Psalm 149:6-9

“Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands, to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples…” vss. 6-7

In the psalmist’s apocalyptic vision, those heavenly choirs would do more than sing praises to God. It would be their pleasure to take two-edged swords and execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples as God’s chosen instruments of judgment. That kind of language has long had strong appeal for plenty of people, and particularly people of faith. And folks haven’t waited for the end times to begin doing the slaughtering. Within the last year, all around the world people have taken up arms to destroy and punish those perceived as their enemies. Sometimes it’s genocide, trying to eradicate a particular ethnic group, and sometimes it’s just pure vengeance, an attempt to punish or control another nation. It’s heart-breaking to see how willing we are to use violence to inflict injury. And what’s even worse, some might even use the psalmist’s words as a call to arms and see themselves as doing the work of God. Those who walk in the way of Jesus have an obligation to stand against these thugs and murderers and proclaim the way of peace. All this killing will get us nowhere and is repugnant to our loving God. The kingdom of peace envisioned by Jesus will be ushered in by prayer and acts of love and not by armed militias.

Thought for the Day: Why do people join militias?

Psalm 149:1-5

“Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre. For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with victory.” vss. 3-4

Today is All Saint’s Day, a festival set aside for the remembering of those who have fought the good fight and who now rest from their labors. We do a lot of wondering about what that new life is like, and search the scriptures for fitting images, mostly to no avail. Because no one knows, the best we can do is speculate, and then entrust our loved ones into the hands of the Lord. What scripture gives us is a vision of heavenly choirs gathered round the throne of God, and maybe even some  dancing. There’s an appeal to those triumphant images! Sometimes life brings years of travail and disappointment and the benefits of this world are certainly not divided up equally. It seems right to believe that God is going to lift up the lowly and give victory to the humble. And if we don’t have exactly the right words to describe that new white-robed life, that’s okay. Let it be a surprise! Perhaps it will be a time of joyous reunion–we can hardly imagine anything better than that. And if the Lord’s face shines upon us, that will be the icing on the cake! And we might even be asked to join the choir!

Thought for the Day: What do I hope for in the life to come?

Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18

“As for me, Daniel, my spirit was troubled within me, and the visions of my head terrified me.” vs. 15

Much of the book of Daniel is apocalyptic and similar to what we read in the book of Revelation. It’s not to be understood as history, nor does it have much in common with the books of the prophets. Rather it presents graphic images of an unsettled future, one in which evil forces threaten all that is good. The visions have come to Daniel in the night, a kind of bad dream that frightened the liver out of him. There had been four beasts rising up out of the sea, horrible creatures that bore slight resemblance to living animals, and he wondered what their significance might be. Now there are times when it’s fun to see how scary we can be–that’s part of the appeal of Halloween. And if we could reproduce the scenes of Daniel in our front yards we’d have the most popular house in our neighborhood. And maybe we need this kind of diversion in our times. Some are pretty sure we are facing a global environmental apocalypse, and it’s beyond frightening. Such persons are terrified by the possibilities. Others are stockpiling weapons to prepare for the coming civil war in the United States–and that’s really scary! Ultimately Daniel found reassurance in the promises of God, and in the end, that’s probably the best road to take. God is here! And the beasts don’t stand a chance!

Thought for the Day: Where do I find hope in scary times?

John 8:34-36

“So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” vs. 36

In his treatise, “The Freedom of the Christian,” Martin Luther famously wrote, “A Christian is the most free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is the most dutiful servant of all, subject to everyone.” Those words sum up the paradoxical nature of our life as followers of Jesus, and provide a corrective to those who believe that being free in Christ means that we can do whatever we please. It is true that Jesus has set us free from having to obey the works of the law, but more importantly he has set us free to be the remarkable persons that God has created us to be. Sin is no longer an excuse for inaction–its burdens have been removed. All the talents and abilities that have been programmed into our DNA are available for our use as we work together as servants in building the kingdom of peace. There is nothing to hold us back! Of course that doesn’t mean that there are no obstacles or barriers in our lives. Sin is still hanging around and its companion, self-doubt, is always present to keep us from realizing our full potential. We’ll be wrestling those enemies until the day we die, but they no longer have any power over us. We have been set free in Christ and are daily empowered by the Spirit to be a transforming presence in whatever place we have been planted. This is most certainly true!

Thought for the Day: How am I being a transforming presence?

John 8: 31-33

“Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’” vss. 31-32

When Jesus uses the word “truth” he’s talking about more than doctrines or theoretical propositions. Everything is relational with him and here he’s promising his disciples a relationship that will put their hearts and minds at rest and also give them freedom from every anxiety and fear. Jesus is the truth, and as they come to know him, they will become one with him and begin to see the world through his eyes. For us this knowing goes beyond digging up all the biographical information we can find about Jesus of Nazareth. While that can be a fun project, at the end of the day Jesus will be little more than a small-time rabbi from an obscure Palestinian town. To know Jesus is to experience him as the living Christ and daily offer him our love and loyalty. And then as we continue to feast on his word of grace and love we will be transformed into his presence, and we will become the truth that can heal the broken and bring sight to the blind. The key to this mystical experience is the word “continue.” Life in Christ is not a once-in-a-blue-moon event, but a daily walk through every circumstance and opportunity that the world will send our way, and the resulting freedom gives peace that satisfies.

