Psalm 2:1-6

“He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord has them in derision.” vs. 4

The psalmist was absolutely convinced that Israel was God’s chosen nation and that the king was God’s anointed. Any other nation then, that conspired against Israel or sought to overthrow the king was doomed to failure–no earthly ruler could possibly subvert the will of the Lord. Of course the psalmist was mistaken. There were any number of nations that easily overran Israel and overthrew her kings. But the psalmist is right in pointing out the arrogance that periodically infects the rulers of this world. It’s as though they have never read any history. Again and again presidents and monarchs have come to believe that their country is invincible, that their power is overwhelming, that no other nation can stand against them. They build up their armies, spend trillions on weapons, and thumb their noses at the world. And “he who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord has them in derision.” Kings and nations come and go–ultimate power belongs only to God. Sometimes the arrogance of world leaders is hard to watch. We know they are bound to fail, and inevitably the innocent citizens of their countries are the ones who suffer. Their laughable escapades and ridiculous posturing are obscene, an affront to all that is good and decent in our world. Our only comfort is the sure and certain knowledge that one day the rulers of this age will be humbled and God’s kingdom will come.

Thought for the Day: What’s the relationship between arrogance and power?

Exodus 24:12-18

“The Lord said to Moses, ‘Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there; and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.’” vs. 12

According to the Exodus tradition, the law and the commandment came directly from the Lord, with Moses as an intermediary. Those tablets of stone became the focus of community life for the Hebrew people, and subsequently for all of Israel. They became known as the “People of the Law.” It’s what distinguished them from other nations and is the major reason for the remarkable cohesiveness and longevity of the Jewish people. Sometimes we forget how important the law is for community stability–in modern times adherence to a “rule of law” is a necessary step for any nation seeking international respect and cooperation. Anytime there is a breakdown of “law and order” on any level, the result is anxiety and fear–strong laws are essential for safety and peace. But laws can only touch the externals of life–they’re ineffective in changing the human heart. They were great for setting out the ground rules for behaviors, but they didn’t teach people the ways of love. Too often rules and commandments were used to build walls and exclude; they separated the “righteous” from the “sinners,” and often marginalized the broken and the hurting. Tablets of stone ultimately produced hearts of stone, and another word was needed. As the gospel writer John puts it, “The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”

Thought for the Day: What changes my heart?

Matthew 5:27-37

“But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” vs. 28

Jesus doesn’t miss much in his description of kingdom living. Again, he’s not just trying to fill in the loopholes that folks were using to bypass the demands of the law. But he is interested in what goes on in our interior selves, the things that can disrupt our spiritual connections with God and one another. Here he focuses on a biggie! Everyone knows what he’s talking about–looking at a woman (or man) with lust has been around from the beginning. For millennia this was a highly imaginative enterprise, but not anymore. With the development of the internet opportunities for lustful watching have mushroomed. In fact, it is estimated that 30% of internet use is for the viewing of pornographic websites. That’s an amazing statistic, and it’s not to be doubted. Porn is a multi-billion dollar industry and it shows no sign of diminishing. Some might say, “What’s the big deal? It’s a victimless crime, and users are just curious–no one is hurt.” Of course, that’s not true! Countless people are victimized by porn, and it’s massively damaging to the intimacy of marriage relationships. Sex is not just for propagation, it’s a beautiful gift from God, one to be used and enjoyed with our marriage companions. The lust connected with porn undermines the good gift and injures our sexual connections. Its use is a sign that something has gone amiss in our lives–and it needs to be talked about!

Thought for the Day: What effect has porn had on my life?

Matthew 5:21-26

“But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire.” vs. 22

Six times in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus contrasts the teachings of the law with his own comments on similar subjects. Some say that he’s plugging the loopholes in existing commandments by making them even more strict. But a closer reading shows us that this isn’t his intention at all. Jesus is concerned about relationships, about how we treat the people around us in the course of daily living. Generally, these are matters that are not covered by the law, e.g. there is no law against anger, or insults, or saying that folks are fools. We can do any of those things without worrying about whether we’re going to be thrown into prison. Politicians do these things all the time–no charges are ever brought. But if we’re at all concerned about walking in the Way of Jesus, we simply won’t act this way. We won’t be angry, or insult, or call someone a fool. Instead we will speak kindly, hold our tempers, and always guard the dignity of others. Will there be consequences if we choose not to live like this? Well, we’ll likely not go to hell, but we will destroy our most precious relationships, and they are the essence of life in the kingdom.

Thought for the Day: Words of mine that have ruined a relationship.

1 Corinthians 3:5-9

“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.” vss. 6-7

Ever since the first mission starts were established by the apostles in the Eastern Mediterranean area the Church has been plagued by what might be called “the cult of personality.” Paul had to deal with it in Corinth. A silver-tongued, handsome preacher from Alexandria named Apollos, had been in the congregation, and some of the people adored him. They began to say that they belonged to Apollos, while others maintained a loyalty to Paul. The result was division! We know what that’s like. People fall in love with their preachers and identify their congregation with that particular pastor. If that pastor leaves, things are never the same–some people even leave. Now it’s probably impossible to eliminate such a thing in the life of the church, but it’s never helpful. As Paul told the Corinthians, congregations don’t belong to a particular preacher or pastor–every congregation belongs to God–and it is God who gives the growth. What a blessing it is in our communities of faith when loyalties are centered on faith in Jesus, and not on personality. In such congregations worship and service are a constant, and they aren’t dependent on who’s giving the sermon! Obviously pastors have different gifts, but their common call is to proclaim the gospel, and not gather a following.

