It has been almost two years since I’ve publicly shared any devotions but the hiatus may now be over. Last Sunday, Senior Pastor Scott at my church issued a challenge: Every day, from now until Lent begins, he invited us to read a section of Psalm 119, meditate on it,  and act on God’s promptings. The full details of the challenge are here. I have accepted it.

Lectio Divina: Today’s section is Psalm 119: 33-40 (ESV) and verse 37 is my prayer: Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.

Meditation: The two phrases that caught my attention in this section are: “worthless things” and “life.” If I let myself I can give in easily to anger and despair, often. Anger and despair about the state of our world. I grew up in India and recall vividly the stark and cruel pictures of extreme poverty that I often saw, such as a man and a stray dog scrounging for food from the same pile of garbage. I no longer live in India and while I love the church to which God has brought me, I can feel like a bit of a misfit here.  It seems to me that we sometimes interpret the Bible and Jesus differently. One important difference is about the poor. All Christians must help the poor and the needy not just by giving money but by giving ourselves, I believe;  that it is in self-death we live (i.e in the giving up of selfish desires we find true life). This was Christ’s example.  Others though are cautious about this as legalism and works righteousness. Still, my own desire is not to rock the boat.  Thus, I rarely engage with my church family on a deep level.  I never ask: How much material wealth is enough? Is the American dream biblical? Today, I wondered, How guilty, Lord, am I of worthless things and not seeking life in your ways? I guess I wanted to wallow in my own guilt! Instead the Holy Spirit brought to my memory all the times I have taken Paul’s advice to think on that which is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent (Philippians 4: 8) as well as a haiku of mine among other things!

Seagulls, mollusks rest
The littoral zone reminds
God-with-us is LIFE!

Picture: The photograph shows a tea-light candle-holder given me in 2009 by Helen on behalf of the Monday Night Bible Study ladies for my teaching of The Gospel According to John. I had started to attend the Bible study a few years earlier because I wanted to make up for the years I’d lost not reading God’s Word. Towards the end of my first year I asked,  “What is Love?”  Christine’s answer,  “You are love,”  blew me away. As I prayed about her vision (I know and my family will confirm I am not definitely not love) God led us  gently.  Monday Night Bible Study became my own little lab of love, as I somewhat jokingly referenced the Holy Spirit led experiments in which we learned together to love like Jesus.  Our life-text Psalm 119: 105 is inscribed on the candle-holder: Your Word is a lamp unto my feet.

This entry is dedicated to my sister in Christ Laura.  Laura, your heart for the poor, whether they are in So Cal, Mexico, India or South Africa, encourages and inspires me. When I try to see God’s heart, Laura, I see you. You are true,  lovely, totally commendable. Happy Birthday, my friend.

Blueberries in the Rain

Last night it rained and this morning I walked around my garden, enjoying the visual feast of raindrops on all my plants. Everything looked so green and good and I am filled with such an overwhelming sense of God’s presence and plans.

Lectio Divina (daily lectio instructions): “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and spout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. “ Isaiah 55: 8 – 11

Prayer: I pray for the grace to submit to Yahweh’s plan.

Lectio Divina (daily lectio instructions): Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toll nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these… So do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will bring worried of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today. Matthew 6: 28, 29, 34.

Prayer: I pray for this grace: complete trust and freedom in Christ from anxiety or possessions, people, and worldly striving. Amen.

Lectio Divina (daily lectio instructions): For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic elements of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food; for everyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is unskilled in the word of righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, for those whose faculties have been trained by practice to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 5: 12.

Prayer: I pray for this grace: to grow in faith and in Christ likeness, with faculties trained to distinguish good from evil. Amen.

Vespers Sky, Balboa Park, San Diego, Jan. 13, 2010

Rather than do another Bible book study such as I’ve done in the recent past like Ephesians, Galatians or a more contemplative devotion like the Spiritual Exercises of Loyola, I’ve decided to pray The Daily Office as used by Anglicans and Episcopalians worldwide; Catholics and many other Christian groups pray this too as The Divine Office or Divine Hours.  I am using my copy of The Book of Common Prayer (New York, Oxford University Press, 1990) to say my morning prayers and before going to bed at night (compline). In the beginning I wasn’t 100% sure that I was doing it right and so I used The Daily Office website and The Daily Office blog to be sure that I was following the order of service, psalter, canticles, and lectionary readings correctly. Its been a joy to pray using the Daily Office. I love the repetitions and since everything is from the Bible I am able to not only pray the Scriptures but also consider it using Ignatian methods. Today’s readings: Psalms 16 (Song of Trust and Security in God) and 17 (Prayer for Deliverance from Persecutors); Genesis 6: 1-8 (The Wickedness of Humankind) and Hebrews 3: 12-19 (Warning Against Unbelief)  give plenty of food for thought and prayer. I am considering them in the context of two current events: 1) the devastating Haiti earthquake and 2) the Beloved Daughters, Fazal Sheikh exhibition I recently went to in San Diego which exposes the marginalization, oppression, and denial of basic rights that girls and women in India continue to suffer.

