Isaiah 65:8-9

“Thus says the Lord: As the wine is found in the cluster, and they say, ‘Do not destroy it, for there is a blessing in it,’ so I will do for my servants’ sake, and not destroy them all.”

As the prophet considered the nation’s behavior following their return from Babylon he was stunned at the way they rejected the Lord and adopted pagan practices. If he had been their God he would have washed his hands of the whole lot and allowed them to be totally destroyed. But from the inner recesses of his soul he heard the voice of the Lord speaking. The owner of a vineyard wouldn’t throw out the whole cluster of grapes because some were sour–there was still sweet wine to be made. So it would be with Israel–they could still be a blessing to the world. And so it is with the Church today. Even though many are rightly dismayed by its hypocritical practices and embrace of nationalism and are thinking of leaving, its core message of grace has not been lost. With all its warts and flaws it is still the Body of Christ, and through its influence the mission of Jesus lives on. Millions of hungry folks are being fed, the naked are being clothed, refugees are being welcomed, and the broken are being healed. Besides, if we were to leave the Church, where would we go? Where else could we possibly find such nurturing and gracious communities of faith? Besides, for better or worse, this is where Jesus lives!

Thought for the Day: If I did leave the Church, where would I go?

Isaiah 65:1-7

“I was ready to be sought out by those who did not ask, to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am,’ to a nation that did not call on my name.” vs. 1

The prophet was amazed at the attitude of the returned people of Israel. They had been set free from captivity, but showed little interest in returning to their Lord. Instead they sought out exotic gods and immersed themselves in forbidden practices, essentially turning their backs on their historic faith. The Lord had not forsaken them but was close at hand, and eager to provide strength and hope. It’s not hard to find a parallel to what’s happening in our world now. The Divine Presence pervades our existence, but it seems that few take notice. Traditions have been abandoned, family structures are threatened, and the young are growing older with no regard for faith or values. People are just making stuff up as they go along and in the process violence has escalated, hatred has mushroomed, and civility has all but disappeared from the scene. Families are being priced out of housing and poverty is increasing. And as anxieties increase alcohol and drug use has escalated–ugliness is at hand on every level of society. But we have not been abandoned! The gospel is at hand and those who have ears to hear can find their way to peace and serenity. There is still hope!

Thought for the Day: Why have parents abandoned spiritual direction for their children?

John 16:14-15

“He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” vs. 14

Jesus had given the disciples a mission, to love as they had been loved, and he had given them the Holy Spirit as a guide. And because the world was so tumultuous and the challenges so great, in those early years they relied heavily on the daily guidance of that Spirit. Now that isn’t as easy as it sounds. There were dozens of options for them, and they could have led the Church in many different directions. But Jesus had told them that the Spirit of Truth would always glorify him, so whatever new thing they imagined would have to be consistent with his teachings. And that’s still the Church’s operating principle as it faces today’s challenges. Whatever decisions are made, whatever new ideas are considered, if we’re going to continue being the Church of Christ, it’s essential to maintain our Jesus connections. Because if we lose Jesus in our rush to be on the cutting edge and properly progressive, we will have ceased to be his Church. We’ll be something, but we won’t be the Church of Christ unless Jesus can be clearly seen in all that we say and do. Of course it isn’t always easy to figure those things out. Sometimes we can wander down the path of change for quite a distance and then discover that we can’t see Jesus anymore. That’s a Spirit moment, and a reminder to return to the Way. It’s how the Spirit keeps the Church alive!

Thought for the Day: How is Jesus glorified in my congregation?

John 16:12-13

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth;” vss. 12-13a

Jesus had given the disciples the basics; he’d told them to love one another unconditionally. Well enough, but it didn’t take long for them to discover that there were a lot more things to learn about being his followers, especially as they found themselves immersed in the craziness of this beautiful life. They had received a graduate level course in loving and had watched the master lover, but they really didn’t have a clue about how that might work in difficult circumstances with actual people. And then there was all the organizational stuff to be considered in missional outreach. There would have to be some standards for leaders: who would set those up? How flexible could they be? And then there were all the traditions that had guided their lives–they’d all been faithful Jews. What would they keep and what would they discard? And how could they make all these changes and still remain true to the gospel? They didn’t know it yet but Jesus had set in motion a revolution, and he hadn’t given them a guide. And that’s still how it is! Some days we’re blown away by the winds of change sweeping through the church–that’s how it is with the Spirit of truth. As the poet James Lowell wrote, “Time makes ancient good uncouth. They must upward still, and onward, who would keep abreast of Truth.”

Thought for the Day: What changes in the church are challenging me?

Romans 5:3-5

“And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope…” vss. 3-4a

There are some who believe that when they consciously begin to walk with Jesus things will turn around for them in every way. Diseases and relationships will be healed, business will flourish, wealth will increase, and faith will be strengthened. All the glitches of life that affect ordinary people will just disappear for them. And that is indeed what they report to any who will listen to them. Paul would have scoffed! After Christ exploded into his life he faced one setback after another–and rather than cover up his pain, he meticulously listed all the beatings, insults, imprisonments, and shipwrecks in his letters to newly formed congregations. For him it was these sufferings that were the source of character and hope in his life, and he saw no reason to put on a happy face and maintain a pious posture. His insights remain credible. If we really want to connect with others and build community, we’ll be completely honest about life’s reversals. In fact our credibility is enhanced when our stories “ring true” with what others are experiencing. There is no need to play religious charades with the people we meet. The more honest and real we can be about flaws and imperfections, the deeper the relationships that will result. And hope will abound!

