Day Ninety -- Days of Grace (2 of 2)

Here we are on the final day of our challenge to read the Bible cover-to-cover in 90 days.  As a minister of the Gospel I was particularly delighted that so many people answered the call to join me in this endeavor.  Prior to our beginning I had several people say that it seemed too overwhelming and mentioned that they might just read the New Testament instead of the whole Bible.  I encouraged them come along on the entire journey and hope they heeded my advice, for the Good News of Jesus Christ shines ever more brightly in the light of the complete biblical narrative.

As a Christian it is fair to say that I was on more familiar ground as we read through the New Testament.  What was different, however, was having the full sweep of the Old Testament still fresh in my mind as I read the accounts of Jesus and the early Christian communities.  I more clearly heard the echo of the salvation story from one age to the next.  "Old" and "New" are not so much separate Testaments but rather the first two chapters of humanity's relationship with God.  The third chapter, I'll call it the "Living" Testament, is the one in which we dwell.  It is the one in which we act and proclaim the ever widening, ever surprising, ever challenging call to be followers of Jesus Christ in the circumstances of our own day.  This Living Testament is the record that we will leave behind of how true we were to the ways of God, how boldly we acted in the face of prejudice and evil, how far we were willing to go to speak for the voiceless and to stand with the powerless.

In other words, reading the Bible is one thing; taking it into our hearts and living it out is quite another thing.  If we are merely hearers of the word and not doers, this effort has been an empty exercise.  May we all be humbled by what we have completed, but pray that God will open us up to new springs of faith and holy living.

This is just the beginning...

Day Eighty-Nine -- Days of Grace (1 of 2)

When we began this 90-day Bible Challenge, the schedule actually contained eighty-eight days of reading assignments with two "grace" days built in as a cushion.  While I was tempted at times during the past three months to use one of these grace days, I somehow managed to keep on going without missing a day's assignment.   Maybe I was afraid of falling behind (especially since I had made the commitment to write a post for this blog every day) or perhaps I was being competitive.  Either way, now that I'm finished I can spend my two days of grace reflecting a bit on this whole experience.

One of the things I have gained from the reading is a greater appreciation for the history of the Old Testament.  My past readings or studies of the different periods covered in the Hebrew scriptures were always accompanied by supplemental reading of theological commentaries or studies of worship and cultural norms.  In this 90-day challenge, however, I focused more on the how the events unfolded over time.  I listened more to the story itself and was not always trying to dig around behind the scenes.  As I kept the historical flow of the narrative more in mind the voices of the prophets were able to find their proper setting.  I could hear them speaking more clearly to their contemporaries, making the prophets more real and human in a way that allowed them to speak more authentically to me.  It was also spiritually enriching to see how the Law and Commandments were always of central importance even as the understanding of faithful living and worship moved beyond the ritual and more towards acts of justice and mercy.

That's enough for me to ponder today.  Tomorrow I'll see what I have to say with regards to the New Testament.

Day Eighty-Eight -- From Eden to the New Jerusalem

Revelation 18:1--22:21

So many thoughts.  So much to say; and yet how much more really needs to be said?  To try and unravel the images in Revelation is beyond the scope of this blog and the present energy of this writer.    To select one or another image or verse on which to comment is also difficult.  There is the promise of a new heaven and a new earth.  There is the completeness within God of all that is as the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.  There is the new Jerusalem coming down from heaven with its pearly gates and streets of gold.  There is the eternal glory of the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb dwelling not in a temple but within the holy city that needs neither the sun or the moon to shine upon it.

So what did I select?  "Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal,  flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city.  On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month.  And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.  No longer will there be any curse." (Revelation 22:1-3a).  I personally see within this vision the restoration of the unity between God and humanity that originally existed in Creation and the Garden of Eden.  In a way the whole story of the Bible is about Divine Mercy seeking to bring us back from our separation with God and our enmity with one another.  Our Promised Land is not to be found in the transient nature of this life but in the eternal Mystery and Love that is God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

At least that's how I see it as I write these words.  I'm sure that a thousand other thoughts will come to me later.  Nothing more to say at his point, however.  So I leave it in the hands of God, my Maker and my Redeemer.  Amen.

Day Eighty-Seven -- The time is near. . .

Jude and Revelation 1:1--17:18

As we learned from The Acts of the Apostles and a number of the New Testament letters, the early Christians were subject to outside opposition and persecution, as well as being challenged by internal differences.  The final letter of the New Testament deals with the latter.  Jude warns of "godless men" who have "secretly slipped in" and are leading the community astray from the Gospel.  Jude has some harsh words about these infiltrators and urges his readers to persevere and to "Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life" (Jude 21).

