e-vo for week of August 17

Dearest e-votees-

This week we will look at the assigned epistle text for this Sunday from Romans 12.

There is a call upon us to offer ourselves to God, to let God shape us, to step into the places of service for which God has gifted us with humility and sober judgment.

May we all be aware of the many blessings we have received and be a source of blessing and healing in the world.

Peace,
Karl

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1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. 3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. 6 We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; 7 ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; 8 the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

Romans 12:1-8, NRSV

Have you ever fallen asleep on something with texture—a quilt, thermal top, cushion with a crease—only to awake and have that impression residing on your face? You weren’t doing much at all; you weren’t making any conscious decisions; your weren’t bothering anybody—yet you took on the shape of the things around you. Our lives can be like those face-shaping catnaps. We aren’t doing anything out of the ordinary. We aren’t aware of making any conscious decisions. We are just trying to make our way and not bother those around us. And as we make our way—almost sleepwalking—we drowse off. The next thing you know the world has left its mark on us. Our words or our thoughts or our reactions have taken a shape we never intended.

God wants us to not be shaped by the world. God wants to shape us. God wants to shape our thoughts and our reactions and our words. God wants to renew our minds. God wants to transform our hearts. God wants us to grow into God’s will which is good and acceptable and perfect.

God has created each of us with gifts and abilities which all come through God’s grace. Whatever those gifts God wants us to unwrap them. God wants us to engage them and let them engage us in service in the world. We aren’t to take license and pride in what has come to us purely through the hand of a gracious God. We ought to engage the service that God has put before us with humility and sober judgment. But better to sin boldly than to drowse off again.

As we grow into serving with the gifts that God has given us we will find deep and abiding joy. We will find ourselves awake and alert and making and impression on a sleeping world. May we all serve diligently this day making impressions for God and celebrating the gifts and services of others also fashioned in God’s image and serving through God-given gifts. This isn’t only a better path, it is spiritual worship. It sustains us; blesses God; helps heal the world.


God, shape us this day. Wake us from our sleepy world-dwelling and stir us to grow in serving in the gifts you have showered into our lives. Help us know your will and have the courageous faith to live into it—all to your glory. Amen.

e-vo for week of August 10

Dearest e-votees-

I will be out of town next week when this would normally be sent out so here it is.

I hope and pray that you have a blessed day.

Peace,
Karl

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1 Thus says the Lord: Maintain justice, and do what is right, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed.

[2 Happy is the mortal who does this, the one who holds it fast, who keeps the sabbath, not profaning it, and refrains from doing any evil. 3 Do not let the foreigner joined to the Lord say, "The Lord will surely separate me from his people"; and do not let the eunuch say, "I am just a dry tree." 4 For thus says the Lord: To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, 5 I will give, in my house and within my walls, a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.]

6 And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, all who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it, and hold fast my covenant— 7 these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. 8 Thus says the Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, I will gather others to them besides those already gathered.

Isaiah 56:1 [2-5] 6-8

Our appointed text from the Old Testament for the ninth Sunday after Pentecost is above [with the excised verses restored for context].

One of most profound ministry moments I have experienced was when we were in Haiti helping to build a combination school and church building out of cinderblock. The downstairs was a multiple room school. The upstairs was a sanctuary and a smaller office. What was so stunning to me was that there was a lip surrounding the 2nd story. It was essentially a balcony with no railing encircling the building. Someone asked why that was built. The answer was that there are people who don’t feel worthy to come to church. If the lip was built, however, some would come and stand on the fringes. The hope and intent was that those people would be beckoned and welcomed into the community. Now, granted, I would have preferred a greased ramp going into a church (think of a trap-door spider with much more loving intentions) but I was struck by the architectural hospitality.

There are all sorts of examples of Jesus reaching out to those on the fringes—lepers, tax collectors, Samaritans, ill, demon-possessed, etc. The great commission is for the followers of Jesus to go out into all of the world making disciples. Our buildings and our ministries should have lips and balconies and welcoming areas for all who might come but be a little tentative. Our meals and our sanctuaries should always have open and well-equipped places for those who might come—think of the place setting for Elijah at a Seder meal. Our posture should surely be extending a hand of welcome over and against a judgmental wagging finger of accusation.

