Psalm 118:24-29

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” vs. 24

Over the last decades praise songs have been slowly making their way into the worship services of most congregations. At first they were resisted by liturgical purists who insisted they lacked the depth of the old chorales. Because of their repeating choruses they were called by some, “the songs without an end.” Often the words for praise tunes come from the psalms–writers will find a verse or two with a stand-alone message, add a catchy melody, and the song is on its way. Within a few years millions are singing it with gusto and may not even realize the words come from scripture. Of course the hymn “This is the Day” has been around for a long time, but in this age of praise music, the tune has been adapted and now everyone is singing along. The psalmist would be thrilled! He wanted his congregation to sing praise for the Lord’s triumph, and would rejoice that his words have found their way into our hearts. Each day is a gift from God, a fresh twenty-four hours to appreciate the wonder of creation and the joy of being alive. And, not only do we have the seasonal displays of nature to rejoice in, we have the sure and certain knowledge that we are loved unconditionally and completely every day. If we truly believe that, what could be more fitting than starting every morning with a chorus of “This is the Day”?

Thought for the Day: Why does singing “This is the Day” lift our spirits?

Psalm 118:14-23

“The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.” vss. 22-23

We don’t know what has happened but the psalmist is celebrating a great victory. Against great odds he has prevailed over his enemies and he gives all the credit to the Lord. As he enters the temple to offer thanksgiving his mouth is filled with songs of praise. The words used to describe this triumph resonated with the disciples as they reflected on what had happened in Jerusalem during Holy Week. Jesus, the rejected one, had become the chief cornerstone, and his followers marveled at what had been done by the Lord. And then as the disciples went out with the gospel this movement from rejection to triumph became a template for the life of the Church. Again and again there have been challenges, and always God lifts up unlikely leaders to save the day, people like St. Francis or Luther or Ghandi or King, rejected ones who risk their lives for goodness sake. Sometimes we see this in our own lives when times get tough. Often it’s the non-descript persons who are the greatest sources of strength. Those who appear weak end up being our most resilient supporters and friends, and in them we feel the strong hand of God. In these Easter moments we receive new life and hope is restored–and it is marvelous in our eyes.

Thought for the Day: The cornerstone of my life.

Acts 5:27-32

“But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than any human authority.’” vs. 29

The religious authorities hadn’t gotten rid of their Jesus problem by killing him. In fact the movement, in the days following the crucifixion, blossomed anew, only this time there wasn’t just one leader, but many.  And they were uncontrollable, preaching and teaching in the temple, healing the sick, doing exactly the same things that Jesus had done. And when ordered to be quiet, they spoke up all the more–they would be obedient all right, but not to any human authority. From now on this little band of renegades would be led only by the Holy Spirit of God, and their influence spread over all the earth. Of course authorities of all kinds are still trying to get control of believers–politicians love to have them on their side and governments like to think of themselves as Christian. They’re always looking for churches to give them a stamp of approval. Now believers know that there is a place for governments and politics, after all, someone has to build roads and sewers and run the police forces. And governments can be enlisted to help feed the poor and care for the earth–they do have enormous resources that can be used for good. But the first allegiance of every true believer is to Christ, the Incarnate Divine Presence, and not to any politician or national leader.  And in Christ the broken are healed and the poor hear the good news–the mission of Jesus continues.

Thought for the Day: When is civil disobedience warranted?

Luke 24:1-12

“But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.” vs. 11

The gospels indicate that when the women returned from the tomb with their report of a missing body and an angelic message the male disciples did not believe them. And we can understand that! The story defies logic and seems irrational. Experience tells us that death is the ultimate ending and that there is nothing beyond it. But like Peter, having heard the story, we do begin to wonder. Maybe human experience is too small a prism with which to view the whole of reality. Maybe there is more to life than meets the eye. So Peter checked it out, and found to his amazement that at least part of the women’s tale was true–the body was gone! And like Peter we too are moved to check out the story. We know it well–we’ve worshiped enough on Easter to know that the tomb was empty–but still we shout out with joy, “Christ is risen!” It’s not that we are defying logic. We know all about the finality of death–but with Peter we have discovered the ultimate reality, a truth that transcends logic. Christ is alive and the mission continues! And we see it every day! And we even dare to hope that we are sharing in that life and mission, and that it will never end! There really is more to life than meets the eye, and so we raise the roof with our responses, “Christ is risen indeed!”

Thought for the Day: What do I love about Easter?

Romans 6:3-11

“Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.” vs. 4

For Paul the crucifixion of Jesus was the central part of the gospel, and as he pondered it through his life he realized that unless believers embraced Jesus’ death their lives would likely remain unchanged. In fact he saw the lack of change in the congregations he served. People were being baptized but nothing was happening–they were continuing to live exactly as they had before. They had failed to see that they had been buried with Jesus in their baptisms. Their old sinful selves had been put to death. We still have a tough time grasping that truth. What Paul is saying is that in order to have new life we first of all have to die–and that is most definitely not an easy thing to do. It means identifying all the sin that defiles our lives and then nailing it to the cross–it means putting to death all our self-centered pride and egotism together with our selfish desires and addictions. That’s what baptism is, not a once for all time ceremony that gets us into the church but a daily washing and cleansing that is intimately connected to the grace of Christ. And once we’ve done that thorough self-examination, then and only then will we be ready to embrace Easter and celebrate the resurrected and restored new life that is ours in Christ.

Thought for the Day: What needs to die in me?

