Essence

"You will not despise a broken and contrite heart, O God," Psalm 51:17.

Dearest God, if you demanded me to give you a big time sacrifice to get your forgiveness, I'd do it. And I'd feel pretty righteous for it. But you don't want that kind of sacrifice. Your pleasure doesn't rest in my handing you pricey stuff. Even if it's very costly to me. You're wanting my stone heart. You're wanting my hard heart. You're wanting to break my heart and transform it from lifeless rock into living essence. From being dead to anything, to being alive to you and to life. That's it. You're wanting me. Me. Not my stuff. You're wanting my very self, my giving up of myself to you. So here, O God, is my sacrifice: my broken spirit; my broken heart; my contrite heart. I've got nothing else. Please don't despise this broken offering. I trust you, for real. And then it's all yours. Repentance. Sky kingdom.

As we consider with a brother or sister today what Jesus did in the sacrifice of his life, we yield our wills, our hearts to God through him. And, together, we give thanks to God for making us living partners in the work of his heavenly kingdom.

Voice

"Renew a right spirit deep inside me," Psalm 51:10.

Dear God, I ask you to renew. For you to restore. It won't happen without you. Bring a right spirit into my deepest self. You, O God, creator of the cosmos, you've got to renew me. Make me a steadfast spirit. Form in my inward being, down into the genes of every cell, a willing spirit. I want a spirit of direction willing to hear you, to follow you, to be like you. And know this, dear God: I will tell others about your ways, and sinners will turn to you. I am guilty. Deliver me from my guilt. Then my voice will sing right out loud of your righteousness, I will break out with praise for you, O God of my salvation! As surely as you give me voice, I will declare! I will declare your praise! You, God, are good forever!

As we turn with a brother or sister today, as God breathes new breath within us, we speak his mercies. And, together, we give glory to the God of all grace.

Gratification

"Return to Jehovah God, your God, for he is merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love," Joel 2:13.

No question about it. None. Some harsh troubles arise relentlessly through no fault of victims. Not talking about those things. Instead, talking about these things: deliberate decisions begotten to gain ruthless advantage above others. Talking about sinning on purpose and, despite quick gratification, getting horrible consequences in the end, namely, the Day of the Lord. Namely, justice and retribution. Namely, darkness, gloom, clouds, thick darkness, devouring fire leaping over mountains, taking city after city, entering windows, sun and moon hidden, stars unseen. No one can endure the shock and awe of the Lord's Day. No one. What stays God's avenging hand? Nothing! Well, except. Repentance. Rending of hearts. Returning to God's ways of equity, fairness, justice, and mercy. Sky kingdom.

As we visit with a brother or sister today we respond to God's call for repentance; we determine deliberately to turn to righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. And, together, we give our God thanks for his mercy, patience, and love.

Cast

"O dear God, create a pure heart in me," Psalm 51:10.

Yes, my heart's turning around to the good path, but I really, really need you to make it fully happen. And, father God, make my spirit right again. I need your renewal. You're the only life source. Don't send me away from you. I want to stay in your presence - nowhere else gives true peace. Don't take your Holy Spirit away from me. Don't cast me away from your presence. Otherwise, there's no joy. No hope. No nothing. All's that's left's just raging, anchorless feelings. My castaway life foundering on forgotten reefs in boiling seas. Drowning. Restore, dear God, restore. Put the joy of your presence back into me. Let me know your forgiveness. Your salvation. Restore to me the joy of your salvation. (sigh)

Kneeling with a brother or sister today, we cast ourselves into the mercies of our God. And, together, we give thanks that he created in us pure hearts through the cross of Jesus, author of our salvation.

Crushes

"Let the bones you crushed be happy again," Psalm 51:8.

