August 6th Weekly Word
Transforming Tragedy into Triumph
Then he called for a famine in the land
and destroyed the supply of bread.
He sent a man before them,
Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
They bruised his feet in fetters;
his neck they put in an iron collar.
Until his prediction came to pass,
the word of the Lord tested him.
The king sent and released him;
the ruler of the peoples set him free.
He set him as a master over his household,
as a ruler over all his possessions,
To instruct his princes according to his will
and to teach his elders wisdom.
Hallelujah! (Psalm105:16-22, 45)
I've always loved the story of Joseph. His journey demonstrates how God can use even the evil actions of others to bring about his good will and purpose for his people.
We see this clearly through all the twists and turns of his life. Sold into slavery by his brothers, falsely accused by Potiphar's wife, thrown into jail, forgotten by Pharoah's cup bearer — so much of his story seems like senseless tragedy. But then his dreams finally see their fruition when Pharoah not only sets him free from prison but also makes him as his right hand man. All of the trials make sense at this point, don't they? Well, not quite.
I mean yes, Joseph's struggles did indeed lead to his exaltation. Apart from the ways he was mistreated, he would never have found himself ruling the most powerful nation in the known world at the time. But the point of Joseph's elevation went way beyond the arc of his own story.
You see, God used Joseph in this position of power to save his family, as well as many others during a famine. He says as much to his brothers who betrayed him: "Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today." And that numerous people, the descendants of Joseph and his brothers, would one day become the nation of Israel.
Joseph's journey then was not just about him. God used it to bring about good for others as well. And in that respect, Joseph's story points us to Jesus.
The worst act of hatred, violence and wickedness that the world has ever known came when humanity hung the Son of God upon a cross. But God used that evil as the means through which Jesus would enter death so as to defeat it by way of his resurrection. And in so doing, he transformed tragedy into triumph. This victory belongs to Christ, yes, but it's also for all who are in him, those who trust him, those who, as our epistle reading says, "call on the name of the Lord."
So take heart, friends, and remember that the trials in our lives will work out for our good, as we were reminded by Romans 8:28 a couple weeks ago. But also remember that just as Joseph's hardships led to the preservation of Israel, in like manner God intends to use our trials as a blessing to others as well.
We're likely not able understand what that means or how that will unfold, but like Joseph, our call is to remain faithful and trust that God's providence will prevail.
Darin+
July 30th Weekly Word
That Inner Angst
"We know that the whole creation has been groaning together as it suffers together the pains of labor, and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies." (Romans 8:22-23)
"But at my vindication I shall see your face;
when I awake, I shall be satisfied, beholding
your likeness." (Psalm 17:16)
Do you ever experience an inner angst about the world? Maybe that's a silly question. I'm sure we all do to some degree. And if not about the world, then about our circumstances, relationships, our family, or even the struggles within.
Now in the midst of this, of course, we can take heart because the truth is that God is leading us in the way of peace, righteousness, reconciliation, and restoration.
But here's the thing: some degree of that inner angst will always be with us on this side of eternity. I talked about that a bit last week, sharing from Romans 8 during the sermon.
Paul makes clear that until the redemption of our bodies, we are groaning for things to be made right. We have a taste of it right now for sure — the first fruits of the Spirit, as Paul says, working redemption and restoration in our hearts. Still, we all know that the inner angst remains.
But the two passage above quite clearly communicate that there's a purpose for this turmoil within. Psalm 17 gives us an indication of what that purpose is when David speaks of being satisfied beholding God's likeness.
Friends, we were made to know God, to be in his presence, to see him, to walk with him "in the cool of day" as Genesis suggests Adam and Eve did in the Garden. And we do that and know him to some degree here and now. That's what we should long for more than anything else because that is where we find satisfaction.
However, we won't know anything like complete satisfaction until we awake one day on the other side and see his face. This is the "beatific vision" that I've referenced here before. It is the direct, unveiled, unmediated sight of God granted to the redeemed in the fullness of his kingdom. As such, it's the final fulfillment of humanity’s longing for God.
And so the purpose of this inner angst is to never let us be satisfied here and now apart from our ultimate union with God. That will be a reality one day, friends. And as John says in his first epistle, we will see him as he is.
May our hearts long for that day more and more as we pursue him here and now. And may we also long to see others join us in that pursuit.
Darin+
July 23rd Weekly Word
Lasting Growth
"Jesus put before the crowds another parable: 'The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.'"
Have you ever considered the wonder of seeds? Put a tiny little speck in the dirt, and you could have a tree that towers overhead. Of course, it doesn't happen over night. And you couldn't discern any movement or growth if you set up camp and watched a seed or sapling. It's a slow process, incremental even. And that's one of the points Jesus is making in the parable of the mustard seed.
