Isaiah 2:1-5

“He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks;” vs. 4a

In reading the Hebrew scriptures it’s easy to get the idea that God was an advocate of war and encouraged the people of Israel to engage in ferocious combat in defense of their land and to subjugate their enemies. More than that it’s often implied that the Lord assisted in those battles and encouraged total destruction. But not all the ancient writers were of that mind. Isaiah saw another perspective and announced an alternative vision. He says that God intends for all people to live in peace and that one day, under the influence of the Lord, nations will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. It’s obvious that we’re a long way from achieving that goal. Instead nations have improved their weaponry and now possess enough firepower to completely destroy the earth. Seldom have we made any efforts to reduce our destructive capacity and lasting peace has been elusive. Even today countries battle. Soldiers and civilians are killed. Millions of refugees have fled their homes in combat zones. And yet Isaiah’s vision remains. Surely one day God’s people will have had enough–weapons will be repurposed, and peace will reign on this beautiful planet. Surely that is God’s will for us all.

Thought for the Day: What will it take for weapons of war to become obsolete?

Luke 23:39-43

“Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’” He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.‘“ vss. 42-43

It’s possible to get completely sidetracked by this little exchange between two dying men in Luke’s gospel. Because we wonder about the nature of life beyond death we look here for clues that can help us construct some sort of timetable for what happens once we draw our last breath. We do that a lot with bible verses that make reference to resurrection. We want there to be some sort of sequence, a pattern that we can draw on as we speak of those who die in Christ. And some folks have done just that! They tell us in great detail what’s going to happen and often it includes things like resurrection, rapture, Armageddon, Judgment Day, purgatory, or pearly gates. Now having such descriptions can be helpful to some, but in reality they are pure speculation, the invention of well-intentioned imaginations. It’s best for us to simply take the words of scripture in their context and accept the message each text conveys. What we have here is a comforting promise made by Jesus to a dying man that also offers an assurance of complete forgiveness for the deeds of a misdirected life. It’s a message that every human yearns to hear, one that we can hold close in our hearts. With these words Jesus says to each of us, “Yes, my sinner friend, there is hope and forgiveness even for you.”

Thought for the Day: What feelings does this promise evoke in me?

Luke 23:33-38

“When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’” vs.33-34a

These words of Jesus are not recorded in the other gospels, but we can be grateful that Luke included them in his. It’s here that we begin to understand more completely the core of Jesus’ mission. He was a great and profound teacher to be sure, but he actually embodied his teachings. He didn’t just tell his followers to love their enemies, but in the crunch, on the verge of death, he forgave his killers. He did what he told us to do! And with those few words Jesus established forgiveness as the central message of the gospel. There is just no place for revenge or for getting even in our lives. Even if our offenders haven’t asked to be forgiven, there’s absolutely no reason for us to withhold it! Now that’s not easy at all–vengeance is probably one of the most common human reactions. It gives deep satisfaction when we can hurt someone who has caused injury to us. To go against that by following the Way of Jesus seems incomprehensible to most people. They want folks to have to pay for the wrong they’ve done. But what a blessing it is to have a Lord who goes against the grain and offers sweet forgiveness even when offenders don’t deserve it!

Thought for the Day: When am I most likely not to forgive? 

Colossians 1:17-20

“He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” vs. 17

Early Christians came to believe that the Christ who had been made visible in Jesus of Nazareth, was the incarnate Word of God described in the prologue to John’s gospel. Through the Christ, present in the Beginning, all things had come into existence, and the writer of Colossians adds that, “in him all things hold together.” In other words, Christ is the glue of the universe, the connective tissue that binds us to all people and to the earth itself. And because Christ was revealed completely in Jesus we know that his chief attributes, namely, love, mercy, and justice, are the spiritual bonding agents of humanity. Quite obviously there are many differences among the people on this planet, and often those differences have led to prolonged conflict. But when we’re operating at our best, when we put aside our many prejudices, we will discover the amazing adhesive qualities of the invisible Christ, and can actually dwell together in peace. Such a vision is not an idle dream but an exciting possibility, and it happens every day somewhere in this world. Bound together by Christ, enemies become friends, the broken find healing, and hatred is replaced by a deep and abiding sacrificial love that comes straight from the heart of God. And what a blessing it is when it happens among us!

Thought for the Day: What binds me together with others?

Colossians 1:11-16

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;” vs. 15

There is a solution for those who despair of ever knowing God or of having a sense of God’s presence in daily living. And it’s easier that we might ever suspect. All we need to do is focus on Jesus, the man from Nazareth, and we will be connected to the invisible God through whom the universe came into existence. At least that’s what the writer of Colossians implies, and there is great contentment in following his direction. When the unknowable God eludes us, Jesus is accessible, and in him we find one who is worthy of our worship and praise. In his gentle, humble and forgiving presence we see incarnate love at work, and in his unswerving embrace of justice and equity we find a working model for our mission and ministry in the world. Sometimes we can get flummoxed and confused by creeds and dogmas, and when we can’t quite wrap our heads around the complex propositions bandied about by theologians, it feels good to come home to Jesus and snuggle up in his compassionate arms. All we really need is love–it’s the primal force of the universe–and in Jesus it is poured out sacrificially on all humanity. To put it in words familiar to modern ears, the love language of God is Jesus! It’s the simple truth! And we don’t need anything more!

