The Crucifixion

PRAYER PRACTICE

Breath Prayer – Take 2-3 minutes today to pray a simple breath prayer. Get somewhere quiet and relaxing. Breathe in deeply, and then breathe out fully. As you breathe in, ask God to fill you with His presence, grace, love, peace, etc. Consider using the list of spiritual fruit in Galatians 5:22-23. As you breathe out, offer to God the things you need Him to take from you – sin, doubt, shame, anxiety, fear, etc. Pray this way for just a few minutes, trusting God to work, and then begin reading today’s Scripture.

 

DAILY READING

Luke 23:1-56

 

DEVOTION / REFLECTION

The Crucifixion 

By Andrea Taphorn

I don’t read the gospel recordings of Jesus’ crucifixion without really be driven to them by something outside myself, because they are uncomfortable to read. My heart will gravitate towards passages about hope in Christ. I find myself not really wanting to sit in this story, read its details and let it do its work on me. I’d like to skip quickly ahead to the joy of the resurrection. Because of this tendency, I am grateful for this reading today that bids me to do the thing that otherwise, I don’t quite have the power to do on my own, which is to read and reflect on the details of Christ’s death on the cross.

Today is just two days before we begin the season of Lent with the celebration of Ash Wednesday, the Christian holiday where we remember we are going to die. From the outside looking in, this sounds like quite a strange holiday to celebrate each year, doesn’t it? We remember our mortality. But we remember it in light of this very story of Christ’s own death. As I read this chapter, I found myself being drawn in by verse 49, “But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.”

If there are characters in the story that I find relatable, it is the ones who knew Jesus and followed him. And I find it so convicting that I am not all that different than those that walked and talked and laughed and prayed with Jesus and one another. Once their following brings them to this scene, they could not take it in and stood at a distance. Their following took a hard stop.  I certainly have empathy for them in their bewilderment. But our dear Savior just doesn’t quite stand for that does he?

Jesus’ death on the cross demands that not only that I take in this story, but up close and personal. And not just once, but he bids me here again and again. Jesus wants to apprise me of the fact that my sin is on him. And this news, that my sin has been placed upon Jesus, is something I have heard my entire life and still feel myself wanting to stand at a distance from it. It’s the kind of news that does something to me every time it bids me closer.

For Jesus does not die instead of me, but ahead of me. And to the human heart this just sounds startling and fearful and quite honestly- deadly. And dear friends, I am astounded each time I come in close. I find that this is the best news I could ever hear- again and again. Jesus has taken my sin from me. He has put me to death, praise be to God. For Jesus is relentless in raising me to new life. Jesus resurrects me with the words, “You are my beloved child. You are mine. I’ve taken everything of yours upon myself. I’ve taken it all. My resurrected life is your resurrected life. Everything I have is yours.”

 

 

Mary's Song

STUDY THE SCRIPTURE

 

Click here to access the reading from Luke 1:46-56

 

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REFLECTION

 

The Gift of Faith

by Andrea Taphorn

God chose Mary to carry the King and she sings in joy and affirmation. An angel comes to a young unmarried woman named Mary who had her whole life in front of her. She may have had dreams for herself that didn’t involve this interruption from heaven, but Jesus has come to her and didn’t ask her to make room. Mary was not asked to save the world.  She was granted faith to receive and carry Christ, the Savior of the world. The whole thing is quite precarious. She is engaged, but this baby is not from Joseph, but rather from the Holy Spirit. This news creates for Mary situations that could cause her great danger, but to this life altering, life threatening news, Mary says, “yes.” Can you believe that? 

This story strikes conviction into my heart, as we begin to close out a year of heartache and loss and separation. We have our own sets of issues that are precarious, and concerning, and life threatening. And Jesus is coming to this weary world of 2020 and may find a big ugly “no” sitting at the helm of our hearts—a no to carrying Christ, the hope of the world. It just feels too big of a burden to bear. It doesn’t feel like the churchy answer, but it does feel like the down to earth, weary world of 2020 answer. 