God's kingdom grows slowly, like a tree. The disciples needed to hear this because yes, they saw fruit from their labor. But all of them were persecuted and most died as they proclaimed the gospel. The seed Jesus planted had taken root in their hearts and through them in the world. But they wouldn't see the fullness of of their labors in their lifetime. It did come, however, and has since spread to the ends of the earth.
Friends, we need to take this parable to heart. God's ways are not the ways of our "insta" society. The kingdom of heaven is not like a drive-thru where we get what we want in 10 minutes. Much less is it like a smartphone, where a click takes us immediately to the desired domain.
No. Jesus says it's like a tree that starts out as a seed which slowly and steadily grows to maturity. And if we take this parable seriously, we must acknowledge that real and lasting kingdom growth comes not from incorporating worldly strategies that promote instant growth or satisfaction. But rather it happens as we adopt the daily and weekly rhythms of prayer, worship, and community that facilitate deep, rooted growth which flourishes over time.
As we commit to this, I know we can trust that God will grow his kingdom in our hearts and in our midst. It might take longer than had we hoped. But that's okay because growth is a process, and it's in the process where we experience deep connection to God and his people.
Darin+
July 9th Weekly Word
Good Soil
"Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!" (Matthew 13:3-9)
In 2017, I traveled to Africa with a team from Wycliffe Bible Translators. Part of our journey took us to a region inhabited by the Alagwa people, where I captured the photo above. The Alagwa live in 15 villages in a geographically remote area in the hills and mountains of central Tanzania.
Although a river winds through the lowlands, the higher regions often face severe water scarcity, forcing families to walk miles each day in search of enough for their basic needs. As subsistence farmers, water is equally essential for their maize and millet. Farming among the Alagwa is anything but easy.
In our upcoming Gospel reading, Jesus shares a parable about farming where the conditions weren't ideal either. The seed that the farmer sows falls on all kinds of soil, most of which isn't amenable for growth. Whether shallow, dry, or thorny soil, the results are the same – the seed cannot take root and bear fruit. But some seed fell on good soil, and the crop that emerged was bountiful.
In this parable, Jesus correlates the sower to the one who shares "the word of the kingdom." The seeds represent the message, and the soil, the hearts of people who hear the word.
Jesus here is communicating that many hearts are not prepared to respond to the word in a way that produces fruit. But those that are will be used by God for great impact.
The question that comes to my mind when I read this parable is how do I cultivate my heart to become good soil for God's word. Now, Jesus doesn't necessarily give us a formula for that. But if we pay close attention, we can see that he gives us tips for soil tilling by sharing some key details about those who's hearts are like the unfruitful soil.
For the first two types of soil, what we see is a shallow engagement with the word.
The soil of the path represents those who don't understand the word, and thus have it stolen from them by the enemy. The thing is, sometimes understanding involves pushing deeper and spending time in study and prayer. When we don't do that, we risk not internalizing the message God is speaking to us and thereby losing the fruit that God intended.
The rocky soil also involves a lack of depth. Although at first, the hearer seems to receive the word, trials and troubles quickly undo any fruitfulness that may have otherwise appeared. Jesus says these people have no root in themselves. This comes down to fear and ultimately valuing the world's ways of comfort and seeming safety over following Christ — which often involves challenges and sometimes even persecution.
Then Jesus tells of the thorny soil, where the cares of the world and the desires for what the world has to offer choke out any increase that could have potentially emerged. This one is tricky because I think we can still appear to do the Christian life without actually letting go of these values. Sometimes it takes honest self inventory to determine if we're allowing these worldly thorns to creep in and choke out the work that God wants to do in us and through us.
But friends, Jesus tells of another kind of soil, and that is "good soil." I don't know about you, but I want more than anything for my heart to be ready to receive what God has to say and as a result to be used by him to produce a great increase — whatever that might mean for my walk with him and the ministry he's called me to.
If you want that too, please take a minute to pray this prayer with me this week.
Almighty God, who gives seed to the sower and water to the thirsty land, prepare our hearts to be good soil for your Word. Deliver us from shallowness, fear, and the thorns of worldly desire, that we may receive with depth and understanding the message of your kingdom. Grant that, rooted in Christ and nourished by your Spirit, we may bear fruit in abundance—thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold—to the glory of your Name and the blessing of those you call us to serve; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
July 2nd Weekly Word
Happy Fourth!
This week I'd like to share a couple of fitting prayers from our prayer book for the day we mark our country's independence. Would you joining me praying for our country?
Independence Day Collect
Lord God Almighty, in whose Name the founders of this country won liberty for themselves and for us, and lit the torch of freedom for nations then unborn: Grant that we and all the people of this land may have grace to maintain our liberties in righteousness and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Prayers for our Country
Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our heritage: We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes
brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
June 25th Weekly Word
Growing Something Good
"How long, O Lord?"
