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?

2 Timothy 2:14-15

“Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening.” vs. 14

It’s true that words are important and that the meaning of an entire sentence can be changed by the omission or addition of just a word or two. And sometimes it’s fun to debate the precise meaning of sentences, and even wrangle over which words should be chosen to bring clarity. But it’s also that these arguments about minutiae can drive others to distraction and even bring division. This has been especially true in the Church. Through the centuries almost every schism and rebellion can be traced to debates involved in developing dogma or theological propositions. One side will triumph or be declared the winner, sometimes by a vote in an assembly, and the other side, or sides, will pack up their bags and leave, often to form an alternative sect or denomination. Occasionally the differences have led to actual warfare, and thousands of people have died. Looked at from an historical perspective, the whole enterprise seems incredibly foolish, and yet we continue to do exactly the same thing in our current congregations and denominations. It’s amazing sometimes that the Church has survived at all! Admittedly it’s hard to put aside differences of opinion for the sake of the gospel. But unity requires an end to wrangling, especially when we think we’re right!

Thought for the Day: What’s the best antidote for wrangling?

2 Timothy 2:8-13

“The saying is sure: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.” vss. 11-13

These verses are thought to be part of an ancient Christian hymn and review some of the basic truths that are important for believers to remember. We are encouraged to endure in our faith and not to deny Christ like Peter did. It may be that suffering will be in our future as it was for Paul. The refrain is familiar. But then there is this amazing verse, “If we are faithless, he remains faithful–for he cannot deny himself.” What an incredible word of hope, really the bedrock of the gospel. On Christ the solid Rock we stand, all other ground is sinking sand. Christ will be the Rock always, no matter how far we stray. Even if we are faithless, Christ will remain faithful. That’s what rocks do! What good news this is for us and for our children and grandchildren! We can stop worrying right now! God’s steadfast mercy never departs from us–there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God. Even on our worst days, those times when we’ve behaved so poorly, and exposed our brokenness for all to see, God remains faithful and forgiveness is ours. God cannot not be God! Praise God!

Thought for the Day: When have I been faithless?

Psalm 111

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever.” vs.10

For many people believing in a Higher Power is an afterthought, something to be considered when life starts to fall apart, and their plans for the good life go awry. Based on the declining levels of worship attendance, (fewer than 30% of the population each week), more and more people are living like this. Seemingly  there are very few folks who give the Lord a high priority in their lives. The psalmist would wonder about those statistics. For him the fear of the Lord (faith) was the beginning of wisdom, the anchor point around which everything else in life revolves. Perhaps this is why so many people get so messed up in the course of their days on earth. Even though all folks are broken to some extent, the brokenness of some is exacerbated by their careless decisions and lack of focus. Not only is their speech colored by lies and profanity, their choices reflect a preference for immorality and abusive behavior. What a blessing to know that people of faith put God first and day to day are growing in wisdom and understanding! They experience order in their lives and the fruits of their wisdom bring love and understanding to the broken and the hurting. In their lives the praise of the Lord endures forever.

Thought for the Day: What is the fear of the Lord?

2 Kings 5:7-15c

 “But his servants approached and said to him, ‘Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, “Wash, and be clean”?’“ vs. 14

Naaman had an elevated sense of his own importance. But when he came with his entourage to Elisha’s house, Elisha didn’t even come out to see him–he just sent out a messenger with instructions to go to the Jordan River and wash. Not only was Naaman not impressed, he became angry at the lack of respect, and decided to leave. But his servants were smarter than that and told him to just do the simple thing that Elisha had prescribed. Sometimes it’s hard for us as believers to accept that our salvation has already been taken care of, that it could be as simple as “wash and be clean.” For some reason we  have been hard-wired to think that faith is more complicated than that and that there are multiple hoops to jump through. Of course there are plenty of charlatans around who like to surround faith with complex rituals coupled with hard to understand doctrines and dogmas.  But in reality all that is required is an “I believe,” and the door to the Peaceable Kingdom is opened, our brokenness is healed, and we are restored. And all the glory goes to God! 

Thought for the Day: How do I complicate faith?

2 Kings 5:1-3

“Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favor with his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy.” vs. 1

At the time of Elisha, about 850 BCE, Aram, Israel, and Judah were small monarchies clustered along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. They weren’t great powers but they seemed to take great delight in warring with each other. It’s interesting that while the nation of Aram was ultimately swallowed up by the Assyrians, the Aramean language spread over most of the Middle East and was likely the one spoken by Jesus. In Elisha’s day Aram and Israel regularly raided across borders, pillaging and taking captives, and Naaman was the commander of the Aramean army. But he got his name in the bible because he got leprosy, a dreaded skin disease. No one, no matter how famous, is immune to illness and suffering. Naaman however had an Elisha connection, a young slave girl from Israel that he’d captured on a raid and given to his wife, and she knew that Elisha could heal him. The girl told her mistress and set in motion a most unlikely chain of circumstances that concluded with Naaman paying a visit to Elisha. It’s amazing how connections like that work in our world. Simple conversations turn into life-enhancing messages that cut across ethnic, religious, and economic boundaries, and a brief comment turns into a surprise and sometimes even a miracle.

Thought for the Day: What’s an unexpected connection that changed my life?