1 John 3:16-17

We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?

1 John 3:16-17

Dear God, I cannot remember if I mentioned this in a prayer the other day, but I know I was talking with a friend about it yesterday. I heard a podcast where two men and a woman were talking about having been to seminary and how they think the examples held up to pastors as those you should emulate are the wrong ones. Even as a society, we often point to those who have accomplished the most with broad influence and power and valued them more than we value the faithful volunteer whose work we never see. One person in the discussion joked that instead of holding up pictures of national leaders who are influential they should hold up a picture of one of the pastors in the conversation who was serving with a seemingly smaller sphere of influence. To the pastor’s credit, he said, “No, we need to hold up a picture of Jesus on the cross. That’s the example we need to be prepared to follow.”

This passage from 1 John 3 made me think of that this morning when I read it. You are my example. You didn’t care about government power or building the kind of power structure the world builds. That was another part of their discussion. One man described the Jesus movement of the 70s and how you had these radical Christians like Larry Norman and Keith Green who went counter-culture. Keith Green made his record label angry because he gave away his records. He bought a piece of property and started a commune for homeless people. But conventional wisdom (what I’m calling the wisdom of man) takes over and says, “Hey, we need to grow our influence and reach. We need to get this out and grow.” Then we start to focus more on strategy and infrastructure and building a kingdom.

I fall into this trap at work. I work at a nonprofit that serves people. It requires staff and money. It requires a facility. And then we meet as leadership and the question we ask ourselves is, what do we need to do to grow? What’s next? And we are certain there must be an answer. There must be something that is next to grow our numbers. But it’s likely we are asking the wrong question. Is the question, how do we add more clients, or is the answer how can we be more effective with the clients we have? How can we make a meaningful impact on a few lives as opposed to a cursory impact on thousands?

Father, I am sorry I do so many things for the wrong reasons. I’m sorry for relying so much on conventional wisdom. I’m sorry for not trying to see each and every situation with your eyes. Let my biblical hero be the widow who left her two coins in the offering. She lived a small life, but it still reverberates through history 2,000 years later.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

Matthew 22:34

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again.

Matthew 22:34

Dear God, there was something about this particular verse this morning that made me think of our modern politics. These men were so concerned about being right and Jesus being wrong that they didn’t care about truth–seeing it or discovering it. The same is true of our country’s politics today. Those official politicians in power will meet together to conspire against the other side or to support their side, regardless of whether or not their side is right or wrong. And both sides do it. For example, President Clinton’s extramarital sexual escapades were condemned by the right and defended by the left. Twenty years later, the right defended President Trump and the left attacked him for the same reason. Of course, now with social media, that behavior has trickled throughout society.

But I’m above that, right? That couldn’t be me. I don’t judge someone to the point where it keeps me from loving them as myself. Right? Of course, I’m being sarcastic. I’m no Disney Princess. I’m the villain as much as anyone. I have someone I know right now who is hurting because his wife in (I presume) her early 50s died from COVID yesterday. When I went to his social media feed to learn more about her death I instantly judged him for the kinds of posts he had put up while she was apparently dying. Ever since, I have not loved him as myself, but maybe this is the kind of thing, tragic as it is, you can redeem and try to reach and soften his heart.

Father, I need your help to co finished to love you with all of my heart and to love my neighbor as myself. Forgive me for giving into judgment and group think. I simply want to be yours.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

“Rise Up (Lazarus)” by CAIN and Zach Williams

https://youtu.be/pw8IgPHRBr4

“Rise Up (Lazarus)” by CAIN and Zach Williams

In the dark and all alone, growing comfortable
Are you too scared to move and walk out of this tomb?
Buried underneath, the lies that you believed
Safe and sound, stuck in the ground
Too lost to be found

You’re just asleep and it’s time to leave

Come on and rise up, take a breath, you’re alive now
Can’t you hear the voice of Jesus calling us
Out from the grave like Lazarus
You’re brand new, the power of death couldn’t hold you
Can’t you hear the voice of Jesus calling us
Out from the grave like Lazarus
Rise up, rise up, rise up
Out from the grave like Lazarus

