Psalm 8:5-9

“Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor.” vs. 5

Even though the psalmist was convinced of humankind’s insignificance in the universe, he also believed that we stand out from the rest of creation in some significant ways. We’re not like dogs or cats, or any other creature, and he likely didn’t come to that conclusion from reading Genesis. For him it was a simple observation, and so it is for us. Almost all humans, no matter what faith family we belong to, have no difficulty believing that we have special significance in the hierarchy of being. In the psalmist’s words, we have been crowned with glory and honor–but then comes his caveat, we are not God! No matter how highly we might think of ourselves, we are not in charge! Jesus alluded to this in the parables he told about stewardship. While it may seem as though we are in control of our labors and can reap all the benefits for ourselves, that’s only an illusion. There is an owner, and we are simply the stewards, and we are called to work as the owner has directed us. And because of our exalted position, even if it is only in our own minds, the entire creation is touched by our stewardship–for better or for worse! When we are faithful to our charge to “take care,” blessings will abound for all. When we are faithless–all are hurt!

Thought for the Day: What are my stewardship responsibilities?

Psalm 8:1-4

“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?” vss. 3-4

The psalmist had likely spent long hours observing the wonders of the world. We can imagine him in the Judean hills, perhaps on a mountaintop, watching the sun go down and seeing the myriads of stars emerge in the darkness. There was no light pollution in those days and the skies exploded with brightness and movement. Observers could not help but be overwhelmed by the immensity of space and the minuscule presence of humans as marked by the flickering lights marking their towns and villages. Imagine how he would have responded to a glimpse of the universe as revealed by the Hubble Space Telescope! As it is, his words reflect a deep appreciation of the creation–it’s almost too much for words. And the fact that we mortals have a ring-side side to all these wonders is more than he can comprehend. Think of it! We have done nothing, nothing at all, to deserve the bounty that has been dumped into our laps by our loving God. All that we have is beyond our capacity to produce–and we can’t even get our heads around the majesty of it all. The universe as it exists and has been given to us is even beyond our imaginations. And we get to live here every day of our lives! How did we ever get to be so lucky?

Thought for the Day: What amazes me most about the creation?

Genesis 1:25-2:4

“So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” vs. 27

According to Genesis 1 humankind is the crown of creation; we only show up when everything else has been done, and, more than that, we’re the only ones created in the image of God. It’s not surprising that the Hebrews wrote in this way. All the  ancient storytellers put themselves in the center of their creation accounts. Even today most people have no difficulty believing that everything exists for the use and benefit of humans. What’s different in Genesis is the conviction that we are the ones commissioned as caretakers for the earth. We are God’s sentient presence within creation, and through us God continues to act creatively to preserve and protect all that exists. Sadly, those created to take care of the earth have more frequently acted like schoolyard bullies. For us it’s a power game, the “survival of the fittest,” as one of our catch-phrases describes it, and we play the game relentlessly. But regardless of what biologists might say, we don’t have to behave this way. We can be the good guys! In fact, as Genesis puts it, we can be “very good,” and show the universe that God’s DNA flows in our veins. We can treat the world with respect and kindness, tending and nourishing, exactly as we have been programmed to do. And when that happens, all the creatures will surely rejoice and sing!

Thought for the Day: How’s my tending and nourishing going?

Genesis 1:1-24

“In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.” vss. 1-2

In our time scientists have given us a second by second description of our universe’s origin, and there’s no reason for us to doubt their stories about the Big Bang and the deIn the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, 2the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.velopment of galaxies and black holes. At the same time we can’t help but appreciate the simplicity of the biblical account as written by our Hebrew ancestors in faith. It may lack scientific details but it provides a rich description of the Creator’s intimate connection to all that exists. Out of the darkness of pre-existence a wind comes from God, a spirit (that’s the word in Hebrew) that sweeps through and over the void, and that triggers an explosion of light and life through the entire universe. Obviously there’s plenty of room for mystery in this familiar creation hymn, and we’re given plenty of freedom to provide whatever details that might satisfy our curiosity. The God we encounter here is in fact the universe itself, and even more than that. There is no where we can ever go where God is not present, nor is there any time in which God has not been present, and no time in which God will cease to exist. And just think, in the midst of all this wonder, we’re the ones who get to know and experience both light and life. We are indeed most blessed!

Thought for the Day: Why was the universe created?

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.’”

When John wrote his gospel he evidently didn’t have access to the stories used by Luke some years before. So he doesn’t include anything about a Pentecost outpouring of the Holy Spirit with tongues as of fire and speaking in other languages. But he does know something about the Holy Spirit, and like Luke, he connects the coming of the Spirit with the presence of the resurrected Jesus. The same Spirit that had animated the ministry of Jesus was breathed by Jesus into his disciples as he sent them into the world to continue his God-given work of teaching and healing. It’s that same Spirit that is now enabling the followers of Jesus to do that same sacrificial, loving work even when we’ve been taken out of our church-going routines. Of course we’re missing the hugs and the choirs, and we’d love to be singing the old hymns together, but we don’t have to go to church to be the Church. The wind of God is blowing among us in new and fresh ways, and we’re discovering new tools to reach out with the good news of forgiveness and life. And as we’re weaned from our dependency on buildings and property, the Church of Christ is likely to be even more effective than ever.  

Thought for the Day: How is the pandemic changing the Church?

