Colossians 3:8-11

“Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator.” vss. 9-10

Once we have begun to imitate Christ in all that we say and do it will of course have an effect on our behavior. We’ll put aside anger, malice, and slander and adopt truthfulness as our new standard. People will know us for our integrity and marvel at the way we speak well of others, even those who might be our opponents. But we should not expect that all these changes will occur overnight. The work of the Spirit takes a lifetime, and even when we clothe ourselves with Christ, there will continue to be renewal and growth. We have been created in the image of God and that divine DNA is our greatest gift. It’s in that DNA that the Spirit does its work, constantly engineering and equipping, snipping away at malfunctioning genes, until our whole being is in accordance with God’s original design. And bit by bit, by the grace and power of God, we become the incredible loving beings that we have been designed to be. It’s not an easy process. Some have been badly damaged by toxic relationships and ill-treatment in childhood environments. Others are victims of abuse and deceit! The work of renewal is difficult when the original image has been distorted. It may even take a lifetime, but by God’s grace it does happen! 

Thought for the Day: How’s the renewal going in me?

Colossians 3:1-7

“So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” vs. 1

Sometimes we’re told that we need to accept ourselves as we are, and not spend our lives trying to be something that we are not. There is truth in that advice, but it’s not the whole truth, because the way we are is not always the best that we can be–in fact, sometimes it’s not even close! Paul tells the Colossians that since they have been raised from the dead with Christ in baptism, they should seek to be Christlike in all they say and do. If believers take Paul seriously that will likely mean making a lifestyle adjustment. We all know that there are a whole variety of ways in which we can choose to behave as we develop our own special identity–we see them demonstrated for us daily in social media and on television. We even encounter them in the people we meet at work or at the grocery store. Paul’s advice is simple: believers are to imitate Christ! Not so we can go to heaven when we die, but to make heaven a reality here on earth! Some might question if it’s even possible for mortals to be Christlike, and the answer is simple. Of course it is! We see people all around us, being themselves and at the same time imitating Christ. Naturally we can opt out–but why not be the best that we can be?

Thought for the Day: In what ways am I Christlike?

Psalm 49:1-12

“For the ransom of life is costly, and can never suffice that one should live on forever and never see the grave.”vss. 8-9

This psalmist, like the Teacher of Ecclesiastes, has accumulated a fair bit of wisdom in the course of his life, and he passes on an important oft-forgotten truth. No one lives forever, no matter how much money they might have! For him this knowledge brought peace and a freedom from fear and anxiety. He would be content with however many years he lived–the length of his days wasn’t anything for him to worry about. No amount of stress would extend his lifespan one bit. Of course it’s easier to say these things than to take them to heart. Sometimes it seems as though we are obsessed with living longer. Some spend exorbitant amounts of money in their last days just to wring out a few more months. In one way this is a testimony to the precious nature of life–it is arguably our most valuable possession. And in some instances it seems we have been able to slow the aging process. Many are living happily into their nineties and beyond. But not all! For some the golden years bring painful decline, depression, and loneliness. But still we try! We hang on to life with all our might! Still, that doesn’t mean we need to become death deniers. Healthy living means preparing for death, and trusting that in Christ it is not the end!

Thought for the Day: What am I doing to extend my years?

Ecclesiastes 2:18-23

“What do mortals get from all the toil and strain with which they toil under the sun? For all their days are full of pain, and their work is a vexation; even at night their minds do not rest. This also is vanity.” vss. 22-23

Even people of faith are affected by the truth revealed in these heartbreaking words of wisdom from the Teacher. No matter who we are, and no matter what our occupation or profession, our toil will involve the expenditure of time and energy, and sometimes it will be painful. For some the vexations of the day will be regular visitors as they lie in bed at night. And then one day the toil is over and we leave our jobs, and discover to our chagrin that all our efforts seem to have been for nought. Before long we are forgotten, passed out of mind like one who has died!

We’d love to say that we accomplished a lot, but retirement plaques are a poor reward for all the sweat and labor, and our children will just throw them away! If we think long enough about stuff like this, it can get pretty depressing–but we can’t deny the truth of the Teacher’s insights. So what shall we do? One answer might be to live in the present so much as we can, enjoying the delights of the moment, and not worrying about tomorrow. That’s what Jesus taught, and maybe we should take his teachings to heart!

Thought for the Day: How am I enjoying my present?

Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14

“it is an unhappy business that God has given to human beings to be busy with. I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun; and see, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.” vss. 13b-14

The book of Ecclesiastes is known as Wisdom Literature and found its way into the Hebrew Scriptures as a series of reflections and proverbs reflecting our human experience in the world. For the most part, the Teacher, or Qoheleth, tells it like it is, and doesn’t bother to sugarcoat life, and some readers are put off by its somewhat negative conclusions, but others find it refreshing. The Teacher is absolutely right about the business of life in this world. So much of it is pointless and a chasing after the wind, but it’s what we do, and we keep on doing it. We might even say that life itself is insanity, doing the same pointless thing over and over again, and each time expecting some different result. Many, by hard work or luck, attain temporal fame and wealth, and discover they’re still anxious and afraid. Their gains have not brought peace or serenity. And ultimately all they’ve earned or hoarded is taken away. Others have learned that there is another way, and they have devoted themselves, not to busyness, but to simply being. They don’t seek to accumulate but are content with smelling the roses along the way. And that just might be the key to joyful living! 