Yes, Lord God! You want me to be truthful down to the DNA in my bones. Truth: From the start of my life conceit, pride, selfishness, vanity, egotism surround me. They infuse my being. I think without mercy. I act without love. I use others to advantage. I deceive. I lie. Truth: Your wisdom crushes into the deepest recesses of my stone heart. I need your purging, your cleansing, your washing, your fire, your baptism. I invite you to to do it. But, then Lord, as your wisdom molds and re-forms me inside out, hide your face from my sins. Wipe out all my guilt. May your wisdom arise from great depths to give me joy.

With a brother or sister today we turn our faces from our conceits to the God of all grace who cleanses our hearts of dross. And, together, we yield heartfelt thanks he did it all to bring us joyfully home.

Excuse

"Against you, you only, have I sinned," Psalm 51:4.

Dear Lord God: Here we are. More to the point: Here I am. Again. You're entirely right in your judgment, not because you're just bigger and stronger and smarter - which you are - but just because you're right. Your words tell the truth about my wrongdoing. You're not mean, your consequence remains fair and equitable. I did wrong. That's the bottom line. I did wrong against my fellows. Yes, I sinned against them - no question about that. No excuse; I earned their contempt. But what breaks my heart the most is that after having forgiven me before, you trusted me to do right. You called me to do what you do. To be how you are. And I blew it. Screwed up royally. Again. Please have mercy on me, mercy in keeping with your love. And not the true justice of your wrath. Blot out my transgressions.

We confess sins with a brother or sister, today, and humbly ask for their forgiveness. For God's forgiveness. And, together, we give thanks for mercy.

Allotment

"When I am afraid, you Lord, know the way out," Psalm 142:3.

I call out to you, Jehovah God, and talk to you. I tell you my troubles and, yes, my complaint sits in your ears. It seems that snares surround me. Truth: really, nobody can know or care like you do. There's no other way out. But you are my allotment, my refuge on this very earth. Listen to my calls from deep within. I need your deliverance from all the trials that overwhelm. Free me to give thanks to you! I know your grace will do it!

With a brother or sister today we remind each other of God's consistent mercies in this world's distresses. And, together, we give confident thanks to our Father for his bounty in Jesus.

Surrenders

"In order that God be all in all," 1 Corinthians 15:28.

Ever wonder what it's all about? Sure we have. Everything that ever has happened, planned, unplanned, desired, undesired, lovely, ugly, good, or evil - God co-opts every event to hasten every human toward himself. This does not say every human will move to God. It does say that God marshals everything in such a surprising way to respond to humans' deepest prayers - to those heeding God's call in Jesus. Consider Jesus. He prayed in agony for God to take away the cup he was about to drink. (The cup? yielding his life as our sin-offering.) He died on a cross anyway. God took the list of our guilty convictions and nailed it to that cross. God resurrected his dead body to life. God took his death to triumph over all earthly and unearthly powers. God charged the Risen Christ to reign unchallenged over his kingdom until everything submits to him. And then, and then Christ surrenders the kingdom, and himself, to God. For why? For God to be all in all. Sky kingdom.

We bow with a brother or sister today in humble, awestruck adoration of this God who brings good and life out of everything. We love you, God! And, together, we give thanks.

Pride

"Give them something to eat," Mark 6:37.

Who are you talking to, Jesus? Me? To us? with these measly resources? Among the dozen of us we've only got five loaves and a couple fish. Job's way too big for us even to start! This is stupid. Look! At two bucks a head - if we had it - which we don't - and where'd we buy it in these boonies, anyway? - it'd take ten thousand dollars to feed these people! Why do you embarrass us so, Jesus? Why do you raise people's hopes on these hillsides - to shame us? Why do you prepare them to eat from us when we've barely got pennies in our pockets? And, besides that, how are we going to take care of ourselves?! Of our own, if we give what we do have all away to these - to these - well, to these whatever they are? But Jesus. But Jesus looked up. Jesus looked up into the sky. He spoke a blessing, broke the loaves, and they all ate, and were satisfied. Jesus looked up. Sky kingdom.

