Psalm 100:4-5

“For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” vs. 5

In the midst of the current tumult regarding war, nuclear weapons, climate disaster, and the resurgence of hate speech, we can find amazing consolation in the words of this 2500 year old psalm. The psalmist, inspired by the Spirit, knew the core of what humans need to flourish. First is a firm conviction that God is good and so is the creation. All things belong to God and are in God! Sometimes we forget that good news in the midst of the brokenness that confronts us daily. Occasionally that goodness is hard to see–but it is there–it’s the essence of all that is! And secondly the psalmist reminds us that we are surrounded by the steadfast, unconditional love of God, a love that will never disappear. Paul tells us in Romans 8 that there is nothing in all creation that can separate us from that love of God–not even death can stand against it. When these convictions stand at the core of our faith, we can be sustained in our weariness and have our joy restored. That doesn’t mean we won’t be aggravated by the events of our times. There will be occasions when we want to tear out our hair–we may even join protests or write letters to editors. Being faithful isn’t a matter of putting our heads in the sand. But when all is said and done, it’s the message of this psalm that can bring peace to our minds and restore our souls. 

Thought for the Day: What scripture passage calms me?

Psalm 100:1-3

“Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.” vs. 3

The psalmist was full of joy at being alive, and he regularly joined his faith community in worship as they filled the air with songs of praise and thanksgiving. Everything he knew and loved had come from the Lord–even his own life had been a gift of God. Even now, some 2500 years later, his words resonate in the hearts of believers, and we too regularly join our congregations for worship and praise. At its best our worship is free and spontaneous and matches the exuberance of all creation, from the birds of the air to the lilies of the field. We see it in the fanciful flight of butterflies from flower to flower and hear it in the coyote choruses and cries of the loon. That worship impulse is woven into the fabric of the universe, and is reflected in manifold ways wherever life endures. Our lives are not our own and how good it is when we put aside our hubris and humble our hearts before the Lord. As our own pride erodes we begin to see the beauty of the other and to put aside our thirst for dominance in favor of unselfish sacrifice and service. In such an atmosphere love will abound and we will know joy all the days of our lives. 

Thought for the Day: What shape does my worship take?

Exodus 19:2-8a

“Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is mine, but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation.” vss. 5-6a

The ancient Hebrews had what some might call an elevated sense of their importance. They fervently believed that they had been set aside by God for a special purpose. Out of all peoples of the earth they were to be a priestly kingdom and a holy nation. It’s a noble heritage and because their descendents have clung to that identity the Jewish people continue to be a significant presence in the world. And through Jesus Christ, himself a Jew, that identity has been adopted by countless races and cultures, and followers of Jesus have come to believe they have a special call and purpose. Indeed, we who are in Christ see ourselves as a holy and priestly presence, and at our best, that’s exactly who we are! We speak of ourselves as the hands and feet of God and understand that we are to be the mediators of God’s unconditional love. We are the ones who show up where there is suffering and pain, offering our time and resources in sacrificial service, and the whole world is blessed by our presence. Of course it’s not easy to maintain that focus–too often we get caught up in petty divisions and jealousies, and there is a constant need for reformation. But our calling will always remain–we really are a chosen people!

Thought for the Day: How does my life reflect my calling?

Matthew 9:18-26

“While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, ‘My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.’” vs. 18

When his daughter died, the leader of the synagogue, presumably a Pharisee, wasn’t the least bit concerned about Jesus’ association with sinners. Instead this righteous man humbled himself, knelt down at Jesus’ feet, and pleaded with him to come and restore his little girl to life. And we understand! It’s the sort of thing that loving fathers and mothers do for their children. When dread times comes and calamity strikes it’s pointless to hang on to divisive religious convictions. That’s why it’s often said that humanity functions best in the face of disaster. Again and again we put aside our differences, embrace the hurting ones, and make love the cornerstone of our relationships. How wonderful it is when we don’t wait for moments of crisis to start reaching out in love to one another! It’s fine for us to have different political opinions and embrace differing traditions, but when those differences drive us apart, something has gone very wrong. Life is precious! How sad it is to waste it with hateful speech and biased behaviors! How beautiful it is when we reach across barriers and boundaries and embrace the hurting with arms of mercy and healing love. For those who are in Christ, this is the only way!

Thought for the Day: What has love motivated me to do?

Matthew 9:9-13

“When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ But when he heard this, he said, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.’” vss. 11-12

All people have been made righteous in Christ! This is a basic tenet of Christianity 101. But an astounding number of people seem to believe their righteousness derives from their own acts and decisions. Since these self-righteousness folks have more in common with Pharisees than they do Jesus, it seems strange to find them in our congregations. But they’re there. They show up, sometimes in large numbers, and are quick to judge and slow to forgive. Often they’re adept with the scriptures and are skilled at finding passages that give support to their particular prejudices. They love making theological distinctions and showing off their knowledge in bible studies and classes. This wouldn’t necessarily be a problem–we like to have good, decent, law-abiding folks in our congregations. But these people are a real pain to have around! They aren’t any fun at all–which is likely why Jesus preferred to hang out with sinners. We have to constantly be on our guard around religious people–they’re always listening and watching. But when we are in the fellowship of sinners we can relax. No more pretensions or facades! We can be who we are, sinners yearning for the unconditional love of God. No more, no less!

Thought for the Day: My most relaxing group of friends!

