John 6:35, 41-44

“They were saying, ‘Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, “I have come down from heaven”?’”

As far as the people in the crowd were concerned Jesus had human origins–they knew his father and mother. For him to say that he had come down from heaven was too much to swallow–even if he did claim to be the bread of life. We shouldn’t be too hard on them–we have a tough time with Jesus’ divinity too! And for some that step of faith is just too difficult. They’d rather understand him solely as a teacher and prophet, a good man, but no more than that. A part of our difficulty comes from our inability to imagine divinity in a person. Is it contained in the humanity or is it a supplement? Was Jesus like a superhero, able to transcend the laws of physics and switch between human and divine as needed? People of faith know that they’ll never be able to understand the mystery–and most have come to the point where they don’t need to. They gladly affirm Jesus’ humanity, but they also know that in him we catch a glimpse of the divine. It’s a blessed reminder that there’s more to this world than meets the eye. And best of all they have found that as they walk with him they will experience life in its fullness–he really is the bread that feeds our souls!

Thought for the Day: How do I understand Jesus’ divinity?

Ephesians 4:29-5:2

“Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.” vs. 29

Paul’s picture of Christian community seems almost utopian, almost too good to be true. We’ve grown so accustomed to coarse, bullying, and degrading talk that we are hard-pressed to imagine a world in which each word is carefully weighed and gracefully used. But some followers of Jesus do choose to use language to build up and not tear down. They refuse to engage in gossip or slanderous conversation designed to diminish and ridicule. They don’t use the cheap and gratuitous four letter words that the culture finds so fascinating, but strive for purity in discourse. Are they appreciated for their efforts? Not always! Often they are labelled as puritanic or naive–many people have grown accustomed to using words to wound and hurt–and they’re numb to filthy talk. But there is a better way to live–and the words we choose can be powerful tools for healing and loving. This doesn’t mean avoiding tough conversations. And sometimes we’ll be saying things others would rather not hear–that’s how it is when we speak the truth in love. But if we’re serious about repentance and change there’s no better place to start than with the words that come out of our mouths. As Proverbs puts it, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” 

Thought for the Day: How often do my words wound?

  Ephesians 4:25-28

“Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy.” vs. 28

There’s something delightfully naive about this verse from Ephesians. Usually the writers of scripture come down hard on sinners–thieves are given warnings to change behavior or face harsh consequences. But here there are no threats or condemnation, just a heartfelt admonition for thieves to stop stealing and begin to work honestly. And why should they do this? So they’ll have something to share with the needy! Instead of being takers, Paul wants the thieves to become givers. His words are a subtle reminder that in every community there are takers and givers, those who focus their lives on accumulating and those whose primary goal is to share. Our world has struggled with this dichotomy for a long time. In our day it seems that the balance has shifted in favor of the takers–massive fortunes are being amassed while charitable giving declines. The more people have, the less inclined they are to share. It’s a sad situation–a sign that something has gotten out of whack. It’s an imbalance that breeds resentment and mistrust and does nothing to further the kingdom of God. Paul saw the danger clearly and made a plea for takers to change their ways. He wasn’t against profiting from honest work but his bottom line was the health of the community. As scripture reminds us, “The love of money is the root of all evil.”

Thought for the Day: How often does the amassing of wealth involve thievery?

Psalm 34:4-8

“O taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are those who take refuge in him.” vs. 8

There are a multitude of grocery stores and restaurants that advertise organic and natural foods. They’re seeking to profit from the recent surge of interest in what is called “clean eating,” the desire to avoid processed foods and eat only what is whole or natural. Such eaters assiduously read labels and try to find products that have zero or few additives. Many report that they’re feeling better than ever before–and that their bodies are happy too. Some folks of course are suspicious. Having been raised on fast foods they’re used to tastes that satisfy unhealthy cravings. They’d much rather have a cheese-covered pepperoni and sausage pizza than a massaged kale salad. But even they know that healthy eating is a good thing and will agree that it’s a blessing that people are finding such joy in food. We can only hope that the trend would extend to matters of the spirit as well. The psalmist encourages us to “taste and see that the Lord is good,” and perhaps that idea will catch on too. Now that’s a scary proposition for many–they’re suspicious of anything that sounds religious and fail to see that a regular diet of faith practices is essential for whole health. Prayer and meditation might appear exotic but the benefits are truly life-changing! And they’re at least as palatable as collard greens!

Thought for the Day: How healthy are my eating habits?

Psalm 34:1-3

“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” vs. 1

Occasionally we will meet people who regularly include words of praise and thanksgiving in their conversation. They’ll say, “Praise God,” or “Thank you, Jesus,” without any hesitation or sense of irony. They really mean what they say and aren’t at all reluctant to give public testimony of their faith. Like the psalmist they want to keep the praise of the Lord continually in their mouths. Other people of faith are reluctant to speak so openly–perhaps they’re afraid of being offensive or misunderstood, or maybe they’re afraid of appearing pietistic or overly religious. Whatever the reason, large numbers of people are silent when they could be openly witnessing to their faith convictions. For some it’s a part of their denominational culture–they’ve learned by observation and experience that religious exuberance should be curbed, that expressions of praise are for worship on Sunday, and not for the workplace on Monday. As a result curses and filthy talk have actually become more socially acceptable in our culture than offering blessings to the Lord! Now it is true that extravagant displays of piety can be hypocritical and an exaggeration, but stifling our praises in favor of silence is surely not the only alternative. There are a multitude of times in every day to give voice to our grateful hearts–and if others hear those exultations they will be touched and blessings will abound.

