Links for today’s readings:

Read: Ezekiel 36 Listen: (6:40)
Read: Titus 2 Listen: (2:01)

Scripture Focus: Titus 2.11-14

11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

Frodo: I wish none of this had happened.

Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times; but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world, Frodo, besides the will of evil.

Reflection: This Present Age—Guided Prayer

By John Tillman

We often wish we were some “when” and perhaps some “where” else, but God calls us instead, to live for him today, “In this present age.” (Titus 2.13)

There was never an age of this earth in which evil did not wreak havoc, governments did not mishandle justice, and in which the church, in one capacity or another did not fail to fully live out the gospel. Our faith must not be in those things. We join in a prayer today based on what Paul declared the Holy Spirit would teach.

Teach Us, Holy Spirit
Teach us, Holy Spirit, that in this age and in this space, you have placed us and called us.
May we be made eager to do good for the sake of the gospel.
May we all, men and women, live as examples: temperate, worthy of respect, and self-controlled.
May we be sound in our faith and in our love for others, and carry out the work of the gospel.
May we live reverently and truthfully, quenching any spark of slander and never sharing or spreading anything that is not factual.
May we by unfailingly kind and submissive to other another.
May no one be able to malign the word of God because of us.

Teach us by your Holy Spirit to show integrity and seriousness, taking care that no one can mistake or condemn what we say.

May even those who oppose us have nothing bad to say about us.

May we be models of integrity to our employers and fellow-laborers, trustworthy and immune to corruption.

Teach us to say “no” to desires that are of this world, even ones that seem “good” to human wisdom. Teach us to say “yes” to desires that lead us closer to you, even when they seem “foolish” to human wisdom.

It is no more difficult to live in this age you have placed us in, Lord, than any other age of the church, and probably it is easier. You have placed us here and called us now, to live for you in this place, in this culture, in this time.

Make us ready, Lord, for the challenges that we will face as we await the blessed hope of Jesus Christ, who will redeem us from all wickedness and set right all that is wrong.

Come, Lord Jesus, come!

From John: Divine Hours prayers will return next week. For the remainder of this week we will close with the “Election Prayers” that have been in our Echo Prayer feed for the last few years.

Election Prayers:

Pray that in any unrest or conflict that Christians would distinguish themselves from the culture by being able to protest without violence or threat and by being able to give a listening and compassionate ear to even the most strident of opposition.

Pray that we would not be guilty of name-calling or any unwholesome or dehumanizing language.

Pray that what comes from our speech would demonstrate the truth in love no matter what happens around us.

Pray that Christians would not be part of sinful gloating, of boasting, or threatening others over political wins or losses.

Pray that all parties and individuals would reject violence or threats of violence and seek justice for victims of political violence.

Read more about Love One Another

For those who live in the United States, many will awaken to news of newly elected leaders. Remember…Being a jerk is a conscious decision.

Listen to Apotheosis of Politics

As traditional religion declines, politics is the newest, fastest-growing religion…We must beware the temptations of this apotheosis of politics.

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Ezekiel 35 Listen: (2:21)
Read: Titus 1 Listen: (2:24)

Scripture Focus: Titus 1.12-14

12 One of Crete’s own prophets has said it: “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.” 13 This saying is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith 14 and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the merely human commands of those who reject the truth.

Reflection: Stereotypically Sinful

By John Tillman

Paul called Epimenedes a poet and a prophet. He quoted Epimenedes before the Aeropagus in Greece, “In him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17.28) To Titus, on Crete, Paul quoted the same poem, describing Cretans as “liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.”

If we have a simplistic “every word in the Bible is true” viewpoint, we shouldn’t trust people from Crete. Doesn’t “a prophet” in the Bible say Cretans are liars? Is that what is going on here? Is Paul quoting a racist poet and saying, “He’s right?”

Not really. We need to be more faithful interpreters of God’s word. What is the truth of this passage and the relevance of this quote?

