Romans 8:1-6

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.” vss. 1-2

Paul’s argument as he lays out the gospel to the Romans can seem convoluted and cumbersome–it certainly isn’t as simple as we might like it. But he’s very clear about the essence of the good news message he wants the people to take into their hearts. Those who are in Christ Jesus have been freed from condemnation, not because of their own actions, but because of what God has done. We can worry about as many things as our little hearts desire, but we don’t have to worry about our judgment or death. We are free to live as the Spirit of Christ directs us and experience the fullness of joy in daily living. One nagging question remains: how do we know that we are in Christ Jesus? Here there are a variety of responses. Some would say the answer is plain–we become a part of Christ through baptism, and that’s why baptism is such a big deal. Others find that answer insufficient–it seems to limit God and leaves a lot of folks out. They believe that all who exist are in Christ–we were born into Christ and remain in Christ through our entire lives. It is Jesus who makes the Christ known to us–in our baptism into him we receive blessed assurance of the life that God intends for all people.

Thought for the Day: What does it mean to me to be in Christ Jesus?

Psalm 65:13-15

“the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.” vs. 13

The psalmist imagines all of creation living in a perpetual harmony, with each part recognizing the goodness of the other. In this vision of the peaceable kingdom the meadows provide food for the flocks and the valleys joyfully bring grain, while humans work as stewards and caretakers. When all the parts work together, life abounds, peace endures, and God is glorified. For long parts of the historical record this system worked quite well. There was amazing variety in nature, crops were produced in all the valleys of our world, and humans prospered. Some now believe that this intricate balance is threatened and that the environment is facing a huge challenge, not from the vagaries of weather, but from the rapacious desires of humankind. In order to live beyond our means we’ve discovered ever new and inventive ways to extract wealth from the land and sea, and we’ve not been careful to preserve or take care. While some extinction of species has been a part of the death-resurrection cycle from the beginning, the pace has begun to accelerate. Plants and animals of all kinds are threatened by our greed–and we’ve been slow to respond. We don’t yet know the consequences of the recklessness–but it may not be too late. If we repent of our desire for more, it could be that hills and valleys will again resound with the sound of music–and God will be glorified.

Thought for the Day: How can I be content with less?

Psalm 65:9-10

“You visit the earth and water it, you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide the people with grain, for so you have prepared it.” vs. 9

For much of our existence, humans lived close to nature and were familiar with the rhythms of the seasons. They saw God connections clearly and recognized the presence of the Lord in the tilling of crops and the watering of the soil. Some would even say that it’s hard to find a convinced atheist who is also a farmer. The psalmist would heartily agree. Our God is intimately connected to all that exists and is regularly experienced in the everyday miracles of nature’s cycles. In recent years though, the world has seen a massive shift from rural to urban areas as mechanized farming has deprived billions of their livelihoods. Cities have swelled while croplands have become virtually deserted. Some would say that this is a good thing and that massive farm operations are the way of the future. Others suspect that the shift is driven more by a desire for wealth than it is the good of humanity. We really haven’t had time to figure out the consequences of this shift–it’s only been a hundred years or so since the move began. What we do know is that city living is a challenge, and sometimes God seems remote. Right now the shift is an experiment–who knows how it will turn out?

Thought for the Day: What are the blessings of farm life?

Isaiah 55:10-13

“For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” vs. 12

When the prophet brought the word of the Lord to the returned exiles, they had a hard time believing that the nation could ever be restored to its former glory. And to think that the nation of Israel would become a light to the world was beyond their comprehension. Isaiah does his best to assure them that the word of the Lord has power, and those things of which he spoke would indeed come to pass. Even the mountains and hills would burst into song, and the trees of the field would clap their hands. We who are living through the pandemic of 2020 are having the same doubts about the future. We wonder if life will ever be the same again–some even wonder if we’ll ever be free from this scourge. We’ve lived with it for months and there seems to be no relief in sight. But in the midst of all this the Lord continues to promise that there will be an end to this siege, and that life will once more be full of joy. Of course it may well be that there will be changes in behavior, but perhaps those will be for the better. One day we’ll be singing again, and perhaps the mountains will join on the refrain while the trees mark the time. 

Thought for the Day: How will post-pandemic life change?

Matthew 11:25-30

“At that time Jesus said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants;’” vs. 30

These words from Jesus remind us that not everyone was excited about his ministry to the least and the lost. It seems that those cities most closely tied to the Jewish traditions and the teaching of the elders had a tough time with the liberating words that came from his mouth. And he was irritated–and here makes an interesting distinction. The wise and the intelligent (his tongue is firmly in his cheek) didn’t get the mysteries of the kingdom, but the folks without credentials did! And often that’s still the way it is. Pastors have long recognized that impressive resumes aren’t necessarily good indicators of faith and obedience. And there are often times when excessive knowledge blocks recognition of the Christ in creation and keeps people from opening their hearts to Jesus. As the level of education increases folks begin to question old truths and turn their backs on the faith of their childhood. Some realize the futility of that path and have learned to adopt what some have called a “second naivete.” They stop trying to find answers to ultimate questions with reason and brain power and relax into simple trust. And in that state God comes alive to them and they to God–and their life begins anew. They have been reborn!

Thought for the Day: How has reason threatened my faith?