Thought for the Day: Why is it so acceptable to use four letter words in our culture?

1 Kings 19:4-8

“But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: ‘It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.’” vs. 4

Elijah had been quite successful in battling with the prophets of Baal in Israel, but Queen Jezebel was a formidable foe and he fled for his life. He was done! Alone in the wilderness he was ready to give up–he wanted to die! Some of us know the feeling! It can come at us quite by surprise, and it’s not that we’re suicidal. Sometimes it can be the sense that life has passed us by and we no longer have anything useful to contribute. Or maybe it’s that there seems to be no end to the divisiveness and polarization, and we’re just plain tired of the bickering. Those who are getting up in years and living with the joys and sorrows of retirement can also get to the point where they’ve had enough of the decline. Or maybe we’re just getting tired of going to funerals! Whatever the reason, the thought starts coming to mind, “Maybe I’m done–it really wouldn’t be that bad to just say good-bye!” We might even echo Elijah, “It is enough: now, O Lord, take away my life.” And then the word comes from the Lord, “Nope, not yet.” And so we go on, living as fully as we can for as long as we can! And the angels sing for joy!

Thought for the Day: When do I feel like giving up?

John 6:28-35

“So they said to him, ‘What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing?’” vs. 30

The people were asking a good question. They did understand that Jesus was a teacher and that he had a message, but how were they to know whether he was sent from God? They thought that a sign might give him credibility–and we can’t blame them for asking. We wonder about the same things as we try to decipher truth in our time. How can we possibly know which politicians or news anchors we should believe? Some say we should dismiss the whole lot, and instead rely on some obscure website hidden away on the internet. There are so many claims to truth being made, and it’s devilishly difficult to know who to believe. No wonder so many have become jaded and cynical! What’s ironic in John’s story is that the people had already been given a sign–the feeding in the wilderness–and they had failed to grasp its significance. Jesus finally has to tell them, “I am the Bread of Life…whoever comes to me will never be hungry.” That’s his word for us too! This is still the good news! In Jesus we find the way to truth and life–and it’s rooted in sacrificial love. Forget about the pundits and media circus–focus on the Bread of Life, and we will be satisfied!

Thought for the Day: Are there any credible news sources?

John 6:24-27

“Jesus answered them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.’” vs. 26

Jesus was no fool. He had a pretty good understanding of human nature and he knew folks were more interested in free food than they were in him. For many that’s still how it is! They turn up at church or tune in religious services not to get a closer relationship with Jesus but because they think it might bring them wealth. And pastors today aren’t fools either. Some will gladly hold out promises of riches to those who show up for worship. And people will eagerly snatch up Jesus if they think they can get a crack at the promised good life! And really, none of us are immune to that kind of thinking. We all probably think life will get better for us in every way if we can snuggle a little closer to Jesus. The problem is that Jesus isn’t looking for diners, he was searching for servers–and they’re a lot harder to come by. When we wander in the vicinity of the Word, we get an invitation to follow, and to give our lives for the sake of others. Of course we’re fed along the way, we’re well taken care of, but our primary mission is to serve, sacrifice, and love…and our target will always be the hurting, lonely, and the lost–and sometimes we even get to feed them bread.

Thought for the Day: What do I get out of my relationship with Jesus?

Ephesians 4:11-16

“We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming.” vs. 14

Not so long ago, as we began to enter the Age of Computers, there were some who hoped that the rapid dissemination of information and news would usher in a time of unity and peace. Since virtually everyone had instant access to all the accumulated knowledge of historians, scientists, theologians, and scholars, surely we would find in that knowledge a common truth that would lead to understanding and harmony. By now, of course, we know that such dreams were ridiculous. We now live in an age of mistrust and division. Politicians use alternative facts as a matter of policy, and there will always be a source to back them up. One person’s truth is another person’s lie, and seldom will anyone ever admit to doing or saying anything wrong. Truly, we have elevated the craft of deceitful scheming to a level that even Paul could not have anticipated. Paul calls us to disengage with that childish world of trickery and deceit and act like adults in being the Light of Christ. We are to speak the truth in love and seek to build people up and not tear them down. That’s not always easy–the truth can be elusive. But we know whether our words are loving or not–our hearts will tell us. And when love guides our words they will always bring healing, even if at first they might hurt.

Thought for the Day: Why does the truth sometimes hurt?

Ephesians 4:1-10

“I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” vss. 1-3

Followers of Jesus from the beginning have understood themselves to be his living presence in the world. Early on they began to speak of living in Christ, or alternatively, that Christ lived in them. More specifically they believed that the Church was the physical manifestation of Christ in the world–in other words, they were the Body of Christ. Paul believed that this was a holy calling, that followers of Jesus had been set aside to make a difference, that through them the whole world would be transformed. He therefore called upon them to lead a life worthy of that calling, a life marked with humility, gentleness, and patience–and bearing with one another in love. These are remarkable words, ones that deserve particular attention in our troubled and divisive times. Even though we recognize that the Spirit of God works through those holding a variety of religious viewpoints, there is still value in considering ourselves a part of the Church–it remains a holy calling! Sadly, too often people calling themselves Christians are known for their arrogance, impatience, divisiveness, and hypocrisy. It seems as though something has gone very wrong! Praise God for those who take their call to holiness seriously–it’s through them that Christ’s mission continues!

Thought for the Day: What has gone wrong for so many Church members?