Luke 17:6-10

“So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, ‘We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!’” vs. 10

In this little parable Jesus says that the role of the slave is to do the master’s bidding without expecting praise or thanks. Presumably the disciples would have agreed. That’s how slavery works. But it must have been a jolt then when Jesus goes on to describe them as worthless slaves. His words seem harsh and we might wonder what he’s getting at. And yet this is exactly the way believers have come to think of themselves. While we might prefer to be known as disciples, in truth we are slaves in the service of our Lord Jesus. And as such, it is both our duty and our delight to thank, praise, and obey him in all that we say and do. It’s our duty because this is the job description of a servant–as we live the life of faith we’re simply doing what we’re supposed to be doing, and some days it may seem more of a grind than others. But it’s also our delight, because there is no finer calling than to be in the service of the Lord Jesus. And some days we experience that delight in all of its glory. We can’t even imagine a more joyful way to live out our days here on earth. Why wouldn’t it be delightful when we’ve got the best boss ever!?

Thought for the Day: What kind of a boss is Jesus?

Luke 17:5-6

“The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’ The Lord replied, ‘If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it would obey you.’” Luke 17:5-6

The disciples were a lot like many of us. They believed that it was possible for them to increase their faith. So Jesus told them in no uncertain terms that size doesn’t matter. Their problem was that they weren’t looking for increased faith at all, they were looking for certitude! And that’s not faith. As the writer, Ann Lamott has said, “The opposite of faith is not doubt, it’s certainty.” That’s a hard concept to get into our heads, but what a relief it is when we finally get it. That’s why it’s so hard to deal with pious folks who smugly claim to have no doubts about God. They turn us off with their certainty, especially when they imply there’s something wrong with us. That’s why Thomas is so appealing. He was open about his doubts, but his faith won the day! That little bit of faith that we have is plenty–in fact Jesus says it has power beyond our imaginations. That mustard-size faith is big enough to handle cancer, heart disease, and divorce. Sometimes we get so fed up with the world that it’s hard to believe anything, but our little bit of faith keeps us going. God is and because God is, there’s nothing that can separate us from the love of God.

Thought for the Day: Why do I like to have certainty about stuff?

2 Timothy 1:6-14

“For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; ⁷for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.” vs. 6

This verse will remind many believers of their confirmation day, that ritual in which confirmands receive the laying on of hands as they affirm their baptisms. The pastor places both hands on their heads and earnestly prays that the gift of the Holy Spirit would be stirred up in them and that they would be guided and empowered by the Spirit in their service and in their suffering. It’s a powerful moment, at least for the pastor! But the reality is that the majority of confirmands quickly depart from faith. Sometimes they barely make it to the parking lot! And while most pastors have much to be grateful for in their various congregationa, they feel sadness for those who wander. Some even feel it as a personal failure! It isn’t that they fear for the souls of those youth–they know the gift of grace can never be lost. But what a blessing there is in faith! Paul had laid hands on Timothy, and it may be that Timothy had wandered. But Paul now prays that the gift of faith might be rekindled, and that Timothy would live with a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. And Paul’s prayer was answered. Timothy became a leader in the Church–his gifts were not lost!

Thought for the Day: What has rekindled my faith?

2 Timothy 1:1-5

“I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you.” vs. 5

Paul had encountered Timothy when he visited the city of Lystra on his first missionary journey and he’d been impressed by the strength of his faith. Later on, after he and Barnabas had parted company, Paul returned to Lystra with Silas, and asked Timothy to accompany them as they continued their journey through Galatia. Timothy’s father was a Gentile but his mother, Eunice, was a Jew who had learned about Jesus from her mother, Lois. Growing up in that household had given Timothy a strong and lasting faith. Many of us can likely testify to the importance of family testimony in passing on the good news of Jesus. When our mothers and grandmothers are believers the strength of their witness is overwhelming. Of course family ties are no guarantee the faith will be passed on. We all know instances where children of devout parents wander off to pursue other gods, sometimes as a result of a kind of natural teenage rebellion. And sometimes they stay away from the Church. But we can never discount the prayers of a grandma or grandpa. When there is also a gentle, loving, and humble spirit, those prayers are highly effective,  and can often spark repentance and a return to faith.

Thought for the Day: How has family built my faith?

Psalm 37:1-9

“Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him; do not fret over those who prosper in their way, over those who carry out evil devices.” vs. 7

No matter who we are, no matter what our political stance, we are living at a time when it’s possible to be  driven to distraction by what “the other side” is doing. And because there is seemingly nothing we can do to alter the course of events, it’s possible for our fretting to become an obsession. The psalmist evidently knew that feeling and advised his audience to “be still before the Lord.” And while that’s easier said than done, when we can pull it off, we can find amazing relief. As we quiet ourselves, and focus on something other than our smart phones and the internet, we can see God’s comforting presence in the course of our days. It could be in the flight of a butterfly or the busy cooing of the doves or in the kind smile of a stranger at the grocery store. There really is goodness all around, even in our most stressful days. And as far as the irritating people are concerned, their days are numbered, and their influence will inevitably disappear. There really is no room for fretting in the beautiful life that we have been handed in Christ. After all we’re on a timetable too and our time in this paradise is limited, so why should we spend our days being miserable, when there is so much that can give us delight?

Thought for the Day: What gives me delight?