If we take a second look at Mary’s “yes” that spilled out of her mouth in song. This yes was sheer gift. Mary was given the gift of faith.  And faith is not mustered, it is granted.

This is good news for us today, where we have mustered a lot in 2020. If your heart is anything like mine, you might just be all muscled out and in need of a gift. Jesus is here today and knows the state of our world and the state of your heart. Jesus knows your loneliness. He knows the achy spots in your heart. He knows how your lips are quietly turning blue from sadness and loss and fear of more loss.  And the swirling question in your brain of “when with this end?” And the anxiety of carrying this much anxiety for this long. 

Maybe the world does not even know the half of it, but God does. He knows all of it. He knows without you saying a thing, without you alerting the world to your situation.  Jesus has moved in. You do not need to ask him to. He's here. He is resurrecting your life from the dead, by taking every single one of your “no’s” upon himself and in its stead, He is giving you His: “Yes. Yes child.  You are mine.” He is placing the gift of faith at the very helm of your heart. He is breathing his strong and sure and saving breath of life into your lungs. 

Your life is precious to him. Oh, this Jesus. He is relentless. Come what may both today and tomorrow. Jesus has come to set you free to sing with Mary, to live on this weary earth as a child of the king. How surprising to find out you are not carrying Him? In fact, He is carrying you. And He will carry you each step of the way and continue to breath his life into you until He calls you home with him forever.

UALC’S CAMPAIGN OF PRAYER

MONDAY - HUMILITY: Soften our hearts to one another. Give us eyes to see our common humanity, each of us and all of us created in your image, and give us the gift of empathy, to care deeply about one another.

Siege of Jerusalem

In today’s reading, we encounter one of Ezekiel’s enacted prophecies. To warn the people of the destruction of Jerusalem (which will happen years later), Ezekiel is commanded to make a holy diorama. More startlingly, he is commanded to eat disgusting food – a representation of the desperate situation that siege would bring to the people of Israel. Despite these demonstrations, the people would not listen to Him. As you read, consider this – why are we so resistant to hearing the word of God?

 

STUDY THE SCRIPTURE

 

Click here to access the reading from Ezekiel 4:1-17

 

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REFLECTION

 

Punching the Clock

by Andrea Taphorn 

Tehching Hsieh is considered by many a master performance artist. For one year, from 1980-1981, Hsieh made art by dedicating his time to punching a time clock every hour on the hour. Each time he punched the clock, he took one picture of himself.  These 8,760 pictures were made into a 6-minute movie. He shaved his head at the beginning of this endeavor, so his growing hair reflects the passage of time. Can you imagine living with this kind of restraint and dedication to a single action for an entire year? I sure cannot. But I appreciate artists like Hsieh who draw our attention to the human struggle and the human entrapment we call life.

Ezekiel was a bit of a performance artist himself who employs his body to communicate to the Israelites just how enslaved they are to sin. He was a dreary guy, maybe the one you don’t invite to your dinner party, because he was a bit of a downer. He takes clay tablets and draws Jerusalem and displays for the Israelites that Jerusalem will be sieged. He lays on his left side and then his right for well over a year, bound with ropes to symbolize being weighed down by the sin of God’s people. He eats only paltry bread to keep himself alive during this time. Bread baked from fuel derived from cow excrement. The picture he is painting to his friends and neighbors is one of slavery to sin that is fueled by more sin.

Ezekiel employed his whole body under harsh constraints to communicate to the Israelites just how deeply entrenched they were in sin to drive them to repentance, to open their eyes to the fact that they were drowning in their own sin and couldn’t see up from down. I wonder if we saw our lives both individually and collectively in its raw and unedited version would we be equally shocked at how deep our slavery to sin really is? Am I just as compelled as Hsieh to punching a clock, to be driven and obsessed with my own sin? I just don’t have eyes to see my own compelling drive to reach out my hand to grasp onto sin over and over again, just as methodically as reaching and punching the clock and with the same precision as Hsieh.

