Jeremiah 31:31-34

“But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” vs. 33

During the first part of his ministry Jeremiah had a message of doom for the rulers of Judah, saying that if they continued on the course they were following, destruction was sure to follow. And while he never really abandoned that message, in his later years we see in his words a radical vision that totally transforms our relationship with God. It’s a new paradigm that does away with the law-based system that Israel had adopted during their wilderness experience and in the days of the monarchy. No longer will their status be determined by their obedience to external ordinances and commandments. The day was coming when the law would be written on their hearts, and they would be drawn into a deep and profound unity with the Divine. As we read the gospels it is apparent that this vision became a reality in Jesus. In him there was that movement away from Moses and into an intimate fusion with grace and peace. In him, as John wrote, “the Word became flesh,” God became one with humanity. Now it’s not easy to live that way. Some of us prefer the rules and the laws. But what a blessing it is to come to know the God who dwells within!

Thought for the Day: Why do some prefer living by the law?

Luke 18:6-8 “And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them?” vs. 7

When Luke wrote these words of Jesus he was well aware that many disciples were having a tough time remaining faithful. In some places they were being persecuted (and sometimes being put to death), by agents of the Empire, and they were naturally looking for help from God. The parable Jesus told implied that if an unjust judge would grant justice to the widow who kept pestering him, then surely our good God would listen to the pleas of the disciples. We read these words as an encouragement to persist in our own prayers and not give up. And so we do! We keep on praying for family members and loved ones. We keep on praying for an end to war and suffering in the world. We keep on praying for the triumph of the peaceable kingdom. But sometimes it’s hard to persist in our prayers. We wonder if there really is a good God who will one day bring justice and heal our brokenness. Luke adds a word from Jesus that indicates many will give up. “And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” It’s something to think about. How long will we keep praying before we lose heart? But what a tragedy it would be if we stopped! When faith disappears so does hope, and life itself loses all purpose and meaning.

Thought for the Day: What keeps me from losing heart?

Luke 18:1-5

“Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.” vs. 1

When things aren’t going our way, we will regularly turn to prayer in an attempt to get our lives straightened out. In those moments we are looking for almost any source of relief, and there is always the hope that God can make things right. But then when the problem doesn’t go away and in fact the situation worsens, it’s easy to give up hope. We imagine that our prayers are ineffectual and that our load is never going to be lightened. Obviously Jesus knew that his disciples had days like that too, and that there were times when they got discouraged. So he told them a parable that he hoped would encourage them to keep on praying and never give up. In his parable he imagines an unjust judge and a widow who keeps coming to him seeking relief from some injustice. And even though the judge keeps blowing her off, she wears him down. Finally he grants her request, not because he’s just, but just to get her to stop asking. Jesus concludes that if an unjust judge will do that, surely our good Lord will answer our complaints quickly. His words were intended to encourage his disciples to keep praying. Of course it’s never so easy as he implies–because sometimes answers don’t come. We know that! So what shall we do? His instructions are clear: keep on praying and never give up!

Thought for the Day: When have I lost heart in my prayers?

2 Timothy 4:1-5

“For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires…” vs. 3

Early Christian leaders were aware of how fickle their congregations could be. Charismatic preachers traveled from city to city with messages that were confusing and misleading. Often their teaching undermined the centrality of Christ and provided alternate perspectives on the way of salvation. Only by focusing on Jesus and the message of the cross could pastors keep their little congregations from being divided. Through the centuries there has been no shortage of such divisive teaching in the church and we can see it clearly in our time in the work of those who would like to merge the teachings of Christianity with the widely held belief in American exceptionalism. Powerful politicians are joining forces with evangelical Christians to promote America as a Christian nation. For those who love Jesus and who love America this sounds like a reasonable proposal, but one of our country’s guiding principles has always been the separation of church and state. History teaches us that any merger of religion and country will always breed oppression and division. What a blessing it is to live in a nation in which all faiths are respected and honored! It’s in this setting that those who love Jesus can worship and serve to their hearts delight. How sad it would be for that ideal to be undermined!

Thought for the Day: What is it like to have itching ears?

1 Timothy 3:14-17

“All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…” vs. 16

Each part of the Hebrew scriptures has a different origin story. Some came via oral traditions, stories of the ancestors passed on through generations, others came from the court histories of both Judah and Israel, many were preserved and edited by scribes working in the temple. A large number were worked and reworked during the time of the exile, but by about 200 years before the time of Jesus, they had received their current form and content. And most important of all, they were considered to be holy, a reliable source of history and inspiration. These were the scriptures that Paul and Timothy knew, and they taught that these scrolls were  inspired by God, and useful for teaching and training. A couple hundred years later some books associated with the disciples and the early church were accepted as the official canon of the Church and became known as the New Testament. Since then these scriptures too have also been understood as inspired and useful for teaching and training. That’s why we continue to read and study the bible, it’s our family history, and contains the story that unites us as believers. And even though it’s also been used to manipulate and divide, for those who persevere it remains the very best way to know and understand Jesus. 

Thought for the Day: What has the bible meant for my life?