Thought for the Day: Why do people fall in love with pastors or priests?

1 Corinthians 3:1-4

“And so, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.” vs. 1

When Paul came to Corinth, he did not bring Christ to the people–Christ was already there, the Divine Spark that resides in every human. But he did see them as infants in Christ, a people unfamiliar with matters of the spirit and fully engaged in realizing their fleshly desires. He started slowly in feeding the Christ in them, giving them milk, and not solid food. We know what that’s like, for we do the same with our children. We start with simple meal and bedtime prayers, coupled with carefully chosen stories from the bible, and make sure they get to Sunday School. Later on we introduce them to the principles of Christlike living and gradually involve them in the rituals of worship. Our aim is for them to affirm the faith into which they were baptized; we crave for them to become mature spiritual persons, not merely religious vagabonds who chase after the latest trends in spirituality. Paul got frustrated in his work with the Corinthians. Despite his best efforts they never seemed to move beyond an elementary faith and constantly involved themselves in petty disputes over religious matters. We can’t blame him–it is disconcerting when those we love so much don’t seem to “get” the truth of the gospel. But what a blessing it is when they do “get it,” and devote their lives to simple, humble service!

Thought for the Day: A young person I know who “gets it”?

Psalm 119:5-8

“O that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.” vss. 5

Even as he seeks to glorify the law of the Lord and to extol the benefits of obedience, the psalmist hints at one of the sad side-effects of life in a law based culture. If a person is not steadfast in keeping the statutes, there is a strong likelihood that they will be visited by shame. We all know the feeling. For some of us it was instilled from childhood when we heard a constant refrain from our parents, “Shame on you, shame on you for…” The adults around us seemed to take delight in rubbing our noses in our mistakes and errors. They may not have meant much by it, but for children those words sting and rip into their hearts, and they carry the debris for a lifetime. We even begin to think that we’re not worthy to stand before the Lord and that God’s punishment is sure to come. People who operate from a self-image of shame and guilt are seldom capable of being in a stable relationship. They can’t imagine that anyone could love a person like them. Shame! It’s a parent’s gift that keeps on giving! What pure joy comes to such persons when they wander from a culture that is shame-based to one that is grace-based! Happy are those who learn to walk confidently in the way of love!

Thought for the Day: When have I felt the most shame in my life?

Psalm 119:1-4

“Happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord.” vs. 1

Psalm 119 is a carefully composed poem of 22 stanzas, each of which begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Its 176 verses are intended to glorify the law and encourage readers to obey its commandments and ordinances. The psalmist begins by observing that the reward for blamelessly walking in the law of the Lord is happiness, and that refrain continues throughout. Our first question is likely to be, “Who in the world can live a blameless life?” Most of us are so ridden by sin and guilt that we can’t even imagine such a thing. And if we can’t walk blamelessly, what are our prospects for happiness? There’s no doubt that the psalmist’s heart was in the right place–he had a deep love for the law and believed that there were blessings that came with obedience. And here we’d have to agree. Good things do come to those who live moral and decent lives–all of us can point to plenty of examples. And certainly we raise our children to believe their lives will be better if they are obedient. There’s a problem though with the psalmist’s reasoning. If God is the great law-giver, it’s a small step then to seeing God as the great sin-punisher. Fortunately, in reality it’s humans who have given us the law, and God’s gift is steadfast love. Happiness does indeed come from God, but it comes through forgiveness, and not obedience. 

Thought for the Day: What is the purpose of law?

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

“I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live…” vs. 19

Toward the conclusion of Deuteronomy, at the point of Israel’s entry into the land of the Canaanites, Moses challenges the people to live according to the law. They have a clear choice, they can either obey the commandments of God or they can become idolaters and follow other gods. Obedience will bring life and blessings, idolatry would bring death and curses. He implores them to choose life! In 1845 the abolitionist James Russell Lowell expressed the same sentiments in a poem he wrote concerning slavery. “Once to every man and nation. Comes the moment to decide, In the strife of truth and falsehood, For the good or evil side.” Lowell is right. There is a time in each of our lives when we have to make up our minds who we are going to serve. Moses implies that the choice is clearcut, it’s either life or death. In reality that’s not how things work–the life choice will be neither clear nor obvious, at least not for the person having to make the decision. Often we will have advisors, parents or friends who will tell us clearly what we need to do. But the decision really doesn’t belong to them–it’s our choice, and sometimes we make massive mistakes. In those moments it’s a blessing to have a Savior who specializes in restoration!

Thought for the Day: The most momentous choice I’ve ever made.

Matthew 5:17-20

“For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” vs. 20

Wow! Don’t you just love the outrageous things that Jesus says? Most of us have constructed a Jesus who exudes unconditional love and forgiveness, a Jesus who is so full of grace that he really doesn’t care what we say or do. Unfortunately, that picture of Jesus doesn’t square with what he actually taught. Even though he is known as a friend of sinners, his standards are unbelievably high. The scribes and the Pharisees loved the law and the commandments. They would do anything to avoid breaking one of the hundreds of rules that had been set up to keep the law holy. And Jesus expects his disciples (and us) to be more righteous than them! It’s not that he’s setting up a new legal system for his followers, one based on rigid obedience and swift punishment. That system was already in place! The world didn’t need more commandments. No, he brought something entirely new, a way of life that would be rooted in the love of God and neighbor, and that would produce people of integrity, humility, and gentleness. His followers would be children of light and their eyes would be full of love and not judgment. His way isn’t the easiest way–the demands of love are challenging and often difficult. But it is the way to life, and those who walk it know the peace of God.

Thought for the Day: What qualities do I exude?