Simply Soul Searching

Tuesday, April 2nd

Lock: to make fast with or as if with a lock;  to hold in a close embrace

Ephesians 1:11-14 (NRSV)

In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

I enjoy listening to music on my iPod as I walk each morning. Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing is one of my favorite songs, and I especially love this stanza:

Oh, to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be
Let Thy goodness like a fetter
Bind my wandering heart to Thee
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here’s my heart, oh, take and seal it
Seal it for Thy courts above∗

At Here’s my heart, oh, take and seal it, I draw an X with my finger across my heart as a symbolic reminder that it is “prone to wander.” I need the help of the Spirit to keep my heart sealed, to keep it locked in unity with God.

In preparation for this devotion, I found this helpful commentary about Paul’s use of the word seal in Ephesians 1:13:

“In the ancient world a seal was used to signify the genuineness of a document. When goods were being transported, a seal identified their owner and protected them from theft. In government, a seal served as an official emblem of state officials. Paul uses seal as a metaphor for the Holy Spirit’s supernatural work in a believer’s life. It is a sign that we are spiritually genuine, protected, and validated as members of God’s family. ” (Quest Study Bible Commentary, page 1677)

Through the work of the Holy Spirit our hearts are sealed, signifying that we are genuine, protected, validated and beloved children of God! We could never lock our hearts into an obedient relationship with God on our own. Jesus came to give us a better way. He gave us the Holy Spirit- the One whose work in us does the sealing for us!

One of the definitions of lock is “to hold in a close embrace.” Isn’t this such a lovely and fitting way to envision how the Spirit seals our hearts to make them God’s own?

∗(Robert Robinson, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing)

All definitions are excerpted from the Merriam-Webster online dictionary at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/

Photo credit: Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Monday, April 1st

Lie:  to make an untrue statement with intent to deceive; to create a false or misleading impression

Colossians 3:9-10 (NRSV)

Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. 

Today is April Fool’s Day, and in many countries around the world it is a time for practical jokes and crazy hoaxes. Most everyone expects to be “fooled” and many try to be tricksters; usually both parties are amused. On this day each year, our lies are excused as part of the fun.

But on normal days, why might we lie to one another? My guess is that for most of us, any lies we may tell would be minor ones to save our reputation or to avoid criticism. Things are great at home. I was late because of a traffic jam. My studies are going well. I missed work yesterday because my stomach hurt. My computer died so I didn’t get that report finished. My career is flourishing. I’ve been too busy to call. The dog ate my homework. We tweak the truth or create an excuse instead of admitting our faults, our troubles, or our failures. We want to appear perfect or at least better than we are.

Only God knows the whole truth about us. God knows exactly what we have done wrong, the troubles we are facing, and the worries in our private lives. Knowing everything about us, God still loves us completely. God forgives us and God wants to help us. We can come clean before God without fear, because through Jesus we know we will remain God’s beloved child forever.

Isn’t God’s opinion of us the only one that truly matters?

As we trust in our awesome God who loves us in our brokenness, we find the freedom and courage to be honest about our failures and faults with those who need to know. We no longer need to lie in order to impress others or pretend all is well. We can ask for forgiveness from those we have wronged. We can “strip off the old self with its practices” of lying or misleading. We can set an example that might enable others to open up for needed support or understanding, too.

Perhaps best of all, our faith communities can become places in which all of us are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of (our) creator. They can become places of honesty and humility in which we offer mutual support, encouragement, wisdom, maturation, and acceptance. They can become places where all are welcome… just as we are.

All definitions are excerpted from the Merriam-Webster online dictionary at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/

Photo credit: Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Saturday, March 30th

Lead: to guide on a way especially by going in advance; to direct on a course or in a direction; to serve as a channel

Psalm 25:5 (NRSV)

Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation…

Exodus 13:21 (NRSV)

The Lord went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night.

Every year at summer camp, one of our big events was to play Follow the Leader. The leader, one of our camp counselors, had us tramp through mucky marshes, crawl across dirt and weeds under cabins, wend our way through underbrush and trees in the woods, run across open fields, and finally jump into the lake! We were filthy, exhausted, itchy, and totally spent- but also exhilarated. We had been challenged and we were victorious.

Looking back, I recognize the power of leadership. I was willing to follow my counselor wherever he led us, because these counselors had guided, tended, taught, protected, and loved us all week. I followed him into the most challenging parts of the course because I knew he wasn’t taking us anywhere he wouldn’t go himself. All of us campers had grown to love and trust these counselors, and we were willing to follow them even when the situation seemed difficult or even ridiculous.

