Today There Will Be Grace ...

 

Oh yes, it's that kind of day.

Justified By His Grace

"This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:6-7)

Yesterday morning's lessons, and our rector's sermon that followed, were wonderful source material for today's meditation!

The first lesson, 2 Samuel 11:26 - 12:10, 13-15, tells us what happened after King David sent Uriah the Hittite to his death, and took Bathsheba as his wife. God wasn't the slightest bit amused, and sent his prophet Nathan to deliver the message of his anger. 

The second lesson, Galatians 2:15-21, tells us about the difference between Jews and Christians, between the law and faith, between actions and grace. "We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law. But if, in our effort to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have been found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again the very things that I once tore down, then I demonstrate that I am a transgressor. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing."

What do these two lessons have in common? The answer is justification, explained by Father Bob as "right (or righteous) relationships." David's desire for Bathsheba wasn't, in itself, a sin. But the way he acted on his desire clearly was. Sending Uriah to his death wasn't what anyone might call a right relationship, so his relationship with Bathsheba couldn't possibly be a right relationship either. It was what our legal system calls "fruit of the poison tree." As a result of all this, David's previous right relationship with God was ended. God "put away" David's sin -- an incredibly generous thing to do -- but the relationship was never the same again.

Paul's letter to the Galatians tells us that before Jesus Christ, Jews considered themselves to be justified --in right relationships with God and their fellow man -- if they followed God's law. The more carefully they followed the law, in all its complexity, the more justified they were. They were righteous through deeds. But after Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, everything changed. We could no longer be justified by deeds along, but by faith in God and by receiving God's grace. It was as if we suddenly became fully alive.

I was struck by the coincidence (or maybe not a coincidence) that these lessons, and this sermon, were shared on a Sunday that two infants were baptized, that celebrated Fathers' Day, and that was one day after Flag Day. When we baptize someone, we "receive them into the Household of God." No better place to be! This puts the person in a good relationship with God and with the entire Christian community. On Fathers' Day we celebrate family relationships, especially the relationship between a father and his children. And on Flag Day we celebrate the relationship between a people and their country.

Being justified, having right relationships, requires effort. Having a right relationship with God calls for faith which, at difficult times in our lives, can be a challenge. Having a right relationship with our fellow man calls for giving as well as taking, active listening, compassion and love. Having right relationships within a family calls for respect, understanding, a willingness to work through the hard parts and, in the case of children, discipline as well as love. And having a right relationship with our country calls for personal participation as well as visible patriotism.

It is my hope that we all, being justified by His grace, may have these kinds of right relationships.

Negotiating the Grey Areas

My horoscope in today's Washington Post said that I wouldn't be faced with very good things or very bad things, but that instead I'd be "negotiating the grey areas." Well, that was certainly food for thought, and ever since I read it (with my first cup of morning coffee) I've been looking out for the grey areas.

Are we all on the same page with that phrase? For me a grey area is something that is between two opposites -- often viewed as good or bad -- and requires the exercise of personal judgement. Like grey area between obsessing over an issue or a problem (and driving yourself crazy) and deciding to ignore it (I call that the Scarlett O'Hara approach, as in "I'll think about it tomorrow"). Or a grey area between being a helicopter  parent who schedules and supervises a child every waking moment, and the other kind of parent who perhaps shouldn't be a parent at all.

Some people don't seem to think there ARE grey areas. They come in all shapes and sizes, liberal and conservative, Christians and atheists. Things are either good or bad, actions are either right or wrong. There is no intermediate place where what's right or good for one person might be wrong or bad for another. Some people believe that abortion is always wrong, even to save the life of the mother. Other people believe that government intervention can solve all social problems, even when it leads to a dwindling of initiative and personal responsibility.

Back to the horoscope, and "negotiating" the grey areas. Interesting use of a word with more than one meaning. We negotiate a path that has pitfalls and obstacles in it, trying to avoid the bad places and make it safely to the end. We also negotiate deals, trying to find solutions that meets the minimum needs of both parties. In the case of grey areas, I think either meaning could apply. In the grey areas of morals and ethics we try to avoid the bad places. In the grey areas of interpersonal relations we try to find win-win solutions.

Grey areas call for thought and decision, not knee-jerk reaction. I think I successfully negotiated a grey area in my chaplain duties this afternoon. A 43-year-old man was brought to the busy emergency room, having suffered cardiac arrest, and could not be revived. He left a wife, two young sons and several other family members who were obviously close to him. While talking with his wife, I overheard his niece say that one of the ER staff made her angry. In tears, she said he passed the room where her late uncle was lying, looked in and said "We won't bother with that one." She wanted his name, so that she could lodge a complaint. I could easily have said, "How insensitive! I'll get you his name." Or I could have said, "I'm sure he didn't mean it that way." Instead I asked her if I could talk with him and she said yes. I explained the situation to him, and learned that he and another staff member were looking for a piece of equipment, checking each room. When he saw that this room held a recently-deceased patient, he did say those words, but meant that they would pass over the room in consideration of the deceased and his family. He was chagrined that the niece thought he was being insensitive and disrespectful, and asked me to express his apology to her, promising to be more careful in the future. I did, the niece listened to the story, and a serious problem was averted.

