Genesis 32:26-32

“Then the man said, ‘You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.’” vs. 28

These days when traveling through Israel, tourists are amazed to discover large fields of prickly pear cactus. The pads are eaten as a vegetable and the pods make delicious jams and jellies–in Israel they are known as “sabra,” which is also the name given to native born Israelis. The name describes them well–like the sabra, a tenacious, prickly desert plant, these Jews believe themselves to be tough on the outside, but having a certain sweetness on the inside. Whether or not this is true, the name “sabra” does call to mind the tenacious desert dweller, Jacob, who wrestled with God and with humans and was blessed with a new name. “Israel” means “one who strives with God” and became the name by which Jacob’s descendents have been known. Indeed, according to the scriptures the people of Israel have a long history of struggling with God–nothing came easy for them. Of course the same thing could be said of the followers of Jesus. While the Christian life is often portrayed as being full of peace and serenity, for many disciples it’s been nothing of the sort. And there really is a sort of toughness required for those who live in Christ. Of course that’s not all bad–without the struggle there would probably be no growth! And a prickly pear really isn’t a bad role model!

Thought for the Day: Can a person be both tough and gentle?

Genesis 32:22-25

“Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.” vs. 24

Jacob had fled from Esau’s presence when his trickery in stealing his father’s blessing had been revealed, and he had stayed with his uncle Laban for over 20 years. He had married Laban’s daughters and had become a wealthy man, but he yearned for his homeland. After sending word to Esau that he was on the way, Jacob stayed alone at the ford of the Jabbak while his wives, children, and cattle went ahead. That night, not knowing what Esau’s response would be, Jacob wrestled with an unknown man until daybreak. It’s an intense struggle, and we get the idea that Jacob is battling with himself and with God. Occasionally we will have these dark nights of the soul, those sleepless hours when we duke it out with God. Usually these are the momentous times when our whole future seems to hang in the balance. In Jacob’s case the struggle came on the eve of his reunion with Esau–and he didn’t know what would happen. Our sleepless nights probably pale in comparison, but the emotional pressures can be intense, and we can’t always be certain of outcomes. We may even have a deep sense of foreboding at what we are intending to do. It’s not even a matter of right and wrong–we only know that this is something we have to do–and in the struggle we feel terribly alone. And mysteriously, God is there too!

Thought for the Day: Have I ever had a “Jacob moment’?

Luke 18:6-8

“And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” vss. 7-8

The parable of the unjust judge has been clear in affirming the faithfulness of God. If a crooked judge will answer persistent petitions, then certainly God will do the same. How could we even imagine otherwise? But the more important question has to do with the faithfulness of believers. After months, and even years of coming to God in prayer, and often not getting what we want, how long will we continue to be people of faith? Is there a point when we give up on God, go our own way, and even stop taking time to pray? Unfortunately, it would seem that many times this is the case. People do tire of repeating the same petitions again and again, especially when they’ve learned to think of God as their “great parent in the sky.” In such instances it’s not unusual for faith to virtually disappear. Sadly some will even say they no longer believe in God. But those who remain faithful eventually discover that the point and power of prayer is not in the answers, but in the process. Somehow as we regularly offer our petitions of praise and supplication, our divine connections even bring us the satisfaction we crave and all the answers we need!

Thought for the Day: What might cause me to stop praying?

Luke 18:1-5

“Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.” vs. 1

Jesus knew that prayer can often be a disheartening experience, mostly because there seems to be no response from God. So he tells his disciples a parable about an unjust judge who neither feared God nor respected people. But when a poor woman kept coming with a plea for justice, the judge finally granted her request just to keep her from bothering him. Jesus’ point is clear. If persistence pays off in dealing with corrupt judges, there is surely great value in regular and persistent prayer. Many disciples continue to need that encouragement. It isn’t that there’s some magic number of times we have to repeat a prayer before it is answered–God surely doesn’t keep track of such things. But it’s the persistence itself that brings satisfaction in prayer! Prayer isn’t a tool that Christians haul out when they’re in a rough spot, prayer is a way of life, a daily conversation with God about whatever is troubling us or giving us joy. And in those quiet moments, as time passes, prayers can be repeated for a lifetime. We may not get the results we want or expect but with the praying comes healing and peace. Connections are made with God and the entire community that bring spiritual strength and daily support. A life built on a foundation of persistent prayer brings satisfaction beyond all expectations.

Thought for the Day: What have been my most persistent prayers?

2 Timothy 4:1-5

“For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires…” vs. 5

Paul, looking back on decades of ministry, has some sound advice for the young preacher and teacher. “Proclaim the message,” he says “be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage,” and have patience. What Paul advises is not easy in these divisive times, and some pastors have gotten discouraged. Their heartfelt messages are often not well received–and they’ve discovered quickly that people don’t like to be rebuked or challenged. Partisan political and cultural lines have been drawn and people have learned to quickly take offense when lines are crossed. And because we live in a time when congregations are adept at adjusting their message to “itching ears,” people can easily find teachers who proclaim a gospel that suits their particular desires. And if the music and youth programs are outstanding, sound doctrine really doesn’t seem to matter. It’s likely that Paul would not have been surprised by the state of the church today–he’d had a boatload of experience with believers who had abandoned his teachings when a more eloquent speaker came along. The good news is that the gospel of Jesus Christ is continuing to be proclaimed and when all this silliness is over, by the grace of God and the power of the Spirit, millions of people will be walking in his Way. We’re not in charge!

Thought for the Day: What determines whether I stay or go in a congregation?