Lectio Divina (daily lectio instructions): And the Lord was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. Genesis 6: 6; Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. Hebrews 3: 12.

Prayer: I pray for this grace: remove all hardness, deceit, evil, sin and wickedness from my heart and all human hearts, Father. Increase faith and help us to turn to you, the living God. Amen.

Garden of Grace - Queen's Tears & Ferns

Lectio divina (daily lectio instructions):  And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6: 4. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6: 10-11 (NRSV).

Prayer: Our Eternal Father, I pray for these graces:  To love, know, and respect Jesus more and more, pray in the Spirit at all times, and faithfully, unfailingly, put on the whole armor of God.

Thoughts: (Reminder: I am studying and meditating on Ephesians, using John Stott with Phyllis J. Le Peau, Ephesians: Building Community In Christ, Downers Grove, Illinois, InterVarsity Press, 1998 (the link is to the book in Amazon). In keeping with Ignatian Spirituality, I don’t rush my reading of the Scripture for the day but sometimes take several days/weeks over one. Today, I am completing the study with lesson #11, Ephesians 6: 1-9, titled Respect and lesson #12, Ephesians 6: 10-24 titled Power).

Today is the second day of the Lord’s year 2010, A.D. Thank you, dear God, friends and family for your love in the past and in the coming years.  I am so blessed!

In their guide on Ephesians, Building a Community in Christ, Stott & Le Peau identify the five standards for God’s new society that Paul emphasized: Unity, Purity, Righteousness, Love, Respect, and Power. These last few days of the outgoing year 2009 and first two days of New Year 2010 I have found myself preoccupied and praying about the last two standards, respect and power. God, in his infinite grace, is showing me how love (of child) must be coupled with deep respect too. As for the second, I’ve never wanted or sought for power, not even in its mildest forms of influence and persuasion. In my mind, power is equated with control and when we seek to influence others, what we’re really seeking is to control them. I also have never been very motivated to bring others around to my way of thinking.  I believe it is the truth (God, not me) who sets people free.  Thus, I’m more concerned that I be discerning in following God’s call, articulate and bold in sharing it. This, of course, is not the worldly view, perhaps not even in churches. Bookstores abound with books on power, influence, and how to gain them; in fact, power is not only a favorite topic for management writers, it is found in Christian Theology sections of libraries and bookstores too! It won’t be surprising then, to find out I distinguish God’s power and might very differently from worldly power.  God’s power is different from worldly power because God has no desire to control us. What he wants is a response.  God has a power to which I freely submit because it is also a power that illumines my path, equips and protects me in the real battle in my life, the battle for my soul.  I love Paul’s exhortations in Ephesians 6: 10 – 17 for it is only by putting on the armor of God that I can access the fullness of God’s power.  Thus, for the last 3 years I’ve been praying this passage daily for my family and me: To be clothed with the Belt of Truth, Breastplate of Righteousness, Shoes of Peace, Shield of Faith, Helmet of Salvation, Sword of the Word of God. Today, this prayer is also for the whole church; may God continue to help us put on his armor only and find our strength in the Lord and in the strength of his power.  Amen.

Picture: This is a picture of Queen’s Tears blooming against a backdrop of ferns.  Queen’s Tears (billbergia nutans) is a bromeliad, a tropical plant, with hard to handle spines.  Its also called the Friendship Plant and each plant is supposed to only bloom once (what you’re seeing is the bloom).  As for the fern, I have forgotten the name of this particular type but it is one of my favorites. Both seem to do best with indirect sunlight (dappled shade) and moderate water.  These two plants grow in my Garden of Grace. They remind me of God, unchanging, the same, yesterday, today and forever. God, who created us all, knows everything, past present and future. Ferns are some of the oldest plants on earth having been around for 300 million years; bromeliads are a neotropical family, growing pretty exclusively in the New World tropics and subtropics. Similarly, he leads us into even more abundant and new life in the New Year 2010. I leave you Paul’s greeting, with which he closes his letter to the Ephesians (6: 23-24): Peace to the whole community, and love and faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Grace be with you all who have an undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.

Christmas Cactus

Lectio divina (daily lectio instructions):  Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. Ephesians 5: 21 (NRSV)

Prayer: Our heavenly Father, I pray for the grace to submit out of reverence to Christ.