Matthew 11:16-19

“But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another,‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.’” vss. 16-17

Jesus marveled at the fickleness of the crowds that he encountered. They were never satisfied and always critical in their assessments of those God had sent to them. They called John demonic and Jesus a drunkard because of their respective life-styles, an excuse perhaps, to keep from listening to either of them. We’re seeing similar reactions as people respond to the spread of COVID-19 in our communities. Health experts and epidemiologists know exactly what needs to be done but large numbers of people pay no attention to what they recommend. They’re much more interested in doing their own thing and exercising freedom than acting on behalf of the common good. And to excuse their own disease-spreading behavior they critique the public servants trying to address the problem. Jesus’ simile describes them well, they’re like children playing games! And sadly, there’s little that can make them change their behaviors. Appeals to adult-like behavior go unheard, and the foolishness continues. And the results are predictable–more and more people are infected. Fortunately, as in Jesus’s day, some folks do listen, and because they do, there is hope for us all. One day this crisis will be at an end!

Thought for the Day: What am I willing to do for the common good?

Romans 7:15-25a

“Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” vs. 24-25a

Paul had gotten caught up in what we might call dualistic thinking and it was driving him crazy. He describes himself as being caught between the law of God, which was what he wanted to do, and the law of sin, which dictated his actions. When he wanted to do good he would do evil, and the evil he didn’t want to do is what he ended up doing. Many of us can identify with his dilemma–it happens again and again in our lives. We simply can’t seem to live the perfect life that we want so badly for ourselves and for those we love. If we didn’t care, it would be no big deal. Some folks are like that. They don’t even try to lead moral and decent lives–following the impulses of fleshly desires is just fine with them, and their consciences don’t seem to be the least bit troubled. But those who take discipleship seriously and who want to walk in the way of Jesus know that actions are important, and like Paul, they feel wretched when they don’t measure up. Is there any way to avoid the frustration? Paul found the way–and it didn’t involve any action on his part at all. He simply stopped thinking dualistically and turned his whole self over to God. It worked! And it works for us too. Of course we won’t be perfect, but we are perfectly forgiven–and that’s what gives us peace!

Thought for the Day: What frustrates me most about myself?

Psalm 145:11-14

“The Lord upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down.” vs. 14

Through the centuries we’ve had varying attitudes about God and some very different definitions of God’s being. Those ideas even change within the course of a lifetime, as most all of us can testify. When we were children we probably tended to attach human attributes to God, making God a kind of a superman in the sky. As we age those images likely became inadequate and we began to use other language to describe God. But for most people one thing remains true no matter what age or stage in life they are at. When times get tough and we’re feeling down, humans almost universally turn to God for help. As it has been said, “There are no atheists in foxholes!” And when that happens, we discover the truth of what the psalmist wrote thousands of years ago, “The Lord upholds all who are falling…” It’s at that point that God ceases to be the object of philosophical speculation and becomes the source of strength for carrying on in the midst of adversity. Arguing about theism or deism or panentheism doesn’t do a thing to lift us from despair. All we crave at that point is spiritual energy, the power and the will to keep on living. And it works! It must, or we would have stopped doing it a long time ago. The Lord hears the cry of our hearts and offers resurrection. Praise God!

Thought for the Day: When has the Lord lifted me?

Psalm 145:8-10

“The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” vs. 8

Words of love never get old! We can hear words of love and affirmation from one another every day, many times a day, and they never fail to work their magic. They bring healing to hurting hearts and lift our sagging spirits. In the same way we never tire of hearing from scripture that the Lord abounds in steadfast love and mercy. Fortunately those words of love are scattered throughout the books of the bible, and we get to hear them often. It’s strange then that interpreters of scripture so often skip over those sections and focus on the passages painting a picture of an angry god. Perhaps they have the mistaken impression that people are more motivated by words of law and judgment than they are by words of grace. If so it’s a really strange notion! Sure, an angry parent can get immediate responses with threats and warnings, but such behavior does nothing to draw them closer to their children. Words of love have power and can even mold character and personality. A child who is repeatedly told that she is loved will be changed–the loving draws out the inborn goodness that rests in the hearts of us all. Of course scripture  also reminds us to fear God, but that’s only in the sense of respect and honor. Luther tells us that fear and love go together–and both are present in our relationship with God. Because God loves us so much, we fear God all the more!

Thought for the Day: What person do I most want to please?

Zechariah 9:11-12

“Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double.” vs. 12

When the Jews returned from exile they were faced with an enormous challenge. Jerusalem and the surrounding countryside had been ravaged by the armies of Babylon. The temple and protective walls of the city were gone–there were few who even remembered the days of glory. In that context Zechariah presents a vision of hope, a promise that someday the Lord would again look in favor on the people and their city. In years to come that hope would sustain them through times of unimaginable horror and disappointment. It’s amazing what power there is in hope. It continues to be a primary motivator in each of our lives. With hope we can endure some pretty rough times and overcome debilitating obstacles. Without it despair becomes the enemy and there’s little inclination to engage in healthy, life-giving activities. We see that so clearly in the lives of those who live in poverty and oppression. Where there is hope, good things happen. When despair takes over, anger and rage are quick to follow. That’s why it’s so important for our leaders to consistently and regularly proclaim a message of hope for those who struggle. And when that message is accompanied by actions that promote healing and restoration its potency is doubled. Life isn’t always going to be a bed of roses for us, but as long as we have the hope of restoration, we’ll be able to keep going!

Thought for the Day: How hopeful am I for a resolution to racial tensions?