Wherever we are leaders- workplace, church, community, team or family- we lead best when we lovingly care for those we are leading. We lead best when we are working toward a goal that includes and benefits everyone. We lead best when we are willing to go with them through all of the challenges necessary to achieve that goal. We lead best when we can look beyond any obstacles and detours by setting our sights on the vision and mission before us.

Most of all, good leaders follow a greater Leader.  I love the example in Exodus of the pillar and cloud God used to direct the Israelites as they journeyed through the wilderness. Moses was a good leader because God was his leader. Moses went with his people, because he knew God would go with them, too. He was willing to go wherever God would take them because he knew God is the God we can trust- the God who teaches, tends, helps, protects, loves, and works for our good.

As godly leaders, our role is to lovingly guide people toward the One we follow as we work toward our goals. We may not get to take the well-worn path or the easy route or even the one that makes sense. We may find ourselves in challenging situations or places beyond our comfort zone. Still, because we know God is the One we can trust- the One who has loved us all along- we know we will lead best when we follow the best Leader.

All definitions are excerpted from the Merriam-Webster online dictionary at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/

Photo credit: Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Friday, March 29th

Lavish: to expend or bestow with profusion; squander

Psalm 96 (NRSV)

We sometimes hear about the praises and accolades that are being “lavished” on actors, authors, talk-show hosts, athletes, heroes, musicians and others who have done well and are receiving all sorts of recognition. In these situations the word, lavish is used to convey that these praises are perhaps overdone or are being squandered on someone who is undeserving. The accolades feel too excessive or insincere.   

I wonder if Judas was feeling this way when Mary was lavish in her act of adoration of Jesus. Judas felt the money spent on the perfume could have been spent on other worthy causes. At that point he also had no way of knowing who Jesus truly was (since Jesus’ death and resurrection was yet to happen). Perhaps Judas had even a bit of jealousy there, as we might envy some of these rising stars today. To Judas, Mary’s act was too lavish, too extravagant.

But now we know we could never be lavish enough in our praise to God- for Jesus and for all God has done for us.

Each of us might lavish praise to God with our entire beings- voice uplifted, singing, shouting with everything we have! Still, each of us is only one person among many others who are also praising God- God, who is the Creator of us all. Everyone on earth might lavish glorious praises upon God, and yet we are only one tiny planet in a vast and infinite universe- the universe God also created. ALL of creation might adore God and worship God in unique ways- singing birds, clapping trees, rushing winds, blooming flowers, rising mountains, splashing fish, glowing moon, twinkling stars… and yet God is Creator of all these as well!

Our most lavish praise is a tiny morsel to the awesomeness of God- but the awesomeness of God impels us to offer our praises as lavishly as we can. We cannot help ourselves!

Though our mouths were full of song as the sea, 
and our tongues of exultation as the multitude of its waves,
and our lips of praise as the wide-extended firmament;
though our eyes shone with light like the sun and the moon,
and our hands were spread forth like the eagles of heaven,
and our feet were swift as hinds,
we should still be unable to thank thee and bless thy name,
O Lord our God and God of our fathers,
for one thousandth or one ten thousandth part of the bounties which thou has bestowed upon our fathers and upon us.

– from the Hebrew Prayer Book

All definitions are excerpted from the Merriam-Webster online dictionary at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/

Photo credit: Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Thursday, March 28th

Lengthen: to make longer; to grow longer

Our word for today is lengthen. We are good stewards of our God-given lives when we do all we can to lengthen the number of our days on this earth. Caring for our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being can help us to live longer and healthier lives. Still, we know that all of our earthly days will be finite.

No matter the number of days, our lives will seem longer and fuller if we live each day abundantly and worthily. I love Michel de Montaigne’s quote about the value of our lives being found in the use we make of them. “Lengthening” our lives comes from filling our days with abundance, not mere busyness. We should fill our days with quality things, things that bless others and ourselves, things that refresh and renew our spirits, things that are of value and worth, varieties of things to challenge or delight us, and things that bless and please God.

Jesus came to give us this abundant life. Jesus frees us from the guilt of our sins, the burdens of our worry, and the weight of our fear so that we may find joy in our days. He gifts us with unique spiritual gifts to use in creativity and service.  He guides us so that we find our purpose and our peace in our daily living. His love holds us through all we enjoy or endure. When Jesus speaks of abundant life- when he says the “kingdom is at hand”- Jesus is offering us all we need to live this earthly life fully and well. And then we get to enjoy eternal life beyond!

