Yearly Archives: 2014

Third Sunday of Lent: The Power of Conversations

Reading

John 4:5-42

Devotion

Peace be with you!

A conversation can lead you in many different directions, depending on who joins in, what is being discussed, and where it is taking place. The conversation can invoke anger, love, disappointment, hope, joy, an argument, or [whatever “it” is] you feel in that moment. Some conversations take me by surprise and take different directions than I anticipated. The day after Ash Wednesday, my fifteen-year-old mentee asked me the difference between Christians and Catholics, why Christians got crosses of ash traced on their foreheads, and why being baptized was important. Each question seemed second nature—something I knew without thinking. However, to someone who did not grow up in the church these questions are baffling. As an outsider, my mentee questioned why people had ash put on their foreheads and how did water make you special. I found myself having a confirmation class at my dinner table. What an amazing conversation! Look for blog posts under “New Press” to answer these baffling questions in the near future.

Jesus has been travelling for days and stumbles upon a well at noon (John 4:5-6) at the hottest time of the day. A Samaritan woman comes along to draw water. Jesus asks the Samaritan woman for a drink of water (John 4:7). It seems like a simple request—something you may ask a waiter, a friend, or a spouse to get you. Yet two thousand years ago a request from a Jewish man to a Samaritan woman broke all of the social boundaries. As a Jew, Jesus is breaking an unspoken rule: do not engage with the Samaritans, especially women. But here is Jesus asking for water from a Samaritan woman.

The Samaritan woman is baffled by Jesus’ request. She is drawing water in the middle of the day, which should be a sign that she is an outcast who avoids the morning and evening rush to get water. She cannot bear to be around other women who stare at her and talk about her. The Samaritan woman asks, “How is it that you, a Jew, can ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink of water?” (John 4:9). It would have been like an African-American man asking a Caucasian woman for water in the 1970s. It just was not done.

Jesus continues to baffle the Samaritan woman by saying, “If you knew who I am, you would be asking me for a drink of living water” (John 4:10). The Samaritan woman knows Jesus has no bucket to draw water and wonders what “living water” is. And how does this Jewish man think that he is greater than the Samaritans’ ancestor Jacob? How dare he? (John 4:11-12).

Then Jesus goes on to explain how you will always be thirsty if you only drink earthly water, but when you drink living water you will never be thirsty again and will be given eternal life (John 4:13-14). It seems like the answer to the Samaritan woman’s problems. She would never have to go back to the well again. But it cannot be that simple. Jesus asks the Samaritan woman to go get her husband and bring him back to the well (John 4:16). The Samaritan woman must have hemmed and hawed before admitting she had no husband, to which Jesus says, “You are correct. You have had five husbands, and the man you live with is not your husband” (John 4:17-18). Busted! This guy knows everything. The Samaritan woman realizes Jesus is a prophet and asks him where people should worship: on the mountain where Samaritans worship or in Jerusalem where the Jews worship (John 4:19-20).

Jesus answers the Samaritan woman, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:21-24 NRSV).

The time is coming and is here where you do not have worship on a mountain, in Jerusalem, or in a synagogue. You will worship God wherever you are, whenever you want, and with whomever you want. Worship will be to the Father in spirit and in truth. It no longer matters where you worship but how and why. You need to speak of the spirit and the truth of the good news in Jesus Christ who died for our sins and gives you eternal life with God the Father.

Upon hearing the good news, the Samaritan woman recognizes Jesus is speaking of the Messiah and Jesus agrees (John 4:25-26). The Samaritan woman runs back to the village to tell the people about Jesus and what he told her. The Samaritan woman becomes Jesus’ disciple and brings many more people to believe…all because Jesus asked for a drink of water.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for the amazing living water you give us through Jesus Christ. Help us to worship you whenever, wherever, and with whomever wants to hear the good news of your beloved son. Guide us to share the Good News with others. Remind us to give the living water to all who are thirsty. Thank you for making us your witnesses and disciples. Amen.

Reflective Questions

Please answer the following reflective questions in the comments below. Please agree to disagree and be respectful to each other. (If you have not already done so, please also take a moment, to sign the behavior covenant by commenting on it.) You can answer as many questions as you would like.

Share an example of a conversation where you engaged a nonbeliever or young believer around meaningful questions. How did it go?
What represents living water to you?