We remind each other, brother or sister, to look up, up where our real resources are, not the bottom of our pockets. And, together, looking up with Jesus we find pride in our Father in the skies.

Both

"Through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father," Ephesians 2:18.

Him who? Him: Christ. Through Christ. Who we both? both Jews and Gentiles. both the ins and the outs. both the blacks and the whites. both the Americans and the Chinese. both the Arabs and the Europeans. both the indigenous and the newcomers. both the males and the females. both the elders and the youth. both the these and the those. What about both? we both have access. Access to whom? to the Father. Who's the Father? God. Access to God in what mode? In one Spirit. How many spirits? One. So: through Christ we, together, come into the presence of our one and only Father, God, by means of the one Holy Spirit. No other way. No other hope. Sky kingdom.

With a brother or sister today, we both, they and us, find reconciliation in the crucified body of Christ. And we, together, give thanks for Jesus who brought us near to each other, and to God, by his blood.

Lack

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want," Psalm 23:1.

Want. Most often it's used to mean desire for something, right? Like, he desires green pastures. Or, she wishes for a quiet pool of fresh water. Or maybe, he longs for healing. So I thought it was weird to say the the Lord is my shepherd, I don't want (him). Made no sense. My mother explained that sometimes words mean different than we know at the time. So here it means since the Lord is my shepherd I will always have what's needed. Like, I will always find the right paths. Or, even if I'm going through terrible bad times: No fear, because God guides me forward with his rod and pulls me back from danger with his staff. God's kitchen: always plenty food. God's pitchers pour cups full to the brim. The honor God gives me outweighs peer pressure. I will never lack goodness or mercy. That's the meaning. when. the Lord is my Shepherd.

Joining in with a brother or sister today, we confess the Lord is our Shepherd, yes, we are the flock of his pasture. And, together, we will live in God's house forever. Sky kingdom.

Razored

"He will reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land," Jeremiah 23:5.

Who will reign? Well, it says a king will. Yeah, a righteous sprout will reign. A sprout? A sprout from what? From the dynastic line of ancient king David. Says who? Says Jehovah God. When did God say this? About 600 BC. When the end had come. End of what? The end of David's four centuries old dynasty over Judah. When Babylonian armies ended the last reigning monarch and destroyed Jerusalem, City of David. When these armies razored Solomon's temple off its massive foundations. When nothing was left but smoke and few disoriented peasants. When all was lost. That's when. That's when God says, I can. I will. Trust me. My word's good for it. Says the Lord.

Today, when we visit with a brother or sister, we remind each other: God has raised a righteous sprout, Jesus, descendant of David, resurrected from the dead, designated Son of God by his Holy Spirit,  king who reigns until death itself is destroyed. And, together, we give thanks to God who speaks faithful promises when we've lost all hope.

Wounds

"Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever," Psalm 136:2.

The psalm repeats the line above a lot of times. It intersperses the line with almost as many memories of God's varied creative actions in the world. And saving actions for ancient Israel, too. So, because of God's great mercy we give thanks. As we read the psalm, we also find remembrances of God's strong judgment against the nations. For example, it brings to mind the destruction of armies in the Red Sea, for which mercies we give thanks. But also it brings up troubling memories, God's striking down of Egypt's first-born children, due also to God's mercies. And we may learn as Egypt's king did, one should not trifle with God. His truly great mercies have a context: the world has been weighed in the balances (of justice) and found lacking. So we give thanks to Jesus whose wounds heal us.

While we visit today with a brother or sister, we give humble thanks to God. And the healthy fear gripping our hearts moves us into grateful confidence in the sacrifice of Jesus; his blood makes us stand tall at the mercy seat of God's glory.

Culture

"We don't look at things from a fleshly mindset any more," 2 Corinthians 5:16.

