Luke 3:1-2

“…during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.” vs. 2

After a mostly poetic preface to his gospel Luke launches his third chapter by giving his best shot at describing John’s historical context. He might not have gotten all the details exactly right, but there’s no doubt about where John began his ministry. He’d left the corruption of religious Jerusalem and had probably found refuge in the purity of the Essene community near the Dead Sea. It was in that wilderness setting that the eternal Word made a connection and he began to give voice to convictions that had been planted in him years before. That sort of thing still happens when we can find a retreat in the midst of conflicting and confusing messages and practices. We live in a noisy world and sometimes it’s hard to even find time to think. Advent is designed to be that time for meditation but it’s been horribly corrupted by the culture and commerce. But when we do find our wilderness, that quiet time and place, and use it for prayer and reflection, it’s not at all unusual to get a clear word from God about any number of things. Like John we might get a call to stage an intervention, to speak words of truth to friends and family who are struggling. Or we could offer prayers for those who may be hurting. It’s a matter of opening our portals and listening with all our senses.

Thought for the Day: Where is my place and time for opening portals?

Philippians 1:7-11

“It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God’s grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.” vs. 7

When we read that the Philippians held Paul in their heart some will assume that he is speaking figuratively, that such a connection is not literally possible. The problem with that assumption is that it fails to take into consideration the nature of God. God isn’t a faraway entity lurking somewhere in a nebulous kingdom called heaven, God is in us and we are in God. We really are! And God isn’t a foreign spark in us, God is a part of our DNA, a natural part of who we are, and the God who is in each of us is the same God who is in the other! That’s what Paul is talking about. The Philippians hold him in their heart, and they are in his, and together they share in God’s grace in every circumstance of their lives. Imagine how believing in this way transforms us! The “other” is completely destroyed–people are not the enemy, they are an extension of ourselves. Just as brothers and sisters share DNA so in Christ, all are one. We all share in God’s grace. We are literally brothers and sisters, the much loved children of God; and that means EVERY ONE OF US, WITHOUT EXCEPTION!

Thought for the Day: What would happen if all believed this great truth?

Philippians 1:3-6

“I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you…” vss. 3-4

Perhaps Paul is exaggerating here. Could it be that he constantly prayed in every one of his prayers for all of the Philippians? Based on our own prayer lives we’re likely to say “no, he couldn’t have possibly done that.” But then again it’s very likely that Paul devoted considerable time to prayer–there are people, many of our friends in fact, who do in fact have massive prayer lists. And they do take time every day to remember all their friends, particularly those who are in some sort of need. Such prayer lists are the glue that holds the community of faith together. Of course it seems mundane to go through the same names day after day, year after year–some would call the process boring and repetitive. But it really isn’t, particularly when there is a face or a memory connected to each of the names. Does it do any good? Of course! It’s what binds us to one another in the Body of Christ. We aren’t solitary souls in the universe–we’re part of a complex organism and we have an effect on each other even when we aren’t near. We’ve learned from quantum mechanics that subatomic particles have an influence far beyond physical connections. In the same way  the Divine Presence acts as a force field that draws us together through our prayers for mutual healing and joy.

Thought for the Day: Who is on my daily prayer list?

Luke 1: 76-7

“By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

All we can really do is marvel at these ancient words from the Song of Zechariah! They so perfectly encompass all the hopes and dreams of humans from every time and place. Luke begins by ascribing “tender mercy” to our God, a far cry from the threatening and punishing image of the Divine that has come to pervade our culture. Just as the first glimpse of the sun after a dark night awakens hope, our loving God enlightens the shadows of our souls with words of grace and forgiveness. We’ve endured so much over these months of the pandemic–fear and anxiety abound. Many loved ones have died–each week brings word of new tragedies–it’s easy for hope to slip away. But as we focus on the core gospel message of our faith, we glimpse the light, and more often than not, we are amazed to discover that the light comes from within, where the Christ gene has been planted in every human soul. And slowly, sometimes almost against our will, that Christ presence enlightens our whole being and brings us the serenity that we crave. And bit by bit, even as the culture grows more neurotic, we learn to walk in the way of peace. 

Thought for the Day: How peaceful am I feeling these days?

Luke 1:68-75

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.” vs. 68

As Luke studied all the writings available to him following the destruction of the temple he came across the song of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, and there he found exactly the word of hope he had been looking for. For centuries the people of Israel had considered themselves the Chosen Ones of God, but with the absolute destruction engineered by the Roman armies, many had given up. But Luke says in effect, “Not so fast!” He told his readers that in the midst of the turmoil two children had been born, the Messenger and the Redeemer, and those two births were a sign of God’s continued love and constant protection. By including the Benedictus, as the Song of Zechariah has come to be known, he gave all the credit to the Lord God of Israel. In his gospel the story of Jesus would be forever connected to the ancient stories of the prophets. It’s good for us to keep that in mind as we move into the season of Advent. Our annual repetitions of the Christ story keep us grounded in ancient truths. In an age when technology has taught us to worship innovation, our faith reminds us that our origins are of old, and that God is our benevolent Creator. And for that we offer God our deepest thanks and praise!

Thought for the Day: Why do some folks have no interest in the past?

