Tag: Sarah Johnson

Total Weirdos

2 Samuel 3-4

Psalm 53

Romans 12

-Devotion by Sarah Johnson (MN)

I don’t know if any of you have noticed recently, but the world sure isn’t getting any better to live in.  There’s still a lot of really terrible things that happen all the time, everywhere.  There is rarely harmony and peace when I happen to check the news.  Across the world we see the ongoing impact of a lack of peace from country to country, state to state, and family to family.

‘Peace’ can be both a verb, and a noun, and has six different meanings according to Merriam-Webster.  In Romans 12:18, the Greek word for “living at peace” or “live peaceably” is εἰρηνεύοντες (Thank you, Google!).  It is a present, active participle.  This means it is an action assigned to a subject (in this case, a person) to do consistently. 

This peace is much more than just a lack of conflict or disagreement.  This peace is one that takes ongoing work.  This same Greek word is also used by Jesus in Mark 9:50 where he reminds those to “have salt, and be at peace with one another”.  In this passage, it seems Jesus is tying this peace to a distinct trait amongst Christians. Paul is doing the same in his letter to the Roman church.  He is listing out many unique traits believers should portray to live out their lives as “living sacrifices” (v.1).  

Consider what Paul writes about in this chapter – humbling yourself, working for the betterment of one group, hating evil, honoring others above yourself, being joyful and patient and faithful, blessing those who persecute, living at peace, not taking revenge, feeding your enemy, overcoming evil with good…  All of these things are downright WEIRD in our society!  And that’s exactly the point – this is how we are not conformed to the pattern of the world, but transformed by the renewing of our minds (v.2).  As believers, we should be standing out as total weirdos in our world. 

Peace that takes work doesn’t always look like staying silent.  Certainly in some moments it can, however, in many situations it looks like asking thoughtful questions, respectfully sharing truth, being willing to disagree and yet still show love to others.  Being peaceful may often look like standing up or standing out from the rest of the crowd. It is not something that will come naturally, or even be easy to do.

While “living at peace” is an active verb, where the subject has to take action, “be transformed” is a passive verb; the subject here has to receive the action.  What does this mean for us?  It means that we are not the ones doing the transforming by ourselves… we are not the ones that can renew our own minds.  This is something that is done to us, so that we can do all of those other wonderful things Paul describes for others.  Which is why it makes sense that the world simply cannot be better than it is, unless it too experiences the transforming renewal that Jesus Christ can offer.  We eagerly await his return, knowing that with it, he will bring a forever peace to this earth.  I am truly so excited for that day!

Reflection Questions:

  1. How would you describe the differences between the types of ‘peace’ that is in the world today, versus the type of peace Paul calls believers to?
  2. In the list of traits and characteristics Paul calls the Church to have and be, which stand out to you most as areas for improvement in your life?  What could you do today to practice?

Prayer:

Thank You Father for Your good, acceptable and perfect will. I want to be smack dab in the middle of Your will. Thank You for your tranforming me when I renew my mind and focus on You not on the world. I do not want to look like or follow the world. Help me always desire and put forth effort to do the hard work of living at peace with humility, service, and Your wisdom, direction and love. We pray for the return of Your Son!

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Roots & Grafts

2 Samuel 1-2

Psalm 52

Romans 11

-Devotion by Sarah Johnson (MN)

I have personally never practiced tree grafting.  I did a quick online search to better understand the process, where I learned a few things.  Although the process is not very labor intensive, it requires a lot of precision and time before there is any success.  Those branches tend to be very easily torn away from the root when disruption occurs, or just reject the graft and die out.  Grafting is known in many circles of horticulture as a science and an art.

When considering this metaphor, it highlights to me the real validity to Paul’s warning to us Gentiles in verse 20.  We have been grafted into an amazing promise, but we aren’t naturally connected to the root.   This should cause us to tremble!  Indeed, we know nothing can separate us from the love of God, but we also know our own rejection of the root will certainly cause us to lose our life source.  We need to take a moment to understand that God’s kindness will continue, provided we continue in His kindness (v. 22).  