That's right. We're not the same people we once were. Well, yeah, sure, there was a time when we looked at everything from profoundly self-centered perspective. But no longer. When God showed us who he was/is/ever will be, when God showed himself on the world scene ... everything changed. When we heard his voice speak life into our miserly lives, when we saw Jesus yield his life completely righteous to the Father, when we recognized that God chose his people through Jesus from forever ago, when we considered that God gave all the riches of his kingdom to his new people freely ... yes! that's when we were transformed into his eternal culture. Our former language no longer controlled our outlooks. Not at all. From now on, this moment onward, the love of Christ (that's our new language) controls us and we see each other, and every other human being, from the culture of God: sky kingdom.

We contact a brother or sister today and remind each other of God's forever society - we belong to it. And, together, we look to God in thanksgiving for his vivification.

Wishes

"Whatever you ask me, I will give it to you," Mark 6:23.

Now that's a pretty good deal! If you had three wishes, what would be the biggest, the mainest thing you'd wish for? In a different setting Jesus would eventually go on to say that whatever one asks in his (Jesus') name, they should believe that they've received it. And it would be theirs. But here, in the quote above, it's not Jesus talking. It's King Herod. On his own birthday he's giving a dancer his gift to grant her up to half a kingdom. So the worldly king gives up to half of what he owns away because she made him happy. And the worldly person asks for what will make her happy, at the cost of Baptizing John's life. So, again, what would we wish for? Well, what did Jesus wish for? Through anguish, he wished that the will of God be done whatever the cost to himself.

As we visit with a brother or sister today, we speak of Jesus' desire to please the Father to the uttermost, and in that to gift us with all heaven's riches. And, together, we yield our thanksgivings to God serving one another. Sky kingdom.

Pre-chose

"He chose us in him before the foundation of the world," Ephesians 1:4.

Who's the chooser? God. Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. When did God choose? Before the cosmos was founded. Whom did God choose? Us. You and me. Was it like God chose us arbitrarily, you know, like, without any consideration on our part? Hardly. God chose us: in Christ. In whom? In Jesus. God pre-chose us to be his children. Yes! But wait, like, God arbitrarily just decided who'd be his kid and who wouldn't? Hardly. God pre-chose that we would become his own beloved kids through Jesus Christ. God pre-chose the means by which we become his kids. Jesus has been God's plan before the beginning began. He's been God's counsel from before the get-go. He's been God's design from forever that we get holy and blameless in his presence through Jesus. Sky kingdom.

Visiting with a brother or sister today we remind each other of the good confession we made in choosing Jesus. And, together, we thank our eternal Father God for receiving us into his presence in Jesus.

Kiss

"Righteousness and peace kiss each other," Psalm 85:10.

Yep. That's what the Good Book says. Want peace? Do right. Not only that. Steadfast love meets faithfulness. Want love? Do commitment. That's what faithfulness is: doing the actions of loyalty. Faithfulness goes up, righteousness comes down. God's saving embrace welcomes whoever respects Him. That's revival! What's revival? Revival = renewed life = coming to life again. O God, won't you revive us? Yes, you will. When we listen to your words. You speak peace with your people. (When we don't pursue fools' errands.) And your glory sets up camp right here among us. Your footsteps give us the path. Thank you, O God, Jehovah!

With a brother or sister today we celebrate God's renewal of our lives in the righteousness of Jesus. And, together, we give thanks to the God who loves steadfastly.

Voice

"I was no prophet, nor a prophet's son, but I was a shepherd and a tree cultivator," Amos 7:14.

Ever wonder what it takes to be a prophet? A prophet of God? (God's prophets gave voice to what God told them to say.) Well, here's one. But before getting to him, some of God's prophets moved relatively easily in and out of the royal courts throughout their lifetimes, like Isaiah. Seems that others organized a school of prophets, Samuel an example. Yet, here, Amos didn't consider himself a prophet, certainly not a trained one, nor think that he had genetic connections to a prophet. Rather, God surprised him with a message he didn't look for and sent him to prophesy an unwelcomed word to kings and priests alike. And the message? Turn again to honor God alone. Stop oppressing poor people. God's judgment arrives.

