Sunday Reflections
Trinity Sunday
Exodus 34.1-8, Song of 3Ym 29-34 (AAPB p 399); 2 Corinthians 13.11-13; Matthew 28.16-20
“Yet (God) does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sins of the father to the third and fourth generation.” Exodus 34.7b
Here is a verse that is not usually preached about on Trinity Sunday. But it is a verse I have had quoted to me by hurting Christians many times. How could a God who is compassionate; gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintain love to thousands and forgiving (Ex 24.6-7a) - punish not just the sinner but their children too?
The punishment of God is generally not bad luck or tragedy as some believe, but rather to leave us to face the consequences of our choices on our own. So let me explain this verse with an example and some amateur psychology. I know a woman whose father was a selfish, abusive, gambolling alcoholic. She grew up in fear and poverty. Consequently she felt insecure, became frugal, hard working and quite controlling and feisty. Her children struggled with her strict discipline and controlling influence. Their struggle then affected their children too.
God does love you. God is by very nature loving, and thus he offers us forgiving transformation when we seek it. Jesus came to assure us of this, and the Holy Spirit lives with us each day guiding us and loving us. We are not bound to be what our parents were. Nor are we doomed to suffer for their sins. But we are influenced by our parents, and those who love us, or should but don’t. And the scars we bare do affect how we love others. It is worth pondering - why I do what I do, value what I value, and love how I love, and then asking “where are you Lord in all this?” Is this how you what me to stay, or is there more, or better, for me and those I am called to love?
Pentecost
Acts 2.1-21; Ps 104.26-36; 1 Corinthians 12.1-13; John 20.19-23
Personally I have never liked pictures of God. I know that God created us, male and female in his image (Gen 1.27) but when I see a huge white, bearded, older, but still buff, man depicting God, I wonder if we (or the male artist) have made God in our own idealistic image.
I relate far more to God who is Spirit, breath and energy much as depicted in today’s readings: a sound like the blowing of a violent wind; tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them, (Acts 2.2-3) “When you send your Spirit they are created.” (Ps 104.30) Jesus “breathed on them and said, ‘receive the Holy Spirit.’” (Jn 20.22) and from Genesis 2.7, “The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the Ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”
To me God is like air; within me, around me, and beyond me. And God is like light, enabling me to see and to live. But how much are you consciously aware of air and light? How much are you aware of the presence of God in you and around you? Sure anyone can say “Jesus is Lord” but only those who know the Spirit can mean it and truly live it. Sure there is breath in everyone who is alive, but have they the awareness, has it been activated by God, is it Spirit?
That we can love; that we have life; that we can worship God in Spirit and in truth; that we grow in wisdom, faith, hope, grace, righteousness and joy – this shows us that we are made in God’s image. So with this awareness of God’s constant presence let us use the gift of the Holy Spirit, as God has graced each of us individually and uniquely, for the benefit of all. (1 Cor 12.7)
Easter 6
Acts 17.22-31; Ps 66.7-19; 1 Pet3.8-22; John 14.15-22
In the Acts reading Paul highlights some major aspects of the unknown God. Firstly he does not live in a temple made by human hands. (Acts 17.24) The God of heaven and earth is not our creation, nor can he be contained in temples or controlled or coerced. Secondly God does not need us to serve him. He can get his own food, we don’t have to bring offering to satisfy him. He does not need anything “because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.” It is we he need God. It is we who benefit by serving God.
“God did this (made human kind) so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.” (Acts 17.27) God want to be in relationship with us. God wants us to seek him. God does not need us, but God wants us. As Jesus said, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last.” What sort of fruit lasts? Not food and burnt offering; not monuments and temples; not achievements and inventions; no, the fruit that lasts is that which we are Jesus commanded – Love each other. (Jn 14.17)
Loving is not easy. We will need help to bear this fruit that last. It is far easier to “repay evil with evil and insult with insult”. (1 Pet 3.9) It is tempting to spout lies and half truths to get our own way. (Ps 66.10) We need help with loving. We need to ask God to bear this fruit in us. So ask, “Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” (Jn 14.16) God is not far from us- “In him we live and move and have our being.” ( Acts.17.28)
Easter 5
Acts 7.55-60; Ps 31.1-5,17-18; 1 Peter 2.11-25; John 14.1-14
“At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, all rushed at him.” Acts 7.57
Can you think of a time when someone said something that made you so angry that you wanted to rush at them screaming, and stop them at all costs? If this has not happened to you, imagine what sort of talk would make you feel this way?
Mostly we react with such anger and hate when we are threatened. When someone rocks the foundations of our belief; when someone speaks such lies that it totally undermines us or is dangerous, when wisdom is ignored for short term convenience; when hate is stirred to gain power; when injustice and prejudice is promoted; when what we love is abused; then our tendency is to resort to retribution. Such anger can be both friend and foe.
If we do not get angry it is because we feel too little to care. If we are too easily angered it may be that we care too much and are too self-centred. Anger has a lot to teach us about ourselves. It can be a wonderful tool for spiritual growth; if we will pause from blind reaction and question it.
Why am I angry? In what way am I threatened? Why is this important to me? How much does it really matter? Am I just expecting the world to revolve around me? Am I using anger to manipulate others for selfish gain? Am I just throwing a tantrum because I am frustrated? Am I reacting to lies spoken with pride and contempt (Ps 31.18) or could this be truth I don’t want to hear? Am I being stirred to anger for someone else’s political or commercial gain? Am I being forced to conform to values that are not good for me or society?
Anger is an opportunity for prayer, meditation, soul searching and Spiritual growth. It can then become just motivation for righteous positive action.
