Jeremiah 15:15-21

“I did not sit in the company of merrymakers, nor did I rejoice; under the weight of your hand I sat alone, for you had filled me with indignation.” vs. 17

When the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah he had been filled with joy and gladness. He was thrilled to be called by the name of the Lord and gladly began his prophetic ministry among the people. But his work did not bring him joy; he found it impossible to be “one of the guys” and found himself isolated from his peers. In fact his old friends turned against him and refused to listen to what he said. That same thing can happen to followers of Jesus. We too have been named and called to bring a message of love and mercy to hurting and broken people. But many of them have been caught up in the worship of wealth, power, and pleasure,and have little inclination to even consider repentance. We then have a choice. We can swallow our words of judgment and join them in their idolatrous merry-making, or we can walk in the way of the Spirit and perhaps sit alone on Saturday night. There is a certain integrity involved with following Jesus–and even though our inclination is to be loving and caring, sometimes we have to walk away from family and friends. That’s not the funnest time in our journey of faith, but the joy that began our Jesus-connection will be enough to sustain us in the tough times too.

Thought for the Day: What fills me with indignation?

Matthew 17:16-20

“Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.” vs. 20

Much has been made of the so-called “Messianic Secret” that the gospel writers mention. Why would Jesus not want the disciples to tell anyone that he was the Messiah? Explanations abound and whole books have been written in support of various theories, but we really can’t know for sure. What we do know is that, when a person is identified as a messiah, expectations go through the roof. People begin to believe that this messiah person will have the answer to every problem and will provide for all their needs. Often the messiah will become the object of worship. Indeed, that’s what happened with Jesus. His disciples began to worship him–and perhaps, just perhaps, that’s not what Jesus wanted! Now that seems a strange idea to most of us. We’ve grown up worshipping Jesus. What could be wrong with that? And the answer is: there’s nothing wrong with worshipping Jesus–except when it becomes the focus of our faith! We are called by the Spirit of God, not to worship Jesus, but to be the presence of Jesus in our hurting and suffering world. Yes, the disciples fell down and worshipped Jesus, but immediately he instructed them to get off their knees and begin to walk in his ways. Believing in Jesus as Messiah is fine–but being the presence of the Messiah in daily living is what will bring healing to the world.

Thought for the Day: In what sense have I been called to be the Messiah?

Matthew 16:13-16

“He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’” vss. 15-16

The question of Jesus’ identity was a hot topic among the followers of Jesus in the early years. And even when they came to think of him as Messiah or Christ, their debate didn’t end. Some understood Messiah in strictly nationalistic terms, the promised Son of David who had come to restore the glory of David’s kingdom. But others had a more expansive view, especially when kingdom restoration didn’t even make it to Jesus’ mission agenda. Some of them began to see that what had happened in Jesus was the incarnation of the Christ, the Word of God who had been present in creation, and through whom all things had come into existence. It’s taken Jesus’ followers a long time to get their heads around what that actually means for daily living. We’ve grown up so linking Christ with Jesus, almost as though it’s his second name, that we’ve failed to grasp that the Christ is more than one particular person. What happened in Jesus was an example of God’s creative intention for all people! In Jesus the invisible became visible! And what a blessing it has been for humanity when folks have so surrendered themselves to the love of God that the Christ present in Jesus has become apparent also in them!

Thought for the Day: In whom have I seen the living Messiah?

Romans 12:4-8

“For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.” vss. 4-5

Paul’s words about the body of Christ are familiar. We’ve understood from the beginning that the many members of the Church have different functions, and that together we make up the one body. Even though we’ve had to fight a strong tendency to fragment, we know in our hearts that we work best when we are strongly united, and when each of our varied gifts are valued. In recent months however we’ve seen that truth threatened by our secular worship of individualism. For many in our country there is nothing more important than the individual’s right to self-determination. Huge percentages of the population have simply refused to cooperate in doing the things that our leaders say need to happen for the COVID virus to be successfully eliminated. And of course some leaders encourage their behavior, “Nothing,” they say, “should stand in the way of a person’s right to do as they please.” As a result, our community efforts have come up short–and results have been disappointing. In the body of Christ we look out for one another, and if sacrifices of freedom need to be made for the good of the whole, we will gladly make them! Even if it means wearing a funny-looking mask!

Thought for the Day: Are you more an individualist or a communitarian?

Romans 12:1-3

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.” vs. 2

With the erosion of truth in contemporary society, it has become more and more difficult to discern what is good and acceptable thinking and behavior. Every social media platform is besieged by memes and tweets that are outrageous lies–and too many people just pass them on. They seem to have lost the capacity to know the difference between what is false and what is true. Slander and gossip spreads faster than the most contagious diseases, creating havoc and chaos in their wake. Paul would tell us that we’re better than that garbage, and warn us not to be conformed to this world. How shall we then learn anything? Is it even possible to know what is truth? Paul says that our only recourse is to go inward, and tend to the renewing of our minds. By that he likely means opening our hearts to the presence of the indwelling Christ, the One who is the source of all truth and knowledge. As we fully immerse ourselves in the Spirit of Jesus we are transformed in miraculous and marvelous ways. We begin to see the world through Jesus-tinted glasses and the gross lies and deceptions are revealed. And as we focus on what is good and acceptable and perfect in every person (no exceptions) our attitudes are changed and we can experience peace even in the midst of confusion. 

Thought for the Day: Why do we delight in passing on deceptive information?

