Running in Faith is an electronic devotional guide written by members of Abiding Presence Lutheran Church to help readers take their Sunday faith into weekday lives. Each Devotion represents the personal opinion of the author and does not necessarily represent Abiding Presence Lutheran Church. Permission is granted to link to this page and to use the Devotions for personal, non-commercial purposes only.

Week of July 1, 2007
Pastor Dan

"For everything there is a season,
and a time for every matter under heaven."
Ecclesiastes 3:1

We begin each day somehow marking the time. The farmer marks time with the sunrise. The young parent marks time with the pattering of a toddler's feet into the bedroom. The suburbanite marks time with a combination of clock radio/I-pod station. The police officer marks time with the first call from the dispatcher. The shopkeeper marks time with the presence of the first customer.

The Lord of time gives us the wisdom to be stewards of the time we mark. The Lord of time furnishes the courage to live in this time. The eternal Lord of time also knows first-hand our struggle to live in these times. For at the fitting time, he entered our space and time to usher in the season of unity and peace for all time.

Dear brother, dear sister, mark the time well this morning. Mark the time with reverence before the Lord of time.

Eternal Father, help us to be stewards of our time and timely in our response to your call today. We pray through Jesus Christ who knows what it means to keep time with us. Amen

Week of July 8, 2007
Nancy E.

Children's children are a crown to the aged,
and parents are the pride of their children.
Proverbs 17:6

After my marriage 47 years ago, I moved from Ohio to New Jersey where I was totally removed from my family except for a few visits each year from parents and a rare visit from an aunt, uncle or cousin. There were no relatives around for me to join in observing routine family rituals that were part of my childhood. One such ritual was to visit the family's cemeteries and place flowers on graves as part of Memorial Day weekend events.

For Memorial Day this year, my husband and I were in Ohio and renewed this ritual while pursuing my interest in genealogy. Although I was not able to visit the graves of all of my ancestors, I was able to place flowers upon the graves of my mother and father, my fraternal grandparents, both sets of graves for my fraternal great-grandparents, and the graves of one set of my fraternal great-great grandparents. In addition, I was able to visit the area where one set of my fraternal great-great-great grandparents lived, farmed, operated a lock on the Muskingom River and were buried -- although their graves have been destroyed.

In addition to placing flowers on the graves, I spent considerable time reviewing the genealogical information I know about these relatives and recalling memories associated with my family. Over and over were references, and memories, related to church involvement -e.g., baptizing children, marrying in the church, singing in the choir, leading congregation singing, acting as an officer in Sunday School class, serving as deacon, acting as clerk for the session, housing the circuit pastor, responding to social-ministry needs, donating land for the building of a church, and funeral services being held in the church.

As stated in Proverbs 17:6, the children were a "crown to aged." It seemed in every generation, children brought their parents into their homes to care for them when they could no longer live by themselves. And as a child of my ancestors, I certainly am proud of them.

I have often heard people say that the church is one generation away from extinction. In my genealogical gatherings, I have documented evidence showing a family practicing their faith in their everyday lives did indeed help keep the church alive. I thank God for my family who passed their faith to me.

Be with me God as I pass my faith to my children.
I pray that it may it be as fertile as that passed to me.
Amen

Week of July 15, 2007
David M.

Samuel said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will do: he will take your sons and make them serve with chariots and horses...some he will assign to be commanders...others to make weapons of war...he will take the best of your fields and vineyards and give them to his officials and attendants...your servants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use...you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day." But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us. Then we will be like all other nations, with a king to lead us and go out before us and fight our battles."   (1 Samuel:11-20)

Since that day, the relationship between God and his people has never been the same. The people chose to be ruled by a king instead of by Yahweh. Samuel tried to warn them, but to no avail. The people wanted to be "like all other nations". This is curious, considering how Israel thought of itself as God's Chosen People. God is upset, but yet he tells Samuel to give Israel a king, which he does in anointing Saul, of the tribe of Benjamin.

Why does God accede to the request? He does so because he respects our free will, for good or for bad. Israel's elders make a choice, now they will live with their choice. Despite their disobedience, God will go along and make the best of it. He does the same with us. Despite our desire for other kings, God does not abandon us. We go after money, power, status, and worldly security. We trust in the State for security, the medical community for our well-being, and the entertainment industry for our happiness. We have turned our backs on prayer to God for our needs. We believe what we can touch and see; we doubt what we must believe by faith. We profess faith in God, but we really look to national security, social security, and retirement accounts for protection.

It seems likely that the Presidential election of 2008 will ultimately be decided by the selection of the candidate who the voters believe is most likely to protect and defend the U.S. Some candidates are running their campaigns almost solely on this premise. Add to this the promise of some candidates to provide national health care, and you have the complete package! Total security provided by the State!