(Psalm 13:1a)
Did you know that by planting the severed top of a pineapple, you can grow another one? It's true. Awhile back we did just that, and guess what? It worked! Here's the thing though: it took three years. That's right, three long years to grow that tiny pineapple in the photo above. But you know, it was delicious – the best pineapple I've ever had. Ginger even liked it, and she's not generally a pineapple fan.
The lesson? It takes time for goodness to grow. And that's true in other areas of life too, including growing in our walk with the Lord.
In our upcoming Psalm, David cries out to the Lord, asking the question that's likely on our lips quite often as well. "How long, O Lord?" He goes on to ask, "Will you forget me forever?"
Sometimes it feels like God has forgotten us, doesn't it? But take heart – he hasn't. It's just that his timeline is not the same as ours. And as I've mentioned before, God is never in a hurry. Now that can feel good when we realize that he's not moving past us to take care of "more important matters." However, when we see our situation as desperate or urgent, God's delay or perceived silence can seem like neglect.
But in the midst of a crisis, hardship, or struggle, we must remember that God is often interested in addressing more than the immediate need. Rather he's also looking to cultivate in us hearts that trust him in trials.
The seasons we wait on the Lord in dependence then can become the times of greatest growth. God only knows how long those seasons will last. But however long, rest assured that he is growing something good in us.
Friends, it's okay to ask God how long. But with that question, let us also say with David in verse five: “But I put my trust in your mercy.”
Darin+
June 18th Weekly Word
Becoming Our Future Self
"Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life..." (Romans 6:1-4).
Who am I? Ever ask yourself that? On the surface it seems like a silly question to pose to one's self. But perhaps not. After all, many people at some point in their lives experience identity crises. These internal conflicts can be triggered by different life events such as transitions, loss, suffering, or relational upheaval. But there's something else that can spark a sense of self disruption — internal contradictions — that is when our values and our actions no longer match.
When that happens, asking the question: "Who am I?" makes sense. Paul certainly thought so as we see in Romans 6. To those who suggest that grace means we can live in sin, Paul appeals to our new identity in Christ post baptism. Through baptism he says we died with Christ, and a new person was raised with him. That new person walks in new life — resurrection life — through which she can live in freedom from the slavery of sin.
You see, by baptism through the Spirit, Christ has given us a deposit now of that resurrection life to come, so that we might grow into the image of who we will be. Sounds crazy, huh? But read Romans 6. Paul is clearly connecting the restored life-to-come with our life now as believers. And the point is that resurrection life has taken root in each of us through which God is creating in us now the person we will be in the new heavens and new earth.
Isn't that a fantastic thing to consider? And it's not just a fantasy. It's our new reality and identity as believers.
No, we haven't yet arrived, and we still struggle with old desires. But because we are in Christ, new creation is both who we are and who we're becoming. So Paul is reminding us of our baptism because that is the marker for our new identity in Christ. And friends, this is a big part of how we fight temptation.
By remembering these truths, we can answer the question, "Who am I?" with the resounding response: "I am a new creation, dead to sin and alive to God through Jesus Christ my Lord."
May we remember this core truth and repeat it often. And as we do, may who we are now more fully line up with who we will be in glory.
Darin+
June 11th Weekly Word
When you Feel Lost...
I love the LORD, because he has heard
my voice and my pleas for mercy.
Because he inclined his ear to me,
therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
The snares of death encompassed me;
the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
I suffered distress and anguish.
Then I called on the name of the LORD:
“O LORD, I pray, deliver my soul!”
Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;
our God is merciful. (Ps 116:1–5)
Have you ever been lost in the woods? I remember once jogging in the evening on an unfamiliar trail, and as the sun went down, I lost my way back. I had a smartphone with GPS, but, of course, it didn't show the trails as it would the roads. I could, however, see where I was on the map in relation to where I parked by the street. And let me tell you, that was comforting because it reoriented me toward where I needed to be.
Friends, do you ever feel lost in middle of your own story? Do life's pressures, distractions, disappointments, or demands ever have you feeling like you've wandered away from what it all means? It's not uncommon to feel that way. I know I have before. But the question is, when you recognize it, what do you do?
David reminds us in Psalm 116. When he realized that he was in trouble, he called out to God. I know it's likely the most basic of all lessons from the Bible, but sometimes we need those simple reminders, don't we?
It's easy to experience the overwhelm of our lives and begin by developing a plan or descending into despair. But notice, David does neither. Rather, he calls out to the Lord. When that becomes our default, it reorients us toward the One who hears us in our trials, challenges or wanderings.
Friends, wherever you are right now? Whatever you're going through, call out to God. He hears you, loves you, and will walk with you through it. As David says in verse 5, God is gracious and merciful.
