Romans 3:19-24

“For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” vss. 22b-24

Paul was a clever man and had come to believe that in Christ all things had changed. No longer would sinners need to battle against the unyielding demands of the Law–that was a hopeless struggle. All the Law did was reveal sin and unrighteousness! It did however put all people on the same playing field–we’re all sinners, from the least of us to the greatest. There is therefore no reason for any to boast. From that dismal insight Paul moved on to describe the gospel in universal terms. Since all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory; all are now justified by God’s grace as a gift. Paul went on to tie that good news to the death and resurrection of Jesus and said that the key to enjoying forgiveness was to trust in Christ Jesus. Nothing more needed to be done! When Martin Luther in the early 16th century realized the impact of what Paul had written, his life was transformed. His salvation did not depend on the efficacy of his confession or the purity of his life. He had been set free from the burdens of the Law in Christ Jesus and would spend the rest of his life in daily celebration of the new life that was his by grace. 

Thought for the Day: Which comes first, grace or faith?

Psalm 46:6-11

“Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.” vs. 10

In the midst of tumult the psalmist shared his conviction that God was in charge and would bring peace and security to the earth. One day, he told the people, there would be an end to the desolations, weapons would be destroyed, and war would be no more. We need those words of hope and encouragement now. Even though we are aware of the immense problems facing the world there is no common will to make the sacrifices necessary to avert disaster. As a result the climate will continue to change and average temperatures will be higher. Polar caps will melt, rising oceans will become warmer, weather patterns will change, and coastal flooding will be commonplace. Millions of people will be on the move to avoid famine and widespread starvation. The outlook isn’t promising, at least for the poorest and most vulnerable. But somehow life will go on, not because we have all the answers, but because God is the source and sustainer of all that exists. And even as we work together to end wars and give aid to the suffering, we know God is in the midst of us. Life will continue to have meaning and purpose. Humans will continue to know joy and love. God is the essence of all that is–and that’s the whole reason we can still rejoice and sing.

Thought for the Day: What’s the biggest challenge the world faces?

Psalm 46:1-5

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” vs. 1

When Martin Luther wrote and posted the 95 Theses in 1517 he had no idea what the outcome might be. He knew they were provocative and a challenge for the papacy, but he didn’t realize how earth-shattering they would be. In the ensuing tumult he found comfort in the scriptures, particularly some of the psalms. In fact Psalm 46 became the basis for his most famous hymn, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.” When opposition and conflict flared and he feared for his life he found strength in faith–God wasn’t a philosophical concept for academic minds to dissect, God was his very present help in trouble, as close as his next breath. The Reformation sparked by Luther and others transformed the face of the Church for the next 500 years, and now some are saying that it’s time for a new Reformation. Those at the forefront of that exciting movement are doing and saying many challenging things, but no one can predict what the consequences of any changes might be. We still can’t see into the future with any kind of precision! But we do know one thing: God is not going away! We might experiment with different names and addresses, but the Ground of All Being will continue to be our very present help in trouble. This is most certainly true!

Thought for the Day: What would a new Reformation look like?

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

The Hebrews had come to believe that there was a special covenant between the Israelites and the Lord, and that the terms of that covenant had been laid out in the Law. According to Jeremiah, because of disobedience, that covenant no longer existed–a relationship based on the Law just doesn’t work! We know the truth of his words. Even though followers of Jesus are called to live by grace, we are regularly tempted to turn back to the Law as a way to order our lives and relationships. And it just doesn’t work! Oh, we can get children to obey with threats and punishment, but only temporarily. Once they grow up and leave home they do whatever they please, often the opposite of what their parents have taught. Jeremiah believed that we only become the people  God has created us to be when righteousness has been nurtured and internalized through unconditional love and regular forgiveness. And that works! We see it again and again. Children raised with love and mercy grow up to do good for goodness’ sake, and not because it’s a rule or a law. The image of God that is in their DNA blossoms and flourishes and they become what they’ve been created to be.

Thought for the Day: What’s the purpose of the Law?

Mark 10:49-52

“Then Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ The blind man said to him, ‘My teacher, let me see again.’”  vs. 51

Jesus had a reputation as a healer. That’s the main reason crowds followed him from place to place and gathered whenever he stopped. We can understand their reaction. We all crave healing, and if conventional medicine doesn’t give relief many will seek out alternative sources, including those known as faith healers. This little story is the account of one of Jesus’ healings, but what surprises us is the question Jesus asks when the man comes close to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” He wants Bartimaeus to articulate his need. That’s an interesting question for anyone who approaches the Divine Presence–it’s a good question for any one of us. What do we want God to do for us? What is it we want from our holy encounter? What is our deepest desire? For the blind man the answer was easy–he wanted to see again. But what about us? What is it that we want? Perhaps the answer is obvious–we want healing. But maybe there is something else–deep inside we may be yearning for another kind of wholeness or completion, and maybe not even for ourselves. Our minds might be focused on the needs of parents or children. And beyond our little everyday worlds, there are the larger issues of society, politics, church, and environment. Everywhere we look there is a need for healing!

Thought for the Day: What do I want Jesus to do for me?