This certainly feels utterly despairing, but I wonder if this is exactly what God was driving at when communicating to His people so long ago through Ezekiel. People who think they are free, don’t see themselves as bound up and in slavery to sin. As people of God who lived in God’s city Jerusalem, they could not see their need for a savior. They knew their neighbors were in need of God, you know, their enemies-- those poor folks who didn’t know the truth of God and his laws. I imagine we can all paint a picture in our minds of people in our lives that are bound up in sin. We just don’t necessarily put our own face in that picture. 

The people of God have this long history of not liking their prophets. Ezekiel was one of those prophets. It seems like Jonah was the one who was the most effective at getting people to listen to him, and the folks who listened and repented were not God’s own people, but their enemies the Ninevites. God sent his own son, Jesus to be a prophet, the word made flesh, and the world didn’t like Jesus any more than any of God’s other prophets. We murdered God to get rid of both his message and his body. And how does God respond to this world that put him to death? Well, we have a relentless God who does not let our own dedication to our sin, nor the power of death to stop him from handing us salvation. It’s like he literally grabs our hands from the punch clock of sin and says, to us, "I am saving you from your slavery with my own life."

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying.” Titus 3:4-8a

UALC’S CAMPAIGN OF PRAYER

MONDAY - HUMILITY: Soften our hearts to one another. Give us eyes to see our common humanity, each of us and all of us created in your image, and give us the gift of empathy, to care deeply about one another.

The Lord Calls Samuel

This story uses repetition and contrast to build tension, and to highlight the importance of Samuel’s calling. Samuel’s famous prayer, “speak, your servant is listening” is a great model of humble faith. Through Samuel’s humility, God chooses to work, and in verse 21, we learn that God is no longer “rare” in the nation (as he’d been in verse 1) but instead “continued to appear.” As you read, reflect on the spiritual power of a willing servant.  

STUDY THE SCRIPTURE

Click here to access the reading from 1Samuel 3:1-21 

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REFLECTION

SPEAK LORD, YOUR SERVANT IS LISTENING
by Andrea Taphorn

This is a story I remember reading as a young child with an Arch Book.  A young boy hears God speak in a time when God appeared all but silent to his beloved chosen people. A young child is called by God and listens. This is an important part of this story for sure, but I’m not so sure that the cartoon depictions in that storybook share the painful message this story brings with it.

The Lord calls Samuel three times in the night and then tells Samuel devastating and destructive news about his mentor and spiritual father, Eli and Eli's descendants. This news from God is not news that anyone would want to hear and relay to the person who had essentially raised you.  

Samuel may be a young child, but that is brought to an abrupt end in this moment. Childhood ends and the mantle of adulthood is given as Samuel hears God’s word and has the responsibility to share it, every painful detail. Samuel becomes the leader to both Eli and to Israel. And this had to have been a great grief to Samuel as this transfer of power is put upon Samuel in a way that I don’t think anyone would ask for. 

It seems that God is doing something new with Israel. In the previous chapter (1 Samuel 2:6) we see, “The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up.” God kills and recreates.  He seems to be doing this with the priestly line of Israel and in doing so, is rebirthing Israel through his word. Samuel has the word of the Lord given to him. All of Israel knows this, and now even Eli is dependent upon Samuel to hear from God.

Here is a story of one young man now being handed power and authority and a new mantle of leadership. The other side of this story is an old man, now looking back with both faithfulness and large regrets. As Eli hears this word and receives judgment and loss of power, Samuel hears it, confesses it, and is given power and authority.

I found Eli’s confession upon hearing this news of judgement from God, a confession of a sinner, but also a confession of a child of God. Eli says, “it is the Lord, let him do what seems good to him.” The killing word of judgement given to Eli from God seems to work in Eli new life and faith. He receives this news and still names God, Lord. Regardless of Eli’s track record, I find this confession a beautiful testimony of faith. Eli still believes his life is best rested in God’s hands.   

