What can anyone do to me?

When God is yours and you are God’s, what can anyone or any circumstance do to you, indeed?

12 I will fulfill my promises to you, God.
    I will present thanksgiving offerings to you
13     because you have saved my life from death,
    saved my feet from stumbling
        so that I can walk before God in the light of life.

God saves us from death and saves our feet from stumbling. We don’t have to be afraid! God enables us to walk in the light of life. Whenever you are afraid, God creates space for you. He counts, stores, and records everything about your fears and your tears.

And to know that the God of the universe cares about you makes everything all right. 

Moonrise over Colington

Too Big for Their Britches

Posted on by Betsy

Do you have phrases stuck in your head that your grandparents used when you were a kid? These down-to-earth tidbits of elder wisdom are priceless core memories that can instantly take you right back to Grandma’s dining room table laden with Thanksgiving dinner delights whenever you hear them. I recently had a conversation with a friend who was bemoaning the fight in her neighborhood between the HOA and a separate governing board. We talked through the issues and finally she threw up her hands and said, “They’ve all just become too big for their britches!” Grandma would have loved that. It was one of her favorite sayings! Indeed, the ego driven arrogance of some of these “leaders” in that neighborhood fits that description. Paul would say, “They think more highly of themselves than they ought.” And you know the problem of becoming too big for your britches: You risk splitting the back seam of your pants and showing your … um … core memory.

Today’s passage is a classic tale of two brothers who had gotten way too big for their britches, or robes in this case:

Mark 4 (Common English Bible)

35 James and John, Zebedee’s sons, came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”

36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

37 They said, “Allow one of us to sit on your right and the other on your left when you enter your glory.”

38 Jesus replied, “You don’t know what you’re asking! Can you drink the cup I drink or receive the baptism I receive?”

39 “We can,” they answered.

How conceited was that response? They had no idea what drinking the cup and receiving the baptism meant, but they were absolutely positive that they were big enough to handle it. In their limited thinking, sitting at places of honor in Jesus’ kingdom would be amazing. In truth, it would involve drinking from the cup of sorrow and receiving a baptism of suffering, death, and resurrection.

Jesus said, “You will drink the cup I drink and receive the baptism I receive, 40 but to sit at my right or left hand isn’t mine to give. It belongs to those for whom it has been prepared.”

I wonder if when Jesus told them they will drink the cup and receive the baptism they smiled and high-fived each other, thinking they had won something. But I am sure that Jesus did not participate in their celebration, as he knew exactly what would happen. James was the first disciple to be martyred according to Acts 12, and tradition suggests that John survived an attempted murder when he was submerged in a vat of boiling oil. In truth, the baptism they received was a baptism of fire.

41 Now when the other ten disciples heard about this, they became angry with James and John. 42 Jesus called them over and said, “You know that the ones who are considered the rulers by the Gentiles show off their authority over them and their high-ranking officials order them around. 43 But that’s not the way it will be with you. Whoever wants to be great among you will be your servant.44 Whoever wants to be first among you will be the slave of all,45 for the Human One didn’t come to be served but rather to serve and to give his life to liberate many people.”

Jesus dressed them all down and then redressed them in pants that fit their mission. They were called to be humble servants of each other and greatness would be defined by how well and faithfully they served. In this way, they took on the servanthood appearance of our Lord, who humbled himself even unto death.

Is God trying to humble you? Do you need to take a step back and see where you might serve someone in quiet kindness and gentle generosity?

The only way to be first in Jesus’ kingdom is to choose to be last.

Serving the Hungry at Fayetteville United Methodist Church by Kathy Schumacher

For All the Cracked Pots

Posted on by Betsy

There is an old legend from India about a water bearer who had two large water pots in which he carried water daily from the river to his master. One of the pots was perfect. The other one had a crack in it. The perfect pot always arrived at the master’s quarters perfectly full. The cracked pot was always half empty. Embarrassed and ashamed, the cracked pot said to his carrier one day, ‘Why don’t you get rid of me? I never arrive at the master’s quarters more than half full.’ ‘Ah’, replied the water bearer, ‘you don’t know the full story. Look beside the road where I carry you each day. There are flowers growing that I pick for the master’s table. The flowers only bloom on your side of the road. It is your cracked pot that waters them.”