May we be mindful of how we spend each precious moment of this day. For these are the moments which add up to our length of days. These are the moments that add up to a life well-lived. These are the moments we can embrace with gratitude, the moments we can fill with significance and meaning. The way we live our moments becomes an offering of thankfulness to Christ, the One who came to give us this precious, abundant life.

All definitions are excerpted from the Merriam-Webster online dictionary at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/

Photo credit: Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Wednesday, March 27th

Lighten: to relieve of a burden in whole or in part; lessen; to make less wearisome; alleviate; cheer; gladden

Matthew 10:42 (NRSV)

…and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.

My sister Janet was struggling as we hiked along the Rockies. Every step was excruciating. We were novice backpackers with the wrong equipment, and her hiking boots had rubbed huge blisters on her heels.  The rest of our youth group had gone ahead to the next campsite. With every step, we felt more alone and discouraged. She was near tears.

What a wonderful surprise to see a few of the young men from our group coming back over the crest of the mountain! After dropping their packs off at the site, they had returned to take Janet’s backpack from her. She was still in pain, but without the burden of the pack- and less pressure on her feet and heels- she was able to make it to the campsite more quickly and easily.

We are called to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). But there are LOTS of burdens, aren’t there? We can so quickly feel overwhelmed by the numbers of people who share the same burden, or by the size of the burden one person may have. We do want to help, but the problems seem too large to fix! Instead, we become stymied and intimidated, frozen into inaction.

As I think of the young men who helped Janet, I am reminded that we only need to do what we CAN do. No one could totally fix Janet’s troubles. No one could carry her to the next site. No one could immediately heal her blisters. She still had to keep hiking the rest of the way. But the guys did what they could do; they relieved her of the burden of her backpack for the remaining portion of the trail. They accompanied us all the way to the campsite. They lifted her spirits (and mine) by helping and going with us.

Jesus was warning the disciples of the hardships ahead as they went out to share the good news. He speaks of people who will be against them, but he is grateful for the ones who will welcome them and help them. He goes on to say how someone who shares even a cup of cold water will one day be rewarded. One simple act like a cup of water could refresh and bless the disciples as they endured hardships along the way.

When we look at the multitude of needs around us, we might feel that any actions we take would be futile. The magnitude of a problem may cause us to overlook the one thing we can do. And yet, one small act of kindness may do more than we can imagine. Is there one thing we can do to help someone today? We will never be able to eliminate all the troubles of the world, but a little help is much better than doing nothing at all.

All definitions are excerpted from the Merriam-Webster online dictionary at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/

Photo credit: Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Monday, March 25th

Limit: to assign certain limits to; to restrict the bounds or limits; to curtail or reduce in quantity or extent

Mark 12:28-31 (NRSV)

One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 

My pastor-friend and I were finding humor after a church seminar years ago. In a heated debate, one man had claimed that the Bible instructs us to do “everything in moderation.” We knew that this was not a Bible passage, and later we began improvising such silly statements as “Love Jesus… in moderation.”  “Praise God… but not too often.” “Give to others… just not too much.” Of course these are not true! We are to love God with ALL of our heart, soul, and might. We are to love our neighbors as ourselves. There should be no limit to our love for God and others.

Still, in other instances we are called to limit ourselves…

Some limits help us increase in love for God. Limiting our food or other forms of fasting can magnify our need for God and work to draw us closer to God. Limiting our social or recreational activities in order to worship, study, and pray regularly gives us more opportunities to praise God and grow in faith. Limiting our own earthly desires allows the Spirit to fill us with more of God’s desire.

Other limits enable us to demonstrate genuine love for others. Limiting our spending helps us to have more funds available to share with those in need. Setting limits on our work hours enables us to spend time with loved ones or to find time to help out someone in need of assistance. Actively limiting our speech helps us to refrain from gossip or reacting with hurtful words.

In addition, there are limits that help us to be better stewards of all of God’s creation. Limiting ourselves to using greener or reusable products helps maintain our environment. Limiting our intake of unhealthy foods honors our God-given bodies. Limiting our desire for more or better possessions enables us to share our resources and provide for all of God’s people.