New beginnings mean painful endings here. We see the calling and beginning of new leadership for Israel in Samuel. We see the resignation of an old, on your way out the door leader, Eli.  I wonder though, if the main detail here is that we have a God who has a word to give? May our ears be tuned to hear it, for we know in Christ that even the painful killing word is not one to flee from, for that killing word kills our sin and in doing so turns around and recreates, and hands us mercy and life. This is true no matter what stage of life: beginning, middle or end. May our prayer be at every stage of life, “speak Lord, for your servant is listening.”

UALC’S CAMPAIGN OF PRAYER FOR MONDAY 

HUMILITY - Soften our hearts to one another. Give us eyes to see our common humanity, each of us and all of us created in your image, and give us the gift of empathy, to care deeply about one another.

Cain and Abel

In this week’s reading, we see both the consequences of sin, and the manifestations of sin, grow. Cain introduces the sin of violence and murder into the world. He inverts God’s first command to humanity – they were told to be fruitful and multiply, and instead Cain removes life from the earth. Like his father and mother before Him, Cain’s sin is confronted by God, and again God shows that He is faithful to punish and faithful to preserve.

Study the Scripture

Click here to read from Genesis 4:1-17

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REFLECTION

Am I your favorite?
by Andrea Taphorn 

 

Do you have a desire to be favored over and above someone else, maybe even from God? Why is it so easy to fall into this trap? We see in today’s bible story, living in God’s world on God’s terms is hard enough for the parents of this story, Adam and Eve. We now see their children. We see brother’s looking to worship God together. Cain and Abel have two different vocations and from their labors, bring an offering to God. 

Cain’s offering is rejected, and the text doesn’t outright state why. For the Israelites, the first-born male is the favored status in the family, so the listeners of this text would have wondered how would God favor Abel’s offering over firstborn Cain?

Maybe this story exposes Cain’s heart, that he truly saw himself as better than his brother and this news from God about his offering doesn't create humility in Cain. It is offensive. But, from this vertical relationship, God and Cain, horizontal consequences leap forth, with grave and longstanding consequences. Sin is described as a character in this story. Sin is not a breaking of the rules here. It is an aggressive force ready to ambush Cain.

How Cain handles his rage and depression over this news from God has lasting consequences for Cain and for his family. Cain’s rage overpowers him, and he murders his brother, which is the antithesis of God’s command to be fruitful and multiply. God confronts Cain. Cain counters God with questions of his own, dismissing the point raised and limiting his scope of responsibility. God judges Cain’s heart rightly for his response. Upon hearing this judgement, Cain has nowhere to go, but back to God, the giver of life and mercy. The sin in this story doesn’t just have present consequences, but it marks and shapes Cain’s future. And yet, God limits the consequences of his sin. God meets Cain with accusation and judgement, but also with surprising grace.

This story reminds me of the verses in gospel of Matthew, “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.”

It seems like God is asking everything of us, right? How is this even possible? How is my reconciling to my sister or brother tied to my worship of God? As I confess that without Christ, I am in bondage to this aggressive force called sin, that is ready to ambush me, in my relationship with both God and my brother, and I cannot free myself, then Christ delivers me a most beautiful word of promise: forgiveness. This forgiveness is a gift. In worship God gives way more than we can ever offer up, right?

This story seems to have something important to say about worship. When we receive from God in worship, the news that we are sinners that have been forgiven by a generous and merciful God, it sets us free from the idea that we are either favored above or over our brother or sister. It also sets us free from the idea that I am less than someone else because I hear the news that I am a dearly loved cherished child of God, who will give everything, including himself for me. This creates possibilities for reconciliation with one another because we see both God and each other with different eyes. There is no more worry or concern over my favored status.

It’s news to our ears that God is not a God of favorites, but a God of generous giving. It is only here that I can feel and experience how good and pleasant it is when brothers live in unity. (Psalm 133). Now that sounds like worship worth running to and worth experiencing over and over again in my life.

UALC’S CAMPAIGN OF PRAYER

MONDAY - MEDICAL PERSONNEL - Pray for our doctors, nurses, and all medical professionals to have strength, wisdom, endurance, and alertness.