One of my favorite prayers from the Book of Common Prayer is the collect for guidance (below). Notice the crux of the prayer is that God would guide us so that we'll remember him the midst of our daily lives. This is what we need to stay on God's path, but it's also what we need when we feel a bit lost. This prayer is about reorientation through a continuous connection with our Father who is continuously drawing us to himself. Will you take a moment to pray this collect with me today?
Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our
life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 100)
Darin+
June 4th Weekly Word
A New and Exciting Season
I love ordinary time, and not just because it's the time that things settle down a bit for clergy (that's just a myth by the way). I love it for what it stands for. That might seem strange to some, given the fact that the other seasons in the church calendar appear to have more content and character.
Advent, for instance, is the season during which we prepare for the coming of the Lord. Christmas, of course, is the celebration of the Jesus' nativity. Epiphany is the time of unveiling revelations while Lent calls us to repentance. As we all know, Holy Week marks the passion of Christ, and it all culminates with Eastertide and Jesus' resurrection, which wraps up on Pentecost and the sending of the Spirit.
So what comes next? Ordinary time. Doesn't sound very exciting, does it? Some might even interpret it as a descent from the mountain top into dullness.
But the name of this season doesn't mean ordinary in the sense of dull, normal or plain. Rather ordinary simply refers to the "ordered" nature of the weeks after Pentecost. Even so, I think ordinary time finds its content and character in its other name: green season.
Green, of course, indicates growth, flourishing, life. But the only way such vitality is possible for God's people is if it comes on the heels of the seasons that preceded it. Think again about how the other seasons feature the life-giving work of Christ to secure our redemption and the coming of the Holy Spirit to establish the new life of the Church.
You see, the content of those seasons has led us to this one where we are called to live into the "greenness" of God's new life in us — and sent to share it with the world.
We see this play out in the book of Acts after Pentecost. God uses his people to share the life-giving message of the gospel in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and beyond that to the "ends of the earth." And the result? Transformation — even empire-wide transformation. So green season really corresponds to Acts after the coming of the Spirit.
Friends, this why I love this time. As new creation ourselves through the redemptive work of Christ and the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, we are now to extend this new life to a world that desperately needs it. And Jesus tells us that if we do this as we abide in him, he will produce the fruit — the life, the transformation. What a wonderful promise that I hope inspires in us excitement and maybe even joy.
Will you join me this green season and step into that call? It's a call that finds its purpose and power through the work that God has done for us through Christ. As such, it's a call similar to the dismissal, marking the closing moment of our weekly worship service, but the beginning of our weekly charge to be conduits of God's new creation in the world.
Let us go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit!
Darin+
May 28th Weekly Word
What a Manatee Teaches us about God
“Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures" (Genesis 1:20).
I took the photo above years ago while visiting Blue Springs. We saw quite a few manatees that day. I love these slow, gentle giants of the sea — their movements ponderous yet somehow also graceful.
But, of course, the manatee is just one species of many that dwells in the waters on earth. Beyond them, over 300,000 others have been identified if you include the different kinds of fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, plants, algae, and microorganisms. And those are only the ones that we know of; there could be as many as ten times that number.
It's mind blowing to ponder such things when we read in Genesis that God spoke into existence all the living creatures in the water (and in all the world for that matter). This is the creativity of our God who displays a bit of who he is through the diversity of every creature he made. Romans 1 tells us as much: "For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made."
You see, God's creation points to God. It's why we should never take for granted what surrounds us. If we have eyes to see, the trees and the manatees and everything in between tell us something about the divine.
So what might a manatee teach us about God? What comes to mind for me is God's patience, and the fact that he is never in a hurry. I don't know about you, but that's something that really speaks to my heart because it's the opposite of our society. Just hop on the freeway and do the speed limit to see the truth in this. What you'll find are people riding your tail, flying by you in a huff, honking, flashing their lights or signaling their displeasure by other means (or gestures). The truth is we are a rushed people even if nothing is pressing.
But that's not the case with the manatee. This lumbering beast meanders from one algae covered rock to another, rolling along restfully without, it seems, a worry in the world. And that reflects its unworried, unhurried Creator.
Jesus further confirms this. As the one who Paul tells us is the image of the invisible God, Jesus showcases for us who the Father is. And what do we find with him in the Gospels? A man on a mission? Yes. But never, not once, do we see him in a hurry even when it seems he should be.
He pauses to heal a woman with an issue of blood while on the way to heal a synagogue leader's daughter, who happens to be on the brink of death. And this delay kept him from arriving before she died. The same thing happened with Lazarus when Jesus intentionally stalled his arrival. In both cases, his unhurried disposition led to more glory for God as Jesus raised them both from the dead.
Friends, this characteristic of God is important for us to consider. But one of the ways to apprehend it, as well as his other attributes, is by observing his creation. Stopping to admire the beauty of God's world is part of what it means to think theologically. Let's remember then to look around and allow the wonder of all that God has made to reveal the wonder of who he is.
