Devotional Archives - Rich Kirkpatrick

Good Friday: Loving our neighbor is not enough

Rich KirkpatrickApril 19, 20190447 views

Holy Week is the time we retrace the steps of Christ on his last week on earth We examine through Lent our adherence to the Great Commandment–to love God above all. However, this is through the lens that Jesus gave when he combined forever the Second Commandment with the First. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” This Second Command forever connects with loving God making our public life of justice an outflow of an inward love for God. It is not a private thing to be a Christian, in other words. Our social acts are connected to our inward piety. In fact, Jesus raises the ante when he gives a new command: “Love each other as I have loved you.” Not only does our personal devotion find proof in our love of neighbor our true obedience is to love each other like Christ loves—sacrificial, serving, condescending, empowering, forgiving, love. This is…

Does Jesus Really Mean What He Says? – When It’s Actually Good to HATE!

Rich KirkpatrickFebruary 24, 20171789 views

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:26 NKJV) The words of Jesus are not easy words to hear or apply. Why would Jesus ask us to hate? Are we not to love our parents and family? Is Jesus actually asking us to “hate” our loved ones if we choose to follow him? If you strictly read this for face value, it absolutely says that. In fact, even in context, Jesus is telling us about the cost of the being his follower. As is usual, our Savior never intends to close the loop on an idea. Our Twitter way of thinking with its bite-sized candy slogans fails us. In contrast, Jesus gives us something to chew on that might take a lifetime to digest. What is…

A Post-Election Psalm: Where does my help come from?

Rich KirkpatrickNovember 14, 20160574 views

As we reflect on an election season, here is a psalm to help us focus our worship–loosely paraphrased from Psalm 21. My eyes see have seen The Hill, My ears of heard the POTUS proclamations, My Twitter feed full of hateful power. But, where does my help come from? Does it come from political power brokers, Or entertaining media outlets, My fellow voter and citizen? Where does my help come from? The data of my life is watched day and night, But, only my Maker truly can see who I am. My Lord never sleeps as he cares for me, His aim is to never harm. As I come to worship my God, The idols of power are clearly before me. But, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord!

A Random True Story for Holy Week – “Lost and Found”

Rich KirkpatrickMarch 22, 20160307 views

We take it for granted that God is at work all around us, and even in us. Let me tell you a little story about this. You see, the random, chaotic, and uncertain world we live appears to meet us with coldness most of the time. Life is not fair. That is a fact. There are some who are disadvantaged while others have fortune smiling on them. All the while, it is not their fault for the circumstances they are born into. Indeed, we can also crash and descend with our own efforts as well. But, we can pull ourselves up and even more so we can pull up those around us. In between saving the world and just making it through the day are stories like these.

People NOT like us: Fighting the demon of differences

Rich KirkpatrickSeptember 21, 20150500 views

With hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees flooding Europe, our response as a nation has at best been tepid. We have 11 million illegal immigrants in the U.S., but many would rather build walls than talk about how humanely to deal with the small children caught in the political crossfire. This week a 14-year-old geeky student brought a homemade clock to school and was arrested for making a “fake bomb”—four policeman surrounded and handcuffed the confused, slightly built young man. He happened to be Muslim and “looked” the part. Why is it that people not like us bring out our dark side? I believe that fear for our safety seems to trump human dignity. But, should it? Would we put Japanese-Americans in concentration camps if we had it to do all over again?