YOUR Freelance Editor: Rebecca Florence Miller

My wonderful and talented friend, Rebecca Florence Miller, is my copy editor for God the Healer and is looking for extra work in the editing world. If you have seen the improvement in my writing over the past few years, let me tell you a secret: it’s Rebecca, not me. So if you are busy writing papers, essays or books and need an extra edge to get to the next level, Rebecca is the lady to hire. No assignment is too big or too small.

Second Sunday of Lent: Born of the Spirit

Reading

Matthew 3:1-17

Devotion

Peace be with you!

You are born into a world driven by the desires of the flesh. The flesh desires riches, power and might, idols, fame, and [whatever “it” is] that will take you away from God the Father. The world begs for attention and distracts you from the good news with its messages of power and riches. It causes jealousy, anger, and resentment among friends, family members, colleagues, and others who live according to flesh.

What does it mean to be born of the Spirit[ED1] ? It seems like an odd question, one which may baffle many people. People understand that babies are birthed from out of a female body after nine months of gestation. Being born in the physical sense causes pain for the mother and joy for the mother, father, and others. Doctors can explain the process to expecting mothers. Ultrasounds can even photograph the baby in the womb. Physical birth does not seem that mysterious.

But to be born of the Spirit? What does this even mean? In your baptism, you are reborn into God’s family. You are received as a child of God who is blessed with the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever. You belong to God, and God belongs to you.

To live according to God’s ways means you choose to live according to the Ten Commandments, follow Jesus’ teachings, and live as his servant. You believe with all of your heart Jesus died and was raised from the dead (John 3:16-17[ED2] ). You need courage to tell the devil no and to walk away. You are not defined by the standards of the world; you live by different standards. To be born again of the Spirit means you make the conscious decision to be a disciple [ED3] of Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten son.

When you make the conscious decision to be born of the Spirit, you are telling the devil no; you are saying no to the ideas of the flesh and world. You become transformed into a new person, just as Jesus died and rose again. You become born of the Spirit. The world no longer entices you in the same way, because the promise of eternal life holds good news of Jesus Christ. You start to care about what God thinks and feels.

You wake up each morning with a sense of being born again in God’s image. Each day draws you into a relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. You are reminded of the Good News and God’s promise of eternal life with him in his kingdom. Death does not get the final say in life’s journey but is just a means to enter God’s kingdom. You seek truth, social justice, love, life, grace, and God’s call. You feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, and protect the weak. You strive to serve the Triune God [ED4] in all that you do—no matter what sacrifice that means. Power is a temptation from the devil to draw you back into the world where you were first born. But [whatever “it” is] the devil promises holds no appeal compared to what the Triune God promises you in Jesus’ crucifixion, death, and resurrection. You live according to God’s will by answering his call to serve others, and you are waiting for Jesus’ second coming. This is what it means to be born again: to live by Jesus’ teachings. Nothing is more powerful than that.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for giving us the chance to be reborn into the Spirit. Help us to listen to the spirit and not be entice by the devil. Call us out of the darkness and into the light. Thank you for being in relationships with us. Amen.

Reflective Questions

How are you born again of the Spirit each day?
How does the devil tempt you to live according to the flesh?

[ED1]Spirit: Holy Spirit; part of the Triune God—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

[ED2] “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:16-17 NRSV).

[ED3]Disciple: a follower of Jesus Christ

[ED4]Triune God – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit

First Sunday of Lent: Telling the Devil No

Reading

Matthew 4:1-11

Devotion

Peace be with you!

Temptations surround you wherever you go. Addicts struggle to give up their chosen substance(s)—pills, powder, or drinks. Those who face their addictions are constantly tempted by the one thing that can make them feel good temporarily, but that will ultimately destroy them in the end. The devil tempts you to go against the Lord by providing temporary gratification . You make excuses to justify why you give into the temptations, especially when you hurt others by doing so.

Jesus fasts for forty days and nights in the wilderness (Matthew 4:2). Fasting brings one closer to God the Father as we discussed on Ash Wednesday; it cleanses you and gives you the opportunity to examine your relationship with the Father.