Darin+
May 21st Weekly Word
Pentecost: The Gospel for the Nations
As many of you know, I previously worked for Wycliffe Bible Translators, where Ginger still serves. Wycliffe is devoted to making Scripture available to all people in the languages they understand best. As part of my work, I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Tanzania and be involved with the celebration of a newly published New Testament in Burunge – a minority language of roughly 40,000 people. The people were joyful to have God's Word in their language. As you can see from the photo, expressions of elation broke out in the form of dancing, singing, and praising God.
I'm remembering this trip as I reflect on the readings for Pentecost because something like it happened on that first day of the Church's existence. The Holy Spirit fell on the disciples and they proclaimed God's "deeds of power" in the languages of all the people present. Of course, the difference is that this was a supernatural experience whereby the disciples received utterance from the Spirit.
But the point of the event applies still today: God desires to reach every tribe, tongue, and nation with the glorious message of the gospel. Friends, let's not forget this. On the day of the Church's birth, God's first act was to fill his people with the Spirit so that they could proclaim the good news of Jesus to the nations. And that is still our call. Would you take a moment to pray for this? Below is a wonderful prayer from the BCP that you can pray right now.
O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP)
Darin+
May 7th Weekly Word
Monica and the Strength of a Mother’s Prayer
Since this Sunday is Mother's Day, I want to take this time to honor mothers and all who offer a mother's love in our lives and community. I’m especially grateful for my mother, whose deep love and tireless prayers have sustained both my brother and me.
Our prayer book includes a calendar list of Christians we commemorate throughout the year, and this week we honor one of the most celebrated mothers in Christian history: Monica, the mother of St. Augustine of Hippo.
Augustine is arguably the most important theologian of the early church. Later dubbed the Doctor of Grace, he's known for his articulation of original sin, human moral incapacity, and the absolute necessity of divine grace for salvation. So pervasive and respected was his influence that later theologians during the Reformation (both Catholic and Protestant) sited him to defend their views regarding various contested issues.
However, as significant as Augustine's theology was, his influence on the Church was preceded by his mother's influence on him. You see, Augustine didn't always hold to Christian beliefs. In fact, during his youth, he lived a life devoted to philosophy, sensual pleasure, and status. And when his attention did turn toward religion, at first he latched on to a heretical belief system called Manichaeism.
But through all of Augustine's waywardness and confusion, there was one constant. The prayers and influence of his mother, Monica.
Her life had not been easy. The man she wed, through a prearranged marriage, was a pagan and given to a volatile temper. But Monica responded with gentleness, patience, and persistent prayer, through which he softened and converted to Christianity shortly before his death — a change Monica attributed entirely to God’s mercy.
She brought to bear this same disposition of gentleness, patience, and prayer when it came to her son's waywardness. His straying weighed heavy on her heart, and she shed countless tears for him and stayed close, following as his academic career moved him across the region — first to Carthage, then to Rome, and finally to Milan. While in Milan, she met the bishop whose preaching would become the catalyst for Augustine’s conversion. When Augustine finally placed faith in Christ in 387, Monica’s lifelong hope was fulfilled. That same year, she fell ill and died.
Friends, a mother's love and prayers are often behind the scenes of those whom God heals, guides and raises up. Whether biological or not, God ordained the nurturing care of maternal love to be that which God often uses to anchor us in seasons of uncertainty and draw us back to him.
This Mother's Day, let's give thanks to God for our mothers or those whom God has used to showcase maternal love in our lives.
Darin+
April 30th Weekly Word
Spiritual Milk — God's Word and God's People
"Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation — if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good" (1 Peter 2:2).
Three years ago this coming Sunday, our youngest daughter was born. In one respect, it feels like no time at all. On the other hand, it seems odd now to consider that there was ever time that she wasn't here with us. But, of course, there was that time, and when she arrived everything changed. One of the primary concerns back then was making sure that she was feeding well, which is a concern for all parents with newborns.
But it's not just a concern for newborns on the physical level. Peter makes clear in our upcoming epistle reading that feeding well is a spiritual consideration for Christians too. You see, he's connecting this metaphor of spiritual milk to what he said earlier in the chapter about God giving us "a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."
Now Peter isn’t limiting the need for spiritual milk to recent converts. Rather, he’s instructing all believers to feed on that which moves us toward experiencing the goodness of the Lord.
But what is this spiritual milk? Well, earlier in the chapter Peter tells us that it's the "living and enduring Word" that has brought about this new birth in us. So God's Word is one of the main things we feed on that allows us to experience his goodness and sustain us as believers. The exhortation, then, is to feed on Scripture with the eagerness of those who know it is our sustenance.
