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Monday, October 27, 2025

(click here to listen to or read today’s scriptures)

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If you live according to the flesh, you will die,

but if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body,

you will live.

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

Hmm. Does that mean good deeds of the body, or just bad deeds of the body? I generally always thought just the bad, but now I’m thinking about the good works of a saved, undead person vs the good works that make the salvation thing actually work. So maybe even good deeds that are not anchored in grace need to be put to death.

I have two poems from Clarence Heller to share today.

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The devil came to me disguised as more,

one more good thing I could do,

should do,

and then another,

and another.

 

I was seduced and misguided.

The more sapped my energy, my joy, my delight.

There was more harshness and impatience

in my voice and my presence.

And the devil grinned,

while God sighed, patiently

knowing that when I get worn down enough,

I’ll come home to my true self,

to being my true self in God. – Clarence Heller

Coming home, does that trip require a map? Or can I just keep on walking, as Paul told Timothy. Keep going, finish the race. Let God be God. And as Paul wrote to the Romans,

You did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,

but you received a spirit of adoption,

through which we cry, “Abba, Father!”

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit

that we are children of God,

and if children, then heirs.

This is just a simple surrender when I remember that God has made me a child, no longer lost in theology or guilt, kept clean by God, not my own ablutions, not the water of works but that spring of living water that has never run dry and never will. No distractions.

Distracted

Careful, lest you get distracted,

praying to a God who does not exist,

or rehashing the life of a man who lived

two thousand years ago, rather than

embracing the gift offered

through the Christ who lives today.

 

Careful, lest you get distracted,

doing good things at the expense

of being the goodness of God,

all the time,

whether or not you do a damn thing.

 

Careful, lest you get distracted,

seeking affirmation, confirmation, satisfaction,

avoiding conflict, rejection, isolation,

because God is with you closer than you know,

closer than you know,

if you just pay attention. – Clarence Heller

Jesus paid attention to what mattered, and he touched the woman without hope and healed her on the Sabbath. Even more special. But the synagogue’s rabbi was indignant rather than appreciative. Jesus’ words must have stung.

The Lord said to him in reply, “Hypocrites!

Does not each one of you on the sabbath

untie his ox or his ass from the manger

and lead it out for watering?

This daughter of Abraham,

whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now,

ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day

from this bondage?”

When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated;

and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.

And we, part as well of the whole crowd, rejoice as well.

(Romans 8, Psalm 68, John 17, Luke 13)

(posted at www.davesandel.net)

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