Jeremiah 15:19-21

“And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you, says the Lord.” vs. 20

Jeremiah did more than his share of lamenting in his short but storied career as a prophet in Jerusalem. The royals had paid no attention to his warnings and oracles and he was lucky to have avoided being stoned. But he never gave up! No matter how frustrated he became, his sense of call was greater. We continue to see and hear people like Jeremiah at work in our world. They have a strong and powerful conviction that the world is teetering on the edge of disaster unless humanity changes its ways. They paint an alarming apocalyptic picture of a warming world and tell us that climate change will bring unprecedented calamity. And even in the presence of overwhelming apathy they refuse to be silent! They’ll continue with their warnings and predictions even when it seems no one is paying attention. That’s how it is with prophets. Their call is from God and they are convinced that their message is precious and of enormous value to us all. They hope against hope that one day the tide will turn and a spirit of cooperation will unite humanity and the planet will be saved. We may not like hearing their words but we can be sure they’ll never stop speaking the truth that has been laid on their hearts.

Thought for the Day: Why are climate prophets ignored?

Jeremiah 15:15-18

“Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?
Truly, you are to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail.” vs. 18

Jeremiah had been called to be a prophet of God and he had accepted the call. He would call the people of Jerusalem to repentance and to turn from their idolatrous ways. He devoured the words the Spirit laid on his heart and then discovered that no one paid the least bit of attention. The nation continued its reliance on foreign entanglements and turned away from the Lord–and Jeremiah was deeply disappointed, not so much in the people, but in God. He had expected to be soothed by his commitment to the Lord but instead he had found pain and disappointment. His feeling is not uncommon among those who try to be faithful to the call of God. Even followers of Jesus can find themselves disappointed with the results of their labors. Things don’t always go as we wish and sometimes our prayers can sound a lot like the laments of Jeremiah. We come seeking the water of life and discover that the brook has gone dry, and that there is nothing to slake our thirst. Fortunately we are never left alone. The One who has called uf to faithfulness will not desert us when our wanderings take us into the wilderness. Ultimately our joy is restored and we discover springs even in the desert.

Thought for the Day: When am I most likely to lament my call?

Matthew 16:17-20

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” vs. 19

While actual historical evidence is lacking, there is no doubt that Peter was associated with the community of Christians in Rome and probably died there as a martyr. As centuries passed and the bishop of Rome gained greater authority, Peter was widely believed to have been the first pope. They pointed to this verse from Matthew as verification of his primacy. He was Peter, the Rock, and on him, Jesus had established his Church. As the years passed and the bishop of Rome consolidated power, various popes realized that this authorization as the keeper of the keys had enormous significance. By wielding this power to bind sins, popes were able to bring the rulers of Europe to their knees and even declare allegiance to them. They even used the power of keys as a money-maker and were able to sell indulgences for their capital projects, including St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome. It’s difficult to see how this could have been a part of Jesus’ intention when he called Peter the Rock. Naturally the Church needs leaders, but there’s no need for them to use their positions for personal gain and notoriety. We need sacrificial servants and not folks who flaunt their wealth and material possessions. Thank God that there are such servant leaders rocking the Church today! They are a solid foundation!

Thought for the Day: How is the power of the keys used today?

Matthew 16:13-17

“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’” vs. 13

There was a lot of speculation about Jesus during his ministry. There was a heightened sense of expectation among the people, and many were wondering if God had at long last sent his messiah. John the Baptist had garnered a good bit of attention, but now that he’d been arrested and killed, people were considering Jesus. So Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” It’s an important question. And, as in the first century, there are a multitude of answers. Some say he’s God, others are convinced he was a man, a great teacher perhaps, but certainly not God. Still others think of him as a mythic being, like one of the Egyptian or Greek gods. Many would agree with Simon Peter, that he’s the messiah sent by God. But beyond the speculative answers there’s a more basic question, “Who is Jesus for us?” Is he like some historical or biblical figure, or is he a person of the present? Can we have a relationship now with Jesus? Is he our Lord and Savior, and, if so, what difference does that make for our lives? These aren’t easy questions but our answers are important, and will influence the way we live. So imagine him looking you in the eye today and asking, “Who do you say that I am?”

Thought for the Day: Who do I say that Jesus is?

Romans 12:3-8

“For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.” vss. 4-5

Life in Christ is communal! That’s one of the basic teachings of Christianity 101 and nothing good happens when we don’t take it seriously. And yet that is exactly what has taken place in our congregations in the last century. The connection with the Body has been lost in favor of a self-centered individualism, and people are drifting away from the Church by the thousands. Young people stop worshiping as they pursue their own interests, move out of the congregations that have nourished them, and never again bother to connect with a spiritual community. It’s not that they begin to lose themselves in hedonistic behaviors–not at all–they simply adopt a secular way of life. They likely don’t miss the Church as much as the Church misses them. Oh how good it is when we recognize the value of being connected to a community of faith. It’s here that we are supported in our suffering and encouraged in our sacrificial service. Together we reach out to the broken and the poor and continue the work of Jesus in our broken world. And through it all we are bound together by unconditional love and endless mercy. And most importantly perhaps, it’s here that we find our purpose, it’s here we find our niche!

Thought for the Day: Where is my niche in my congregation?