What would it look like to reject the root we have been grafted into?  It could be rejecting the truth of Jesus Christ, by denying him as the Messiah.  It could look like ignoring the expectations we have for humbling ourselves, or not confessing and turning away from sin.  It could also look like attempting to keep ourselves connected by our own hand, thinking we can create our own life source out of “doing good”, ultimately rejecting grace (v.6).  David writes with similar imagery in Psalm 52:3-7, describing the man who trusted himself rather than making God his stronghold, and as a result, was uprooted!  In all of these things, our own actions are the common denominator.  No, there is nothing we can do to save ourselves.  And yet, we must cling to the life-giving root in order to be saved.  

More than that, we should be rooting for others (pun only slightly intended) to also cling to the same source of life we are!  Our God has the desire to graft ALL in – the root is not going anywhere, and all are welcome, but they must accept the source.  

I learned something else in my searches on tree grafting… a failed graft can be redone until it’s completely dead.  It may take extra time and attention, some readjusting, pruning, and reconnecting, but it can be done and still become a successful branch that bears fruit!  Failures in our faith walk can often be corrected, and we have an incredibly patient and merciful God who loves to give second (and third, or fourth) chances.  To Him be the glory forever!

Reflection Questions

  1. Have you had moments where you have experienced being “re-grafted” back to the root?  How have those experiences shaped and changed how you grow today?
  2. Why do you think some people may reject the “root”?  What way could you share the gospel with them that would be more impactful?

Prayer:

Dear God, I praise You for the life You give and for Your wisdom and knowledge which are so far beyond my own. Help me not be blind to You, Your purpose, Your kindness, as well as Your severity. Help me see Your ways and walk in them always, guiding others also to come to You to be miraculously grafted into Your life-giving way through Your Son.

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Sharing Your Relationship Status

1 Samuel 29-31
Psalm 52
Romans 10

-Devotion by Sarah Johnson (MN)

For anyone who is married or in a long-term relationship, do you recall when you first started dating your significant other?  Or, perhaps when you first met your best friend?  You may have rearranged your schedule to spend more time with them, told your friends about their good qualities, and depending on your generation, maybe you started posting pictures or even changed your relationship status on social media to show the public you were connected to them.  The relationship impacted, and even interrupted, your life and caused you to act differently in your day-to-day.

Coming off of Romans 9, it can be challenging for Christians to take seriously the responsibility of spreading the gospel.  We just read that God saves who He decides, right?  So what does it matter if we tell others, if it’s not really up to us at all?  Well, for one thing, it’s a pretty clear expectation that Jesus commands as an act of obedience (see Matthew 28:19).  But beyond that, we should desire to share the good news of our Messiah simply because we love our relationship with him!  Throughout chapter 10 of Romans, Paul describes a proclamation and confession of faith that should impact our life and cause us to spread the good news – ultimately creating an opportunity for others to hear and experience salvation should they choose to confess Jesus as their Lord.  Not only is it a life-changing blessing for them to hear, but often it can be a life-changing blessing for those who speak it as well!

Our confession of Jesus Christ as our Lord is not only through our mouth, or even only through baptism; it is through our daily lives and how we reflect Christ to others, especially non-believers.  Our proclamation of Jesus as the Messiah must go out beyond our church walls, or it’s not really being proclaimed.  You and I must be the beautiful feet spreading the greatest news, because of how head-over-heels in love with it we are. 

It’s not our job to bring salvation to the world (we sure couldn’t even if we tried), but it is our job to share about the one who already has.  Our faith should change every part of our life so that simply by existing, we are confessing Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  

We change our lives when we meet someone we know is going to be important to us.  We get excited to tell other people about them.  How much more then, should we be shouting from the rooftops how wonderful our Messiah is?

Reflection Questions

  1. Sometimes people may hide behind perspectives such as “I’m too introverted to share Jesus with others” or “I don’t really have the gift of evangelism”.  While there is a chance those things are true, we all still have our lives changed by Jesus, and as a result, have the opportunity to share him with others.  What are ways you could confess Jesus outwardly in your life this week, even if it doesn’t look like what you may expect it to?
  2. Think back on your own personal testimony.  Whose beautiful feet may have introduced you to Jesus?  Have you thanked that person, or persons, recently for blessing you with that beautiful message?  If not, I challenge you to do that this week!

