Psalm 31:1-5

“Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me.” vs. 2

Many of us have been fervent in our prayers over the last months, offering up petitions for ourselves and our families, praying both for protection and for healing. It’s a natural response to the rapid spread of disease and aligns with what the psalmist was feeling. But there’s been an added element for us, a realization that the whole world needs our prayers, that every aspect of life going forward is being threatened. This is a global infection and it’s not only threatening our medical systems and personal health, it’s causing economic and financial upset as well. Unemployment is at record levels and recovery seems years away. Large numbers of people are upset and incendiary language is becoming commonplace. Wholesale disruption seems close at hand! It’s hard for believers to even find adequate words for our prayers–our daily petitions hardly seem equal to the apparent coming calamities. Coupled with those feelings there is the deceptive sense, arising out of our isolation, that all is fine. Our slowed down lives can lull us into tranquility–but that’s no excuse for abandoning prayer. Now more than ever people of faith around the world should be diligent in crying out to the rock and fortress of our global community. Our prayers will be heard, and, yes, they will make a difference!

Thought for the Day: What’s my biggest prayer concern these days?

Acts 7:55-60

“But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him…” vss. 57-58a

The crowd didn’t care what Stephen had to say, they only wanted to kill him–and so they did, and made Stephen famous as our faith’s first martyr. Unfortunately he wasn’t the last! There is within certain segments of humanity a deep aversion to kindness and truth, and whenever individuals begin to attract attention with their loving words and actions, we can be sure that the haters will not be far behind. Of course, now we don’t use stones to silence the innocent, we’ve become sophisticated and use social media. Anyone whose name becomes known for acts of decency and words of truth can expect to receive an onslaught of hateful tweets and a barrage of hurtful and slanderous accusations with no basis or substance. The attackers are intent only on the destruction of reputations and refuse to be silenced or constrained. It’s no wonder good people are reluctant to enter public service or become known beyond their communities. Stephen asked that those who stoned him be forgiven, and that continues to be the model for our response to the haters–but it’s so hard! When we see people killing with venomous words and vile threats, it arouses a deep thirst for revenge, and we are not much inclined to offer mercy. We might even question why we should even think about forgiving those who are unrepentant–perhaps they deserve justice and only justice!

Thought for the Day: Why should the unrepentant be forgiven?

John 10:6-10

“I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.” vs. 9

For the people of Israel the Shema prayer “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone” was the core of their faith and was to be recited every morning and evening. Many put a parchment containing this verse from Deuteronomy 6:1 in a little cylinder called a mezuzah and placed it on the doorposts of their homes and on their gates. Whenever they went out from their home or came in they would touch the mezuzah and remember the Shema prayer. In this passage from John Jesus tells his disciples that he will be their mezuzah, that he is in fact the gate through whom they pass every morning and evening of their lives. In him they find salvation and in him they will be fed. That good news continues to be the by-word of our lives in every circumstance and it has had special meaning for us as we’ve “sheltered in place” these last months. Often we’ve gone out with a prayer on our lips and returned giving thanks, always looking to Jesus as our guide and strength through uncertain times. That Christ center is the one thing we can count on when we lose faith with the pronouncements and promises of politicians, when no one seems capable of providing sound guidance and direction. Jesus is not only our Shepherd, he is the Way!

Thought for the Day: What verse would I put in my mezuzah?

John 10:1-5

“When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.” vs. 4

We don’t particularly like to think of ourselves as sheep. We would prefer to believe that we are well-informed, intelligent individuals, who are perfectly capable of making up our own minds about matters of consequence. But in truth, we’re really sheep, and mostly dependent on the leadership of others–and that’s exactly where it gets tricky. If there were only one leader calling our name, there would be no problem–we could just follow and obey. But instead there are many would-be leaders calling us to follow, and often they lead in exactly contrary directions. We’ve gotten a good taste of this as we begin to emerge from our months of self-confinement. Politicians, scientists, and charlatans are calling our names and giving conflicting information–and since none of us are clairvoyant or even particularly well-informed, we’re hard-pressed to know who is telling us the truth. And since we’re sheep at heart, generally we just pick ones who align with our prejudices and go with them. Are we making the right choices? Who knows? But there is one voice that stands out from among all the others, and that’s the voice of the Good Shepherd, Jesus. He may not have much to say about masks and viruses, but he will lead us on the path of love and service. If we open our eyes we’ll see his flock at work all around. They’re the ones who are the real heroes of this crisis.

Thought for the Day: How do I choose my leaders?

1 Peter 2:22-25

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” vs. 24

In recent years there are many who have become uncomfortable with the traditional atonement theories. In particular, they don’t like the notion that Jesus took our punishment upon himself by dying on the cross, that somehow his death was the payment required for all of our sins. In their minds such a teaching is primitive, unjust, and inhumane. Jesus died, they say, because the religious leaders in collusion with the Roman occupiers, considered him a threat to their power and control. They’re probably right in their protestations, but we cannot deny that the image of Jesus as the sacrificial Lamb of God has had a powerful impact on Christian worship and practice. It was so natural for people steeped in the laws of Leviticus to see Jesus as the once-for-all sacrifice for sin. His death on the cross was for them the perfect metaphor for grace and forgiveness. They didn’t worry about the mechanics of it, the kinds of things our modern minds are obsessed with, they simply revelled in the miraculous healing that had come to them through Jesus’ death. It may be that we’re ready for another way to look at Jesus’ death, but it’s doubtful we’ll ever find an image that is more powerful and fitting than that described by Peter. Simply put, our sins are forgiven, and it’s all a gift from Jesus!