But that's not all. Our reading also connects this necessary nourishment to the shared life of God’s people, where we grow together into Christ. You see, Peter proceeds in this chapter to articulate an ecclesiology (which means the theology of the church) that is so interconnected that it can be described as one spiritual house — made up of God's people, formed as living stones with Christ as the cornerstone.
Now that is unity. That is interdependence. And as it pertains to our original metaphor, it points to church community as one aspect of the spiritual milk that helps us experience the goodness of God and "growth into salvation."
So friends, let's eagerly feed on the spiritual milk that nourishes us by means of God's Word and connection with his people. And as we do so, may God's goodness be revealed in our hearts and lives.
Darin+
April 23rd Weekly Word
Goats, Sheep and the Way of Dependence
As I was thinking about Good Shepherd Sunday, I couldn't help but reflect on sheep, of course, but also on another farm animal – goats. For such a cute creature, its seems like goats get a bad wrap in Scripture. After all, in one of Jesus' parables (Mt 25) about the final judgement, he separates the sheep from the goats, with the goats representing the unrighteous.
Why this symbolism though? Well, it really amounts to the fact that goats are independent, curious, and willful while sheep have more of a gentle temperament and are thus more apt to follow their shepherd.
But here's the thing, those goat characteristics aren't necessarily bad. In fact, who wouldn't want their child to be curious, in some respects willful, and one day independent. These are descriptors of a healthy individual, right?
Well, yes. But the contrast that Jesus' parable sets up revolves around a heart that trusts God and relies on him (sheep) versus one that strays and seeks its own way (goat).
You see, it's only when we acknowledge our reliance on God that we can be independent in a truly healthy way. Why?
Because when we seek independence apart from God and apart from his people, it becomes self‑protective, self‑sufficient, and eventually self‑absorbed. And that is a dangerous place to be. In fact, it's the very reason the goats in this parable are condemned. Their independence from God and others had apparently collapsed into indifference, and they refused to address the basic needs of those around them.
But when we trust our Good Shepherd and follow him as his sheep, we experience a security that allows us to be ourselves – our true selves who God has called us to be. In that Christ-rooted identity, we can give, risk, serve and grow because we don't have to be guarded, defensive or anxious, trying to establish our own worth or protect our own domain. Dependence on God then creates the ground from which real independence can flourish.
So friends, let’s follow Christ, our Good Shepherd, and entrust ourselves again to his faithful care.
Darin+
April 16th Weekly Word
Cosmic Currency
"You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish ...Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God. Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart." (1 Peter 1:18-19, 22).
I vaguely remember the day this photo was taken. It was Easter, and I was three or four. Notice what's in the bowl. Eggs... real eggs. Yep, back then, we'd hunt for actual eggs – hardboiled and colored with food dye. Nowadays, of course, the eggs used in egg hunts are plastic and contain chocolate.
I get it. I mean you don't want to eat hardboiled eggs that have been out of the fridge for more than a couple hours. And kids generally like candy better anyways.
But I have to admit, I miss the days of real egg hunts. Why? Likely it's just nostalgia. But I think that wistfulness is connected to a desire for what's real in a much broader sense, especially in a society now where that which is fabricated prevails.
Do you ever have similar longings for realness? Our upcoming epistle reading struck me with the truth of what's ultimately real. In chapter 1, Peter sets up a contrast between the temporary, fabricated notion of worth versus that which is really valuable.
He says that we have been ransomed "not with perishable things like silver or gold." You see, as appealing as these metals are, they only have value because humans agree they do. Not only that, but they are temporary in that they can be corrupted, stolen, or devalued. All physical currencies then only signify something based on a worldly estimation of worth – one that is ultimately fleeting.
But the blood of Jesus, Peter declares, is different. It is the substance that signifies the reality of his sinless, holy, divine life poured out in obedience to God and love for us. And as such, his blood constitutes ultimate currency that paid our ransom. Why? Because it accomplishes what it signifies – it liberates, heals, cleanses, reconciles, redeems.
And if Christ's blood functions as cosmic currency in this way, then his resurrection is the receipt, the proof that redemption is real and that God accepted Jesus' sacrifice as that which secures our salvation.
Peter makes this clear a verse later, saying, "Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God."
Now that is wonderful news. And as such it can inspire us toward something else that is real. Peter mentions it a the end of the reading. He calls it "genuine mutual love," a love that is deep and from the heart. Friends, when the truth of God’s redemptive plan fills our hearts with what is most real—God's love in Jesus—it naturally overflows as genuine love toward others.
So, as we move into the third week of Eastertide, let’s allow the realness of God’s restorative work in Christ to flood our hearts in ways that ripple outward to one another and to a world that needs the life his resurrection unleashes.
Darin+
April 9th Weekly Word
Beyond the Bowl
"My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spirit rejoices;
my body also shall rest in hope.
