November 4

Psalm 70

“But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay!” vs. 5

Many have been waiting for this day for months. The election is over, and even if we don’t yet know the results, at least we won’t have to watch the endless campaign commercials or get annoying text messages and emails from eager well-meaning advocates. From all evidence this has been one of the most divisive campaigns ever, and it’s hard to know if healing for our country will even be possible. Ugly words have been said, while relationships have been pushed to the breaking point– differences in opinions have become calls to arms. As we move ahead much will depend on the behaviors and attitudes of our leaders. We’ve had enough of arrogance, accusations, and pride–what we need now is deep humility and a willingness to work together for the good of all. All of us are poor and needy–the problems we face are enormous. No one party has all the answers. The psalmist advises us well. God is our help and our deliverer, and we can’t afford any delay. Perhaps what we need more than anything else is a national day of prayer, a time for people of all faiths, and of no faith at all, to get down on our collective knees and pray humbly for an end to the rancor and discord. When people are amassing huge stores of guns and ammunition it’s almost past time for us to repent and turn back to God.

Thought for the Day: Who will join me in prayer for our country?

November 3

Amos 5:21-24

“But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an everflowing stream.” vs. 24

Amos had been sent to proclaim the word of the Lord to Israel and he was not happy with what he saw. While people continued to practice the externals of religion, gathering on festival days for the singing of hymns and the offering of sacrifices, it was all a facade. While the rich were growing ever richer, and had multiple homes with ornate furnishings, the poor were being exploited and were suffering. So Amos issues a warning–unless the nation changed its ways it would be destroyed. The record shows that Israel’s rulers paid no attention to Amos–and within a few decades they were overthrown and Israel was no more. Now times have changed and in our country there are no dynastic rulers–instead there are elections, and every four years ordinary people cast ballots to choose leaders. But despite the obvious changes, if Amos were to visit, it’s unlikely he would be pleased. The age-old disparity between the rich and the poor has not gone away, and in some ways it has grown worse. The wealthy have more than enough while the needy compete for the leftovers. There are plenty of churches and lots of religion, but a dearth of compassion, grace, and mercy. And today we vote for leaders! Will this election bring change? Will justice roll down like water and righteousness like an everflowing stream? Will our votes make a difference? Some are hopeful–but others wonder!

Thought for the Day: Why don’t people listen to prophets?

November 2

Amos 5:18-20

“Alas for you who desire the day of the Lord! Why do you want the day of the Lord? It is darkness, not light; as if someone fled from a lion, and was met by a bear…” vss. 18-19a

When Amos spoke of the “day of the Lord” he was thinking of that time when God would break into our human existence with power and might, something like the apocalypse mentioned in other parts of scripture. He’s telling his listeners that such a day might bring them something other than what they had desired. Amos knew what he was talking about! Many people express a desire to draw closer to God, or perhaps have God come to them in a transformative way. What they sometimes don’t realize is that such an experience could very well bring them more darkness than light. At least that’s the testimony of nearly everyone who has spent time seeking enlightenment or a closer connection to the Divine. They don’t discourage the meditative practice, in fact they speak of the blessings that come from such interior journeys, but all of them say that as we come to a true knowledge of self, we will move through the dark night of the soul. It’s like a dying to the self, without a clear sense of whether there is even any life beyond such a death. While that may not sound appealing, those who engage in meditation almost universally report that it’s in the dying that they receive eternal life, a union with God that brings peace beyond understanding.

Thought for the Day: What have my darkest times taught me?

November 1

Matthew 5:6-12

“Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.” vs. 11

As we take time on this All Saints Day to remember all the people with whom we’ve been associated through the years who now rest from their labors, we’re bound to be overwhelmed with a sense of gratefulness and deep gratitude. All of us have been touched in powerful ways by family members, friends, and acquaintances who have honored God with their commitments to peace, mercy, justice, and purity. And we can be confident that they have been blessed by God for all that they have done. It’s not that they always experienced the best in their lives–the world isn’t like that. In fact it has often been said that “no good deed goes unpunished.” Sometimes those who have dedicated their lives to leading good and decent lives have suffered beyond their due at the hands of the cruel and the indifferent. We’ve seen all too clearly how the anonymity of the internet and social media has provided easy access for bullying and slander. It seems that any who take leadership in working for goodness can expect to be reviled by an onslaught of hate and vitriolic messaging. Jesus knew all about such behaviors, and told his followers to take heart. No matter what the world throws at us, blessings will abound–we are the children of God–and we’ll be well taken care of forever!

Thought for the Day: As a living saint, how am I being blessed?

October 31

Matthew 5:1-5

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” vs. 3

It’s likely that tonight’s Halloween observances will be curtailed or at least changed because of pandemic concerns. Still, we can be certain that creative parents will be promoting alternative celebrations in their neighborhoods, parades for costumed children perhaps, featuring sidewalk and driveway physical distancing, and a safe distribution of candy. Halloween is too big a deal in our culture–and ways will be found to celebrate. It might even be that this year folks will take some time to consider the roots of All Saints Eve, or All-Hallows Eve, as some call it. It’s been around for centuries in the Church, and its origins go back to ancient times. Always it’s been a time to reflect on that mysterious boundary between the living and the dead. For pagans it was that night when the dead roamed the earth, sometimes in disguise or playing tricks, or maybe to just offer a fright or two. For Christians it was a time to remember the Saints and light candles to honor their lives. Some even believed that a visit to their relics on this day brought special blessings, perhaps a reduction in purgatory penalties. In 1517 Martin Luther intentionally countered that view by nailing his 95 Theses on the Wittenberg church door. At its core this is a day not for mourning the dead, but for celebrating the new life they have in Christ. They are resting from their labors, and they have been blessed with peace.

