Psalm 15:3-5

“who do not lend money at interest, and do not take a bribe against the innocent. Those who do these things shall never be moved.” vs. 5

The psalmist was familiar with the Law and its regulations against lending money at interest. For the Israelites the reason was obvious. Anyone who asked to borrow money was in need, and it was just plain wrong to make money because of another person’s misfortune. As things have evolved such a notion seems absurd, even laughable. We’ve gotten used to the notion of charging interest–even the Church has dropped its restrictions against usury–and whole segments of the financial industry would go out of business if biblical laws were put into effect. A part of this change has occurred because people have learned that borrowing money is faster than saving if we’re interested in adding to our possessions. And it’s not only the needy folks who are doing the borrowing! We want to get what we want as soon as we can–and every day we’re bombarded by commercials encouraging us to do just that. As a result, too many of us have ended up hopelessly in debt. The psalmist reminds us that this isn’t just a financial issue, it’s a spiritual one. Whether we’re burdening the poor and needy with excessive debt or squandering our future on short-term gain, we’re dealing with greed and messing with our relationship to God. As Jesus said, “What will it profit us if we gain the whole world, yet forfeit our souls.”

Thought for the Day: When is it necessary to borrow money?

Psalm 15:1-2

“O Lord, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy hill? Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right, and speak the truth from their heart;” vss. 1-2

Just so we don’t get the idea that Micah was the only person in ancient Israel who believed God cared about behavior and conduct, this psalmist added his perspective. Who is a friend of God? One who walks blamelessly and does what is right–and who speaks the truth from their heart! Now some of us might get a sinking feeling from reading such words–we can’t imagine what it would take to walk blamelessly. We’re more comfortable thinking of ourselves as sinners–and we are! But that’s no excuse for poor behavior. We are called on to do what is right regardless of how we think of ourselves. And most important of all we are to speak the truth from our hearts. There is nothing that has contributed more to the decline of morality in our country than the growing disregard for the truth, and it comes from the top down! We are learning to spin, twist, and obscure the truth, mislead the naive, and blatantly lie–and it happens every day. So-called news items are posted on the internet–and they’re complete fabrications. And nobody seems to care! The psalmist would be appalled! Again that’s no excuse for those who follow Jesus. We will tell the truth! Always, and in every circumstance, no matter what the consequences to ourselves! We may still be sinners, but at least we can tell the truth!

Thought for the Day: When am I most likely to lie?

Micah 6:1-8

“He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” vs. 8

The people of Israel believed that God had brought them out of Egypt and established them in the land of Canaan. Micah reminds them of that special call and their failure to live according to God’s command. When the prophet’s hearers asked what they needed to do to get back in God’s graces, he has a simple response. God cares nothing for religious activities and the things we do in our temples and sanctuaries. And then come these remarkable words, “do justice…love kindness…walk humbly with your God!” Of all the words of scripture there are probably none more precious than these. They sum up the teachings of every major religion in succinct and plain fashion, while putting our posturing and pitiful pieties in perspective. Oh how we love our religions, with all their rules, regulations, and rituals that we have so carefully crafted and designed. We preserve the stories of the special favor God has for our particular tribe of believers while disparaging the teachings of others. And what really counts? Working for justice, loving kindness, and practicing humility! No matter what our calling and station in life, whether president, mother, teacher, or janitor, these three qualities belong at the top of our personal moral code–and it’s certainly the way every serious follower of Jesus will choose to live. 

Thought for the Day: Memorize Micah 6:1-8.

Matthew 4:18-23

“And he said to them, ’Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him.” vss. 19-20

Matthew’s brief account of the call of Jesus’ first four disciples implies that Simon and Andrew didn’t know Jesus when they made the decision to follow him. In reality, that was likely not the case. In fact the gospel of John tells us that the brothers had been disciples of John and had met Jesus sometime before. We just don’t know the details we’d like to have. What we do know is that when Jesus offered the invitation to follow, they were quick to respond. In Jesus their lives would be given new meaning and purpose. No longer would they be laboring solely to provide food for their families, from now on they would have people as their focus. Their aim would shift from serving self to serving others–and they gladly took up the challenge. We’re still trying to make sense of that transition in our own journeys with Jesus. It’s an invitation that challenges the whole direction and purpose of life. The society and culture tells us emphatically from childhood on that our primary reason for being alive is to make something of ourselves. Every choice we make is designed to position ourselves for ultimate prosperity. And then Jesus says, “Follow me,” and we struggle to find a balance. Not everyone can leave their nets–the lure of the material is powerful. But some do–and their lives are transformed.

Thought for the Day: What would mean to leave our nets?

Matthew 4:12-17

“From that time Jesus began to proclaim, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’” vs. 17

Soon after Jesus’ time in the wilderness, John the Baptist was arrested and imprisoned in Herod’s fortress at Machaerus, just east of the Dead Sea. When Jesus got word of John’s arrest he went north, back to Galilee where he’d come from, and he began his ministry. Initially, his message was identical to that of John, except that he didn’t baptize anyone. “Repent,” he said, “for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” He too was inviting people to examine their lives, and actually begin living in a new way. He let them know that something new was happening, that God had come near, and that they could expect to see and experience signs of God’s presence. But Jesus didn’t just point out people’s sins, he reached out to them in their brokenness and offered a vision of the peaceable kingdom. It’s the same promise he makes to us. He doesn’t offer a new creed or theological perspective, he simply tells us that there’s a better way to live, and invites us to try a life not based on accumulation or prestige, but on healing, forgiveness, and restoration. He calls us to stand with the suffering and the hurting and to give each day over to letting our lights shine before others. He made loving the center of his life and asks us to spend our days in the same way. It’s not a complicated life, but it is the best one!