Thought for the Day: How do another person’s flaws give me hope?

Romans 5:1-2

“Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand;” vs. 1-2a

There are some people who stopped going to worship during COVID times and discovered that they really didn’t miss it. They liked having Sunday mornings free and found that they could fill their spiritual needs just as well in walks beside still waters and quiet evenings on their patios. So now they’re wondering why they should ever go back to church–they certainly haven’t missed the doctrinal disputes or political fractures. Some who return will come for the reason laid out by Paul in his letter to the Romans. They’ve fallen in love with Jesus in the course of their lives and they know that in his presence they have access to the grace which gives them peace in daily living. It isn’t that God will love them more if they worship–God’s love is unconditional and not dependent on our behavior.  But it’s in worship that they can come together as a community of faith and feast on the body and blood of Jesus in Holy Communion. It might sound crazy but that experience, which can’t be easily replicated in the world, gives them a taste of a life that overflows with love. It’s true that grace is everywhere, but it is particularly present in the eating and the drinking that is the center of worship. And we are blessed as we return to Christ’s Table!

Thought for the Day: What church stuff did I miss during COVID?

Psalm 8

“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?” vss. 3-4

The psalmist had never seen a picture from the Hubble Telescope; he didn’t have a clue about how old or immense the universe actually is. His conclusions were drawn completely from observations of the dark skies and years of contemplation. Yet he knew exactly what we know, namely, that in the great scheme of things human beings are pretty insignificant, and it’s amazing that they have a God-connection at all. Yet at the same time this psalmist has an elevated view of humanity’s purpose. He says, “You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet…” And for a long time that’s what humans did. They hunted and fished and domesticated cattle and poultry–and there was a kind of balance in their interactions, an appreciation for creation marked by prayer and thanksgiving. But then things changed and humans began to see the earth as a resource that could be exploited and turned into enormous wealth. Our focus on dominion has caused enormous damage and wholesale destruction of the environment. Species are becoming extinct at an alarming rate. Climate change presents an enormous challenge–particularly to those who are poor. It really is past time for us as the beloved children of God to begin acting as caretakers of the earth, and not as greedy dominators!

Thought for the Day: What will caring for the earth require of me?

Proverbs 8:22-31

 “then I was beside him, like a master worker; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the human race.” vs. 30-31

Occasionally when we look closely at the foundational writings of our faith community we’re surprised at what we discover. For instance, many of us didn’t realize that in the Wisdom book of Proverbs the Lord is described as having had Sophia (Wisdom) as his female partner in the whole process of creation. She rejoiced in all that was done and took particular delight in the human race. Whether that insight appeals to us or not, it’s good to know that we aren’t held to any particular static or fixed notion of how things came to be. Each generation has had its own way of describing beginnings, and each new idea adds to the wonder and majesty of existence. This passage from Proverbs lets us know that humans are not inherently bad, as some religious folks are likely to tell us. We’ve been told for too long that we are “by nature sinful and unclean,” and that pessimistic attitude has led some to believe that our future prospects on this earth are dim. While it is true that we can periodically act as scoundrels and villains, the greater truth is that we are blessed with an enormous capacity for good. Our mother Sophia is delighted with who we are and who we can be!

Thought for the Day: How have my views of creation changed?

Proverbs 8:1-4

“Does not wisdom call, and does not understanding raise her voice?… ‘To you, O people, I call, and my cry is to all that live.’” vss. 1, 4

Many thousands of years ago, as humans began to live in community, they took note of those things that made for peace and harmony, the actions and behaviors necessary for people to achieve common goals and avoid discord. For generations these tidbits of wisdom were stored up by leaders and eventually began to be written down. The Hebrews valued this reservoir of insights and practices and eventually made Proverbs a part of their scripture. For them wisdom was personified as a woman and they made sure that every generation became acquainted with her knowledge. They elevated her status and many believed that she was a part of the divine team that had brought all things into existence. From the very beginning she had been there as a full partner in creation. In Greek she was called Sophia and in our time some have come to see her as related to what we call the Holy Spirit. In their eyes she provides a feminine dimension to the Holy Trinity and is a helpful corrective to the traditional masculine understanding of God. Whatever we might think about that notion, there’s no doubt that our faith ancestors were right on target in believing that the voice of a woman is the voice of wisdom for humanity. How sad it is that too often that voice has been marginalized in the Church of Christ!

Thought for the Day: What makes women wise?

John 14:12-17

“Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.” vs. 12

As John recounts Jesus’ words to his disciples during his last evening with them he makes his wishes and intentions crystal clear.Jesus wants them to continue the works that he began, i.e. to announce good news to the poor, release to captives, recovery of sight to the blind, and let the oppressed go free. In a word, they are to devote their lives to making the kingdom of heaven a reality on earth. As we reflect on the state of the world on this Day of Pentecost, it’s easy to see that there’s a ton of work left to be done. Oh, we don’t need more denominations or creeds or liturgies–we’ve got more than enough of those. And we don’t need more Christians jumping on political bandwagons–that sort of thing only works to divide us. What we do need is for followers of Jesus to roll up their sleeves and adopt Micah 6:8 as our marching orders: “And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?  On our own we might not be able to pull this off, but today we’re celebrating the continuing presence of the Holy Spirit–and through the Spirit justice, humility and kindness will become the marks of the Church. 

Thought for the Day: How have I been changing?