Devotion 11.29.23

John 4

7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.)

Juergan Koetter was in constant motion, but he was attuned to his surroundings. He was a learned man with the ability to speak English, German, Spanish, and Chinese. He served in the Army in WWII as a listener to intercept German cables and decipher them. He was a businessman who owned his own company, a profitable one, and yet he made time for everyone. Juergan loved to fish, and when I mentioned having enjoyed fishing a time or two, he decided he'd help me build a fishing rod.

This wasn't just any fishing rod. It was, and still is today, a custom-made fishing rod that was guided by the hands of a master (another skill of Juergan's). During its time of careful construction and finishing, Juergan would engage in fascinating conversations. Juergan built the relationship, developed an awareness of your interests and eventually talked about things spiritual, usually centered around growing Christ's kingdom.

Juergan wasn't an opportunist. He was a realist who took time to engage the person with all things that would eventually narrow to the spiritual and then to Christ.

John 4, as mentioned yesterday, shows Christ would take time to do much the same. If John 4 was a road trip, Christ was a passenger who got dropped off and seized an opportunity while the disciples drove on to the city to buy lunch at McDonald's. Christ, as we read in scripture, either intentionally set up situations or took advantage of situations. He seized moments to teach, heal, perform a miracle or to listen and teach through His actions. The disciples, on more than one occasion, fed their stomachs when Christ fed souls.

We worry about spiritual conversations due to content. "I don't know if I know enough about .... to engage in such a conversation." Juergan didn't care. While being learned and intelligent, he relied on questions such as, "What do you think?" or "What is your thought about?" or "How would you approach...?" Bruce Wurdeman, once a church worker here in Lubbock for the Lutheran Church, noted that if we get into a spiritual conversation, we should always say, when the time comes, "Here is the Jesus I know and here's the difference He's made in my life."

Opportunities will come our way as they did Christ's. As those opportunities arise, we pray for wisdom and guidance. We pray for words from God. Yet through it all, we talk and engage the person where they are. Take interest in them and understand what they are seeking. Then as things unfold, we take time to share our confession, "Who Christ is and the difference He's made in my life..." To do so, though, means we are present, not stopping the car to drop off a passenger and looking for the best place to eat in town.

As we seek to make disciples, of our families and friends who don't know Christ or a growing in their faith, to people we know (neighbors, community members and others), to people we meet, pray for words from God and the ability to be present. Pray for the ability to listen, to ask questions and to learn about them.

Devotion 11.28.23

John 4

7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

Juergan Koetter was a man who was a disciple and who discipled people around him. He actively held spiritual conversations with people, regardless of status, and of all forms, shapes and sizes. Educated, not well-educated, state judge, felon, man on the street, rich, or poor - Juergan knew how to talk to people and move to the spiritual. Juergan was genuinely interested in the person in front of him and elevated that interest into a caring relationship that became central to his ministry. I am intimately familiar with this because I was one such recipient of Juergan's conversations.

John 4 is rich with Christ's own example of a spiritual conversation that leads to the topic of salvation. Jesus introduces himself to a Samaritan woman by asking for a drink. We see in the verses there that the woman instinctively knows this is strange because He's a Jew and she's a Samaritan. Christ builds a relationship with her by doing so which allows him to move to a new level. 

Matt Peeples (Kairos Ministries) notes that "mission happens at the speed of relationship." Even before the era of soundbite talk (prompted by media and certainly reinforced by social media), we somehow thought we had to move in quickly to make the sale or score the kill. "If you were to die tonight, are you certain of where you will go?" was the evangelist talk of the 1960's and 70's. "I'm sorry, what's your name," might be the reply.

Jesus does no such thing in this conversation. He intrigues her with His "living water" comment, and now the conversation goes deep. She's following His lead, but He's not pushing. He's talking naturally to a stranger whom may or may not be familiar with who He is.

A spiritual conversation unfolds. It's not scripted but an awareness of opportunity is key if we are to "make disciples." There are other things Christ teaches us in this that we will see in the next few devotions.

Pray for opportunities within relationships for a spiritual conversation. Pray for God to give you words to use when those opportunities arise. Pray for the skill of listening as the person speaks.

John 4 is provided in its entirety to read Christ's conversation and ultimately the conversion of the Samaritan woman.

Devotion 11.27.23

Matthew 28

16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

I am, by nature, a skeptic. I come about it honestly, having been my father's son for 45 years before his death in 2005. Dad was a masterful skeptic/cynic, seeing the dark cloud to every silver lining out there. He had some great one liners in response to what people said or did that became known as "Oscarisms," affectionately being nicknamed "Oscar the Grouch" by a friend of mine.

I've never been one for silver bullets, those quick fixes we seek as answers to problems or issues we face. This became clear when I was a principal and we'd be offered this year's answer to all our learning problems when kids are slow to grasp skills or concepts. These quick fixes are shiny, new, have bells and whistles, and I would remind staff that our job was to teach and teaching meets resistance. I often find myself in the same boat when it comes to church and programs meant to "grow your church."

I say this as a lead in to talk about Exponential, a faith movement that I attended a couple of weeks ago, which at the heart talks about "making disciples." In Matthew, before Christ ascended, he told us (and tells us in His written word) to go and make disciples of all nations, through baptism and instruction. The instruction is clear, "everything He's commanded us," and He assures us by saying He's with us in this through the end of times. However, my skepticism came through as I approached the event and as I entered the church with others from our church. "I hope they don't toss out buzzwords or feel cult-like" were a couple of thoughts that went through my mind.

Over the next few days, in order to help me process, the devotions will come from that experience. Hopefully in sharing, we learn about our roles as disciples, what that means and what are methods we can use as we share our story of faith. 

