Caribbean Moravian Devotions

There was a local proverb which I heard repeatedly as a child growing up. It was ‘plantain suker follow the ROOT’. If perchance you have no idea what a plantain is just think of a big ripe banana that is usually fried before it’s eaten. The young plantain trees are called suker (not too sure about the spelling but at least that’s what we call them). The significance of the above local proverb is that the young plantain tree actually buds from the ROOT of the adult tree. Because of this then the ‘suker’ can’t be any different from the original. In other words it produces after our its kind. The ROOT is not only the place where the tree is connected to the ground. The ROOT also gives us a clue about what can be expected. It is the source. It speaks of the now and points to the untold future. How different would our perspective be in life if we would but focus a bit more at the ROOT of things? So for our FF for today I invite us to shift our gaze and consider the ROOTS. That one word is our FF – ROOTS!

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Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength is spent.
Psalm 71: 9

Lots of the Psalms are prayers for specific needs. Today’s text is part of a ‘prayer for lifelong protection and help’ [NRSV]. Importantly, it is the prayer of an elderly person in distress. There is trust in God that even when all else forsake, God will remain faithful. In verse 7 we get the impression that there is an affliction that causes the person to be seen as less than he/she was, thus there is persecution. It is when the Psalmist is down that many are now finding the power to accuse him/her. The Psalmist however remains confident in God’s ability to see him/her through, as God has done all of his/her life. Somehow this Psalm reminds me of an article I read recently by my OT professor, Dr. Debra Appler, in which she looks at the treatment of David as a case for elder abuse. The mighty king is now old and ‘in his old age he found it difficult to stay warm at night, so a beauty contest was held. The winner got to sleep with the king to keep him warm, but the chroniclers are quick to point out that "he knew her not" (1 Kings 1:4).’ No longer virile, the king is, by tradition, not fit to rule and a series of events begin that cost him the life of his son, has him running to escape war with the same son, and has Solomon being given the throne in a questionable manner. Could this Psalm have been a prayer by David in the distress he was going through?

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Lionel Richie has recently released a new CD entitled ‘Tuskegee’. He rearranged some of his top hits in a country and western musical style. One of Lionel Richie’s top 10 is the ballad Endless LOVE which originally was done as a duet with Diana Ross. This time around he did it with Shania Twain. I wonder how many lovers who burrowed Lionel Richie’s words are still in LOVE today. Yet even when human beings sing to each other about endless LOVE, there is no guarantee that it really is. And even for those whose love for each other has withstood the test of time and they are still together 20, 30 or 40 years after being married, a part of our LOVE ends when that person is no longer alive for even if you LOVE them you can’t show them. So though we love Lionel Richie’s song, there is a LOVE that is better that being endless LOVE. Our FF for today focuses on that kind of LOVE. It is INSEPARABLE LOVE. That’s today’s FF: INSEPARABLE LOVE!

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I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. Ezekiel 11: 19.

Beginning at verse 14, the prophet is instructed to give an assurance of restoration to Israel. The people will come back from all the different places where they have been exiled and be gathered in the land God promised them. Upon their return they would restore the place by destroying anything that connected the land to idol worship, setting them free to worship God. God would then give them one heart, and a new spirit. It is important to understand the implication of this. Firstly, not everyone was in exile, thus there were those who had taken possession of the land left behind by the exiles. The return of the exiles caused tension over the land. Secondly, while those who were in exile had remained true to their faith, those who remained had followed idols. The returning group therefore had a sense of superiority in land ownership which they repossessed, and superiority in religious practice which they were to enforce in the land. It was this very turning away from God which had led them into the state of exile.
Continue reading "Oneness Through God."

There’s a ‘Julie’ mango tree in our yard that is laden with blossoms on just about every branch. Every TIME I drive pass it I keep checking to see how far the blossoms have reached in their development on the way to becoming ripe sweet mangoes. A part of me is getting a bit impatient and wishing that the mangoes would be ready for picking sooner rather than later. But no matter how much I may want those blossoms to hurry up and become ripened fruits I know that IT takes TIME. Months pass between the tree pushing out its blossoms and producing nice fully ripened mangoes. That process takes TIME. And so between now and then I just need to pass that tree each day and GIVE IT TIME. That’s today’s FF GIVE IT TIME!

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For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth. Psalm 102:3


The psalmist begins this Psalm by asking God to hear his prayer. “1Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto thee. 2 Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.” In the third verse the psalmist pleads his urgency, his anxiousness, his strong desire and desperation to have his prayers answered. 3“For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.”

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While we recalled our LordÂ’s journey to Calvary on Good Friday, our sister and PEC member from Jamaica, Allison Hall, made her final journey into Paradise. May GodÂ’s perpetual light shine upon her! We remember the province and her family in prayer.

