The Currency of Love

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I have been reading through and thinking about the Beatitudes, the first act of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. (Matthew 5:3-12) I am always amazed at how Jesus turns common perceptions on their ear. In this first of eight couplets that make up the Beatitudes, Jesus uses language of commerce to teach about the inclusive nature of the people of God.

boys walking in nature “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
(Matthew 5:3 NIV)

Jesus starts out with “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Being poor is a reference point to wealth, that is, not having enough. We would most naturally say, “Blessed are the wealthy!” We wouldn’t even add “in spirit.” But Jesus flips the sentiment on us and declares those who understand that they cannot add to the dimension of the Spirit available to us are the ones with whom the blessing of the Spirit can most naturally reside. It is from this position of poverty that makes way for the inclusive nature of the people of God, because we can appreciate people for who they are and not what they have or can buy.

Jesus then says, “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Kingdoms naturally bring up notions of wealth. Kingdoms are fought over and bought off. Heaven is the one resource that can never be bought or even earned, but due to it’s elusiveness, it is of the upmost value! Jesus affirms that kingdom of heaven belongs to those who understand that there is nothing they can do to acquire it. Kingdoms are comprised of people. People cannot be acquired, only accepted! It is from the place of mutual acceptance that Spirit of God’s love can most freely move.

I pray that as we seek to know Christ more and the love God has for all people, that we too would understand our poverty of spirit and that we love God best when we love others well.

Grace and peace,
Brook

Compassionately Bold

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golden mushroomI am always amazed how God can speak through simple and familiar stories. I was reading in Mark’s gospel how at the beginning of his ministry, Jesus cast a demon out of a man in the synagogue. (Mark 1:21-28)  It says the Jesus spoke harshly to the demon. I can’t help but believe that it was deep compassion for the man that Jesus chose to silence the unclean spirit. Love makes us do bold things.

While thinking about this passage, I felt God say to me, “Speak harshly to your demons, but kindly to yourself.” It’s not everyday that we are invited to speak into the lives of those around us, but we are well aware of the things that we struggle with personally.

It just might be me, but I often take my struggles personally. Instead of saying “I messed up,” I would say, “I’m a bad person.” This is not what Jesus sees or says. We can act loving to ourselves by being bold against the things that trip us up.

What does this look like? It is a step-by-step, day-at-a-time process. Choosing daily to turn toward Jesus, allowing his presence to give us the boldness to walk forward in the way he is showing us. We may need help in doing this, and that’s ok. Or, we might not. The main point here is to have the compassion for ourselves that Jesus does so that we move boldly toward the freedom that we know is found in Christ. We may just have to speak harshly to our demons.

Grace and peace,
Brook

God Is Here

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“Look, I myself will be with you every day until the end of this present age.” – Jesus
(Matthew 28:20, CEB)

above the cloudsRecently I began listening to some teachings on mediation and mindfulness. One concept that I have found particularly helpful is that the goal of having a clear, bright, and restful mind always at reach. An illustration of this is knowing that above the clouds is a clear blue sky. It is always there, whether we see it or not. There are times in our lives that seem cloudy, even stormy. It’s hard to know that things will get better, or that the potential for things getting better is already present, but it is.
(I write these words with trembling faith!)

This morning I had breakfast with a friend, and he asked me if God was saying anything to me. My answer was “No. Not really. But, I am aware of God’s presence.” I mentioned to him that I am in a season of learning, and God is with me in the learning. Just like when your child is learning how to do something on her own. We often just stand back and observe. Our helping isn’t always helpful, but we are there all the same.

This reminded me of how Jesus concluded the Great Commission. “Look, I myself will be with you every day until the end of this present age.” The disciples were definitely on the cusp of a learning season. God’s presence would be with them through the Holy Spirit. It just wouldn’t be the same as the previous three years of walking with Jesus.