John 18:1-19:42

“When Jesus had received the wine, he said, ‘It is finished.’ Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” vs. 30

Each of the gospel writers had different sources for their accounts and, as a result, their stories emphasize different aspects of Jesus’ life and ministry. It’s particularly interesting to see how each deals with his betrayal, trial, sentencing, and death. While the basic facts are the same, the details, as should be expected, are different. John’s version is fascinating, and provides a powerful summary statement for Jesus’ life. Here, even though Jesus has been rendered completely helpless by beatings and torture, he remains completely in charge of his ending. He is the King, and everything has happened according to plan. On the cross, when he is ready, he simply says, “I’m done. The mission is complete,” bowed his head, and died. In John’s estimation, this is his moment of glory, the moment of triumph. That statement is not meant to be a glorification of suffering, but a renunciation of the power of death, and for centuries Christians have understood that, while death is an ending, in Christ it is transformed into a beginning, the entry point for new life. The very deed that the religious leaders hoped would destroy the legacy of Jesus became instead the symbol of his triumph. Had he been released by Pilate and gone back to Galilee to live out his life, he would have not been remembered. But because he died on the cross, he will never be forgotten.

Thought for the Day: Why is the mood of Good Friday often somber?

John 13:1-17, 31b-34

“For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you…If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.” vss. 15, 17

According to John Jesus used his last evening with his disciples to demonstrate how they ought to live. Since he had washed their feet they were to wash one another’s feet, not just in a literal sense, but by adopting the role of a servant in their relationships with one another. It’s not a complicated job description. All Jesus is asking is that we imitate him–but it’s fiendishly difficult to pull that off! It’s not that we don’t know what to do–there’s plenty of information in the gospels about Jesus’ interactions with both his friends and enemies. He sums it up in this way: we are to love one another in a self-giving sacrificial way, the same way in which he has loved us. So many of us know this. We’ve heard it from the time we were children, but knowing isn’t the same as doing! And Jesus says that the blessings come our way only if we follow the example he has given. This has to do, not with final rewards, but with the daily joy and peace that come to us on the journey. And it doesn’t make any difference who we’re loving or serving: family, friends, strangers, enemies–Jesus doesn’t care! But as we learn to practice loving service, the richest blessings will come our way. It’s a promise from Jesus himself!

Thought for the Day: How do I practice daily loving service?

Hebrews 12:1-3

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us…” vs. 1

Whenever calamity strikes our world, whether in the form of earthquake, fire, storm, or vicious military takeovers, we are at first numbed by the pictures and stories that emerge from the disaster. There is so much unnecessary and pointless death and suffering that it’s almost more than our hearts can bear. And then after the initial shock we begin to hear the stories of human bravery and self-sacrifice, tales of people who put their own needs aside in order to minister to others. It’s here that we see plainly the presence of the Christ and the work of the Spirit. In their faith and determination we find examples for the direction of our lives, with their living testimony bearing witness to core human values. In them we see clearly that there is more to living than the mindless pursuit of riches and prestige. The writer of Hebrews saw such people, many of whom had given their lives, as a great cloud of witnesses, and encouraged his readers to put aside every distraction, and then run with perseverance the race that was set before them. His words ring true today. As we make these brave people examples for our lives, we give their suffering a kind of validity, and it can be seen by all that their sacrifices were not in vain.

Thought for the Day: How do I react to disasters?

Psalm 71:1-14

“Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength is spent.” vs. 9

Some things never change! Even in the time of the psalmist, more than 2500 years ago, people had a fear of growing old. That fear stems, not so much from the aches, pains, and muscle weakness that come from aging, but the alienation and loneliness can be almost more than our spirits can bear. Physical decline is one thing, but we hate the idea of being isolated and forgotten. And because we’ve figured out how to contain disease and fix worn out joints, the population of the elderly is exploding. More and more of us are having to deal with the loss of community and intimacy that goes along with memory units and assisted living. And the sadness is overwhelming. Men and women who have lived long and productive lives feel themselves increasingly irrelevant. Some feel deserted by their families, and when minds begin to slip away, the overwhelming feeling is one of despair. Because the whole process seems unavoidable it’s hard to know what to do. What we can do is recognize the inevitability of aging and do what we can to prepare for it. At the same time, it is incumbent on us to assure our aging family members and friends that they continue to be relevant to us, and that we will never forget them! When love is present, even the winter of our life can be full of joy!

Thought for the Day: How am I dealing with aging?

Isaiah 42:1-9

“He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.” vss. 2-3

It’s likely that the Servant spoken of in these chapters of Isaiah is a personification of the nation of Israel, the chosen people of God, the ones in whom the Spirit would work to bring light and justice to the entire world. Isaiah’s description is a masterpiece and lifts up an entirely different picture of leadership than the ones that have dominated human history. Jesus was certainly aware of Isaiah’s picture and seems to have understood himself as the inheritor of the Servant’s mission. He doesn’t raise an army or use heavy-handed tactics to win people’s support or allegiance. Rather he operates gently and carefully, nurturing the light that often burns so dimly in our hearts. Even today, the progeny of Jesus, bearers of the same Holy Spirit, are at work everywhere, opening blind eyes, liberating the oppressed, and binding up the brokenhearted. Servants to the core, they speak gently and firmly, holding up the banner of love wherever they go, and no power or force can silence them or keep them from their mission. And even though they don’t cry out or call attention to themselves, their message is making a difference. In this world of pundits and blarney peddlers, there can never be too many gentle Servants.

Thought for the Day: How do gentle people influence others?