Thoughts: (Reminder: I am studying and meditating on Ephesians, using John Stott with Phyllis J. Le Peau, Ephesians: Building Community In Christ, Downers Grove, Illinois, InterVarsity Press, 1998 (the link is to the book in Amazon). In keeping with Ignatian Spirituality, I don’t rush my reading of the Scripture for the day but sometimes take several days/weeks over one. Today, I am on lesson #10, Ephesians 5: 21-33 titled Love.)

It is the day after Christmas Day and this has been my best Christmas ever . Thank you, dear God, friends and family.  I am so blessed!

Stott & Le Peau begin the study on Ephesians 5: 21 -33 with this question: “What is the point of peace in the church if there is no peace in the home?” The passage lays out the responsibilities of the Christian husband and wife. I kept coming back to the first verse, Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.  I realized that my ability to love and submit to my husband, especially in those circumstances when my own will is contrary, comes out of respect for Christ; it is only reverence  – awe, respect, love – for Christ which will help me unfailingly respect my husband’s role as head of household and submit to him.  Stott and Le Peau explain this further: “Thus, submission and love are two aspects of the very same thing, namely, of that selfless self-giving which is the foundation of an enduring and growing marriage.”

Picture: This is a picture of the Christmas cactus given by my friend. As you can see Penny didn’t write much on it, just I love you! The perfect gift from a perfect friend. Thank you, Penny. I was overjoyed because my Christmas cacti haven’t yet bloomed this year - I hadn’t realized they’re epiphytes .  The Lompoc Record has a nice article asking its readers to start a new tradition of giving Christmas cactus instead of fruitcake. You can read more online at http://www.lompocrecord.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/article_e5e37280-ef78-11de-a061-001cc4c002e0.html.

A Shining Harp Angel Christmas Ornament

Lectio divina (daily lectio instructions):  For once you were in darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light – Ephesians 5:8.

Prayer: Our heavenly Father, I pray for the grace to live as a child of light.

Thoughts: (Reminder: I am studying and meditating on Ephesians, using John Stott with Phyllis J. Le Peau, Ephesians: Building Community In Christ, Downers Grove, Illinois, InterVarsity Press, 1998 (the link is to the book in Amazon). In keeping with Ignatian Spirituality, I don’t rush my reading of the Scripture for the day but sometimes take several days/weeks over one. Today, I am  starting lesson #9, Ephesians 5: 5-21 titled Righteousness.)

It is Christmas Day and my heart continues to overflow with gratitude and joy for the birth of my Savior, Lord Jesus Christ, more than 2000 years ago.

Ephesians 5: 5 -21 is about “powerful incentives to righteous living.” Today, what caught my attention is that I, in Christ, am light. I know that I am supposed to live in the light, be light, like Jesus, but for some reason, I’ve not grasped, or forgotten it, if I did, that I’m light too now. As Christ’s light in this world, helped by the Holy Spirit, I dispel darkness. I need never fear. Instead, I attend carefully to God’s call to live as a child of light. This is a most appropriate reminder today when we celebrate the birth of God as a humble and lowly baby in a remote and oppressed part of the world. Jesus is the most glorious, divine, shining Light of hope and peace, joy and love. In our darkened world, when I live in him and am filled by the Holy Spirit, he helps me become that light too. Too awesome!

Picture: This is a picture of one of the Christmas tree ornaments that I got as a gift this year, a cherub playing a harp (next to the Indian lady ornament!). The cherub was a gift from my friend Joy. I was delighted when I received this gift because it was both unexpected and perfect. It’s a perfect gift because the ornaments on our Christmas tree symbolize the years we’ve gone through. I usually try to buy that one, special ornament before Christmas but this year I didn’t get around to doing it. Joy Angel or Harp Angel, as I call this cherub, will be my 2009 tree ornament. In the years to come, my cherub will remind me of the many special things I’ve enjoyed this year but most especially these two. One, friendship with Joy, a joyful & jubilant, genuine & gracious relationship. Joy plays the harp, violin and is an accomplished performer who shares her music and love for it generously (you might recall mentions of her in this blog before). Two, my life this year has been so very filled with God’s grace and the Holy Spirit. It has also been a year in which spiritual music has  helped to deepen my faith (e.g. Kezia’s singing of What a Day That Will Be, Joy’s musical performances, IPC’s Festival of Carols, and EWCC’s Christmas worship service in tamil with veena, table, piano & guitar music). Thank you, Joy. Merry Christmas, everybody. May the God of Light fill us, surround us & help us be light, joy, peace, love, and hope now and throughout the NewYear 2010.

Video:

Prayer: Our heavenly Father, I pray for the grace to think, speak, and write only the words that affirm, encourage, and build; the words that glorify you and give grace to me and those who hear or read them.