2 Timothy 3:14-17

“All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…” vs. 16

Early Christians didn’t start from scratch as they proclaimed the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Their whole message was based on the Hebrew Scriptures and most of them had been well-trained in its teachings before they became followers of Jesus. This was their community’s story and they found great inspiration in the writings of the law and prophets and in the psalms. They found that their study often gave them new insights into the teachings of Jesus, and they came to believe that his ministry was the fulfillment of scripture. Sadly, many contemporary followers of Jesus have little understanding or knowledge of these Hebrew Scriptures and only use them occasionally. They may pick out a verse here and there as a prooftext for whatever they’re trying to prove but have little appreciation for the Old Testament as a whole. What they miss is that the Old Testament is the foundational part of our community’s story and without it we have little hope of understanding Jesus, a man whose whole life was lived in the context of those ancient stories. Jesus was thoroughly Jewish, and not at all Christian, and all that he did and said flowed from the Hebrew Scriptures. To know him we will need to know them well!

Thought for the Day: What’s my favorite section of the Hebrew Scriptures?

Psalm 121

“The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore.” vs. 8

If we were to list our psalms of comfort this one would probably rank near the top. This psalmist understood God and he was able to provide a metaphor that describes the ever-vigilant nature of God better than any other. He writes, “I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” Those of us blessed to live by mountains understand how good it is to have them as constant sentinels in our going out and our coming in. Decades pass, cities come and go, but the mountains are always there, never-changing through the years (at least to our eyes), a comforting solid presence. That’s how it is with the Lord, the Rock of our salvation! Everyday we go out into our uncertain changing world, and every evening we return. Our homes can change, growing larger through our early years, and then smaller as we learn the joy of downsizing. We all change, vigorous at first and then declining as the years take a toll–aAt the last our going out may be limited to a slow ride in a wheelchair to the dining room of our care center. Our circumstances inexorably change but like the mountains our Lord remains constantly present, our help in ages past and our hope for years to come.

Thought for the Day: What do mountains symbolize for me?

Jeremiah 14:19-22

“We acknowledge our wickedness, O Lord, the iniquity of our ancestors, for we have sinned against you.” vs. 20

According to Jeremiah the people of Judah acknowledged the iniquity of their ancestors and furthermore, confessed it to be their own. Their attitude contrasts with the attitudes of those in our time who refuse to accept any responsibility for the despicable acts of prior generations. In some places teachers are forbidden from teaching anything about the past that might make their students feel uncomfortable. The argument is simple: “Since I didn’t persecute Jews or hold slaves or drive indiginous people from their land, there is no reason for me to feel any guilt on behalf of those who did.” And many would agree. The problem is that the effects of those oppressive actions continue to be felt by millions of hurting people all over the world today. And the benefits gained by the oppressors continue to be enjoyed by their descendants. Whether we like it or not, we are connected to those who have gone before us! Jeremiah knew that–and says that confession is a community obligation. If he’s right, we at least have the responsibility to study the dark sides of our history as the people of God–and if it makes us feel bad, well, it’s never too late for repentance. With corporate confession there is at least the hope of changing how we behave. The truth is we can’t rewrite the future if we don’t know the past!

Thought for the Day: How have I benefited from the sins of my ancestors?

Jeremiah 14:7-10

“Why should you be like someone confused, like a mighty warrior who cannot give help? Yet you, O Lord, are in the midst of us, and we are called by your name; do not forsake us!” vs. 9

Judah was in a period of famine and drought, with powerful enemies closing in on every side, and they needed the Lord’s help. But nothing was happening, and the people were in despair. As was their custom they complained, perhaps hoping they could provoke the Lord into action. We’re not above those kinds of tactics ourselves. When things are not going well in our lives, blaming God is second nature, especially if we consider ourselves to be God’s chosen ones. Somewhere we’ve gotten the idea that God is just hanging around on the fringes of our lives, able to help, but choosing to not intervene. And if we’ve grown up believing that God is an interventionist, one who shows up in times of trouble to rescue and deliver, it’s natural to wonder what’s up when it seems we’re alone. The truth is, of course, that God is never apart from us and is inextricably involved in all that we are or do. When we feel forsaken God is right there with us in our forsakenness, and God uses those feelings to sustain and connect with us. Jesus was never so close to God as in the moment of his death on the cross, and so it is for us.

Thought for the Day: What are the blessings of forsakenness?

Luke 17:15-19

“Then he said to him, ‘Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.’” vs.19

Faith is a big word for the followers of Jesus. We run across it regularly as we read the scriptures and have discovered that it can have a variety of meanings. In this instance Jesus ascribes it to a Samaritan man who had been healed of his leprosy. Evidently all ten of the lepers had faith, they had trusted the instructions of Jesus and had headed off to see a priest. All of them were healed–their faith seems to have been synonymous with trust–they did what Jesus told them to do. But only the foreigner among them thought to come back and give thanks to Jesus. The story is familiar. We love to receive the blessings of God, the healings and the prosperity that are a regular part of life for people of faith. There’s probably not a day that goes by that we don’t reap the benefits of life in Christ, but very few seem to connect those gifts with God, and the ones who do often surprise us. It’s the outsiders, the people on the fringes, who are most likely to really “get it.” They make the connection between the graces that have been showered on them and the person of Jesus, and regularly give God thanks and praise. Most of the rest can scarcely even be bothered to worship! It’s not that they don’t have faith–it’s just that they feel entitled rather than grateful!

Thought for the Day: How do I show my gratitude to God?