During the forty days of fasting, Jesus is famished and is tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1-2). The devil commands Jesus to turn stones into bread (Matthew 4:3). Fasting physically wears on a body and it is certainly understandable that Jesus was hungry. Yet Jesus says, “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Jesus acknowledges the need to provide physical nourishment for his body. However, Jesus argues you need more then just food; you need to hear what God has to say. It is easy to think of God as silent, though he does speak to us through others, through situations, and in quiet moments. We live as long as God proclaims that we live. This is not dependent on circumstances, but on God’s command. In other words, Jesus trusts God to sustain Him. He is in total submission to God.

Then the devil places Jesus on top of the temple and tells him that if he jumps down, the Father will send angels to safeguard him (Matthew 4:5-6). Jesus says, “No, I do not need to and should not test my Father” (Matthew 4:7). Jesus knows God the Father will protect him when he is in danger. The Father provides you with what you need at all times. There is no need to test him to see what the Father says or does. The Father is all-knowing and all-powerful; there is no need to test him.

Lastly, the devil tells Jesus he can rule the world and have all of its riches if he just worships him (Matthew 4:8-9). This would be easier to do than what God the Father is asking of him—no going hungry, no being homeless, no being naked, no beating, no dying—yet Jesus does not give in. Jesus says, “No, you should only worship God the Father. He gives me all I need. Be gone, Satan!” (Matthew 4:10). Jesus will not take the devil’s temporary offer, because it has an expiration date. Life with the devil will end at the end of times. The world’s ways are only important for those who do not understand and believe there is nothing for us beyond this world. Jesus understands God the Father has a plan to save all of his children. Jesus finds no excuses to justify giving into the devi. Even in one of is weakest moments, Jesus finds strength in God the Father to deny the devil victory. When Jesus banishes the devil from his presence, God the Father sends angels to tend to Jesus. Unlike the devil, God the Father would never abandon his child.

Each time you refuse to listen to the devil’s justifications and simply tell him no, you are taking away his power. Excuses only serve you, and they hurt others. Find strength in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit who will serve you in your darkest hour.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for giving Jesus and us strength to tell the devil no. Help us to stand firm in our faith and renounce the devil’s power. Hold us close to your heart as we spread the good news. Thank you for eternal life in your kingdom. Amen.

Works Cited

Thanks to the Triune God – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Reflective Questions

How are you tempted?
How do you tell the Devil no?

Ash Wednesday: Quiet Spaces

Reading

Matthew 16:1-6, 16-21

Devotion

Peace be with you!

Everyone has their motives -– [whatever “they” are]. Motives dictate how you behave and how you distinguish between right and wrong. Your parents try to instill their motives into you as a child. Other factors effect your motives, such as your opinions, ideas, and beliefs. Your Christian identity gives you willingness to strive for a better tomorrow by fighting for social justice and mercy for the less fortunate.

Jesus has just finished giving the Sermon on the Mount to the crowd. Jesus calls for social justice for the poor, sick and disabled, and the lonely by helping them with your gifts and resources. Jesus is continuing his speech for social justice in Matthew 6:1-4. The translators have dikaiosu/nhn as righteousness when justice makes more sense. With that in mind, Jesus says, “Do not do social justice work to be show off and be rewarded in the world, because God has not use for you then.” You should practice social justice, because you care about the well-being of others. Your motivation should be out of love and respect for others, not for yourself.

Jesus instructs you how to pray. Jesus warns you not to follow the example of the hypocrites (Sadducees and Pharisees) who pray loudly on street corners and synagogues. Instead Jesus invites us to find a quiet space and have a conversation with God the Father in order to have an intimate relationship with him. God the Father sees what you do in private just as much as in public; he wants to know you and you to know him on the deepest level possible. Wouldn’t you rather find a quiet space and get to know him?

Jesus also says the same thing about fasting. You should fast not to make yourself superior to others but to repent and be in prayer. Fasting is about cleansing yourself in order to be in a relationship with God the Father. When you fast in private, you are keeping your sins between you and God. No one else needs to intervene on your be half, expect you.

When you do justice, pray, and fast in private, you build an intimate relationship with God the Father. The chatter of the world does not impress God the Father – big showy actions or all talk and no action. Rather God the Father wants to know you intimately.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for the quiet moments to get to know you. Help us to slow down and find quiet spaces to talk with you. Lead us to care for others out of love and compassion. Thank you for being in intimate relationships with us. Amen.

Works Cited

Thanks to the Triune God – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Reflective Questions

When and how do you find a quiet space to talk with God the Father?

