Luke 11:5-11

“So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.” vs. 9

Jesus, in teaching his disciples about prayer, does all that he can to assure them that God has an “open door” policy when it comes to interactions with those in need. Just as good parents can be counted on to give good things to their children, God will respond with blessings when we have a need. There is an unspoken caveat here of course. God will not give us everything that we ask for! This exception is endlessly frustrating for many and some have even given up praying! But Jesus did mean what he said–God does hear our prayers and does take care of us. And those who make prayer a lifelong habit do learn to trust the goodness of God. Answered prayer is alway cloaked with mystery and is not so clear cut as we might like it to be, but that never keeps the faithful from their prayers. We have learned that regular prayer is the key to our spiritual connection with God and so we keep on praying. It’s when we look back that we can clearly see the benevolences of God. In those reflective moments we realize that God has been close at every moment, even when we’ve felt abandoned. We might not have gotten a deserved promotion, but we have been sustained in our weariness and had our joys restored. 

Thought for the Day: What are signs that God has been with me?

Luke 11:1-4

“He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’” vs. 1

From the gospel record it appears that Jesus began each day with prayer, often getting up before dawn to go off by himself. Obviously his disciples noticed and one morning when he returned to the group asked if he would teach them to pray as John had taught his disciples. Jesus responded with a few petitions that have come to be known as the Lord’s Prayer. Presumably this is only a short summary of what Jesus included in his prayers, but these words have become what is likely the best-known prayer in the world. Almost everyone, even the spiritually indifferent, can follow along as it’s said, and for better or worse, it’s used in nearly every liturgical worship service under the sun. It’s good for the Church to have such a prayer. Even with the myriad of theological and liturgical differences that tend to separate the Body, here at least are a few words in which we can find unity. Even though there are some variations in our versions we can say the prayer together, and it feels good to have our voices joined in asking God to bring in the kingdom of peace, provide us with bread, and give much needed forgiveness. In these basics at least we still speak with one voice–and it is an amazing blessing!

Thought for the Day: What does the Lord’s Prayer mean to me?

Colossians 2:13-15

“God made you alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross.” vss. 13b-14

There is a Cursillo retreat ritual, likely inspired by this verse, during which participants are given small sheets of white paper on which they are encouraged to privately make a list of their sins. When they have finished they are invited to use a hammer to nail those lists to a large wooden cross lying in the front of the room. In the context of the retreat, generally on a Friday evening, the act of hammering has a cathartic effect. And even if it doesn’t satisfy the intricacies of our particular theories of atonement, the ritual provides a potent image of forgiveness through the cross. Later, as the papers are gathered, taken outside and burned, there is a palpable feeling of thanksgiving for God’s forgiving mercies. Sometimes we need that kind of concreteness in our worship. It’s one thing to move through a litany of confession and absolution, but the visual presence of sin-lists, nails, hammers, and flames can touch even hardened hearts. Of course it’s not the ritual itself that brings forgiveness. All that is necessary for our new life has already taken place in Christ–it’s all a gift, and it’s ours whether we deserve it or not. The truth is that we can’t get enough of grace–and the more ways we can experience its cleansing power, the better off we will be.

Thought for the Day: What good retreat experiences have I had?

Colossians 2:6-12

“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ.” vs. 8

Humans are enormously curious and are always on the lookout for new knowledge, wherever in the universe we can find it. We take advanced courses in universities, read countless books, and subscribe to any number of podcasts, all in the hope of discovering some new information that will transform our lives. Some are particularly interested in finding out new stuff about God, some proof of existence for example that will add certainty to their belief system. A few are convinced that there is some secret out there, a formula known to the ancients but kept hidden until revealed to some author for inclusion in the latest best-selling book. The author of Colossians was aware of such tendencies among early believers and warned them to pay no attention. It’s not that he was against new learning or education, he simply wants to reassure them that they already know enough when it comes to God. And he really is right! We don’t need to know anything more–it is enough to know that we are loved and that we have been set free in Christ to lead new lives. In Christ we have already experienced the fullness of God. It is such a relief to know this! Oh, we can keep on reading theology if we like–it’s a fine hobby, maybe even better than golf, but in Christ we have enough!

Thought for the Day: What are my favorite areas of learning?

Psalm 138

“On the day I called, you answered me, you increased my strength of soul.” vs. 3S

Sometimes we wonder what good it does to pray. We’re told to offer prayers regularly, for victims of mass shootings, for people threatened by massive forest fires, for the people of Ukraine, for those afflicted with dread disease–the list goes on and on. And so we do, some of us faithfully day after day, but often there are questions, especially when nothing seems to happen. The psalmist must have thought about such things too, and provides guidance to those living 2500 years in the future. He says that when he prays God answers, not in giving him all that he has asked for, but in increasing the strength of his soul! Wow! That’s something to think about. He’s saying that the best reason for praying is internal, it strengthens the essence of who we are, the point of our closest connection to Christ. Whenever we pray then, sometimes in a long litany of names and petitions, and no matter whether our requests are granted, we are being changed in a most remarkable way. And there’s evidence for this in our communities of faith. Who are the folks who seem to remain solid and even grow in their relationship to God through the years? Is it not those who we suspect may have regular times for prayer and meditation every day? Perhaps they grow in faith because the psalmist’s assertion is true. We won’t know unless we try it!

