Psalm 46

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” vs. 1

It’s hard for us to imagine the turmoil that swirled around Martin Luther in the mid-1520’s. Encouraged by his writings the peasants had risen against the nobles, and when Luther denounced their violence, it is estimated that 100,000 of them were killed in brutal massacres by the armies of the Swabian league. In addition to the war, plague broke out in his home town of Wittenberg in 1527. Hundreds of people fled, while Luther remained behind to provide comfort for the sick and dying. And as all this took place Luther, despairing and despondent. wrote his most famous hymn, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God,” based on Psalm 46. We may not agree with all that Luther said or wrote, but there is no denying his complete trust  in God. There are some who believe that we are now in similarly troubled times: We still live in the shadow of COVID and there are certainly wars and rebellions all around. That’s why the words of this psalmist continue to be a comfort. God is our refuge and strength, a bulwark that never fails! And the worse things get, the more likely we are to seek out God’s presence and power. Buoyed by the strength of that faith we are able to face every day with a joyful smile and a sense of peace in our hearts. That power comes not from our own will but from the never-failing presence of the God who is!

Thought for the Day: When has God been my refuge?

Jeremiah 23:3-6

“I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord.” vs. 4

Jeremiah told the people that one day the Lord would give them kings who would usher in a kingdom marked by righteousness and justice. No longer would they be afraid and none would go missing and lost. That prophetic vision took root in Judah and for centuries the people hoped for the arrival of that Peaceable Kingdom. They were still hoping when Jesus came on the scene and when he began to preach that the Kingdom of God was at hand, the people dared to hope that the promises of old were being fulfilled. And they were right, more right than they had even imagined! Jesus did usher in a kingdom of peace, but not one that fit any political category. This kingdom did not depend on the leadership of some king or president, but on the continuing presence of his Holy Spirit. Because it’s a Christ-led kingdom it does not depend on elections or coups or any legislative action. Of course there are some who still hold to the old notions and who believe that our hope and salvation is dependent on some earthly leader. But that’s not how God’s rule works! The Church of Christ is non-geographic and encompasses the entire world and through the Church God is bringing healing and peace, and a powerful message of forgiveness and hope.

Thought for the Day: Why do people put their trust in nations rather than the Church?

Jeremiah 23:1-2

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord.” vs. 1

The prophets regularly spoke of the kings of Judah and Israel as shepherds, and now Jeremiah takes his turn at lambasting their cruel and divisive oversight. The Lord who is the true Shepherd of the sheep had entrusted the kings with his flock and they had, with the possible exception of David, failed miserably. Almost all the people of Israel and Judah had ended up in exile, far away  from what had been the Promised Land. But Israel isn’t the only country that has suffered from inept and corrupt leaders. It’s been a perennial problem for all the people of God. Every nation needs shepherds who will guide them on the paths of righteousness, and too often arrogant and self-serving despots take control. When that happens chaos ensues and corruption abounds. Thank God for prophets in the lineage of Jeremiah who call them out and speak on behalf of the oppressed. By speaking the truth to those who are in power they expose the great wrongs that are being done. They give hope to the broken and lay the groundwork for the arrival of new shepherds, ones who will lift up the lowly and provide food for the hungry and protection for the poor. 

Thought for the Day: How is the shepherd of our nation doing?

Luke 21:12-19

“But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name.” vs. 12

While it is true that in some parts of the world Christians are being persecuted and sometimes even killed because of their allegiance to Jesus, nearly all of us live in places where Christians are able to practice their faith freely and openly. We certainly don’t face the opposition that the earliest followers of Jesus experienced. Those folks had enormous courage and risked their lives by declaring their allegiance to Christ. But they didn’t back down and the Church continued to gain adherents. In fact, one early Church leader, Tertullian in 197 A.D. wrote, “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” Because opposition does inspire resistance, some Christians today operate with a chip on their shoulder. They seem to look for things to be upset about, e.g. people being encouraged to say “Happy Holidays” rather than “Merry Christmas,” and imagine that Christians are being persecuted. The truth is that the greatest threat to our faith today is not opposition but apathy. Too many people who call themselves Christians don’t even show up for worship except on Christmas. And most importantly, they forget that old camp song, “They’ll know we are Christians by our love.”

Thought for the Day: What is the greatest threat to my faith?

Luke 21:5-11

“And he said, ‘Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, “I am he!” and, “The time is near!” Do not go after them.’” vs. 8

There’s nothing like questions about the end times to get people riled up. Most followers of Jesus don’t spend much time worrying about such things–they know that every generation brings new theories and predictions and so far every one of them has been wrong. So they know it’s pointless to even think about the end–God is in charge and that means there’s nothing to worry about. But some folks in our congregations just can’t let it go! They read all the books about the rapture and search the internet for descriptions of the Lawless One or the Antichrist. And when they’ve gathered enough fragments of unrelated proof they put together some more predictions about the time and place of Christ’s return. Jesus made it very clear to his disciples that they should just ignore the false prophets, and Paul had the same message for the people in the congregations that he started. As disciples we have a mission in the world, and it’s been the same from the beginning. Our call is to proclaim the good news of forgiveness and hope in every way we can. It’s that message that transforms lives and brings restoration to the broken and lost. Christ is here now and the Kingdom of Peace is at hand!