Seventh Sunday after Epiphany: The Foundation

Reading

1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23

Devotion

Peace be with you!

I have a lot of people who have been influential in my life. These people have provided me with the groundwork to be who I am today. I am one of very few who can say they keep in touch with teachers from elementary school. Because I have cerebral palsy, I was in a special classroom designed to meet my physical needs as well as provide me with an education. Linda Furlong was my lead teacher for six years. She made sure that my teachers made adaptations in the classroom so I could participate. Joyce Haas was my aide for seven years. She helped me in the classroom. Kris was the cook in the kitchen and her daughter, Julie, volunteered in my classroom as an aide. These women became my second family and are partly responsible for making me the woman I am today.

Of course, my parents played a big part in my development process as well. My mom taught me to be independent, never afraid to speak my mind. She also stood up for me when people wanted to exclude me from activities when I was a child. My dad taught me to think for myself and to be willing to ask questions.

In the reading today, Paul is explaining to the Corinthians that he has only laid the foundation for their Christian faith. Paul gave them the good news of Jesus’ resurrection. It is up to the Corinthians to figure out what God is calling them to do now that Paul has fed them with the good news.

God’s temple is in each of the Corinthians. It is not a physical building. The temple is a sense of belonging to God and to each other. God dwells in each of us. God’s temple can only be destroyed if we turn our backs on him. Paul says, “If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person” (3:17a, NRSV). We destroy God’s temple when we walk away. We become dead to God because we are denying his gift of a relationship with him. When we are in a relationship with God, we become his holy temple. We hold his good news and share it with anyone that will listen.

It is not good enough for us to know the good news. We need to constantly struggle with the good news to understand what God is calling us to do in the world. We are his temple, but we need to share and welcome others into our fellowship. It might mean that we need to change how we do things. God is always calling us to go out into the world to lay the foundation in others. This requires us to continually be discerning what God is calling us to do and where he is sending us. We will never fully understand God’s wisdom. This is okay because when we think we know it all, we become fools. No one can fully understand what God is up to.

“You belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God” (3:23, NRSV). You are connected to God through Christ. There is no way to destroy that connection with God unless you walk away from him. We are holy. We are the holy temple of God when we honor him through our deeds and words. His temple is in our hearts.

Now that I am older, I find myself distilling the values which my mentors and parents taught me into young women of the next generation. I am blessed to be a mentor to two fine young high school girls, Bekah and Samantha. I find myself passing down kindness and tough love, lending an ear and a hug when needed, and sharing advice that my mentors gave me. I am giving Bekah and Samantha the foundation to be able to live wisely in the world.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for those individuals who have laid the foundation of Christian living in our hearts. Help us to build upon that foundation and to discern where you are calling and sending us. Make us your holy temples. Guide us in your ways. Thank you for your wisdom in the world. Amen.

Works Cited

Thanks to the Triune God – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Reflective Questions

Who are your mentors? How have they provided you with a foundation?
Have you ever thought of yourself as a mentor to others? What are some bits of wisdom you could pass on to the next generation?
What are you currently discerning?

Sixth Sunday after Epiphany: Just Stop: It Is Not about Me

Reading

1 Corinthians 3:1-9

Devotion

Peace be with you!

The Corinthians are like teenagers who know the difference between right and wrong but still test the boundaries. Teenagers know what is expected of them and what they can get away with. They know what bugs their parents and how to butter them up. They start making their own decisions about their future as they make decisions about college applications and jobs. Yet teenagers are still children who do not understand the ways of the world.

The Corinthians continue to hold on to jealousy and quarrels among themselves. They hold on to worldly things: money, power, and possessions. By doing so, the Corinthians are holding themselves back from knowing God the Father and his plans for them. As long as you hold on to things and the ways of the world, your maturity growth in faith and maturity will be stunted because you cannot have both. You have to make a choice: God or the world.

Paul explains to the Corinthians that there is more to life than what the world has to offer. Paul explains how the lens of Jesus’ crucifixion is how we are to see and understand the world. Jesus died on the cross to restore our broken relationship with God the Father. Jesus died to take the cruelty of the world and replace it with God’s love. Jesus died to be among us and to open the lines of communication between you and God.