Prayer

Dear Father, I thank You for Your goodness and love and plan of salvation through Your Son, the Chosen Messiah. Thank You for putting me in a place where I could hear and accept and now share the good news. Thank You for all the mouths and hearts and actions confessing Jesus as Lord. I want to love Jesus more and more. Help me share You and Jesus with more zeal, knowledge, boldness and compassion.

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A Mystery

1 Samuel 27-28
Psalm 51
Romans 9

-Devotion by Sarah Johnson (MN)

Some people are a big fan of mysteries.  I am not one of those people.  When getting a new fiction book, I start by reading the last paragraph of the last chapter just so I know what to expect (trust me, I know it’s weird…).  So you can imagine there are many things within our faith that are a challenge for me to grapple with as “mysteries of God”.  Romans 9 is a great example of one of those things that requires me to acknowledge that I simply do not, cannot, and most definitely should not know everything there is to know about our Creator.

Paul starts this chapter off by attempting to describe how deeply he loves his Jewish community and desperately wants them to understand Jesus, so much so that he wishes he himself could simply be cursed and cut off for the sake of his people (v. 3).  This is similar to how Moses offers himself to be blotted out of God’s book when he watches his people worshipping a golden calf (Exodus 30:32).  In both of these instances, these men have a deep love for their people, and yet their love alone is just not enough to change their salvation.  There was only one who was capable of holding that type of power in substitution, the man Jesus Christ.  Paul references many Old Testament passages that point to a coming Messiah and how salvation may be brought to the Gentiles in this letter – he knows exactly what doubts his fellow Jewish believers may have, and tries to proactively present his case, as he often does in his writing.

And then we start getting into that mystery part of things… God is sovereign, the Ruler over all, the one who decides who he extends mercy to, and who he hardens (v. 18).  Well that’s just not fair, is it??  I want to justify these verses in my own mind to make them “nicer” – somehow I want to twist these words, rationalize them, make them more presentable, and far less mysterious.  But in doing so, I remove God from His rightful place of sovereignty in my mind.   I am absolutely the type of person Paul references in verse 19 – “one of you will say to me: Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist His will?”.  I am nothing more than a mere clump of clay, pretending as if I have any right to tell the potter what to make of me.  

In his study of Romans book, author Jared C. Willson writes this on my very thoughts above: “If we dictate to God what he must be like, then we are not in fact worshiping God – we are worshiping an idol, for it is a god of our own making.”  When I try to over-simplify or “clean up” these mysterious moments of God, I am no longer genuinely focused on Him.  I am focusing on the more presentable parts of the gospel, when in reality, we must wrestle with ALL parts, praying for wisdom and understanding as we navigate the mystery.

I will not pretend to know why God does what He does.  I will not pretend to understand why some people just won’t grasp the gospel.  I will not pretend I can figure out the mysteries of God.  So while it may be confusing, and at times slightly disheartening or even frustrating, I will also choose to find comfort in the fact that it does not depend on human desire, or effort, but on God’s mercy alone (v.16).  What a beautiful mystery!

Reflection Questions

  1. Have there been moments in your faith walk when you attempted to dictate to God what He must be like?  Looking back now, are you able to see what you missed in doing so?
  2. The last few verses of this chapter describe Jesus as a stumbling stone.  How might believers stumble over the truth of Jesus?

Prayer

What an honor it is to speak to You Lord God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth and me. Help me see You for who You are – a God too big and great and right for my comprehension. And help me see me for who You made me to be, and do what You want me to do.

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A Kingdom Appetizer

1 Samuel 25-26
Psalm 51
Romans 8

-Devotion by Sarah Johnson (MN)

Romans 8 is truly a big chapter when I consider all of Paul’s letters… there are so many amazing ideas, reminders, and encouragements within these verses.  I encourage you to read this chapter more than just once to see what stands out to you each time through.