For you will not abandon me to the grave,
nor let your holy one see the Pit.
You will show me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy,
and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore."
(Psalm 16:9-11)
When my oldest daughter was four, she had a betta fish that she named Curly. But one day it jumped out of its bowl. We found it still alive and placed it back in the water, but it was too late.
Hours later it hovered motionless at the bottom of the bowl and eventually became a belly-up-betta. We did a brief service by the toilet, at which my daughter sang and then cried. It was a solemn yet beautiful ceremony.
Poor Curly had decided it would push the envelope of its existence. Apparently, the proverbial grass looked greener on the other side of the glass. Obviously, it was not – it was the wrong environment for a fish. But our funeral rectified that as we placed Curly’s corpse back in water – the place of its origin.
As a result of this memorial, I’ve come to the conclusion that toilet bowl funerals are
quite suitable for fish in the same way that dirt funerals are appropriate for humans and
ground dwelling animals; it makes sense in the circle of life as we know it.
But while death may mark the doorway to dirt for human bodies and a segue to the sea for pet fish named Curly, I’m convinced that through Jesus, resurrection and restoration have entered the world—their presence incrementally and mysteriously rewinding and reversing the known order of nature. Now, in large part hidden, a quantum explosion of revelation will one day disclose the ways in which these forces have been at work in and through God and his people.
On that day, I believe fish will still swim in the sea, and humans will still walk on land, but the circle of life will no longer entail death in this new heavens and new earth. Life will abound undaunted by the boundaries now imposed in this decaying world. Why?
Because we are returning to the ultimate place of our origin beyond the doorways of death and dirt. We are returning to God, whose breath brought us into being and whose life will sustain us into eternity.
This returning, of course, involves exiting the aquarium, but don’t be afraid; Jesus’ resurrection assures us that beyond the bowl, a new body and a restored environment await those who believe and trust in him.
Darin+
April 1st Weekly Word
Resurrection Rejoicing
by Ginger Metz
Psalm 118:14-19
The Lord is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation.
There is a sound of exultation and victory
in the tents of the righteous:
The right hand of the Lord has triumphed!
the right hand of the Lord is exalted!
the right hand of the Lord has triumphed!"
I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the Lord.
The Lord has punished me sorely,
but he did not hand me over to death.
Open for me the gates of righteousness;
I will enter them;
I will offer thanks to the Lord.
Easter is coming! We’ve spent all this time in Lent pondering the desert. Now we are coming to REJOICE! Yes, we still have a few very solemn days ahead. Some of the darkest but we know the story. We know who is triumphant!
But this makes me think, how do we show this rejoicing? A few years ago, I stumbled upon an Orthodox monastery that streams services on YouTube. Let me tell you, their Easter celebration is amazing. The sanctuary is covered in flowers, and they are dancing and shouting “Christ is risen. Truly He is risen.”
N.T. Wright in his book, Surprised by Hope endorses such a celebratory response. He says, “Easter is about the wild delight of God’s creative power…we ought to shout Alleluias instead of murmuring them.”
This is the most holy of days, the most holy of times. Are we really embodying that spirit? Or does our attitude during Eastertide resemble Lent? Let’s start looking at calendars differently. Easter is more than a day; it’s a 50 day celebration until Pentecost. Maybe we should take this time and further the Kingdom. Let’s rejoice in art, plant a tree, start a garden, or maybe we just need a bit of self-care. As for me, I’m going to start learning a new skill, something I’ve wanted to learn for many years.
May we celebrate loudly our Risen Savior, the hope that we have and the beauty of the Kingdom.
Alleluia, Christ is Risen!
March 26th Weekly Word
Donkeys of Peace and Passion
"The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,
'Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!'"
(Matthew 21:7-9)
Yes, I know. That's a horse with Ginger and not a donkey. We searched and searched on our devises for a photo of a donkey but to no avail.
But I do remember interacting with a donkey on different trip to North Carolina. We were at an orchard grove that stabled some farm animals, including a donkey. I wasn't too fond of him though, in large part because he wasn't at all fond of me. When my family went up to the fence, he was fine. But when I approached, he brayed madly. And if you haven't heard a donkey bray, try to keep it that way. It's a terrible racket.
The truth is donkey's can be fierce. In fact, farmers often use them as a sentinel of sorts to guard against wolves or canines. Not only will they sound the alarm when a predator approaches, but they've been known to full on attack the intruder.
So it's interesting to consider why Jesus selected a donkey to ride into Jerusalem for his triumphal entry. The short of it is that even though donkeys are fierce, they were a symbol of peace in ancient times. We see that in the prophecy Jesus fulfills in this passage from the book of Zechariah. Chapter nine says:
"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth."
