God invites us to dine with Him. This is where people often talk. When we sit and eat, we have time to talk. Often we dine with others. And while we eat we talk. God knows this, so He purposely created times we can include Him at our table.
I imagine it was this way in the Garden of Eden. The Lord and Adam walked in the cool of the day. As they walked the Lord showed Adam the wonders of His creation: Strawberries, Blueberries, Oranges, Apples, Lemons, Kiwi, Peanuts, Almonds, and a bushel of other tastes designed to bring joy to the palate.
God’s desire for relationship with us did not end when Adam and Eve were forced from the Garden. God continues to desire for us to come to Him. God desires to be part of our daily walk and show us things as we travel along life’s journey. But in our busy lives we often fail to notice.
The Bible tells us that Abel brought acceptable sacrifices to God. In the days of Enosh men began to call upon the name of the Lord. Enoch walked with God. God told Noah to build a boat – it was going to rain. And Noah heard God’s instructions. God called Abram from the land of the Chaldeans to worship Him, the Most High God.
Abraham followed God. He sought God daily, in every place he lived, and often throughout the day. And God came to Abraham. We see (in places like Genesis 18) that they ate together. God wants us to dine with Him. God wants us to recognize that He is the giver of all good things. He plans for our sustenance (Psalm 37:25). And the Lord desires that we recognize His presence even as we eat.
There are various meals laid out for us in the Scripture. Like the Passover Feast, the Thank Offering, the Lord’s Supper and the Agape Feast. Eventually we will join God in the great banquet in Heaven. I invite you to explore these in my book – Spring: Connecting with God.
Friday, February 15, 2013
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Spring: Connecting with God
My father is getting older. Because he can not come and see me, I am trying to visit him on a more regular basis. The drive to Knoxville where he lives is four hours long. There is a lot of time to think as I travel in the car. During the spring, a couple years ago, I was thinking about how to publish "A Passover Hagaddah in the Christian Tradition". As I drove and thought, another outline came into my mind, or, was given to me, which is how "Spring: Connecting with God" came to be written.
The Lord impressed on me how important our relationship is with Him. Often we live our busy lives without realizing how present and approachable God is to us. It is God's desire that we recognize His presence and include Him in our conversations and our lives. God desires that we give thanks for the good things of life (like the new leaves coming out in the spring), and that we ask for His wisdom in every decision. God desires that we live close to Him.
All too often people live their lives without recognition of God’s presence. Throughout the day God lays out things for us to notice. It could be a beautiful sunrise or sunset (they are different every day). It could be a rainbow (which is a promise from God for which to give thanks). It could be a formation of geese, leaves on the trees, flowers or some small animal that is sitting by the side of the road. It could be the view as we cross the mountains or plains. But God places things in our path to notice.
Our daily plan can be so full that we miss the things God sets out for us. Daily we set our agenda, often without including the Lord in our plans or in our lives. We go about our business furiously in order to get everything accomplish. We pass by the things that God has placed in our path. When the Lord orchestrates a chance meeting, or makes an activity easier we fail to see His hand in it, and we do not take time to give thanks or to pray.
Sometimes even our Bible Study and Prayer time become routine. God does not want this. He wants our communion with Him to be vibrant and alive. In Genesis 3:8 we learn that God walked with Adam in the cool of the day. This was not a one time event meant to bring fear in Adam’s life. These were daily walks with the Creator where God could show His love for man, and where man could share His love for God, talking about anything and everything. God desires a two way relationship with each of us. ...more about this next blog ...
The Lord impressed on me how important our relationship is with Him. Often we live our busy lives without realizing how present and approachable God is to us. It is God's desire that we recognize His presence and include Him in our conversations and our lives. God desires that we give thanks for the good things of life (like the new leaves coming out in the spring), and that we ask for His wisdom in every decision. God desires that we live close to Him.
All too often people live their lives without recognition of God’s presence. Throughout the day God lays out things for us to notice. It could be a beautiful sunrise or sunset (they are different every day). It could be a rainbow (which is a promise from God for which to give thanks). It could be a formation of geese, leaves on the trees, flowers or some small animal that is sitting by the side of the road. It could be the view as we cross the mountains or plains. But God places things in our path to notice.
Our daily plan can be so full that we miss the things God sets out for us. Daily we set our agenda, often without including the Lord in our plans or in our lives. We go about our business furiously in order to get everything accomplish. We pass by the things that God has placed in our path. When the Lord orchestrates a chance meeting, or makes an activity easier we fail to see His hand in it, and we do not take time to give thanks or to pray.
