by Pastor Peter Bean
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What to make of these verses? Not the most wonderful reading in the Bible. It started off well with hospitality shown by Lot. But it quickly degenerated into all sorts of terrible things: sexual immorality, betrayal of family, disbelief, tardiness, warnings ignored, ingratitude. And, as we read on, there is more.
What do we do with all of this? Of course, it’s easy to jump to conclusions and become judgemental of actions and inactions, groups and individuals. And don’t we do that? Sorry, I’ll let you answer that for yourself. For myself, yes, I do jump to conclusions. I do make judgements. I do look down on people. Lord, have mercy.
And the Lord does. Even when we think we have more time to prepare. Even when we joke about what God might do. Even when we are inhospitable. Even when we condemn!
I guess, here, in these verses, we have a good description of human nature. Thoughts and actions are described that can lead us away from God. Even when God is present – in our face, if you like – even when God is clear, and we can hear the voice of the Spirit guiding us. (Did you know that, in the Hebrew Scriptures, to hear is the same as to obey?)
But we also have a good description of God’s nature: to be merciful, to restore those who lack trust or think they can make it on their own. Can each of us examine our lives? Look for those times when you didn’t trust God’s promises and thought you could make it alone. Look for those times when God’s mercy re-appeared: in a word of forgiveness, in a restoration of relationships, in a comforting hug, in the quiet breath of the Spirit breathing new life into you.
And give thanks for the Lord’s mercy.
Lord God, Heavenly Dad, gracious Saviour, life-giving Spirit, thank you for your mercy, shown to me in so many ways. Thank you. Amen.
In early October, Peter enjoyed a family camp with his children and grandchildren at Lake Bonney, South Australia. Then, he returned to weeding, planting, riding, reading and relaxing.
Parting words
by Linda Macqueen
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Let not your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me (John 14:1).
Read John 14:1–14
In the upper room, the air is thick with a dread you can almost smell. Lately, Jesus has been saying disturbing things – about betrayal, denial, even his death. And tonight, it all seems to be coming to a head. Like a deer with its nose to the breeze, the disciples sniff impending doom.
And Jesus … just imagine what he’s feeling as the sand in the hourglass runs thinner and faster. How will he use these precious final hours – these hours before everything they’d believed Jesus to be would crumble at the cross?
First, what doesn’t he do? He doesn’t give his friends a pep talk. He doesn’t give them dot-point summaries of the teachings he ran out of time to deliver. He doesn’t unlock the meanings of the parables they had failed to grasp. None of that will carry them through the future he sees for them. What they will need is Jesus himself – day by day, leading them to the Father’s heart, leading them home.
Jesus’ parting words are as gut-wrenchingly tender as they are desperately urgent: ‘Let not your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me … I am the way, the truth and the life.’
The Greek word for ‘believe’ (pisteuō) has a deeper meaning than intellectual agreement. It means trust, confidence, leaning your whole weight on someone. On this darkest of nights, Jesus doesn’t ask his disciples to hum along with a creed, recite a teaching or sign up to a theological statement. He invites them to rest the full weight of their confusion and fear – and their future mission – on him.
Jesus’ invitation to his beloved friends on that dark night is the same as the one he offers to us, his beloved friends: ‘Lean on me. Put the full weight of your burden on me. Trust me … and me alone.’
My dear friend, Jesus. You see me when my heart trembles, when I struggle to understand, when nothing makes sense, when I cannot work out what you are doing. Help me to shun all the shaky props I have been leaning on, and to trust you alone – you, Jesus, in whom I see my Father; you, Jesus, who is leading me safely home. Amen.
Linda Macqueen retired in September last year, having served 26 years as editor of The Lutheran and communications manager for the LCANZ. She has rapidly adapted to retirement, happily and energetically bringing her long-neglected home and garden back to life. She lives in the beautiful Adelaide Hills with her husband Mark.
My rock and my fortress
by Glenn Crouch
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Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God (Psalm 31:5).
Read Psalm 31:1–5,15,16
When I read the words of verse 5, I hear them on Jesus’ lips as he hung from the cross (Luke 23:46). This is similar to what I experience when reading Psalm 22 (see Psalm 22:1 and Matthew 27:46). Our Lord knew the psalms well. In the depths of his pain and suffering, they were what he drew on to pray. One of my regrets is not delving more seriously into the Book of Psalms when I was younger. They are not only extremely helpful in my prayer life, but also when counselling others.
Let’s look further at what this psalm has to say to us today.
David has complete dependence on the Lord. Look at the words he uses: refuge, deliverer, rock, fortress. Are you dependent on the Lord? Is he the one you run to when things get all messed up? Can you count on him to deliver you from your fear, anxiety and sin? Is he the most stable thing in your life – your foundation and your rock? When you are with him, do you feel protected, as though you were in the centre of a mighty fortress?
Now that you’ve thought about those things. Read verses 1 to 5 as a prayer to the Lord.
Let’s not forget verses 15 and 16. Once again, think about these words. Is it not your desire to have God’s face shine upon you? Do you not rely on his unfailing love for your salvation, for your deliverance? Read these two verses as a prayer to the Lord.
As our journey together this week concludes, I encourage you to spend time praying through the Psalms and following in the footsteps of our Good Shepherd.
Great and merciful God, you are indeed my rock and my refuge. I so want your face to shine upon me. Help me bring all my problems to you. Help me to trust you more. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Glenn is the pastor of St John’s Lutheran Church in Esperance and looks after St Paul’s Lutheran Church in Kalgoorlie–Boulder, Western Australia. Glenn and Karen have been married since 1985. They have two grown sons and are enjoying when they can get to Perth to spend time with their first grandchild.
Being a shepherd
by Glenn Crouch
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Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them – not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be (1 Peter 5:2).
Read 1 Peter 5:1–7
When I was a young adult involved in youth work with Scripture Union, people would say that I should become a pastor. I would smile and say that God had called me to work with young people – besides, pastoring was too hard a job for me. I think how God must have smiled at me in my youthful ignorance (now I’m not so young), and he had other plans.
Yesterday, we saw Paul commissioning the shepherds of Ephesus. Today, we see Peter doing a similar task. Verse 2 gives us interesting insight into vocation, and not just that of being a shepherd. Peter encourages willingness rather than inevitability. Yes, God wants you to do this, but you also must want to do it. Note also that being a shepherd is not about greed or power, but serving faithfully until our Great Shepherd (verse 4) appears.
It is worth rereading verses 5 and 6. Humility and a willingness to submit to those with more experience are not easy things for many of us. However, this is the way to follow Jesus. While American pastor and author Tim Keller didn’t invent the saying, his description of Christian humility always sticks in my mind: it is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.
We finish with verse 7, which gives us great comfort. We are often overwhelmed by screens telling us to be afraid. Be afraid of the other. Be afraid of being without food/fuel/toilet paper. Be afraid of violence/war. Is it any wonder that anxiety is rampant in our 21st-century Western culture? We need to follow this 1st-century advice: cast all your anxiety on God. Why? Because he cares for you!
Father Almighty, thanks for caring for me. Help me hand over my anxiety to you. Help me focus less on myself and more on others, and above all, help me focus on my Lord Jesus. In his name, I pray. Amen.
Glenn is the pastor of St John’s Lutheran Church in Esperance and looks after St Paul’s Lutheran Church in Kalgoorlie–Boulder, Western Australia. Glenn and Karen have been married since 1985. They have two grown sons and are enjoying when they can get to Perth to spend time with their first grandchild.