Yet the Corinthians want to make the good news about Paul and Apollos. Paul says, “Just stop; it is not about Apollos or me. We are just doing the groundwork of planting and watering—telling you the good news of Jesus’ crucifixion. However, the good news is about God who is with you and is nurturing you to do his work.” Paul planted and Apollos watered the seed of the good news in the Corinthians’ hearts, but God fertilizes their hearts so they can live out their lives according to his will. The good news is about God and what he is doing in the world through you.

There are times when we act like teenage Christians — testing God’s grace. We know we should not care about our clothes, but we do. We know we are to forgive and love our enemies, but they really stepped over a line last time. We know we are to love our neighbors, but must we go to the bad part of town? We have our reasons— too time consuming, people will never change, and [whatever “it” is]. God answers back, “I could have said the same about you, but I have made you my child.”

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending people into our lives to tell us the good news. Help us to share the good news with others. Nurture us as your chosen people. Send us where no one else wants to go. Thank you for never giving up on us. Amen.

Works Cited

Thanks to the Triune God – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Reflective Questions

Who planted the good news in your heart?
How do you continue to choose God over the world? Why is he important to you?
How does God continue to nurture you?

Fifth Sunday of Epiphany: God’s Wisdom

Reading

1 Corinthians 2:1-16

Devotion

Peace be with you!

The world has some pretty concrete rules with which no one seems to argue:

Whatever goes up must come down.

Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be redistributed or changed from one form to another.

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

Even as a Christian, you do not argue against these laws of science. Some things you just never question. However, the world deceives you and causes the truth to be foggy and hidden. The devil wants you to believe there is nothing beyond this life. Death gets the final say. This seems like scientific fact.

Paul points to another way of looking at and understanding the world: through Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. Despite the devil’s efforts, the Lord is active in the world. God intervenes in the world on our behalf through self empathy and self giving. In his wisdom, God sends Jesus to be crucified, killed, and resurrected out of his unconditional love for us.

The world does not understand God’s wisdom because it does not follow the rules of the world. Jesus dies on the cross, and then he rises three days later to new life in the Kingdom of God. This makes no sense in a world where death marks the end of one’s life. The Holy Spirit reveals God’s wisdom to those who believe in the good news of Jesus Christ. God’s wisdom leads us to his glory in his kingdom where we will be granted eternal life.

The world tries to get us to turn against God’s wisdom. You may have fallen into this trap when you defend your place in the world. You seek acceptance in the world for your uniqueness and for what you have to offer. You accept the way the world operates and expect nothing more or less. The world causes you to limit everything to what can be proven by seeing, hearing, and feeling.

Yet God’s wisdom turns you away from the world and into the unknown and indefinable. Jesus’ crucifixion, death, and resurrection breaks down the laws of physics and biology. On the cross, Jesus’ way turns the world upside down, inviting you to believe in something more than what this world has to offer. It forces you to understand the possibility of the impossible. God intervenes on your behalf, so you can enjoy eternal life in his kingdom.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for your wisdom and power. Help us to live according to your wisdom. Turn us away from the way of the world. Lead us to share the good news with individuals in the world. Guide us with your wisdom. Thank you for your promise of eternal life. Amen.

Works Cited

Thanks to the Triune God – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Reflective Questions

How does the world turn you against God’s wisdom?
How do you live according to God’s wisdom?

Fourth Sunday after Epiphany: The World’s Foolishness

Reading

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Matthew 5:1-12

Devotion

Peace be with you!

Some stories and jokes are better told in certain groups than others. I poke fun at myself because I tend to knock over bookcases, put holes in walls, and break anything glass. I am an elephant in a China shop. A few friends worry when I post about my destructive accidents, while others just laugh with me over my Cerebral Palsy moments.

The resurrection story seems foolish to outsiders. A man crucified cannot be raised from the dead three days later. To a human mindset, this seems impossible. When you die and are buried, you stay dead. The resurrection story seems like a foolish fairy tale.

Paul explains how the resurrection story tells us about God’s power in the world. While some people look for signs and others desire wisdom, Christians look for God’s power and wisdom through the resurrection. God’s wisdom does not make sense in this realm, because it breaks all the physical rules. The world holds up victories and power and might. Jesus made Himself weak that we might be made strong.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus blesses the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, and the hungry and thirsty. The people who the world leaves behind and ignores, God lifts up and makes his own. While the world would give you the cold shoulder and talk about you behind your back, God wraps a blanket around you, gives you food and water, and takes away your pain. There is nothing God would not do to save you from being persecuted by making you righteous and giving you the Kingdom of God.