So riding a horse into a city would communicate military power, conquest and domination while a donkey would have indicated diplomacy, humility and peaceful intent.
Jesus is very deliberate about that image here. His mission into Jerusalem wasn't to bring violence to the city but rather to allow it to be done to him so as to fulfill his vocation as the sacrifice for sins.
Still I find the fierceness of the donkey compelling too. Yes, Jesus' intent was to bring peace and reconciliation to the hearts of those who trust in him. But during the week leading up to his crucifixion, he boldly took on "wolves in sheep's clothing" by calling out the hypocrisy of religious leaders and the oppressive structures they upheld in the city.
Friends, this is our Lord. Fiercely intentional to uproot evil yet doing so through the sacrifice that would make true peace possible.
Join me this week in meditating on this truth about who Jesus is and what that means for us, his people.
Darin+
March 19th Weekly Word
St. Patrick's Breastplate
Although the Beacon goes out on Thursdays, I'm writing this on Tuesday – St. Patrick's Day. So I thought I'd honor the Saint by including a prayer attributed to him, called St. Patrick's Breastplate. It's a beautiful and powerful prayer filled with rich theology and an extensive list of petitions, all grounded in a plea for the presence of Christ. While not included in our prayer book, the prayer does make up the lyrics for one of the songs in our hymnal. Will you join me in praying this prayer this week? Perhaps it will so move you that you'll go beyond that and add it to your daily or weekly prayers.
Darin+
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgement of Doom.
I arise today
Through the strength of the love of the Cherubim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In the hope of the resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In prediction of prophets,
In preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors,
In innocence of holy virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.
I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendour of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock.
I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me:
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak to me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's host to save me,
From snares of devils,
From temptation of vices,
From every one who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in a multitude.
I summon today all these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of women and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul.
Christ to shield me today
Against poisoning, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So there come to me abundance of reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every one who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye of every one who sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.
March 12th Weekly Word
Lesser Staffs
"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I shall fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
(Psalm 23:4)
Whenever I go for a walk, I take my hiking stick (pictured above). A few months ago a neighbor asked me why I carried a stick in the neighborhood. I don't remember my response, but I think it was something deflective because I didn't want to share the real reason with a stranger.
The thing is, I feel a bit uneasy walking without my stick because of something that happened over 20 years ago.
One early summer morning in 2003, I was attacked by two Rottweilers while jogging. Nine bites later I was in the hospital getting stitched up. I healed physically, but the mental trauma hung on and to some degree still does.
So for me, the image of a staff (like in our psalm) holds weight. I get the tangible comfort that comes from having a rod put distance between me and whatever might be trying to harm me.
The truth is I'll probably always carry a stick of some sort when I run or walk. After all, I don't think it's a bad practice – but it is one largely motivated by an unhealed part of my soul.
What I suffered in this attack was triggered by physical trauma, but many of us have also endured emotional or spiritual wounds. And to defend those unhealed parts of our souls, it's not uncommon to take up another kind of staff – one that might also involve clinging to that which puts distance between us and whatever we perceive might reenact that trauma or reinjure that wound.
These staffs could amount to a variety of defense mechanisms that prevent us from entering into deeper fellowship with others and/or with God. Depending on the origin of the wound, some will steer clear of community or only enter in on a surface level, while others will use distractions to drown out Christ knocking on the door of their hearts. When things do move toward more substantive relationships, those who deal with emotional or spiritual trauma often engage in some form of relational sabotage or retreat into disconnection.
But here's the irony: through these defensive strategies, it's possible to push away the only one who can really protect us – the one Psalm 23 says is our Shepherd.
It reminds me of what Aslan says in The Chronicles of Narnia, "Oh, Adam's son, how cleverly you defend yourself against all that might do you good!"
How true it is. We often hold tight to our staffs of self-protection while ignoring the Lord's staff that is meant to bring comfort and peace. But the reality is that if the trauma is of a spiritual nature, it's often a process or a path even to get to the point where we trust God's staff as that which protects rather than punishes us.
It is a path, however, that's well worth walking.
During Lent I'd encourage you to consider getting onto that path. It might be a fearful first step, but remember that Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is walking with you. And in a figurative way I imagine that the staff he carries has been chiseled from the cross through which he demonstrated his great love for you and me. With that staff, he beats back the enemies of our hearts – sin, accusation, guilt, shame, and fear.
So, dear friend, will you join me on this journey with Jesus this Lent? And while traveling this path, I pray that we learn how to trust him and let go of our lesser staffs.
Darin+
As an additional note, I want to say that these are often deep and hard things to reckon with, and meditating on these truths can be helpful. But God also works through means like counseling, pastoral care and spiritual guidance.
If you’d like to chat personally about any of what I discussed here, feel free to reach out to me. If I'm not the right one to help in your situation, I can certainly point you in a good direction.