Habakkuk 2:1-4

“Look at the proud! Their spirit is not right in them, but the righteous live by their faith.” vs. 4

Habakkuk has filed a complaint with the Lord and then settles back to wait for a reply. When he reports the answer, it seems cryptic, which is, from our own experiences with prayer, not all that unusual. But Habakkuk does receive some measure of assurance. God has not abandoned Judea, in spite of the external appearances. The key to an ongoing relationship with the Lord is faith. It’s this word of promise that has been the source of strength for believers of all ages. The proud trust in themselves, but the righteous trust in the Lord. No matter how things seem to be going in our world, no matter what enemies might appear at our doorsteps, patient endurance is the key to our serenity and peace. This isn’t allegiance to any particular doctrine or denominational creed, but an absolute trust that the One who brought all things into existence will continue to sustain life and will one day bring all things to a glorious conclusion. Of course we can’t prove any of this–if we could it wouldn’t be faith–but we really don’t have any decent alternatives to hang on to. The good news is that faith has worked pretty well for humanity in the brief time that we’ve been around, and there’s a pretty good chance it will sustain us far into the future. Our mysterious God has an amazing way of infusing us with peace!

Thought for the Day: What would I do without faith?

Habakkuk 1:1-4

“Why do you make me see wrongdoing and look at trouble? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise.” vs. 2

If we didn’t know that Habakkuk was reporting on what he was seeing 2500 years ago, we could swear that he was our contemporary. He’s complaining to God about all the awful things that were happening, and he wishes that he didn’t have to see them. There are plenty of folks who have been joining that refrain in recent years. Everything seems out of control and even though much of the violence and destruction is happening at a distance, round the clock cable news brings everything to our family television screens. And if we want to look at the really ugly things there are a multitude of web sites that can fill us in with all the gory details. This isn’t what most of us signed up for! We would much prefer to live out our days in peace and serenity without a hint of strife or contention. And probably the hardest reality of all is that no one seems to be in charge. And because we’re impotent in the face of those perpetuating the seemingly worldwide misery, it’s natural to feel completely helpless, and search for distractions to occupy our attention. But when we’re done complaining, we can always try praying, and it’s here we get a big surprise. God is, and through our little seemingly insignificant actions, great good is being done. And some days we can even see it!
Thought for the Day: Where do I see good being done?

Luke 16:27-31

“He said, No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’” vs. 30‘

In the second half of the parable, attention moves away from the rich man’s wealth, as  he expresses  concern for his five brothers, and asks Father Abraham to send Lazarus to testify to them. He believes that they will repent if they hear the poor man’s story. Abraham is not convinced. The brothers have heard the testimony of Moses and the prophets and have had ample opportunity to change their ways. He says that they wouldn’t believe even if someone would rise from the dead, perhaps an ironic reference to Jesus’ own resurrection. And that is of course the gospel truth! Unbelief is a tough nut to crack, and we’ve seen it again and again. Believers have heard the words of Jesus regarding wealth for generations–and seldom will they pay any attention. They simply assume that it doesn’t have anything to do with them, that they’re immune to the allure of wealth and that they can love money to their hearts content. Millions of people are ravaged by poverty and hunger every year, and while thousands do respond generously, too many others continue to  use their wealth for conspicuous consumption. They do this knowing full well that Jesus expects them to give generously and without regard for their own needs. We know what Jesus expects of us, but we’re unwilling to do it!

Thought for the Day: What might cause a wealthy person to repent?

Luke 16:19-26

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus…who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table;” vss. 19-21

It’s hard to miss the point of Jesus’ parable about the rich man and Lazarus. The contrast is striking. It seems the two men knew each other–at least they were neighbors. The rich man dressed in the finest clothes and feasted sumptuously every day. Lazarus was clothed in rags and competed with dogs for leftovers from the rich man’s table. And then in death their positions were reversed. Lazarus was comforted by Abraham while the rich man was tormented in the flames. Nothing is said about the morality of either, but we can infer that there’s a warm spot in God’s heart for the poor. And it isn’t just because the rich man was wealthy that he ended up in torment, it’s because he was aware of Lazarus’ situation and chose to do nothing. And really that’s how it continues to be for the wealthy. It’s not that they shouldn’t have large amounts of money–riches come to us in a variety of ways and many times they are earned. But when there is suffering involved, and people are chronically hungry or living in substandard housing, while the wealthy do little or nothing to help, justice itself becomes perverted. And that’s an affront to Christ!

Thought for the Day: How did I become rich?

1 Timothy 6:11-19

“As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” vs. 17

In the first century, as congregations sprang up in all the major cities around the Mediterranean, most of those who came to faith in Christ Jesus were from the poorer classes, with many of them being slaves. They loved the inclusiveness of the gospel proclamation. But not everyone was poor! As in the time of Jesus rich folks also responded to the good news, and even though it was agreed that the love of money was a root of all evil, some people who came to faith were wealthy. And they were not turned away, nor were they expected to sell everything that they had. Here they were told not to be haughty, but to be “rich in good works, generous, and ready to share.” We see this in our congregations too. Because wealth can come in so many ways, some folks, without even pursuing riches, end up with more money and possessions than they ever dreamed of having. When this happens in our lives we should be aware that riches can be a blessing or a curse. When believers are generous with their possessions they can do enormous good in the world, but when they fall in love with their stuff, life can get off track in a hurry. 

Thought for the Day: How did I get so rich?