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Picking Grain

  Matthew 12:1-8 Listen to today’s devotional The disciples of Jesus were hungry. So, as they walked through the grainfields, they picked a few heads of grain and ate. To us, that seems harmless. When you're hungry, you eat. To the Pharisees, though, it was a violation of the Sabbath. Part of our challenge in reading this passage is that we don't appreciate the weight of the Sabbath the way they did. Sunday is simply the day we go to church and watch football. But for Israel, the Sabbath was one of the defining signs of being in covenant with God. It reminded them that they belonged to God and that their lives were not measured by their productivity, like back in Egypt, but by their trust in the Lord. So, when the Pharisees challenge Jesus, they're not nitpicking a minor rule. In their minds, they're protecting one of the most sacred gifts God gave them. To us, missing church might mean a busy weekend. To them, dishonoring the Sabbath was dishonoring God. Jesus reminded...
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I Am Humbled

This was an emotional weekend. Even though we all knew it was our last Sunday at Kelsey, I think I did a good job of keeping the focus on God in our worship service.  Y'all, I can't tell you how humbling it was to see the sanctuary full. I wanted to say something when I saw people bringing in chairs, but again...focus! It was a beautiful time of worship. I baptized two young saints and we shared Holy Communion.  Afterward, the church hosted a despedida (farewell luncheon). Again, the place was full. There was a time when people shared words of encouragement, thanksgiving, and gifts. I'm glad Gloria was recognized at that time as well. It's hard for her, too, to leave friends and family behind. Keen observers will tell you she's what makes me better than I am.  We didn't make it home until after 3pm. That'll tell you how full the day was.  Again, humbling. As I looked out over my friends at Kelsey, I was humbled by their spirit of love. I still get a swell in...
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Walking & Waiting

  Psalm 119:41-48 Listen to today’s devotional In my experience, one of the hardest parts of faith is waiting. Not waiting with certainty that everything will turn out exactly how you want, although that is a difficult lesson. But waiting while you continue walking in God's way, even when there is no immediate sign that it is paying off. The psalmist prays, "Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord, your salvation according to your promise." Whatever he felt God told him, he is trusting a promise that has not come to pass. He is holding on to God's word while still living in the tension between what God has said and what he can see right now. And that takes patience. Of course, we do well with quick "results" of our obedience. We like prayers answered, doors opened, and problems resolved immediately. But think of how faith grows in the sometimes-long stretches between promise and fulfillment. The psalmist commits not to abandon God's way simply because...
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Looking Where God Looks

  Genesis 16:1-6 Listen to today’s devotional When you first notice, you can't help but see it more. There's a painful truth of life that the people with the least power often suffer the most from decisions they never made. Remember what happens in Genesis 16. For years, Sarai had endured the cultural shame of barrenness. All the while, she was holding on to a promise that seemed way overdue. Out of her despair, she made a decision that changed another woman's life forever. Sarai gave Hagar, her Egyptian slave, to Abram as a way to make God's promise come to be. Of course, Hagar is never asked to be part of this scheme. You can only imagine what that conversation must've been like. The plan is not hers. The shame is not hers. And when the plan actually works, the resentment is not hers either. As everything begins to unravel, Hagar bears the consequences of someone else's ideas. Sarai's contempt is directed at the one with the least power. From Genesis to to...
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Pain Isn't Punishment

  Acts 28:1-6 Listen to today’s devotional Have you ever had one of those days that make you wonder, "What else can go wrong?" This little story about a snakebite might help put them in perspective. After being shipwrecked, Paul and the others make it to the shore of Malta. Even though they're cold, wet, and exhausted, at least they're on land. As they sit around a fire, a snake comes out and latches itself to Paul's hand. The islanders see it and immediately assume this man was a murderer. He thought he could escape justice, but it caught up to him. In their minds, perhaps, Paul may have outwitted the sea, but not the goddess of justice, Dike. How quickly they thought they had Paul figured out. We still do the same thing. We can be too quick to explain someone else’s hardship. Some people will hear of a diagnosis, a failed relationship, job loss, or some other pressing circumstance and assume it's God's way of sending a message. God’s punishment, even. Th...
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I have a heart

This week, I attended an onboarding session hosted by my annual conference. This is an event designed for pastors going to new appointments. Mainly, the time is meant to offer guidance for serving a new congregation.  Now, I appreciate what the event represents. There are many things to consider when going to a new church. And I know there are colleagues for whom this is a new journey. Between you and me, I could have skipped it. I've had several new congregations over the years. And I hate to sound like the old guy who thinks he knows what he's doing and can't or doesn't want to learn anything new. I know I can, and am grateful for things I am still learning.  Still, experience matters.  More than that, though, I go to every appointment with the same posture. My mindset is not to get there and show those people what they're missing or doing wrong. I'm not there to stir the pot just to rile people up. I go with one leading mandate: Love the people you serve.  Lo...
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A Missing Assignment

  Matthew 25:1-5 Listen to today’s devotional A couple of days ago, I received an email about a final grade for a class. I opened it expecting the usual details and discovered I had received a zero on one of my final assignments. Well, the problem wasn't that I had done a bad job. The problem was that I hadn't even turned it in. My best guess is that I confused one class for another, the paper got lost in my mind, and I didn't even realize there was an assignment to complete. I immediately emailed the professor to ask whether I could submit it late. But I decided not to wait. Before he answered, I cranked out an eight-page paper, not knowing if it would be accepted. If grace was going to be available, I wanted to be ready to receive it. That made me think about Jesus' words in Matthew 25. Again and again, Jesus tells stories about people who assume there will always be more time. Think of bridesmaids waiting for a wedding, servants entrusted with resources, and people e...
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