Thoughts: (Reminder: I am studying and meditating on Ephesians, using John Stott with Phyllis J. Le Peau, Ephesians: Building Community In Christ, Downers Grove, Illinois, InterVarsity Press, 1998 (the link is to the book in Amazon). In keeping with Ignatian Spirituality, I don’t rush my reading of the Scripture for the day but sometimes take several days/weeks over one. Today, I am  completing lesson #8, Ephesians 4: 17-5: 4 titled Purity.)

It is Christmas Eve and I’ve been busy all day around the house baking, cooking, cleaning and getting last minute things done.  My passionate waiting is almost over. My heart is overflowing with gratitude and I am overwhelmed with joy.  Tonight we will celebrate, yet again, the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, God with us. Thank you for all the wonderful gifts you’ve given me.

Ephesians 4: 17 – 5: 4 is a “stirring call to unity and purity in the church.” In responding to God’s call for personal and corporate holiness, I must integrate my thoughts, words and deeds in Christ. Obscene and vulgar talk are clearly identifiable, but I find talk that is silly to be less so (whether this includes humor merits a separate post). Sincere thanksgiving, however, is one way to combat a descent into silliness.

Video: This is the short trailer of Cameron’s Avatar (2009) from youtube/Avatar movie website. Our family decided to do Christmas presents very differently this year. We decided to give each other the gift of ourselves, i.e.  we would spend time with one another doing something the other person liked. Thus, I saw the movie Avatar, which I had not really wanted to see!  I liked the movie despite the violent combat scenes and the moving but haphazard social commentary. Cameron’s Pandora is a beautiful and visually stunning world; every 3-d scene of that world that titillated my senses also triggered memories of similar but much more awesome images from Planet Earth. They reminded me of what a flawlessly perfect and integrated creation our world and mankind would have been when first created by God and before the fall. In Christ I am a glorious new creation who tries to live a holy life, integrated in purity and unity with his church, here and now, and with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Daffodils, Dutch Iris, Freesia Bulbs emerging

Lectio divina (daily lectio instructions): Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4: 29

Prayer: Our heavenly Father, I pray for the grace to think, speak, and write only the words that affirm, encourage, and build; the words that glorify you and give grace to me and those who hear or read them.

Thoughts: (Reminder: I am studying and meditating on Ephesians, using John Stott with Phyllis J. Le Peau, Ephesians: Building Community In Christ, Downers Grove, Illinois, InterVarsity Press, 1998 (the link is to the book in Amazon). In keeping with Ignatian Spirituality, I don’t rush my reading of the Scripture for the day but sometimes take several days/weeks over one. Today, I am  continuing lesson #8, Ephesians 4: 17-5: 4 titled Purity.)

I have been thinking on this verse the last few daysand reflecting on how many of my words are evil and how not to speak evil. I’ve been realizing that the lines between criticism, analysis, and judgment can easily become quite fluid, merging one with the other. The three wise monkeys covering their eyes, ears and mouth also comes to my mind: See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.  Consider traffic accidents today. Daily we see or hear of at least one accident that caused deadly injury. Sometimes these are indeed accidents but often times they are caused by careless and inconsiderate behavior. Is this evil? Yes. Only discernment and God’s grace can save each of us from doing such evil ourselves. Then, there is speaking evil. Similarly, even when I share my own hurt or puzzlement about another Christian’s action/words, I am indulging in careless, thoughtless behavior that does not build me, my hearer, or the other person. The better option is for me to take this in prayer with God and keep it in prayer before him. He will give me the discernment and peace. He’s already led me to Sirach 19 (Against loose Talk), 20 (Silence and Speech; Inappropriate Speech, Lying) 23 (Foul Language), 27 (Varieties of Speech);  28 (The Evil Tongue); and best of all Sirach 42:1a Be ashamed of repeating what you hear, and of betraying secrets. The you will show proper shame and will find favor with everyone.

Picture: This is a picture of one of the pots of spring bulbs – daffodils, dutch iris, and freesia – that I planted in October.  This is my first time growing bulbs and I’m pleasantly surprised by how easy its been, thus far, to grow them. I’ve planted them in the garden as well as in a dozen or more pots, some of which I’ve started to give away as condolence or Christmas gifts. I’m so taken with the easiness of it all that yesterday, I started to “force” some more (very simply forcing is growing them amid rocks placed in water). Though the real test, as I understand, is getting them to bloom . Mine are all mid-spring to late spring blooming bulbs; thus, we have winter to get through before I can look forward to that joy. For now, when I see the new green growth emerging from the dried up bulb, I am filled with the fullness of God itself, it seems to me. Immense hope, love, joy and peace are packed into such an insignificant, overlooked, unattractive little thing, along with such rich life.