Yet, polls and research suggest that Americans are more anxious than ever. Why? Maybe because deep down, we know that the security the state provides does not fulfill our need to be truly secure. It can't promise happiness. It can't promise a loving family life. It can't promise us that death will not finally destroy any and all security we have.

So what to do? Perhaps it's time for us to reverse the decision made long ago by our forefathers in faith, and say rather, "We do NOT want the state to run our lives. We do NOT want to be like all the other nations. We want God to lead us, and to go before us to fight our battles." Is this possible? It is, because God has truly not abandoned us. He is simply waiting for us to turn around and follow our true Lord. In the past, God did not reject those who called on his name, and he will not reject us if we do the same today.

Lord God, we yearn to have you lead us. We seek the wisdom only you can provide, to allow us to trust the only one who can truly make us secure. Give us the strength to reject the "kings" of the world, and to have enough faith to walk in your ways, instead of the ways of "all other nations". All the things of the earth will one day pass away, but you are eternal. Our only hope for life is in you. This is our choice. Give us the grace to make the right one. We ask this through your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

Week of July 22, 2007
Jean G.

"If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."    (Romans 10:9-10, NIV)

When I was six, my suburban congregation in northern Ohio was introduced to a new practice: the "altar call." The pastor tried to make this experience as painless as possible. We were all directed to bow our heads and close our eyes, ensuring the utmost confidentiality for those who (still seated in the pews) raised their hands to signify that they believed in their hearts that God had raised Jesus from the dead. Then all were encouraged to repeat after the pastor as he confessed with his mouth: "Lord, I have sinned . . . . Thank you for sending your Son . . . . I accept him as my Savior and Lord."

Not only did I eagerly participate in the first altar call, but also the second and the third. I lost count of how many times my hand went up and my mouth formed the confession of faith. In a sense, I have never ended the practice, as 40 years later I still frequently find myself in need of rededicating my life to the Lord. But back then each time was for me an initial dedication--in my mind the previous prayer hadn't worked, since my life didn't seem to be changed. I was never able to get up the nerve to invite a friend to church, for instance, and sometimes I was downright unloving to my annoying little brothers.

No doubt the pastor (and Sunday School teachers and parents) would have provided assurance and wise instruction if they had known my dilemma. But it wasn't until confirmation that I was asked to express my faith aloud, in my own words, to people who had their eyes open. It was a few more years before I could admit to anyone that I hadn't done a single great work for Christ. No one had the opportunity to explain that they also serve who help younger brothers tie their shoelaces.

Recently, I read the altar call was invented by Charles Finney (preacher of revival and president of Oberlin College) to help him identify potential supporters of the movement to abolish slavery. Finney expected the confession of faith to be visible and audible--if a person couldn't openly "confess Christ," how would he or she find the courage to face criticism and even threats of violence?

Similarly, Paul assumed that believers--those willing to speak their faith--would also live their faith. Later in his letter to the Roman Christians, he exhorts his readers to demonstrate their love for one another in a concrete manner: "share with God's people who are in need" (12:13). He uses "do" rather than "believe" when he writes, "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification" (14:19). But our deeds, both great and seemingly insignificant, begin with the beliefs of our hearts and the words on our lips.

Lord Jesus, may I never hesitate to acknowledge you. Let me not disdain small works of service, and give me the courage "to do what leads to peace." Amen

Week of July 29, 2007
Tracie B.

"If you indeed cry out for insight, and raise your voice for understanding; if you seek it like silver, and search for it as for hidden treasures -- then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God."    (Proverbs 2:3-5)

On July 21, the seventh and final Harry Potter book was released. There has been much hoopla surrounding this publication -- parties, midnight lines at bookstores, conjecture as to how the series will end. Some Christian groups have boycotted the entire series stating that all the witchcraft, wizardry and magic is anti-Christian.

In our household, my children and I have eagerly awaited and read each book that has come out. From the time my children could read, they have loved this series. We have read the books together and listened as one or another of us has read out loud. We have discussed the books and their meanings and in our discussions have talked about good vs. evil, friendships, family, etc. We have even had some pretty profound theological conversations as a result of reading these books.

But it is not just the Harry Potter series of books that has shown us something of God, we search for deeper meanings in many of the books we read. Sometimes we are surprised by the places where God is revealed or when a new understanding of Christianity emerges for us.

Have you read a book lately that has surprised you by its theological insights? Has God been revealed to you through a character you never expected? Are there "secular" books you would recommend to others to learn something new about our Christian life?

Thank you, Gracious God, for revealing yourself to us in many and various ways. Thank you for the gift of stories through which we meet you and learn more about the ways we can live together in you. Keep us curious and excited to learn more and more about your love for us in Jesus Christ. Amen.