Matthew 4:1-11

“Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! for it is written, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.”’”vs. 10

Having savored the love and the goodness of God in his baptism Jesus was led into the wilderness for a taste of the world’s brokenness. And as he prayed and fasted he pondered the direction of his ministry. There were so many possibilities. We know this part of the story well. Everywhere we look there are tests and temptations, all promising the best that the world can offer. 

In Matthew’s account of Jesus’ wilderness stay, the temptations are whittled down to the big three: satisfaction of personal desires, fame and fortune, and unlimited power. None of them appear to be particularly evil, and many of us eagerly adopt one or more of them as a part of our personal aspirations. But Jesus saw them all as diversions, symptoms of brokenness masquerading as good. None of them met the standards of the peaceable kingdom he had been called to establish.

In the end Jesus chose the path of humility and service, saying no to creature comforts, popularity, and domination. He determined that he would be a servant and look to his loving God for daily direction in bringing healing and restoration to the world. He would model the sacrificial love of God even if it meant that he would die! And in his life, death, and resurrection, salvation has come to our good and broken world.

Thought for the Day: What have been my aspirations?

Romans 5:12-19

“For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.” vs 19

While we may not agree with Paul’s interpretation of Genesis 3 we have to rejoice in the way he uses the story to proclaim the gospel of grace. His logic is impeccable. As in Adam the many were made sinners, in Jesus Christ the many are made righteous. He recognized that from the very beginning humanity has lived in a good and broken creation, and he believed that in Christ that brokenness has been healed. We can now live in this beautiful world and fully enjoy the incredible life that God intends for us.

Unfortunately, as all have experienced, that brokenness persists. Indeed, it will endure throughout our lives. There will always be times of pain and suffering. But in Christ we need not be overcome by the ugliness. Even death is a defeated enemy and will one day be overcome. And by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit we can know love, peace, and joy in abundance. In other words, we can know the delights of the peaceable kingdom now!

As we move through the weeks of Lent we have the opportunity to daily draw closer to Jesus in our worship and prayer. And as we do we won’t have to worry about our flaws. All that has been taken care of, and abundant forgiveness belongs to us. As Paul says, in Christ we have been made righteous!

Thought for the Day: How have I experienced healing?

Psalm 32

“Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” vss. 1-2

There is perhaps nothing better than having a clean conscience! It just feels so good to have no burden of guilt weighing down our walk through this complicated world. It’s bad enough to have worries and anxieties, and we’ll always have plenty of those. But to have no guilt or shame about the past is an incredible gift! 

There are some who question whether it’s even possible to live that way. They have the mistaken impression that no guilt or shame means we will have lived a perfect life, and that, they will say, is impossible! And that’s right! It is impossible to live a life without sin! Often not a day passes in which we don’t screw up in some significant way. But people of faith have a secret! They know about the power of confession and forgiveness! They know that if we confess our sin, God will forgive our sin, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That’s the way it’s always been with God because that’s how God is. Not only is God slow to anger, God is full of love and compassion, and gladly forgives our sin.

And once God forgives sin, sin is forgiven, and there is absolutely no reason to carry its burden for one moment longer. With forgiveness we are given a clear conscience, and what a gift that is!

Thought for the Day: When does my conscience trouble me?

Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate.” vs. 6

One of the great tragedies of life in our world has been the continuing relegation of women to a subservient role in almost every culture. While situations do vary by regions and ethnicities, women are regularly discounted and regarded as inferior in nearly every land. Almost always they are regarded with suspicion and their attempts to claim equality are considered a threat to male dominance. Even though Paul wrote that men and women should be considered as one in Christ Jesus, the Church has made little progress in erasing this stigma. Only recently have women been welcomed as pastors and bishops, but even then, there is often an undercurrent of suspicion.

Those prejudices are often traced to particular scriptural passages The woman, it is said, was seduced by the serpent, and she in turn seduced her husband. No end of misery has come from interpretations of these few words and the resulting prejudices against women can even be found in other world religions. 

But there are signs of hope! Barriers to full inclusion for women are falling! Both men and women are now being seen as “very good,” and the old distorted myths are finally being abandoned. Praise God! 

Thought for the Day:Why do some men delight in putting down women?

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

“Beware of practising your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.” vs. 1

When Ash Wednesday arrives there is a sense among believers of all stripes that we are entering a season of opportunity. We know that this is a fixed time during which we can practice spiritual disciplines and take time to reflect on the state of our souls. Perhaps in previous years we’ve elected to “give something up for Lent,” and then lost interest after a couple of weeks of going without coffee or chocolate. It’s likely that we know that a real Lenten discipline means more than giving something up.

Jesus’ words here give a hint. Of course he wasn’t thinking about Lent, but he was speaking about spiritual discipline, namely the practicing of piety. It seems that he was all for such a thing. He knew from his own life that there was a place for fasting, prayer, and the giving of alms. Those practices, he says, will add blessings in our lives. But he does have a caveat! Beware of practising them before others in order to be seen by them! We know what he means. There is nothing more off-putting than hearing someone crowing about their latest spiritual triumph. Lent isn’t a time for showing off!

That doesn’t mean we will never talk about our spiritual life! Of course we will share our piety with others–and it wouldn’t even hurt to mention the blessings that have come our way!

Thought for the Day:How have my spiritual disciplines been a blessing?

