Ezekiel 20:21
21But the children rebelled against me; they did not follow my statutes, and were not careful to observe my ordinances, by whose observance everyone shall live; they profaned my sabbaths. Then I thought I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the wilderness.
Several times in this passage, both before and after the verse quoted above, the Lord says, "Then I thought..." and finishes it by saying, "But I didn't." In similar fashion to all the ways that we want the Lord to smite those who do not follow the statutes and commands, it's the big wind up to what we think will be a ka-pow, and actually ends up being just a big sigh. There are all of these things that the people do wrong, and you really think that God's going to knock them out of the park... and then doesn't.
We're thankful for the ways that God honors the covenant that God makes, because as God's people, we struggle to keep our end. And God's forgiveness and love keeps coming back, over and over and over and over... Amen.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Monday
Ezekiel 20:12
Moreover I gave them my sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, so that they might know that I the Lord sanctify them.
I have always found reading and writing about the sabbath, and sabbath-keeping, to be challenging. Mostly, I guess, because I'm not especially good about keeping sabbath and making it holy. After all, there's just a lot that needs to get done -- and who will do it, if I don't? Maybe because I grew up continuously reading Little House on the Prairie books, the idea of sabbath as sitting still all day and limiting my activity to reading scripture sounds neither plausible nor very restful to me. However we end up defining what it means to keep the sabbath, though, this verse from Ezekiel above is incredibly helpful to me -- and somehow I had missed it.
Instead of getting caught up in the discussion of what is allowed and what isn't, look again at the reason that God gives for the sabbath: so that they might know that I the Lord sanctify them. So that they might know that I make them holy. Well, now, isn't that a lovely thought? The sabbath is a gift, a sign (like the rainbow!), so that we might know that God has made us holy.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Moreover I gave them my sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, so that they might know that I the Lord sanctify them.
I have always found reading and writing about the sabbath, and sabbath-keeping, to be challenging. Mostly, I guess, because I'm not especially good about keeping sabbath and making it holy. After all, there's just a lot that needs to get done -- and who will do it, if I don't? Maybe because I grew up continuously reading Little House on the Prairie books, the idea of sabbath as sitting still all day and limiting my activity to reading scripture sounds neither plausible nor very restful to me. However we end up defining what it means to keep the sabbath, though, this verse from Ezekiel above is incredibly helpful to me -- and somehow I had missed it.
Instead of getting caught up in the discussion of what is allowed and what isn't, look again at the reason that God gives for the sabbath: so that they might know that I the Lord sanctify them. So that they might know that I make them holy. Well, now, isn't that a lovely thought? The sabbath is a gift, a sign (like the rainbow!), so that we might know that God has made us holy.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Friday, August 20, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Friday
Acts 17:1-3 After Paul and Silas* had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three sabbath days argued with them from the scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Messiah* to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, ‘This is the Messiah,* Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you.’
Paul went into a synagogue in Thessalonica and for three straight sabbath days used the scriptures to proclaim the message that Jesus is the Messiah. He proclaimed a message that an executed criminal was the Messiah that these people had been waiting for. And he used their own Bible, on their own holy days, in their own holy building, to do it.
Takes a bit of moxie. Takes quite a bit of the Holy Spirit. And if the Holy Spirit can call and empower Paul to do this... do you think maybe the Holy Spirit can inspire you to invite your neighbor to worship with you? I wonder.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
For more information about all of the ministries of All Saints, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org To share your story or your responses to this devotional, visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com Worship with us this weekend at 5 pm Saturday or 9 am Sunday.
Paul went into a synagogue in Thessalonica and for three straight sabbath days used the scriptures to proclaim the message that Jesus is the Messiah. He proclaimed a message that an executed criminal was the Messiah that these people had been waiting for. And he used their own Bible, on their own holy days, in their own holy building, to do it.
Takes a bit of moxie. Takes quite a bit of the Holy Spirit. And if the Holy Spirit can call and empower Paul to do this... do you think maybe the Holy Spirit can inspire you to invite your neighbor to worship with you? I wonder.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
For more information about all of the ministries of All Saints, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org To share your story or your responses to this devotional, visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com Worship with us this weekend at 5 pm Saturday or 9 am Sunday.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Wednesday
Psalm 32:7 You are a hiding-place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.
It's the summer blockbuster season at the movies. One type of movie that comes out a lot in the summer is the big suspense, slasher movie. "I Know What You Did Last Summer." "Night on Elm Street." I've never really liked that kind of movie. But I have an image in my head of what they're all basically like. Someone is running screaming at the top of their lungs away from someone "out to get them." Trying desperately to reach the safe place. Maybe it's a closet. Maybe it's the police station. Who knows.
I've never had a slasher chasing me. Have you? But I know what it's liked to be stalked. By fear. By self-doubt. By worries. By a lack of enough. Maybe you have too.
But we've got a hiding place more effective than any closet or police station. God is our hiding-place. And God is stronger than anything that might be chasing you.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
For more information about all of the ministries of All Saints, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org To share your story or your responses to this devotional, visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com Worship with us this weekend at 5 pm Saturday or 9 am Sunday.
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.