Sometimes even our Bible Study and Prayer time become routine. God does not want this. He wants our communion with Him to be vibrant and alive. In Genesis 3:8 we learn that God walked with Adam in the cool of the day. This was not a one time event meant to bring fear in Adam’s life. These were daily walks with the Creator where God could show His love for man, and where man could share His love for God, talking about anything and everything. God desires a two way relationship with each of us. ...more about this next blog ...
Monday, February 11, 2013
Passover Celebrations
Passover has always been a special celebration for me. I remember when I was young we used to go to my Uncle and Aunt’s home for the Seder. In the afternoon we would play games and enjoy being with family: my two sisters and cousins.
When evening came, we would gather around the table and celebrate the age old traditions with the Chase Sanborn Coffee Haggadah for the American Family. My Uncle Stuart would lead the Seder and add his traditional humor to the evening making it a lot of fun for everyone in the family.
When we moved north, my family continued to use the same Hagadah and celebrate Passover every year. This tradition continued for me even when I went to College. I remember my Junior year when I brought a friend to my sister’s house. We realized it was Passover, so we quickly put together a Seder from memory. We did not have a bone - no problem, my sister had dog biscuits. The Seder went well, and created an experience all of us still remember.
When I went to Seminary, I became part of a Messianic (Jewish Christian) Community. The community desired to have its own Haggadah. So with the help of another Jewish Believer and a Local Pastor, we put together our own Haggadah. Some of it came from the pattern I had been brought up with. The other Jewish Believer had grown up Orthodox, causing me to look into how Seders are celebrated in differing Jewish traditions … and how Passover has changed over time.
After graduating Seminary, it was natural to share the Passover experience each year with others. I have taken the Haggadah we created, and I have adapted and made it my own over the years. I have shared the Seder in churches, in homes of friends, and with my daughter’s friends in New York (which was fun because the Hagaddah includes a play, and we had an actor who participated). The Seder has been shared from my book, it has been adapted to be shared as a sermon (with powerpoint), one year the Seder was shared at my church with over 400 in attendance. I asked a member of the church interested in drama to direct the three short skits. She turned it into a full production … with dance and music, which is also a great memory. Each Seder being a unique experience which I always enjoy as I interact with others in the Seder Service.
Having celebrated and led Passover Seders for over 50 years, my wife said, “You ought to publish your Seder.” Which is being done as we produce AA Christian Passover in the Jewish Tradition. But a great thing happened along the way. … (next blog)
When evening came, we would gather around the table and celebrate the age old traditions with the Chase Sanborn Coffee Haggadah for the American Family. My Uncle Stuart would lead the Seder and add his traditional humor to the evening making it a lot of fun for everyone in the family.
When we moved north, my family continued to use the same Hagadah and celebrate Passover every year. This tradition continued for me even when I went to College. I remember my Junior year when I brought a friend to my sister’s house. We realized it was Passover, so we quickly put together a Seder from memory. We did not have a bone - no problem, my sister had dog biscuits. The Seder went well, and created an experience all of us still remember.
When I went to Seminary, I became part of a Messianic (Jewish Christian) Community. The community desired to have its own Haggadah. So with the help of another Jewish Believer and a Local Pastor, we put together our own Haggadah. Some of it came from the pattern I had been brought up with. The other Jewish Believer had grown up Orthodox, causing me to look into how Seders are celebrated in differing Jewish traditions … and how Passover has changed over time.
After graduating Seminary, it was natural to share the Passover experience each year with others. I have taken the Haggadah we created, and I have adapted and made it my own over the years. I have shared the Seder in churches, in homes of friends, and with my daughter’s friends in New York (which was fun because the Hagaddah includes a play, and we had an actor who participated). The Seder has been shared from my book, it has been adapted to be shared as a sermon (with powerpoint), one year the Seder was shared at my church with over 400 in attendance. I asked a member of the church interested in drama to direct the three short skits. She turned it into a full production … with dance and music, which is also a great memory. Each Seder being a unique experience which I always enjoy as I interact with others in the Seder Service.
Having celebrated and led Passover Seders for over 50 years, my wife said, “You ought to publish your Seder.” Which is being done as we produce AA Christian Passover in the Jewish Tradition. But a great thing happened along the way. … (next blog)
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Amidah 19 – Grant us peace
There is a desire within each of us for peace. This yearning for peace can be for different things, such as world peace; peace within our families or between friends; a desire for people to just leave me alone; or for the torments which bother my soul to cease. We live in a world which lacks peace. Jeremiah wrote, “We hoped for peace but no good has come, for a time of healing but there was only terror.” (8:15; 14:19)
The final prayer of the Amidah is a prayer for peace:
Grant peace everywhere goodness and blessing,
Grace, lovingkindness and mercy to us and unto all Israel, Your people.
