The Meyer Minute

The Meyer Minute for February 28, 2014

You’ll hear it Sunday, Jesus led Peter, James and John up a mountain.  They had confessed that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God” but exactly what does that mean? (Matthew 16:16)   On that mountain, Jesus was transfigured, splendid in glory, and then, “A bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.” (Matthew 17:5)

God speaks but remains mysteriously unseen.  “You cannot see My face, for man shall not see me and live.” (Exodus 32:20)  This Mystery has a Son, beloved, Who centers us on His words.  “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)  Disciples then and now, the mystery of the unseen God comes down to Jesus.  “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6)  “Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble.” “Listen to Him.”

The Meyer Minute for February 27, 2014

In grade school our daughter Katie took cello lessons, but time marched on.  When she went off to college and life, the cello sat unused until we finally sold it.  Cellist Avram Lavin said, “The cello is a solo instrument, though not as popular as the violin or piano.   It would be hard to rate instruments in terms of importance, because if you take any of them away, you have no orchestra.” (New York Times, February 21, 2003; B34).

 That’s a good description of Christian life.  Individualism is rampant in America but Christianity is about community, God’s people, about each of us as a member of the Body of Christ.  When you were baptized all heaven fixed its loving gaze on you.  Now you’re grown and have your special responsibilities to others.  Whatever your duties may be, play your part attuned to Jesus Christ and together we will be God’s orchestra, blessing those around us.  As Martin Franzmann taught us to pray, “That in these gray and latter days there may be those whose life is praise, each life a high doxology unto the holy Trinity.” 

 

The Meyer Minute for February 26, 2014

Ancient Syria was sending raiding parties into Israel.  One morning Elisha’s servant awoke to see their city surrounded by enemy Syrians.  Do you ever feel besieged by your problems?  “Alas, my master!  What shall we do?”

Elisha said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”  He then prayed for God to open the servant’s eyes.  “So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”  (2 Kings 6:15-17)  When you live by faith, there is more than meets the eye.  “Have we trials and temptations?  Is there trouble anywhere?  We should never be discouraged.  Take it to the Lord in prayer.”

“Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus.”  (Hebrews 12:1-2)

The outcome doesn’t depend on you.  God is able to do far more than we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20)     

The Meyer Minute for February 25, 2014

“Though you have not seen Him, you love Him.” (1 Peter 1:8)

Is that true?  I don’t mean do you know about Jesus Christ in your head.  Of course you do.  I’m not asking if you know things about His life.  Sure you do.  No, the question is this, do you love Him?  Years ago I heard a story about a married couple in their car, the husband was driving.  The wife was lamenting that the romance of their youth had gone out of their marriage.  “When we were first married,” she said, “we used to sit close together in the front seat.”  The husband smiled and said, “I haven’t moved away.”  Do you love Jesus?  I can’t answer for you but can only answer for myself.  I often move away from Him.  You’ll probably admit the same.  Lent starts next week.  Instead of giving something up, we should consider doing something more, moving closer.  “Whom have I in heaven but You?  And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides You.” (Psalm 73:25)   “Jesus, may our hearts be burning with more fervent love for You!”  (Lutheran Service Book, 423, 3)  

The Meyer Minute for February 24, 2014

Talk about house cleaning…  The city of Detroit plans to demolish 80,000 blighted houses in the next 6 years.  That will be over 400 buildings a week at a cost of half-a-billion dollars.  Last year the Detroit Blight Authority cleared 700 lots.  Bill Pulte, Jr. said, “We found a basement with 100 car tires in it.  We found another house with a pit bull in it.  It’s pretty unbelievable.  We found over a dozen boats and a number of different sofas.”  In the tall grass of one lot they found the corpse of a young woman.  (Detroit Free Press, February 23; 12A) Fix it now or pay later. 

“Thou shalt not steal.”  “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house.”  These commandments sanctify personal property.  If I don’t help my neighbors maintain their homes and property…  If I do not take care of my own property, so that my negligence takes down the value of my neighbors’ property…  If a city does not manage its finances, so that neighborhoods become unsafe and unlivable…  Am I not, are we not going against God’s will?  True religion is hands-on, not just hands folded in prayer.

 

 

The Meyer Minute for February 21, 2014

Right now high profile executives, government officials and celebrities are being advised what they should or should not do.  More than that, they have people deliberately keeping them "out of the loop," people who think, "I'll handle this myself.”  And now that I think about it, it's now only high profile people who have handlers.  We all have people who think they know what's best for us.