Which brings us to the last writing of the Bible, the oft ignored and little appreciated prophetic vision known as The Revelation to John.  This style of writing is Christian apocalyptic, meaning it is about the end of the world and the fulfillment of God's purpose for humanity.  There is an urgency in Revelation for the churches to repent, to hold on to what they have received, to endure and be faithful "even to the point of death" (Revelation 2:10).  As each of the seven churches are addressed by Christ they are told to be attentive to "what the Spirit says to the churches."

There is a great battle brewing, however, that is larger than what any of the individual churches have faced.  Before it is over heaven and earth will be shaken by warfare between good and evil.  What will be the cosmic and earthly consequences?  While not the end of the Revelation, we are given an assurance of the outcome: "They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings -- and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers" (17:14)

Day Eighty-Six -- Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone

James 3:13--5:20, 1 & 2 Peter, and 1, 2 & 3 John

There is an abundance of good instruction and exhortations given in these letters of James, Peter and John.  To pray when in trouble, sing when happy, to anoint the sick, to prepare our minds for action, to live in harmony, to love one another, to be on guard against false teachings.  There is a strong sense of the need of community support to live a life that is faithful to God.  We all need encouragement and accountability along the way, for the road of life's journey has many twists and turns.  We often need others to show us the better way.  This does not mean that we are always to be the receivers of support, for we are also called to be givers, not only to those within the community but to those who are not yet a part.  We are givers to all persons by the way that we live our everyday lives.  The greatest witness we give to the love of God is how we act while at work, or when we gather with friends, or shop in the grocery store, or drive our vehicles down the streets and highways.

Years ago (it seems like another lifetime) when I was an employee of the Federal Government, I was reading my Bible as I ate my lunch.  I can remember being struck by a single verse from the First Letter of Peter: "Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you" (! Peter 3:16).  Wow, I thought, does my life reflect a hope that others can see?  The people in the congregation I belonged to might have seen it, but did I live and act so that it could be seen by people I encountered outside the church?  And if they asked me 'What makes you so pleasant or cheerful' would I have the words and more importantly the courage to tell them?

"Always be prepared."  I have tried to do my best ever since that day.  And with the love and encouragement of my brothers and sisters in Christ, I'm still trying.

Day Eighty-Five -- To whom it may concern . . .

Hebrews and James 1:1--3:12

Today we begin our reading of what are categorized as the General Letters to the Churches.  It is probable that in some sense not all of them are actually letters to specific communities or persons but rather sermons or works of general instruction that were circulated around the churches.  The Letter to the Hebrews, with the exception of the four concluding verses that feel like they've been tacked on, most certainly comes across as a sermon.  It recalls the history of God's promise and covenant, proclaims the unique place of Jesus Christ, commends the action of faith, exhorts the believers to continue on in the face of hardships, and encourages them in acting rightly towards one another.  It comes to a natural conclusion with these words: "May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Hebrews 13:20-21).  That's one big "Amen" that has been said around the world by Christian communities to this day.

The Letter of James (Note: It is "of", not "to" James) has been problematic for some, including the great reformer Martin Luther who viewed it as too devoted to the performance of good works   Well, we all have our opinions, don't we?  I, for one, think this letter has some important things say about right acting not just right thinking.  Besides, 'James' is quite the beautiful name . . .

Day Eighty-Four -- Lots of good advice (mostly)

1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon

Today we finish up the last of the thirteen letters in the New Testament that bear Paul's name.  Many scholars have argued that vast differences in style and vocabulary cast doubts that he actually authored them all.  That topic is of little interest here; what we are looking for is what they say that made them important to the early church, and to us as well.

The two letters to the Thessalonians cover some theological and practical issues within the community.  The weightiest of the theological issues has to do with the Day of the Lord, the anticipation of Jesus' return.  What do we do in the meantime?  How are we to live and conduct ourselves?  Well, Paul says don't just sit on your hands doing nothing for only God knows when that Day will come.  Keep working; stay busy; and clean up your act a bit while you're at it.  The four letters that complete the Pauline corpus (that's fancy seminary talk) are the ones addressed to individuals (Timothy, Titus and Philemon), commonly referred to as the "Pastoral Epistles." Paul's interest here is guidance to Timothy and Titus as they organize and lead local churches, and a personal appeal to Philemon to graciously accept back a runaway slave who has become a Christian.

As we read through all of these letters there will be some things to which we can say "Amen" and others to which we might say "No way".  While Paul saw Jesus Christ as a game-changer in terms of the way to salvation, a number of his words of advise are firmly rooted in the cultural values and societal roles of the 1st Century.  Some do not fit so neatly into our own day, presenting us with a challenge of how to deal with them.  One thing to remember: Just as Paul might have been constrained by the world of his day, in what ways does our faith reflect the norms of the 21st Century?  What is it that we are so certain about that we might have on blinders that won't allow us to see even more deeply into the heart of God?  Definitely something to think and pray about.