Exodus 34.1-8, Song of 3Ym 29-34 (AAPB p 399); 2 Corinthians 13.11-13; Matthew 28.16-20
“Yet (God) does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sins of the father to the third and fourth generation.” Exodus 34.7b
Here is a verse that is not usually preached about on Trinity Sunday. But it is a verse I have had quoted to me by hurting Christians many times. How could a God who is compassionate; gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintain love to thousands and forgiving (Ex 24.6-7a) - punish not just the sinner but their children too?
The punishment of God is generally not bad luck or tragedy as some believe, but rather to leave us to face the consequences of our choices on our own. So let me explain this verse with an example and some amateur psychology. I know a woman whose father was a selfish, abusive, gambolling alcoholic. She grew up in fear and poverty. Consequently she felt insecure, became frugal, hard working and quite controlling and feisty. Her children struggled with her strict discipline and controlling influence. Their struggle then affected their children too.
God does love you. God is by very nature loving, and thus he offers us forgiving transformation when we seek it. Jesus came to assure us of this, and the Holy Spirit lives with us each day guiding us and loving us. We are not bound to be what our parents were. Nor are we doomed to suffer for their sins. But we are influenced by our parents, and those who love us, or should but don’t. And the scars we bare do affect how we love others. It is worth pondering - why I do what I do, value what I value, and love how I love, and then asking “where are you Lord in all this?” Is this how you what me to stay, or is there more, or better, for me and those I am called to love?
Pentecost
Acts 2.1-21; Ps 104.26-36; 1 Corinthians 12.1-13; John 20.19-23
Personally I have never liked pictures of God. I know that God created us, male and female in his image (Gen 1.27) but when I see a huge white, bearded, older, but still buff, man depicting God, I wonder if we (or the male artist) have made God in our own idealistic image.
I relate far more to God who is Spirit, breath and energy much as depicted in today’s readings: a sound like the blowing of a violent wind; tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them, (Acts 2.2-3) “When you send your Spirit they are created.” (Ps 104.30) Jesus “breathed on them and said, ‘receive the Holy Spirit.’” (Jn 20.22) and from Genesis 2.7, “The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the Ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”
To me God is like air; within me, around me, and beyond me. And God is like light, enabling me to see and to live. But how much are you consciously aware of air and light? How much are you aware of the presence of God in you and around you? Sure anyone can say “Jesus is Lord” but only those who know the Spirit can mean it and truly live it. Sure there is breath in everyone who is alive, but have they the awareness, has it been activated by God, is it Spirit?
That we can love; that we have life; that we can worship God in Spirit and in truth; that we grow in wisdom, faith, hope, grace, righteousness and joy – this shows us that we are made in God’s image. So with this awareness of God’s constant presence let us use the gift of the Holy Spirit, as God has graced each of us individually and uniquely, for the benefit of all. (1 Cor 12.7)
Easter 6
Acts 17.22-31; Ps 66.7-19; 1 Pet3.8-22; John 14.15-22
In the Acts reading Paul highlights some major aspects of the unknown God. Firstly he does not live in a temple made by human hands. (Acts 17.24) The God of heaven and earth is not our creation, nor can he be contained in temples or controlled or coerced. Secondly God does not need us to serve him. He can get his own food, we don’t have to bring offering to satisfy him. He does not need anything “because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.” It is we he need God. It is we who benefit by serving God.
“God did this (made human kind) so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.” (Acts 17.27) God want to be in relationship with us. God wants us to seek him. God does not need us, but God wants us. As Jesus said, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last.” What sort of fruit lasts? Not food and burnt offering; not monuments and temples; not achievements and inventions; no, the fruit that lasts is that which we are Jesus commanded – Love each other. (Jn 14.17)
Loving is not easy. We will need help to bear this fruit that last. It is far easier to “repay evil with evil and insult with insult”. (1 Pet 3.9) It is tempting to spout lies and half truths to get our own way. (Ps 66.10) We need help with loving. We need to ask God to bear this fruit in us. So ask, “Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” (Jn 14.16) God is not far from us- “In him we live and move and have our being.” ( Acts.17.28)
Easter 5
Acts 7.55-60; Ps 31.1-5,17-18; 1 Peter 2.11-25; John 14.1-14
“At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, all rushed at him.” Acts 7.57
Can you think of a time when someone said something that made you so angry that you wanted to rush at them screaming, and stop them at all costs? If this has not happened to you, imagine what sort of talk would make you feel this way?
Mostly we react with such anger and hate when we are threatened. When someone rocks the foundations of our belief; when someone speaks such lies that it totally undermines us or is dangerous, when wisdom is ignored for short term convenience; when hate is stirred to gain power; when injustice and prejudice is promoted; when what we love is abused; then our tendency is to resort to retribution. Such anger can be both friend and foe.
If we do not get angry it is because we feel too little to care. If we are too easily angered it may be that we care too much and are too self-centred. Anger has a lot to teach us about ourselves. It can be a wonderful tool for spiritual growth; if we will pause from blind reaction and question it.
Why am I angry? In what way am I threatened? Why is this important to me? How much does it really matter? Am I just expecting the world to revolve around me? Am I using anger to manipulate others for selfish gain? Am I just throwing a tantrum because I am frustrated? Am I reacting to lies spoken with pride and contempt (Ps 31.18) or could this be truth I don’t want to hear? Am I being stirred to anger for someone else’s political or commercial gain? Am I being forced to conform to values that are not good for me or society?
Anger is an opportunity for prayer, meditation, soul searching and Spiritual growth. It can then become just motivation for righteous positive action.
For daily thought to inspire and encourage prayer, please visit www.encouragementforintercessors.com