When He said your name, the thing that filled your veins
Was more than blood, it’s the kind of love that washes sin away
Now the door is open wide and the stones been rolled aside
The old is gone, the Light has come, so

Come on and rise up, take a breath, you’re alive now
Can’t you hear the voice of Jesus calling us
Out from the grave like Lazarus
You’re brand new, the power of death couldn’t hold you
Can’t you hear the voice of Jesus calling us
Out from the grave like Lazarus
Rise up (like Lazarus) rise up, rise up
Out from the grave like Lazarus

He’s calling us to walk out of the dark
He’s giving us new resurrected hearts, oh-whoa
He’s calling us to walk out of the dark
He’s giving us new resurrected hearts, oh

Come on and rise up, take a breath, you’re alive now
Can’t you hear the voice of Jesus calling us
Out from the grave like Lazarus
You’re brand new, the power of death couldn’t hold you
Can’t you hear the voice of Jesus calling us
Out from the grave like Lazarus
Rise up (He’s calling you out, no) rise up
Get me up from the grave like Lazarus

Rise up (You don’t have to stay there)
Rise up (oh, we hear You calling)
Rise up (calling us, calling us)
Out from the grave like Lazarus

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Madison Cain / Taylor Cain / Logan Cain / Ethan Hulse / Nick Schwarz

Dear God, the last few days, I’ve started to put these prayer journals together, but I’ve had too much to say on my phone’s keyboard so I’ve waited to write the bulk of them until I got to a real keyboard. But then I never made the time to actually sit down and pray through the things I was thinking when I started each of these. All of that is to say that I’m sorry I didn’t make it more of a priority to really spend some time with you.

When it comes to this song, I came across it in the last couple of days and it made me think of one particular person in my life. She/he is so locked up in secrets. She/he is so defensive of her/his life choices. She/he is so stubborn when it comes to being open to you. I look at the words to this song, and I just sing them for her/him:

In the dark and all alone, growing comfortable
Are you too scared to move and walk out of this tomb?

I remember several years ago I had a relative who was locked in a lot of secrets. I would tell my wife, “There is so much freedom waiting for him if he would just let go of these secrets. If he would just admit he needs help and let us help him.” Then he did, and he was able to have a pretty peaceful life. He still had struggles. He still had to battle (sometimes unsuccessfully) with addictions, but even though he has since passed on, he was able to have a peaceful last few years of his life.

Secrets, secrets, secrets. They are where we give Satan the biggest foothold in our lives. Secrets. Shame. Self-condemnation. Then we look to vices to give us respite from that shame and self-condemnation. Alcohol. Drugs. Porn/Sex. Food. Zoning out in front of a screen watching what we used to call “TV.” None of it works for very long, and all each of them does is destroy us and our relationships even further. There is no life. There is only death. But moving out of that “tomb” can seem like too much to handle.

Father, help me to be exactly who you need me to be. Help me to face the realities of my life. Help me to be what my wife, children, family, coworkers, and friends need me to be. Be glorified in me for your kingdom’s sake. Help me to rise up.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

Romans 13:8-14

Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law. This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.

Romans 13:8-14

Dear God, I am struck by the line in here, “Love does no wrong to others…” That seems very definitive, and I don’t think it’s exactly accurate. For example, I can think of a lot of mistakes I did with raising my children, and I never did them because I didn’t love them. Nearly all of them were done because I thought I was doing the right thing for them. And then there were times when I was actually doing the right thing, but they didn’t perceive it as the right thing. So this doesn’t feel quite accurate.

I was talking with someone a couple of months ago who is in their 50s, and they were referencing a decision their parents made when the person was in their early 20s. They were still holding on to a grudge over it. This friend has told me this story before, and I’ve told them, “Be frustrated with the decision, but don’t ascribe malice to it. The parents thought they were making the right decision. They thought they were doing the merciful thing.

I was talking with a young woman last night, and we were talking about having mercy for your parents. She is still in high school and, like any high schooler, is sorting through dealing with parents who are flawed–because we are all flawed and we all have flawed parents. I hope I was able to at least plant some seeds of mercy.

