Psalm 8:1-4

“When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him?”

Vss. 3-4a

The psalmist had been contemplating the heavens and marveling at the wonder of it all. Because in those days there was no light pollution it’s likely that every night he was treated to a show, the likes of which few of us have seen. The night sky would have been alive with stars and galaxies, many of which by that time, would have had names. And he was awestruck! It was all so wonderful and mysterious, and its intricacies beyond his understanding. And we who have had a chance to look at the photographs taken from the James Webb Space Telescope know exactly what he meant. 

In fact, because we know so much more about space than did the psalmist, we completely understand his conclusion, “What is man, that thou art mindful of him?” We are so puny, and our life expectancies so miniscule, that we can’t help but be humbled by our obvious insignificance. We are tempted to believe that if the human race were wiped out, the universe would neither notice nor care. 

But the psalmist’s conclusion did not lead him to despair. Instead it only increased his sense of wonder and thanksgiving. The fact that we are alive on this speck of a planet is so improbable that we are bound to give God daily thanks and praise. Against all odds we are alive! Wow, what a gift!

Thought for the Day: How do I show daily appreciation for life?

Genesis 1:26-2:4a

“And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” vs. 31

 The writers of this creation story from Genesis described the universe and the world that God had spoken into existence as being very good, and that included the humans who had been charged with its stewardship.

It is so important for us to remember this bold affirmation as we struggle with the brokenness that we see in ourselves and in the world in general. Because the hurting is so widespread and so close we can sometimes be persuaded to look at life itself with jaundiced eyes. Things can get so bad, and our displeasure so intense, that we begin to believe the world is an awful place to live. The negativity can become overwhelming!

People of faith should know better. God’s very image has been stamped into our being from the moment of birth, and human nature is at its core hard-wired for goodness. And so is the world around us! When we take time to contemplate the creation and open our senses to the liveliness and beauty that are all around us, our feelings of despair melt away and we are reconnected with our Loving Maker.

Of course that doesn’t mean that brokenness is not present. We see and experience its ugliness everyday. But God’s first word is goodness, and ultimately, and because God’s second word is Jesus, restoration will triumph.

Thought for the Day: What is the source of my brokenness?

Genesis 1:1-25

“And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” vss. 2-3

While some read the Hebrew story of creation in Genesis with a sense of incredulity and disbelief, others are deeply moved by the theological and spiritual insights of its writers. They know that it is not a scientific description of how the world was created but an affirmation of the divine origin and essential goodness of all that exists.

It begins with a claim that in the beginning God, however that Being might be described, brought all things into existence with a single Word, and that one Word was Light. This Light did not originate in the sun, for there was no sun, but from the very Spirit of God moving to and fro upon the face of the waters. This idea was picked up by the gospel of John, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

John goes on to say that this Word became flesh in Jesus, and further identifies Jesus as the Light of the World. Because of this some have said that in scripture God only speaks twice: the first word was Lights, and the second word, Jesus. And while that may seem simplistic to some, it really is the truth. When we try to say more about God, our words quickly become incomprehensible.

Thought for the Day: What is Light?

John 20: 21-23

“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” vss. 21-22

While the writers of the gospels were certainly aware that Jesus had entrusted his disciples with his message of love and forgiveness, they chose to describe that moment by recounting different stories. Here John combines Matthew’s Great Commission with Luke’s Pentecost account and tells us all we need to know about our mission and the work of the Holy Spirit.

When Jesus appeared to his disciples in the upper room he offered his peace, but he didn’t tell them to rest in it. Instead he commissions them to continue his work, saying, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And then he breathed on them, and gave them the Holy Spirit. What a powerful image! Picture Jesus standing with his disciples, pursing his lips, and then gently blowing his breath upon them. His respiration became theirs and they were inspired, and received all the motivation and power they would need to bring the gospel to the ends of the earth.

And that’s exactly how it continues to work. That same Spirit, the wind of God, unbridled and uncontained, has been breathed into countless people and made believers of them. And through them the good news of forgiveness and hope continues to bring restoration and healing to our broken world.

Thought for the Day: Where have I felt the Breath of God?

John 20:19-20

“Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.” vss. 19b-20

The disciples, wracked by fear, had locked themselves away in a hidden upper room within the walled city of Jerusalem. Even though they had heard that Jesus had risen from the dead, they had no idea what to do. They didn’t even know if the stories told by the women were true. And then suddenly Jesus was there. There had been no knock, the door had not opened. But  his words, “Peace be with you,” calmed them. Everything was going to be okay!

We still crave those calming words in our moments of fear and anxiety. In this broken world we often seek shelter in our hidden retreats. We feverishly scroll through our inboxes and news sources, looking for words to assure us, but we don’t even know if the stories we read are true. If only we could find some assurance, if only there were someone we could trust.

And then all of a sudden, we’re not quite sure how it happens, Jesus shows up. We’ve been so alone and out of nowhere a companion comes close, and we just know that it’s Jesus. We feel his love and in the silence he speaks, “Peace be with you,” and we are calmed. How good it is to know that we’re not alone, that there is a greater presence who is as near as our breath! 

Thought for the Day: When have I felt the presence of Jesus?