Jesus’ words to his disciples are equally available for us today, since we enjoy the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. You may not be experiencing a learning season like I am. Your days might not be cloudy. That’s ok. Whether they are or not, the beautiful thing is that God is here.

Grace and peace,
Brook

Love as the Will of God

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This week I have been meditating on Romans 12 and haven’t really made it past verse 2.

So, brothers and sisters, because of God’s mercies, I encourage you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to God. This is your appropriate priestly service. Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is-what is good and pleasing and mature. (Romans 12:1-2, CEB)

cloudscape with Mt. Jefferson in the distanceWe all want to know what God’s will is, and Paul says that comes by the renewing of our minds. This transformation comes about when we lay aside our preconceived ideas and seek to see things from someone else’s perspective, especially Christ’s. Throughout the New Testament we find the encouragement to love — love God and love others as ourselves. The transformative power of putting ourselves in someone else’s shoes is amazing and opens up opportunities to fulfill the command to love others as ourselves. I shouldn’t be surprised to discover God’s will — love.

Grace and peace,
Brook

And then the Winds Died Down

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This week’s Gospel reading in the Revised Common Lectionary is about Jesus walking on the water and inviting to join him out on the water (Matthew 14:22-33). This is a very familiar story, but what stood out to me is what happened when Jesus and Peter got back into the boat. The wind died down.

path going toward the beachThis week my family and I went camping near the ocean. This kind of camping bring its own set of challenges, one of which is the wind. Just last night the wind came up in strong gusts, pulling out our tent pegs and almost flipping over the boys tent! We were fortunate that as the evening wore on, the wind eased up, and we were able to sleep without fear of being woken up with a collapsing tent.

Sometimes we find ourselves in situations in which the circumstances are not in our favor. There are also time that Jesus will call us out deeper into the chaos and uncertainty. One thing we know from this story is that Jesus will meet us there and even rescue us if he needs to. The storm didn’t cease until Peter got back in the boat bringing Jesus with him.

Why did the wind die down? The story doesn’t tell us. Maybe Jesus spoke to the elements. Maybe he didn’t. Maybe the winds just eased up, and they only noticed it after they took their eyes off of the circumstances and focused their attentions on Jesus.

My opinion is that God is more concerned with the climate of our hearts than that of our surroundings. I also believe that when we walk with Jesus, inviting him into our situations, the storms that were overwhelming us somehow become more manageable. I’m not sure how this works, but our perspective does seem to change when we realize that we are not alone.

Grace and peace,
Brook

In All Things

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This week I have been reading through Romans 8. This is a very familiar passage of scripture for me, and I would bet, for most of us as well. As I came to verse 28 I was pleasantly surprised. I have read and quoted this verse so many times that it is simply automatic. But, in the latest edition of the New International Version, they have updated it.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  (Romans 8:28, NIV)

rocky pathWhat I appreciate about this reading is that it move the work of God from the cosmic to the personal. Instead of God working “all things together for our good,” it reflects how God works with us in the circumstances for our good.

The reason I appreciate the difference is that so often I look to God for a magical escape from the circumstances I am experiencing. When things get too difficult, inconvenient, or embarrassing, I want God to get me out as quickly as possible. When the reality is that God is more interested in walking us through the circumstances, providing opportunity for learning, growing, endurance, and strength. I believe this is where the good is accomplished. This good then empowers us to not only to reflect the image of Christ (v.29) but also to be Jesus in our world, walking and processing through difficulties with others.

This distinction was helpful for me. I pray that it is for you as well.

Grace and peace,
Brook

Living with Weeds

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This week I have been meditating on the Parable of the Weeds from Matthew 13. It is a story of intrigue and deception, and as well, patience and hope. After spending some time with it, I discovered that there is a valuable lesson to be found under the surface.

Woman walking through barley fieldAfter sowing his field with wheat he discovers that an enemy has contaminated his field with weeds. Instead of weeding the field, he decides to let them grow together, separating them after the harvest.