Father, make me the example you need me to be today. I just heard about a woman who left her husband because of his alcoholism. She did this for her own sanity, but she also did it for him. She loves him and doesn’t feel like she can enable him anymore. He didn’t see the fact that she filed for divorce as love, but in some ways it is. Be in that situation. Be with the young woman I spoke with last night. Be with the parents of the other person I mentioned. Be with me, a flawed parent in need of mercy from my children and a son who needs to extend mercy to his parents. Be with me, a flawed husband and me a man who needs to extend mercy to his wife. Be with me, a flawed supervisor who needs mercy from my staff and me the flawed subordinate to our board of directors who needs to also extend mercy to them. I am sorry for how I fail you. Sometimes I did it out of love for you and I got ahead of myself and sometimes I did it out of selfishness and vanity. I am sorry. Help me to accept your forgiveness and to forgive myself.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

Isaiah 58

“Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast. Shout aloud! Don’t be timid. Tell my people Israel of their sins! Yet they act so pious! They come to the Temple every day and seem delighted to learn all about me. They act like a righteous nation that would never abandon the laws of its God. They ask me to take action on their behalf, pretending they want to be near me. ‘We have fasted before you!’ they say. ‘Why aren’t you impressed? We have been very hard on ourselves, and you don’t even notice it!’ “I will tell you why!” I respond. “It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves. Even while you fast, you keep oppressing your workers. What good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarreling? This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me. You humble yourselves by going through the motions of penance, bowing your heads like reeds bending in the wind. You dress in burlap and cover yourselves with ashes. Is this what you call fasting? Do you really think this will please the Lord? “No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people. Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help. “Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind. Then when you call, the Lord will answer. ‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply. “Remove the heavy yoke of oppression. Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors! Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon. The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities. Then you will be known as a rebuilder of walls and a restorer of homes. “Keep the Sabbath day holy. Don’t pursue your own interests on that day, but enjoy the Sabbath and speak of it with delight as the Lord’s holy day. Honor the Sabbath in everything you do on that day, and don’t follow your own desires or talk idly. Then the Lord will be your delight. I will give you great honor and satisfy you with the inheritance I promised to your ancestor Jacob. I, the Lord, have spoken!”

Isaiah 58

Dear God, oh, how I don’t want to be one of those people. I don’t want to be someone who, well, just has to be right, has to elevate myself over someone else, or has to hold a grudge over perceived wrongs done to me or others. I don’t want to be someone who is pious for piety’s sake. I want to be someone who worships you and loves you.

I think it’s the false piety that offends me the most in others and scares me the most about the potential I have for it myself. It’s the being religious and not truly worshipping you. It’s being self-righteous instead of repenting and basking in your forgiveness. The tendency I see in myself and others is the wont to make my faith in you and relationship with you more of a philosophical way of living my life instead of a life born out of communion and relationship with you.

Father, make this real. Make my life lived with you authentic. I am truly sorry for how I failed and how I continue to fail. Thank you for your grace. Thank you for allowing this Gentile to approach the king. Help my life to simply be a fleshing out of my relationship with you and not an empty shell with a Christian veneer.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

I don’t know. But I know that I don’t know

Dear God, as our nice, crisp American society here in Texas has crumbled to some extent this week–millions without power in sub-freezing temperatures, indoor plumbing ceasing to work, grocery stores either empty due to resupply trucks not being able to run or employees not being able to arrive to open up–it’s made me think about societies that truly live in even worse conditions all of the time.

Haiti, for example. Puerto Rico after the hurricane a couple of years ago. In those areas, organized crime is high, as is petty crime. The privileged live in compounds with private security guards while the commoners are left to fend for themselves. Every day is a day of waking up wondering if you will be able to meet the most basic of human needs. Food. Water. Shelter. And if I find those things, will I be able to provide them to my family, or will they be taken from me through either organized for petty crime? The inability to defend my family or depend on the authorities to defend me would be unbelievably hard.