Mark 10:46-48

“Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’” vs. 48

When Jesus and his followers passed through Jericho, a prosperous oasis town near the Jordan, its citizens took notice. Among them was Bartimaus, a blind beggar, and he called out at the top of his lungs, “Jesus…have mercy on me.” And many ordered him to be quiet! We can understand their reaction. It’s like that with the poor and needy in our communities too. We know they are present and see them every day, but we don’t want them to make a nuisance of themselves. Sometimes they hold up hand-lettered cardboard signs on street corners–and it irritates us. We’d like them to be arrested. Occasionally they even show up at our churches–they know about Jesus and think that maybe his followers will give them help. Like Bartimaus they cry out “Have mercy!” And mostly we don’t like that–we’d like the needy among us to remain invisible–it’s embarrassing when we have to deal with them. But they’re not going to shut up or go away. More and more people are becoming homeless–and they’re going to keep on expecting that Jesus’s people will have mercy on them. It’s right for them to feel that way–the big question is our response. We want so much to live comfortable lives in safe communities, and the poor are such a nuisance. Why can’t they all just go away?

Thought for the Day: How do I really feel about beggars?

Hebrews 7:27-28

“Unlike the other high priests, he has no need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for those of the people; this he did once for all when he offered himself.” vs. 27

The writer of Hebrews used familiar imagery (for his readers anyway) to convey the truth of the gospel. For any who were wondering how they could possibly atone for their sins now that the temple was gone, he had a simple answer, “Don’t worry about it…Jesus has already taken care of it.” His message continues to be good news, even if we aren’t familiar with high priests or atonement theories. For any who are concerned about forgiveness or who are wondering if their sins are even forgivable, the answer is clear. “Don’t worry about it! It’s been taken care of!” We don’t have to understand the logic or the mechanism, all we need to do is accept that we are forgiven sinners. Now, if we like thinking about such things or enjoy arguing about arcane theological issues, that’s fine. We can go right ahead and do that! But if we want to get on with the business of living without worrying about the past, we’re free to do that too. And that’s the choice most will make. Life is too short for us to waste time feeling guilty about our missteps, mistakes, or sins. By grace we have been set free in Christ to enjoy the life that is ours, both now and forever. 

Thought for the Day: How does it feel to live by grace?

Hebrews 7:23-25

“Consequently he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” vs. 25

After the death and resurrection of Jesus his followers continued to go regularly to the temple and make full use of the sacrificial system. After all they were faithful Jews and this is what they were accustomed to do. But after the temple was destroyed in 70 AD they were flummoxed–they needed some sort of ritual that could give them assurance of forgiveness. Gradually, as more and more gentiles became part of the church, the regular practice of Holy Communion filled that void, but some of the Jewish Christians needed more. One of them, the writer of Hebrews, began to understand Jesus as a High Priest, one who for all time had acted on their behalf by the sacrifice of his own life on the cross. For most of us his interpretation is difficult to understand and probably unnecessary. But we do understand the importance of knowing that Jesus is never going to go away. He will be present forever, and in him we always hear words of grace and forgiveness–and that’s important! That’s why participation in Holy Communion continues to be important for the health of our souls. We’re never as perfect as we may appear to be–sin is a constant stalker–and we need as many assurances as we can possibly get that we are loved and forgiven.

Thought for the Day: Why did the sacrificial system work so well?

Psalm 126:4-6

“May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy.” vs. 5

Those who are accustomed to live each day with praise and thanksgiving in their hearts understand the powerful role that suffering plays in a well-rounded and healthy life. We have been created with the capacity to cry, not just to cleanse our eyes, but to give evidence of deep feelings, sometimes of joy, but more likely of pain and sadness. In other words, God intends for us to shed tears! It’s not true that “big boys don’t cry!” All people can and should–it’s a part of what makes us human. So when we get hit with bad news or experience suffering it is completely natural for tears to flow. Quite literally, the shedding of those tears is the first step on the road to healing. As the psalmist put it, “May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy.” There is no benefit in stifling our pain and acting as though nothing is wrong–followers of Jesus should discard the notions of machismo picked up from culture, and remember instead that shortest bible verse, “Jesus wept.” Well-watered gardens produce the most brilliant blooms and abundant crops. And when we allow our hearts to be irrigated with nutrient-laden tears, we can expect that spiritual fruits will abound. Tears are wiped away and are replaced by smiles and laughter–and it’s all a part of our divine programming!

Thought for the Day: How common were tears in my family?

Psalm 122:1-3

“The Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoiced.” vs. 3

Everyone who lived in Jerusalem was aware of the seemingly endless cycle of disasters that had been experienced by Israel. And the psalmist was no exception! Yet he chose to focus instead on the wonderful things that had been done for the people, and he was exuberant in his praise and expressions of joy. It’s wonderful when we can come to the point in our lives when, no matter how they’ve gone, we can recognize that the Lord has done great things for us. Of course that starts with the great mystery of existence itself! No one has ever asked to be born, and purely by grace we have been made alive on a planet that defies description in a universe full of wonders. What a pity it is when we act bored or fed up or long for something more! My word, every day our senses are bombarded by sights, sounds, and smells that are precious gifts–and we get whole lifetimes full of those experiences! There’s an old children’s song that puts it well. “Oh, the Lord is good to me, and so I thank the Lord, for giving me the things I need, the sun and the rain and the apple seed. The Lord is good to me! Amen, amen, amen!” It might sound silly, but it’s exactly what the psalmist recommended. The Lord has done great things for us, and rejoicing is always appropriate.

Thought for the Day: What great things has God done for me?