Jeremiah 31:7-14

“Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd a flock.’” vs. 10

The people of Israel were and are remarkably resilient people. Over 2000 years ago their prophets showed relentless optimism as they looked into the future. Again and again they proclaim that even though their people have been scattered one day they will return under the direction of the Lord. And while for a time it appears that the scattering was so complete that there would never be a return, some have continued to hold on to that dream. In the 1890’s Jewish visionaries began advocating for their people’s return to Zion, and now, a little more than a century later, the nation of Israel is once more a reality, and is now stronger than ever. Of course all this has happened at a cost–millions of Palestinians were displaced and removed from their homes in the process–and we still don’t know the final outcome of the Zionist efforts. Modern Israelis, many of whom are secular, don’t all see this as the fulfillment of prophecy–they see it as a matter of justice. But some do and are rejoicing in what they hope will be the complete restoration of their country to its Davidic borders. Their history is complex and there are no easy answers but all of us are hoping for some resolution of the conflict. We continue to pray for peace!

Thought for the Day: What could be a solution to the Holy Land conflict?

Matthew 2:13-23

“Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, ’Out of Egypt I have called my son.’” vss. 14-15

Matthew was a master prooftexter! It was extremely important to him that the events of Jesus’ life have some basis in the Hebrew scriptures, so he tells his Jewish readers that Jesus’ birth and the subsequent chain of circumstances had been foretold by the prophets of old. The flight to Egypt is backed by an obscure verse from Hosea that in context is a reference to the exodus. Matthew uses it because he wants to make a connection between Jesus and Moses. Just as Moses the great leader of Israel came out of Egypt and gave them the law from Mt. Sinai, Jesus comes out of Egypt and begins his ministry by sitting down on a mountaintop and giving the beatitudes. While we may disagree with the way Matthew uses scripture there’s no doubt that he has written a compelling gospel. His Jesus speaks with authority and in the Sermon on the Mount summarizes the life of discipleship in language that is both challenging and illuminating. If we were to live our lives in accordance with the principles of that sermon the world would be changed for good. Matthew’s exegesis may be contrived but the message gets directly to the core of the gospel.

Thought for the Day: What is proof texting and when am I most likely to use it?

Hebrews 2:10-18

“Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.” vs. 18

Suffering is one of the realities of life in the world. No matter how much we might want to avoid it, sooner or later it’s going to come to us or someone we love. We might even know that it’s coming, and still find ourselves totally unprepared for the onslaught of both physical and emotional pain. And when it catches us by surprise we wonder sometimes if we can even survive. One of the most horrendous aspects of suffering is that it doesn’t come to each of us in equal portions–if it did we likely would have an easier time with it–we could just shrug our shoulders and say, “Well, I guess it’s just my turn.” But there’s a randomness to suffering and it doesn’t play fair with us. Some people get hammered while others skate by relatively unscathed. It’s hard to predict and harder to understand. The writer to the Hebrews believed that Jesus endured more than his share of suffering, and that it enables him to help believers in their moments of testing. If we’ve suffered there’s a good chance we can see the truth in what he writes. When we take our laments to Jesus, he understands our pain,and the moments of suffering become connecting points in our relationship. In our times of deepest anguish it’s comforting to know that our Savior has been there before us.

Thought for the Day: When was my moment of greatest suffering?

Psalm 148

“Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his command!” vss. 8-9

The psalmist doesn’t leave anything out in his review of creation–all things have their origin in God and each in their own way offer regular praise to their Maker. When we’re able to see outside the narrow confines of our consciousness we can see it too. There is no part of the earth, and certainly no creature, that doesn’t reflect the natural beauty and order of the cosmos. We may not like fire and hail, and it’s no fun to be caught in a blizzard, but we can’t help but wonder at the awesomeness of it all. The hills and mountains are alive with the music of the spheres, and often bring deep satisfaction to our souls. How sad it is when we get so caught up in earning a living and getting ahead that our eyes are blinded to that world around us! We’re not just missing out on spectacular beauty but we’re actually missing out on opportunities to connect with God. The universe is not only God’s handiwork, it is God’s very presence. It’s no accident that human religion began with the worship of the sun, moon, and stars…somehow our ancient forebears knew intuitively that God was in all and through all. We imagine such thinking to be primitive–it could be that they were closer to knowing God than we moderns could even dream of being. It’s at least something to think about!

Thought for the Day: What’s wrong with worshipping creation?

 Isaiah 63:7-9  

“I will recount the gracious deeds of the Lord, the praiseworthy acts of the Lord, because of all that the Lord has done for us, and the great favor to the house of Israel that he has shown them according to his mercy, according to the abundance of his steadfast love.” vs 7 

Any honest accounting of the history of Israel will have more than its share of sad stories. The kings were faithless and often incompetent and the people frequently wandered away from their spiritual base in search of  more exciting gods. One invasion and conquest followed another and ultimately most of the noble families ended up in exile. The prophet was surely aware of Israel’s idolatry and regular rebellions, but he doesn’t complain. In fact he seems to be one of those “glass half full” types. Instead of whining about Israel’s bad luck, he offers praise and thanks to the Lord for all the favors and love that had been extended through the years. Most of us follow the prophet’s example in our end of year letters to family and friends.. We don’t write about the ugliness and pain. We don’t mention the children who have disappointed us and the marriages that have fallen apart. Instead it seems to be in our nature to focus on those things that have gone well, and give thanks to God for all the blessings. That’s not a bad thing!. There’s quite enough negativity in the world–it’s far more productive to focus on the steadfast love of our loving God!