Can mortals be righteous before God? Can human beings be pure before their maker? Job 4: 17

JobÂ’s question of humanÂ’s purity in comparison to GodÂ’s is asked twice. The original translation is as follows: Is mortal man than God more righteous? Than his Maker is a man cleaner? [YoungÂ’s Literal Translation]. It suggests a questioning, not of GodÂ’s purity, but of humanÂ’s. The word used here for mortal, means man and is usually used when speaking of people of lower ranks or classes. It actually suggests imperfection or sickness that produces desperation and dependence. Humans are here portrayed as weak and feeble. Literally then, the question asks: Can imperfect humans be righteous before [perfect] God? Do we need an answer to that?

Continue reading "Godlike Purity Through Christ."

Must I not take care to say what the Lord puts into my mouth? Numbers 23:12


After the children of Israel were set free from Egypt, they conquered many heathen nations. When they set up camp in Moab, the king Balack was afraid and called Balaam the Prophet to curse the children of Israel so they would not overthrow his kingdom. This was not what God wanted. The children of Israel were a blessed people.
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He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter. Isaiah 53:7


The two great things which the Spirit of Christ in the Old Testament prophets testified before hand, were the sufferings of Christ and the glory that shall follow (1 Peter 1:11)

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The mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you. Isaiah 54:10


Jesus was crucified. He was dead. He was laid in a grave and a big stone was rolled before the entrance as if to say: This death now is sealed. And with Jesus all expectations, all hopes had died. The women had returned from the grave and rested on the Sabbath day as the Law required. Today is Silent Sabbath. Jesus is in the grave, the Son of God.


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Once upon a time there was a young boy who was late for school just about every day. At first his EXCUSE was that he was getting up late because he didn’t have an alarm clock. So the teacher got him an alarm clock. But the boy was still coming late to school. This time his EXCUSE was that even though he was getting up earlier, the school bus made him late because it had too many other children to pick up. So the teacher made arrangements for him to be picked up by another student who lived in the same area. But the young boy was still coming to school late. This time the EXCUSE was that the neighbor’s dad for driving too slow to beat the morning’s traffic. Finally the teacher decided to do what he had never done before – go and get the boy and take him to school himself. Why? To make sure that the young promising student would be WITHOUT EXCUSE for getting to school on time. As we observe another Good Friday, our FF for today is that we are WITHOUT EXCUSE!

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Upon your walls, O Jerusalem, I have posted sentinels: all day and all night they shall never be silent. Isaiah 62:6


GodÂ’s promise to his people is for a guard to protect them. We can well understand the concept of a guard as we reflect today upon the crucifixion of Christ and hear of the guard that was set to protect his tomb from possible theft. The authorities considered it extremely important that there be no chance of someone stealing the body of Christ to suggest that he was no longer dead. But, as we know, their guard was useless when confronted with the power of God, for God, too, was on guard, and provided for the care of his Son.


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In your great mercies you did not make an end of your people or forsake them. Nehemiah 9:31


Nehemiah was very serious about his religion. He wept, fasted and prayed on a regular basis while in exile. King Artaxerxes recognised that he was very depressed and authorised him, to go to Jerusalem to serve as governor and rebuild the city wall.

He was an inspired leader and was able to persuade his countrymen to rebuild the wall completely in fifty two days in spite of constant oppositions. He had spiritual depth as a man of prayer and God was able to use him to rebuild Jerusalem.

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The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. Numbers 6:26


Do you remember when you were in love with someone the first time? How the name of that person sounded so sweet to your heart? How you were restless and your thoughts all day long circling around this person? How you tried to get his/her attention without revealing that you were craving for it so much?

And then she/he looked at you. And you straightened your posture, silently regretting that you did not choose the other shirt, which looks better on you. And you smiled, a bit shyly, because you were not sure if the other feels like you. And then the expression on the face of the other made your dreams come true. He/she looked at you, saw you, regarded you, found pleasure in what she/he saw. The eyes gleamed above a bright smile. And your heart, still pouncing, found rest and peace in the look which the other gave you, and you knew: All will be well.

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Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for. Isaiah 40:2 (NIV)


This text speaks to the essence of this Lenten Season. It encompasses love, comfort and forgiveness.
God has, throughout the ages, demonstrated that he loved his people in spite of their rebellious, wayward ways. He used his chosen ones, like Hezekiah, Job, Abraham, as examples of his continued love even though he at times allowed them the experience of trials and tribulations testing their faith. His greatest demonstration of his love was more poignant in his choice of the trials and crucifixion of Jesus Christ his son. How loving!

God instructs Hezekiah to “comfort my people . . .” (Isa.40:1) He, in his infinite wisdom, recognizes that comfort is needed in times of trials. He never breaks his promises and offers salvation to those who open their hearts and minds to complete faith in him. How comforting!

God is compassionate. Often we find great difficulty in forgiving our offenders. We seek redress or revenge, even at times exacting our “pound of flesh”. What if God treated us in the same manner! Fortunately we are blessed by a God who forgave all of those who ‘knew not what they did’ at the crucifixion and even today for those who ‘know not what they are doing’. How forgiving!

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we thank you for your continued love and forgiveness. May we always strive to show our gratitude by extending these virtues to each other and to you. Amen.