Christ makes clear we are disciples, all of us, who make disciples through our own unique way, so our prayer is to focus our minds and our prayers as disciples of Christ as we seek to follow His command. Our prayer is also one of forgiveness and mercy when we fail to attend to those opportunities that are right in front of us.

Devotion 11.20.23

Psalm 67

1 May God be gracious to us and bless us

    and make his face shine on us—

2 so that your ways may be known on earth,

    your salvation among all nations.

3 May the peoples praise you, God;

    may all the peoples praise you.

4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,

    for you rule the peoples with equity

    and guide the nations of the earth.

5 May the peoples praise you, God;

    may all the peoples praise you.

This week is the week of Thanksgiving Day, Nov 26. What is it you are truly thankful for?

I can answer that question very quickly after last week's trip to Nashville with others from our church to attend "Exponential." What is that? you may ask. That will be covered in devotions starting the Monday after Thanksgiving because this week, we want to focus on those areas of our lives and people in them for which we are thankful.

For today's devotion, tied to a theme in Exponential, I am thankful for those who have taken time to "disciple" me. Those who have taken the time to guide me, as a follower of Jesus. Those who have taken time to mentor me and nurture my gifts to share Christ's love with others, including the men who read this are certainly at the top of my list of people for whom I am truly thankful. My parents top that list as do two people specifically in my lifetime, Pastor Todd Dittloff and Juergan Koetter, both of whom were there in my 20's as I was getting my "sea legs" in this faith walk with Christ. Pastors since have helped me along the way as well, including both Tim Radkey and Eric Hiner, who have heard my confessions and provided guidance and the love of Christ when needed anyway, no matter how low or rotten I may have felt at the time. All four challenged me to be more and to push myself in areas where growth was needed, but they didn't or don't do so as a method of salvation (works). To learn from them has been a great experience for which I'm thankful.

We have had people who God has entrusted us to and to whom God has entrusted us. So the logical question is, "If you have been discipled, who are you discipling? And who are they discipling?" That's an awesome responsibility, but as our psalmist notes in this week's assigned psalm for Thanksgiving, we praise God for an abundance of gifts and grace. 

Galatians 6:2 tells us to "bear one another's burdens." That's a command and one reason for our men's ministry, as we seek to be men of God to be there for one another as needs arise. It is a great responsibility but a great joy as well as we seek to care for one another as we seek to become men of God and as we seek forgiveness, grace, love and mercy for our "feet of clay."

For these things, I am eternally thankful.

Devotion 11.9.23

Amos 5

21 “I hate, I despise your religious festivals;

    your assemblies are a stench to me.

22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,

    I will not accept them.

Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,

    I will have no regard for them.

23 Away with the noise of your songs!

    I will not listen to the music of your harps.

24 But let justice roll on like a river,

    righteousness like a never-failing stream!"

Our vacations have centered on water this year. Boston Harbor, Galveston Bay, and the Pedernales River. The coastal waters we saw were calm, and the river was not flowing because of the drought impacting most of Texas. Yet most of my life has been spent near water, the bay system in Texas and rivers, like the Guadalupe, Pedernales, or San Jacinto, and when they get churned up in a flood, hurricane, or even in normal seasons, water can be treacherous. Water can generate power and its strength can do good or do harm. Riptides in bay systems can pull you out without much notice, and undercurrents and strong flowing water can cause you to flail and fight with little chance of success.

God uses the water in verse 24 as a comparison known as a simile. Justice will roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream. Justice for what?

God points to the godless as those who celebrate and sing praises, but are not faithful. Luther notes that the "wicked" are those who believe their offerings are sufficient, relying on works.

In another metaphor on water, Christ tells us this in John 7:

37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

Christ, and the Holy Spirit, are our living waters, flowing through us to produce faith and are the only way our "offerings" can be sufficient.

Water can do harm, and water can do good. In two different passages, we see water take down the wicked, and we see it quench the spiritual thirst in man.

We pray for that living water, and we pray, as men of God, that the water flows through us with our families and neighbors, and our community.

Devotion 11.5.23

Psalm 70

"1 Hasten, O God, to save me;

    come quickly, Lord, to help me.

2 May those who want to take my life

    be put to shame and confusion;

may all who desire my ruin

    be turned back in disgrace.

3 May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”

    turn back because of their shame.

4 But may all who seek you

    rejoice and be glad in you;

may those who long for your saving help always say,

    “The Lord is great!”

Having just returned from Houston, the town in which I was born and called home for 40 years (until we moved to Lubbock in 2000), I understand David's lament from the perspective of Houston traffic. 

"Drive safely going back," I heard from the North Shore class of 1978 at our 45th Reunion. Safely? Me? It's the other guy in this city not driving safely I'm worried about. Defensive driving has gone out the window there and has been replaced by "Aggressive/Assertive/Offensive Driving" classes.

You make comments much like David when you are driving slightly above the posted speed (just to not look like you are driving in reverse), and they whiz by on either side of you and move into your lane with inches to spare between you and their car. "Drive on idiot, hell ain't half full" was a phrase a friend of mine's mom used to use when I was a kid as she drove us around the streets of our neighborhood.

Unlike my enemies on the streets and freeways in Houston, David's enemies may have been people seeking to steal his power or at least threaten to destabilize it and all of Israel along with him. Unlike my enemies on the streets and highways of Houston who weren't after me personally, David's lament about his enemies, turns into a hope and prayer that all who seek God find salvation and praise God. What a remarkable outlook!

We should pray for our enemies, spiritual and perhaps those who threaten our way of life (from a coworker seeking to do us harm to a neighbor to literal enemies of our way of life), much the same way. We should pray that they find salvation and God's message of forgiveness, hope and grace. We should pray that they find salvation in Christ through our prayers and the Holy Spirit's efforts to place faith on their hearts and lift their voices in praise to God.