2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10

“but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God;” vss. 4 ,6-7a

Paul thought of himself and his partners in ministry as being ambassadors for Christ, and that through them the Corinthians were being reconciled to God. He knew that their conduct in that role was crucial, and he was proud that in every circumstance of suffering and hardship they had shown dignity and strength. And it wasn’t just that they had endured, they had also demonstrated the fruits of the Spirit: purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God.

Paul’s notion of himself as an ambassador is appropriate and is a role that every faithful follower of Jesus will emulate. The world has had enough of pompous, arrogant, ignorant, impatient, and lying leaders. The only way for healing and reconciliation to take place is through humble, loving, and gentle truth-telling. We may not be called as ambassadors to foreign capitals but we are called to flood our neighborhoods and faith communities with our peaceful presence and active advocacy.

When that happens, the power of God is unleashed and we begin to see signs of Christ’s presence all around. The world may not note what is happening among us but we will see the changes, and all the glory will go to God!

Thought for the Day: How will I be an ambassador for Christ during Lent?

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17

“Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing.” vs. 13b

The prophet Joel responds to a devastating invasion of locusts by calling the people of Israel to repentance. It’s never been uncommon for people to make connections  between the forces of nature and the actions of God. Even today, laments are regularly lifted up when weather events or other calamities come close. We pray for an end to droughts and floods and protection from hordes of insects. Often such events spur people to reconnect with religion and even unbelievers turn to prayer.

Joel urges the Israelites to return to the Lord, and his description of God is one of the finest in all of scripture. Because his words are regularly used in our Lenten liturgy many find them familiar and have taken them to heart. Some will be using them in their meditations as they prepare for Ash Wednesday. They are a call to “return to the Lord,” a plea to get serious about matters of faith and to get reacquainted with Jesus. They define God perfectly, noting that God “is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.” 

There’s no doubt. Lent is for believers a time for repentance, a time to put aside all the clutter, and focus on that which is essential. It’s a time to get back to the basics or adopt some new spiritual discipline. Some say it’s the best time of the whole church year!

Thought for the Day: How do I feel about Lent?

Matthew 17:5-9

“While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!’” vs. 5

It was a great comfort for Jesus to know that God was pleased with him and that he was loved unconditionally. And as he regularly took time for prayer each morning, he likely remembered his Jordan baptismal experience, and soaked in just a bit more divine love. It was what sustained him in his mission.

In later years Peter and the other disciples called to mind their mountaintop experience with Jesus. Not only had it been an other-worldly exhilarating moment, a “thin place” some would call it, but it established Jesus as the center and the source of faith. He really was the Word made flesh and in listening to him they would be hearing the voice of God. 

We live in a world with many competing voices. Seemingly everyone has a blog or a website and we’re constantly being encouraged to sign up or subscribe. Politicians scream at us at all hours of the day, pulling us both this way and that in an attempt to win our votes or get our money. But followers of Jesus know there is only one voice worth listening to, because only one voice will never lead us astray. Daily he comes to us through the Spirit, assuring us that we are loved and regularly calming our fears.

Thought for the Day: Where do I hear Jesus most clearly?

Matthew 17:1-4

“And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became bright as light. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.” vss. 2-3

The story of the transfiguration of Jesus sneaks up on us in the gospel of Matthew. Not only is there no hint that it is coming, no mention is made of it once it occurs. It’s almost as though Matthew has misplaced one of the resurrection appearances of Jesus in the middle of his Galilean ministry. But, given Matthew’s high regard for Moses and for Elijah, it’s probably not surprising that they show up in a vision, offering direction and encouragement to Jesus. They were the great heroes of Israel, a law-giver and a prophet, and Jesus is to be their successor. Everything that began with them will find its completion in him.

Traditionally this text has been set aside for the last Sunday of Epiphany, and it fits perfectly as one of the bookends of Lent. Its bright and shiny message is a reminder that the season which focuses on Jesus’ suffering and death will be followed by Easter, a season of light and triumph. 

Peter and the other disciples couldn’t stay on the mountaintop. And neither can we. But  the transfiguration was for them and for us a kind of foretaste, a reminder that beyond the days in the valley of shadows there will be a new day, a time of triumph when death will be no more.

Thought for the Day:What might a foretaste of the resurrection be like?

2 Peter 1:19-21

“First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” vss. 20-21

There continue to be men and women in our world who believe that they can figure out everything they need to know by their own understanding and effort. They are particularly convinced of that in areas of religion or philosophy. They reason that since it doesn’t make any difference what a person believes, they might as well believe whatever they wish. They make the scriptures say whatever suits their fancy, and pass off whatever challenging truths a preacher may say with a dismissive, “Well, that’s just their opinion!” 

Peter would not agree! Everything he held dear came from Spirit-filled people who spoke truths from the heart of God that had passed through countless generations. And that’s how the Holy Spirit continues to work! While it is true that certain folks can present the good news in particularly creative ways and offer heart-warming inspiration, if they are honest and humble, they will say that they know this truth only “by standing on the shoulders of giants.” 

That’s one of the reasons it’s so important for believers to worship. Because Spirit-filled pastors study scripture before preaching, those who have ears to hear will often receive wonderful insights for daily living. Sometimes we’ll even learn things we never knew before! 

Thought for Day: Who do I count as my wisdom teacher?