Matthew 11:2-5

“When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, ‘‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’” vss. 2-3

John had been waiting all of his life. Religion had let him down. The massive corruption of the temple leaders had driven him into the wilderness where he waited in stillness until he perceived signs that God had acted, and that the messiah was about to come. And now, having been arrested, he wondered if he was going to have to wait some more. Waiting for God is hard! What is it that we should be looking for? A new religion? A new prophet? Jesus told the disciples to pay attention to what they saw and heard. They should look for signs of healing and hope. And it’s not that much different for us! God is breaking into our world and we see God where there is healing, love, and restoration. We hear God where the good news of forgiveness and new life are proclaimed. God doesn’t show up in religion or new doctrines, God explodes into our lives where the hungry are being fed and the homeless housed–God is where good stuff is happening. Sometimes God shows up on Sunday mornings in a church, more often it’s in our interactions and relationships with the people around us–and it can happen any day of the week!

Thought for the Day: What are you waiting for?

James 5:9-10

“Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors!” vs 9

When people are in a waiting mode it’s not unusual for them to become irritated with one another. Even when there are no overt expressions of hostility there is likely to be an undercurrent of grumbling, and that’s what James was facing in his little community. He wanted it to stop, and not surprisingly used a tactic familiar to any parent trying to settle down unruly children during the weeks before Christmas. “You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I’m telling you why, Santa Claus is coming to town.” Oh, he doesn’t use those words, but the idea is the same. “You better not grumble so you won’t be judged, ‘cause the Judge is standing at the doors.” Unfortunately, James’s words have been taken to heart by countless people through the years. Again and again preachers and others have used this tactic as a way to control the behavior of believers. At best it’s manipulative, and at worst it destroys the gospel, turning it into good news for the righteous, but bad news for sinners, and that wasn’t the message of Jesus. James was right to comment on the behavior of his flock. Their grumbling was horribly destructive. But his choice of words was unfortunate and seems to undermine grace. No wonder Martin Luther considered this letter to be an “epistle of straw.”

Thought for the Day: How should people “get ready to meet their Maker”?

James 5:7-8

“Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient.” vss. 7-8a

Waiting for Christmas during Advent is not particularly difficult. Neighborhoods signal its nearness when the ladders come out and decorations go up. Even the smells around the household, cookies coming out of the oven and lefse hot off the grill, are clear signs that the 25th is fast approaching. It’s a calendar thing, a matter of crossing off days one by one, and as we mark time, Sundays pass, and before we know it, Christmas Day has arrived. Anyone can do it, and everyone does it! But at its core Advent isn’t about waiting for Christmas, it’s about waiting for the Lord, and that’s not a calendar event! James told his readers that such waiting would require patience, and he’s right. God is coming, and will change our lives, but we don’t have a clue about times of arrival. What’s worse, we don’t even quite know what to look for. James says it will be like waiting for a precious crop from the earth. It could even be like patiently waiting for the fruits of the Spirit—others have them–we can see the love, joy, and peace in their lives. And we want them too. If only they were available on demand–but they’re not! So it’s good when our very first fruit is patience. Because when we have that, the others will quickly follow.

Thought for the Day: When is patience most difficult?

Psalm 146:5-10

“Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry.” vss. 5-7a

It is true that we can’t know God–our little minds are limited when it comes to the divine. But that doesn’t mean we have to remain speechless! Like the psalmist we find value in connecting with the God of our ancestors, the Creator God who continues to sustain and replenish all things. It is this God to whom we pray and whose Spirit enriches and guides our lives. This God is not morally neutral but has a decided preference for the oppressed and the broken. It is this God who comes to us and who defines our purpose and mission in the world, which is why people all around the world have dedicated their lives to causes that reach out to the poor and the hungry. This is why even hardened hearts are opened in this season of sharing. Somehow in all the glitz and glamor, people sense that there is a higher purpose for life and give generously to provide food for the hungry. Our mission is not complicated, and even if our minds can’t comprehend God, we are blessed when we join Jesus in living for others. He “got” God and, even when we can’t, joy comes our way when we become involved with him in serving and loving.

Thought for the Day: Who is my God?

Isaiah 35:5-10

“And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” vs. 10

When the people of Judah were in exile in Babylon, some adapted and established roots there, but most longed to return to their homeland. These were encouraged in their hope by their prophets, faithful leaders who continued to believe that God would come and rescue them from their captivity. Isaiah painted a picture of a superhighway through the wilderness, a Holy Way that even fools could travel on in safety. His language is fitting for us too; many long for a Way to live in these confusing times. We feel the captivity of our culture and long for a path on which the footing is secure. Early followers of Jesus were not called Christians, but according to the Book of Acts they were known as the People of the Way. That’s a wonderful image, one that is a perfect description for our life in the world. There is a highway for us, one that we don’t even have to use GPS to negotiate. It’s the way of Jesus and it leads us straight to Truth and Life while avoiding every detour and pothole. And there’s even more. This is a joyful highway, and those who travel it will obtain joy and gladness, while all sorrows and sighing will flee away. And where are we going? In a word, we’re going home! Praise God!

Thought for the Day: Where am I going?