Isn’t that an inspiring story for all of the cracked pots reading this today???

The marvelous writer Henri Nouwen helped us understand that God can use us in our brokenness to help others who are also broken. He calls us to become “wounded healers,” and encourages us to gather up our pain and come alongside someone who is hurting and offer support and understanding. It is a way of blessing others with the blessing we received when we saw firsthand how God came close to us when we were brokenhearted . God saves us from being crushed by our sorrow, our sin, our confusion, our grief, and our trials.

Psalm 34 (Common English Bible)
15 The Lord’s eyes watch the righteous,
    his ears listen to their cries for help.
16 But the Lord’s face is set against those who do evil,
    to eliminate even the memory of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry out, the Lord listens;
    he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
    he saves those whose spirits are crushed.

Have you been broken by something? Do you have a story to tell about God’s goodness in your bad situation? Someone needs to hear your testimony. By being willing to water the flowers God plants along the road, your words could bring healing and blessing to someone who is hurting. Maybe today is the day to allow God to use your brokenness for someone’s good. Don’t delay!

Marsh Flowers by Michelle Robertson

Whenever I Feel Afraid

Posted on by Betsy

An old, old song from the musical “The King and I” kept floating through my mind during the recent hurricanes. As we were bombarded with images of charts and graphs showing the hurricanes increasing in intensity and coming closer and closer, this little song would replay itself. Sung by Anna as she is entering life as a teacher in the great palace of the fierce and intimidating King of Siam, the lyrics are a lighthearted reminder to try to project a brave countenance, even when you don’t feel it:

Whenever I feel afraid
I hold my head erect
And whistle a happy tune
So no one will suspect I’m afraid

I whistle a happy tune
And every single time
The happiness in the tune
Convinces me that I’m not afraid

Make believe you’re brave
And the trick will take you far
You may be as brave
As you make believe you are

The last verse is the best. You may be as brave as you make believe you are. Possibly the success in this lies in the fact that working to project a fearlessness that you don’t feel will distract you from the spinning cycle of despair that would like to swirl you downward deeper into your situation.

Today’s reading is from a time when David definitely felt afraid. The Philistines had seized him in Gath. He was alone, desperate, and very, very frightened. David was in great and constant danger from many enemies, both the Philistines and Saul’s servants. He cried out to God, knowing that divine help could rescue him from any man-made threat. He appealed to the mercy of God, not relying on what he may or may not deserve.

This is such a good place to start, whenever we feel afraid. Appealing to God’s mercy is exactly the right thing to do. David dove right into his petition, and addressed the attacks of his enemies who were “trampling” him.

You may or may not have “enemies” per se, but can you list people who oppose or oppress you? Are there people in your life who attack you on social media, family members who ignore or dismiss you, or rebellious teenagers who are working your last nerve? Who or what tramples you?

Psalm 56 (New International Version)

56 God, have mercy on me because I’m being trampled.
    All day long the enemy oppresses me.
2 My attackers trample me all day long
    because I have so many enemies.

Having made his petition David turned to his God on High, calling him “Exalted one.” This is David’s way of reminding both God and David that he understood the high and powerful nature of the God to whom he cried out. If you were writing this psalm, what name would you use for God? Who is God to you?
Exalted one, 3 whenever I’m afraid,
    I put my trust in you—
4         in God, whose word I praise.
        I trust in God; I won’t be afraid.
    What can mere flesh do to me?

David put his whole trust in God, and it made him feel less afraid. What would it mean to put your trust in God and leave all your fears there?

David now expressed his paranoia over his enemies ganging up against him. Have you ever felt that way? Can you recall a time when you felt ambushed or trapped by people or circumstances that you couldn’t overcome?

5 All day long they frustrate my pursuits;
    all their thoughts are evil against me.
6 They get together and set an ambush—
    they are watching my steps,
    hoping for my death.
7 Don’t rescue them for any reason!
    In wrath bring down the people, God!

