When we hear the word “home” what is the first thing that we think of? Is it peace? Security? Where everybody knows my name? A place to let our hair down? Comfortable? Don’t we normally associate smells, people, events and memories with our home? The opening prayer for this week begins with: “O God, whose nature invites us always to stay close by you, help us now to make your word our home….” What does that mean, “to make your word our home”?
Scripture: James 1:19-26
James gives the instructions that we should not only listen to the word, but also do what it says. He promises that we should hear the word and not forget it and therein lays the blessing.
Reflection: Martin Luther did not like the book of James. He thought it weak, placing too much emphasis on the “doing” part of our faith. As Americans we too slip over into a works righteousness mindset. We have our checklists of things that we should do and things we shouldn’t do in order to claim the little Christian. In the back of our minds we are thinking that we are earning our place in heaven, we are placing ourselves into God’s good graces, we are positioning ourselves to be blessed … all by the “stuff” we do. In actuality that is not the intent of the scripture lesson at all. The instruction is that if we do not follow what we read/hear then the word of God has fallen on deaf ears. The directive is that we should plant the word of God deep within our soul so that every deed we do, every word we speak, every action we take will be in harmony with God’s purpose. Our living should be second nature to us, automatic, a fulfillment where the love of God and love for others simply is synonymous with our faith statements.
Prayer: Help me great God to be the same in my thinking and in my doing. Help me to so order my life that what I am in the morning is the same person that I am in the evening. Help me be a living testimony of everything that I read in your word. Help me to make my home in your word. In the name of the word that became flesh and dwelt among us Jesus Christ the same I pray. Amen.
Further reflection from A Testament of Devotion by Thomas R. Kelly
“Meister Eckhart wrote, ‘As thou art in church or cell, that same frame of mind carry out into the world, into its turmoil and fitfulness.’ Deep within us all there is an amazing inner sanctuary of the soul, a holy place, a Divine Center, a speaking Voice, to which we may continuously return. Eternity is at our hearts, pressing upon our time-torn lives, warming us with intimations of an astounding destiny, calling us home unto Itself. Yielding to these persuasions, gladly committing ourselves in body and soul, utterly and completely, to the Light Within, is the beginning of true life. It is a dynamic center, a creative Life that presses to birth within us. It is a Light Within which illumines the face of God and casts new shadows and glories upon the face of (humanity). It is a seed stirring to life if we do not choke it. It is the Shekinah of the soul, the Presence in the midst. Here is the Slumbering Christ, stirring to be awakened, to become the soul we clothe in earthly form and action. And He is within us all.”
The Struggle: I have always admired the men and women who have crossed my path who were deeply rooted in the Word and their life showed it in every way. They have, more times than not, been individuals who dropped out of school or had just a high school diploma. They were the housewives, the day laborers, the blue-collar workers, the minimum wage earners of my churches, but always within arms reach was their worn and tattered Bible along with a word of encouragement, a dollar or two for the poor and a willingness to go out of their way for others. One dear soul’s Bible was so used that she had to use a big rubber band to keep it together. I suggested that I could get her another Bible if she would like. Well, you probably know her answer. This dear Bible was her constant companion, her friend, and as she shared, “more familiar to me than even my own children”. Her stove always had two pots working – one for her family and one for a family in need. I have admired these men and women and prayed with a longing heart that I would be so committed to the Word of God that my Bible would have to be held together with a rubber band and my spirit always be ready to meet the needs of others. Then there are others who’s Bible was falling apart because they were constantly reading it, but I didn’t respect them because of the content of their living. This last group is more like me than I care to admit and therein is my struggle.
A Story:
I love telling the old story of the preacher who was invited to dinner one evening. The conversation around the dinner table was pleasant, but guarded because the parents where not really sure what little Johnny would share with the preacher man. There were some “family secrets” that the adults of the home would rather have remain secret. But they did want to impress the preacher. As the conversation developed around the Christian walk and being devoted believers the mother particularly wanted to impress the pastor with her righteousness and piety so she spoke up and said, “Johnny why don’t you go get the book that we read all the time” thinking of the Bible. Little Johnny returns with the Sears Catalogue. “No, Johnny, that’s the wrong book. You know the other book that we look at every evening.” This time Johnny returns with the Victory Secret catalogue. Getting a little more frustrated and starting to lose her composure said with a little more force, “No, Johnny, not those books. The one that is so important to us that we keep it on the table in the living room and read from it every day.” This time Johnny returns with the Southern Living Cookbook. With that the mama storms out of the room to get it herself, comes back with a big, dusty family Bible and places it before the preacher so he can read from it. They were not prepared for the pastor’s next comment, “Well, I will be more than happy to read from your Bible. Let me read your favorite passage. Which one would that be?” Silence fell finally upon the table.
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