Monthly Archives: May 2016

Faithful Christian To-Do List to Enter the Kingdom of God

Erin's to-do list

Erin’s to-do list

Second Sunday after Pentecost: Galatians 1:1-12

Peace be with you!

I begin my week by making my to-do list on Sunday evenings. I write down my appointments and meetings in brown. Then I write down what I need or would like to accomplish each day of the week—items in blue are household tasks; items in green are website and church related, items in purple are reminders to send cards to individuals, and so on. Some weeks my calendar looks messier than others. Without my to-do list, I am lost and confused, and I find myself getting distracted by browsing Facebook. My to-do list gives me direction and helps me stay on track, plus I get a sense of accomplishment when I check off items in red.

Reflection Questions: How do you get yourself organized for the day or the week ahead? Do you have to-do lists? Do you set alarms for reminders on your phone or tablet?

In Galatia, Paul had shared the good news of the freedom of forgiveness in Jesus Christ and founded a church there. He left the Galatians believing that Jesus welcomes them into a relationship with God the Father. The Galatians knew they could not earn their way into the kingdom of God through their good works; they had to believe Jesus Christ died on the cross for the forgiveness of their sins and that faith was their ticket into the kingdom of God—nothing more and nothing less.

Reports of the activities of the Galatians had been shared with Paul and what he hears does not make him very happy. The Galatians have fallen prey trap to false teachers who have announced they need to be circumcised and do good works in order to earn their way into the kingdom of God. Like the Galatians, we too become trapped by the world’s requirements. When students start a new degree program, they are given a checklist of requirements, and upon completion they are given a diploma, which signifies they are ready to work in the field. Companies set standards for their employees’ daily workload and opportunities for advancement. People go to the gym with goals in mind and are given a workout program to do two or three days a week. The church even has checklists for individuals who wish to be deacons or priests. There is an order in which things need to be done and people who confirm you are ready for the next step. Even at home, we have our own checklists and standards to live by. No wonder we are conditioned to work toward something—checking off requirements, working towards a goal, and meeting standards. We would like it if God would just say what his requirements are for us to be his children.

Reflection Questions: How do you seek approval from the world? Do you get overwhelmed? Do you pace yourself?

However, God does not have a long checklist of requirements for us to meet. Paul is jumping up and down saying, “NO! You cannot earn your way into the kingdom of God on your own accord. Jesus Christ came into the world, walked with us, died on the cross, rose again, and ascended into heaven so that we may come into a relationship with God the Father and enter the kingdom of God” (see Galatians 1:6-12). Over the next six weeks, we will see Paul direct the Galatians (and us) away from earthly solutions and point them and us toward God’s grace, love, and forgiveness.

Paul is not looking for a pat on the back or a “good job, bro.” Paul is not looking for approval from his call committee or synod or employer to begin ministries in the world. Jesus Christ commissioned Paul through a vision on the road to Damascus (Galatians 1:12). If he wanted approval from his earthly counterparts, Paul would have stayed doing his job for the Jewish synagogue as a Pharisee (Galatians 1:10). But that would have been the easy way out. Paul chose the path to salvation.Screenshot 2016-05-29 14.21.07

Life would be easier if it came with a checklist. For the Galatians, the false teachers were giving them a checklist to complete in order to enter the kingdom of God: circumcise all males, follow the Ten Commandments, and observe the Jewish festivals. However, Paul will argue this checklist only gains you earthly approval—not God’s approval. Maybe in Old Testament times this checklist was important, but Jesus Christ changed all of that. The Galatians (and we) are living in a new age where faith in Jesus Christ gives us passage into the kingdom of God.

Reflection Questions: How do you seek approval from God? Is it ever enough?

