ASLC Devotions - Friday

James 1:13  No one, when tempted, should say, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one.

I'll be honest: James is not one of my favorite books of the Bible: guess I'm a Lutheran. As such, I'm not as familiar with it as I am with others. I'd forgotten about this little nugget until writing this devotion and using the daily lectionary we use. I love it.

This is one of my biggest theological pet peeves: when people say "God is tempting me" or "God is testing my faith." I understand it's a way for folks to understand hard times or difficult things that are happening in their lives. But the consequences of that belief are not healthy spiritually. If we believe God tempts us, then how does that jive with our more over-arching belief in a loving and gracious and merciful God? Would the same God who stands ready to forgive any sin then tempt us into sin? Doesn't make any sense. 

We experience temptations and sin and brokenness not because God sends it to us. We experience those things precisely as a consequence of our separation from God. We are tempted because we are separated spiritually from God. God resists temptation with us. God forgives our sin. That's God's role in the equation: not tempter, but forgiver.

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

This weekend brings to an end our summer worship schedule: 5 pm on Saturday and 9 am on Sunday. Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and newsletter

ASLC Devotions - Thursday

James 1:5  If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you. 

Like most people, I like to think that I'm a pretty generous person. I give financially to my congregation, to other church organizations, and to other organizations that I support. I give my time to friends and neighbors. When people ask for something, my first response is yes - I want to give. I want to help.

And sometimes it's just exhausting. Sometimes, I admit, I get tired of it all. I get tired of giving to others and want to just say "no" to something so I can hide in my house and read a good book.

Good thing I'm not God, isn't it? God, as opposed to you and I, gives "to all generously and ungrudgingly." God gives to all - whether they fit the list of things we like or not. God gives generously - not just enough, but an over-abundance. And God gives ungrudgingly - never holding back, never wanting to hold back.

Thanks be to God!

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

This weekend is the final weekend of our summer worship schedule: 5 pm Saturday and 9 am Sunday. Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and newsletter.

ASLC Devotions - Wednesday

John 15:16  Jesus said, "You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. "

Jesus here speaks some of the most freeing words I have ever heard. I didn't choose Jesus. Jesus chose me. I didn't choose God. God chose me. I don't have to focus on whether I feel good in my relationship with God. I don't have to work hard on my spiritual life to get to the point where I can choose to give over my whole life to God.

God's already chosen me. God's already given me my whole life. God chose me when I was baptized. And when God chooses something, it can never be un-chosen. It can never be undone. No matter what I do, no matter what I say, no matter what I think - God has chosen me.

Most importantly, God has chosen you. Breathe in the freedom of that knowledge.

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

This weekend we have our summer worship schedule for one final weekend: Saturday at 5 pm and Sunday at 9 am. Visit http://allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and newsletter.

ASLC Devotions - Tuesday

Nehemiah 9:30-31  For many years you were patient with them, and warned them by your spirit through your prophets; yet they would not listen. Therefore you handed them over to the peoples of the lands. Nevertheless, in your great mercies you did not make an end of them or forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.  

Remember yesterday's confession led by Ezra? Here the prayer continues. 

Sometimes people ask me to summarize the Bible - reading it can be intimidating if you don't know all the historical details (it's not really that intimidating and you don't need to know every detail, so read it). But if I were really pressed to summarize the message of the Bible, it's the story of God's relationship with humanity throughout history.

And these two verses do a good job of summarizing that relationship: God has been patient with people. God sent prophets to warn people about the dangerous lifestyle choices we make (like, ignoring God and acting like greedy, well, people). The consequences of human sin bit people. But the end of the story is always God giving life. God never leaves us in our sin. God never leaves us in pain. God is gracious and merciful. Every day. Throughout time. Today. God is gracious and merciful.

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

This weekend is the final weekend of our summer worship schedule: 5 pm on Saturday and 9 am on Sunday. For complete calendar and newsletter, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org

ASLC Devotions - Monday

Nehemiah 9:6  And Ezra said: ‘You are the Lord, you alone; you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. To all of them you give life, and the host of heaven worships you.'

You can't do better than Ezra. Ezra was leading the entire nation of Israel in a group confession. Picture what we do at the beginning of most Sunday morning services, but the entire nation doing it together. They were returning from exile, from generations living away from "home." And it was time to re-assess, to re-establish, and to re-build. Yes, they were going to rebuild the temple, rebuild the walls around Jerusalem, and rebuild their homes. But most important, they wanted to rebuild their relationship with God.

So Ezra began their confession by praying to God on their behalf, calling to mind all the great things God has done. "To all of them you give life." That about sums it up, doesn't it? God gives life to everything on earth. God is the source of life, the source of gift. Now that's a good foundation for a relationship with God - remembering that God is the source of it all. 

So when we begin worship with confession, think about this: you are rebuilding your relationship with God. And when the words of forgiveness are spoken, know that God says "yes - I want a relationship with you."

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

Next weekend is the final weekend of our summer worship schedule: 5 pm Saturday and 9 am Sunday. For the newsletter and calendar, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org

ASLC Devotions - Friday

Romans 16:15  I urge you, brothers and sisters, to keep an eye on those who cause dissensions and offences, in opposition to the teaching that you have learned; avoid them. 

When Paul wrote letters (which is what many of the books of the New Testament were originally) he always closed with final pieces of advice. After he finished the purpose of the letter and sent greetings to everyone, he closed with short little proverb-like pieces of advice. This is one of those from the book of Romans... avoid people who cause dissension within the church.

Interesting piece of advice. I might have expected that Paul would have said something different... something more like "confront them" or "speak the truth to them" or "show them the truth." But no - Paul tells us (through the Roman church) to avoid those who cause dissension. Sometimes there is no way to win an argument. Sometimes nobody is going to win. So the best path may be to hold fast to the truth and turn off those who are trying to start something.

Probably applies to other workplaces as well, huh?

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

Worship with us Saturday at 5 pm or Sunday at 9 am. 

ASLC Devotions - Thursday

Acts 6:15  And all who sat in the council looked intently at [Stephen], and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.  

I wonder what the face of an angel looks like. I wonder what it would be like to look at a person's face before me and think "Hey, that person's face looks like the face of an angel." It may be one of those things that you can't describe, but you'd know it if you saw it. You'd be looking at someone and know it. And interestingly, at least the way this is written in the book of Acts - it reads as if the entire council were looking intently at Stephen and all of them decided at the same time that his face was like the face of an angel. Interesting.

It's even more interesting when you know the context. The council was looking for a way to condemn Stephen and execute him - which they found and completed the execution just a few verses later. Stephen was an early disciple who was preaching and convincing people of the gospel. This frightened the council in Jerusalem so they instigated false witnesses against him. And they killed him. When they killed him, he spoke words of forgiveness - very similar to Jesus on the cross.

So perhaps the face of an angel has something to do with a quiet confidence (in the resurrection, no matter what happens) and a willingness to forgive no matter what happens. I wonder we could show the world the faces of angels today....

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

Join us for worship this weekend at 5 pm Saturday and 9 am Sunday.