First, Epimenedes was from Crete. This introduced a paradox philosophers call the “liar’s paradox.” If all Cretans are liars and Epimenedes is a Cretan, he must be lying when he says, “All Cretans are liars.” Paul knew this wasn’t a universal truth.

Second, the poem challenged a specific lie. Crete claimed Zeus was mortal and built a tomb for him on the island. Epimenedes called Cretans liars because he believed in Zeus’s immortality. The poem’s popularity made “Cretan” synonymous with “liar” in the larger Greek culture.

So if Paul thought the poem “true,” is Zeus immortal, and do we live and move and have our being in him? Of course not. Paul applied the cultural stereotype to false teachers who needed correction. Paul’s purpose for them and us is to overcome culture and stereotypes and be sound in faith.

Paul taught that all people, not just Cretans, are by nature liars, brutes, and gluttons. He confessed that when he wanted to do good, sin was right there with him. (Romans 7.19-21)

What negative stereotypes or opinions about you or others come from culture or your mind? Are you quick to believe them? Is there any truth to them?

It’s unfair for culture (or yourself) to stereotype or label you. It is unwise to ignore scripture’s rebukes against our sins, whether they are stereotypical or atypical. It is also unhealthy to ignore scripture’s promise that we are loved and can be redeemed.

Stereotypes are not excuses. Nor are they curses. Don’t be a stereotypical Cretan or anything else.
Repent of lying. Especially to ourselves.
Repent of brutality. Especially to others.
Repent of gluttony. Especially when others lack.
Be sound in faith, and be devoted to the gospel.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer

Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth tremble before him. — Psalm 96.9

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more about Banners, Trumpets, Repentance

John’s banner had one word and his trumpet one note, “repent.”

Read more about A Rebellion of Repentance

The repentance John describes is a rebellion more radical than violent insurrection.

Scripture Focus: Titus 3.3-7
3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Reflection: Paul’s Stance on Gentleness
By John Tillman

Paul, rather than boast about his religious heritage and his austere religious lifestyle, included himself in this description of past sinfulness. He includes himself among those who were once foolish, disobedient, and deceived.

Paul’s discussion and confession of past sins and sufferings is intended as a contrast between how believers had been and how they were now. But it was not intended to inspire judgmentalism or separation from sinners. Rather, this passage is intended to inspire in its readers, mercy, kindness, peaceableness, consideration, and gentleness. The verses just prior to this, make this purpose clear:

“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.” — Titus 3.1-2 (Emphasis mine)

The implication Paul is making is that even when confronted with evil and sinfulness, we should respond with goodness and grace. When we face people who are violent rather than gentle, calloused rather than considerate, combative rather than peaceable, and slanderous rather than truthful, we should recognize these people are not our enemies. They are captives. They are enslaved and deceived victims of hatred and sin. It is our mission to save them from captivity, not destroy them. It is our mission to address their deception, not dismiss them as foolish or ignorant. It is our mission to demonstrate to them true love and forgiveness, not to enact retributive punishments upon them.

In hostage rescue training, military operators train relentlessly on breaching rooms to attack hostage-takers, without harming hostages. This type of training is high-stakes and high-stress. Failure is literally life and death.

Too many times when Christians address ideological opposition online or in person, we shoot the hostages and call it a win. When we address arguments against faith, we must remember that the person making them is loved by God and should be treated as such. Don’t shoot the hostages. Ad hominem attacks, meanness, violent language, and unkindness are not rhetorical tools that should be in the arsenal of Christians in the public square.

May we confess our past and current shortcomings as Paul did.
May we constantly keep in mind the commands of Paul to his young spiritual leaders, Titus and Timothy, to teach gently and faithfully.
May we tear down arguments and strongholds, (2 Corinthians 10.3-5) but never people for whom Christ died.

Divine Hours Prayer: A Reading
Jesus taught us, saying: “I give you a new commandment: love one another; you must love one another just as I have loved you. It is by your love for one another, that everyone will recognize you as my disciples.” — John 13.34-35

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Today’s Readings
Judges 8  (Listen 5:08)
Titus 3 (Listen 2:05)

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