Psalm 85:10-13

“Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.” vs. 10

The psalmist paints a beautiful picture of the relationship between the Lord and the faithful. In his eyes we are like lovers, God’s love flows into our lives and is greeted by our deep and complete trust. God’s arms enfold us with deep tenderness, and we snuggle in with contentment, knowing that in God we are forgiven, and will never ever be rejected, even if we should wander away. And more than that, he says, righteousness and peace will kiss each other. That’s God’s righteousness, not ours. On our own we cannot claim a place in God’s arms, but God makes us holy, and breathes into us a spirit of peace. It really is a match made in heaven, better than any romantic notion of love that we could possibly conjure up. The psalmist’s vision reminds us of the peace exchange that is central to many of our worship services. Having confessed our sins and having been assured by the pastor that the peace of God is with us, we turn to one another and offer our own personal sign of peace, occasionally a kiss, but more often a hug or handshake–or maybe in post-COVID days, a gentle fist-bump! Advent is a wonderful time for us to tend to our love relationship with God. It’s so easy to drift away, especially when in-person worship is becoming a distant memory. “Return to the Lord,” we sing during Lent–it’s not a bad tune in these times too. 

Thought for the Day: How do I experience the love of God?

Psalm 85:1-2, 8-9

“Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.” vs. 8

Not everyone gets excited about Advent, especially not since it’s been swallowed up by the cultural expansion of Christmas. There may be occasional references to Advent calendars or Advent wreaths, but most folks put their energy into decorating, entertaining, and buying. And that’s true even for those who have no faith in any God! But some do like to take time before Christmas for reflection and consideration of spiritual matters. They enjoy quiet Advent moments set aside for prayer and meditation, for simply listening for God’s voice in the middle of chaos, apprehension, and fear. Such believers have learned to turn again and again to their Lord in their hearts, and God never lets them down. From the beginning of time the faithful have heard words of forgiveness in those moments, words of peace that have a calming effect on their spirits. Even though we can’t prove God to the skeptics and the preoccupied, those who trust in God’s presence feel inside the calming serenity that is God’s intention for all people. It’s a kind of peace that oozes out into our daily living and our encounters with others, and it’s especially welcome during this frenzied time of the year. We can even say that it’s our God’s special Advent gift!

Thought for the Day: When am I most likely to feel peace of mind?

Isaiah 40:6-11

“He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.” vs. 11

The prophet believed with all his heart that better days were ahead for his people in spite of their lack of constancy. He didn’t think that they would miraculously change and thereby win God’s favor. He knew they were like the grass and the flowers of the field, here one day and gone the next. No, his hope was based on the steadfast love of God, a love that would endure forever, and he had confidence that his loving God would come like a shepherd to tend the wandering flock that was Israel. That image continues to speak to us across the centuries even though most of us have had little personal contact with shepherds. But we’ve heard the stories and seen pictures of the Good Shepherd and have learned to associate them with the tender nurturing that comes from Jesus. We know that even though we’ve strayed and lost our ways, we’ve not been abandoned. And on the days when we want to pull the covers over our heads and stay in bed, we are safe in the arms of the Shepherd, and on our way to a more glorious future. There are many things to worry about in our troubled world–the one thing we don’t need to be anxious about is our relationship with God. That’s been secure from the beginning, and will continue so until the end!

Thought for the Day: What is life like in the Shepherd’s arms?

Isaiah 40;1-5

“Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.” vs. 2

As the people of Judah and Jerusalem sat huddled in exile, the prophet had words of comfort for them. Their sins had been many and their suffering great, but now all of that was history–their future was bright. They had not been forgotten by the Lord, but they had been forgiven. As we cycle into the new church year and settle into the season of Advent we can expect to hear that same message–it’s a repeating theme for the people of God. There will be low times, seasons when we get a full dose of life’s darker side, sometimes as a consequence of our wandering ways, and occasionally just because that’s how life is. And always, just at the moment of our greatest loneliness and alienation, a word of comfort comes our way. These first days of Advent are a time to focus on those ways in which we’ve lost ourselves, and perhaps even consider repentance and change. The reflection could be painful–that’s how it is when we confront our own sin–but just when it seems darkest we catch a glimpse of the coming Light. We do not face punishment as people of grace, what lies ahead is a great and a glorious future. Even in the age of COVID God comes to us, again and again and again, as often as we need a strong word of comfort and hope!

Thought for the Day: What happens when I lose myself?

Mark 13:32-37

“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come.” vss. 32-33

There’s just so much that we don’t know about the future. Oh, we can be pretty confident that the earth will continue to spin at least for the next day or so, and we’ll get to see at least a few more sunrises. But beyond that the best we can do is make predictions, all the while knowing that things could change big-time in a heartbeat. Now some of us are content with the unknown–we’d just as soon live day to day without a clear indication of what’s ahead. And that’s not a bad way to live, as long as we make good use of the time that we have, and do the things that need to be done. It’s especially good not to get caught up in some of the endless speculation about the Second Coming or the Last Judgment. There are some religious folks who have simply gone bonkers with their predictions about end times. As Jesus says plainly, no one knows about such stuff. What we can do is live prudently, and make healthy choices about the future. The end will come for each of us, and as Jesus told his followers, it’s a blessing to be ready. And if we spend each day watching for ways to bring love and kindness to others, it is enough!

Thought for the Day: What are my hopes for this Advent season?