Paul has given the Galatians the way to get into the kingdom of God: admit you are sinner who needs forgiveness and believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior. But it seems too easy for the Galatians and for us. We want to earn our own way into heaven. Paul jumps up and down and says, “No, listen up people; you cannot earn your own way into heaven; you need Jesus Christ who came into the world, walked with us, died on the cross, rose again, and ascended into heaven to offer us God’s love, grace, and forgiveness, so we may come into a relationship with God the Father and enter the Screenshot 2016-05-29 14.25.20kingdom of God” (see Galatians 1:6-12). Paul is begging the Galatians not to get wrapped in some unnecessary checklist to meet the requirements to enter heaven. All you need is faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior.

Reflection Questions: What does it mean to you that Jesus died for your sins? How does it feel that your faith is enough for you to enter the kingdom of God?

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for giving Paul the vision to spread the good news across the Roman Empire. Help us to resist the temptation to complete checklists in order to try to earn our way into heaven. Direct us instead to have faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior. Remind us that you sent Jesus into the world to die for our sins and to give us eternal life. Thank you for Paul’s commitment to the good news. Amen

Learning from the Holy Spirit

Trinity Sunday: Romans 5:1-5 and John 16:12-15

Peace be with you!

In college, I studied direct marketing, and the professors did not use textbooks, because as soon as they were printed they would be outdated. Instead of textbooks, marketing professors required us to read articles from eMarketer and The New York Times to learn the latest marketing techniques. The world is constantly changing and evolving, and as lifelong learners, scholars are constantly engaging with new scholarship and debating with each other. Even if you did not get a degree, you learn from on the job how to do a specific trade. Our parents and mentors also continue to teach their adult children how to take care of a home and their own child and how handle different situations. A couple months ago my father help me get a new vehicle by going with me to the dealership to get the best possible deal. I call my dad whenever I have a car related question, because he always takes the time to explain what needs to be done and why it needs to be done. No matter your education background you are always learning.

Reflection Questions: How do you keep up with the ever-changing world? Do you watch or read the news? Do you keep up with the latest technology?

Jesus seems to contradict himself. He says, “I have told you everything God the Father has told me” (see John 15:15), and “I still have many things to tell you, so I am sending you the Holy Spirit to guide you” (see John 16:12-13). It is confusing: one minute the disciples know everything, and the next minute they still have a lot to learn. And why can’t Jesus continue to teach them? He is still there.

Reflection Questions: What emotions do you think the disciples are having? Has a mentor or teacher ever said you got it but still a lot to learn?

This passage comes out of the farewell discourse during the Last Supper. Jesus understands this is the last time he will be physically with all of his disciples prior to his death and resurrection. During the last three years, Jesus has taught and explained everything he possibly could to the disciples, yet they do not know or understand everything they need to. Jesus understands there is no way to completely prepare the disciples for everything that is to come. Even if Jesus could, his disciples will die eventually, and then this knowledge and preparation must be passed on to new generations.

In order to live out its faith, the church must navigate also in a constantly changing world. These two truths are held in tension with one another: we have everything we need (universal truth), and yet there is always more to learn (real-world application of this universal truth).

The bridge between timeless truth and application today is the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells the disciples he will send the Holy Spirit to guide them as he has led them. Just as God the Father told Jesus everything, Jesus will tell the Holy Spirit everything (John 16:13). Because God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are one, the Holy Spirit will lead the way to Jesus who will in turn lead us to the Father. The Holy Spirit makes the Father and the Son accessible to everyone, regardless of time and space.

Reflection Questions: How have you felt the presence of the Holy Spirit? How has the Holy Spirit made the presence of God the Father and God the Son known to you?

The Holy Spirit connects us to God the Father and God the Son and to an event that took place two thousand years ago. Through the Holy Spirit, we are able to know, understand, and recognize God’s power to forgive through his love, grace, and mercy. As cultures, media, and economic situations change, the Holy Spirit keeps us connected with God the Father and God the Son. The Holy Spirit guides us through our daily lives by deepening our relationship with the Triune God.

