Sojourners

A sojourner is a traveler; one who typically stays a short while. However, sometimes the journey, or the stay, takes on a life of its own.

In my Bible reading I have been wandering through Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers.  I marvel at how the Children of Israel, chosen as God’s people, tried in so many ways to wander away from God, but our faithful God continually brought them back.  Eventually these sojourners  were delivered to the Promised Land.

This weekend I heard a wonderful, miraculous story about a people brought through two hurricanes to a different kind of Promised Land they call Promise Lane. See their story here.

It started with an hour long drive to the airport from the hotel where I was a speaker for a conference of early childhood teachers each with a ministry of their own. I asked my driver what was his second job. He told me he did video ministry for a church called Smoking for Jesus Ministry.

He got my attention and I asked for more . . .

The church began in New Orleans, in the 9^th ward. When Hurricane Katrina threatened, 50 families from this group evacuated to a camp in Texas only to be evacuated again due to Hurricane Rita three weeks later. The end of their sojourn brought them to Marble Falls, Texas and now to a former camp turned ministry and neighborhood.

Yes, you read that right, over 150 people, almost an entire congregation, moved more than 500 miles away and set up camp to do the work God set before them. 

I asked if my story teller missed New Orleans, but then I realized most of his friends and family came with him. He does miss the food, but the ministry runs a New Orleans’ style restaurant.

Think of the faith with which God has blessed these folks. Think of His love and protection for them – not only as individuals, but for their families, and their church family.

Thank you, Jesus.

I am reminded of my ancestors, several generations back; sojourners of a different sort, who boarded two boats headed from the Saxony area of Germany to St. Louis, Missouri. One boat was lost at sea taking many of my relatives with it, but a several-greats grandfather survived, built a life, a family, and a church in his new homeland.

Thank you, Jesus.

There are more than a few ways to be sojourners. Sometimes God asks us to pack up and move – quickly. Sometimes we come back, but more often than not we are expected to rebuild a new life.

Sometimes our sojourn is not a physical move. Instead, it is a sojourn of ministry. Perhaps one door closes and another opens. Grief causes us to linger at the closed door and ignore the new one. It is only by God’s urging that He reminds us He is present in each place and throughout the transition between places.  When we sojourn in this way our task is the same. We must set up camp and proceed with the work God sets before us.

When the Children of Israel were about to enter the Promised Land, a foreigner named Balaam was hired to curse them. God’s people were immigrants, soon to be inhabitants and those who lived in the area were dead set against being conquered. 

But, Balaam could not curse God’s chosen people. Instead, on God’s instruction, he blessed them and prophesied

A star shall come out of Jacob. Numbers 24:17

No matter the nature of our sojourn, no matter where our faith takes us, Jesus, the star of Jacob, is always with us. He is woven in and out of our work and our journey.

Believe!

One of the little “joys” brought to us by the election of 2016 is the term “fake news.” In its beginning it was applied to ridiculous confabulations that were repeated over and over in hopes that people would believe them. During the course of 2017 the definition of “fake news” has morphed into anything any media outlet says that an individual doesn’t want to believe. It is interesting how it started as a tool to direct people away from the truth and changed into a tool that often denies the truth. When it comes to politicians and the media (and that goes for both sides!) it certainly raises the question: “What news can we believe?”

The daily behaviors of politicians and sketchy news outlets that declare facts to be lies and lies to be facts leave us with our hearts and minds craving truth. In these times we should remind ourselves that we cannot find truth in a sinful world and we cannot find safety, or comfort, in the so-called truth - or politics - of this world.

We know Zechariah struggled to believe the news of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, perhaps he thought it was fake news. Thankfully, both Mary and Joseph knew God’s messenger came to share, not fake news, but the Good News. 

Jesus’ birth was a gift that brought with it many other blessings. He is the fulfillment of prophesies. His death and resurrection brought forgiveness and salvation. His presence among us completes the promise of hope. We believe because of the precious gift of faith and God’s Word.

Today, as always, we find truth wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. We find truth hanging from the cross and emerging from the grave. And especially when fellow Christians disappoint us, we remember we find truth in God alone. 

This we can believe!

The Illusion of Truth

The Illusion of Truth Effect is an interesting phenomenon and one that is often used to manipulate us. We think we judge truth by objective, rational means. Our brains, however, have a different strategy. Because we need to judge information so frequently, our brains use several techniques to gauge the relative "truthiness" of what we hear or see.  Our brains use statistics, familiarity, and connection.

Children as young as infants give evidence of using statistics to learn. Infant brains keep track of how often they hear a sound in order to determine if that sound is important to language. We continue with this as we grow older, but we apply it to bigger chunks of language. The more often we hear something the more likely we are to determine it is true because our brains apply more importance to it. This works great while learning the phonemes of language; not so great when determining the accuracy of something posted on social media.

