Guest Meditations:
There is a lot of unnecessary pain in the world that is the product of human brokenness or sin. But there are other kinds of suffering which are the outcome of our service to Christ.
If we are going to take very seriously the message of the Bible: the releasing of captives, the giving of sight to the blind, liberty to the oppressed, and the proclamation and acts of the acceptable year of the Lord; if we are going to try and obey the word of the prophets and of Jesus Christ and the testimony of the early church, we are going to run into trouble.
We are going to be involved in Christ’s work, which is world-judging, world-condemning, world-transforming. This may bring us not only unpopularity among our friends, family, and churches, but probably some things that are more costly.
So, we should not enter into discipleship unless we are willing to pay the price, to pay the cost—avoiding all martyr complexes, all masochism, and all messianism— with the spirit of the joy which is ground on the promises of God himself.
Not only on the promises written in the Bible, but the promises of many Christians “written” in their experience of a living hope which is born from an encounter with a living God and a whole host of witnesses in the Christian community through the centuries and around the world today.”
Beatriz Melano Couch
Contemporary Argentine theologian
A pear seed grows into a pear tree, and a hazelnut seed grows into a hazelnut tree, and a seed of God grows into God. God does not ask anything else of you but to let yourself go and let God be God in you.
Meister Eckhardt
Introduction:
The prophets of God speak with both conviction and compassion. Because prophetic words can threaten the security of even the most devout people, prophets are seldom popular in the church or in society as a whole. Yet in baptism, each Christian has been made a prophet, one who speaks on behalf of God in this time and place. Finding strength in God’s grace, we are able to offer our merciful words and actions on behalf of all those who suffer in our world.
Jan Hus, martyr, died 1415
Hus was a Bohemian (present-day Czech Republic) priest who spoke against abuses in the church, and was seen by Martin Luther as his predecessor in the reforming movement. He was found guilty of heresy by a council of the church, and burned at the stake.
2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10
David sets up his first capitol at Hebron, then after being made king over the northern and southern tribes, he moves his capitol to Jerusalem, where he builds his palace and fortifies the city with walls against any enemy who would assault the People.
2 Corinthians 12:2-10
Paul uses experiences from his own life to relate his faith to the glory and pain of human existence. Visions of paradise and a mysterious “thorn in the flesh” keep him aware of the power and grace that keep him strong.
Mark 6:1-13
At home and abroad, Jesus and His disciples encounter resistance as they seek to proclaim God’s Word and relieve affliction.
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