Psalm 138

“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” vs. 8

It’s not unusual for the faithful to wonder about their purpose in life. Often our paths seem indistinguishable from those of the people around us–there’s a certain routine: education, career, marriage and family, and before we know it, we’re planning our retirement. And it’s possible to do all of that without an overriding sense of purpose. Stuff happens, we react, and another day dawns. It’s like “Groundhog Day,” and tomorrow is pretty much like yesterday. Some have been feeling this on a small scale during this pandemic, but others have felt it for a lifetime. And we wonder about our purpose–what special thing might God have for us to do? Where do we fit in God’s eternal plan? Some folks take matters into their own hands and carefully work out their own plan for life, often in great detail. And then life happens, and all their planning goes up in smoke! The psalmist points us to a larger truth in this verse by saying that “the Lord will fulfill his purpose for me.” If he’s right we can relax! He’s implying that God does indeed have a plan and a purpose but we don’t have to worry about what it is. It’s merely a matter of trusting that we are being conformed by the steadfast love of God into the beautiful persons we have been designed to be. 

Thought for the Day: What special gift am I bringing to the world?

Isaiah 51:4-6

“Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and those who live on it will die like gnats; but my salvation will be forever, and my deliverance will never be ended.” vs. 6

The people of the prophet’s day worried about their continuing existence and the prophet affirms their concerns. The heavens will vanish and the earth will wear out. We live in a time when similar concerns plague our hearts and minds. We worry about the future and what life will be like for our grandchildren. Climate scientists are telling us that the increase in average temperatures over the last decades is cause for alarm. Global warming has become a reality and the projected additional two or three degree increase will have catastrophic results in many areas of the world, particularly for the poor and for those who live in the coastlands. At the present time, even though the signs of the looming disaster are undeniable, there is little inclination to do anything about it. And some simply say there’s nothing to be done–it’s just a part of the natural cycle of cooling and warming. For most though, it’s a scary time–and we worry about the future of this old earth. The prophet reminds us that God’s salvation can never be lost, and that there will be deliverance. Right now, it’s hard to imagine what that might be like, but it is a promise worth hanging on to!

Thought for the Day: What hope is there for the earth?

Isaiah 51:1-3

“Listen to me, you that pursue righteousness, you that seek the Lord. Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug.” vs. 1

Each of us have a history and if we look back to the beginning years of our individual timelines we will see the framework in which we began to learn decency, the kind of righteousness that is the starting point for life in community. For many of us that foundation began with lessons learned at our parents’ knees, and perhaps included scoldings and possible spankings that were intended to set us on the straight and narrow. Even if we later rejected parental teachings or headed off in new directions, those early experiences set the stage for whatever came after. At best, the instructions served as law in our lives, and when delivered with love, shaped all that followed. Here is where we learned morality, respect for our elders, and the importance of truth-telling. Because times change and our world is far different from that in which our parents received their charter, we tend to discount their role in shaping who we are. We have new convictions and have discarded old notions–we see clearly their foibles and misguided beliefs. But we would never have become who we are apart from them–in truth, they were the rocks from which we were hewn, and we owe them a great debt.

Thought for the Day: The most important thing I learned from my parents.

Matthew 15:25-28

“Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.” vs. 28

Ironies abound as Jesus continues his ministry to the scattered Jews of the Gentile world. Matthew has carefully recounted the disciples’ melt-down on the Sea of Galilee where they are chastised for their miniscule faith convictions. Not only did Peter get scolded, the whole boatload got an earful from Jesus. And in the very next section of his gospel Matthew tells the story of the Canaanite woman. She comes to Jesus in desperation, ignores the taunts of the disciples, and counters Jesus’ put-down with a remarkable statement of faith. “I may be a dog,” she says to Jesus, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Jesus is impressed with her great faith–and her daughter was healed. Twelve proud religious Jewish men are the puny-faithed-folks. One much maligned, out-sider, woman is the great-faith-exemplar! It’s an absolutely stunning and rich story, one that rings true to every follower of Jesus down to the present. We’ve all seen it. Pious, pew-sitting Christians panic in the face of adversity, while people barely on the fringes of respectable society live totally by faith. Their trust, in spite of their circumstances, is complete–and God sustains them! God alone is their refuge and strength–not status, not wealth, not respectability–and God hears their prayers and they find strength in their weakness.

Thought for the Day: Who has surprised me with their faith?

Matthew 15:21-54

“But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.’” vs. 23

The Jews of Galilee had been scattered through the years and by the time Jesus began his ministry some were living in what were considered Gentile areas. Naturally as Jesus was doing his preaching and healing he searched out those pockets of Jews that they too might be able to hear the good news of the Kingdom of God. That he ignored the Canaanite woman who came in search of healing for her daughter should not surprise us. We do the same when we encounter panhandlers on our city streets. It certainly didn’t surprise the disciples–in fact they urged him to get aggressive with her–she was becoming a nuisance. Again, we can identify. We really don’t like it when we’re besieged by aid seekers–it’s a pain to get all those letters from St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital–they seem to come every other day! As followers of Jesus we tend to define our ministry in the narrowest terms–we do it to maintain our sanity in a world filled with needy people. Even Jesus seems to have had a narrow focus as he began his work! Of course, as we do that, we always should remember that God can surprise us. Mission opportunities turn up in unexpected places–and they can change everything. God surprises us! It happened to Jesus, and it can surely happen to us.

Thought for the Day: How do I react to in-your-face appeals for help?