The early church grew through the Holy Spirit stirring the early church to live as a loving community. That love and care was winsome and won many to Christ. I am convinced that the Holy Spirit can, will, does and wants to so much more work that way today in our modern expressions of faith communities. There are outcasts, lepers, misfit toys, tax collectors, socially inept, Samaritans, unkempt, ill, lonely, demon-possessed, hurting people all around. Some are very apparent; many carry these traits buried deep within. All are needing places of welcome, good news and acceptance. God does that through people—people like you and me.


God, stir us to seek ways to reach out and welcome those who are lost and lonely on the fringes. Stir us to know your love for us—the lost and the lonely. Your amazing love trumps our failures and our feeble attempts to push you away. Gather us and all into your presence. Help us all to glorify you and be built up into an architecturally hospitable dwelling for your Holy Spirit. Amen.

e-vo for week of August 3

Dearest e-votees-

This week’s appointed epistle lesson reminds us that we don’t get to bring God to us on our terms. God beckons us to come on God’s terms. Those terms are through the good news of the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Thanks be to God.

Peace,
Karl

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5 Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that "the person who does these things will live by them." 6 But the righteousness that comes from faith says, "Do not say in your heart, "Who will ascend into heaven?' " (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 "or "Who will descend into the abyss?' " (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. 11 The scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. 13 For, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." 14 But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? 15 And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

Romans 10:5-15, NRSV

We don’t earn our way to God. We don’t assert where our places is—in heaven or the abyss. We don’t get to summon God like a doting attendant on a cruise ship.

God comes into the world on God’s terms. God chose to come in the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ. None are saved by their lineage (physical or spiritual) nor by their understanding (wisdom, teaching, exploration). All are saved by the love of God which is so clearly revealed in Jesus. In believing in God we are justified. As we share the good news in confession, proclamation, exhortation we and those who hear are saved. When we believe in God we will never be put to shame. All can be saved—Jew, Greek, male, female, cradle Lutheran, skeptical fringe-dweller, your closest friends, the enemy you detest most profoundly…everyone. But the believing comes through hearing.

We gather at church so we can hear. We learn the stories and speak them to one another so we and others might hear. We go off to mission sites and give testimony so those who might not come can hear. We invite and chauffer so others can hear. We send people off to seminary and youth off on mission trips and hold Sunday school and Vacation Bible School so that all can learn to speak the good news. How beautiful are our feet when God sends us all to bring the good news.



God, please continue to send the good news into our lives. Help us be receptive and to have you come deeply into our lives in whatever ways you so choose. Bless our feet and our words and our actions that all might hear and believe and be saved. Amen.

e-vo for week of July 27

Dearest e-votees-

I had every intention of getting this out before I left for our mission trip to Las Vegas but time slipped through my fingers.

I hope and pray you are well and that these words are a blessing to you.

Peace,
Karl

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13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. 15 When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves." 16 Jesus said to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." 17 They replied, "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish." 18 And he said, "Bring them here to me." 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Matthew 14:13-21, NRSV

The appointed gospel for last Sunday is the familiar feeding of the 5,000 (plus women, plus children maybe more like 20,000). This miracle is unique in that it is the only one of Jesus’ that is recorded in all 4 gospel accounts. When there is a really good story it gets told again and again and again. What is it about this miracle that is so compelling?

Several things:

COMPASSION OF GOD
Jesus is shown in verse 14 to have compassion on the crowds. Literally in the Greek he was “stirred in the bowels”. If you have ever seen someone so sad or so needy or so destitute and your insides hurt you get the sense. Jesus isn’t willing to turn some 20,000 people away to fend for themselves. This is remarkable. It is even more remarkable when we recall that Jesus was trying to get some alone time to grieve the beheading of his cousin John—his forerunner—his baptizer—as some sort of bizarre party favor at King Herod’s birthday party. He had every right and need to be curled into a ball of self-care but Jesus was supremely interruptible and put his needs aside for the sake of the many.