Thought for the Day: What’s the best thing God did for me in 2019?

John 1:1-14

“And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.” vs. 14

The prologue to the gospel of John powerfully states that all things came into existence through the Word, which can also be known as the Christ. To put it in modern terms, the DNA of the Christ has been imprinted on the universe from the beginning. More than that, the Christ is the source of life and light, a light that shines in the darkness and that enlightens all people. Not only is every person created in the image of God, we have each also been infused with the light of Christ. As we let that light shine before others we reveal the glory of God for all to see and enjoy. More particularly, John believed that the Christ or Word had become flesh and was fully revealed in the person of Jesus. If John was right, this means that in Jesus we can see the full extent of God’s love for us. And as we study his words and actions we get a vision of how the precious gift of life is to be used. Then, as we devote ourselves to Jesus by walking in his Way, we are led to drink deeply of the precious grace and peace that is God’s Christmas gift to all. How blessed we are when we remember that Christmas is the beginning of our walk with Christ, and not the end!

Thought for the Day: What was my best Christmas gift this year?

Luke 2:1-14

“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.’” vss. 10-11

Tonight people of all races and nations will gather to celebrate the birth of Jesus over 2000 years ago in an obscure village not far from Jerusalem. In their worship they will hear in their own languages this most remarkable little story from the gospel writer Luke. Hymns and carols will be sung–in many places candles will be lit. It really is a spectacular celebration. Most of those who gather for worship do not take Luke’s words literally–singing angels are beyond their belief systems. Yet we love the story, not because it’s factually true, but because it touches our hearts. It gives voice to our hopes and dreams better than any other story we have. We truly do want peace and joy for all people–we deeply desire good news instead of the petty partisan bickering we see and hear from our leaders. And we know in our heart of hearts that any hope we have for the future is wrapped up in the swaddling clothes of the child Jesus. In him we see the Christ, the beginning and the end! In him we see clearly the light that shines in the darkness of our souls. No wonder tears fill our eyes as we sing Silent Night. In the Child of Bethlehem love came down and the world has been changed forever.

Thought for the Day: What do I feel in my heart on Christmas Eve?

Titus 2:11-14

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly…” vss. 11-12

There are some who don’t like the idea of universal salvation. They prefer a theological system that distinguishes between the lost and the saved, and that promises a fiery end for those who are unbelievers. Without such warnings, they say, there would be no incentives for people to repent and turn from their sinful ways. The writer to Titus presents a slightly different perspective. Here it is clearly stated that the grace of God which comes through Christ Jesus brings salvation to all–no exceptions are mentioned. But that doesn’t mean a lack of behavioral expectations! There’s power in this Christly grace, a power that leads people to renounce the impiety and passions of the present age, and that trains them to live godly and upright lives. Repentance and change come, not because of threats or bullying, but through immersion in the unconditional love of God. What a blessing this knowledge is at Christmas! In Christ all people are made whole by grace, and in Christ we learn how to live in this conflicted and complex world. Bathed in the love of Christ made manifest in the Child of Bethlehem, we are moved to walk and love in his way. Do all people live this way? Obviously not! But that’s no reason to turn our backs on the power of grace. Someday, Christ’s light will shine in all!

Thought for the Day: Where have I seen the power of grace at work?

Matthew 1:22-25

“All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,’ which means, “God is with us.”’” vs. 22-23

Matthew’s use of Isaiah 7:14 in his story of Jesus’ birth has had enormous significance in the elevation of Mary to almost divine status in the development of Christian thought. Some see her as the Queen of Heaven and know her as the Mother of God. Nearly all call her the Virgin Mary and some regularly pray for her to intercede with Jesus on their behalf. Belief in the virgin birth has been regarded as a requirement for salvation and those expressing doubts can be labelled as infidels. Sadly, such debates and arguments about Mary’s virginity have been an enormous distraction for the Church through the years. For many they’ve actually been a stumbling block for faith. For Matthew the most important word in the verse is not “virgin,” but “Immanuel.” He wants his readers to know that in Jesus they can know God, that in him God becomes present to all of humanity. Instead of fighting about whether or not Mary was a virgin, it’s far more productive to simply honor her as the mother of the one in whom God has become known. She and Joseph were faithful in their obedience to God and in their household Jesus became the Messiah of God–and really, that’s all we need to know!

Thought for the Day: Why was a virgin birth considered more holy?

Matthew 1:18-21

“Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.” vs. 18

When Matthew set about to write his account of Jesus’ life he found material from a variety of sources. Others had written about Jesus and they provided Matthew with the basic framework of Jesus’ short ministry, with particular emphasis on the stories connected to his death. There were some miracle stories, a few parables and other teachings, and some accounts of the Galilean months of ministry. But people were curious about his early years–if Jesus was really the messiah he didn’t seem to have the proper credentials. So Matthew decided to piece together a few fragments he’d come across that would explain Jesus’ birth and how it was that his family had ended up in Nazareth. The story he puts together is different from the one used by Luke and emphasizes that Jesus was indeed from the family of David and that he also had divine origins. He backs it up with notations from scripture and countless Christians have accepted it as authoritative. We can quibble about details and interpretations but there’s no doubt that early followers of Jesus did indeed believe that he had been sent from God as Savior and Lord, and that he had been born of a woman like every other human before or since. Like us he bears God’s image, and from him we learn how to live!

Thought for the Day: How is Jesus different from us?