Psalm 138

“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” vs. 8

It’s not unusual for us to wonder about our purpose in this world. We know that time is passing and that the years are speeding by, sometimes, it seems, at an ever-increasing rate. Once we were teenagers and, in our eyes, the possibilities were endless; but then middle age comes and many start wondering. Now for some, there appears to be little introspection–they move from one day to the next, and as long as they have material comforts, they live until life is gone. But others yearn for a larger purpose, wondering if there is one. And if there is a divine plan, how can they figure out what it is? The psalmist had thought about those things too, and his conclusion is helpful. He simply says, “The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me.” He trusted that if the Lord wanted something done through him, it would happen! He didn’t need to brood about it or imagine that there was a plan he needed to follow. His perspective is helpful. While we do have a multitude of options and decisions to make, it is also true that we are being used by a power greater than ourselves. We might not see it at the time, but often in retrospect the directing hand of God is pretty clear. The Spirit molds, fashions, pushes, and shoves and we don’t even know that it’s happening. God’s work is done–and we are the instruments!

Thought for the Day: How has God used me?

Isaiah 6:5-8

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’” vs. 8

Initially Isaiah had been terrified to be in the presence of the Lord–the vision was too much for someone so undeserving. He was unclean–like everyone else he knew. But then, purely as a gift of God, he had been cleansed–he had been made clean, and it totally changed his perspective. When he heard that there was an opportunity for a mission, he couldn’t contain himself and instantly volunteered. Like Isaiah many of us have a strong sense of our own unworthiness. Some have been carrying around that negative self-image since childhood. For one reason or another, sometimes a messed-up religious experience, we think of ourselves as being morally bankrupt or a miserable failure, not fit to be in the holy presence of God. But the truth is that God doesn’t see us that way. In the eyes of God we have been purified–every one of us. We’ve all had the burning coal of God’s grace applied to our lips. So there’s really no good reason of any kind for us to hold back when we hear or see that there’s a need for mission or service! Like Isaiah, we can jump up and down with our hand in the air saying, “Lord, pick me! I want to go!” And when that happens, and we are sent, quite obviously our lives will be changed forever! And it’s all a gift of God–whether we deserve it or not!

Thought for the Day: My best volunteer experience!

Isaiah 6:1-4

“Seraphs were in attendance above him;…and one called to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.’” vss. 2a-3

Isaiah traces his call to be a prophet to a vision that he had in the year 738 BCE and then describes the vision as having taken place in the temple in Jerusalem. As he recounts the hymn of praise sung by the six-winged attending seraphs he lets his readers know that the glory of the Lord was not confined to the temple but extended throughout the whole earth. This expansive view of God’s presence has continued to be a foundational conviction of Judeo-Christian thought. We go even further in our time and make the claim that the Divine Presence fills the universe. This means that every square inch of the earth, moon and stars is holy ground, and furthermore, every living thing is suffused with holiness, no exceptions! What a difference it would make in our world if humanity took this basic truth to heart! It would impact our attitude and actions toward the environment and all creatures. Admittedly sometimes it’s hard to keep that kind of mindset–we’ve been raised to think in dualistic terms. Things are black or white, good or evil, and that’s it. We can’t even imagine all things being good–even when that’s the clear testimony of Genesis. But our minds can be changed! And oh what a revelation it is when our eyes are opened to see the glory of God everywhere! 

Thought for the Day: What is a dualistic thinker?

Luke 4:24-30

“‘There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.’ When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage.” vss. 27-28

At first the folks in the synagogue were pleased with what Jesus had to say but their mood changed when they heard the rest of the story. They knew their scriptures and they immediately got the point when Jesus mentioned that Elijah and Elisha, Israel’s two most famous prophets, reached across religious and national boundaries to bring cleansing and healing to the widow of Zarephath and to Naaman. Jesus was telling them that his mission extended far beyond the boundaries of his hometown. He’d been sent to proclaim good news to the poor and broken wherever he could find them. And his neighbors in Nazareth believed that they’d been dissed–and that Jesus deserved to die. We might wonder at the violence of their reaction but that’s the way it is with religious people. Jesus was welcomed by outsiders and the insiders ultimately killed him. We’re a bit more refined, but it’s still true that bigotry and religiosity go hand in hand. Our deepest prejudices are often masked by piety–the Ku Klux Klan was at its heart a deeply religious organization. It’s something to think about as we walk with Jesus in these deeply divided times. As someone has said, when we start drawing lines, Jesus is always on the other side of the line!

Thought for the Day: How do I know I’m on Jesus’ side of the line?

Luke 4:21-24

“Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’ All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, ‘Is not this Joseph’s son?’” vss. 21-22

Initially Jesus got positive reviews from the folks at the synagogue in his hometown. They knew him as Joseph’s son, and had heard that he had begun to develop a reputation as a healer and teacher. They were glad to receive him and anxious to hear what he would say. To their ears his words were full of grace and they welcomed the kindness and mercy that was a part of his exposition of scripture. But Jesus saw through their praise and sensed that their mood could change quickly if they didn’t get their way. Many have seen that happen in their congregations in response to the proclamation of the gospel. We love hearing about divine forgiveness and unconditional love. Our hungry hearts lap up the affirmation–it makes us feel good to have such a close connection to the Christ. We’re proud to be Christian and know that we have been chosen by God. That feeling can even give us a sense of superiority over-against the “little people” who live with us on this planet. We begin to think of ourselves as insiders with Jesus as our “homie”! The problem is that Jesus isn’t our lapdog, and as we listen closely to his story we discover a mission that can challenge us to the core.

