August 14, 2017 – Devotions
Your G-d is Too Small – Second Hand G-d

“Now Joseph was taken down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man; he was in the house of his Egyptian master. His master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord caused all that he did to prosper in his hands. So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him; he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field. So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge; and, with him there, he had no concern for anything but the food that he ate. Now Joseph was handsome and good-looking. And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.” But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, with me here, my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my hand. He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” Genesis 39:1-10

I am not a real fan of the movies or television. I am not up on the TV series “Game of Thrones”, or even “The Big Bang Theory”. If I do get “hooked” on a series, it usually is years after it has ended. I just don’t have the time to devote to such things. But many people do – and they will spend many evenings watching episode after episode after episode — they call it “binging”, I think. Binging is taking an evening, or even many, many hours and watching a television series from “Netflix” or some other streaming site. The last thing I binged on was a box of mini chocolate-chip muffins on my trip to Lake Champlain.

One of the draws of any entertainment genre is allowing a person to escape into a different “reality” and to get caught up in the lives of fictional people. Some people begin to live their lives vicariously through such “characters” and their “situations” that they soon begin to view life in that realm of experience. In some ways it happens automatically. It becomes a challenge for the person to separate between the experiences of a character and using this template to evaluate and direct their own experiences. Now, this may not cause too many problems in a person’s life, living life in a “second-hand” manner and knowledge of experiences and reactions. But it can limit our view of G-d in three specific ways:

1. In most instances G-d and/or religion is ignored or even mocked on television and film
2. In many cases religion is misrepresented
3. In most cases G-d is misrepresented

Of course, our relationship with G-d should not be limited to the kinds of experiences we hear or see on the television screen, the movie screen, or even the “IPhone” screen. In other words, all religions do not have “Mafia’s”, all pastors do not “murder their wife”, and all choirs do not dance like “a chorus line”. Having a god who works out all of your difficulties in twenty minutes or figures out a way to make sure that all of your problems “even out over your lifetime” may work in a television world, but surely we know that our lives are not “made for television” dramas. Yes, many lives are filled with drama, but if this is your understanding and relationship with G-d – that all problems will be worked out in twenty minutes (minus the commercials), then “Your G-d Is Too Small”.

Our faith lives are not to be escapist in nature – and our relationship with G-d is not to be limited to twenty-minute dramas. G-d is seeking a relationship with us that is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is not a melodrama; it is supposed to be G-d giving us direction and purpose to form our relationships with others. Yes, the bible does have great dramas (read the whole story of Joseph), but in the end, G-d gives people direction, strength, presence, and the will to sustain them through it all – and their stories do not last for just an episode or two. If you are thinking on “binging” on something, why not binge on the Bible. You might be surprised what “drama” exists in the pages of scripture. (Themes come from the book “Your God Is Too Small” by J. B. Phillips)

Pastor Dave

August 13, 2017 Pentecost +10A 

“Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear.  But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”  He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus.  But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”  Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”  When they got into the boat, the wind ceased.  And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Matthew 14:22-33 

“Have you ever noticed that it’s often in the most challenging times of life that we sense God’s presence most clearly? I’m not saying it should be this way. Or that God only appears when we most need God. Rather, I think that there’s just something about significant challenges and trials that clarify our priorities and cut through the manifold distractions of everyday life so that we may see God more clearly. I think that’s part of what’s going on in today’s Gospel reading. After feeding the thousands who followed him into the wilderness, Jesus commands the disciples to head across the sea without him while he remains on shore to send the crowds on their way and then spend some time in communion with his Father on the mountain. While the disciples are crossing, a storm arises that threatens to engulf them. They spend the better part of an anxious night navigating the waves, and in the early hours of the morning Jesus strides across the water to meet them. Mistaking Jesus for a wave-walking specter, the disciples grow even more alarmed as he draws near. In response, Jesus reassures them that it is he who is coming to them. His encouragement works…and then some, as Peter is emboldened to ask if he might join Jesus out on the water. At first confident given his Lord’s assent, Peter soon remembers the height of the waves and depth of the sea and loses heart, whereupon Jesus reaches out and grabs him. While Jesus remarks on his lack of faith, it’s at this moment that the disciples see Jesus as if for the first time, confessing, “Truly you are the Son of God”… it’s here, at this moment of extremity, when the disciples perceive most clearly who Jesus is. So part of what strikes me in this passage is how it reveals something deeply true about humanity. I know, at least, that I have often overlooked God’s presence in the peaceful and pleasant portions of my life yet called out in earnest when things took a difficult turn.” (David Lose, “…in the meantime”, davidlose.net, August 4, 2014, WHOLE-HEARTED FAITH)

We have so many stories of Jesus’ miracles, his healings, his teachings…yet too many are afraid to share those stories. Maybe when Jesus said to the disciples and said to Peter …. “You of Little faith, why did you doubt?”, instead of talking to the disciples, maybe Jesus is talking to us. Maybe he is addressing our skepticism, our fears about sharing our faith and the miraculous stories of Jesus. Perhaps we are afraid that people will just laugh at us – or tell us that we are crazy for believing such bunk. But it is to this unbelieving, “un-awe-stricken” society and world that we are called by Jesus to “Go and make disciples of all nations…and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded…” Well, we might not succeed all the time, but we don’t have to worry about sinking like Peter because what holds us up, what sustains us in the process of sharing our faith and God’s word is our baptism. Just like the water in this miraculous story holds up Jesus, and Peter (at least temporarily), it is what will hold you and I up throughout our lives – the same baptism that Jesus participated in. Life will always throw us some turbulent, rough, and stormy seas our ways. Too many people today are just like the disciples – sitting in fear, afraid, tired, alone, missing faith in their lives – needing some evidence, some explanation, rather than allowing themselves to simply believe. Although there are many messages in our lessons today, one of the most important is this – to grow spiritually your faith must over come your fear.

Pastor Dave