Exodus 32:11-14

“And the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people.” vs. 14

The Israelites believed that their survival as a people had been dependent on great leaders like Moses who were able to even change the mind of the Lord. Their forefathers had deserved punishment for their disobedience but the Lord listened to Moses and spared them. It may seem strange for us to think of God as a being whose mind can be changed–we perhaps understand God in a very different way. But the story does remind us just how important mind-changing can be in the course of our journey. We grow up with all kinds of convictions about how life should be and initially our worlds are pretty black and white–but sooner or later we are going to be challenged. In those moments we can either stand by our old prejudices and allegiances, or we can change our minds. Those moments of decision will have a profound effect on our relationships–standing firm could mean the loss of a dear friend or family member. On the other hand, changing our minds opens doors to a new understanding of the world. And if, as our faith ancestors believed, the mind of God could be changed, then surely the same thing can happen for us. In fact, it’s only because people change their minds that the world itself can be changed for the better. Change is the core of repentance and our hope for the future.

Thought for the Day: When have I changed my mind?

Exodus 32:7-10

“The Lord said to Moses, “Go down at once! Your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have acted perversely; they have been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them…” vss. 7-8

Stories of rebellion and disobedience were deeply rooted in Israel’s traditions, and the scribes carefully included them as a part of the historical record. They told how quickly their ancestors had turned away from the way of the Lord and begun to worship other gods. It was just easier for them. Golden calves are visible and no one had ever seen the Lord that Moses wanted them to serve. It’s still that way! The gods that the people of our time have cast for themselves are tangible and appealing, and we love their tantalizing promises of money, sex, and power. They don’t require going to church and we’re free to follow all the desires of our flesh. We can forget about the poor, shove them aside, and freely indulge in every kind of pleasurable pursuit–and many do. Even those who have been nurtured in the teachings of Jesus are quick to abandon them when they come of age. An invisible deity just doesn’t carry much clout in a world of instant gratification. What folks don’t see is that the world of tangible gods is the land of slavery, and once we bow down to the sacred cows our beautiful freedom is lost. And even life becomes a burden. 

Thought for the Day: Where have I encountered sacred cows?

Luke 14:31-33

“So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.” vs. 33

When we take these words of Jesus literally, we are likely to dismiss them without much thought. We’re very aware of sectarian leaders who asked their followers to sign over all their property and then live together in community. Often they claimed that such a practice was a part of the call to discipleship and pointed to these words as a prooftext. While it’s proper for us to resist such manipulation, we do Jesus a disservice if we don’t take his point seriously. He’s right! Possessions can be a barrier to our spiritual well-being and can easily take over our lives. And it’s not only the rich who are affected. Hoarders can be found at every economic level and nearly all of us know the pain of giving things up or throwing things away. And the more tightly we hang on to our things, the less likely we are to ever experience the true freedom present in authentic discipleship. That’s why the downsizing that is often a part of our aging is such a blessing. We discover that getting rid of possessions is one of the keys to contentment–it’s just too bad that it takes so long for us to figure this out. Blessed are those who willingly give up their stuff, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven! 

Thought for the Day: What possessions are most dear to me?

Luke 14:25-30

“Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple.” vs. 26

There’s no doubt about it, sometimes the teachings of Jesus are baffling and we wonder what he could possibly have in mind. Here he tells the crowds that becoming his disciple is more important than the most intimate family relationships–it could even mean the loss of life. And he says it in the most dramatic way that he possibly could–his followers will need to hate everyone they’ve loved for all of their lives! That’s strong language! So what’s he up to?

Obviously he’s not telling them to stop loving their neighbor–in fact, he’s told them before to love even their enemies. Perhaps he’s saying that all those things that we often regard as being number one in our lives simply aren’t capable of holding that position. Parents, spouses, or children are not able to hold the center of our devotion for more than a few years–even life itself has a fragility about it. If we’re going to have a focus that will completely satisfy it can’t be a person that we love more than life itself. No person can be our God! But as we give up our focus on the family and take up the cross of Christ we catch a glimpse of the Divine and our lives begin to burst with joy and love–and even those from whom we are estranged can be blessed.

Thought for the Day: When have family connections failed me?

Philemon 1:10-21

“If he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self.” vss. 18-19

Paul is doing everything he can to ensure that Philemon will receive Onesimus with love when he returns. He knows that when Onesimus ran away he may have left some debts behind or even stolen something, so he offers a deal. He will do what it takes to cancel the debt, including repaying it himself. And then Paul reminds Philemon of his own indebtedness to himself! It’s a very human argument, one that we may have used ourselves a time or two. It’s the sort of thing parents say as they attempt to persuade a particular action from a child, “Think of all I’ve done for you!” It’s a reminder that Paul wasn’t above using manipulation to accomplish his aims. He understood the human heart. It would have been nice for Philemon to act purely out of love, but sometimes reminders of indebtedness don’t hurt. It’s that way in our relationship with God too. All of us are debtors and God has done so much to set us free, starting with unlimited forgiveness and unconditional love. And if that doesn’t persuade us to act with love and kindness toward others, it’s unlikely that anything will.

