Romans 11:29-32

“for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” vs. 29

Paul was explaining to his Roman readers that the disobedience of the Jews had not separated them from the love of God. Just as Gentiles, in spite of their disobedience, had been shown the mercies of God, so it was with the Jews. His careful arguments to that effect are likely not of much interest to us, but his conclusions bring a mind-boggling word of grace some twenty centuries later. Just think of it: “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” There is nothing we can do to get out of the mission that God has given us in Christ Jesus. No matter how we’ve lived, or how far away from the church we may have strayed, God’s abundant love and forgiveness is still ours. The cleansing power of the waters of baptism can never be taken away. All the gifts that the Holy Spirit has stored up for us still belong to us–they remain an integral part of our portfolios in spite of the ups and downs of daily living. They are a constant, and are always at our disposal. If we’ve lost touch with God, or somehow feel disconnected from Jesus, we can begin the relationship again at any moment and in any circumstance. The Christ who dwells within every one of us is ready, willing, and able to shine light and show love–and does so regularly even in spite of ourselves. We are so blessed–and it’s all grace!

Thought for the Day: How can a person be discharged from God’s service?

Romans 11:1-2a

“God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.” vs. 2a

In those all-too-frequent times when Christians have embraced an anti-Semetic stance and done all kinds of horrendous things to Jews, they have excused their own behavior by saying, “Well, they rejected Jesus,” implying that Jews deserve to be persecuted. Of course, that’s despicable logic and it does nothing to excuse the centuries of torment and abuse. What such positions do reveal is the abysmal ignorance of Christians and their absolute failure to understand the grace of God as revealed through Christ Jesus. Paul spells it out so plainly in his letter to the Romans. God has not rejected the Jews–in fact God has loved them from the beginning. Even if they had rejected Jesus, there would be no way in the world that God would ever reject them! That’s the kind of amazing God that we love and serve. God is not like us, carrying grudges and looking for ways to get even with folks who do us wrong. God doesn’t give two hoots about our theologies and carefully crafted doctrinal statements. We might consider them helpful and it is possible that they could enhance our understanding and knowledge, but unless they lead us to love others more completely, they’re a complete waste of time. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three, and the greatest of these is love.” 

Thought for the Day: What kind of people do I regularly reject?

Psalm 67:4-7

“The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us. May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him.” vss. 6-7

Demographers estimate that there are now 7.8 billion people in the world, a marked increase from the 1 billion who populated our planet just 200 years ago. One reason for the rapid growth has been agricultural development. At one time it was believed that the world would run out of food. That hasn’t happened, and with the exception of places plagued by drought, wars, and the changing climate, there is no lack of food in the world. The earth has yielded its increase, and as the psalmist wrote, “God, our God, has blessed us.” Some among us would disagree and say that our bounty is strictly the result of human hard work and ingenuity. In their words, “You think this land is fruitful? You should have seen it before we invented fertilizers and genetically modified seeds!” That’s always been our biggest temptation–we love to move God out of the picture and take all the credit for prosperity. People of faith heartily disagree. While it is true that there has been massive innovation and inventiveness in nearly every arena of human endeavor, we’ve never been able to make anything out of nothing. All we’ve done is develop resources that have been present from the beginning–and if we’re smart we won’t let a week go by without saying, “Thanks be to God!”

Thought for the Day: What are the limits of human population growth?

Psalm 67:1-3

“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations.” vss. 1-2

The psalmist makes reference to the Aaronic benediction in his hymn of praise. That brief blessing has been a favorite of God’s people from the beginning, and it continues to bring joy as we hear it in worship now. It comes at the end of the service, and summarizes the full magnificence of God’s grace and love. The overwhelming desire of our scripture is that God’s blessings would multiply in our lives and that we would regularly experience God’s smiling face–and that’s the prayer of this benediction. But the psalmist goes on to say that this precious gift isn’t just for us. Rather, our lives are filled to the brim with joy so that others may know the love and the power of God. In other words, they can begin to know God by observing what God has done in our lives. Jesus put it this way, “Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works, and give glory to God.” That’s why the faithful are so careful to deflect praise away from themselves in favor of the One they serve. J. S. Bach was careful to write “To God be the Glory” at the end of his cantatas. A humble man, he wanted his listeners to know where the praise should be directed.

Thought for the Day: How do I deflect praise?

Isaiah 56:1, 6-8

“Thus says the Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, I will gather others to them besides those already gathered.” vs. 8

As the religion of Judaism developed through the centuries the rabbis debated at length about Israel’s place in the world. Some wanted a closed system, but others, inspired by the prophet Isaiah, understood that ultimately the house of God would become a house for all nations. What had happened for the people of Israel was only a beginning and one day all would feast at the table of the Lord. Later on, as the Church of Christ was established in communities all around the Mediterranean this belief was the impetus for proclamation and outreach. Early Christians believed that the gospel of forgiveness and hope was for all people and some gave their lives to spread the word. Because of their work, today the number of people calling themselves Christian is over a billion and followers of Jesus live in every part of the globe. But it’s not a monolithic presence! We live shoulder to shoulder with people of other religions, believers with very different faith practices, and we struggle at times with our relationships. The temptation is to battle it out and try to win them over to our point of view–but that just doesn’t seem to work. It’s far better to follow the prophet and see them as fellow children of one God, and our brothers and sisters at one common table.

Thought for the Day: When should we try to convert someone to Christianity?