Thought for the Day: How could I be more satisfied with my life?

Romans 3:25b-28

“Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By that of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law.” vss. 27-28

We know that our salvation is by the grace of God, and not through our works, but Paul also says that we are justified by faith, and sometimes that gets confusing. Some folks focus on faith, and believe that it is the primary means of salvation. If they are asked about their salvation they say something like this, “Yes, I was saved when I was 16 and received Jesus into my heart at a crusade.” The emphasis is on what we do in response to God’s gift. Many times such persons are baptized after having come to faith. Others though focus on grace and celebrate the fact that God’s gift of salvation has been poured out on all humanity in Christ Jesus. Faith for such people is the means by which grace becomes a reality. It is the conduit by which grace enters human hearts. Since their emphasis is on grace they will practice infant baptism and pray that their children will one day come to faith. While these distinctions seem minor they have in fact had a divisive influence within the Church and cannot be easily resolved. It’s a blessing when we can put aside differences and give wholehearted thanks to God for the gift of grace, and then also celebrate faith whenever and wherever it appears.

Thought for the Day: Am I a “grace” or a “faith” person?

Romans 3:19-25

“For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…” vss. 22b-24

For years Martin Luther struggled with his own sinfulness, believing that there had to be some way by which he could, by his own effort, be free from the horrible burden of guilt. But nothing worked, and his anguish continued until the Spirit spoke to him through the words of Paul. It was then he realized that while all people were sinners, they were made righteous, not by their works, but by the grace of God through Christ Jesus as an undeserved gift. That insight was the spark that ignited the Reformation and it wasn’t long before the people of God began to celebrate grace both in their worship and in their daily lives. Grace remains the foundational teaching of Christianity and is closely linked with the teaching and the mission of Jesus. Sometimes misunderstood and occasionally abused, God’s gift of grace lifts us in times of sadness and gives hope when we get caught up in sin. Some would like it if there were something that we could do to receive salvation and don’t particularly like it that there are no distinctions among us. But Paul is right. All are sinners and there are no exceptions. And because we are all created in God’s image, all have access to forgiveness as a gift, the most wonderful gift of all.

Thought for the Day: What can I do in response to God’s gift of grace?

Psalm 46:7-11

“Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.” vs. 10

It doesn’t take much to get really agitated on the eve of elections. We’re told by politicians of every stripe that disaster will surely come if their opponents win. We get emails and text messages every day saying that our contributions are sorely needed to stave off the last minute attack ads that are proliferating in the media. And it’s upsetting to us! Even though we’ve gone through this many times before in our election cycles, there’s a tendency to believe that this time our democracy is at stake. Now it is true that elections are consequential, and we should be involved, but there’s a point at which our anxieties become damaging to our relationships. Even our souls are affected! While the psalmist couldn’t have conceived of such a thing as a national election, he does have some sound advice for us as he speaks for the Lord, “Be still, and know that I am God!” The world is not going to come to an end next week. Yes, there will be winners and losers; some of us will be happy and others sad. But God is working through all and in all. Recognizing that, perhaps our best recourse might be to keep our mouths shut and focus on our precious relationships. God is God and we are not! And perhaps that’s the best news of all!

Thought for the Day: Why are elections consequential?

Psalm 46:1-6

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;” vss. 1-2

There are some in these latter days who do believe that climate is changing, but that humans have little if anything to do with it. They point to earth’s history and insist that the changes we see now are just a part of the natural pattern. Others are convinced that the recent warming of the planet is a direct result of increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, and that those increases have come from greenhouse gas emissions. The psalmist was aware of changes in the earth–and had perhaps experienced earthquakes or volcanic eruptions–and believed that God was humanity’s refuge and strength through droughts and floods and every natural disaster. No matter where we stand in the current debate, climate changes are the challenge of our age. Even if we do manage to slow down the rate of global warming through collective efforts to reduce pollution, there are likely to be a billion or more climate refugees! And the poor will be affected the most! With that apocalyptic future in the cards for our planet, it’s hard not to be discouraged. The psalmist encourages us not to fear, that somehow God will be our refuge and our strength. Certainly there is a ton of resilience built into the creation–and the earth does have a life of its own. It will survive–our hope is that we will too!

Thought for the Day: How will climate change affect my grandchildren?

Jeremiah 31:31-34

“No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.” vs. 34

In the midst of calamity Jeremiah produced a vision that has captivated the hearts of all believers, and is especially suited for people living in these troubling times. One day he tells us, there will be no more teaching about God–there’ll be no need for creeds and doctrines, for we will all know the Lord. Just think of what that means! In scripture to know someone was to enter into an intimate union with them–it’s the word used for sexual intimacy! Jeremiah was looking toward the day when we will be one with God, that moment that Paul calls being in Christ, what some have called the omega point of history. Of course, as long as we are alive, we can only imagine what that will be like–there really are no words available to describe that great unity, only that we will be completely free and forgiven, and we’ll be able to lay our burdens down. This is the great hope for humanity, especially during these days that some call “the eve of destruction.” Naturally we’re enjoying life on this planet and will be working for peace and security–we want a good life for our children and grandchildren. But this isn’t all there is–the best life (unity with God) is yet to come.

Thought for the Day: What is the best word to describe unity with God?