PROVISION OF GOD
The crowds needed food. All that we have on record was five loaves and two fish. John 6:9 lets us know that this food was a little boy’s provisions. Jesus didn’t let the lack win the day. He took what was available and provided what was needed. How often do we look at our own circumstances and bemoan the shortfalls? God can do remarkable things with small amounts. God speaks order into chaos. God calls into being that which is not. God multiplies and renews and restores and forgives. We look in the mirror and see the need. God looks at us with love and compassion and finds a way.

RESONANCE WITH SO MANY OTHER MIRACLES
Elijah feeding the woman at Zarephath and the ravens feeding Elijah (1 Kings 17); Manna in the desert and miraculous waters at Meribah (Exodus 16), temple tax from the mouth of a fish (Matthew 17), clothing of the lilies of the field (Matthew 12), water into wine (John 2), etc., etc. God has throughout scripture made miraculous provision from meager portions. When there is a really good story it gets told again and again and again and again and… God knows our need. God provides. It is part of our corporate story. We can live and trust and lean into that deep truth.

OVER-PROVISION OF GOD
Not only does God provide, God over-provides. Solomon asked for wisdom two Sundays ago and God showered him with blessings. After the 20,000 or so were feed there were still large amount of leftover. Jesus made something like 120-180 gallons of the choicest wine to bless the wedding at Cana. God grants not only our needs but God blesses us so much more richly than we ever deserve. We can’t nor shouldn’t treat God like a giant vending machine in the sky. We can trust however that God loves us and takes care of us more than we ever could imagine or deserve. If we, though we are evil, know how to give good gifts to our children… (see Luke 11:13)


God draw us into your love. Help us rest in your provision and over-provision. Help us lean hard into the stories of your people—our people. Help us know your compassion and grow in our capacity to bless the world with that same care. Amen.

e-vo for week of July 22

Dearest e-votees-

The appointed text from the epistle to the church at Rome is a deep, rich text full of promise. Laden with the trinity and the abiding works they do that bring salving and saving.

May we be blessed as we linger in these truths this week.

Peace,
Karl

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26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. 27 And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified. 31 What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? 33 Who will bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:26-39, NRSV

There are times when our prayers—rote or spontaneous—run dry. We don’t know what should be the contents of our prayers. Or we know but have trouble mustering the faith that God cares or that God will act favorably upon that request. In short, words fail. The terminal diagnosis is spoken. The divorce papers are sealed and entered into the records of the courts. The needed job is snatched away or given to someone else in the interview process. We plain and simple don’t know how to pray or for what to pray. Rather than condemning us as faithless or weak or corrupt God—in the form of the Holy Spirit—comes and prays for us with sighs beyond what human words and minds can express. God does not forsake us.

There are times when forces—people and situations—rise up against us. We are hard pressed. We don’t know if we have the stamina to press on. Or we know but have trouble discerning if we are even in the right. We feel swamped and drowning. We feel besieged with a final winning blow at our expense moments away. We feel that maybe even the whole world is against us. We feel that maybe even God is against us. Rather than vanquishing us as faithless or weak or corrupt God—in the form of the Father—weighs in on our side. God says “this child is mine and I will give all I have—even my only begotten—that this one will not perish.” God does not forsake us.

There are times when separation—emotional and spiritual—from God seems huge and getting even more insurmountable. We are crushed by circumstance, persecution, lack of necessity and exposure to dangers. We take stock of our lives and decide that we are going to lose if we have not lost already. Our mortality, powers and principalities, where we are or where we will surely go, scope and size of challenges seem sure to pry us out of the loving hands of God. Rather than writing us off and dismissing us as faithless or weak or corrupt God—in the form of Jesus—says “It is finished.” and “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” What Jesus has done is sufficient once for all and we are grafted deeply into the trinity. The God who will not forsake us. Thanks be to God.


God, help us to live into these incredible and certain promises. Help us to bear witness to the world with these same life-giving assurances. You do not forsake us. Help us learn and live into not forsaking others for they are surely crafted in your image. Amen.

e-vo for week of July 13

Dearest e-votees-

My apologies for this coming out late in the week. What can I say?—time at the beach with my kids and an awesome middle school/high school lock-in from Tuesday to Wednesday did a number on my regular rhythm.