1 Corinthians 12:12-14

“For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.” vs. 13

Strange as it may seem, in recent years the word inclusive has fallen out of favor, along with related words like diversity and equity. All this would come as a surprise to the Apostle Paul who regularly used these concepts to describe what he called the Body of Christ. He told the Corinthians that all believers, whether they were Jews or Greeks, slaves or free, had been baptised into one body. The Church was a diverse group and included believers from a variety of backgrounds and stations in life. 

But even though diversity and inclusion have been celebrated in the Church from the beginning it has been so hard to practice. In this good and broken world people have a natural tendency to prefer the company of those who are more like themselves than different. In fact most Christian congregations seem to unconsciously embrace homogeneity and resist diversity. We really do have clannish tendencies.

Still the Spirit labors on and, almost against our wills, we are sometimes drawn into communities of faith where we rub shoulders and pray with people of many different backgrounds and even different political persuasions.  It’s not easy to be one with such folks. Unity is never easy. But, thank God, the Spirit persists, and the benefits of inclusion and diversity are undeniable.

Thought for the Day: How do I experience diversity in my congregation?

1 Corinthians 12:3b-11

“To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” vs. 7

Paul’s words to the Corinthians undermine one of the basic assumptions of contemporary Christianity, namely, that we engage in spiritual practices for the sake of strengthening our personal relationship with Jesus Christ. That sounds good and it speaks to our love of individualism as a national creed. But it wasn’t Paul’s vision of the Church. His phrase “for the common good” implies that believers will not just be looking for faith practices that will be good for themselves. Rather, Paul taught that the Holy Spirit calls us into relationship with one another and that the gifts we are given are meant to strengthen the community, and not just our personal faith.

That’s probably the major reason people of faith who move to a new city or neighborhood cannot really be at peace until they feel part of a community or a congregation. They know how important it is to be connected and have come to believe that they have gifts that can be put at the disposal of the whole. What a blessing it is when such persons stumble into a Spirit-filled congregation that is able to identify and use their gifts! This is when the Church is at its best!

Personal spiritual growth can be a wonderful thing, but there is nothing more vital to our faith than connecting with a body that can actually use and multiply our gifts for the common good.

Thought for the Day: How am I using my gifts in my community?

Psalm 104:24-34, 35b

“O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures…When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground.” vss. 24, 30

The psalmist couldn’t contain himself! He was full of praise and exultation. Everywhere he looked he saw the hand of God. God was the creator and the sustainer of the universe and everything that it contains. There couldn’t have been a day that passed in which his joy could be restrained. God was quite literally everywhere, and inside him to boot!

It’s a pity that some of those connections have been lost in our AI, screen-jammed world. Some stare all day long and even into the night at their computers and phones, and completely miss the wonder of God’s presence. When we do take a break from our screens and wander into the realms outside our homes and offices, at first it’s hard to adjust. We don’t even hear the conversation of the birds and we miss the flight of the bumblebees. 

But then the Spirit breaks through and we are able to join the reveries of the psalmist. And it’s wonderful! Through our miraculous senses we are ushered into the presence of God, and our hearts are filled. Some days we may even decide to abandon our screens for the rest of the day!

Thought for the Day: What happens when we turn off our computer and phone?

Acts 2:14-21

“In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.” vs. 17

Luke understood the Day of Pentecost as being a great Spirit-filled revival with Peter as the principle preacher. Peter, in addressing this diverse crowd of Jews, used a passage from the prophet Joel to describe what was happening. This outburst of excitement and enthusiasm was nothing less than the outpouring of God’s Spirit and a promise of a new and glorious day. All flesh would be touched by the Spirit and even the dreams of the old would come to pass.

Pentecost-like revivals have been a fixture in the life of the Church ever since that auspicious beginning, and the Spirit has been poured out upon all flesh. In recent months our country has begun to link that call for revival with the 250th anniversary of the United States. But this call is not being generated by evangelist leaders like Peter or Paul. Instead it’s billionaire politicians who are leading the way, encouraging people to think of our country as a Christian nation under God. 

For some this is good news, a sign of hope in troubled times. But others wonder! The teachings of Jesus are indeed a message to be embraced, but what Jesus taught has nothing to do with waging war, neglecting the poor, or the deportation of refugees. Is this really how the Spirit works?

Thought for the Day: Where do I see outpourings of God’s Spirit?

Acts 2:1-13

“All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’ But others sneered and said, ‘They are filled with new wine.’” vss. 12-13

For sheer dramatic effect there is probably no event more compelling than Luke’s account of the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Think of it! There had been a gathering of Jews from around the Diaspora for the annual festival of Shavuot or Feast of Weeks and suddenly Galileans, the followers of the recently crucified Jesus of Nazareth, began speaking in the native languages of all those who had come to worship. This wasn’t an event like the birth of Jesus in a hidden and obscure stable; this was like halftime at the SuperBowl, an explosion of excitement that was both amazing and perplexing. Something big was happening and no one knew what it was!

Of course some were dismissive and gave all the credit to the fruit of the vine and its intoxicating side-effects. That’s far easier to understand than the outpouring of the Spirit that had taken place in the upper room. That’s still the way it is when we encounter people in whom the Holy Spirit is actively working. The transformation is visible and unexplainable. Lives are changed and brokenness healed. Some are quick to say that these are probably the effects of some new drug, but believers know that the restoration is the fruit of the Spirit’s presence. 

Thought for the Day: What Holy Spirit changes have I experienced?