Then there are the stories you read in the Bible about a king laying siege to a city. One of the strategies was to surround the city and cut off their supplies. It’s a tactic still used today because it is very powerful. As I saw the food disappear from our own grocery stores and their inability to restock because the trucks couldn’t get through, it made me think of these situations as well. You can have all of the numbers of people you want, but they must be supplied with life-sustaining materials in order to function. What if those supplies are cut off?

And now there will still be thousands in my county alone who will likely be without power for the next week to two weeks. The weather will get warmer so it will be easier to be in their unheated homes, but there are still all kinds of problems to address with no electricity. And then there are the broken pipes. It will be very hard.

Father, there is a movie called Say Anything. In it, the main character, Lloyd Dobbler says a line that I’ve always liked: “I don’t know. But I know that I don’t know.” There are so many things to which I simply cannot relate. I cannot relate to being raised in deep, multigenerational poverty. I cannot relate to not knowing where my next meal will come from. I cannot relate to not feeling like I can physically protect my family. I cannot relate to not feeling like the police or the military are on my side. I cannot relate to being sexually violated. There is so much that I do not know, and I’m grateful to not know it (although I’m sure I take it for granted). But I think the good news is that I know that I don’t know. I know that someone motivated to travel hundreds or thousands of miles on foot or in incredibly uncomfortable conditions to illegally cross an international border only to end up in indentured servitude has experienced things I can’t even imagine. I know that someone who saw her mother stab her father and has no role models in her life might grow up to get pregnant early just to have someone who will love her. I know that someone who cannot provide for his family might be motivated to do whatever he can, including selling drugs, in order to get money to provide. I know that someone who lives in a slum might take their tax refund and, while it is too little to improve their living conditions, it might swing a 60″ 4K TV so that’s how they will use the money. I know that a parent, out of desperation or exhaustion or fear, might make a parenting decision I think I would never make. I don’t know what it’s like to be in these situations (well, maybe I’ve been in at least one of them), but I know that I don’t know. So I cannot solve all of this. I cannot solve the problems of everyone who is suffering in my city, my county, my state, my country, or my world today. I can’t do it. But I can try to solve a least a couple of problems for someone else. So help me to do that today. Help me to do it well and selflessly. And bring your presence into the world for those I help in your name and your power. And raise up others as well as we work together. Use this as a uniting opportunity. Make this pain and suffering count for your glory. Don’t let it be wasted.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

Mark 8:11-21

[11] The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. [12] He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.” [13] Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side. [14] The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. [15] “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.” [16] They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.” [17] Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? [18] Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? [19] When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” “Twelve,” they replied. [20] “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” They answered, “Seven.” [21] He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

Mark 8:11-21

Dear God, I’ve heard the “yeast of the Pharisees” described loosely before, but I wonder how we might define it more precisely. How might I look at this story and see the Pharisee in me or in church leaders (both local and national) today?

So what did Jesus see when he looked at the Pharisees?

• People who had lost their first love–you.
• People who had become too focused on keeping their existing position of power and influence in the community.
• People who cared more about the letter of the law than the spirit of the law.
• People who judged as inferior things they didn’t understand.
• People who had made a bargain with the existing political powers so they they and the Jewish religion would maintain its influence.

So what was Jesus saying to the disciples as he made this statement to them? Considering this is likely Peter relating this story to us through Mark, I would say that Peter definitely took a lesson from this story. He didn’t know how to apply it initially, but as the years passed, he got to apply it through the acceptance of Paul as an apostle, the following of the vision to eat the unclean food and minister to and accept Gentiles, and even the ushering in of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, certainly something for which they had no frame of reference.

So what kinds of things might Peter have to say to the American or worldwide church today in terms of what we should learn from Jesus’s words. Politically, there are certainly some national leaders who have made deals with existing political power in order to have top-down influence over society. In fact, they are very yeast-y when you compare them with the things I mentioned above. But they are too easy of a target. What is it in me that tends to be yeast-y?

