August 30, 2022 – Romans 7:19, The Funny Shape of Faith

“I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.” Romans 7:19

“Even Paul, the great leader and teacher, struggled with sin and evil. Sometimes he even knew what was right and wanted to do it-and still did what was wrong. We know what Paul is talking about, don’t we? And to make things more complicated, sometimes evil is hidden or it looks … not so bad, really. That’s when an evil detector would really come in handy, right? Well, not so fast. Maybe there’s something better out there. God has the power not only to detect evil, but to deliver us when we’re in the middle of it. That makes an evil detector as obsolete as a cassette tape.”  (Laurie Hanson. The Funny Shape of Faith: Devotions for the Rest of Us (Kindle Locations 229-232). Kindle Edition.)

Evil Wrapped in a Donut

Have you had this struggle. You pass a bakery and the smell of the wonderful baked goods compels you to walk in to look at the items on the shelves. You know the items are really not good for your health but they taste so good. And to make things worse you aren’t even hungry. But you soon find yourself picking out a donut or cruller and paying for it munching on it before you hit the exit.

Paul truly understood the human condition — “I do not do (what) I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.” Okay, so it may not be evil to eat the occasional donut, but when it comes to the thoughts and actions we struggle to control, we often find ourselves doing just what it is we do not want to do.

G-d understands the human condition as well. G-d knows us so intimately we do not need to try to fool G-d. As I said in the last devotion, G-d wants a penitent heart from us – not false promises. We cannot hide our negative thoughts and actions from G-d – so instead of deluding ourselves, we should strive to do more good than evil – to offer more love than hate.

Let us pray,

Lord Christ, you know me so intimately – and love me unconditionally. Thank you for loving me and thank for rescuing me from sin and evil. Amen.

Pastor Dave

August 29, 2022 – Luke 12:32, The Funny Shape of Faith

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32

“Heaven-a gated community with twenty-four-hour security and a short list of people who can be allowed on the premises? Well, no … and we can thank God for that! In God’s eternal kingdom, there are no gates or “No Trespassing” signs. There’s no security officer keeping people out or letting them in. There’s just Jesus, gathering people in left and right, never even taking time for a break. What a way to run the place!”  (Laurie Hanson. The Funny Shape of Faith: Devotions for the Rest of Us (Kindle Locations 225-228). Kindle Edition.)

I Forgot the Password, Again!

Do you have trouble remembering your passwords? I do. There are so many websites with usernames and passwords that I have to access my money, my bills and so many other sites where I need to access information on a daily basis; how many unique passwords can one person create. I even have an app on my phone where I keep my passwords, but if you do not update the information regularly, well, what is the use of having the app. I think my least favorite kind of password is the jumble of letters, capitalized and not, with numbers and symbols mixed in. My life is too busy for such nonsense.

I like the cartoon associated with our reading today. Notice the little figure who is supposed to be Satan, I presume, just hovering in the background. If I were a betting man I believe it was Satan who came up with the idea of usernames and passwords. Of course the message behind this cartoon is all too familiar – many people believe there is some combination of username and password they must know to enter the kingdom of G-d. Of course, as Lutherans living by Faith and Grace we know this not true.

There are no “NO Trespassing” signs in heaven – only the open arms of Jesus welcoming those who have died. Thank the Lord none of us will need to remember a password when approaching the throne of G-d – all G-d asks for is a penitent heart.

Let us pray,

God, your kingdom is eternal and your love is unconditional. We wait that day when you will bring in your kingdom. Amen.

Pastor Dave