Isaiah 55:12-13

“Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” vs. 13

The myrtle is a fragrant flowering shrub, common to the mountains of Lebanon and Judea, that had enormous significance for the prophet. He told the returning exiles that it would be an everlasting sign of God’s favor and love, and its boughs became a fixture in wedding rituals and the Festival of the Booths. It’s another reminder of the way our faith ancestors saw signs of God’s presence in the beauty and resilience of nature. Perhaps this is why we love to plant gardens in the proximity of our homes–having living green plants around us seems to be a mark of our humanity. They become our friends and as we tend them we speak gentle and loving words–for some they are better than a cat or a dog–and we grieve when our neglect causes them to wither. We may not know it, but this connection to growing and living plants has spiritual value too. Our plants are a living connection to the Lord of the Universe, and their blossoms are a visible reminder of God’s tender and beautiful love. Our whispered words as we tend them, adding water and clipping dead heads, making sure they have enough sunlight, are a prayer that draws us to our Maker.

Thought for the Day: What are my favorite shrubs and plants?

Isaiah 55:10-11

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;” vss. 10-11a

The prophet had made some bold promises to the exiles in Babylon. Speaking for the Lord he tells them that they will return to their native land and once again take up residence in Jerusalem. Using an example they would be familiar with, the prophet says that the Lord’s word will be like the seasonal rains–just as the water from heaven gives life to the soil, producing bread for the hungry, the word of the Lord will produce what it has promised. Israel will be restored! The people of God have continued to find hope for the future in the seasonal cycles of nature. In every part of the globe we’ve gotten used to the patterns and our almanacs make the predictions. There’s snow and rain, cold and heat, growing seasons and times for harvest, and then comes winter, and the cycle begins again. In many ways the seasons of our lives mirror those of nature and there’s a movement in us from spring to winter. And if we’ve been watching carefully we’ve seen that winters never mean that life is ended–there’s always spring and resurrection and we are renewed, and even death is not the end.

Thought for the Day: How have the seasons of life gone for me?

Matthew 11:25-30

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” vss. 28-29

Let’s face it! There are times when life is not easy! We all know the symptoms and the feelings! Our bodies fail, cracks appear in foundational relationships, dread diseases stalk us, employment turns tenuous, and future prosperity is threatened by war and climate change–it’s no wonder then that worries and anxieties abound. And what’s worse, sometimes those feelings of despair even show up in our congregations. For some there’s a sense of being on a sinking ship–the Rock of Ages has lost its buoyancy and is slowly sinking beneath the pressures of cultural change and a general feeling of apathy. It’s in these moments that Jesus speaks clearly to our generation, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” He doesn’t yell at us, or give us another rule–he doesn’t even say repent. He just says, “Come…and I will give you rest…for your souls.” It’s not magic; there’s no formula to repeat. It’s a simple resting on the promises of Jesus. There’s no need to worry about proper doctrine or practices, but like a child crawling onto a lap and into comforting arms, we can lay our concerns aside and rest. And it works! Our souls, our inward selves are refreshed.

Thought for the Day: Where’s my resting place?

Matthew 11:16-19

“But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.’ “ vss. 16-17

Jesus makes several references to children in his teaching ministry, having obviously observed them at their best and at their worst. He rightly holds them up as a model of faithfulness and welcomes their presence in the crowds that came to hear him. But children can be petty too, and sometimes their mocking on the playground or in the classroom can seem like bullying. They tend to form cliques and are quick to exclude those who are different. In this instance Jesus has noted the spirit of dissatisfaction that can occasionally infect them, and says that this spirit was typical of the whole generation. He would probably say the same thing about us! It seems remarkable that people who enjoy the highest standard of living that the world has ever known, who are free to travel wherever they wish, and who can indulge themselves in every inconceivable way would be so completely dissatisfied with life. Every proposal or suggestion offered by our leaders, no matter what it might be, is immediately savaged in the press and social media. We are quick to find fault, slow to cooperate, and love to spread salacious and spurious bits of news. Admittedly there are obvious societal problems, but tearing down without building up is never a solution.

Thought for the Day: How do I express my dissatisfaction?

Romans 7:21-25

“Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh I am a slave to the law of sin.” vss. 24-25

Like one of the psalmists of old Paul lifts up his voice in a painful lament. Sounding like a golfer who has just ripped his first tee shot out of bounds he cries, “Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” He has found no solution to his dilemma–he simply won’t be able to live as he desires. But in the midst of his pain he gives thanks to God! What has happened to Paul? Well, it seems pretty obvious. He has realized that he is both saint and sinner wrapped up in one person, and that this is how it’s going to remain for the rest of his days. That insight remains the best way for us to understand the struggle that each of us endure as we seek to walk faithfully in the Way of Jesus. Every day we will deal with the “what ifs” and the “should have beens.” Of course we will stumble, and Christ will lift us up! Of course we will wander, and Christ will show us the way! Oh how blessed we are to have a God who does not count our out of bounds against us, and who continually showers us with steadfast love and mercy!

Thought for the Day: What lifts me when I’m feeling my worst?

