As i read the story from Mark 5 today i couldn't help but think about the incredible hulk. The way the passage describes the demon possessed man from the cemetery makes him sound like a fictional character. He was so strong that he could break out of chains and shackles? I didn't know people could actually do that. But if they could in real life, i do know one thing for sure...I would be afraid.
That's what is so fascinating about Jesus in this passage. He doesn't seem the least bit afraid of the gignator, super strong guy. He was still a long way off and the man started running toward Jesus. If i were Jesus in that moment, i think my first thought would have been to try my walking on water trick or something to get me as far away from the scary strong man. But Jesus appears quite calm in this passage. And it says before the man even gets to Jesus, Jesus has already commanded the demons to come out of him. I haven't had much experience with Demon possession in my life, but the few times i have seen situations that were claiming to be about demon possession were not calm situations. And yet Jesus remains calm, as far as we can tell. He possesses a confidence and trust that is desirable. I'd like to know that in the face of any scary situation that i would be able to recall what i know to be true about God, and then trust that God will lead me through it. I guess that's something i can be praying more about. And this study ought to help with the ability to recall information about God. I hope you are learning some new things as well!
-Kelly
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Monday's reading...
I don't usually spend much time reading 1 Peter, so I found this reading intriguing (at least in reference to reading through all the census taking, names, and numbers that fill up the whole book of Numbers!) I didn't really like the whole "Fear God. Honor the emperor." idea of 1 Peter. It doesn't seem very loving or freeing, but I read in my bible commentary notes that the author was probably anxious that Christians not appear to be opposing or threatening to the state, making things harder on them. The emperor is to be honored, but God is to be feared, a profound respect due to God alone.
I also find the idea of servants of God being identified as aliens and exiles. Aliens and exiles aren't held in much esteem these days, yet this is what we are to strive to be: aliens - never fully at home in our surrounding culture, and exiles - belonging ultimately to another homeland with God. So here's to all the exiles and aliens - servants of God!
-Melanie
(Notes from The New Interpreter's Study Bible)
I also find the idea of servants of God being identified as aliens and exiles. Aliens and exiles aren't held in much esteem these days, yet this is what we are to strive to be: aliens - never fully at home in our surrounding culture, and exiles - belonging ultimately to another homeland with God. So here's to all the exiles and aliens - servants of God!
-Melanie
(Notes from The New Interpreter's Study Bible)
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Yom Kippur
A second order has been established, to abolish the need for the sin offerings of the past. That's the gist of Hebrews interpretation of Christ's death and resurrection. I'm quite glad to not have to worry about sacrificing a variety of animals for my different sins. But there is something good about Yom Kippur that I think we lose when we focus on blanket forgiveness. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE grace - unwarranted forgiveness and love from God in spite of my brokeness. But if we forget that there's a need for forgiveness, we can't appreciate the great gift that grace is. I think it's good for us to have a ritual time like Yom Kippur, or a "Day of Atonement". A time when we reflect on our choices and our actions, take responsibility for both the good and the bad, and ask forgiveness of those whom we have hurt. It's not a fun thing to do, but it is definitely a freeing thing to do, and it can repair relationships that look to be irreparable.
-Melanie
-Melanie
Monday, October 8, 2007
Ouch!
Hi all! I'm back to work after a joyful weekend of getting married! It was wonderful and I might even post a picture or two once I get them.
So I'm back to picking up the blog, and when I read the scripture for today, my first thought was OUCH! Leviticus can be a tough book to get through, particularly with all of the restrictions rules about what to do and what not to do. Mess up, and you get burned up. It's rather harsh. One of the things that we can take from this, is the importance of not taking lightly the sacredness of the Holy. Being flippant about the holy is something to run away from. The difference between Aaron's sons and Aaron is they didn't see how serious God was. And the different between Jesus and Aaron's sons is humility. At least that's what I see today. Tomorrow I might see something else. Today I'm reminded that offering ourselves to God with humility is much better than offering ourselves with a big dose of self-righteousness about what we are doing and how we do it. Humility is the "Word" for the day for me. A high holy priest with an attitude is much different than a high holy priest with humility. Same goes for a high holy servant. The reading today seems to be a warning - to take a closer look at how we come before God and how we offer ourselves to others.