While not disregarding Jesus’ explanation of the parable, I found that it can be applied on a personal level as well as globally.

How often do we look at our lives and find aspects, characteristics, or personality traits that we just don’t like? These can even be areas of brokenness that seem to define us. We try to change ourselves. We pray for God to change us. Yet, we remain the same. Some of this is a product of our upbringing, culture, heritage, even DNA. Others are a product of the fall.

My understanding is that God loves us as we are. Yes, we are made new in Christ. Part of that newness is the grace to live in God’s presence, “warts and all,” allowing the Spirit to impart patience and instill hope that one day we will not only see Christ as he is, but also ourselves as we are.

Now we see a reflection in a mirror; then we will see face- to- face. Now I know partially, but then I will know completely in the same way that I have been completely known.
(1 Corinthians 13:12, CEB)

My encouragement is simple. Learn to live with the weeds. There are some that God will lovingly remove as we mature in Christ. Then there are some that only God can sort out in the end. Until then there is grace realized in the love of God and in the love of God’s people.

Grace and peace,
Brook

Faith and Faithfulness

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Today I read the Parable of the Soils in Matthew 13. This is the story where the farmer scatters his seeds, and it falls on four different kinds of soils. Each soil produces differently depending on its condition. Much has been made about the condition of the soils and even what kind of soil best represents the condition of your heart. As I was thinking about it this morning, I realized that this parable is also about the farmer. He faithfully scattered his seeds and put his faith in God that they would grow. He knows that he can’t fully control how they will grow where they land, but he also know that they won’t grow if he doesn’t scatter them.

Jesus explained later in this chapter that this parable is about the message of God’s kingdom. We cannot control how that message is received, but what we can do is be a faithful expression of that message. When we love others it opens the door for them to receive not only our love, but God’s love, too. At that point we put our faith in God that God can and will do the rest. Faith coupled with faithfulness is how the God’s kingdom moves forward.

I assure you that unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it can only be a single seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. (John 12:24, CEB)

Grace and peace,
Brook

Happy Independence Day!

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hiking pateIndependence Day is such a fun holiday! I love getting together with family and friends, eating, playing, and watching fireworks. It is also a time to count our blessings.

During the Fourth of July holiday many correlations are made between our freedom as Americans and the freedom we receive through our relationship with Jesus and his work for us through his life, death, and resurrection. I would like to head in a slightly different direction today.

Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teaching. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32, CEB)

There is nothing magical about truth. Acquiring it will not gain you freedom. Jesus said that freedom comes from living faithfully to his teaching. Truth is revealed through the pressures of living faithfully. How we respond to that truth indicates the level of freedom we experience. The choice is up to us. Jesus sets the path before us. We just need to be responsible to see it through. He is faithful, though, to walk that path along side us.

Here is a patriotic quote that sums it up.

“I recommend that the Statue of Liberty be supplemented by a Statue of Responsibility on the west coast.”
— Viktor E. Frankl

Grace and peace,
Brook

More Than Enough

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Guatemalan Woman weavingGreetings from Antigua, Guatemala! Our time here has been amazing! God has been doing really great things, not only in the lives of those that we get to meet and help, but in our lives as well. We look forward to sharing those stories with you all.

I want to share with you a short encouragement. In our team worship gathering this evening (Wednesday) we looked at the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand.

“He took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven, blessed them, broke the loaves into pieces, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. Everyone ate until they were full. They filled twelve baskets with the leftover pieces of bread and fish.”  (Mark 6:41-43, CEB)

So often we come to God and feel that what we have to offer is insignificant and insufficient. In our time together we were able to discover how God was able to take what we had and make it more than we could ever imagine. God can do that for you as well. My prayer is that we would have eyes to see and hearts to understand what God is doing in our lives, and that in God we are enough.

If you want to see what the Guatemala mission team is up to, go to www.nowisthetimeformissions.com and scroll down to see daily updates.

Grace and peace,
Brook