Readings for Sunday, November 14, 2021

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Please note—during Ordinary Time, we follow the thematic strand of Old Testament readings

Lectionary Readings for November 14, 2021

Preparation Song: Come Thou Long Expected Jesus (lyrics here)

Reflection

These week’s readings in the lectionary are not easy. They deal with the Last Days, the final judgment, and the dark and disturbing things surrounding those events. These are not texts that are easy to read in a reflective, contemplative spirit.

But they are Scripture. And as such we believe them to be “…God-breathed and…useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (1 Tim. 3:16-17)

So as we read them we will pray. We will listen. And we will trust that, even as they call to mind difficult things, they ultimately point us to God’s faithfulness and the joy of the coming Kingdom. While the details are unknown and mysterious, we trust the working out of God’s good plan and purposes for all of creation. Until then, we join our voices with saints through the ages who have cried, “Even so, come Lord Jesus!”

For our song of preparation, reflect on the lyrics for “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus.” Although traditionally a song for Advent, it also captures the cries of God’s people all through history. Where does your soul find resonance in these words? How do these words prompt you to pray?

Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free
From our fears and sins release us
Let us find our rest in Thee

Israel's strength and consolation
Hope of all the earth Thou art
Dear desire of every nation
Joy of ev'ry longing heart

Born Thy people to deliver
Born a child, and yet a King
Born to reign in us forever
Now Thy gracious Kingdom bring
By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone
By Thine all sufficient merit
Raise us to Thy glorious throne

Israel's strength and consolation
Hope of all the earth Thou art
Dear desire of every nation
Joy of ev'ry longing heart

Come Jesus Come

Reading One: Daniel 12:1-3 (NRSV)

Song: Who Is Like Our God (lyrics here)

Reflection

With this week’s readings we are going to take our cues for meditation and prayer from words and phrases in them that point to God’s great purposes in the unfolding of salvation history, and the ultimate culmination of history in his great victory and the coming of the eternal kingdom.

In Daniel 12:1-3 we are told that in the end times, when the world is falling apart, the archangel Michael will arise. He is referred to as the “protector of God’s people,” and in ever appearance he makes in Scripture he is portrayed as a mighty warrior who stands against the forces of evil. What a wonderful reminder that even when history takes its darkest turn, God does not leave us alone.

For our time of reflection, you’re invited to meditate on the meaning of the name “Michael,” which is “Who is like God?” For people of faith it is a rhetorical question—there is no one like God. Not even the angels can claim likeness to God—in the book of Jude Michael himself is shown relying on God’s power to rebuke evil, not his own strength. And when history draws to a close, the answer will echo throughout eternity: “There is no one like our God, who is worthy of honor, glory, and praise, who has vanquished the evil one and established a kingdom for his people which shall never end!”

Here are Scriptures to guide you in sitting reflectively with this question, “Who is like God?” Read through them slowly, and let them guide you in prayer, praise, and worship.

“Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” (Exodus 15:11, NIV)

““Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way.” (1 Kings 8:23, NIV)

“My whole being will exclaim, ‘Who is like you, Lord? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them.’” (Psalm 35:10, NIV)

“Who is like you, Lord God Almighty? You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.” (Psalm 89:8, NIV)

Reading Two: Psalm 16 (NRSV)

Song: I Can Only Imagine (lyrics here)

Reflection

The phrase you’re invited to sit with from Psalm 16 comes near the end: “In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (v. 11) Even though this particular Psalm isn’t specifically about the end times, this verse certainly resonates with what we know to be true of God’s kingdom. To be in God’s presence forever will be the fulfillment of Christ’s work, the restoration of what humanity was designed for from the very beginning.

Here are some Scriptures for you to meditate on regarding the presence of God in his eternal kingdom. Read through them slowly, and let them guide you in prayer, praise, and worship.