God gave us brains because he meant for us to think and to choose. In the April 23, 2010 edition of his "Turning Point" daily devotional, David Jeremiah wrote: "It would be nice to be told, when we leave on a long car trip, something like this: 'I want you to know that you are going to reach your destination safely and on schedule. Regardless of what happens en route--you may get lost, you may encounter a fierce rainstorm, and you may have a flat tire--don't worry. I am here to promise you that you will arrive.'" We've been given this promise by God concerning our spiritual journey, and it takes the form of grace. We shouldn't let obstacles along the road shake our confidence in God's promise. If we use our judgement wisely, grace is God's promise that we will arrive.

The Righteous and the Self-Righteous

The Collect for tomorrow, the Third Sunday after Pentecost:

O God, from whom all good proceeds: Grant that by your inspiration we may think those things that are right, and by your merciful guiding may do them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

I focus on the words, "think those things that are right, and ... do them." That brings to mind the word "righteous," a word that most often has a positive connotation. What does it mean to be righteous? The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines it as "acting in accordance with divine or moral law." In the Old Testament, God is righteous, but some people are also referred to as righteous, beginning with Noah and Abraham. In the Prophets, righteousness is often tied to social justice, as a covenental obligation. In the Psalms, righteousness is grounded in the character of God. He is righteous, His law is righteous, and He alone credits righteousness to man. In the New Testament, the concept of righteousness is applied to Christ, and Paul urges believers to offer themselves up as" instruments of righteousness."

OK, now we've got a bit of a handle on what it means to be righteous. What about "self-righteous," a term that has a very different connotation. Back to Merriam-Webster, it's defined as "convinced of one's own righteousness, especially in contrast with the actions and beliefs of others." The Pharisees were self-righteous because they were convinced that they were holier than other Jews. But Jesus said, "Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 6:1)

Christians who act as if they're better than everyone else aren't living by the teachings of Christianity. Christianity says that all people are sinners, and none can be righteous on the basis of their own behavior. Jesus said that we shouldn't act like we're better than others just to get noticed. This kind of "holier-than-thou" attitude is strongly condemned in the Bible, and is antithetical to the charity, humility and forgiveness that Jesus taught to his followers.

The opportunity for self-righteousness isn't limited to spiritual things. The "good things" mentioned in the Collect can turn into bad things if they are accompanied by too much pride. Are you a vegetarian who looks down on anyone who eats meat? Do you chastise those who don't share your political views? Are you the sort of person who volunteers at a soup kitchen, and then makes sure that everyone knows about it? Have you ever been self-righteous about something in your life? I know that I have.

How Do You Feel About Mondays?

It's Monday, the start of a new work week. If you're in Europe (and maybe other parts of the world) it's the start of a new week. I was surprised the first time I noticed that European calendars start the week with Monday instead of Sunday!

Many of us who work at a full-time nine-to-five job approach Monday with resignation ... sometimes even with dread. We've been able to do whatever we wanted to do on Saturday and Sunday. Now, on Monday, we have to do what we have to do. If we love our work it's less of a problem. But even great jobs come with irksome tasks and troublesome people. That's reality.

Others of us might dread Monday for another reason. The stay-at-home parent of young children is now left with sole custody of the little darlings, now that the other parent has gone to work. Older people with too much time on their hands are sorry that weekend visits from children and grandchildren are over until next time.

Do you look at Monday as a painful reality? Can you imagine a different scenario, when Monday -- or any day -- is a brand-new opportunity?

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” 

How do you feel about Mondays? Tell me your story.....

"Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.'" (Lamentations 3:22-24)

The Entire Book of Acts in 3 Minutes

For those of you who missed some of the installments in Easter season, here's the whole story.

Not all of my posts have to be serious. Today let's just have fun! Post a comment and tell me what you think of it.

God's Love Has No Limits

St. Paul wrote, "To keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.' So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me." (2 Corinthians 12:7-9)

We all have weaknesses, although they are probably different from the weakness that Paul never really explains to us. We order a burger and fries when we know perfectly well what it will do to our cholesterol level. We are impatient with the slow person ahead of us in line at the grocery store, because we have important (to us) things to do. We judge others based upon their appearance, or their accent, or the car they drive. We spend more time at work than we do with our families, and then justify it to ourselves because we are "providing for them." We get angry with loved ones when they don't live up to our standards or expectations. We stop listening when we're with someone who has an opposing point of view on our favorite issue. We don't answer the telephone or respond to emails and text messages when we're "not in the mood." We take for granted the things that others do for us on a daily basis, and don't ever say "thank you."

We are so very lucky that God's grace is unconditional, and that God's love has no limits. He has infinite patience with us, and waits for us to seek him out. He doesn't judge us when we exhibit our weaknesses in all their glory. He doesn't get angry with us for living up to His standards (and they must be very high!). He doesn't get impatient when we do the same stupid things over and over again. And he never stops listening to us ... even at those times when we don't know that we're communicating with him.

When we are depressed, God is there to lift us up. When we are anxious, God is there to calm us down. When we are sick, God is there to give us patience and courage. And when we are thoroughly disgusted with ourselves, God is there to remind us that we are made in His own image and -- as I read somewhere in a Facebook post -- "God didn't make junk."

He always gives us another chance.