ANDREW'S AFFIRMATION

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Numbers 23:11-26 In this passage Balak expresses his disappointment with Balaam. Balak had brought Balaam to curse Balak’s enemies, but instead Balaam blessed them. Balaam explained his action by saying that he could only speak the words that the Lord put into his mouth. What have others asked us to do that may not align with God’s will for our life? Are there people that we have hurt by our actions whom we should have helped instead? What emotions are filling our heart at this moment, and are these emotions that God wants us to feel about ourselves or others? What steps can we take to speak the word of God in a way that brings justice and joy? Romans 8:1-11 How hard are you on yourself? Do others condemn you and judge you often? Please know that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. We have been set free from a legalistic approach to life. God’s grace has been freely given to us, and his love for us is unconditional. Ther...

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Collect of the Day - Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Apostles Almighty God, whose blessed apostles Peter and Paul glorified you by their martyrdom: Grant that your Church, instructed by their teaching and example, and knit together in unity by your Spirit, may ever stand firm upon the one foundation, which is Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Ezekiel 2:1-7 What opposition are you facing right now? Who is causing trouble for you, and who is raging against you in an evil manner? Do not be silent any longer! God is telling you this morning to stand up on your feet; he will speak to you and through you. No matter what storm you might be going through, trust that the spirit of God will give you the strength to stand strong in the storm. Be mindful that it is God who is sending you to engage the opposition so do not be overwhelmed by fear and anxiety. Instead, focus on ...

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Numbers 22:21-38 What is the strangest thing you have ever seen? How about a talking donkey? In this passage we come across the story of Balaam’s talking donkey. Weary from their wandering in the wilderness, the people of Israel set up camp in the plains of Moab. This did not sit well with the Moabites. Balak, the leader of the Moabites, called Balaam to travel with them to the Israelite encampment so that they could curse Israel. Understanding this, God clearly told Balaam not to join the officials of Moab. Yet, Balaam went anyway. This made God very angry, and God placed an angel in the middle of the road to block Balaam. The donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand; so the donkey turned off the road, and went into the field. Because Balaam could not see the angel and did not grasp what the donkey was doing, Balaam struck the donkey, and turned it back onto the road. Then the angel of the Lord stoo...

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Numbers 17:1-11 This passage describes the miracle of the budding staff. The Israelites were complaining and arguing about who should succeed Moses as the leader of the Israelites. In order to resolve this dispute, God asked Moses to obtain  a staff from each of the twelve ancestral houses. Each staff would represent the head of a house. Moses then placed the staffs in the tent of meeting before the covenant, where God met with his people. The staff of the man whom God chose to succeed Moses as a leader of Israel would sprout. When Moses went into the tent of the covenant on the next day, the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted. It put forth buds, produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds. Then Moses brought out all the staffs and each house was able to see their staff. It was clear to everyone that Aaron would succeed Moses. Then the Lord said to Moses, "Put back the staff of Aaron before the covenant, to be kept as a warning...

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Numbers 16:36-50 This passage addresses two things: 1) the censers, and 2) the plague. The censers of those who had been swallowed up by the earth became holy at the cost of their lives. What loss have we experienced due to our disobedience or neglect that has resulted in others gaining insight about the importance of making better choices? 14,700 people died from a plague which resulted from a rebellion the people led against Moses and Aaron. While no one would have blamed Moses and Aaron if they turned their backs on the people, what is surprising is that Moses and Aaron still pleaded to God on behalf of the people. Do we have compassion and mercy upon those who stand against us? Romans 4:13-25 Do we have faith in the God who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist? When worldly experiences raise doubts and questions in our mind, can we still persevere in faith. Abraham hoped against hope that God would ma...

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Numbers 16:20-35 Have you ever felt the need to distance yourself from the evil actions of a group of people? In this passage the Lord speaks to Moses and to Aaron, and instructs them to separate themselves from those who were living contrary to God’s will. Instead of immediately separating from the disobedient and evil people in their community of faith, and letting God destroy them, Moses and Aaron, in their frustration, pleaded to God on behalf of the people. "O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one person sin and you become angry with the whole congregation?" Many of us can relate with the human desire to save everyone around us but the reality is that each individual and every community has a choice in how they live life. Some individuals constantly complain while others are always eager to offer a complement. Some individuals point fingers of blame while others long to offer a helping hand. Even if we have the best...