Isaiah 35:1-4

“The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing.” vss. 1-2a

Isaiah lived in a semi-arid land, right on the edge of the Judean desert, and he annually observed the effects of the rainy season. When the winter rains came in January or February the desert blooms. Areas that appeared to be barren much of the year suddenly are covered with blankets of colorful flowers. Isaiah was right. It really does appear as though the hills have come alive and are now rejoicing with joy and singing. People who live in the Sonoran Desert region of the Southwest know exactly what he experienced. For Isaiah this annual transformation was a sign of the glory and the power of God, a reminder to Israel that they had not been abandoned and God would come to them soon. When we wait attentively we will see those signs of God too. These days we are experiencing the transformation of neighborhoods with the advent of holiday decorations. Some are gaudy and inappropriate but they do make our dark streets sparkle. It seems that even our secular culture yearns for signs of light in the midst of darkness. For eyes of faith those blow-up Santas and larger-than-life Frosty’s are a sign that God is. Christmas is coming. Jesus has already come–there is hope for us all!

Thought for the Day: Where am I seeing reminders of God’s glory?

Matthew 3:7-12

“I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” vs. 11

A fire burned within John the Baptist. He knew that God was close and that change was coming. But like all prophets he likely also knew that his time was limited. He had offended too many powerful people and his movement was beginning to be seen as a threat. Soon the opposition would act to silence him. They were such fools! What had begun in John was from God and the mission wouldn’t end with his death. The Spirit would simply fall on another, a prophet more powerful than he, and in him the fire would continue to grow and spread. Humans can be silenced, but God cannot be contained. John knew that and in confidence announced to his opponents that they hadn’t seen anything yet. God is and cannot be contained–and it’s still happening. Leaders come and go. Congregations are birthed, flourish for a time, and then quietly die, but God keeps coming. New leaders are chosen and new communities burst into bloom, and with each manifestation the kingdom of heaven draws ever nearer. What a God we have! The harvest of new fruits will never end until all the chaff is burned away!

Thought for the Day: When I am silenced, who will speak?

Matthew 3:1-6

“In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’” vss. 1-2

John felt it inside first. Something new was in the wind and he knew beyond a doubt that God had broken into the world. He’d been railing against the corruption of the temple for years, and had joined the Essenes in the wilderness as a protest. In solitude he had prayed and now God was on the march. Holiness was near and John began to tell people to get ready. God’s rule was at hand and experiencing it would necessitate repentance. New wine required new wineskins! It was an exciting time–it always is when God comes to us. Many in the world today know that feeling, the awesome anticipation that new life is about to dawn. That’s how it has always worked for the people of God. Right in the middle of our ordinary lives we feel the stirring of the Spirit  and we actually begin to seek out changes. We hear the call to repent and so we do. And these aren’t some shallow and superficial changes, but the touch of God begins to alter the whole trajectory of our lives. We feel a call to live for others and to reach out to the lonely and hurting. True repentance isn’t some scary, guilt-tinged recital of wrongs coupled with a desire to do better. In reality it’s exciting, exactly like being born again, and it opens the door to more joy than we ever imagined would be possible.

Thought for the Day: What sparks change in my life?

Romans 15:7-13

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” vs. 13

One of the signs of God’s presence in our lives is the appearance of hope in the most unlikely times. Hope confounds us with its elusiveness. It comes and goes with maddening irregularity and resists our most determined manipulation. Paul tells us that hope has a connection with believing, or perhaps a better word is trusting. As we trust that God is, the Spirit of God stirs within and hope is reactivated in our hearts. And the best news is that hope doesn’t come alone. It is always accompanied by joy and peace, two more gifts of God that make life absolutely sparkle. Sometimes our daily diet of news is decidedly unhopeful, almost enough to bring despair. The world is being overrun by authoritarian forces that seem interested only in power and control. They show no interest in the common good of humanity and refuse to cooperate in dealing with our changing environment. The resulting explosion of refugees on the move is producing one humanitarian crisis after another. And then suddenly in the midst of our hand-wringing and lament we feel God’s presence and are filled with inexplicable hope. It’s baffling and wonderful at the same time, and we find ourselves able to even laugh and sing! Praise God!

Thought for the Day: What is my hope built on?

Romans 15:4-6

“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.” vs. 4

Paul was waiting for Christmas, or to put it in another way, he was waiting for the return of Christ, but he wasn’t letting any grass grow under his feet as he waited. He had been given a mission and, without training and without precedent, he daily engaged in proclaiming the gospel and establishing congregations. But he wasn’t just making stuff up! Every day he looked for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, sometimes directly, and regularly through the scriptures. But Paul was interpreting those writings in a new way. For him they weren’t a rulebook for Jews but an open-ended invitation to the whole world to participate in salvation. No one was to be excluded; all were to be welcomed. We are the inheritors of that mission and we face the same challenges as did Paul. It isn’t that we necessarily need more congregations. There are already more than enough of those. But we do need to be attentive to the urgings of the Spirit, and we certainly need to allow the scriptures to speak in a new way to our changing world. And like Paul, instead of using those books in a wooden and literal way, we will use them as a guide in exploring new territory and new forms. We’re all waiting for completion, but it’s a journey too, a journey of renewal and of hope.

Thought for the Day: What is the Spirit saying to me as Advent begins?