Thought for the Day: What does “Lamb of God” talk do for me?

1 Peter 2:19-21

“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps.” vs. 21

The people to whom Peter was writing had a few big faith questions, and the big one is obvious: Since they were living lives pleasing to God, why in the world were they suffering? It’s a question we’re still living with some 2000 years later. When a disease sweeps through a community why is it likely to strike the righteous along with sinners? Our experience seems to indicate that there is no obvious advantage to being a person of faith…and Peter recognizes that. But he says that the suffering goes with the call–because Christ suffered, we should expect to do the same, and further, to count it a blessing when suffering comes! Provided of course, that we suffer for doing good, and not as a consequence of doing bad things! Naturally, knowing this provides little consolation when we are actually going through the suffering. Most all of us prefer living without pain and conflict in our lives, and we certainly don’t seek it out. But there can be value in suffering! At the very least it makes the good days that much sweeter. It’s doubtful that we can truly understand joy unless we’ve spent some long moments enduring its opposite. The old adage, “Grin and bear it,” may very well contain elements of truth. For in Christ, having endured, we will know unlimited joy!

Thought for the Day: When have I had to grin and bear it?

Psalm 23

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” vs. 5

If nothing else, our experiences over the last couple of months have taught us that we live in a dangerous world and, no matter how good our intentions, we can’t always control outcomes. Life is hard, and problems can come from most any direction at any time–some would even say that we are surrounded by enemies. The psalmist’s world was very similar, but instead of focusing on the dangers and trying to find scapegoats, he turned to the Lord, the great Shepherd of sheep, and offered a prayer of thanksgiving for the bounty of life. People of faith are discovering much the same thing as their lives shrink in the presence of the coronavirus. As we’re drawn back to the essentials of daily living we are discovering that the Lord is taking very good care of us, and that our cups are overflowing. Even with enemies all around there are daily reminders of God’s incredible love and bounty. As skies have cleared we’re seeing a new creation, blue skies and radiant sunshine, with trees budding and flowers blooming all around. Some of us are discovering the joys of long walks and connecting with far-flung families. Even time has relaxed its relentless grip on our schedules and we’re finding opportunities to complete long-delayed projects and start new ones. The Lord is our Shepherd and even now, we will never want for anything!

Thought for the Day: What surprises have I received in these last months?

Acts 2:46-47

“Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.” vss. 46-47a

Initially, the followers of Jesus in Jerusalem did not imagine that they would be considered the founders of a new religion. They were very content within Judaism and made temple worship a part of their daily routine. They were different from other Jews only in that they believed that Jesus was the messiah. Still there was something about them that outsiders found attractive and they soon found that their number was growing. Later on they would attribute that difference to the change of heart wrought by the presence of the Holy Spirit. They had been filled with the Spirit of the Christ and began sharing instead of hoarding. They even gave up possessions and held all things in common. They understood that there was more to living than personal gain and they treated each day as a gift from God. We are seeing that same Spirit in our communities in this time of crisis. All around, even in the presence of scams and rampant greed, we see people, full of Christ, being willing to give and share with exceptional generosity. And even though we can’t make it to our sanctuaries for worship and prayer, the testimony of our deeds will never be forgotten. We are gaining the goodwill of many!

Thought for the Day: Why does adversity spark generosity in some people?

Acts 2:42-45

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” vs. 42

As places of worship have closed their doors through the course of this pandemic, leaders have regularly reminded believers that the Church has not been closed, and they’re one hundred percent correct. The Church has never been about steeples, sanctuaries, or classrooms, and Luke’s description in Acts remains accurate to this day. The Church is the people of God, called by the Holy Spirit, who devote themselves to scripture, fellowship, the breaking of bread and prayer. And what we’ve discovered is that locked doors have actually opened the way to ever more creative ways of celebrating that fellowship. Pastors are preaching and their sermons are going viral. Technology has made it possible for personal connections to continue and prayers to be shared–we’re seeing people as they really are and not in their Sunday best. We even can see inside their homes! Many congregations are keeping in touch far more effectively than ever before and some are even finding ways to break bread together. Granted, we’re missing the physicality of corporate worship, but that deprivation will only make it sweeter when restrictions a. What we have discovered is that being united in Christ Jesus gives us a presence that cannot be stifled or curtailed. We are the Body of Christ, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against us, and a mere pandemic doesn’t have a chance!

Thought for the Day: What is my congregation doing to connect with me?

Luke 24:24-35

“Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.” vs. 35

Some believers have reported that what they’re missing most in the physical distancing related to the current reaction to the spread of the corona virus is participation in Holy Communion. There are no shortages of worship services on YouTube and being live-streamed, but while it’s nice to check in on all those sermons and the special music, it’s hard to replicate the breaking of the bread. It’s this great mystery that is at the heart of our life together in the church, and it’s been like that from the very beginning. As soon as those early disciples began their weekly meetings, they included the meal of bread and wine, for it was there that they encountered the Risen Jesus. Learned theologians and biblical scholars have tried hard to explain how this happens but in the end our formulas and explanations fail us. All we can say is that in this simple meal of eating and drinking Christ becomes alive for us, and by grace, love fills our hearts. As we taste the bread and smell the wine, our eyes are opened and we recognize Jesus. It may very well be a momentary thing–sometimes he vanishes quickly–but it is enough to bring us back again and again. And it’s what we’re aching to do right now!

Thought for the Day: What aspect of worship am I missing the most?