Are you a handler of God?  Our fretting and worrying about what we should do is classic handling.  "No need to bother God with this.  I'll take care of it myself.”  Theologians and religious people can be classic God-handlers.  Doctrinal pronouncements, even when true, can leave us imagining we know our God to a T.  The disciples tried to handle God.  "People were bringing little children to Jesus to have Him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.  When Jesus saw this, He was indignant” (Mark 10:13-14).

We all need trusted people to advise us, to help us take care of our business.  Just don't become a handler of God; let God handle you.

The Meyer Minute for February 20, 2013

Growing up when America was at peace, when the church had a privileged place in culture, when loving parents encouraged their children to reach for the stars…  In those days the idea of evil seemed foreign.  Sad events over the years have matured us.  The promise to Eve has been fulfilled, our eyes have been opened and we know good and evil (Genesis 3:4-5).

Poet A.E. Housman wrote about the hatred some people have for others. 

I see in many an eye that measures me

The mortal sickness of a mind

Too unhappy to be kind.

Undone with misery, all they can

Is to hate their fellow man;

And till they drop their needs must still

Look at you and wish you ill.

“All day they twist my words; all their thoughts are against me for evil.  …They lie in wait for my life.  Shall they escape by iniquity?  In anger cast down the peoples, O God!  Put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book?” (Psalm 56:5-8)

O Spirit, lead us to the One who endured hatred unto death so that we might carry His cross of life and peace.  

The Meyer Minute for February 19, 2014

Hi, my name is Jacob.  I am one-year-old, number four on the writing team.  I have a question for you big people.  Do you ever get stopped?

I visited Oma and Opa’s last weekend.  I toddled all over the place.  Toddled after balls.  Throw a ball and go get it.   But sometimes my toddling was stopped.  Oma put a fence by the stairs to stop me.  I toddled out of the room but got swooped up.  Oma held my hand in the store so I couldn’t toddle wherever I wanted.  Why can’t I go wherever I want?  Why can’t I do whatever I want?  When I get big like you, will I be able to do whatever I want?

Opa here.  Good question, Jake.  There are some places big people shouldn’t go; things big people shouldn’t do.  When God descended on Mount Sinai He told Moses to set limits so that the people would not be hurt (Exodus 19:12).  Then God said, “Thou shalt” and “Thou shalt not.”  Jacob, you got stopped and swooped up because you’re loved.  God loves big people and doesn’t want us to toddle into trouble.  Limits of love.

The Meyer Minute for February 18, 2014

Martin Luther died at age 62 on this date in 1546.  A piece of paper was found at his side on which he had written, “We are beggars, that is true.”

Live long enough and you begin to see your stature decline.  In our heady days we imagined that the world revolved around us but sooner or later we see it going past us, leaving us to realize that we’re simply one more person among the masses.  As we decline, God’s stature rises, or it should.  “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30)  “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is nothing upon earth that I desire besides You.” (Psalm 73:25)  Even our good aspirations, our praise-worthy deeds, the things we’ve set our hearts on…  Those good gifts of God become enemies of heaven if we forget our status as beggars.  “Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one living is righteous before You.” (Psalm 143:2)

It may sound extreme, but being done with yourself is the only way that God can begin to fill you with all His goodness.  “We are all beggars, that is true.”

 

The Meyer Minute for February 17, 2014

"Shibboleth" means a word or pronunciation that reveals your true identity.  When the Ephraimites approached guards serving the Israelite judge Jephthah, their pronunciation of the password "shibboleth" revealed them to be enemies (Judges 12:6).

"Your accent gives you away," said a servant girl when Peter denied he was with Jesus of Galilee (Matthew 26:73).  Are the words of your daily conversations a shibboleth?

Today is Presidents’ Day.  In August of 1776 George Washington made his displeasure known.  "The general is sorry to be informed that the foolish and wicked practice of profane cursing and swearing, a vice heretofore little known in an American army, is growing into fashion. He hopes the officers will, by example as well as influence, endeavor to check it, and both they and the men will reflect that we can have little hope of the blessing of Heaven on our arms, if we insult it by our impiety and folly." (Facts about the Presidents in The Arizona Republic, February 16, 2004; B8).

"With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. This should not be" (James 3:9).