Woven throughout this whole chapter is the impact and role the Holy Spirit has in the life of a Christian.  This gift is one that brings life, sonship, righteousness, advocacy, and victory.  It makes sense why David is practically begging God to not remove it (Psalm 51:11) when he is caught in sin with Bathsheba!

In David’s example from Psalm 51, we are reminded of the contrast to Spirit-living: living in the realm of the flesh, which leads to death.  In this instance, though the death was not his own, David’s acting on his sin did lead to the death of Uriah as well as his son who was conceived in sin.  Not only that, but you have the heartbreak Bathsheba must have been experiencing by being taken advantage of, losing her husband, and her baby.  And yet in all of this, David writes “Against you, you only, have I sinned…” (v.4).  He understood the magnitude of his actions that caused him to be drawn away, into the realm of the flesh, which is full of death.  

At times, I think we can forget about the power we have access to that connects us deeply with God and His Son.  Sometimes, as non-trinitarians, I find we even tend to shy away from discussing the Holy Spirit.  But when we do, I fear we truly miss out on one of the greatest gifts we have access to in this lifetime!  Obviously, Jesus’ death and resurrection that bring about eternal life is truly the greatest gift.  But that is a promised gift – something we will experience and reap when Jesus returns.  The Holy Spirit is the gift we can use right NOW, a taste of what is to come…an appetizer to the Kingdom if you will. 🙂

Unfortunately for David, he did not have the bigger picture we have today to keep him going during times of struggle.  He knew of a coming Messiah, but did not know who, or when, or how.  As modern-day Christians, we have so many advantages we must remember and utilize.  One of those advantages is access to the Scriptures.  We are so fortunate to know of the final verses in Romans 8:

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Reflection Questions:

  1. There are many benefits we gain when we access the Holy Spirit, and those benefits are part of what make us so unique as Christians.  Think about your own life, have there been moments where you have experienced a supernatural peace, joy, or patience?  Have you been called to move in a way that brought about a significant change?  Have you been at a time so challenging in your life you couldn’t imagine taking another step, and yet found strength to carry on?  All of these are moments where the Holy Spirit may be interceding in your life.  
  2. What would you add as a reminder to yourself to Paul’s list of things that cannot separate you from God’s love?
  3. What other verses or key concepts stood out to you today from our reading?

Prayer:

Dear God, I praise You for Your incredible love and mercy. Thank you for the incredible gifts of Your Son and coming eternal life and thank You for Your presence and Your Spirit. Help me live daily in Your Spirit!

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Stuck at a C Average

1 Samuel 23-24
Psalm 50
Romans 7

-Devotion by Sarah (Blanchard) Johnson (MN)

Anyone else out there a rubric fan?  You know, someone who absolutely LOVES a rubric… an exact description on how to get that A+… As a student, I would get so much joy in having a clear answer as to how to get 100% in class.  If I knew the expectation, I could ensure I did exactly the right amount of work to meet the standard.  The Israelites had the law as their rubric.  The problem was, the law was essentially impossible to follow in its entirety to “get an A” with God.  Enter, Jesus.

In Romans 7 Paul describes how the law interacts with sin and God’s grace.  Though Jesus had already fulfilled the law, Paul is reiterating how the law still carries value when it comes to experiencing life and deliverance through Jesus Christ.  How exactly does this work?  It is through the law that sin is revealed in our lives – the law recognizes sin as sin, which is ultimately death (v.13).  Sin is what keeps us from life, and if we do not know what sin is, how will we know what to avoid or rid ourselves of?  

Paul’s personal confession provides a vulnerable look at the reality we ultimately all experience – “For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” (v.18).  Even with a rubric, Paul was incapable of rising to the standard due to the sinful nature in his own life.  This is the same for every Christian in all of history!  Even at our closest to perfection, we are simply never going to be above a C average.  

BUT, thanks be to GOD, who delivers us through Jesus Christ our Lord (v. 25)!  

From my perspective, this is the tension that every Christian walk holds: I am a sinner, yet I am redeemed.  There must be humility and confidence in my identity; the recognition of the death that comes from sin allows for the opportunity of salvation through my Savior.  These seemingly conflicting truths are our reality as born-again Christ followers.  Thanks be to God indeed!