Thought for the Day: How do I respond to reminders of indebtedness?

Philemon 8-9a

“For this reason, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do your duty, yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love…vs. 8

Paul has a favor to ask of his friend Philemon, a leader of the congregation at Colossae. Philemon’s runaway slave, Onesimus, a new Christian, has become a companion to Paul in prison. Paul would like Philemon to welcome Onesimus back as a brother in Christ and to set him free. Paul believes that he could command this, but he prefers that Philemon do this good deed on the basis of love. His example is instructive–the way of love can be painstakingly slow while commandments get more immediate results. Parents who wait for their children to do their chores out of love will more than likely end up doing the chores themselves. It’s a lot easier to just order things to be done! But that isn’t how love works. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Love is patient; love is kind.” It may take a while for desired results to take place, but when loving change does occur it will be from the heart, and last forever. We might get impatient, but in the long run, loving a person into goodness is the way of Christ. And it works! Even the most resistant people will eventually be moved by love if only we have the patience to keep on loving.

Thought for the Day: Am I a commander or a lover?

Psalm 1

“They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.” vs. 1

The very first psalm clearly states the conviction of Jewish religious leaders that there are two ways to live in this world. We can either walk in the way of the Lord or follow the path of sinners. It’s a distinction that is sometimes lost among people of grace, especially those who believe that all are sinners. But the psalmist is actually making a point that even people of grace can embrace. Some folks are just blowing in the wind, following the ways of the world, while others have their roots firmly planted by the waters of life. We all know such people. They live by grace, acknowledging their sin, and are, at the same time, firmly committed to filling the world with the fruits of righteousness. They love the Lord and all that exists, including their needy neighbors, and do not weary of using their days for acts of kindness and compassion. Year after year they are a source of strength and joy for their communities–their witness does not waver. They have a variety of religious beliefs but are united in their desire to make this world a better place, and when disaster strikes, rise up as one to bring healing and restoration–and as the psalmist says, they are blessed!

Thought for the Day: When do people impress me with their goodness?

Deuteronomy 30:19-20

“I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live…” vs. 19

Those who have drunk deeply from the gospel of grace sometimes don’t quite know what to do with the emphasis on choice that is found in Deuteronomy. We imagine that since salvation is in Christ and not dependent on our works it really doesn’t make much difference what we do. But our hearts tell us otherwise! Almost instinctively we know that our behaviors make a huge difference to the quality of our lives in this world. And we do have huge choices to make, both as individuals and as nations. And the consequences of our decisions are enormous–one road will lead to blessings, the other to curses, both for ourselves and for others. At its essence our choice is between God and self. Will we love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, or will we pursue self-glorification and self-indulgence? To love God is to lose ourselves in the pursuit of justice and mercy, in caring for the poor and the hurting, in loving our neighbor as ourselves. Such a decision lived out over the course of a lifetime will bring blessings and full life, and that’s what many have chosen to do! We see the results of their labors all around, and all are blessed. And as we choose to join them in loving and serving, the blessings are multiplied and the kingdom of God flourishes!

Thought for the Day: When have I made consequential choices?

Deuteronomy 30: 15-18

“If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you today, by loving the Lord…then you shall live and become numerous, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess.” vs. 16

Our faith ancestors cherished the book of Deuteronomy, and rightly so! It was carefully crafted to describe how Israel should behave as a nation–it was like their constitution. In this section the writer indicates that the whole future of Israel is dependent on whether they obey the commandments of the Lord so skillfully summarized in the book. And, to put it plainly, it all starts with loving the Lord! While it is not true that America is the new Israel, many believe that these words could well be adopted by our country, not to make it a theocracy, but to ensure that it will be a blessing to our world. It is becoming more obvious with the passing of the years that love of God is not a primary concern for most people. In fact, it appears that few folks even give a rip about God! Given the opportunity we will steal from the poor, swindle the government, and utter every kind of untruth to gain an advantage over others. While a majority of people still claim to believe in God there is little evidence that such faith has touched their hearts. And if that’s the way it is, perhaps it is right to be concerned about the future of America?!

Thought for the Day: How am I feeling about our country’s future?

Luke 14:12-14

“But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” vss. 13-14

Most of us take pains to maintain a kind of social equilibrium in our relationships. We track the interactions that we have with our friends and relatives and make sure that they don’t become one-sided. No matter what it is, from dinner invitations to picking up the check from a meal, we want to make sure that we have repaid every kind gesture. This generally results in a lengthy cycle of invitations and counter-invitations, and when we’re aware of an indebtedness we move heaven and earth until we are confident that the ledger is square. Jesus was aware of those tendencies–they were happening in his time too–and he used the custom to make an important point about generosity. He tells us not to get caught up in these little societal legalisms. Instead we are to deliberately seek to do acts of kindness to those who can’t possibly repay us. We’re not in the business of being his followers to reap the benefits of our goodness. When we are faithful to our calling we’re not going to get rich or gain social standing through our serving and loving. Will we ever be rewarded? Of course, God takes care of us, and ultimately we always get what we deserve.

Thought for the Day: Who do I owe a dinner invitation to?