But watch what comes next. David remembers and acknowledges where God has been all along. God has kept track of his misery. There is a tenderness in his statement “you put my tears into your bottle.” The tear bottle tradition dates back nearly 3,000 years, when mourners were said to collect their tears in a tear bottle, also called a lachrymatory. Tear bottles were buried with loved ones to express honor and devotion.

8 You yourself have kept track of my misery.
    Put my tears into your bottle—
    aren’t they on your scroll already?

What does it mean to you to know that God has numbered and kept every tear you have shed? For David, it gave him courage. It took his anxiety away and helped him see God’s activity in his situation. Then came this beautiful statement: “I know this because God is mine.” God is yours as well.

9 Then my enemies will retreat when I cry out.
    I know this because God is mine.
10     God: whose word I praise.
        The Lord: whose word I praise.
11 I trust in God; I won’t be afraid.
    What can anyone do to me?

When God is yours and you are God’s, what can anyone or any circumstance do to you, indeed?

12 I will fulfill my promises to you, God.
    I will present thanksgiving offerings to you
13     because you have saved my life from death,
    saved my feet from stumbling
        so that I can walk before God in the light of life.

God saves us from death and saves our feet from stumbling. We don’t have to be afraid! God enables us to walk in the light of life. Whenever you are afraid, God creates space for you. He counts, stores, and records everything about your fears and your tears.

And to know that the God of the universe cares about you makes everything all right. 

What, Me Worry?

Go!

Posted on by Betsy

Last week I had a frustrating day. I have once again registered to run a Half Marathon in January, and I hadn’t been able to run for a week due to travel and commitments. That day was the day to get out and attempt 10 miles, which would put me back on track in my training. So I hydrated, slept well, woke up early, had my clothes already laid out and guess what? Rain. Not a nice drizzle to keep me cool, but pre-hurricane drenching rain.

In my feeling-sorry-for-myself -funk, I remembered this beautiful passage from Hebrews. It must have been a sunny day when the guy wrote this. Jelly!

Hebrews 12:1-2

12 So then let’s also run the race that is laid out in front of us, since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us. Let’s throw off any extra baggage, get rid of the sin that trips us up, 2 and fix our eyes on Jesus, faith’s pioneer and perfecter. He endured the cross, ignoring the shame, for the sake of the joy that was laid out in front of him, and sat down at the right side of God’s throne.

I have always loved this passage, as it has so much to teach us.

The first thing that jumps out at us is the phrase “the race that is laid out in front of us.” Just stop for a moment and consider that. This is a reassurance that God has a path, a way, and a journey already laid out for us. Not in a predestination sense of the word: As United Methodists, we don’t believe in predestination. But rather in a prevenient grace kind of way. Consider the grace that is spelled out in Jeremiah 29:11 which assures us that God has a plan for our lives. It is a plan to prosper us and not harm us, and it is a plan to give us a future with HOPE. As Methodists, we understand that we indeed get to exercise our free will. We can choose to stay in the race that is laid out in front of us and choose God’s plan which offers hope, or we can choose our own way, often to our detriment, distraction, and even destruction.  

So where is our hope? Our hope comes from keeping our eyes on Jesus, whom the writer of Hebrews calls the “pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” The perfecter part we expect, but did you hear that other word? Pioneer. Jesus is our pioneer, because he came before us to conquer death and blaze a trail of righteousness for us to follow. He is our example, our model, and our inspiration. He’s the guy in the marathon who puts his race bib and a message on the back of his shirt instead of the front because everyone else is following him. He has already run this race and if you keep your eyes on him, you own the race.

And one last word: He ran the race for your joy. He ran it for “the sake of the joy that was laid out for him:” The joy of knowing that his race brought you freedom and eternal life. So run your race with the joy that Jesus purchased for you on the cross, always keeping your eyes on him, and run every day with perseverance. Someday when you cross that finish line he will hand you the best race bling of all … not a finisher’s medal to hang around your neck, but a crown of glory to wear upon your head. 

Ready, Set …