Romans 4:18-25

“No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.” vss. 20-21

We all know believers whose faith seems to grow stronger as they age, not because they have had prayers answered or seen miracles, but simply because they have continued to trust in the promises of God. And where do such convictions come from, even in the face of no evidence? We really don’t know. But there is no doubt that people like Abraham and Paul had an abundance of faith–and they never failed to give glory to God for such a great gift. In the end, then, that’s what faith is, a gift from God through the Holy Spirit, and when we have it, all we can do is to give thanks and praise to God. It’s obvious that not all people have faith, and we can spend a lot of time trying to figure out why they don’t without ever finding a satisfying answer among the dozens of possibilities. It does seem to be true that sometimes faith breeds faith, and some people have come to faith through the influence of others. But there isn’t a formula–faith is mysterious and defies formulaic answers. That’s why it’s even more spectacular when we have it–there’s nothing that can provide more stability as we move through times of uncertainty and despair. 

Thought for the Day: I wonder why I have faith?

Romans 4:13-17

“For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham…” vs. 16 

As Paul searches the scriptures in his attempt to communicate the wonder of the gospel to the Romans he decides to use Abraham and not Moses as the model for the new life in Christ. Abraham knew nothing of the law–all he had was faith, a deep and profound trust in the grace of God. And Paul tells us that this faith is the key that unlocks the unconditional love of God for every single one of us. We shouldn’t imagine however that it’s easy to trust in grace, especially when we’ve been trained from youth to believe that everything depends on what we do. “Just do your best,” say our parents and teachers. But what in the world is that? And how will we know when we’ve done our best? The best news that any of us can get is that it doesn’t all depend on us. Not only are we communal creatures, in Christ we know that salvation is already ours. We already have the gift of eternal life and all that entails. What a relief it is when we can put aside our perfectionist ways and accept the unconditional love that is ours by grace. Only then, as we bask in the joy of simply being, do we become what we have been created to be.

Thought for the Day: Have I done my best?

Psalm 50:7-15

“I will not accept a bull from your house, or goats from your folds. For every wild animal of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.” vss. 9-10

The psalmist was convinced that the people were misusing the sacrificial system that had been set up in Israel as a way to connect with the Lord. The people had begun to think that their offerings elevated their own status, a concept that has served as a great motivation for giving through the years. It’s possible that there are some even in our congregations who believe that their large gifts will buy them power and prestige. In response the psalmist speaks for the Lord in a way that seems almost amusing to the modern reader, “I will take no bull from your house.” His point is well taken! The Lord knows us and our motivations, and will not be manipulated or impressed. There is only one reason for giving an offering to God and that’s thanksgiving, a recognition that everything belongs to God. Some years ago one of the great hymn writers, William How, reflected that thought with these lyrics, “We give thee but thine own, whate’er the gift may be, all that we have is thine alone, a trust, O Lord, from thee.” There are many among us who understand this great truth, and who give generous offerings anonymously, not to ingratiate themselves with God, but because they understand what it means to be a steward of God’s goods.

Thought for the Day: Where did I learn stewardship?

Hosea 6:4-6

“For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” vs. 6

Somehow the people of Israel and Judah had managed to get the Lord’s message all screwed up during their time of prosperity. Their forefathers had developed a sacrificial system that provided times for pilgrimages and offerings. It was a way of giving thanks and praise to the Lord while also atoning for sin. But through the years it had become focused on the externals and was dominated by a hierarchy of priests who cared more about rules than behaviors. Prophets like Amos and Hosea were appalled! Again and again they offered their critiques. As we read their words we can’t help but think of the state of religion in our time. Admittedly there are some of the same tendencies to focus on the externals of worship, but we also see large numbers of earnest believers who have taken the prophets’ message to heart. Their focus is on the unconditional love of God for all people and they regularly give their full attention to sacrificial service. They’re lifting up their voices on behalf of the poor and the hungry, welcoming refugees and asylum seekers, providing shelter for the homeless, and seeking new ways to engage the Divine Presence in meditation, prayer, and song. These communities of faith are everywhere, and in them the presence of Christ is being felt in spectacular ways. Hosea would be proud!

Thought for the Day: What would Hosea say to my faith community?

Hosea 5:15-6:3

“Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord; his appearing is as sure as the dawn; he will come to us like the showers, like the spring rains that water the earth.” vs. 3

During the 8th century BCE Hosea was called to bring a word from the Lord to the rival kingdoms of Israel and Judah. They had begun to think they were pretty special and had become enamored of wealth and power. In the process they’d even begun to worship the gods of the Canaanites, the ultimate betrayal of the Lord. Hosea proclaims to anyone who will listen that the Lord had abandoned them–they were now on their own. When fortunes then turned against these two rebellious nations and enemies loomed large, Hosea believed that people would turn again to the Lord for rescue and restoration. His observations are not far from the truth. This is how humans have continued to live through the centuries. Again and again nations have gotten caught up in the desires of the age and imagined their destiny would be one of glory and might. We’ve experimented with every kind of godless living, waged war at a whim, and reaped horrendous consequences. And out of the ashes we’ve gotten on our knees and pleaded for restoration. And because the Lord is unconditional love, new hopes are born, the spring rains come, and we are delivered. But it seems we never learn–too soon the cycle begins again and we return to the verge of destruction! 

Thought for the Day: What signs of hope do I see for our nation?