Matthew 10:24-33

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted.” vss. 29-30

Discipleship was harrowing work in those early years and Matthew remembered that Jesus had told them it would not be easy, that people would treat them like they treated him, and life would be difficult. But Jesus had also assured his followers that they would be taken care of, that none of them would be deserted by God. As bad as we might think we have it in this strange year of 2020, most don’t have to worry about the kind of persecutions experienced in the early church. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have concerns. Many struggle with identity issues and wonder about the vastness of the universe. How can individuals possibly have any value in the whole scope of existence? It’s here that Jesus’ words speak to us with comfort and clarity. If God’s eye is on the sparrow, then there is surely hope for us–in fact, even the hairs of our heads are numbered! All this makes sense when we realize the interconnection of God and the creation. The One who breathed life into the universe through the Christ continues to be intimately connected to all that exists through that same Christ. As the old saying goes, “God doesn’t make junk.” We might not seem significant to ourselves, but each of us contains a spark of the divine, and that gives us inestimable value!

Thought for the Day: When do I feel most valuable?

Romans 6:1b-11

“Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? 2By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it?” vss. 1b-2

At some point it became fashionable for Christians to speak of their personal relationship to Jesus and many have become comfortable with that kind of talk. They’ve learned to recount the story of their conversion and what it is like to have Jesus come into their lives. In some parts of the church such testimony is a favored evangelism tool. Obviously it’s good to be able to speak of faith in personal terms, and some of us have encounters with Jesus that are worth sharing, but to make salvation dependent on personal experience is contrary to the gospel. It is Christ who has died to sin and now leads a new life. That happened a long time ago on the cross, and by grace it is for all people. Now when Paul proclaimed that message, some concluded that they could do whatever they pleased, that their actions were immaterial. Paul disagrees vehemently! Since we are in Christ and he is dead to sin, that ought to be our modus operandi too! But he always speaks in terms of the community, not the individual! And it’s not our salvation that he’s concerned about–that’s been taken care of–it’s our response to salvation that’s on his mind. And that’s what should be on our minds too! How shall we respond to the grace that has saved us, doing what we please, or what pleases God?

Thought for the Day: When did I figure out that salvation is by grace?

Psalm 69:16-18

“Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.” vs. 16

Sometimes life seems to drag on and on with no discernible changes in our circumstances or condition. In those moments our feelings of impatience are often reflected in our prayers. Since we’ve been told and have come to believe that our Lord is full of steadfast love and abundant mercy, it’s hard to understand why our situation continues to be miserable. Why is there no answer from this loving Lord that we’ve served for all of our lives? And as God remains silent, like the psalmist, we can’t help but respond with a “For Pete’s sake, Lord, hurry up! I can’t hold out much longer on my own!” It’s like we’re in a giant waiting room with hundreds of people all holding a number, and the numbers are being called randomly instead of consecutively–and our’s never gets called! It’s even more aggravating when people who showed up after us get their numbers called before us, and we wonder at the injustice of the system. If God really is full of abundant mercy why do we remain so miserable! The big question is, how long should we go on praying? Maybe we should just give up! That sounds good sometimes, except for one thing: if we give up we have no hope at all! And so we keep on praying–and in the praying itself we find the relief we crave! It really is a miracle!

Thought for the Day: What benefits does the process of praying give?

Psalm 69:7-10

“It is zeal for your house that has consumed me; the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” vs. 9

We don’t know that Jeremiah wrote any psalms, but given the prophetic tone of Psalm 69, he could have penned its words. In every age prophets spoke with passion and paid for it with rejection and persecution. Even friends and relatives turned against them. It’s that prophetic part of discipleship that is a huge stumbling block for us. Many followers of Jesus want nothing more than peace and harmony in their lives. We love to be liked and receive the praise of others. We want the approval of those who are close to us and if someone becomes upset with what we’ve said or done we can’t even sleep at night. So when the Christ within starts burning our hearts with unpopular convictions we do our best to keep the words from crossing our lips, or at least water them down to avoid giving offense. Often that works well–many of us can go years without ever being offensive. We even count that as a virtue and may even imagine that if Jesus had been more careful about what he said he wouldn’t have been put to death. Thank God that not everyone feels this way, and that there are Jeremiahs among us who don’t give a fig about being liked, and who speak boldly in the face of injustice. They are the true heroes of the faith and it’s through their provocative words that change happens in this world of darkness.

Thought for the Day: For what am I willing to risk disharmony in my relationships?

Jeremiah 20:11-13

“But the Lord is with me like a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble, and they will not prevail. They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonor will never be forgotten.” vs. 11

Through the centuries prophets have clung to their visions and dreams with a tenacious optimism that could not be extinguished even in the face of intense opposition and persecution. Jeremiah was carried away against his will to the land of Egypt. John the Baptist lost his head; Jesus was crucified and Stephen stoned. Their words have become our scriptures! In our times Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech lives on long after his assassination in Memphis. Even now there is a sense that one day bigotry and injustice will be at an end, that there is in our universe a trajectory that leads toward the peaceable kingdom, that goodness will have the last and the triumphant word. Sometimes, when violence erupts and ugly speech is heard, it’s hard to hang on to that optimistic perspective. We say to one another, “Well, this is how it’s always been, and this is the way it will always be! Life will never change.” But that’s not true! Of course there will be backsliding and reversals, human sin is tenacious and slippery, but we can’t give up on the vision. Christ is present in our world and is using even unwilling vessels to bring justice, love and peace to all. The dream is becoming reality!