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Numbers 16:1-19 In this passage, we catch a glimpse of the Israelites in a less than perfect scenario. They had been journeying through the wilderness for years, and now they were growing weary of such wandering. As a result, they began to grumble and question Moses’ leadership. An internal struggle arose in which one of the leaders among the people - a man named Korah - took some Israelite men and together they challenged Moses’ leadership. They essentially accused Moses of being less than perfect as a leader. When Moses realized that his credibility as a leader was being questioned, he fell on his face in frustration. Yet, Moses assured Korah that the Lord would make it clear who the real leader was. You see, Korah represented a segment of the Israelities known as the Levites. The Levites were the ones charged with performing the duties of the Lord's tabernacle, and standing before the congregation and serving them. Yet, Korah wanted even...

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:14 Rejoice and let your heart be cheerful. Feel free to follow the desires of your heart and be guided by the passion of your eyes but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. Why are you anxious? Why do you cause yourself unnecessary pain? Do you not realize that the pleasures of life are vanity? Only God can grant true joy. Therefore, be mindful that all of us will be held accountable and face an eternity based on our choices. There will be a day when our dust returns to the earth, and our breath returns to the God who gave it to us. “Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher; all is vanity.” Therefore, fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is our duty. God will judge us by our deeds. Every secret thing we have done, whether good or evil, will be exposed. Galatians 5:25-6:10 If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, competing against one another,...

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Ecclesiastes 9:11-18 The race of life does not always belong to the swift. The spoils of war do not always belong to the strong. We are all victims of time and chance. Disaster can happen at any moment and without notice. Like fish taken in a cruel net, and like birds caught in a snare, we also are overtaken when calamity falls upon us. In the midst of calamity, there are some who shout like fools, and there are others whose quiet words lead us out of disaster. Wisdom is the best weapon to overcome evil. Foolishness destroys whatever good there may be. Do you tend to shout or are you quiet? Do you consider yourself wise or foolish? Galatians 5:1-15 Christ has set us free so that we might stand firm against injustice and oppression. Through the power of the Spirit, we wait and hope for righteousness to be revealed. Such righteousness is grounded in faith and worked out through love. Beware then of hate - even in its simplest form. Do you not rea...

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Ecclesiastes 8:14-9:10 There is a vanity to life. There are righteous people who are treated as if they were wicked, and there are wicked people who are treated as if they were righteous. All of us long to eat, drink, and enjoy ourselves. Even when we face trials and tribulations, each of us must find a way to celebrate the life God has given us. Be mindful that while the work of those who are righteous and wise are in the hands of God, the work of those who are wicked and foolish are in the hands of the world. If we truly seek righteousness and wisdom, then we will find them in the unfolding works of God in our midst. In a way, we all share the same fate; we all have to deal with thoughts that are clean or unclean, words that are loving or hateful, and deeds that are good or evil. This is the reality of life. Those who live life seeking righteousness and wisdom will always have a deep sense of hope. Therefore, do not become frustrated when you...

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Ecclesiastes 7:1-14 As an important step in becoming a doctor, medical students must take the Hippocratic Oath. And one of the promises within that oath is "first, do no harm" (or " primum non nocere ," the Latin translation from the original Greek.) In this passage we are told simply yet profoundly - ‘Do no harm.’ Harm comes about when we disobey God and become divided amongst ourselves. This is the reality of sin, and it has existed from the beginning of creation. The Bible teaches us that sin always leads to division and death. Adam and Eve experienced division when Adam blamed Eve for giving him the fruit of the tree that God had specifically told them not to eat. God had warned them that “in the day that you eat of it you shall die.” Adam and Eve’s son Cain sinned in his heart and then murdered his brother Abel. The marital dysfunction between Isaac and Rebecca led to a division between their children Jacob and Esau and...