John 20:19-20

“After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.” vs. 20

It’s interesting that, according to John, the wounds of Jesus were not obliterated by his resurrection. Indeed, their presence as scars on his body are proof of his identity. The disciples knew who he was for sure only when they saw the marks left by the nails and the spear. That same sort of thing is true for us as we live the new life that is ours in Christ. No matter how good we have it, no matter what joys fill our days, our identity is pretty much shaped by our scars. All of us are wounded in one way or another in the course of a lifetime–sometimes the scars come from school experiences or a bad home environment. Sometimes we pick them up in our wandering years, the physical and emotional wounding that can hurt in such ugly ways. Of course there’s healing and relief along the way, particularly when we learn to rely on the presence of our comforting Shepherd. And many times the pain can even go away. But the scars never leave us–and that’s a good thing, because it’s our wounds that shape our identity in such a powerful way. In fact, it’s only when others are allowed to see our scars that they can get an idea of who we really are. It’s in those moments that they can identify with us and truly become our friends.

Thought for the Day: What scars from old wounds do I carry with me?

1 Corinthians 12:9-13

“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.” vs. 12

For centuries the Church has acknowledged that it is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. There is little argument among Christians that these Marks, or Attributes, have a solid foundation in the teachings of the New Testament, and most theologians would agree that they are a fitting definition of the Church. Despite that basic agreement however, we’ve had a dickens of a time figuring out just who is included in that One Church. Too often followers of Jesus have allowed their differences to define them and have paid little attention to Church unity. There are some denominations today that believe fervently that the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church is made up only of their congregations, and everyone else is on the outside. The good news is that those beliefs are becoming more rare in our world–most Christians have come to understand that the umbrella of inclusion is wide, and that they have brothers and sisters in Christ from a multitude of backgrounds. In fact, some are beginning to see that all people on earth, no matter what their beliefs and convictions, are a part of the one body of Christ. No one is excluded, and the same Spirit works in and through all God’s children. It’s a radical thought, and not all can accept the notion of a universal Christ, but what a blessing it is for those who can. 

Thought for the Day: What happens if the Church becomes too inclusive?

1 Corinthians 12:3b-8

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

It had become obvious to the Corinthians that there were differences among them, and as is the custom among sinners, they believed that those differences marked a kind of hierarchy. Some of them had greater gifts, ones that were of more value, and they would of course hold dominant positions in the community. In others gifts were negligible or maybe lacking altogether, and those persons would naturally be of less importance. In the Church, according to that thinking, some few would be bishops while others, more in number, would be parking lot attendants, or their first century equivalents. Paul detested that kind of thinking and he takes pains to set the Corinthians straight. He insisted that all persons were gifted; each had been touched by the Spirit of God, and every one of them was important in the life of the community. And more significantly, none of them was to be considered as any more or less important than anyone else. How ironic, given the plainness of Paul’s direction, that the Church turned into one of the most rigidly hierarchical systems in the world. Men, always it was the men, battled fiercely for the most powerful positions and they hung on to those spots until they died. But not always! At some times and in some places, Paul’s words have been remembered. Believers are encouraged to identify their gifts and to put them to use in the life of the community for the common good, and surprise, surprise, blessings always abound!

Thought for the Day: What are my gifts and how do I use them?

Psalm 104:24-34

“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

Through billions of years the hand of our imaginative and inventive creator has been molding and sustaining the amazing variety of stars, galaxies, black holes, and dark matter that provide the backdrop for our existence on the planet we call home. For companions we have a stunning array of creatures both great and small that fill our lives with delight and joy. Like us, all of them have been given the breath of life by the spirit of God, and together we are the benefactors of God’s goodness. Together we have a stake in the future of this planet. Humans through the millennia have come to occupy a dominating position among God’s creatures and some even believe themselves to be the masters of the universe. Instead of seeing ourselves as caretakers, we’ve tended to exploit the riches of the earth and pillage its natural resources. Many species, given life by the spirit of God, face the prospect of extinction because of our relentless pursuit of power and wealth. We forget that all creatures have value in the eyes of the Creator, and that there is a place for us all in the economy of the creation. Unless we remember that our calling is to be caretakers, many inhabitants of our world, including humans, face an uncertain future.

Thought for the Day: Why are humans reluctant to protect the environment?

Acts 2:12-21

“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

As Luke recounts the events of that Pentecost morning from the perspective of several decades he considers that this outpouring of the Spirit marked the beginning of a new age, exactly what had been foretold by the prophet Joel. All distinctions would be wiped away and everyone would be enabled to give expression to the Holy Spirit of God. Men and women, young and old, even slaves, would be used to bear witness to the wondrous presence of God in the universe. No one would be excluded! It’s a marvelous vision, and one that has been fiendishly difficult to gain a foothold in reality. The old hierarchies have not ceded power willingly and have clung to distinctions with remarkable tenacity. Religious leaders could not imagine that the Spirit could possibly work apart from the old ordinances and commandments. But in some generations and in some places Joel’s vision has established itself and the blessings have been enormous. How good it is when all people are given opportunities to share their peculiar gifts and talents in the work of ministry! As new voices are heard, love abounds, and grace is multiplied, and the work of Christ takes root and grows. What was unleashed on Pentecost simply cannot be contained!

Thought for the Day: What kind of dreams do old men have?