Thought for the Day: What changes for good have happened in the last 100 years?

Wrong button pushed…premature publication.

Jeremiah 20:7-10

“For whenever I speak, I must cry out, I must shout, ‘Violence and destruction!’ For the word of the Lord has become for me a reproach and derision all day long.” vs. 8

Jeremiah gives us a glimpse of his mindset in today’s passage and he obviously wasn’t enjoying his work as prophet. The message given him by the Lord sparked resentment in all that heard it, and he was regularly mocked on all the social media networks. He was a laughingstock in the streets and even his friends had turned against him. But he couldn’t keep his mouth shut! When he tried to remain quiet, a passion boiled up in his heart, and he gave voice to the words of doom given him by the Lord. That’s how it is with prophets! We see that clearly in these turbulent times. Some people just can’t be still! We hear their provocative words and think to ourselves, “Why can’t they just shut up? All that divisive rhetoric does no one any good–they’re making a bad situation worse.” When their words are offensive to us it’s hard to think of them as prophets–in our minds they’re only self-serving trouble-makers. But that’s exactly what the people of Jerusalem thought about Jeremiah. Could it be that some of the provocateurs who get under our skins are actually bringing a word from the Lord? It’s easy in our complacency to overlook injustice and it’s always easier to ignore problems when they don’t directly affect us. Maybe a jolting word from the Lord is exactly what we need!

Thought for the Day: What keeps me from being a prophet?

Matthew 10:1-8

“These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: ‘Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’” vss. 5-6

While Jesus did have occasional encounters with Gentiles during the course of his ministry, and granted their requests for healing, it seems clear from the gospel record that he considered his call to have been to the house of Israel. Accordingly, he mostly traveled in areas with a largely Jewish population, and that’s where he did his preaching, teaching, and healing. It’s not that he didn’t care about Gentiles or their needs, but his mission, as he understood it, had a narrow focus. Later on, after his death and resurrection, things changed, and the good news went out to the entire world. There’s obvious wisdom in that approach, and as the disciples continued his work, it’s what they did too. They went to particular places and particular people, and spread the gospel one person at a time. That’s still the best practice even with our advanced communication technologies–a message that is broadcast to the widest possible audience misses the interpersonal loving connections that are the strength of Christ’s message. Our faith communities are at their best when they narrow their focus and don’t even try to be all things to all people. When each one teaches one, millions can be reached. And that’s how the love of Christ has ultimately been spread to the ends of the earth!

Thought for the Day: What one person is my mission field today?

Matthew 9:35-38

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” vs. 36

When Jesus began to preach and teach and provide a healing touch for hurting people he was stunned at the response. The crowds were enormous, so much so that he scarcely had time to rest and eat. They came, Matthew says, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd, and Jesus had compassion for them. This wasn’t just some feeling of pity but an outpouring of love that came from the very core of his being, and it moved him to action, even though it meant coming into conflict with the dominating powers of his day. It’s worth remembering his reaction as we encounter the harassed and helpless in our cities and communities. We see them from time to time, sometimes in our congregations, more often on our expeditions away from our sheltered and protected homes. In our affluent times our reaction to such persons can sometimes be judgment–we wonder why they don’t help themselves when opportunities for assistance abound. That’s how Jesus’ disciples felt some days–they wanted him to send the crowds away. But that’s not the Jesus way! He always reacted with compassion when he saw wounded hearts and lives, and in our world of hurt, we who bear his name are called to do the same. When people are harassed and helpless they don’t need more judgment. They’re looking for a compassionate shepherd who will lift them up and take them home!

Thought for the Day: When I have compassion, what do I do?

Romans 5:6-11

“But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.” vs. 8

In recent years, there have been many instances when people of color have been killed while in the hands of the police. When that happens we can count on two very different reactions. On the one hand there are loud demands for justice and accountability–sometimes crowds of protesters fill the streets and there are scenes of crying family members. And at the same time, usually a bit later, there are reports published in various media that the person killed was not a reputable person, that he or she had a criminal record and had a history of violence. Even if they didn’t deserve death, it is said, thugs should never be considered martyrs. It’s an argument that many find plausible. The problem is that, if Paul is right, there are no righteous martyrs! All are sinners and are considered ungodly! And Christ loves them all–and gave his life for all. And all for whom Christ gave his life deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, whether they’re pillars of the community, petty thieves, or homeless vagrants. And because we live in complicated times police especially need our prayers–they put their lives on the line every day on our behalf–some have become martyrs–and most deserve our thanks. They’re doing exemplary work!

Thought for the Day:  Why do people go into police work?