-Melanie
So I'm back to picking up the blog, and when I read the scripture for today, my first thought was OUCH! Leviticus can be a tough book to get through, particularly with all of the restrictions rules about what to do and what not to do. Mess up, and you get burned up. It's rather harsh. One of the things that we can take from this, is the importance of not taking lightly the sacredness of the Holy. Being flippant about the holy is something to run away from. The difference between Aaron's sons and Aaron is they didn't see how serious God was. And the different between Jesus and Aaron's sons is humility. At least that's what I see today. Tomorrow I might see something else. Today I'm reminded that offering ourselves to God with humility is much better than offering ourselves with a big dose of self-righteousness about what we are doing and how we do it. Humility is the "Word" for the day for me. A high holy priest with an attitude is much different than a high holy priest with humility. Same goes for a high holy servant. The reading today seems to be a warning - to take a closer look at how we come before God and how we offer ourselves to others.
-Melanie
Sunday, October 7, 2007
John the Baptist
The question for reflection today in our verses from Mark is referring to Mark 3:8. What does it mean to "produce fruit in keeping with repentance."?
My translation of Mark 3:8 is this: "Prove by the way you live that you have really turned from your sins and turned to God." Isn't this what people are always looking for? We want proof... We want proof that the gimmick we heard about on the infomercial is going to actually puree our food in 1.6 seconds flat, or that the knife can cut through glass. We want proof that the person we are in relationship means it when he/she says "i love you." As children, we want proof that Santa Claus has been in our house while we slept! Why would we believe in something if there is no "proof" to back it up.
If this is how we feel about the world, why does it surprise us that people are asking that question about our faith? Christians are always on the chopping block of hypocrisy. It seems that there are many a story out today about this religious leader doing something inappropriate, or that "girl who claims to be a Christian" cheating on her taxes. People want proof that what we claim to follow, actually makes a difference in the way we live our lives. There is no point it talking about all the great things that Jesus stood for, and lived by, and did for others if we are not going to actually strive to be the same. We have the opportunity to share God's love with our neighbors, our enemies, our family, even strangers. That's what Christ did. That was who Jesus was. And if we are claiming to be disciples of Christ, then shouldn't our behaviors model what He stood for? Should we be concerned about the poor? Shouldn't we want to help those who are lying on the side of the road? Shouldn't we feel deep grief when a good friend dies?
The more i study Jesus, the more i realize how difficult it is to be a disciple. But the more i study Jesus and attempt to put into practice the things he says, the more I realize how rewarding and freeing it is to be a disciple.
All of that being said, and i will confess that i have not be Christ-like today. I am tired, and frustrated, and difficult. I'm glad we are studying this book. I need these daily reminders, especially on days like today!
May your life be a reflection of Christ's life this day!
-Kelly
My translation of Mark 3:8 is this: "Prove by the way you live that you have really turned from your sins and turned to God." Isn't this what people are always looking for? We want proof... We want proof that the gimmick we heard about on the infomercial is going to actually puree our food in 1.6 seconds flat, or that the knife can cut through glass. We want proof that the person we are in relationship means it when he/she says "i love you." As children, we want proof that Santa Claus has been in our house while we slept! Why would we believe in something if there is no "proof" to back it up.
If this is how we feel about the world, why does it surprise us that people are asking that question about our faith? Christians are always on the chopping block of hypocrisy. It seems that there are many a story out today about this religious leader doing something inappropriate, or that "girl who claims to be a Christian" cheating on her taxes. People want proof that what we claim to follow, actually makes a difference in the way we live our lives. There is no point it talking about all the great things that Jesus stood for, and lived by, and did for others if we are not going to actually strive to be the same. We have the opportunity to share God's love with our neighbors, our enemies, our family, even strangers. That's what Christ did. That was who Jesus was. And if we are claiming to be disciples of Christ, then shouldn't our behaviors model what He stood for? Should we be concerned about the poor? Shouldn't we want to help those who are lying on the side of the road? Shouldn't we feel deep grief when a good friend dies?
The more i study Jesus, the more i realize how difficult it is to be a disciple. But the more i study Jesus and attempt to put into practice the things he says, the more I realize how rewarding and freeing it is to be a disciple.
All of that being said, and i will confess that i have not be Christ-like today. I am tired, and frustrated, and difficult. I'm glad we are studying this book. I need these daily reminders, especially on days like today!
May your life be a reflection of Christ's life this day!