Romans 12:1-2

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” vs. 1

When Paul was making his own decisions about life he used his personality and his learning to launch a crusade against Jews who believed that Jesus was the messiah. After he was confronted by the living Christ everything changed. Moved by the gospel of grace, he presented himself as a living sacrifice, and, directed by the Holy Spirit, used his life to proclaim Jesus as messiah to all who would listen, and even those who wouldn’t. In the course of that missionary work he began to invite all who were called by the Spirit into the community of believers to also present their bodies as living sacrifice. We don’t often think that way anymore. Instead we like to determine how our bodies will be used and are bold enough to dictate to the Spirit how we would like the days of our lives to unfold. “Our will, not thine,” is our prayer, and we wonder why we are so often frustrated and unhappy. In reaction some have learned to do as the old hymn suggests: “Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to thee; take my moments and my days, let them flow in ceaseless praise.” Many do that in their morning prayers, daily offering their time and energy to God, and expecting to be used in loving service. And they are blessed!

Thought for the Day: What happens when our calendars rule our days?

Psalm 138

“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” vs. 8

We like to believe that we have a purpose in life, and some of us spend a lifetime trying to figure out exactly what that is. Many wander aimlessly as though in a maze, trying first one thing and then another, hoping to perhaps stumble on their reason for being. The psalmist too believed that he had a purpose, but he doesn’t seem to have worried about it. Instead he patiently waits, trusting that his Creator’s purpose would be fulfilled. That’s not easy to do, particularly when for some reason or another we have an elevated sense of purpose, that we and we alone are God’s gift to humanity. We forget that life is communal and that our purpose will be found in the context of community. It’s as we put our gifts at the service of the body, that we find our niche and our satisfaction. And we don’t necessarily get to pick our purpose. The community knows our gifts and will lovingly make a place for us. Occasionally that can be a humbling experience, especially when we have an exalted sense of what we have to offer. It’s hard to be an appendix when we think we’ve called to be the brains of the outfit! When we’ve thought of “standing out” as our purpose, it’s hard to adjust our thinking to “fitting in,” yet that’s likely exactly what our loving community needs.

Thought for the Day: What’s the Lord’s purpose for me?

Isaiah 51:3-6

“Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and those who live on it will die like gnats; but my salvation will be forever, and my deliverance will never be ended.” vs. 6

At first glance the prophet’s vision for his people seems horribly depressing, but as we think about what he means, a deep and comforting truth is revealed. We tend to think of the future in terms of the present, that what we see and experience in this life will persist forever. Along with that notion many are tempted to make possessions the measure of success and the insurance of their future security. But Isaiah tells us everything that we can see and experience will have an ending, and he doesn’t leave anything out! Of course there’s no indication of when that will be, and it’s not likely to be soon. But all that is so important to us now–people, places, things–has a fleeting existence. In a couple of generations most of us will be long forgotten–even those photos we’ve so carefully preserved in the cloud will have disappeared. And that’s okay! We can still enjoy the present even if there is no warranty, and besides, as the prophet says, God’s salvation is forever, and that’s our real hope for the future. As long as God is, we will be!

Thought for the Day: How do I feel about being forgotten?

Isaiah 51:1-3

“Listen to me, you that pursue righteousness, you that seek the Lord. Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug.” vs. 1

It’s sad when people seem to have no interest in those who have gone before them. History is often ranked as one of the least popular courses of study in school. Youth will say, “What’s the point of learning about people who lived hundreds of years ago? It’s all so boring.” In their estimation all that counts is keeping up with popular culture and what’s going on in Hollywood. They know all the latest songs and rock groups but don’t know a thing about their ancestor’s story or values. Isaiah would have been appalled, and his words strike a chord, “Listen, you that seek the Lord. Look to the rock from which you were hewn.” He was talking about the patriarchs and matriarchs of Israel, and believed that the nation could find its soul after its return from exile by looking to its origins. It’s not that everyone who came before us has done everything right–not at all. But there is so much that we can learn from their missteps and failures! And it’s certainly true that those who ignore history are doomed to repeat its mistakes. There’s a lot about newness that is attractive and good, but paying attention to the old is what keeps us on track!

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

Matthew 15:25-28

“He answered, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.’” vss. 26-27

Most of the time in the gospels we read that Jesus outsmarted his adversaries and left them speechless. None of his opponents could stand up against his clever use of logic and scripture. But in his encounter with the Canaanite woman he was clearly outmaneuvered. He begins with an insult, clearly implying that the Canaanites were in the same category as dogs. But her clever, almost humorous comeback, impresses him. He recognizes her great faith and the woman’s daughter is instantly healed. It was instances like this that began the gradual shift in the direction of Jesus’ mission, and ultimately not only outsiders, but women, came to play an important role in the life of the Christian community. It’s a pattern that has continued to evolve through the centuries and we’re finally at a stage when we’re more likely to drop the labels and simply accept one another as gifted, much loved children of God. It’s still not easy though, and we regularly read of the old prejudices rearing their ugly heads in the church. In some congregations debates about sexuality and gender continue to rage. It’s just not easy to give people a place at the table when they’ve been considered outsiders for generations. Jesus figured it out–maybe someday his followers can too.

Thought for the Day: Which are the hardest prejudices to overcome?