“’This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. ‘I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord, because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,’ declares the Lord. ‘For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.’” (Jeremiah 31:33-34, NIV)

“No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 22:3-5, NIV)

“My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:2-3, NIV)

Reading Three: Hebrews 10:11-25 (NRSV)

Song: Waiting For The Day (lyrics here)

Reflection

This passage from Hebrews speaks to the “now and not yet” reality of Christ’s sacrifice—we have been cleansed of sin, we can come boldly to God by virtue of Christ’s righteousness, but we are also waiting for the final culmination of his victory. The author of Hebrews implores us to be alongside one another until that time, “encouraging one another…all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

I am thankful for the many voices in my life that have encouraged me to keep my eyes on the coming Day, reminding me of all the glorious things that await us when history reaches its fulfillment. One of those voices is Billy Sprague, who wrote this song while grieving the loss of his fiancé in a car accident. It is a good song for the days we are living now. It is a good reminder to us of everything that we will receive, and everything that will be healed, when the Day finally arrives.

You’re invited to reflect on these lyrics prayerfully. How do they speak to your soul today?

I am waiting for the day
When my brothers will be free
And the walls are torn away
Like a light that ends a dream
I am certain that the night
Like a curtain will be raised
Though the end is not a sight
I am waiting for the day

I am waiting for the day
When the children will be fed
And every starving heart is saved
By the Life in Heaven's bread
And I am looking to the east
For the first shining ray
Till we all join in the feast
I am waiting for the day

I'm waiting, Lord, I'm waiting
Waiting for the day to come
Waiting for the day
I'm waiting
Lord, I'm waiting for the day to come

I am waiting for the day
(What can wash away my sin)
When the people of the earth
(And what can make me whole again)
See the sacrifice God made
(And what can make me white as snow, oh...)
Is the measure of our worth
And I am praying for the time
(Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound)
When the power of His grace
(That saved me, oh...)
Strikes the hearts of all mankind
(I once was lost but not I'm found and...)
I am waiting for the day

I am waiting for the day
When the friends who've gone before
Meet us by the crystal lake
On a not-too-distant shore
And I am sure when time is done
(When we've been there 10,000 years)
And the sky is rolled away
(Light shining as the sun)
We will see the Holy One
I am waiting for the day

I'm waiting
I am waiting for the day
I'm waiting, Lord, I'm waiting
Waiting for the day
Ooh, I'm waiting
Lord, I'm waiting for the day, yeah
Waiting for the day

Oh, Lord, I'm waiting
Waiting to see You

Reading Four: Mark 13:1-8 (NRSV)

Songs: It Is Well (lyrics here)

Reflection

Like our Daniel text, Jesus’ words in Mark 13 are not necessarily conducive to reflective prayer. But hidden amidst the language of buildings being torn down, wars breaking out, earthquakes, and famines, there is a phrase worth sitting with:

“Do not be alarmed.” (v. 7)

Jesus reminds Peter, James, John, and Andrew (and us) that in the midst of all that will come, there is one thing we need more than any other: trust. We need to trust in God’s plan and purposes, and sit with the knowledge that what happens is ultimately for his glory and his kingdom.

For this final reflection this week, I’m going to ask you to do something. I’m going to ask you to find something to write on—if you journal, grab your journal. Or grab a notebook or a piece of paper. Or open a word document on your laptop, or a note on your phone app. And pretend that someone is asking you a simple question:

“Why do you trust God?”

Spend some time chronicling the ways that God has shown himself trustworthy in your life. How have you seen him at work? When has he appeared in your life to guide? To comfort? To heal? To forgive?

Pretty much every generation since Jesus has believe that they were living in the end times, and who knows if we are nearing the end or not. What Jesus is calling us to do in this passage, though, is step back from the chaos that may be birth pangs or the final stage of labor, and focus instead on the trustworthiness of God.