Thought for the Day: What image of Jesus is dear to my heart?

Psalm 46

“The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.” vs. 7

The psalmist had a strong sense of God’s closeness–to put it in theological terms, he was aware of the immanence of God. To put it even more plainly, God was real to him, palpable and near, capable of being perceived by his senses. When there was danger or trouble of any kind the psalmist was confident that God would protect him. Some folks in our changing times have trouble connecting with that sense of God. If they believe in God at all God is understood as an idea or concept, the underlying source of all life and matter. But they’re fully capable of going through the days of their life without taking note of or even seeing any need for God. And they’re comfortable living without God! That’s one of the reasons so many of our children and grandchildren don’t worship–they don’t see any point in it because God simply isn’t real to them. There just isn’t a spot for God in their daily lives, and they’re not bound by habit or tradition to keep on participating in the rituals that they grew up with. And as parents and grandparents we don’t even know what to say to them–because truthfully, sometimes we don’t feel that close to God either. Let’s face it, the church is in a rough spot! The young are leaving, the old are hanging on, and the future is filled with uncertainty! 

Thought for the Day: Where am I most likely to feel the immanence of God?

Jeremiah 23:4-6

“In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’” vs. 6

In the midst of uncertainty and upheaval Jeremiah dared to dream of peace and stability, a time when Judah and Israel would live in safety under the rule of a good shepherd king. The name of this new leader gives a clue to his identity. The one called “The Lord is our righteousness” will be the incarnation of mercy and justice, the very presence of God in their midst. We crave such leaders in our time too. We’re tired of the arrogant and the self-serving, those who seek power only to inflate their already super-sized egos. Oh how we long for those with love in their eyes and truth on their tongues who will listen carefully to our deepest needs and desires. And what a blessing it is when we find them in our congregations and communities, and even in our nation! These are the good shepherds, called by God to faithfully walk in the way of Jesus and provide direction and guidance to the wandering and the lost. We live in troubled times and it’s the presence of such men and women that gives us hope and courage. In their shadows we find the courage and desire to endure struggles and continue on the path of righteousness.

Thought for the Day: How can a leader be gentle and powerful at the same time?

Jeremiah 23:1-3

“Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them.” vs. 2

When Jeremiah uses the word “shepherd” he has in mind the kings of Judah, those who had responsibility for the welfare of the people. So when the “flock” was taken into exile he had no difficulty blaming the abysmal leadership provided by the royals. That same insight has applied ever since. Leaders of every kind have enormous responsibility for those who are their followers–and if leadership is flawed the people will suffer. We occasionally see this played out in our congregations when pastors (the word comes from the Latin for shepherd) are inattentive leaders, and the flock scatters. The effects can persist for years. We even see the same thing happen in the political world when leaders offer false or misleading information to those who are their followers. People will believe most anything in the heat of a campaign and when their shepherding leaders abandon truth-telling, the consequences are enormous. And it’s not just that occasional elections are lost, poor leadership will ultimately damage the entire nation. Anyone who aspires to be a leader, whether as a pastor or politician, should know that their shepherding responsibilities are from God, and must be accompanied by a humble and loving spirit–the very survival of their flock may depend on them.

Thought for the Day: What can happen with inattentive pastoral leaders?

Luke 21:10-19

“You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death…But not a hair of your head will perish.”  vss. 16, 18

During the years of the Jewish Revolt the followers of Jesus were persecuted and afflicted, not only by the Roman armies, but by the Jewish rebels. Many were squeezed out of their homeland–others, while trying to remain faithful to the traditions, were betrayed by their families and friends. It’s likely that some lost their lives. Those who remained clung to the promise of Jesus that “not a hair of (their) head would perish.” It’s that deep and profound faith that has sustained the Church and spurred her growth ever since. We have an inheritance that transcends earthly limitations, one that not even death can take away. It’s important to remember that in these days when challenges seem to be pressing in from every side. In the midst of election controversies, climate summits, and ongoing wars and famines, it’s easy to forget that we are people of faith, and that life is not defined by the turmoils and tragedies of human sin. We believe in resurrection and the continuing presence of Christ. As has often been said, “we will be sustained in our weariness and our joy will be restored.” As Jesus put it, all that is necessary for our salvation is patient endurance!

Thought for the Day: When has my salvation been patient endurance?

Luke 21:5-9

“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

The gospel of Luke was likely written in the midst of what might be called apocalyptic times. Horrendous things were happening! Roman armies had been summoned to put down a Jewish rebellion and had devastated the country from one end to the other. Jerusalem was in ruins and the temple had been destroyed. In that context Luke recounts Jesus’ words about the end times and his warnings about those who would take advantage of the confusion for their own advantage. We know what that’s like! There are so many divisive voices clamoring for our attention in these troubling times. Some are suggesting that the separation of church and state should be put aside in favor of a Christian Nationalism that would codify a rigid traditional morality across the land. Others are caught up in embracing the multitude of conspiracy theories that are sowing confusion among believers and unbelievers alike. A few have become convinced that democracy itself is being threatened, that the principles that have guided us for so long are now ineffective, that what we need is strong leaders with unlimited powers. Jesus advised his disciples to remain faithful to him and his mission–and it worked! The Church survived the devastation and Roman rule came to an end. There is amazing power in the good news of the gospel–and that power is ours today!

Thought for the Day: What’s my biggest fear for the future?