The primary focus of this podcast episode is a reading from the Gospel of Luke, specifically Luke 19:41-44, wherein Jesus expresses profound sorrow over the city of Jerusalem, lamenting its failure to recognize the peace that could have been attained. This poignant passage serves as a catalyst for reflection on the significance of tears as a manifestation of truth rather than weakness, highlighting the need for healthy communities to acknowledge and address the pain of violence, inequity, and suffering. I invite listeners to consider actionable steps toward peacemaking in their own lives, emphasizing that peace is not merely an abstract feeling but a tangible policy encompassing justice, honesty, and neighborly care. Furthermore, we stress the importance of recognizing divine presence, often found in the marginalized voices of society, urging a deeper engagement with those who are frequently overlooked. As we conclude, we will offer a prayer that seeks to inspire our collective efforts toward creating kinder and more just communities.

Takeaways:

1. The podcast emphasizes the importance of recognizing God's presence in our lives, as illustrated by Jesus weeping over Jerusalem.
2. We are encouraged to take actionable steps towards peace and justice, reflecting on our role in creating a kinder society.
3. The discussion highlights that tears can be a manifestation of truth, representing the profound emotions associated with grief and lamentation.
4. A progressive faith must embrace the realities of suffering and advocate for systemic changes to address societal inequities.
5. Our faith community is called to listen and engage with those who are marginalized, recognizing their wisdom and experiences.
6. By participating in initiatives that promote mental health and community support, we can contribute to a more just and peaceful society.

Links referenced in this episode:

1. voiceofgoddaily.com

The "Daily Bible Refresh" is presented each day by Rev. Dr. Brad Miller who has a goal of speaking a bit of the bible into two million ears (one million people) in three years (2025-2028).

He is the author of "The A, B, C-1,2,3 Bible Study Guide" Free to you by clicking HERE.

Brad served as a local church pastor for forty years and has a background in radio and podcasting. Moreover, he is a life-long student of The Bible.

He believes in the words of Jesus that “scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21)

The "Daily Bible Refresh" is available seven days a week by 6:00 am ET. The episodes are no longer than ten minutes long and are...

1. Understandable: A reading from the New Testament (usually the Gospel) selected from the Revised Common Lectionary using "The Message" translation.
2. Relatable: You will have a couple of "points to ponder" from the text which will relate to your life
3. Applicable: Every episode includes a way you can take action based on the reading
4. A recommended resource to help you go deeper in biblical study and spiritual direction.
5. A prayer for your day.

A companion resource to the Voice of God Daily Podcast is the “ABC Bible Study Guide” available by clicking HERE.

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Remember… “All scripture is God-breathed and useful”(2 Timothy 3:16)

Hello my friend Dr. Brad Miller here with the Daily Bible Refresh.

This is your daily reading of the Bible from a progressive point of view.

In a bit I will read the New Testament lessons selected from the Revised Common Lectionary for this very day.

The reading is understandable.

I use the Message version Relatable.

Please listen to the points to ponder and applicable with action steps you can take.

We pray and are done in less than 10 minutes.

It's all brought to you by voiceofgoddaily.com which is the home of your free personal Bible Study Guide, the ABC1, 23 Bible Study Method.

You can help by saving and subscribing to the podcast and tagging your friends.

Here's today's reading.

If you'd only recognize this day and everything that was good for you.

But now it's too late.

In the days ahead, your enemies are going to bring up their heavy artillery and surround you, pressing in from every side.

They'll smash you and your babies on the pavement.

Not one stone would be left intact.

All this because you didn't recognize and welcome God's personal visit.

That ends the that ends the reading.

My friend and I just want to thank you for making some space in your life for me today.

And he weeps.

And he he really weeps because he really wants the city to recognize everything that is good for it and recognize the things that are meant for peace, that make for peace.

And he really It's a warning here about rejecting God's visit and knowing that there will be consequences of this siege, destruction, grief.

It's a hard passage, to be sure, but it's not a threatening one.

It It's a love soaked lament about a suffering heart and Jesus is weeping over it.

So let's take a look at some points to ponder from a progressive perspective.

The first is that tears are truth, not weakness.

Jesus cries in public.

Progressive faith takes lament seriously, naming harm without numbing it or spiritualizing it away.

Healthy communities make room for grief over violence, inequity, racism and all the avoidable pains.

Things like hospital bills that crush families, kids hungry at school, neighbors priced out of fair housing.

If our faith can't hold tears it can't hold people.

Here's another point to ponder.

Peace is a policy, not just a feeling.

The things that make for peace are concrete things like justice, honesty, shared power, de escalation, neighborly care and systems that reduce harm.

A progressive perspective on this means resisting fatalism.

We choose non violence in our speeches and in our budgets, investing in things like mental health access, fair wages, housing and community based responses to crisis and practices that center on those most impacted.

A third point to ponder, God's visit often comes from the margins.

Jerusalem didn't recognize and welcome God's personal visit, embodied in a Galilean rabbi riding on a humble colt today.

God's invitations often arrive through those we overlook.

Youth, immigrants, the poor, the sick, LGBTQ folks and folks long excluded from power.

Progressive discipleship trains us to recognize wisdom from the edges and change our life together accordingly.

Let's think about an action step for this week.

Do the peacemaking thing that you can measure that is, for instance, listen.

Take a short walk, 10, 15, 20 minutes, a lament walk with someone who's going under strain in their life, someone dealing with cancer or someone dealing with a divorce or someone dealing with some parenting issues or someone dealing with financial crises, and just allow them to lament and lament with them.

That means sharing a tear and ask what would make this week more peaceful for them and listen to them, not trying to fix them, but just be a good listener.

Another thing you can do is de escalate.

Decide if there's a boundary that you can approach that just has some tension to it and to try to de escalate it.

I want to, you know, take the approach of I want this to end well for both of us.

Can we pause and try again?

Try that.

Another thing we can do is be an advocate.

That might mean emailing some local official or your Congress congressperson about tangible peacemaking, mental health access, protection for tenants, safer school routes or living wages.

Another thing we can do is support, give time or money to a local organization about reducing harm.

Food pantry, food security, domestic violence support, community mediation.

There's a number of things that you can do.

We're going to come back and have a prayer here in just a second.

We do want you to know that we have a resource just for you.

It's called the ABC123 by Bible study Method and we'd love for you to go over to our website, voiceofgoddaily.com and pick that up.

Let's pray.

Jesus who weeps over cities teaches how to love where we live.

Let our tears tell the truth and let that truth move our hands and feet toward peace.

Save us from numbness and from noise.

Show us the things that make for peace, policies and practices, habits and budgets that lower the temperature and and lift the burden.

Bless patients and caregivers, night shift workers, new parents, neighbors priced out, and kids who are hungry.

Be with us in hospital hallways and wooded trails and our families and with our children and grandchildren.

Help us recognize and welcome your visit, especially when you come to us from the margins so our neighborhoods become kinder, safer and more just.

Amen.

My friend.

I am delighted you chose to join me for today's reading.

The Daily Bible Refresh is completely listener supported.

I would be so grateful if you would go to voiceofgodddaily.com and share your gift of any amount.

Thanks much.

My name is Dr. Brad Miller and I'll be right here tomorrow with your Daily Bible Refresh.

Please subscribe and tag your friends until tomorrow.

Remember, God's loyal love doesn't run out.

His merciful love hasn't dried up, it's created new every morning.