-Kelly
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Atonement
I think today is the first time i have ever read the Leviticus passage (chapter 16) right up next to the reference of Christ's sacrifice in Hebrews (10:1-14). What a crazy cool parallel that is, and how powerful it must have been to the Jews who believed Christ at the time. Not to cheapen customs or tradition, but how freeing it must be to realize that you don't have to go through that intense process every year in order to be in God's good graces. Having not grown up Jewish, I can only imagine what the custom was like for them, based on the Scripture references we have. Yet, without going from feeling trapped to feeling free, i think i lack some of the reverence and awe and passion that the original believers must have known. I have been blessed to believe and understand Christ's message for most all of my life. I am grateful for that as i do believe that it has saved me from a lot of potential pain and frustration with life. But at the same time, I think it takes more effort for me to truly understand Christ's sacrifice when i have never known anything different! I hope to be someone who remains in awe of what Jesus did for me, and for you, and for anyone who chooses to believe! May we grow through this study and through community together, into a greater appreciation and depth of knowledge of all that God did for us through Christ!
Hope you enjoy this beautiful Fall Wednesday!
-kelly
Hope you enjoy this beautiful Fall Wednesday!
-kelly
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
back to work...
Sorry for the absence of entries these last few days. I am working on my own discipline, but looking forward to getting back into this routine. I hope there is some grace in that...
Which actually leads me to my thoughts on today's text. We read from Leviticus 11 and Acts 10. The picture that came to my mind as i was reading these scriptures was being a little kid and walking in the mall, or on a sidewalk and trying not to step on a crack. Do you remember doing that...how your tiny little, child-sized feet could fit entirely into one square tile and you would jump from tile to tile with the hopes of never stepping on a crack. I remember a little saying that was shared from elementary school student to elementary school student..."Step on a crack and you'll break your mother's back." Not a nice saying, but it rhymed... :)
I can remember how upset i would get when i'd lose my balance or someone would shove me and i'd step on a crack. I'm not sure if it was because i believed the rhyme and thought i'd somehow hurt my mom, or if is was just because i like to "win" and felt like stepping on a crack was "failing." As i read the Old Testament scripture in Leviticus I can't help but think that the people back then must have felt a bit like a child trying to avoid the cracks... Here is a list of animals you cannot touch, or even stub your toe on, or you'll be "Defiled until evening." What pressure! They must have lived in such fear of messing up. There were so many rules and so many "proper" ways to be in a right relationship with God.
Then we meet Jesus. He takes away that need for perfection and rules. Not so that we live without rule, but so that we are not the ones responsible for being "good enough" for God. Thank God for that! I would never be able to make it through all the Old Testament rules! i am reading this book that talks about how we need both Truth and Grace. That without one, we have a problem...ie. no truth would mean grace covers all, and we would have no boundaries to keep us from doing horrible things. But truth alone is all about rules and we can never be good enough. I'm so thankful to be serving a God who is rooted in both Truth and Grace!
Which actually leads me to my thoughts on today's text. We read from Leviticus 11 and Acts 10. The picture that came to my mind as i was reading these scriptures was being a little kid and walking in the mall, or on a sidewalk and trying not to step on a crack. Do you remember doing that...how your tiny little, child-sized feet could fit entirely into one square tile and you would jump from tile to tile with the hopes of never stepping on a crack. I remember a little saying that was shared from elementary school student to elementary school student..."Step on a crack and you'll break your mother's back." Not a nice saying, but it rhymed... :)
I can remember how upset i would get when i'd lose my balance or someone would shove me and i'd step on a crack. I'm not sure if it was because i believed the rhyme and thought i'd somehow hurt my mom, or if is was just because i like to "win" and felt like stepping on a crack was "failing." As i read the Old Testament scripture in Leviticus I can't help but think that the people back then must have felt a bit like a child trying to avoid the cracks... Here is a list of animals you cannot touch, or even stub your toe on, or you'll be "Defiled until evening." What pressure! They must have lived in such fear of messing up. There were so many rules and so many "proper" ways to be in a right relationship with God.
Then we meet Jesus. He takes away that need for perfection and rules. Not so that we live without rule, but so that we are not the ones responsible for being "good enough" for God. Thank God for that! I would never be able to make it through all the Old Testament rules! i am reading this book that talks about how we need both Truth and Grace. That without one, we have a problem...ie. no truth would mean grace covers all, and we would have no boundaries to keep us from doing horrible things. But truth alone is all about rules and we can never be good enough. I'm so thankful to be serving a God who is rooted in both Truth and Grace!
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