Malachi 3:1-4

“See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple.” vs.1

Advent is here! One candle has been lit and we’ve thought a bit about  the Day of the Lord that was so much on the minds of the prophets. They were a remarkable group. Israel and Judah had wandered from the way of righteousness again and again through the centuries but the prophets never stopped hoping. Some day, they had preached, God would restore the Temple and the nation, and Malachi agreed. But first, he says, there would need to be an intervention! The whole sacrificial system was out of whack and in need of purification–the priestly leaders needed a refiner’s fire, and a messenger would be sent to provide the impetus for repentance. We know the drill! Thanks to the success of twelve step groups the language of intervention is a part of our vocabulary. Sometimes we are so blind to our conditions and so caught up in our addictions that we need an outsider to break in and hold us accountable. Such messengers of truth are of incredible value and they prepare the way for massive change in our lives. Through them the veil of sin is lifted and we can begin to see how far we have strayed from God’s intentions. It’s not an easy process–often there is great pain as the repentance begins. But oh how good it feels to come back to the arms of our Lover!

Thought for the Day: Who loves me enough to do an intervention?

Luke 21:20-36

“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly, like a trap.” vs. 34-35a

The apocalyptic sayings of Jesus as recalled by Luke make reference to “the day of the Lord,” that moment when God would act in a decisive way to bring salvation to humanity. Jesus tells his disciples that they should be able to discern when that day is close and they should not let it take them by surprise. After centuries of speculation and a lot of false teaching about when that end will come, most of us have stopped looking for supernatural intervention on a cosmic scale. That doesn’t mean we believe life will just go on without any endings. We know, as Jesus indicated, that the “day” will come to all who live on the face of the whole earth. It likely won’t happen as is pictured in the apocalyptic writings, but it most certainly will come to us as individuals. One day every one of us will die, and we likely have no idea when that will be. Of course it really doesn’t make any difference whether we’re ready or not, but death doesn’t give mulligans and it’s a huge blessing if we can be prepared. Too many people live carelessly, possessed by the anxieties of daily living and focused totally on the material dimensions of life. Important words are left unsaid, and acts of kindness are left undone. And we don’t get a second chance!

Thought for the Day: Am I ready for the Day?

Luke 21:25-28

“People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” vs. 26

For the past few years we watched as the nation of Yemen has been virtually destroyed by constant tribal warfare and unrelenting air attacks from Saudi Arabia. Thousands have been killed, disease is rampant, and, because relief efforts have been blocked, starvation is widespread. No end to the conflict seems imminent! Yemen’s situation gives a bit of perspective to what was happening in Israel in the first century as the early disciples tried to continue the mission of Jesus. The Roman Imperial army was on the march. Jewish towns and cities that offered resistance were destroyed. The impregnable fortress at Masada fell to a siege, and in Jerusalem the Second Temple was totally destroyed. Thousands of Jews were killed. Many more faced famine and starvation. As Luke and others began to write their gospels they included Jesus’ apocalyptic sayings in an attempt to give perspective to what they were experiencing. They believed that Jesus was going to return soon–and everyone was wondering what the signs of his coming might be like. No specifics are given! Jesus had just said that they should be on the alert! At times that’s what life is like on this planet. Disaster looms–catastrophe seems certain–and no one seems to be in charge! And tomorrow Advent begins, just in the nick of time! We need these four weeks to reflect and prepare. Something big is coming, and it’s not Santa Claus!

Thought for the Day: What might it be like to live in Yemen?

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

“And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you.” vs. 12

It’s a holiday weekend and, while many of us are with family and friends, some are not. For one reason or another, perhaps pandemic related, we haven’t been able to join in the feasting and football watching–we’re separated from those we love. Such was the case for Paul and his friends in Thessalonica–he wanted to be with them, but recurring imprisonments had kept him away. All he could do was write letters and tell them he was praying for them. It’s telling that his deepest desire was that the Lord would make them increase and abound in love for one another and for all. Times haven’t changed! That remains our desire for those that we love the most, and always we are praying for absent children and grandchildren, hoping against hope that they would be experiencing daily love and affection. Today, the day after Thanksgiving, has become known as Black Friday, and it signals the official beginning of the holiday gift buying season. Now it’s always better to give than receive, but sometimes things can get a little out of whack. The gift-buying frenzy shifts attention from those things that really count. It’s simply not true that the right gift will bring joy to recipients–humans just aren’t that shallow! We need prayers from others, and the precious gift of love. When we have these things we really won’t need anything else! 

Thought for the Day: How did Black Friday get to be a thing?

Matthew 6:25-33

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” vs. 25

People have emerged from the pandemic with a vengeance these last few days. It’s Thanksgiving and they are not about to be kept from celebrating with family and friends any longer. Many have traveled long distances and endured massive waits at security lines just to eat and give thanks with those they love. They’ve rejoiced at getting their vaccinations and are grateful for the chance to celebrate. And while an inordinate amount of attention has been paid to our feast menus and we’ll all be gorging on favorite traditional foods, most of us would agree with Jesus. It’s not the food and drink that make today special, it’s the people gathered round the table with us that are truly important. We spend so much of our precious lives worrying about things that, in the long run, just don’t make any difference. And, sadly, tomorrow we’ll squander enormous amounts of money buying things that will never bring the satisfaction we crave. Jesus has told us again and again, stuff never sparks joy! He put it well, “Seek the kingdom first, live in God’s path of righteousness, and our loving God will provide for all of our needs.” Today is a good day to thank God for our abundance, but more than that, it’s a time to rejoice in the great gift of love!

Thought for the Day: Which Thanksgiving foods spark my joy?