Thought for the Day: What shape has repentance taken in my life?

1 Corinthians 1:14-18

“For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.” vs. 17

The essence of the gospel is not related to personality or powerful preaching. In fact one of the greatest threats to the good news has been the tendency of gifted speakers to claim it as their own. We have ample evidence of this in the cult-like followings that spring up around charismatic pastors and leaders. Their charm and good looks gather followers by the thousands, and their message, which can sound like the gospel, focuses on wealth and prosperity, rather than sacrifice and service. Paul was familiar with such types, they hadn’t developed television evangelism yet, but they waltzed through the Corinthian congregation, sowing division and dissension with their message and presence. Paul couldn’t match their eloquence but he did know that the cross of Christ had to be at the center of the gospel. He regularly pointed to the suffering and the death of Jesus in his preaching, knowing that this is where the love of God is seen and experienced most clearly. That message may not always appeal to us and some are still tempted to neglect it, but its power is unmistakable, and will continue to be the strength of our life together. When the cross is hidden, the heart of the good news is obscured.  

Thought for the Day: How can pastors be effective if they’re not good preachers?

1 Corinthians 1:10-16

“For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters.” vs. 11

Paul evidently knew Chloe from the time when he had lived in Corinth. Now he’s been in contact with some of her associates, and he’s been informed of the quarrels that have caused divisions in the congregation he started there. We can still hear the disappointment in his words. He had proclaimed the good news of Jesus and invited people to become disciples. In his mind it was so simple. These people would from that time forward live as the presence of Christ in their city. They would announce the forgiveness of sins and welcome sinners to their koinonia. Within that community there would be healing and restoration and members would be known for the love they had for one another. His vision was not complicated! What actually happened was breaking his heart! Divisions had erupted in the fellowship! People had lost sight of Jesus and had attached themselves to one or another of the preachers who had been passing through. It was a scene that has continued to plague the Church of Christ. Most of us have experienced division in our congregations, and it always sabotages our basic mission and ministry. We have  complicated the simplicity of the gospel with our doctrines and traditions and embraced denominationalism. Thank God for leaders like Paul who call us back to Jesus and point out the foolishness of our bickering and party-spirit.

Thought for the Day: What causes church divisions?

Psalm 27:6-9

“Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger, you who have been my help. Do not cast me off, do not forsake me, O God of my salvation!” vs. 9

The psalmist had been basking in the glorious goodness of the Lord and celebrating the wonderful feeling of peace and security. But now another feeling has crept into his prayer. For some reason he’s pleading with the Lord not to be angry with him or forsake him. We wonder if something has happened–if maybe he’s done something wrong. Something has dashed his confidence. We shouldn’t be surprised though, the same thing happens to us. Even though we know that God’s love is unconditional we have a deep fear that we’re going to mess up the relationship and the Lord will turn from us. As humans we’re just plain skeptical about love’s unconditional dimension. We know that, even when we say that we love someone unconditionally, there are still conditions. If we mess up the relationship that person who has declared love for us, and even vowed it before God, is going to say, “Nope, I’ve had enough. I don’t love you anymore. We’re done. The relationship is over.” In our world, things that are unconditional always have conditions. That’s just how it is. But that’s not how it is with God. There is nothing we can say or do that can make God stop loving us! And that has to be the best news ever!

Thought for the Day: What conditions are attached to my unconditional love?

Psalm 27:1, 4-5

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” vs. 1

The psalmist was feeling it! He wasn’t putting his trust in any king or president, he was trusting the Lord alone! In the Lord there was light and salvation, in the Lord there was security and hope! He was talking about what the apostle Paul called “being in Christ.” It’s the confidence that comes with knowing that we are in the Divine Presence and that peace and joy can be ours. And even more importantly, it’s knowing that there is nothing that can snatch that security away from us. God has come to us and we have been wrapped in a blanket of love–nothing can separate us from that love, not even death. Do all of us have that feeling all the time? Of course not. It ebbs and flows in the ever-moving stream of daily living. Sometimes God seems so close–but not every day. There are moments when we feel lost and abandoned–we may even wonder if there really is a God. But it’s a feeling that can grow! When we learn to lose ourselves daily in meditation and prayer, there’s a constancy that comes to us. Some report that the sense of God’s presence is always with them–and that it grows in intensity with each passing year. That’s good news! It may even be that, like the psalmist, we too will “feel it” every day.

Thought for the Day: What does it feel like to “feel it”?

Isaiah 9:1-4

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them light has shined.” vs. 2

Light and darkness are familiar metaphors in scripture! In this instance Isaiah is using them to describe the hope that has filled the hearts of the people of Judah with the coronation of a new king. Darkness, in the form of the Assyrian armies had slowly engulfed the land of Israel, but now there was hope. The new king would be light even to the conquered northern tribes. Of course the promise of a new king is fleeting–generally it isn’t long before hopes are dashed and the light begins to fade. Darkness is a pernicious and persistent enemy and it’s ready to close in at any moment. We know that well–most of us have experienced the gloom of unrealized dreams and the feeling of despair. And then there are the times when deep darkness overshadows our hearts and minds. Even the light that is ours as the children of God can flicker and fade. These are the moments for which Christ came into the world and as we turn our faces toward his holy presence we find the enlightenment for which we yearn and hope can be restored. In him light shines eternally and in him we can find our purpose and our destiny. And on our last day, when it seems like darkness has been the victor, the shroud will be lifted, and we will be welcomed into the Light, our beginning and our end.

Thought for the Day: The darkest day of my life.