As we visit with each other today, brothers or sisters, we remind each other to heed God's Word, his voice. And, together, we give thanks God uses anybody to speak his warning and saving word.

House

"If the Lord doesn't build the house, the builders are working for nothing," Psalm 127:1.

Dear God, Jehovah God: We trust that you will build our families. If you don't, we're lost. We want you to watch over our community. Otherwise guards keep watch uselessly for nothing. We trust you, O God, to take away our worries and give peaceful sleep. Thank you for our children, O Lord. They are precious endowments from you. They're the fruit of the womb, a wonderful reward. Our children are more valuable that a quiver-full of arrows to a hunter yearning for meat. The families, the houses you build up stand firm against any deceit and lie. They stand solid on the foundation of your ways, O God. We trust you to mold us all in your secure paths.

With a brother or sister, today - we point each other in the Lord's ways of peace and true security for his family. And, together, we give thanks that he does build the house for eternity.

Singing

"Give thanks to Jehovah God, for his steadfast love endures forever," 2 Chronicles 20:21.

Sounds like the main praise song on a Sunday morning in an urban mega-church, doesn't it? Maybe even a minor refrain in a little country church perched precariously on windy plains? Well, it's neither of those, nor anything between. So what is it? Ok. Here's the setting. A massive coalition army advanced against Jerusalem (about the 7th century before Jesus). The king and everybody was scared to death. But they sent their army against the coalition force. And you know who led the army? Out in front? You'd think it was the best soldiers. But, No. It was a large contingent of singers. Yeah, singers. Dressed out in their singer regalia. Singers from the Jerusalem temple. And they led the army singing. Singing? Yes. Singing: Give thanks to the Lord.

We remind a brother or sister today that the steadfast love of the Lord endures forever. Even when facing horrendous foes. And, together, we give thanks to the Lord believing his steadfast love endures forever. Indeed.

Oil

"They cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them," Mark 6:13.

Jesus' apostles had a remarkable place in the development of the kingdom of God on our planet. When Jesus had said, Follow me, they did. Years before the cross. These twelve men had submitted to Jesus' teaching. They heard him speak. They watched him touch lepers. They witnessed his viciously opposing religious critics. They heard his prayers. They felt his heart. They weren't perfect - Judas, too, witnessed it all, right? So Jesus sent them out with his authority to change the world. And what did they announce? That people should repent. That people should turn from doing bad things to each other, and do good. The kingdom of God does not consist of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Today, when we meet with a brother or sister, we pursue what makes for peace and mutual upbuilding. And, together, we give thanks to God for his healing message of reconciliation.

Strong

"My grace suffices for you, for power is perfected in weakness," 2 Corinthians 12:9.

Whose grace? Well, before that, who's talking? The Lord. And who's the Lord talking to? Paul. So why is the Lord talking to Paul? Because Paul's been suffering a lot. What's he suffering about? Well, he doesn't say - only God knows. Whatever it is it hurts. And it shows him to be weak. So Paul's begged the Lord about making it go away. (I mean, who likes to suffer in weakness? He certainly doesn't.) So what does the Lord do about it? He just talks. That's what he does. He says: My powerful grace is enough for your weakness. Well! And how does that sit with Paul? Paul says: Oh! When I'm weak that's when I'm strong! I can live with that. For Jesus. And be satisfied. Sky kingdom. Oh, yeah, and it's God's grace.

We remind each other, today, brothers or sisters, that our desires are not always met how we want. But we trust the Lord's grace in the middle of fixing things powerfully. And, together, we give thanks that God's future makes all present suffering a thing of the past.

Approval

"I lift up my eyes to you, to you living in the sky," Psalm 123:1.