Psalm 121

“The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore.” vs. 8

According to Jesus the greatest commandment of the Law was “Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one, and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and strength.” This verse is known as the Shema and in Deuteronomy the Israelites were told to write its words on parchment and post them on the doorposts of their homes. The case holding the verse is called a mezuzah and it can often be seen affixed to the external door jamb of a Jewish home. It’s a reminder to the occupants that the Lord will be with them in their going out and their coming in forevermore. That’s a beautiful thought and it’s no wonder that many Christians have adopted the practice. As people go out into the world they can touch the mezuzah and be reminded of God’s constant presence, and then when they come back to their sanctuary they can touch it again as they thank the Lord for all the blessings of their lives. It’s valuable to fill our days with such visual reminders of God’s presence. Many have such feelings when they look at the majesty of the mountains. We feel small in comparison and it’s good to be reminded that our God is bigger than we can imagine, and is present wherever we roam.

Thought for the Day: Where is my mezuzah?

Genesis 32:26-31

“Then the man said, ‘You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.’” vs. 28

The wrestling match by the ford of the Jabbok was a turning point in the life of Jacob. He had reached maturity and his Gen-X days were over. He had his wives and his children. His beloved Rachel was pregnant with Benjamin. There would be no more sons or daughters. He was ready now to be the father of a nation and from now on Israel would be his name. But the wrestling match was but a harbinger of what was to come. Through the centuries strife and contention have come to be identified with the name Israel. There have been years of exile and intense persecution. Even today the battles continue as this small nation continues to occupy the world’s center stage. We’d be hard-pressed to name another people who have been more heroic in fighting for their very existence. But Israel had a greater purpose than mere survival, a purpose that was understood clearly by the prophet Isaiah. Israel would be a “light to the nations so that God’s salvation would reach to the ends of the earth.” And through the mission of Jesus of Nazareth, born not too far from the ford of the Jabbok, that’s exactly what has happened. Jacob made his peace with Esau, and now Jesus is the prince of peace for all humanity. 

Thought for the Day: How has Israel survived for so long?

Genesis 32: 22-26

“He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he  had. Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.” vss. 23-24

This night was a turning point for Jacob. He remembered the great wrong he had done to his brother, Esau, how he had tricked him in a moment of weakness and stolen his birthright. The incident had taken place in his youth, probably as a teenager, and a lot of years had passed. But now Esau was coming and Jacob feared that he would seek vengeance. He’d already sent all his cattle and sheep ahead as an offering of repentance. That was all his wealth and then he even sent his wives and children. He remained alone and wrestled with a man until daylight. His struggle represents the internal turmoil that possesses us in moments of great frustration–it was like a battle against himself, and he wrestled his twin to a draw. Some of us know what that’s like. We stand on the precipice of the rest of our lives, not knowing what lies ahead, knowing full well what lies behind. We can’t go back again. The future is waiting, but we don’t know what’s going to happen. Sometimes we call this a mid-life crisis–we have a family and have reached a certain level of maturity. But what comes next? Will we lose our loved ones? How will our journey continue? Can I even survive this battle with my inner self and overcome my inner demons? Everything hangs in the balance.

Thought for the Day: What was my mid-life crisis?

Luke 17:15-19

“Then he said to him, ‘Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.’” vs. 19

Sometimes the details in the gospel’s healing stories are important. In this instance we note that Jesus never touched the lepers. Nor does he offer any prayer for their healing. He simply told them to go and show themselves to the priests which was the standard prescription in the book of Leviticus for dealing with any kind of skin disease. But according to Luke as they were on the way to see the priests they saw they were already healed. And when one of the lepers, a Samaritan, turns back to thank Jesus, Jesus sends him on his way saying that his faith had made him well. There are many in today’s healing professions who understand what Jesus meant. Physicians know that faith is an important ingredient in the whole healing process. Without it people can waste away no matter what is being done for them. And with faith miraculous recoveries are made. That’s the innate mystery of healing! And that’s why we pray when someone is ill! There’s power in communal prayers and while they don’t guarantee recovery, they do make a difference. Of course ultimately we are going to come up against some disease or condition that will hasten our endings. That’s pretty much inevitable. But there’s also no doubt that faith affects the whole person and even increases the days of our lives.

Thought for the Day: How is my faith making me well?

Luke 17:11-7-14

“As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’” vss. 12-13

There were a number of skin diseases endemic to the Holy Land, and those who suffered from them were known by the generic term “lepers.” It was believed that these diseases were spread by contact, and so anyone with a rash of any kind was considered contagious and subject to quarantine. Lepers evidently traveled in groups and were dependent on begging for survival. When Jesus encountered them he showed no fear and even laid hands on them when they asked for healing. Of course word spread, so wherever Jesus went, lepers were sure to follow. That’s how it’s always been for those touched by disease of any kind, but especially those with illnesses that are difficult to treat. When possible people will travel the world in search of healers with a cure. And sometimes those treatments, however exotic they may be, seem to work. Those who have been afflicted report that complete healing is now theirs. But not always! There’s an element of mystery in healing and always there will be debates about effective treatments. It’s telling that healing was a major part of Jesus’ ministry, and huge crowds of people gathered when he came into an area. People are always looking for healing, and it’s never a bad idea to start with Jesus!

Thought for the Day: Where do I go for healing?