The next few weeks are crazy busy too (but a good busy) with VBS, Film and Faith and a mission trip to Las Vegas. e-vos will come but might be a tad early or a touch late. Your patience during the next fortnight or so is greatly appreciated.

Peace,
Karl

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This week we will take a look at our appointed psalmody for our devotional focus:

11 Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere your name. 12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. 13 For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. 14 O God, the insolent rise up against me; a band of ruffians seeks my life, and they do not set you before them. 15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. 16 Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant; save the child of your serving girl. 17 Show me a sign of your favor, so that those who hate me may see it and be put to shame, because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

Psalm 86:11-17

This psalm is attributed as a prayer of David.

He prays for guidance that he might walk in God’s ways. He prays for an undivided heart. As a king he has probably experienced firsthand those who follow half-heartedly or perhaps with even less allegiance. He wants to be more committed than that. Perhaps he has learned a thing or two about the heartbreak of illicit connections and allegiances through his destruction of Uriah and Uriah’s family as he summoned Bathsheba—leaving Uriah and an unnamed baby dead and surely many hearts deeply scarred in the process. He wants to serve God in a way that doesn’t leave such carnage in his wake.

David has known a thing or two about Sheol. Things that have come his way and things that he has directly invoked have left him in the pits, in the depths of the grave. But God has rescued David. In spite of his transgressions God has remained faithful and loyal. God’s heart is not divided. God brings to completion the good work God began at David’s anointing and even before. God is that way with us too. We wander and we transgress but God rescues us. In spite of our transgressions God remains faithful. God’s heart is not divided. God brings to completion the good work God began at our baptisms and even before. Thanks be to God. God is merciful and gracious. God is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. God is faithful.

Others might rise up against us—others who do not set God before them—they may wish ill for us. We can pray for them. We can live lives in such a way that they see God’s life in us. We can live in such ways that God’s help and God’s comfort and God’s favor might testify to them. How is it we say in baptism again? (quoting Jesus): Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven. (see Matthew 5:16). It seems that David was foreshadowing these words of Jesus.


God, draw our hearts toward you. Help us grow in faithfulness to you as you are so assuredly faithful to us. Help us rest and trust and grow in you. Let others see you deeply at work in our lives—all to your glory. Amen.

e-vo for week of July 6

Dearest e-votees-

This week’s gospel text is the familiar one of the sower scattering seed far and wide and God bringing forth growth out of the various soils. The epistle text from Romans 8 is a powerful reminder of the great and sufficient work done by Jesus on our behalf. Our assigned psalm extols God’s provision; the bounty of God is lifted up. All of these are powerful texts and rich texts. Our assigned Old Testament lesson, from Isaiah, is no less so. We will use this text from Isaiah as our meditative focus for this week.

Peace,
Karl

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10 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. 12 For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

Isaiah 55:10-13, NRSV

This lesson ties in nicely with the psalm. God’s word is like snow and rain that water the earth and bring forth life. Seed is produced for the sower—nice tie-in with the gospel text—and bread for the eater. Those with the eyes and ears of faith can readily discern baptismal and communion imagery in the water and the bread.

God’s word sustains and feeds us.

God’s word brings life in us and through us.

All of creation, including us, are brought to a place of exultation and joy. The wounding thorns and briers shall be replaced by the cypress and the myrtle. Cyrpess is a type of evergreen and reminds us of abundant and verdant life. Myrtle is a flowering tree. God is present always bringing life. God is with us seasonally bringing beauty and joy. Both of these are reminders and signs that we will never be cut off.

We are promised and assured that God’s word will not enter our lives and the world without accomplishing the purpose for which God sent it. This is certainly true of God’s Word—the “Word”, Jesus. Jesus has done what is required and we are granted rich and abundant life—thanks be to God.


God, send your blessings—your word, your waters, your bread, every good and perfect gift—into our lives. Sustain us and grow us with them. Accomplish your purposes in us and through us by them. Send us to be a blessing. Thank you that you will not let us be cut off. Amen.