Once we have heard something many times, even if we haven’t paid close attention to it, we begin to see it as familiar. How many of us can sing commercial jingles from our childhood? We did not study these commercials, we simply heard them and now they are familiar. Chances are good we see the products that were represented by these jingles as positive, too.

The third technique used by our brains is connection. If what we hear is connected to something else we believe, then we are more likely to accept it as true even if at first glance it seems a bit unlikely. This is how political campaigns get us to believe horrible things about an opponent. The message going out is repeated in many forms and through many platforms and is just one step closer to evil than what you already accept because of your strong political beliefs. In some cases, even seeing hard evidence that something is NOT true does little to change a person’s mind. To our brains, what is repeated, familiar, and connected somehow must be true.

Look at the use of “fake news” from both sides of the political spectrum. Fake news begins as a twist of the truth but morphs into what we believe. Then it is easy to assume that anything that does not agree with our new belief must then be “fake news.” It is an insidious process and it is effective in bringing in the vote and keeping support.

But, if you are like me, this would not happen to you because we are rational beings who always check sources and information. Certainly it is good that we do, however, the effect of the Illusion of Truth Effect is to activate emotions that discourage us from thinking rationally. The trick is to activate fear or anger. These emotions urge a quick and impulsive response and they serve to make us even surer that the information is true.

The devil wants us to be afraid and angry. This makes us so much easier to work with. And not to say that politicians are devils (I don’t want to start my own fake news campaign) but when we are afraid or angry we are much easier for campaign messages to manipulate. 

Here is a good rule of thumb: if what you read makes you feel strong emotions be wary. 

Except for cute bunny videos. You can never go wrong with cute bunny videos.

For the word of the LORD is upright, and all His work is done in faithfulness.

He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.

By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host. Psalm 33:4-6

As individuals, Christians are not exempt from the effects of truth illusion, but we do have an effective weapon. We know that real, solid, dependable, non-manipulating truth is found in God’s word. This is our first defense.

Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him!

For He spoke and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm.

The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He frustrates the plans of the peoples.

The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.

Psalm 33:8-11

Our second defense is that we know we can give our fears and anger to God. He has control over our world, He has complete power, and He can overcome our emotional response and replace it with a healthy fear of Him. He does not tell us to ignore the things in the world that are wrong, the things that make us angry. He simply tells us He is in charge and will direct our righteous path.

Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in Him, because we trust in His holy name.

Let Your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in You. Psalm 33:20-22

Let God's steadfast love be what is familiar. It's a great place to be. It is safe; it is faithful; it is true.

500 Years

Castle Church Wittenberg, Germany

 Today marks the 500^th anniversary of what is accepted as the beginning of the Reformation.  Luther wanted to reform his church, but soon found irreconcilable differences. He put his life at risk, took advantage of new technology, and moved forward teaching a clearer understanding of God’s love for His people.

Here is what the reformation means to me:

Sola Scriptura

I do not have to try to decide which books speak the truth about God. I can turn to the Bible with complete confidence that not only is it God’s word, but it reveals itself. The Bible is more than a book of faith; it is the revelation of grace.

You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about Me. John 5:39

Sola Fide

It is not my responsibility to save myself or to make myself pleasing to God in order to earn salvation. I can do good works to show the love of God to others but my good works do not add up on some sort of score card. I cannot earn salvation; it has been earned for me and is given to me through my faith which is also a God-given gift. I am free to do good works out of thankful joy; not because of the burden of guilt.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2: 8-9

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. John 15:5

Sola Gratia

I am a precious, beloved child of God because of God’s merciful disposition. He is not a sadistic task master; He is a loving Father who wants what is best for me even when I seek what is worst. This grace is serious, efficacious, and revealed to me through the means of grace: the Word and Sacraments. This grace comes to me because of the sacrifice and victory of Jesus Christ.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Solus Christus

My salvation does not need anything but Jesus Christ and His redemptive love and actions.

Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. John 6:68

Martin Luther

I can see how God can work change through the work of a flawed, sinful, leader. God helped Luther to use his intelligence and passion to its utmost and accomplished His work in spite of Luther’s weakness and failings. 

God can use me, too; even me. 

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes  to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6

God loves me, He saves me, He makes it possible for me to believe and to serve Him. He brings good out of my life, in spite of my sin.

These are simple, yet powerful, truths.

A mighty fortress is our God,

A trusty shield and weapon;

He helps us free from every need 

That hath us now o’ertaken. 

The old evil foe. 

Now means deadly woe; 

Deep guile and great might 

Are His dread arms in fight

On earth is not His equal. 

With might of ours can naught be done, 
Soon were our loss effected;
 But for us fights the valiant One, 
Whom God Himself elected. 
Ask ye, Who is this? 
Jesus Christ it is, 
Of Sabaoth Lord, 
And there's none other God; 
He hold the field forever.