Matthew 14:28-33

“But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’” vs. 30

Our liberal, literal minds are often challenged by the miracle stories in the gospels and we struggle to find satisfactory explanations. Most days we have an easier time with the healings–after all that’s one of the things Jesus did, and many people through history have been known as healers. But walking on water is a different matter–it seems more like “showing off” than actually fulfilling a purpose. And it’s not the sort of thing that can be replicated–we might joke about being able to walk on water, but no one ever really does it. And because that’s always been true, our tendency is to discount Matthew’s story. But when we do that we miss the point! This account really isn’t about walking on water, it’s about faith–and understood from that perspective everyone of us can identify. We’ve all been where Peter found himself, doing something we never dreamed possible, and in an instant, fear grips us, and we begin to sink. What has happened? Well, we’ve lost our faith in ourselves! Peter stopped believing he could walk on water–he didn’t stop trusting in Jesus. In fact, the moment he started to sink he reached out to Jesus for help! And so it is for us! When faith in our own abilities falters, we are never left alone–there’s power for us in the reaching hand of Jesus–and the journey continues.

Thought for the Day: When are times that I have lost faith in myself?

Matthew 14:22-27

“And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone…” vs. 23

Those who are more introverted in their relationship to the external world are likely to identify with Jesus as they read in scripture of his desire to be alone. The world was changing. John the Baptist had been brutally murdered. Decisions about continuing his ministry needed to be made. Some people love to process problems by talking about them with others. The conversation helps to clarify their minds. But others, like Jesus, crave to be alone–they need time to think. What Jesus needed most was time for prayer. He had a beautiful setting. The last rays of the sun would have been illuminating the eastern shore of the sea while evening winds were rushing down the western hills. As he sat alone darkness enveloped him and the Spirit of God gave him clarity and direction. As the hours passed he began to feel recharged as the energy of God’s presence filled his heart and renewed his compassion. Moments like this are important for all people, not just introverts, but too often we don’t take the time or find a place. Many remain unpracticed in the art of meditation and spirits can be drained of their zeal and enthusiasm for ministry. Being alone is nothing to be feared–and in our crowded world it’s a way to find refreshment and peace. If it’s a faith practice that is alien to us, it’s never too late to start!

Thought for the Day: When do I most need to be alone?

Romans 10:12-15

“And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” vs. 15

Paul knew that salvation was for all without distinction. Both Jews and Gentiles were loved by God and lived under the umbrella of grace. For him this was incredible good news, and his biggest lament was that so many simply didn’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior. He believed that such knowledge would bring both serenity in the present and hope for the future. And so he dedicated his life to proclaiming that good news to as many as he possibly could–this was his call and his mission. We live in an age where the passion for spreading the good news has largely disappeared. From our perspective it’s only religious kooks who will forsake all else for the sake of proclaiming the gospel. And since that’s our attitude, many feel no great need to share the good news of grace–their faith convictions remain a well-kept secret. Some would say that this reluctance presents a huge challenge to the future of Christianity. If passing on the story of Jesus falls out of fashion how will anyone come to know what a blessing a life of faith can be? Ultimately the message of grace could be lost entirely as humans are swallowed up by the spread of the ever-popular law-based religions. We can only pray that followers of Jesus will become as glad to share stories of faith as they are to recommend good Netflix series!

Thought for the Day: With whom have I shared the message of grace?

Romans 10:5-11

“For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.” vs. 10

Paul contrasts the righteousness that comes from the law with the righteousness that comes from faith in his treatise to the Romans. For him it was an important distinction. He wanted the people to know that justification, being made right with God, was a gift, and not something that was earned through obedience to the law. He believed that this knowledge could free people from anxiety about salvation–they would never have to worry about whether they had done enough because it had all been done for them through Christ Jesus. All that was required for salvation was faith! Paul’s words have been a great comfort for many through the centuries. The only difficulty has come when people, in their great desire for a conditional view of salvation, began to think of faith itself as being a work. It was what we humans had to do to get salvation–and if we didn’t have faith we were doomed. There’s a kind of logic to that perspective, but it’s been damaging to the gospel of grace. The message changes from “Here’s what God has done in Jesus for you by grace,” to “Here’s what you have to do to have life with Jesus.” And as Christians make that subtle shift they fall back under the yoke of the law. The truth is that all have been saved by grace! That grace becomes real for individuals through faith, but grace never goes away!

Thought for the Day: What is a conditional view of salvation?

Psalm 85:11-13

“The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps.” vss. 12-13

Some days it feels good to engage with “relentless optimism” like that exhibited by the psalmist as he surveyed the scene in Jerusalem so many years ago. There was really no historical basis for what he said, and the geo-politics of his time was anything but encouraging. But he chose to be hopeful–and people loved his words. Optimists are a rare presence in our plague-ridden, divisive times, and their comments are regularly derided and ridiculed as being childish and naive. It seems people would rather hear predictions of gloom and doom! Now admittedly there are times when the signs of the times are bleak and foreboding, and it can be wise to pay attention to such forecasts. But followers of Jesus will always have at their core a sense that the best is yet to come, that one day righteousness and justice will triumph and all lands will be filled with goodness. When we can regularly present that optimistic spirit in our encounters with others, they will be touched and changed. The hopeless and despairing will be lifted by the light they see in our eyes and the hope they hear in our words. Genuine smiles have incredible power and make an amazing difference for good in every place and at every time.

Thought for the Day: How can a natural pessimist show an optimistic spirit?