Readings for Sunday, November 7, 2021

If you’re new to Weekly Song Reflections, click here to learn about it

Click here to follow the Weekly Song Reflections playlist on Spotify

Please note—during Ordinary Time, we follow the thematic strand of Old Testament readings

Lectionary Readings for November 7, 2021

Preparation Song: The Perfect Wisdom of our God (lyrics here)

Reflection

This week’s lectionary readings offer us images of surprise and subversion, reminding us that God does not see things the same way we do. In these passages we see that what we perceive as lack, God can use as provision. They invite us to re-evaluate our understanding of earthly wisdom and power. They contrast the inadequacy of human religious ritual with the sufficiency of Christ. And our gospel reading cuts to the quick to summarize it all, pointing to Jesus’ observations that religious actions count for little if offered for show, and offerings to God count for much if offered out of sacrifice.

How often we harness human wisdom in a failed attempt to understand the things of God. No wonder Jesus said we needed to come as children—because as adults we tend to think we know it all. We need to ask God to give us, by the Holy Spirit, his view of things. Let’s spend some time as we prepare for the readings by asking God to give us his wisdom as we set aside our own.

Spend some time before God asking for him to transform your perspective on the world and your own circumstances. Ask him to show you his perfect wisdom, which surprises us and has a way of often turning something on its head. Ask the Holy Spirit to keep you open to those ways of God which don’t always line up with your understanding and expectations.

Reading One: 1 Kings 17:8-16 (NRSV)

Song: Even If (lyrics here)

Reflection

Elijah’s visit to the widow Zarephath is a story that reminds us of other feeding miracles, such as the manna in the wilderness or Jesus’ feeding of the great crowds. But there’s something about this one that stands out for many people because of the sheer despair of Zarephath when first asked by the prophet to provide something to eat:

“As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of meal in a jar, and a little oil in a jug; I am now gathering a couple of sticks, so that I may go home and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.” (v. 12)

It is absolutely heartbreaking to picture a widow who is gathering some small sticks in order to prepare a fire so she can cook a final meal for her and her son. And yet we know, as the reader, that Elijah has been sent there specifically by God. We can anticipate that God is about to demonstrate, once again, his abundant mercy and provision, which of course he does.

This is one of God’s most delightful subversions—when he takes circumstances where we see nothing but despair, but turns them into a powerful demonstration of his love for us. The God who cares for widows and orphans and all those for whom life seems empty…this same God comes to all of us in our emptiness and offers a gift of presence and fullness.

How has God met you in your own seasons of emptiness? Are you experiencing one of those seasons even now? What practices and prayers might help you hold close even in those times? Come to God in prayer and offer any fear or despair that tempts to pull you under, and ask him to show you his great mercy and provision. If you know someone who is going through a season like that right now, spend some time praying for them as well.

Reading Two: Psalm 146 (NRSV)

Song: What Joy (lyrics here)

Reflection

The psalmist reminds us, in no uncertain terms, that systems of earthly wisdom and power are fleeting at best, dangerous at worst. And yet how often we, even those of us who claim faith in Christ, place our trust in them. Frustrated by what we see around us, we turn to “princes and mortals” who we think will make things better for us. But sure enough, they ultimately amount to nothing. Their breath is just vapor on the wind, and will one day return to the place it began. “Trust in God alone,” the psalmist pleads, and these are good words for us today.

In a view rooted in God’s kingdom, it is the oppressed who will find justice. It is the hungry who will find food. It is the prisoners who will find freedom. It is the blind who will find sight. It is those who are humbled who will be lifted up. And in all these things, God will be glorified.

Earthly systems of power say “no” to this. They mock the weak. They blame the hungry for their own starvation. They say that the prisoners received what they deserve. They don’t even see the blind stranger, because they can’t offer what we need to get ahead. Earthly systems seek glory for themselves, but will never find it.

The kingdom of God subverts all this and offers a radically different view of the world. They question is, will we have eyes to see it? In which kingdom will we place our trust?

Spend some time with God asking the Holy Spirit to do a deep and honest search of your life. Ask him to bring to the surface any misplaced trust or earthbound wisdom, so that you might offer to God. Look at what the Spirit reveals and ask yourself what it is that draws you away from God into such misplaced trust. How might you find ways to keep your eyes fixed on God’s kingdom instead of the kingdoms of this earth?