Thought for the Day: What’s the best way to avoid being distracted from our mission?

2 Thessalonians 3:10-13

“For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work.” vs. 11

We don’t know why some of the folks in Thessalonica chose to be idlers and busybodies, but we can make a reasonable guess. Paul had emphasized in his teaching that Christ would be returning soon and it could very well be that some quit working to make ready for his coming. Certainly that would be a tempting option, particularly if they weren’t crazy about the work they were doing. Why keep engaging in drudgery when paradise was just around the corner? There are some among us who ask those questions when they reach the point in life when the rat race loses its appeal. By reasoning that the end is coming soon they give up on being productive and take up channel surfing and the internet. It’s a sad decision! Even if they’re tired of their old work, there are a myriad of opportunities in the volunteer world, and often a person’s most fulfilling years come after retirement. It’s fun to hear our seniors complain about how busy they are. Some say they’re working harder than they ever have, and that they intend to keep doing it until the day they drop. There are few rewards in this world for idleness, and even fewer for being a busybody. For believers sacrificial service combined with unconditional love is a lifetime call.

Thought for the Day: How will I spend my golden years?

2 Thessalonians 3:6-9

“For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, and we did not eat anyone’s bread without paying for it…” vss. 7-8a

Sometimes we are surprised by what was such a big deal for Paul. These are the passages that make our scriptures so real–they are a window into the issues that plagued the early congregations, and they’re not too different from the kinds of things that we wrestle with today. It turns out that Paul didn’t get a salary for the work he did in Thessalonica. He didn’t think he needed financial support–he had a trade and he worked at that to support himself. His preaching and teaching was done free of charge. More than that, he thought his practice was worthy of imitation. And when he heard that some in that congregation were idle, he took them to task. Everyone who was capable should have gainful employment! It’s amazing what an issue that has continued to be among us. We get irritated when folks don’t pull their own weight. And eventually freeloaders will destroy community! That’s one of the realities of communal living, and even people who hang their hats on the message of grace get cranky when their fellow saints are slackers. It’s not that we need to make an idol of hard work, but it doesn’t hurt to point out the things that threaten the cohesiveness of our life together. 

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

Psalm 98:4-9

“Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing together for joy at the presence of the Lord, for he is coming to judge the earth.” vss. 8-9a

The psalmist not only looked back during Israel’s day of celebration, he also looked ahead, anticipating a day when the Lord would come to judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity. His reasoning was plain. Since the Lord had been with them in the past, there was no reason to doubt that the Lord would also be with them in the future. We live in a time when there is a good deal of trepidation about what is coming for our planet. Many worry about our race to develop ever more powerful versions of AI. They see it as a threat to the survival of humanity and their doomsday scenarios do seem plausible. Others look at the nations who have developed nuclear weapons and are concerned that a rogue state could unleash planet-threatening destruction. With such bleak prospects, some wonder if the floods and hills are now in any mood to clap their hands and sing for joy! People of faith will give a resounding yes. God who has been our help in ages past will surely be our hope for years to come. We may not have a roadmap for the future but we do share a conviction that God will never ever abandon the creation. Whatever mess we humans may make of things, God’s power and might will prevail.

Thought for the Day: If God doesn’t intervene, how will our planet survive? 

Psalm 98:1-3

“He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.” vs. 3

The people of Israel gathered regularly to celebrate their covenant with the Lord. They remembered in song the victories of their armies and gave all the credit to God. This psalm was undoubtedly composed for use at one of those celebrations. It reflects the Israelite’s conviction that they could never have achieved unity and independence apart from the hand of God. Sometimes it’s good for us to take a look back in order to appreciate the life that we have now. From a certain perspective it is true that none of us would be in the place we are today apart from the presence of God. Through the centuries our ancestors have survived every kind of natural disaster, numerous wars, and devastating plagues–if they hadn’t, we wouldn’t even exist! That’s just how life works! So we too have much to be thankful for! Unfortunately we sometimes get so caught up in the mechanics and routine of everyday living that we forget just how blessed we are. In truth, our mere existence is miraculous! We’ve beat the odds, and there’s nothing better for us to do than to give all the thanks and praise to God. If so inclined we might even find time today to sing a new song! We are alive. Alleluia!

Thought for the Day: How will I show thanksgiving to God today?

Malachi 4:1-2a

“But for you who revere my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings.” vs 2a

Even though he was likely not the last of the Old Testament prophets, because of his message, Malachi does get the last word in the Hebrew scriptures. Deeply critical of temple practices after the exile he has two messages for the Jewish people. First, a day of destruction will come, the long anticipated Day of the Lord, and all evildoers will be burned like stubble after the harvest. But then comes an image of hope. In a description reminiscent of ancient Egyptian thought, he says that the sun of righteousness will rise, with healing in its wings, and God’s people will experience restoration. It’s a powerful poetic image and serves as a wonderful introduction to the New Testament of Jesus Christ, the One who is the Son of Righteousness. In his life and through his message he brought healing to our broken world, a healing that is continuing to this very day. How wonderful that the book of Malachi really wasn’t the last word for believers! Our last Word is Jesus, and he came with good news of great joy for all people. We’re in the process now of making plans for Thanksgiving, and of all the things we have to be thankful for, there is none more precious than the new life that is ours in him!

Thought for the Day: What does a sunrise mean for me?