Just like waiters look to their clients for direction, so do we look to you, Lord God. You're enthroned in heaven. We look to you. Have mercy, O God! Have mercy on us. Righteousness is hard. It's hard to do what's right when others look down on us for wanting to do the right. It's hard to do what's right when we're looking for others' approval. Dear God, please grant mercy to us to know your approval is enough. Your approval is sufficient. To know relationship with you is sweeter than any other. We're exhausted by the insults of lazy, proud people. We're looking to you, O God, to sense your blessing to satisfy our souls.

We encourage a brother or sister today, and are encouraged, to press on kindly, righteously. We want to be like Jesus, who pressed on against bitter opposition. And, together, looking to God, we give thanks for receiving mercy through Jesus.

Undiluted

"Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you," Ezekiel 2:1.

Who's the I here that will speak? God. Jehovah God. Creator of earth, of skies, and of everything in them. And who's the son of man that God will speak with? It's a human, by name, Ezekiel. First things first: Stand up, O man! Get off your face and stand, a man. Your creator speaks with you: God to man. Listen. Listen carefully. Here's the deal. God is under no illusion concerning us, humans. (Parenthetically speaking, God under illusion?! No. Never. Humans have come under great delusion. Indeed. Deluded rebels. Delusion that God does not care. Delusion that God cannot do. Delusion that good and evil ever struggle oppositionally without resolution. Delusion that evil must be met with evil so as to overcome. Delusion that evil wins in the end.) Humans rebelled against their creator. So, God sends a messenger to turn them around with his words: Thus says the Lord.

With a brother or sister today we hear the words of God's grace, his free gift of love, to know the undiluted truth which sets us free. And, together, we thank God through his Son, the ultimate son of man, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Psalm

Psalm 131

O Jehovah God,

my heart is not

lifted up;

my eyes are not

raised too high;

I do not occupy myself with

things too great and

too marvelous

for me.

But I have calmed and

quieted my soul,

like a weaned child with

its mother;

like a weaned child is

my soul within me.

O Israel,

hope in the the Lord from

this time forth and

forevermore.

Psalm 131

Underworld

"Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice," Jonah 2:2.

Sheol? What's that? Oh. that's Hades. The underworld. The grave. You know, the unseen world of the dead. And where was Jonah when he called out to God? Actually he was in the belly of a great fish, maybe of a whale (yeah, we know, not technically a fish), or maybe of a monster sea-creature. Anyway. Cast away from God into the waves he despaired of life, waters closing in over him, the abyss surrounding him, deep weeds wrapping his head. As he faded away, he remembered. He remembered Jehovah God. He remembered the God of reality - no pretentious idols. He remembered. He prayed into the very presence of Reality. And he, Jonah, gave thanks. He remembered the very real hope of the very real God's very real salvation. God heard him. And God redeemed his life.

We remind each other today, brother or sister, that the redeemer God listens attentively to every call for hope. That God has saved us for a land flowing with life. And, together, to our listening God we say, Thank You!

Magic

"Jesus, perceiving that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and said, Who touched my clothes?" Mark 5:30.

Hmm. Interesting. Power left him. Jesus felt it leave. What had happened? A woman reached out from the crowd secretly and touched Jesus' cloak. Her years-long illness healed immediately. Healing somebody - does that cost Jesus something? His power? In humans' common perception magic and miracle are the same thing. Magic takes no effort - it's a free lunch. I mean, magic takes a little verbalizing of arcane words and, voila', ya got your wish. Genie in a bottle kind of stuff. Kid begging mom for a candy bar in the checkout lane. People think of God like that. Problem is, he's stingy with his effortless magic show, so we have to whine a lot to annoy him enough to get what we want. But maybe, just maybe, it costs Jesus a lot. Not magic at all. Maybe it cost him a cross. His life.

As we pray with a brother or sister today, we come before the throne of our God carefully to make our requests. And, together, we give deep thanks that his heart's desire invites his children to touch him whatever his cost.