Thought for the Day: What keeps me busy?

Luke 11:5-11

“So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.” vs. 9

Jesus, in teaching his disciples about prayer, does all that he can to assure them that God has an “open door” policy when it comes to interactions with those in need. Just as good parents can be counted on to give good things to their children, God will respond with blessings when we have a need. There is an unspoken caveat here of course. God will not give us everything that we ask for! This exception is endlessly frustrating for many and some have even given up praying! But Jesus did mean what he said–God does hear our prayers and does take care of us. And those who make prayer a lifelong habit do learn to trust the goodness of God. Answered prayer is alway cloaked with mystery and is not so clear cut as we might like it to be, but that never keeps the faithful from their prayers. We have learned that regular prayer is the key to our spiritual connection with God and so we keep on praying. It’s when we look back that we can clearly see the benevolences of God. In those reflective moments we realize that God has been close at every moment, even when we’ve felt abandoned. We might not have gotten a deserved promotion, but we have been sustained in our weariness and had our joys restored. 

Thought for the Day: What are signs that God has been with me?

Luke 11:1-4

“He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’” vs. 1

From the gospel record it appears that Jesus began each day with prayer, often getting up before dawn to go off by himself. Obviously his disciples noticed and one morning when he returned to the group asked if he would teach them to pray as John had taught his disciples. Jesus responded with a few petitions that have come to be known as the Lord’s Prayer. Presumably this is only a short summary of what Jesus included in his prayers, but these words have become what is likely the best-known prayer in the world. Almost everyone, even the spiritually indifferent, can follow along as it’s said, and for better or worse, it’s used in nearly every liturgical worship service under the sun. It’s good for the Church to have such a prayer. Even with the myriad of theological and liturgical differences that tend to separate the Body, here at least are a few words in which we can find unity. Even though there are some variations in our versions we can say the prayer together, and it feels good to have our voices joined in asking God to bring in the kingdom of peace, provide us with bread, and give much needed forgiveness. In these basics at least we still speak with one voice–and it is an amazing blessing!

Thought for the Day: What does the Lord’s Prayer mean to me?

Colossians 2:13-15

“God made you alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross.” vss. 13b-14

There is a Cursillo retreat ritual, likely inspired by this verse, during which participants are given small sheets of white paper on which they are encouraged to privately make a list of their sins. When they have finished they are invited to use a hammer to nail those lists to a large wooden cross lying in the front of the room. In the context of the retreat, generally on a Friday evening, the act of hammering has a cathartic effect. And even if it doesn’t satisfy the intricacies of our particular theories of atonement, the ritual provides a potent image of forgiveness through the cross. Later, as the papers are gathered, taken outside and burned, there is a palpable feeling of thanksgiving for God’s forgiving mercies. Sometimes we need that kind of concreteness in our worship. It’s one thing to move through a litany of confession and absolution, but the visual presence of sin-lists, nails, hammers, and flames can touch even hardened hearts. Of course it’s not the ritual itself that brings forgiveness. All that is necessary for our new life has already taken place in Christ–it’s all a gift, and it’s ours whether we deserve it or not. The truth is that we can’t get enough of grace–and the more ways we can experience its cleansing power, the better off we will be.

Thought for the Day: What good retreat experiences have I had?

Colossians 2:6-12

“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ.” vs. 8

Humans are enormously curious and are always on the lookout for new knowledge, wherever in the universe we can find it. We take advanced courses in universities, read countless books, and subscribe to any number of podcasts, all in the hope of discovering some new information that will transform our lives. Some are particularly interested in finding out new stuff about God, some proof of existence for example that will add certainty to their belief system. A few are convinced that there is some secret out there, a formula known to the ancients but kept hidden until revealed to some author for inclusion in the latest best-selling book. The author of Colossians was aware of such tendencies among early believers and warned them to pay no attention. It’s not that he was against new learning or education, he simply wants to reassure them that they already know enough when it comes to God. And he really is right! We don’t need to know anything more–it is enough to know that we are loved and that we have been set free in Christ to lead new lives. In Christ we have already experienced the fullness of God. It is such a relief to know this! Oh, we can keep on reading theology if we like–it’s a fine hobby, maybe even better than golf, but in Christ we have enough!

Thought for the Day: What are my favorite areas of learning?

Psalm 138

“On the day I called, you answered me, you increased my strength of soul.” vs. 3S

Sometimes we wonder what good it does to pray. We’re told to offer prayers regularly, for victims of mass shootings, for people threatened by massive forest fires, for the people of Ukraine, for those afflicted with dread disease–the list goes on and on. And so we do, some of us faithfully day after day, but often there are questions, especially when nothing seems to happen. The psalmist must have thought about such things too, and provides guidance to those living 2500 years in the future. He says that when he prays God answers, not in giving him all that he has asked for, but in increasing the strength of his soul! Wow! That’s something to think about. He’s saying that the best reason for praying is internal, it strengthens the essence of who we are, the point of our closest connection to Christ. Whenever we pray then, sometimes in a long litany of names and petitions, and no matter whether our requests are granted, we are being changed in a most remarkable way. And there’s evidence for this in our communities of faith. Who are the folks who seem to remain solid and even grow in their relationship to God through the years? Is it not those who we suspect may have regular times for prayer and meditation every day? Perhaps they grow in faith because the psalmist’s assertion is true. We won’t know unless we try it!

Thought for the Day: What’s the relationship between prayer and faith in my life?