Reading Three: Hebrews 9:24-28 (NRSV)

Song: Your Cross Changes Everything (lyrics here)

Reflection

The death of Jesus is, in a way, the ultimate subversion. A cruel Roman execution becomes the place of salvation. An instrument of torture becomes an instrument of redemption. The darkest day in human history gives way to the light of God’s eternal plan fulfilled.

It is also, like this week’s psalm, a testimony to the impermanence of human power. God graciously gave to the Hebrew people a system whereby they could find atonement, but the sacrifices of the High Priest were not enough to permanently erase the stain of sin. The system was imperfect because those who implemented it were imperfect.

But now Jesus, the perfect Son of God, the spotless Lamb of God, has offered his own life as sacrifice, and the wisdom of God is shown once again to be greater than any human wisdom. Paul pointed this out so powerfully in his first letter to the Corinthians:

“Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.” (1 Cor. 1:20-25, NRSV)

We proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles…

We need to be reminded of this truth, because we who have walked in the shadow of the cross for many years can often lose sight of its power because we’ve lost an appreciation for its radical nature. From time to time, we need to be reminded just how shocking, unbelievable, astounding, and amazing it is that Christ would die for us. And we need to be shown anew how the sacrifice of Jesus subverts the power of sin in our lives, so that we can express the unbelievable love of God to the world around us.

If your view of the cross of Christ has become dimmed by familiarity, spend some time before God asking him to take you back to Calvary, where he can show you again the radical depth of his love. How might you keep the cross before you in your daily walk, letting the Spirit of God remind you again and again of how amazing and subversive God’s love for you really is?

Reading Four: Mark 12:38-44 (NRSV)

Songs: God is God (lyrics here)

Reflection

In our gospel reading, Jesus takes the message of Psalm 146 and puts a religious spin on it. The psalmist warns us of putting trust in earthly powers, and Jesus extends that theme to our trust in religious powers-that-be and the empty practices that can overtake us if we’re not careful.

“Beware the scribes,” he says, pointing out their hypocrisy. “Watch out for the rich,” he also implies, pointing to the gift of a poor widow. He’s warning us to not fall prey to leaders or practices that are all about “the show,” when it is actually the unseen sacrifice of the humble which God will honor.

How often we in the church today put our trust in charismatic leaders and “successful” Christians, only to discover all too painfully just how human they really are. When that happens, the inherent emptiness of the systems we often place too much trust in is mercifully exposed. It should humble us and remind us of the words of King David in Psalm 51:

“You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.” (Ps. 51:16-17, NIV)

The subversive love of God humbles us. It brings us to our knees and robs us of all pretense. And in that place of humble acknowledgment, we can do only one thing: raise our hands and voices in worship to the God who loves us enough to transform us. We lay all that we are, all that we trust, all in which we hope at his feet, and he meets us there and reveals new depths of who we are in him, how trustworthy he is, and he is our only hope.

Spend some time in worship before God. Use the lyrics of Steven Curtis Chapman’s “God is God” to stir in you a posture of humble prayer and submission to God’s work in your life. And watch for how he surprises you.tral in your life?

And the pain falls like a curtain
On the things I once called certain
And I have to say the words I fear the most
I just don't know


And the questions without answers
Come and paralyze the dancer
So I stand here on the stage afraid to move
Afraid to fall,

Oh, but fall I must
On this truth that my life has been formed from the dust


God is God and I am not
I can only see a part of the picture He's painting
God is God and I am man
So I'll never understand it all
For only God is God


And the sky begins to thunder
And I'm filled with awe and wonder
'Til the only burning question that remains
Is who am I


Can I form a single mountain
Take the stars in hand and count them
Can I even take a breath without God giving it to me


He is first and last before all that has been
Beyond all that will pass


Oh, how great are the riches of His wisdom and knowledge
How unsearchable for to Him and through Him and from Him are all things
So let us worship before the throne
Of the One who is worthy of worship alone

God is God and I am not
I can only see a part of the picture He's painting
God is God and I am man
So I'll never understand it all
For only God is God