Reflection Questions:

  1. As a Christian, what then is our response to the reality of these truths?  Looking to Paul as an example, it seems to start with gratitude!  How can you practice this today?
  2. Reflecting on Paul’s vulnerability in verses 18-23, have you experienced similar feelings?  How have you reminded yourself of God’s grace in these moments? 

Prayer:

Dear God – You are worthy of all my praise. Thank You for Your holy, just and good law that shows us what sin and death is. Thank You for loving us even when we were stuck at a C average, or worse. Thank You for the new union You provided for us, to Your Son Jesus whom You raised from the dead. Help me to live each day in the newness of the Spirit, bearing fruit for You.

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Set Free

1 Samuel 21-22

Psalm 50

Romans 6

-Devotion by Sarah Johnson (MN)

 I am excited to be back with you all again this year!  We will be focused primarily on our Romans passages this week, but will pop back and forth between our others as well.  Be sure to take time to continue to read the story of David, and enjoy the Psalms!

In Romans 5, we read about the abundance of grace God offers to us through the death of Jesus.  Paul begins chapter 6 assuming the rigid Romans would now be attempting to “logically justify” their own fleshly desires, to which Paul gives them NO opportunity to misinterpret his message.  In verses 1 and 15 Paul calls out “By NO means” are we to continue to live in our sinful nature!   We are set free from whatever struggles we may face, and instead bound to a loving, faithful, and holy God that promises us an everlasting life with Him when we become slaves to righteousness.


What’s more remarkable is that this ‘slavery to God’ does not fit the typical role of slavery.  Slaves offered something to their masters – labor resulting in some profit.  Their sacrifices brought about something of value and worth to their masters.  In case you forgot, God needs no laborers.  He needs no profit.  There is nothing we could ever do that would give something to God He could not get Himself.  There is no sacrifice we could offer that would bring more value or worth (see Psalms 50) to us in His eyes.   AND YET, we are called to offer every part of ourselves as instruments of righteousness (v. 13).  Why?  Because we know the wages of sin is death, and we have been given a gift of eternal life (v.23) when we submit ourselves to the One who created us. 

This simple truth of the gospel so easily loses its grandeur.  Pause a moment here and reflect on this:

You are no longer bound to sin that leads to death.  

You are free to accept the gift of eternal life.  

Jesus Christ has indeed died to sin once for all, so we may reap the benefits of eternal life.

You are under God’s grace.  

You too, may live a new life, my friend.  

Reflection Questions:

  1. Is there a sin in your life you are allowing to hold you captive?  Confess it now, and experience freedom. 
  2. What practical way can you offer every part of yourself to God today?

Prayer:

Dear Father,

Thank you for being a great God and master who gives the incredible gift of grace through Your son Jesus. Thank you for making a way out so I no longer need to be a slave to sin. Help me walk in newness of life now and eternal life in Your Coming Kingdom.

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God’s Wonderful Works

Psalms 106-107, 133

Thank you for joining me this week as we examined Scripture together!  Let’s close out with a few more Psalms, written by David.

The word ‘wonderful’ primarily means “very good”, but can also mean “astonishing”. Today’s Psalms are beautiful reflections of God’s wonderful works. Despite some of those works being consequences of rebelling against God, and certainly not our definition of “good”,  there is no denying they are still wonderful in the sense of the astonishing, awe-inspiring, power God displayed in these moments. 

All people were created by the omnipotent God, whether or not they acknowledge Him.  All people experience God’s wonderful works, whether or not they know those works are done by God alone.  In our world today, there are plenty of people that either do not know or choose to deny God’s power.  But that lack of understanding does not change the undeniable truth that God is the Almighty, and that someday, every knee will bow in acknowledgment of Him.  And oh what a glorious day that will be! 

Until then, as Christians, we should be remembering God’s wonderful works, and sharing them with others regularly. We should praise the doer of these works, giving thanks and announcing them with shouts of joy (107:22)! Our God is truly an awesome God, and worthy of all praise and recognition.  In our day to day, it can be challenging at times to pause and reflect on how God is working in the world and in our life, but it can make so much of a difference in our day when we simply say, “Thank You, awesome God.”.  

