Reflection for Wednesday, Mar 12, 2008

Romans 13:8-10

Two things about this passage are striking. The first is that, in verse 8, our obligation to love one another is presented as a debt. The version of the Our Father that one of us grew up with asks forgiveness of trespasses instead of debts. Both are words that speak of owing something, but the difference between the two - in light of this passage - is striking. A trespass is stepping over boundaries and into space in which one does not belong. Debts are obligations which have not yet been fulfilled, based on a relationship between people. To say that we trespass implies we are all surrounded by fences staking out what is ours and excluding all others; a debt means we've come to agreements with others and have a sense of commitment.

The second phrase that resonates in the passage is verse 10 - that love does no harm and thus fulfills the law. Anyone who's had a crush in middle school could take issue with the idea that love never hurts others. The love that Paul speaks of, though, is a reflection of God's love instead of our more earthly conception of love. Early Christians defined the difference with two separate words - agape for the former and eros for the latter. Agape is unconditional and reflects caring for our fellow man as a fellow child of God; it makes no demands on others. It does, however, require of us the commitment to see the face of God in all people - a debt we owe to all, so to speak.

A practical instance of putting this into action happened during our commute yesterday, when a fellow passenger in the subway started to feel dizzy and sick during the ride. Those around her showed her care and concern, and made sure she reached stop safely. All of us would feel good about ourselves - even a little superior - for having done a good deed for the day; according to this scripture, though, we should actually feel humbled because we were simply doing our duty in helping our neighbor. Agape means we should concentrate on thinking of others before we speak or act, particularly in these passing daily interactions with strangers.

by the Sandifords

Reflection for Wednesday, Mar 5, 2008

Romans 11:1-10

In the prior verse the Israelites are described as contrary and disobedient, and in Chapter 11 Elijah speaks of their destruction and his own imminent danger. The Lord did not turn His back on his people in their time of trouble; instead, He assured Elijah that His covenant had not been broken, and that faith in Him would still be rewarded.

Although Paul wrote this passage for his own time, his words apply equally today. They remind us that no matter how much we immerse ourselves in prayer and study, we still cannot know perfectly the will of God. What seemed to Elijah to be the end of his people and their covenant was only a troubled time that would be surmounted. In even the greatest tragedy there is a meaning, even if we cannot find it immediately. No matter how bad things may seem, we have not been abandoned to fate. Instead, through the grace of God those who embrace him will be saved. This means that no matter how often we stumble and are drawn away from God by the pleasures of everyday life, we will still be able to turn back to God and be welcomed like the Prodigal Son. There may be times in our lives when we think that God has withdrawn from our lives, but He is always for our return with open arms. What a comforting thought! No matter what we are going through, through his grace we are safe and will eternal life in heaven with Him.

by Katy and Matt Sandiford

Belated reflection for Wednesday, Feb 27, 2008

Romans 8:14-30

It is human nature to want what we haven't got. It's hard to not look at the latest gadget or fashion trend and want it for our own, regardless of what our better angels might advise. Or, as Paul put it in this selection, "hope that it is seen is no hope at all." (v. 18) This desire is bad enough when it comes to our material comforts, but can be insufferable when matters of the sprit are concerned. At least we can stare at the latest iPod; what can we look at or touch to make us feel better about our fears and hopes? The iPod won't help - nor will any other tangible thing in the long run.

The answer is that our present wants cannot compare with the glories to be revealed within us (v. 18). No matter what is in front of us - problems at school, with friends, the Knicks - all of these daily frustrations are insignificant compared to the promise of being reunited with Christ in heaven. But being human - and wanting more immediate comfort - what can we turn to?

Sometimes we may not even understand what is causing our frustration or sorrow. The beauty of the Holy Spirit, though, is that we don't even have to know what it is we need from the Lord - "in the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness." (v. 26) We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit itself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. How amazing is that! God knows what we need and what we are feeling even before we know ourselves; all we have to do is pray without words and the Lord hears our hearts and responds for our good. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (v. 28)

This doesn't mean that we will get everything that we want out of life or that only good will happen to us once we trust in the Lord. I'm sure we have all had times when our parents forbid us from doing something that we wanted to do saying that it's "For your own good" - and most of the time they were right! If our parents, who are human and therefore fallible, move at times for our own good, how much more does God, who loves us with a perfect and holy love, arrange things for our good. Our final act of faith is to understand that what is best for us in God's eyes is not something we can truly grasp, but we put our hope and trust in him regardless of what that might mean for us in the present.

By Katy and Matt

Reflection for Wednesday Feb 20, 2008

Perhaps the most striking language of the passage from Romans 6:1-14 is the way in which death is invoked repeatedly to further the idea of finding grace through Christ. The idea of dying through baptism - what is usually a joyous occasion - is dissonant, to say the least. What Paul is getting at, though, is made evident in verse six: it is our old self, the one that has not acknowledged Jesus as our savior, that dies in baptism, and with it the burdens of sin. And baptism, by this meaning, is not the sacrament most often celebrated with bouncing babies, but our conscious choice to embrace a life of faith. With this spiritual baptism we look to the death of our sinful desires - our natural instinct to seek earthly pleasures, even though we are all created in God's own image. It is this part of our lives that must die to live as Christ lived.

The term "death", of course, implies finality - it's hard to be sort of dead. And by using "death" Paul seems to give us a zero-tolerance challenge: you must kill all of your base desires and actions to offer yourself to God. But Paul also includes a counter-offer of sorts by mentioning life right after he talks about dying to self. In every instance the focus is on the fact that, if only we can bring ourselves to give up our desire to be the one in charge, then we can truly become alive with Christ by living our life in a new way.

Given that we are human, and therefore imperfect, there will be times when we will give in to sinful impulses, and not stay “dead”. It is impossible for us to live up to Christ’s law, so we will all fail at some points in our lives. Thankfully, the verse 14 reminds us that salvation does not come through following the law, but through grace. And under grace, provided by Christ’s sacrifice, we will be forgiven and we need not be perfect.

by Katy and Matt Sandiford

Reflection for Wednesday, Feb 13, 2008

Romans 3:9-20

Most of the selections from Romans so far (and the reflections) have emphasized that we are all the same in the eyes of the Lord, and that we should not focus on immaterial differences. The final two verses of this selection emphasize what is important in our relationship with God, and especially His law. One of us - thanks to his day job - couldn't help but see the distinction raised by Paul as one of obeying the letter of the law versus obeying the....well, spirit of the law (Law of the Spirit?). What matters is not that we tick the boxes on a spiritual checklist to affirm our relationship with the Lord - instead, following God's word is how we truly become aware of that relationship, and following God's law should illuminate and guide our actions. Simple really, but defining one's relationship with God this way turns it entirely from something passive (simple obedience) into something far more engaged, complex and personal - not to mention demanding.

Of course, that does not mean that the law has no intrinsic value. We all sin no matter how hard we try to do as God would have us do. None of us can say that we are without blame or blemish, because no matter how hard we try, we will never be perfect enough to get into heaven on our own merit. "There is no one righteous, not even one". If we did not have the guidelines laid out in the Bible, i.e. the Ten Commandments, "Love your neighbor as yourself", and the rest of Christ's wisdom and admonishments, then we would not be able to recognize that we need Christ's sacrifice and help in order to be accepted in God's sight. Jesus is willing to become our champion before God, but we have to be able to recognize our failings and weakness through the law so that we will realize that we need Jesus in order to be cleansed of our sins.

-- by Katy and Matt Sandiford