The world desires and creates powerful leaders to conquer enemies. There is no need for weak individuals in a world that worships power. The resurrection story breaks down these perceptions and goes against them. Jesus, the Son of Man and the Son of God, becomes weak when he hangs on the cross and dies for our sins. Nothing about Jesus Christ is definable in this realm.

As a disciple, you live in a different set of standards and rules than the rest of the world. You desire life with the Triune God—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. You look forward to eternal life in the Kingdom of God. You stand firm in knowing the crazy crucifixion and resurrection and are excited for Jesus’ Second Coming. You believe all of this because you know God can and will overcome everything in this world.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for the crazy crucifixion and resurrection story and the promise of Jesus’ second coming. Help us to understand the resurrection story and to share it with those around us. Lead us to extend forgiveness to others and be compassionate to those who are on the outside. Thank you for your compassion for the broken. Amen.

Works Cited

Thanks to the Triune God – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Reflective Questions

What about the crucifixion and resurrection story seem crazy to you?

Third Sunday of Epiphany: Baptized in a Community

Reading

1 Corinthians 1:10-18

Devotion

Peace be with you!

Last week we discussed how churches often have different groups that cause friction within the community. Each group wants to run the show with their own ideas. Paul reminds the church community in Corinth about God’s grace, promise, and guarantee they will enter the kingdom of heaven. No matter what each group has planned, God is in charge and grants us all grace and the ability to spread the good news.

Today Paul focuses on what it means to be baptized. The various factions of Corinth are declaring that they belong to Paul, Apollos, or Cephas based on who baptized them (1 Corinthians 1:12). Paul is taken aback by such claims. First, Paul has baptized very few individuals. He has only baptized Crispus, Gaius, and the household of Stephanas (1 Corinthians 1:14, 16). Beyond those individuals, Paul has no memory of baptizing anyone else. Second, it is not about who baptized them, but it is important that they were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This is true for you today. Through your baptism, God the Father claims you as his child.’

Baptism creates a connection between the Triune God and us as well as well as among us and other baptized believers. When you are baptized, you enter into a relationship with God, and he claims you as one of his children. God knows you in the deepest way possible and loves you unconditionally despite your flaws. God created this connection between you and him through Jesus’ crucifixion, death, and resurrection. God loves his creation so deeply that he made the ultimate sacrifice by letting his son die on the cross. Nothing matters more to the Triune God than being in a relationship with you.

Baptism also creates connections among other individuals who are baptized. You become a part of the Christian community when you are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ who died for your sins. God begs us to be in a relationship with one another to express his love throughout the world. Your actions to others reflect your relationship with the Triune God. If you are rude to others, are you rude to God? If you are angry with someone, are you angry with God? If you forgive others, do you forgive God for the pain in your life? If you love others, do you love God? Your relationship with God reflects in your daily life and how you treat yourself and others.

Baptism allows anyone who believes in the Triune God and who believes that Jesus died for their sins to be a part of the community of believers. This community has a breadth of diversity because baptism is not just for a select few but for all people. Christians are found throughout the world as the map below shows.

How does God expect us to get along? Jesus makes us accountable to God and one other by influencing us to be better individuals. Our fellow Christians help keep us from sinning intentionally and they motivate us to keep striving at being the individuals God calls us to be. Paul talks about the body of Christ as individuals being united through their baptisms. Not every part of the physical human body has the same function. The same is true for the body of Christ. God has unique callings for each one of us (1 Corinthians 12:12-20). God calls us at specific times and in specific places for specific reasons that we may or may not understand. Our job is to figure out how to work together to uncover God’s bigger plan.

The friction in our churches may never disappear completely. You are only human. Instead you should acknowledge each group is a part of the body of Christ and find ways for each group to work together for God’s bigger plan. Your calling is from the Triune God and each works towards the bigger plan of everyone being in the Kingdom of God.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for baptizing us in the name of Jesus Christ. Help us to remember we are called by you to spread your love throughout the world. Lead us to fulfill our unique callings. Make us mindful of your bigger plan. Thank you for calling us to work toward your bigger plan. Amen.

Works Cited

Thanks to the Triune God – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Reflective Questions

Why is being baptized important to you?
What does God call you to do?