Mark 13:24-31

“But in those days, after that suffering…Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory.” vss. 24a, 26

It’s hard to believe that Advent is upon us. Four Sundays of preparing and then comes Christmas! And somehow Mark’s words seem particularly appropriate this year. They’re a part of Jesus’ apocalyptic message, and most years we don’t know quite what to do with them. All the symbolism seems dated, and besides, most of us aren’t looking for the end of time. We associate apocalyptic language with doom and destruction, a time when war and tribulation will sweep over the earth. But when we read this passage carefully we’ll see that Jesus intends these words to bring hope to his followers. Yes, it’s true, there are tough times here on earth, those moments when the nations tremble, and people are afraid. We’ve been moving through months of that fear and trembling, we’re in the middle of a global pandemic, and it’s still not over. But one day the suffering will be at an end and we’ll see unmistakable signs of Christ’s presence. God’s glory and power will be revealed and love will prevail. This year we really need to hang on to that hope–for our own country and for hurting, helpless people in every land. We’re in a crisis mode, and we seem to be making a big mess of things–but the suffering will end. It might not be this year, but the signs are unmistakable. Christ is here–love will triumph.

Thought for the Day: How will I be celebrating Advent?

1 Corinthians 1:3-9

“for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind…so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.” vss. 5, 7

Paul begins his letter to the church at Corinth with glowing words of affirmation. From his perspective, since they live under grace, they lack nothing–there is no need for them to worry about their salvation. We should not conclude from this that he believed everything was sweetness and light in their community. Indeed, we find from reading the rest of his letter, that he had plenty of admonitions for them. But Paul’s approach is instructive. He starts with the positive–he tells them how wonderful they are and how blessed he is to be associated with them. No matter who we are, we love affirmation, and so does everyone else! Of course we mess up, but our imperfections are not the measure of who we are! We are the much-loved children of God, and we have already been given all we need to enjoy the fruits of kingdom living. And the more we are reminded of that, the more likely it is that we will begin to reflect the image of God in our daily living. With some it becomes a mission and a passion–they never miss a chance to lift people with words of affirmation. And what a blessing such people are! Because of folks like them there is hope that this world can change!

Thought for the Day: Who needs my affirmation today?

Luke 17:11-19

“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

Some of us may feel like lepers this Thanksgiving Day. Because of COVID we’ve been told that it would be best if we limited our contacts and continue to keep our distance, even in our own homes. Naturally we’ve seen this as a huge bummer. Thanksgiving is a time for gathering as friends and family for a feast of turkey and all the extras, and we don’t like to be lectured about wise behavior. But some are following the guidelines–we believe it’s the responsible thing to do. It’s what the lepers did! But from a distance they saw Jesus and cried out for mercy, and so do we. Oh how we want a return to normalcy, an end to these horrible eight months of isolation, sickness, and death. We want to be free to travel at will and mix with others without fear–such is our fervent prayer. And one day, maybe soon, the virus will be subdued, and our prayer will be answered. In the meantime we have so many reasons to give thanks. We are so blessed to be surrounded by countless persons risking their own health to keep us safe, for doctors and nurses, for all who work in care centers, for teachers doing their jobs, for scientists working on a vaccine–the list could go on and on. One leper took time to thank Jesus–today’s our chance! And we’ve got a lot to say!

Thought for the Day: For what am I most thankful today?

Psalm 80:1-7, 15-17

“O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers? You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure.” vss. 4-5

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and because family gatherings have been shown to be “superspreaders” in the COVID pandemic, many are choosing to forego traditional celebratory dinners with friends and relatives. For them it’s one more negative effect of these last nine months of quarantine, a kind of a crowning blow. They’ll be feasting on the bread of tears! These have been discouraging times. We’ve been praying for an end to the suffering and the dying, for a return to the happy days of a burgeoning economy and freedom to travel. It was at moments like these that the psalmist wondered aloud to God, “How long will you be angry?” Now we may know intellectually that unanswered prayers are not a sign of God’s anger, but often it feels that way. And when that happens it’s good to be reminded that God does not desert us in our times of need. God is as present among us now as in the best of times–that’s what God does. In fact, if we’ll take time for some serious and honest reflection tomorrow, it won’t be our personal holiday pity party! In fact, moments of deprivation are golden opportunities for us to take stock of that which really matters. On these days all the foofoo is stripped away, and true blessings are revealed.

Thought for the Day: What blessings do I see most clearly when prayers are not answered?

Isaiah 64:6-9

“Yet, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.” vs. 8

The prophet was confident of two things: first, he believed that humans were pretty much hopelessly corrupt; in his words, even our righteous deeds are like filthy rags. And second, he knew that all people are the work of God’s hand, as he puts it, “We are the clay, and you are our potter.” And it’s for this reason, he believes, that God will never stop loving! Even when we are faithless, God will be faithful. His insight is powerful, and one worth hanging onto when times get tough. Each of us has been carefully fashioned by the hand of God. As Genesis puts it, we have been created in the image and likeness of God. The stamp of the Divine is in our DNA, and will never be erased. So even when we’re behaving like greedy, power-hungry idiots, we will continue to be the children of God, totally forgiven, and fully capable of reversing course and behaving in caring, loving ways. That means that this current state of horrible divisiveness cannot possibly endure. Already many are recognizing our common humanity, putting aside vengeful thinking, and beginning to build bridges instead of walls. Those who disagree with our politics are not our enemies, they are our brothers and sisters in Christ, molded by the loving hands of our Potter. And together we’ve been called to establish God’s rule on earth!

Thought for the Day: How could God have done a better job in molding us?