Thought for the Day: What’s the relationship between prayer and faith in my life?

Genesis 18:23-32

“Then he said, ‘Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.’” vs. 32

The men around the fires must have chuckled at the sheer effrontery of Abraham as the old story was told, retold, and then remembered. He had dared to bargain with God to save the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah–and he had been successful. Of course it hadn’t made any difference. Sodom and Gomorrah had been destroyed anyway but Abraham had made a name for himself. Some folks still try the bargaining route in dealing with God. When they’re facing some sort of crisis and  lives hang in the balance their last resort is to make a deal with God. They reason that if the right terms can be struck God will come around to their point of view, and they’ll get their way. The bargaining is understandable, most all of us do it, and it obviously has a long history among religious people. The problem that this isn’t who God is, and it most certainly isn’t how God operates. Answered prayers are rooted in the mystery of who God is, but don’t happen because we’ve convinced God to be merciful. God is by nature gracious and merciful, and no matter what happens in our lives, God will be present with strength and support. We’ll be sustained in our weariness and have our joy restored. It happens again and again–and that’s how God works in our world!

Thought for the Day: When have I bargained with God?

Genesis 18:20-22

“Then the Lord said, ‘How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin!” vs. 20

For the early part of the Twentieth Century Los Vegas was known as “Sin City,” a place where decadence and immorality were a part of the culture. The phrase “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” was coined to reflect that reputation, and is still quoted with a wink and a smile when people speak of spending time there. Other American cities like New Orleans or San Francisco, rightly or wrongly, have similar stories told about them, and they all bring to mind the ancient story of Sodom and Gomorrah from Genesis. Back then it was taught that such cities would eventually catch the attention of the Lord, and that there would be hell to pay. There are some who still feel that way, and some preachers were quick to bring up Sodom when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005. They implied that the wholesale destruction was the work of the Lord and could have been predicted. In reality of course, such stories always are told post-disaster and are always unhelpful in helping us understand the destruction that periodically comes from volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, earthquakes, or weather events. Yes, those things do happen, and sometimes thousands die, but it’s not because the victims were worse sinners than anyone else. That’s just not how God operates!

Thought for the Day: Why are natural disasters called “acts of God”?

Luke 10:41-42

“But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’” vss. 41-42

Many of us can identify with Martha. Like her we are worried and distracted by many things. Even though we’re surrounded by technologies designed to make our lives easier, life seems to have increased in its complexity. Professional and relational challenges abound, and the quality of leisure time has been compromised–everything seems harder than it should be. Even vacations can become massive distractions and occasions for worry. The sad by-product of all this activity is the decline of worship, meditation, and contemplation in our lives. When our days were more predictable and we didn’t have a fixation on being productive, all of us had time each week to feed our spirits and care for our souls. Now, with increasing screen time and declining attention spans, we’re hard-pressed to find even a few minutes a day for rest and leisure. It took some gumption for Mary to simply sit and listen while her sister fumed. Sometimes that’s what it takes to carve out time with Jesus–to say no to culture and yes to the Spirit. Perhaps it’s time for the rest of us to choose the better parts of life, those things which shall not be taken away from us.

Thought for the Day: How important is it to me to be productive?

Luke 10:38-40

“But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’” vs. 40

Martha had been well-schooled in her culture’s practice of hospitality. Like Abraham centuries before she knew what to do when Jesus and his disciples dropped by for a visit. She prepared bread, whipped up a vegetable salad, got out the best hummus and spent hours in the kitchen getting the various courses ready. Jesus was more than a teacher, he was a friend, and she wanted him to enjoy the best. But she hadn’t counted on her sister, Mary, plopping herself down in the midst of the men and listening to everything Jesus had to say–and it made her mad. She’d had to do everything by herself! We know the feeling! When we’ve got work to do, and could use some help, it’s irritating when our helpers desert us. But Martha knew what to do. She brought her complaint to Jesus–and then implied that it was his fault. And in a way it was! The message of liberation that he was proclaiming had caused Mary to conclude that it was okay for her to sit among the men. For those times this was radical–and as the centuries passed more and more “good old boys’ clubs” were upset as more and more women took the gospel to heart and old traditions were transformed.

Thought for the Day: When do I long for the “good old days”?

Colossians 1:21-28

“And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him—” vss. 21-22

There are many people today who would just as soon eliminate the cross from the Christian faith. For them it’s bloody and gruesome, and reeks of a sacrificial theory of the atonement that they think we’d be better off without. They seem content with a teaching and healing Jesus and a message of unconditional love that is uncluttered by primitive notions of sacrifice. Paul, or whoever it was that wrote Colossians, would be appalled by their crossless faith. For him it was the center of everything, and there would have been no reconciliation of anything if it were not for Christ’s death. It’s doubtful that he worried much about consistency in atonement theory, but he whole-heartedly believed that in Christ’s death the estranged and the hostile in every time and place had been made holy and blameless before God. He even says that his own suffering had been absorbed into the cross, and he would likely say the same for us.  In other words, it’s out of suffering that wholeness comes! That is an important truth for everyone of us–it helps us make sense of all the horrible stuff that keeps on happening in the world. All those things are a part of the cross of Christ and they reconcile us to God–and for Paul, and a lot of folks, that’s the best news ever.

Thought for the Day: What would a crossless faith be like?