Romans 7:15-20

“I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” vs. 15

There’s probably not a person on the planet who could not identify with what Paul says here, particularly if they’ve ever had a golfing experience! In that particular sport athletes approach each shot with definite expectations, and again and again, they are horribly disappointed. No matter how much they might want to make the perfect shot, they regularly hate the results. And that’s exactly how it seems as we engage with the challenges of daily living. Even when we’ve established a pattern of good decision making and seem to be in control of our words and actions, we can’t seem to avoid doing exactly what we didn’t want to say or do. And it can drive us to distraction! It would be nice if, like some golfers, we could blame some outside factor, but the truth is that the problem lies within. Paul calls it sin, a kind of metastasizing spiritual cancer that threatens our God-given goodness. And even though we know that in Christ there is forgiveness and restoration, we will battle this enemy until the day we die. But that doesn’t mean we need to live with self-loathing and despair. Just as golfers discover that the ugly shots make the good ones all the sweeter, we sinners find that sin can never destroy the joy that life in Christ can bring.

Thought for the Day: How do I deal with my spiritual cancer?

Psalm 145:11-14

“Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. The Lord is faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds.” vs. 13

The psalmist uses royal imagery in talking about God, and his metaphors seem inadequate to people of our day. But for him they worked just fine. The Lord was like the most wonderful king who could ever be imagined and his kingdom would endure forever. And while we may not be entirely comfortable with that language, the psalmist is right in saying that God was present in the beginning and will continue to be God until the end of all things. In the meantime, as we continue to search for satisfactory descriptions of God, God is gracious and will continue to be God for us in every season and in every generation. It really is a blessing to know that while our ideas about God continue to shift through every stage of our lives, God does not change, and will continue to support us with steadfast love and compassion. After all, ultimately it doesn’t make any difference what we think about God. All that really counts is what God thinks about us! The psalmist was full of praise and thanksgiving for such a spectacular God, and there’s no reason why we can’t join the celebration. God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, and daily showers us with every conceivable gift. Thanks be to God!

Thought for the Day: What’s my favorite image for God?

Psalm 145:8-10

“The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.  The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made.” vss. 8-9

For many in the United States the Fourth of July is a time for speeches, flag waving, and family gatherings, a festive day, often capped off in the evening with concerts and fireworks. Some will recall the Revolutionary War and the Declaration of Independence, and there will be frequent references to patriotism and the blessings of citizenship. We’ll likely hear the Pledge of Allegiance at our public gatherings, and be reminded of our conviction that we are “one nation under God.” That’s a noble sentiment, a humble one actually, and it gives our country a kind of a servant role in the world. If we are “under God” then all the psalmist’s descriptive terms for the Lord will also apply to us. We will be gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. We will be good to all, and have compassion for all that the Lord has made. To some extent many would agree that we have been all those things as a country–and at times that has been most certainly true. But others would say that we’ve often acted as a dominating power rather than as a servant–and that would also be true. How good it is when we can put aside our thirst for power and be seen consistently as a force for good in our world.

Thought for the Day: What do I love about the United States?

Zechariah 9:9-12

“He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall command peace to the nations…” vs. 10a

After their return from captivity the returning Jews devoted their energy to rebuilding the temple and the walls of Jerusalem. The prophet Zechariah encouraged them with a vision of restoration: a new king would come and reign victoriously, not with arrogance, but with a humility that would bring peace to the entire world, a peace that could only become reality when weapons of war were put aside: the chariots, the war horses, and the battle bow. As we pause now to celebrate Independence Day in the United States, we’re well aware that the prophet’s vision has never become reality. World peace is maddeningly elusive, and the biggest roadblock seems to be humanity’s reluctance to put aside the weapons of war. We love our atomic bombs and automatic weapons, and the more powerful the better. Some say that’s just the way it is, and that’s the way it will always be. But others dare to hope that one day the arrogance of power-seeking world leaders would be replaced by a spirit of humility, and there would be peace among the nations. It may seem a futile dream, but it’s hard to understand how followers of Jesus could wish for anything else. Perhaps it’s something we could think about on the Fourth of July!

Thought for the Day: What would it take for weapons of war to be no more?

Matthew 10:40-42

“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.” vs. 40

When Jesus sent out his disciples to expand his ministry to the towns and villages of Galilee he warned them that there would be suffering involved. But he also lets them know that there would be blessings for those who welcomed them. Through them people would experience the Divine Presence; through them they would be welcoming Jesus. Those encounters still take place. Those who make welcoming a part of their hospitality practice often report that they regularly run into Jesus. He appears out of nowhere, often as a stranger, and when they offer a greeting, a cup of cold water, or a smile, the response touches their heart. It’s one of the rewards that comes when the Christ in us breaks through barriers and connects with the Christ in the other. Sometimes we forget the power we have in ourselves to brighten the lives of others. We forget that we are the unconditional love of God in the flesh and that in us hurting people can be lifted up and even find healing. It’s not something to be arrogant about, not at all, unconditional love is only found in the presence of deep humility. But still, it’s invigorating to know that through us others are meeting Jesus. In fact, it often may cause us to change our behaviors! In Christ, we will always want to put our best face forward.

Thought for the Day: How does it feel to know that you are the incarnation of Christ?