Bless us, our Father, all of us as one with the light of Your face;
For by the light of Your face You have given us, Adonai our God,
The Torah of life, and love of kindness, and righteousness and blessing and mercy and life and peace;
And may it be good in Your eyes to bless Your people Israel at all times and in every hour with Your peace.
Praised are You, Adonai, who blesses Your people Israel with peace.
It is appropriate that the final benediction of this prayer is for peace, for the whole prayer lays out the source, the process and the desire for peace.
The source of peace is God: The Amidah begins by looking at God as the source of the answer of prayer. The first benediction looks at the God of our fathers. So many have turned away from this, even though the testimony of the fathers points to God as the source of Peace. The second benediction explains God is the One who can answer prayer. God is the One who is all-powerful. The third benediction looks at the God who is Holy. Perhaps this is why we fear. We are sinful men. Sinful men find no peace.
We want God to grant peace, goodness and blessing. We want Him to show us lovingkindness and mercy. We want the light of His face to shine upon us. But, God is Holy, and we are sinful people, and as long as there is sin, there is no peace.
This prayer guides us as we seek peace with God who forgives our sin. The next steps in this prayer have shown us how to receive forgiveness for sin: We pray for wisdom (4) and understanding of how we sinned and how we can grow closer to God. Understanding leads to repentance (5), which leads to forgiveness (6), which leads to redemption (7) from affliction and healing (8).
During the Amidah we pray for deliverance from want (9). The real yearning in this request is for peace. Jeremiah gave us the hope of peace in this way, “I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it." (30:6-9)
Jeremiah says, “The days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will fulfill the gracious promise I made to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David's line; he will do what is just and right in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.” (30:14-16)
Paul wrote it this way in Ephesians, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
“Give thanks to the LORD Almighty, for the LORD is good; his love endures forever.” (Jer 30:11 and 1 Chron 16:34, 41; 2 Chron 20:21; Psalm 7:17; 106:1; 107; 118:1; 136:1; Isa 12:4)
True peace can only come from God. If we find peace from any other source, it is of cheap quality. We are to seek God and His peace. The “peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7
Jesus speaks of this peace at the end of His life: "All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.“ (John 14:25-27)
And so we end the Amidah asking God to grant peace. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:7-8)
The final prayer of the Amidah is a prayer for peace:
Grant peace everywhere goodness and blessing,
Grace, lovingkindness and mercy to us and unto all Israel, Your people.
Bless us, our Father, all of us as one with the light of Your face;
For by the light of Your face You have given us, Adonai our God,
The Torah of life, and love of kindness, and righteousness and blessing and mercy and life and peace;
And may it be good in Your eyes to bless Your people Israel at all times and in every hour with Your peace.
Praised are You, Adonai, who blesses Your people Israel with peace.
It is appropriate that the final benediction of this prayer is for peace, for the whole prayer lays out the source, the process and the desire for peace.
The source of peace is God: The Amidah begins by looking at God as the source of the answer of prayer. The first benediction looks at the God of our fathers. So many have turned away from this, even though the testimony of the fathers points to God as the source of Peace. The second benediction explains God is the One who can answer prayer. God is the One who is all-powerful. The third benediction looks at the God who is Holy. Perhaps this is why we fear. We are sinful men. Sinful men find no peace.
We want God to grant peace, goodness and blessing. We want Him to show us lovingkindness and mercy. We want the light of His face to shine upon us. But, God is Holy, and we are sinful people, and as long as there is sin, there is no peace.
This prayer guides us as we seek peace with God who forgives our sin. The next steps in this prayer have shown us how to receive forgiveness for sin: We pray for wisdom (4) and understanding of how we sinned and how we can grow closer to God. Understanding leads to repentance (5), which leads to forgiveness (6), which leads to redemption (7) from affliction and healing (8).
During the Amidah we pray for deliverance from want (9). The real yearning in this request is for peace. Jeremiah gave us the hope of peace in this way, “I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it." (30:6-9)
Jeremiah says, “The days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will fulfill the gracious promise I made to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David's line; he will do what is just and right in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.” (30:14-16)
Paul wrote it this way in Ephesians, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
“Give thanks to the LORD Almighty, for the LORD is good; his love endures forever.” (Jer 30:11 and 1 Chron 16:34, 41; 2 Chron 20:21; Psalm 7:17; 106:1; 107; 118:1; 136:1; Isa 12:4)
True peace can only come from God. If we find peace from any other source, it is of cheap quality. We are to seek God and His peace. The “peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7
Jesus speaks of this peace at the end of His life: "All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.“ (John 14:25-27)
And so we end the Amidah asking God to grant peace. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:7-8)
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