In all of these, we find that when we set limits on ourselves- our own needs, desires, natural tendencies, worldly expectations, or successes- these limits open us up to more of God. Limits become a discerning gate that keeps our selfish ways contained but allows the in-pouring of God’s love and the outpouring of our love. Limits are good boundaries for life and yet, how often do we push these limits? And when we do, how often do we exceed or go beyond them?

This Lent, may we be more mindful of the limits that are healthy for us and all of God’s creation, the limits we heed for the well-being of others, and the limits that perfect us as followers of Christ. May we limit all that is needful- in order to expand all that is so very good.

All definitions are excerpted from the Merriam-Webster online dictionary at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/

Photo credit: Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Saturday, March 23rd

Leap: to spring free from or as if from the ground; jump

Luke 6:22-23 (NRSV)

Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.

I want people to like me and understand me. I want mutual love and care to abound between myself and those who know me. So to imagine I would “leap for joy” if people were to exclude, revile, defame, and even HATE me seems impossible! How could anyone find joy in those circumstances?

The answer is found in the words, “on account of the Son of Man.” This phrase clarifies what we are to do, what we must remember, and who we can cling to- so that we can and will experience that abundant joy in the midst of our trials.

~ We need to be certain that our words and actions (those which seem to agitate and upset folks) are truly being done only for Jesus or on behalf of Jesus for others. We must know in the core of our being that we are doing the right thing. We must examine our motives and our behaviors to be clear that we are not intentionally being hurtful or trying to get our own way. We must purely feel that our actions are sacrificial for us and only beneficial for Jesus. Joy is ours as we walk with integrity in humble service to God.

~ We must remember that “our reward is great in heaven.” What we are enduring now is minutia compared to our eternal joy and rest. Our time here is finite, but our lives in joy with Christ will continue forever. In this finite time, we are to do all we can to bless God and others, to reveal bits of heaven here- even as we suffer to accomplish this. Knowing that our suffering is only for a small time, we can anticipate our eternal joy (which leads to earthly joy)!

~ We can always cling to Jesus. We know that Jesus is with us and will continue to be with us, no matter what. Even if we were to be totally excluded from friends or family, we have a true and forever friend in Christ. We are never alone, never left to our own defenses. Jesus will be our joy-bringer.

In those times when we do know so profoundly that we are doing the right thing for Jesus or for others on behalf of him, we will feel an inexplicable peace. We will feel our integrity is intact. We will feel a sense of serenity in spite of everything. Oh, we will feel the pain of rejection and hurt- very much so- but in spite of this, it is truly “well with our souls.” When we do things on account of the Son of Man, we will even have an incredible lightness of being that enables us… to leap.

Blessed are you… 

Friday, March 22nd

List: to make a list of; enumerate; to include on a list; register

Psalm 40:5 (NRSV)

You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
    your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
    none can compare with you.
Were I to proclaim and tell of them,
    they would be more than can be counted.

Today’s devotion will be your own creation- listing your blessings! We have been so very blessed by God’s love and bounty for us, but often we neglect to be mindful of our gifts and to thank God for them. When we begin naming our blessings specifically, our gratitude grows- as well as our joy. Here are some questions to help us begin listing some of the special gifts we have received from God.

1. What is one thing I really appreciate when I awaken each day?
2. Which of my five senses am I especially grateful to have today?
3. As I look out my window, what am I thankful for?
4. Who was the most influential person in my faith journey?
5. What would I say was the best blessing of this week?
6. Is there a song that has touched my heart recently?
7. What is a favorite childhood memory?
8. Where do I most like to spend time (consider travels, spaces at home)?
9. Who was my favorite teacher and why?
10. Was there a difficult time in my life in which I now find a blessing?
11. Who helped me most in that difficult time?
12. If I had breakfast with Jesus, what would I thank him for?
13. Which season is my favorite?
14. What Bible passage has most influenced my life?
15. What passage has helped me in recent times?
16. When did God help me do something that took courage?
17. What part of the day do I like the best?
18. How does each member of my family bless me?
19. In what ways am I gifted?
20. What is my favorite food or treat?
21. When I look in the mirror, what am I most thankful for?
22. Who has been a good friend to me?
23. What hobbies do I enjoy most?
24. Where do I see God moving in my life recently?
25. What is my favorite way to worship God?

With each gift we list, may our hearts grow in gratitude. May the listing of our blessings  become a prayer of thankfulness to our generous God, Giver of all good gifts. Enjoy!

All definitions are excerpted from the Merriam-Webster online dictionary at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/

Photo credit: Aaron Burden on Unsplash