Sarah Johnson

Reflection Questions

  1. From today’s reading, which verse stuck out to you most? 
  2. As we close out the week together, I challenge you to not only take some extra time to give God praise for all He has done, but find a brother or sister to share in all His wonderful works, together!
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Personal Prayer Journal

Psalms 102-104

1 Chronicles 9-10

Today we are reading three brief, but powerful, psalms, totaling 85 verses.  The phrase “Praise God” (or some similar variation) is found 12 times in these passages.  And that’s just that phrase, not the verses describing why God is worthy of praise, which make up the majority of the text!  

Much of the praises today are focused on God’s compassionate character as the Creator of the world and everything in it.  The praise is focused on God’s works, and forgiveness, despite humanity’s faults. Even in Psalms 102, where the author is lamenting over their life circumstances, they still give praise and recognition to an eternal and compassionate God before the psalm ends!

Most Psalms have all these similar themes of praise and recognition of God’s character, just phrased differently and from different perspectives in different life situations.  They are not written to recount a story from long ago like most of the other books in the Bible, but are written by people experiencing very real, raw, emotions.  It’s basically like reading someone’s personal prayer journal!  Because these authors were real people, there is a strong likelihood you resonate with their real feelings of real life situations.  And because we praise an unchanging God, we can have confidence that we too, can experience the same comfort and joy when we praise Him.  No matter if you are in a time of lament, a time of needing redemption, or a time of awesome recognition of our creator, you can find a way to Praise Yahweh.  

Sarah Johnson

Reflection Questions

  1. How’s your “praise life” been lately? Are you taking opportunities to Praise God instead of just petition Him in your prayers? How can you improve this week?
  2. Pick your favorite “praise” verse from today’s reading to focus on this week.  Consider memorizing it to add to your own prayers! 
  3. In our 1 Chronicles passages today we read about the death of Saul due to his unfaithfulness towards God.  Saul began consulting others instead of God, and certainly did not praise Him for all the provision he had been provided.  Read Psalms 103 again, keeping this story in mind.  What can you apply from the message of this Psalm to Saul’s life and death?
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The Same God

Psalms 81, 88, 92-93

1 Chronicles 7-8

Today’s reading takes us across several different life experiences many (if not all) Christians also experience in today’s modern world:

  • Psalm 81 is a reflection of God’s provision for Israel, and a reminder of the good things they could be experiencing if they would only listen to Him.  
  • Psalm 88 is an example of low places so many of us have experienced in our Christian walk.  The writer is calling out to God to save them from suffering, to answer their prayers, and to bring them comfort in a place of loneliness. It is a lamentation and pouring out of a soul that is broken and hurting.  
  • Psalm 92 is a psalm of praise and excitement over the wonderful works of God!  This author is experiencing joy and astonishment over a Heavenly Father, and being sure to sing it loud and proud!
  • Psalm 93 is another praiseful psalm that focuses more on the sovereignty of God and His mighty power, recognizing the strength of God and His position over the entire earth. 

While each of these Psalms hold different perspectives of a human’s viewpoint of God, we can also see how in each of these, God’s unchanging, steadfast, supreme authority remains.  No matter what our current reflection of God is, He has never become anything but God.  Whether we are disobedient, hurting, praising, or fully recognizing His power, God is still, and has always been, the Creator, Yahweh, the One True God.  The God who formed and controls every aspect of the earth, that pulled the Israelites out of Egypt, and held them accountable to His commands, is the SAME GOD that you and I worship today.  

This fact can (and probably should) be both comforting and convicting.  Comforting because there is an amazing God who loves us with an everlasting love that will never change from that! Convicting because there is a powerful God, who has high expectations for believers, that won’t change from that either.  As Christians today, I believe we must consistently balance these feelings of comfort and conviction in order to best live out our days.

-Sarah Johnson

Reflection Questions

  1. Using the four options listed, what would you classify as your current reflection of God in this season?  Are you content to have that reflection?
  2. What verses most stood out to you from the reading?  Why do you think those verses impacted you the most today?
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