Each situation and relationship challenges our relationship with God. Some situations and relationships cause us to feel closer to God. We feel filled with the Holy Spirit and as if God is directly guiding our lives. Other times, situations and relationships seem to hinder our relationship with God. It feels as though God has forgotten us. Our prayers seem to go unanswered. God seems to be taking a break. Sometimes we fool ourselves into thinking that we got it on our own—no need to bother God. However, even when God seems distant or when we try to do it on our own, the Holy Spirit is there leading and guiding us. Even as times, media, and cultures change, Jesus sends us the Holy Spirit to comfort us when we are discouraged, to forgive us when we fall, to guide us throughout time, and to deliver us into God’s love.

The Holy Spirit is here to see us through anything and everything. It is difficult to explain how we know the Holy Spirit is with us today. Some individuals get a sensation from the Holy Spirit when they pray and worship. Others feel the Holy Spirit when they sit quietly and meditate. Some people hear a voice, like an unexpected thought, urging them to take a leap of faith. Some individuals feel the Holy Spirit taking their hand or holding them during a difficult situation. Sometimes the Holy Spirit uses others to give a prophetic word or direction to someone. Other times something will happen that can only be explained by being a miracle. No matter how the Holy Spirit communicates with an individual there is always something that cannot be explain by anything of the world. The Holy Spirit takes you by surprise and gives you a sense of purpose or that you are not alone.

Reflection Questions: How have you grown closer to God? How has the Holy Spirit connected you with God the Father and God the Son?

Just as scholars, professionals, and individuals are constantly learning and debating with each other, we as Christians are constantly working to deepen our relationship with the Triune God and to learn to apply timeless truth to our current contexts. At our baptisms and confirmations, we do not know where God will lead us or what he will require of us. We probably do not understand God’s unconditional love for us. That is okay. God the Father and God the Son understand it is a lot to take in, which is why they sent the Holy Spirit to be in the world to lead and guide us. The Holy Spirit helps us in our faith journeys and helps us understand God’s love, grace, and mercy.

Reflection Questions: What has the Holy Spirit led you to do?

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us. Make the presence of the Holy Spirit known to us. Lead us to do your will in the world. Keep us steadfast in this. Deliver us from our adversities. Lift us up into your presence, where there is endless love and joy. Amen.

Bringing People of All Abilities Together

© Copyright 2015 Original Artwork by Erin M Diericx

© Copyright 2015 Original Artwork by Erin M Diericx

Day of Pentecost: Acts 2:1-21

Peace be with you!

According to Dictionary.com, disability is “a physical or mental handicap, especially one that prevents a person from living a full, normal life or from holding a gainful job.” The word disability has a negative connotation, and its definition implies anyone with a disability—let alone someone with multiple diagnoses—cannot live a full, normal life.

As an individual who has had her disability since birth, I have had to wrestle with what it means to be someone with cerebral palsy. Back in the early 1980s, doctors did not know how cerebral palsy affected a person and their ability to live their life. In fact, the doctors told my parents I would never walk, talk, or sit up. The doctors assumed I would be under my parents’ care all my life and would never live in my own house and pay my own bills. In my poem entitled “Never Mind the Doctors,” I talk about feeling the world is against me and seeking to prove the doctors wrong. I feel triumphant that I so often managed to do just that.

Reflection Questions: How someone has placed limits on you? How were you able to prove them wrong?

Even as we celebrate the twenty-sixth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the disabled culture is still working to educate society that a person with a disability has the ability to hold a sustaining career and have a family. Society still holds on tight to stigmas that people with disabilities cannot lead productive and fulfilling lives, because the prefix dis- implies an inability to do anything.

Reflection Questions: How do you educate others on your disabilities and your abilities? How do you fight against stigmas society imposes on you?