The First Four Trumpets

The events described in these trumpet blasts can be scary. Some readers have taken them to be a strictly literal description of future events. It is probably important to soften that approach by remembering that Biblical literature is full of apocalyptic imagery. It is usually not meant to be literal future-telling, but, instead, a dramatic sign of a deeper truth. These trumpet blasts echo the judgments against Egypt in the Old Testament, as well as the trumpets used before the destruction of Jericho. They are a reminder to the people of God that idolatry and sin will be judged harshly. As you read, ask God if there are idols in your life that he would wish to tear down and destroy.

STUDY THE SCRIPTURE

Click here to access the reading from Revelation 8:6-13

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REFLECTION

Prayers and Incense – Beautiful Aroma

by Andrea Taphorn

I have earnestly prayed for things that, thank goodness, that God in his mercy, said no to. As I read today’s reading, the song lyrics to an old Garth Brooks song came to mind, “Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs. That just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care. Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers”

Of course, as I say this, I cannot imagine the earnestness of prayers from saints who have died for their faith in Christ. At the beginning of chapter eight, their prayers are wafted up to God by an angel and these new cycles of visions depict for the reader what it would look like for God to answer these prayers by sending wrath down on an unrepentant world. These prayers are serious business, not just a prayer to marry your high school sweetheart.

I don’t know that I understand things like the wrath of God. These verses today are not ones quickly turned to provide comfort and peace, are they? We are knee deep now into Revelation and things are getting hard to read. Trumpet blasts begin to sound off and we see what it would looks like for God to answer the prayers of the saints calling out for justice and retribution. What unfolds is first horror and destruction, but later we also will see the futility of this response.

It makes me wonder, as I pray, do I really want God to deliver retribution, or do I want mercy? The saints who prayed these prayers are declared saints because of the unending mercy of a good and gracious God. There is no other way to be declared a saint. I am also reminded again who are my enemies: sin, death, and the devil.  An unrepentant sinner is not my enemy; rather, another person in need of God’s mercy, just like me. So, as I read today, I picture myself writing down a simple prayer and burning it, so that its scent is wafted up to God. It has one word on it, “mercy.”

UALC’S CAMPAIGN OF PRAYER

MONDAY - MEDICAL PERSONNEL - Pray for our doctors, nurses, and all medical professionals to have strength, wisdom, endurance, and alertness.

The Light of the World

The book of John begins like the book of Genesis. In this passage John tells us the focus of his book – Jesus. John also gives us a theme of his book that will be the focus of our study this week. John argues that Jesus came to bring light to the world and came full of truth. Jesus, according to John, is the ultimate source of truth. As you read today, look for the different ways that John points to Jesus as the truth in the world. 

STUDY THE SCRIPTURE

Click here to access the reading from John 1:1-14

For more help use this Bible Study method

REFLECTION

The Light of The World

by Andrea Taphorn

If you read the news, hear the news, watch the news, or scroll through any sort of social media platform, you will experience the fact that truth feels and appears elusive right now. I don’t know about you, but I feel tired. You may have read that sentence, and just now thought, “Well, I follow in the footsteps of Socrates’ quest for wisdom through science, reasoning and intellect.”

 

For scientific reasoning, doubt is the main engine of knowledge. This is the foundation for classical skepticism. You may be saying to me, “Work harder at reading and understanding the data, Andrea.”  And while I read and will continue to read the news and I deeply respect the field of science; I also know that neither of these disciplines deliver me truth.

I love these verses from the beginning of the gospel of John. John says that Jesus is the word of God and that word creates reality. That word defines truth. The word of God is Christ and Christ is truth. Here in these verses we see that what God says, God does. And what God does, God says. 

God authors creation and life into existence through Christ. God’s word creates something new out of nothing. God’s word for us in Christ, kills old sinners and raises new saints. God’s word functions on your eyes and works like a cornea transplant to see with eyes of faith. God’s word functions on the body to open your hands to serve and care for your enemy. God’s word functions on your mind bringing about faith and trust. God’s word functions on your heart softening it to love. God’s word functions on your soul to press out hope.