Thought for the Day: How have I been challenged by Jesus?

1 Corinthians 13:7-13

“For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.” vs. 12

Gifted futurists can make a good living with their projections about the direction of life on earth and in the universe. After all, no one can prove them wrong, and their computer modeling is often compelling. We won’t really know if they were right until dozens or even hundreds of years have passed. Paul, writing 2000 years ago, tells us that any knowledge we have about God or the universe, or even life itself, is at best partial. He says that all the things we assert and predict, all our reasoning, is like child’s play when compared to the glory that will one day be revealed. It must have been excruciating for Paul to write these things–he showed such confidence in his own opinions as wrote to the congregations under his care. But he’d come a long way in the course of his ministry, and he now realized that the Divine Mystery was greater than his mind could comprehend. And so it is with us when we lay aside our arrogance and embrace humility. The truth is that we don’t have all the answers–our knowledge is incomplete. But what we do have is love, the incandescent all-sufficient love of Christ, and that love embraces us on the journey, and in the long run, it’s really all that we need.

Thought for the Day: At what points in my life have I felt the smartest?

1 Corinthian 13:1-7

“If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” vs. 1

No matter how many talented folks a congregation has, no matter how many ministry programs are available, unless there is a spirit of love within that congregation, everything else is pointless and worthless! Paul doesn’t mince words with the Corinthians. He spells out his most excellent way in terms that any fool can understand. Not only does he say that love is of paramount importance, he goes on to describe it in the most beautiful and tender terms. “Love is patient, love is kind; it is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude; it does not insist on its own way, it is not irritable or resentful. It does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth.” Sadly, while we speak a great deal of love in our society, many have never experienced what Paul is referencing–some days it seems as though this brand of love is exceedingly rare. But it’s not impossible! There are those among us who love exactly as Paul describes. They have tapped into the channels of love that have their origin in the Christ. In their humility they may not know how this has happened–there are no secret passwords and there is no special training. All we can say is that they have been touched by the Spirit, and their lives are a blessing to us all.

Thought for the Day: Great lovers that I have known!

Psalm 71:1-6

“For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth. Upon you I have leaned from my birth; it was you who took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is continually of you.” vss. 5-6

The psalmist has lived a long and faithful life–he has trusted in the Lord from the time of his youth, even from the moment of his birth. And now, in his old age things are not going so well, and he calls on the Lord to deliver him. We don’t know exactly what has happened for him, but we do have an idea of what happens to us with the passing of years. At first the retirement years are great–we love the unlimited and unstructured time. But then our bodies begin to fail and various maladies stalk us. Sometimes family and friends drift away and we’re left to live among strangers. Many also dread the onslaught of dementia or Alzeimher’s–we fear above all else the loss of our minds. We laugh about moments of forgetfulness but our hearts are in a panic–we fear that the enemy is at the gates and we don’t know what to do. Those of us who have been believers for a lifetime join the psalmist in calling upon the Lord for deliverance and healing. But we really don’t need to be afraid. The Lord is our Shepherd and as we walk through the valley of shadows and death we will be sustained and comforted. Salvation is ours!

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

Jeremiah 1: 6-10

“Then I said, ‘Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.’” vs. 6

When Moses had been called by the Lord to go speak to the Pharaoh about the plight of the Hebrews, he claimed that he wasn’t eloquent and couldn’t do it. His argument didn’t work–he went anyway! Jeremiah, likely aware of the Moses story,  pleaded his own youth and inexperience, and got an identical response from the Lord. The point seems to be that when the Lord has a mission for us, a way will be provided. There’s not much point in making excuses! And yet we keep on making them. It’s a regular thing in our congregations when people are asked to use their gifts for the benefit of the community. Presumably the call comes because these persons are perceived to be a good fit for some particular ministry. Prayers have been offered, names have come to mind, and individuals are asked to serve. And the excuses that are offered in response rival those of Moses and Jeremiah. Sometimes it’s because we don’t have a good sense of our own capabilities–we don’t know what we’re capable of doing. But others know, God knows, and that’s why we’re asked! And when we do agree, it’s astounding what the Holy Spirit can do with us and through us. This is how the Body of Christ operates in this world–each of us have been gifted and will be empowered by the Spirit when we say “yes” to the call!

Thought for the Day: What excuses are my favorites?

Jeremiah 1:4-5

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” vs. 5

We like to believe that we are the masters of our own destinies, that we can pick and choose among a multitude of professions and careers in the course of our lives–that some could even decide to become preachers! Jeremiah would have laughed at such a notion! He believed that he had been appointed to be a prophet even before he was born! If he’d had a choice, he would tell us, he would never have picked such a frustrating future. On our part, we wonder about such claims. It just seems improbable that we have no voice in choosing a career path. In fact, our own story has likely been quite different–we can probably even point to the time when we decided to do what we’re doing today. But still we wonder. How much are we really in control of our own destinies? If we’re honest we can point to all kinds of outside forces that have influenced the direction of our lives. Could it not be that this was the “hand of God,” however that can be interpreted? We’re all part of creation, here by the grace of God, and the Divine Presence has blown into and around our lives since before we were born. Perhaps there are reasons beyond our understanding for where we live and what we do! It’s certainly something to think about!

Thought for the Day: How has the “hand of God” impacted my life?