On the day of Pentecost, the disciples were gathered and a wind filled the entire house (Acts 2:1-2). The Holy Spirit gave the men the ability to speak different languages and to understand one another (Acts 2:4, 6). The devoted Jews who were present began questioning if these men were drunk (Acts 2:13). How could Italians, Serbians, people from Croatia, Romania, and Greece, Asians, citizens of Egypt, Libya, and Arabia, and people in the Middle East all be bursting out in their own languages about God’s deeds (Acts 2:9-11)? How could they even understand one another, let alone be sharing the news? These people did not understand each other’s languages. They did not speak to one another. And yet here they were, discussing the good news of Jesus Christ and receiving the Holy Spirit together. How could this be?

Reflection Questions: Have you ever been accused of hanging around the “wrong” kinds of people? Or has God led you to befriend someone with whom you would not otherwise associate?

Peter reminds the Jews of Joel 2:28-32: “In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:17-21 NRSV).

Peter saw the day of Pentecost as a fulfillment of Scripture as the Holy Spirit entered the world. Pentecost started as a Jewish holiday to commentate the fifth day after Passover when Moses received the Ten Commandments. Now, fifty days after Jesus’s resurrection from the grave, the disciples and other followers of Jesus receive the Holy Spirit as their advocate. The Holy Spirit breaks down the language barrier, so people around the world are able to hear and understand the good news of Jesus’s crucifixion, death, and resurrection. For the first time, the word of God becomes accessible to all people.

Reflection Questions: How has God used you to break down barriers between two opposing groups?

Jesus promised abundance of life by sending the disciples an Advocate who would continue to unfold God’s love for all to know (John 16:8-11). The Advocate would provide protection and intercede on our behalf as a mediator. The Advocate would lead the disciples and us by the truth of what is to come in the future. In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit bears the good news, so the disciples can be empowered to share it with the world. Today, Jesus sends us the Holy Spirit to embody and model the good news for us, so that we can know and come to understand what it means.

Reflection Questions: When has the Holy Spirit protected you? Was there a situation the Holy Spirit helped you through?

In the disabled culture, the day of Pentecost gives people hope that God recognizes many different abilities. People who have disabilities are able to do many things and should be recognized not by their disabilities but their abilities. The Holy Spirit gives people— disabled or able—of all abilities the power to live fulfilling lives to God’s glory. The Holy Spirit becomes an advocate for people with disabilities by empowering them with other gifts. People with physical disabilities are able to help the aging population with adaptation to homes and in public, because they understand what it means to feel isolated by barriers. People with cognitive disabilities see the world differently, and they are able to better relate to children since they think on their level. People with disabilities are more welcoming, because they know what it feels like to be an outcast or being seen as different.

Reflection Questions: How has the Holy Spirit equipped you to share the good news? Where has the Holy Spirit led you to go? What are your spiritual gifts?

If we as a society could think about people based on their abilities, not their disabilities, maybe we could make the world a better place for people of all abilities. The Holy Spirit equips people and gives them specific abilities that enable them to spread the good news. The Holy Spirit breaks down physical barriers in order to welcome people with disabilities into the community where people share the love of Christ. The Holy Spirit advocates for all people to be welcomed to worship God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Reflection Questions: What are some of your hidden abilities? Have you ever been called to do something that you did not think you could do? Did you amaze yourself?

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for making your word accessible to everyone. Help us to understand each other’s needs in order to allow everyone to live fulfilling lives. Break down the barriers separating us from one another. Set our hearts on fire as we welcome people with different abilities into our community. Thank you for sending us an advocate. Amen.

Empowering Us with the Holy Spirit

Photo Credit: Amber Sue Photography, www.ambersuephotography.com

Photo Credit: Amber Sue Photography, www.ambersuephotography.com

Ascension of Our Lord: Luke 24:44-53

Peace be with you!

Every Mother’s Day I think about all of the strong women who have influenced me. My elementary special education team always pushed me to do better and to meet my goals. My lead teacher for seven years helped me develop my writing skills. My physical therapist taught me to set short- and long-term goals and to continue to work toward those goals no matter what. My occupational therapist always could get me laughing and working toward goals, even on days when my muscles had other plans. She also helped me to recognize my own limits and understand that when I got tired I needed to rest. My classroom aide instilled patience and kindness in me as well as the knowledge of when to ask for help, especially when I was scared. There was also the school’s cook who always had me laughing. Her daughter became a volunteer in my special education classroom and was a mentor to me during the difficult teenage years and beyond.