Thought for the Day: What has Halloween meant to me?

October 30

John 3:1-3

“See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are.” vs. 1

There is a lot of talk about identity in these times. We’ve learned, sometimes painfully, that it’s possible to have our identity stolen, and that we need to have many layers of protection to be safe. But after the available safeguards have been put in place, many wonder about identity in a more basic way: Just who are we, anyway? Some have tried to find an answer in politics, gender, nationality, or race, but those types of identity possibilities are simply not sufficient for our times or our struggles. Often they lead to conflict and division. And surely we have to be more than the last four digits of our social security numbers. That may be satisfying to our cable companies, but we want more. Through the years many have found their answer to the identity question in this little verse from John. Who are we? We are the beloved children of God! There are no codes, no hoops to jump through, no secret handshakes–we are at the core sons and daughters of the Divine, and we carry the divine DNA imprinted on our souls. That may not seem like much and some days we might want a more particular significance, an identity that will set us apart. But true identity is more than a fleeting moment of celebrity…our true identity binds us together in the arms of our loving Maker.

Thought for the Day: Why is fleeting celebrity so attractive?

October 29

Psalm 34:8-18, 22

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

While we can’t be certain what the psalmist was referring to in this well-known verse, it does strike a chord with those who yearn for a deeper experience of the Divine Presence. It may even be one of the reasons that the Sacrament of Holy Communion has had such deep significance for so many believers through the years. Many believe that it’s in this meal that we experience the Real Presence of the Risen Christ, but more than that, this is the one time in worship where our sense of taste is powerfully engaged. We see the ritual, hear the words, smell the incense, and touch the host–and then we get to taste the body and the blood of Christ–and the flavor of the bread and wine clinches the experience. In the chewing and the swallowing the Divine comes into our bodies and holiness fills us in a palpable way. That’s what many have been missing in this time of pandemic, and that’s why some have embraced the on-line Zoom experiences which include the opportunity to actually taste and remember that the Lord is good. How good it will be when we can all safely return to our sanctuaries and join with our faith communities in our common meal! We’ll not only hear the words of institution, but we’ll rejoice in the bread and the wine, and their extraordinary penetrating tastes.

Thought for the Day: Why is the sense of taste so important?

October 28

Psalm 34:1-6

“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.” vss. 1, 3

Sometimes we have so much on our minds and are so troubled by events in our country and in the world that we forgot how wonderful it is to have life and be surrounded by the presence of God. All of the most precious things in the world are ours as gifts, and we don’t need to do anything to use and enjoy them. All the sights and sounds of creation, all the bounty poured out on us daily–it doesn’t happen because of our own merit or worthiness but totally because God is generous. The psalmist knew the goodness of God and didn’t miss a chance to lift up his voice in praise and thanksgiving–he couldn’t say enough about God’s mercy and power. And he wanted others to do the same; he invited them to join his song of praise, and he invites us too. What a difference it makes in our daily living when, in every circumstance, instead of complaining or finding fault, we instead offer regular prayers of exaltation to God for the blessings that really are a part of our every moment. We don’t have to make things up! The abundance of creation is real and the love of God is all around us. How our lives change when we reflect our gladness in our smiles and our demeanor!

Thought for the Day: How can I make this day a praise offering to God?

October 27

Revelation 7:13-17

“They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” vss. 16-17

Humans have an insatiable curiosity about the afterlife, and would love to have a satisfactory definitive description of what that life might be like. Unfortunately, the hundreds of available descriptions, while sometimes quite detailed and compelling, are seldom credible to our mostly skeptical minds. While some rationalists have therefore concluded that the afterlife is an illusion, most people have moved in another direction. They acknowledge that scientific proofs are lacking, but continue to have confidence that new life after death is not only real but reasonable. For them it’s simply inconceivable that death would ultimately triumph over life–if so everything would have ended long ago. Obviously, this new life defies description, but only because our language is limited. And most will agree that the picture painted in Revelation, while not to be taken literally, provides all the hope and comfort we need in the face of death. What awaits our loved ones when death comes near? No more hunger, no more thirst, and no more suffering! Simply put, they will rest in peace! We can add to that basic affirmation whatever fanciful notion we desire, but for most of us these words of comfort are enough!

Thought for the Day: How do I picture the life to come?

October 26

Revelation 7:9-17

“After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands.” vs. 9

There is within the human heart a deep love for apocalyptic imagery, something we see regularly in the unending series of blockbuster movies with science fiction and end of the world themes. Audiences seem to be enthralled by the rapid-fire action, imaginative creatures, and computer generated catastrophes. There are heroes, antiheroes, demigods, and monsters, and we love the action and the message. These movies are for us what the book of Revelation was for early Christians. It was a picture of the close of the age, and the images were scary. Beasts, dragons, and martyrs were identifiable to those in the know, and everyone rejoiced at the triumph of the Lamb. As is the case in most of our movies, evil was vanquished and there was a spectacular happy ending, a gazillion white-robed saints gathered before the throne of God. The visions of Revelation continue to capture our fancy, not as a predictor of current events, but as core ingredients of our worship. We’ve learned to sing the songs of the saints as we gather for communion, and we love the consistent message of hope. Even though our endings will always be cloaked in mystery, Revelation tells us there will be perfect peace–and unity with Christ!

Thought for the Day: Why do people love apocalyptic movies?