It's the summer blockbuster season at the movies. One type of movie that comes out a lot in the summer is the big suspense, slasher movie. "I Know What You Did Last Summer." "Night on Elm Street." I've never really liked that kind of movie. But I have an image in my head of what they're all basically like. Someone is running screaming at the top of their lungs away from someone "out to get them." Trying desperately to reach the safe place. Maybe it's a closet. Maybe it's the police station. Who knows.
I've never had a slasher chasing me. Have you? But I know what it's liked to be stalked. By fear. By self-doubt. By worries. By a lack of enough. Maybe you have too.
But we've got a hiding place more effective than any closet or police station. God is our hiding-place. And God is stronger than anything that might be chasing you.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
For more information about all of the ministries of All Saints, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org To share your story or your responses to this devotional, visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com Worship with us this weekend at 5 pm Saturday or 9 am Sunday.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Tuesday
Psalm 32:1 Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Martin Luther wrote in his Small Catechism that "we ask in this prayer that our heavenly Father would not regard our sins nor deny these petitions on their account, for we are worthy of nothing for which we ask, nor have we earned it. Instead we ask that God would give us all things by grace."
We ask that God would not regard our sins, that our sins would be covered. God indeed does cover our sins. God puts a blanket over our sin and hides it from God's own eyes. God pretends that God can't see our sin. For our sake. As a gift. Nothing we deserve, but everything God does. Indeed, we are happy!
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
For more information about all of the ministries of All Saints, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org To share your story or your responses to this devotional, visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com Worship with us this weekend at 5 pm Saturday or 9 am Sunday.
whose sin is covered.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Martin Luther wrote in his Small Catechism that "we ask in this prayer that our heavenly Father would not regard our sins nor deny these petitions on their account, for we are worthy of nothing for which we ask, nor have we earned it. Instead we ask that God would give us all things by grace."
We ask that God would not regard our sins, that our sins would be covered. God indeed does cover our sins. God puts a blanket over our sin and hides it from God's own eyes. God pretends that God can't see our sin. For our sake. As a gift. Nothing we deserve, but everything God does. Indeed, we are happy!
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
For more information about all of the ministries of All Saints, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org To share your story or your responses to this devotional, visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com Worship with us this weekend at 5 pm Saturday or 9 am Sunday.
Monday, August 16, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Monday
Jeremiah 23:32 See, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, says the Lord, and who tell them, and who lead my people astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or appoint them; so they do not profit this people at all, says the Lord.
Maybe you are not as concerned as Jeremiah and others in the Bible seemed to be with trying to separate true prophets from false prophets. It's not something that keeps me up at night. But we do wonder how do we recognize God's voice when we hear something? How do we know if we're following God's voice or just our own whims and desires? We don't have the burning bush experiences or the voice in our dreams, generally. So how do we know?
I like something in this verse as a measure: "they do not profit this people at all." So if you're trying to figure out whether something is God's will for your life or just your own, try out these questions: does it profit you? Is it good for you? Also, God says through Jeremiah that it should profit "this people" PLURAL. So... is the thing good for the community and not just you? If the answer to either of these questions is no, you can be sure it's not God's voice. It's not a definitive test, but some questions that point us in the right direction.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
For more information about all of the ministries of All Saints, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org To share your story or your responses to this devotional, visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com Worship with us this weekend at 5 pm Saturday or 9 am Sunday.
Maybe you are not as concerned as Jeremiah and others in the Bible seemed to be with trying to separate true prophets from false prophets. It's not something that keeps me up at night. But we do wonder how do we recognize God's voice when we hear something? How do we know if we're following God's voice or just our own whims and desires? We don't have the burning bush experiences or the voice in our dreams, generally. So how do we know?
I like something in this verse as a measure: "they do not profit this people at all." So if you're trying to figure out whether something is God's will for your life or just your own, try out these questions: does it profit you? Is it good for you? Also, God says through Jeremiah that it should profit "this people" PLURAL. So... is the thing good for the community and not just you? If the answer to either of these questions is no, you can be sure it's not God's voice. It's not a definitive test, but some questions that point us in the right direction.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
For more information about all of the ministries of All Saints, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org To share your story or your responses to this devotional, visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com Worship with us this weekend at 5 pm Saturday or 9 am Sunday.
Friday, August 13, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Friday
Hebrews 10:39
39But we are not among those who shrink back and so are lost, but among those who have faith and so are saved.
Be Bold! (Be bold!) Be Strong! (Be strong!) For the Lord thy God is with thee!
With a campfire refrain, the strumming of guitars and scream-singing campers, we lifted our voices with the admonition to be bold! and to be strong! Indeed, we are not those who shrink back. We are, instead, the ones who are bold and strong because we know that God is with us.
We know that God is with us. We have faith that God is with us. What a powerful statement that can carry us through our lives, no matter the trouble and tribulations that we might face. So, go ahead, be bold. Be strong.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
39But we are not among those who shrink back and so are lost, but among those who have faith and so are saved.
Be Bold! (Be bold!) Be Strong! (Be strong!) For the Lord thy God is with thee!
With a campfire refrain, the strumming of guitars and scream-singing campers, we lifted our voices with the admonition to be bold! and to be strong! Indeed, we are not those who shrink back. We are, instead, the ones who are bold and strong because we know that God is with us.
We know that God is with us. We have faith that God is with us. What a powerful statement that can carry us through our lives, no matter the trouble and tribulations that we might face. So, go ahead, be bold. Be strong.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
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