Of course, my mother is my biggest supporter. She worked with my special education team to push me to meet my goals. My mother’s faith in the Triune God led me to follow Jesus Christ and to have a strong moral core. (I fall short sometimes, but I strive to live according to God’s will—and much of that is because of my mother.) All of these women have helped to form me into the woman I am today.

Reflection Questions: Who has influenced you? Did you have a mentor growing up? Do you have a spiritual director or pastor?

The transition from elementary school to middle school was difficult for me. At the end of sixth grade, I had a difficult time imagining going to middle school without my special education team whom I had been with for seven years. I remember crying a few times, because I scared of change and of not having their support. Of course, I would have a special education team in middle school, but the transition meant leaving behind everything I knew. These women knew me. They had watched me grow up. They were there for me when my parents separated and got divorced. Who could ever replace them?

Reflection Questions: Have you experienced a difficult transition in life?

At his ascension, Jesus says, “The scriptures say the Messiah will suffer, die, and rise after three days for the repentance and forgiveness of sins to be proclaimed throughout the world. You have witnessed these events, and now as the Father has promised, I am sending you out with the same power he gives me. Stay here until the Holy Spirit empowers you to proclaim the good news to the world” (see Luke 24:46-49).

I imagine the disciples are scared of the drastic change at Jesus’s ascension—the transition from having Jesus physically with them every day to not seeing him at all. Sure, Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit to guide the disciples, but what does that mean? How can someone they cannot see guide them? Like my transition from elementary school to middle school, the disciples are faced with the unknown. They cannot imagine life without Jesus physically being there.

Jesus promises to empower the disciples with the Holy Spirit to live out their faith. The Holy Spirit will empower the disciples to bring people to believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will go out and find those who have strayed away and bring them back into the fold. The Holy Spirit will lead the disciples, the apostles, and, later, us to pray for the sick, the lame, the poor, and the homeless. The Holy Spirit will be there for the disciples, the apostles, and us, just as Jesus was physically there for the disciples.

How do we know the Holy Spirit is here for us today? We know it every time we pray to God for healing or direction and witness our prayers being answered. When we pray for guidance, we seek the Holy Spirit for God’s wisdom. When we pray for Jesus to heal the lame, we seek the Holy Spirit for Jesus’s healing power. When we pray, we invite the Holy Spirit to show us Jesus’s power and might in the world. By answering our prayers, God demonstrates how he is still in the world. Sometimes God seems silents making us think our prayers are going unanswered, but in reality God maybe asking us to go in a different direction or we may need to repent and seek forgiveness before God can act on our behalf. Our hearts and minds need to be open to God’s call for our lives. God is not limited by time, a location, or a reason. God continues to express his love for us through healing us, forgiving us, and empowering us to go do his work in the world. This is how we know God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are still in the world today.

Reflection Questions: How has Jesus empowered you with the Holy Spirit? Do you pray over people for discernment and healing? Do you help the poor, the hungry, and the disabled?

As Jesus ascends to heaven, he promises to send the Holy Spirit, commissions the disciples to spread the good news, and blesses them. Jesus empowers the disciples to continue his work in the world by giving them his power and authority. The disciples watch Jesus go to heaven as he blesses them to embrace their continued journey in their faith, and through the disciples and apostles we receive the same blessings.

Reflection Questions: How is Jesus blessing you on your journey of faith?

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for promising us the Holy Spirit to lead us. Help us to live out the commission to spread the good news throughout the world. Bless us with the Holy Spirit as we pray for the sick, the lame, the poor, and the homeless. Bring about healing in the world, so we can see your power and feel your love. Amen.