What kind of authority is this? Reading the news or understanding science cannot come close to this kind of power and authority. And, once you’ve experienced it, as painful as it is to be killed and brought to new life, well… you just can’t get enough of it. This gospel word given to us in Christ—a lived, died, and raised to new life word authors and creates our lives. And don’t forget that this word, first says, you are sinner.

Jesus promises something important about sin. He forgives it. So, be put to death sinner and be raised to new life in faith. This Gospel truth will forever transcend any other news or information in our lives. It re-centers and resets our minds in faith and trust in Christ. 

UALC’S CAMPAIGN OF PRAYER

MONDAY - MEDICAL PERSONNEL

Pray for our doctors, nurses, and all medical professionals to have strength, wisdom, endurance, and alertness.

Calling of Abram

June 15, 2020

Abram is called away from the world he knew. He is called to defy the traditions of his patriarchal culture, and to leave his father's home. This was a call to move forward culturally, spiritually, and economically. It was filled with risk and uncertainty, and yet Abram responded in faithful obedience. 

SCRIPTURE
Click here to read Genesis 12:1-7

For more help, study the passage using this tool:  Bible Study methods.

REFLECTION

Calling of Abram

By Andrea Taphorn

God called Abram to go from his country and his people, where Abram knew himself and his life, to unlearn who he was and who God is and how God creates and makes a family and a people. God called Abram to a new land, a promised land. This was an altogether different place, because unlearning who you are is the knowing and the learning that changes your life and changes your future.

I have been doing a lot of thinking and praying lately to unlearn systems I know so well. Systems that I don’t even see as systems, they are just life.  They are “the way things work.”  God called Abram away from “the way things work” to deliver him a promise he did not earn or deserve. God’s work in this story is small and slow and quiet. It’s not a power move that took over an entire people by force or by might. He spoke to Abram and granted him faith.

This was not a call for Abram to rise-up into the man he knew lived inside of him. This was a calling away from everything that might have propped up Abram from inside and outside of himself. This was a calling that had nothing to do with Abram’s greatness; rather a discovery, a faith, given as a gift from God. Abram is gifted faith to see that God is God, who gives righteousness.  It’s not earned or worked for. It’s freely given. God is a God who works in and through people, so that people bless people, who bless people through the word of God’s promise of love and faithfulness.  And that promise is for all people. Not just one person, or one ethnic group, or one nation.  God says his love is for the whole world. This is a whole different vision for family than Abram, or you and me, could ever envision without the vision of God.

Systems of oppression, such as the racism we have built in our society, are not built with the vision of God for human flourishing.  God, put to death in us the “way things work,” so that we can live with freedom and justice for all.  Give us wisdom and faith to unlearn who we are, to learn who you are, and how you create and make family. 

   

UALC’s CAMPAIGN OF PRAYER

The LORD Established His Throne

December 14                                                        

Scripture Reading
Read Psalm 103:15-19 and reflect on the passage.

Take a deep breath and inhale God’s hope for you for whatever you face in this moment called today.  Exhale all your worries and heartaches.  Let the love of Jesus sink down deep into your heart today.  Let the closeness of God, Emmanuel, God with us, rest on you. As you do this, He will establish His rule and reign in you this day.

Let’s remember that scandalous night when God kept His promise and reestablished His rule and reign once again in the world. He entered the world to reign as a needy, dependent, impoverished baby. He showed His bias towards outsiders and nobodies, by being welcomed into the world by his poor parents, along with shepherds and animals. His bed was a manger.

The upside-down kingdom arrived and the whole earth exhaled in relief and for the first time inhaled a breath of hope – hope that things could be different. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel. God with us. In our mess, in our despair, God comes to us in Jesus. He comes to heal the world with love and grace.

Questions

1       What does inhaling hope look like for you today?

2    How might God be nudging you in your heart to reestablish His rule and reign in your heart today?

Prayer

Thanks, Lord, for your upside-down kingdom. As I breathe in Your hope, may Your power and reign be firmly established in my heart today.

                                                                                                                        Andrea Taphorn