• I tend to make an idol out of the man-made structures around me. I put a lot of my confidence in electricity running to my home, access to the Internet, water that comes out of the faucets (both hot and cold), and the ability to communicate with others any time I desire. How do I know this? Because right now every single one of these things has either been taken from me or is being threatened, and it has gotten my attention. I have made an idol out of my American societal infrastructure.
• I tend to want to influence others to see things my way and act accordingly. I like having an influential role in our local community. I can become prideful in that. I can desire the attention and respect I receive.
• I tend to be close-minded when it comes to what you might be doing differently today than you were hundreds or thousands of years ago. I am skeptical of those who advocate all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit such as tongues and prophecy.
• I certainly allow myself to love things in my society more than I love you. I embrace the wrong things. I pursue the wrong things. I allow lethargy and complacency to distract me from the different things you call me to.

Father, help me to see the yeast of the Pharisees that is in my life. Help me to identify it and reject it. It starts with the idols I’ve made. The idol of my society providing for me. The idol of my government solving my problems. The idol of my country’s military or economy making me feel good when I walk around instead of you. I heard yesterday about a former bishop in Haiti who is just trying to feed people, but his life is always in danger. He has no one but you. He has no government upon which he can depend. He has not power grid, running water, or Internet connection that he can say with confidence will be running tomorrow. He has no police to protect him. He doesn’t even have the church supporting him. He has only you. I have to admit that I don’t want to have to get to that point to learn that lesson, but I know that it is easy for me to look to my idols instead of you. I am so sorry.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

Romans 8:31-34

What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

Romans 8:31-34

Dear God, I know I’ve prayed about this before, but this passage reminds me of the idea that we are at our worst as individual Christians or as the church when we are fighting for our own rights, but we are at our best when we are fighting for the rights of others. There are a lot of American Christians feeling like they are currently being persecuted, and have decided to fight for their rights and for top-down influence over society. It’s an ugly look because we are supposed to be able to rest in the peace that we are loved by you, and then we have the opportunity to spread that love to others by loving them as ourselves.

I could go on an on about how the church as a whole should do this for social justice issues, but I wonder what more I should be doing. I think the first thing is relationship. I need to be more purposeful about building relationships with those who are on the other side of the social justice scale than I am. That will be the first step.

Father, in the midst of a lot of strife right now, give me the courage to know what to do, how to help, and how to give.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

“We are not as Strong as We Think We Are” by Rich Mullins

“We are not as Strong as We Think We Are” by Rich Mullins

Well, it took the hand of God Almighty 
To part the waters of the sea 
But it only took one little lie 
To separate you and me 
Oh, we are not as strong as we think we are 

And they say that one day Joshua 
Made the sun stand still in the sky 
But I can’t even keep these thoughts of you from passing by 
Oh, we are not as strong as we think we are 

We are frail, we are fearfully and wonderfully made 
Forged in the fires of human passion 
Choking on the fumes of selfish rage 
And with these our hells and our heavens 
So few inches apart 
We must be awfully small 
And not as strong as we think we are 

And the Master said their faith was 
Gonna make them mountains move 
But me, I tremble like a hill on a fault line 
Just at the thought of how I lost you 
Oh, we are not as strong as we think we are 

We are frail, we are fearfully and wonderfully made 
Forged in the fires of human passion 
Choking on the fumes of selfish rage 
And with these our hells and our heavens 
So few inches apart 
We must be awfully small 
And not as strong as we think we are 

And if you make me laugh 
I know I could make you like me 
‘Cause when I laugh I can be a lot of fun 
But we can’t do that I know that it is frightening 
What I don’t know is why we can’t hold on 
We can’t hold on 

It took the hand of God Almighty 
To part the waters of the sea 
But it only took one little lie 
To separate you and me 
Oh, we are not as strong as we think we are 

When you love you walk on the water 
Just don’t stumble on the waves 
We all want to go there something’ awful 
But to stand there it takes some grace

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Beaker and Rich Mullins

Dear God, we just keep getting humbled over and over again. I wonder at what point we will finally break and repent. I fear it will take a lot more.

I have to be honest. I’m in a bit of a fog right now. Almost overwhelmed into inaction. I just want to hibernate and go into self-preservation mode. Every man for himself sort of thing. But I’ve been so fortunate throughout this deep freeze. I have had electricity and water. I’ve been trapped, but being trapped has been pretty survivable.

That’s why I chose this song today. We are not as strong as we think we are. We have all of these great feelings of accomplishment. All of these plans. And then they just go out the window. I am not nearly as strong (or humble, meek, mild, peaceful, joyful, patient, kind, good, etc.) as I think I am. I talked yesterday about the idols I’ve made out of the infrastructure around me. I feel that same powerlessness today.

Father, I pray right now for the suffering. I pray for those who are cold and don’t know when they will be warm again. I pray for those who live on the margins and don’t know how they will get their next meal. I knew that we might have some water problems. Maybe some road problems. I did not foresee the electricity problems. Please show all of us how to give of ourselves so that others might have a chance. Frankly, I feel like I am praying in circles and I don’t even know how it pray. Holy Spirit, please help. Please intercede. Please pray. It is Fat Tuesday before Lent. May this be a Fat Tuesday like none other. A Fat Tuesday that doesn’t bring gluttony, but truly ushers in a season of worshipping you for everything you do.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

Mark 8:11-21

[11] The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. [12] He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.” [13] Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side. [14] The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. [15] “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.” [16] They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.” [17] Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? [18] Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? [19] When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” “Twelve,” they replied. [20] “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” They answered, “Seven.” [21] He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

Mark 8:11-21

Dear God, I’ve heard the “yeast of the Pharisees” described loosely before, but I wonder how we might define it more precisely. How might I look at this story and see the Pharisee in me or in church leaders (both local and national) today?

So what did Jesus see when he looked at the Pharisees?

• People who had lost their first love–you.
• People who had become too focused on keeping their existing position of power and influence in the community.
• People who cared more about the letter of the law than the spirit of the law.
• People who judged as inferior things they didn’t understand.
• People who had made a bargain with the existing political powers so they they and the Jewish religion would maintain its influence.

So what was Jesus saying to the disciples as he made this statement to them? Considering this is likely Peter relating this story to us through Mark, I would say that Peter definitely took a lesson from this story. He didn’t know how to apply it initially, but as the years passed, he got to apply it through the acceptance of Paul as an apostle, the following of the vision to eat the unclean food and minister to and accept Gentiles, and even the ushering in of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, certainly something for which they had no frame of reference.

So what kinds of things might Peter have to say to the American or worldwide church today in terms of what we should learn from Jesus’s words. Politically, there are certainly some national leaders who have made deals with existing political power in order to have top-down influence over society. In fact, they are very yeast-y when you compare them with the things I mentioned above. But they are too easy of a target. What is it in me that tends to be yeast-y?

• I tend to make an idol out of the man-made structures around me. I put a lot of my confidence in electricity running to my home, access to the Internet, water that comes out of the faucets (both hot and cold), and the ability to communicate with others any time I desire. How do I know this? Because right now every single one of these things has either been taken from me or is being threatened, and it has gotten my attention. I have made an idol out of my American societal infrastructure.
• I tend to want to influence others to see things my way and act accordingly. I like having an influential role in our local community. I can become prideful in that. I can desire the attention and respect I receive.
• I tend to be close-minded when it comes to what you might be doing differently today than you were hundreds or thousands of years ago. I am skeptical of those who advocate all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit such as tongues and prophecy.
• I certainly allow myself to love things in my society more than I love you. I embrace the wrong things. I pursue the wrong things. I allow lethargy and complacency to distract me from the different things you call me to.

Father, help me to see the yeast of the Pharisees that is in my life. Help me to identify it and reject it. It starts with the idols I’ve made. The idol of my society providing for me. The idol of my government solving my problems. The idol of my country’s military or economy making me feel good when I walk around instead of you. I heard yesterday about a former bishop in Haiti who is just trying to feed people, but his life is always in danger. He has no one but you. He has no government upon which he can depend. He has not power grid, running water, or Internet connection that he can say with confidence will be running tomorrow. He has no police to protect him. He doesn’t even have the church supporting him. He has only you. I have to admit that I don’t want to have to get to that point to learn that lesson, but I know that it is easy for me to look to my idols instead of you. I am so sorry.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen