Romans 5:1-5

“And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope…” vss. 3-4

Most of us can’t even begin to imagine what it must have been like for Africans to have been sold into slavery and hauled across the seas to spend their lives in hard labor on American plantations. Not only were beatings and abuse common, husbands, wives, and children were separated, and family systems torn apart for generations. It’s no wonder then that when slaves were exposed to the teachings of scripture, they took to heart those passages describing suffering and pain. And as the years passed they expressed those experiences in song, and their words echoed those of Paul in Romans. “Nobody knows the troubles I’ve seen, Nobody knows but Jesus, Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen, Glory Hallelujah!” Their suffering produced character, and then endurance, and then finally the hope expressed so clearly in the words of their Gospel music. From the events of these weeks we know the suffering has not gone away, but those descendants of slaves are not weak. Their voices continue to be strong, and from many we still hear powerful expressions of hope. Together they sing, “We shall overcome some day…oh deep in our hearts, we do believe, that we shall overcome some day.” And all of us pray that that day will come soon!

Thought for the Day: What hopeful signs have I seen lately?

Psalm 100

“For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” vs. 5

It’s easy to be distracted when we’re fed a mind-numbing stream of images, tweets, videos, and memes from every direction nearly every day. We get caught up in the charges and countercharges and are overwhelmed by the sense that evil is ruling in our world and that humanity is doomed. We can’t seem to shake the prejudice and the “isms” that are endemic among us, and wonder if we’ll ever be able to overcome our differences and live together in harmony. Sometimes it seems that the biblical writers must have lived in better times–often their words are so positive and optimistic. Of course, that’s not the case! The psalmist was likely well aware of the ugliness that clings so closely and that brings such pain in our communities. But he refused to allow that knowledge define the future or color his view of God. He knew that there is abundant and enduring love in our universe, a love that persists through all generations. Now is our turn to claim that vision and recognize that our hope is not built on the vagaries of human weakness but on the presence of God’s love that exists in all and through all. We will weather these ugly days, not because our politicians are so wise and wonderful, but because God is faithful and good–and that’s the bottom line!

Thought for the Day: When have I been surprised by love?

Exodus 19:5-8

“The people all answered as one: ‘Everything that the Lord has spoken we will do.’ Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord.” vs. 8

According to Exodus, the people were eager to do what the Lord had required of them and willingly vowed their obedience. Of course, we know the rest of the story. Those same people quickly forgot their promise and followed the instincts of their hearts instead. Such has been the tendency of God’s people ever since! It’s easy to make promises and declare our love for God and neighbor–but when the rubber hits the road we quickly go the way of expediency and self-interest. In recent weeks our country has erupted with protest and violence in response to reminders of the racism that has plagued us for generations. Some followers of Jesus have cried out with cries for strict enforcement of laws, others have joined the protests. Many have had a hard time identifying with those who claim persecution–we’ve experienced life from the perspective of white privilege and don’t quite get what the problem is. We say yes to Jesus’ command to love, but get angry when we see burning police cars. We want the problem to “just go away” and are blind to the centuries of abuse and neglect that have molded our society’s polarities. Our one hope is the presence of the Christ within and among us. Away from the media circus and the political posturing, people of faith are making a difference for good. In their work the seeds of change are being sown!

Thought for the Day: What is “white privilege”?

Exodus 19:2-4

“You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.” vs. 4

From the Israelites’ perspective their deliverance from slavery in Egypt was nothing short of miraculous and they told it again and again to their children and grandchildren. They loved to tell how God had borne them on eagle’s wings and brought them to freedom. It was a fitting metaphor. Of all the birds we know there is none more majestic than the eagle, and our own American ancestors happily chose it as the symbol of our country. The image shows up again in Psalm 91 to remind all of us that God lifts us and protects us from every danger, keeping us safe in every circumstance. Those who live in the presence of illness and death are comforted when they imagine God’s powerful wings lifting them up and carrying them safely home. Even though we know perfectly well that God is a spirit our faith language craves pictures, and the image of the eagle touches our hearts in a powerful way. Every one of us would love to catch a ride and ride the air currents high into the sky, gliding and soaring effortlessly to those places we’ve never been before. And it’s really not a dream! This is what God does for us regularly–and one day we are promised a really spectacular final flight!

Thought for the Day: What’s my favorite metaphor for God?

Matthew 28:18-20

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” vs. 19

While initially there may have been some followers of Jesus who believed themselves to be the leaders of a reform movement within Judaism, it didn’t take long for the majority to understand themselves as evangelists to the world. By the end of the first century there were outposts of believers stationed throughout the Mediterranean world to the west, as far as India in the east, and all the way to Ethiopia in the south. The Spirit had given them a passion for reaching the world with the good news of forgiveness and life that came straight from the teachings of Jesus. Nothing, not even the persecutions of the Roman Empire, could slow them down. Today we’re not sure what to do with that great commission. Some continue to risk their lives to gain converts and offer baptism. Others have rejected the cultural abuses of the missionary era and have decided to put evangelism on the back burner in their faith communities. They focus on accommodation rather than conversion and try to find common ground with other world religions. The result of that shift has been a significant loss of passion for sharing the gospel. In many families parents have even stopped evangelizing their children! When zeal for the good news is lost the light of the Christ is dimmed! Houston, we may have a problem!!!!

Thought for the Day: What does evangelism look like in the 21st century?

Matthew 28:16-17

“Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.” vss. 16-17

Right at the end of his gospel, after his long account of Jesus’ teaching and ministry, having reported the resurrection and an angel visitation, Matthew says that some of the eleven had doubts. While he doesn’t mention what the doubts were, he does imply that the doubters were among the worshippers, and that they too were sent out to teach and to baptize. Whatever we make of Matthew’s inclusion, we will have to acknowledge that this is some of the best news ever! Whether he intended to or not, with these few words Matthew addresses one of our major issues as believers, and lets us know that doubts are not a barrier to full inclusion in the community of faith. If some of the disciples wondered as they stood with Jesus on the mountaintop, we should not be surprised if we start questioning stuff as we sit and listen to sermons. As far as the doubt-faith continuum is concerned, it’s highly unlikely that any of us will ever be at the one hundred percent believing end. Even Mother Theresa wrote in her letters that during the height of her ministry she was wracked by unbelief. What should we do with our doubts? The first step is to recognize that it’s not an either-or situation! Doubts will likely always be present, and we’ll still be used to shine forth the Light of Christ.

Thought for the Day: Where am I on the doubt-faith continuum?

2 Corinthians 13:11-13

“Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.” vs. 12

Paul closes his letter to the Corinthians by encouraging them to pay attention to his words and to live at peace with one another. In essence this is his bottom line–he wants this dear little community of believers to experience the love and peace of God in their daily lives. If they do, his heart will be glad! And as a visible sign of that harmony, he tells them to greet one another with a holy kiss! This ancient practice eventually fell out of use in the church, particularly in those areas of Europe where social distancing was the rule. In these last decades, when liturgical practices were modified to include an exchange of peace during worship, such folks had a tough time. The idea of hugging a stranger, much less sharing a kiss, was foreign to them, and many resisted. But as time has passed the exchange of peace has pretty much been accepted by most, and some worshippers absolutely love wandering about giving hugs, handshakes, and a word of peace. Of course, in these last months the shift to on-line worship has pretty much put an end to that kind of intimate gesture! And as congregations are returning to in-person worship many are questioning whether such touching is desirable. Right now, such things are yet to be determined–but it would be a shame if we couldn’t figure out some way to express love in worship and also share a sign of peace.

Thought for the Day: How important is the exchange of peace for me?

Psalm 8:5-9

“Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor.” vs. 5

Even though the psalmist was convinced of humankind’s insignificance in the universe, he also believed that we stand out from the rest of creation in some significant ways. We’re not like dogs or cats, or any other creature, and he likely didn’t come to that conclusion from reading Genesis. For him it was a simple observation, and so it is for us. Almost all humans, no matter what faith family we belong to, have no difficulty believing that we have special significance in the hierarchy of being. In the psalmist’s words, we have been crowned with glory and honor–but then comes his caveat, we are not God! No matter how highly we might think of ourselves, we are not in charge! Jesus alluded to this in the parables he told about stewardship. While it may seem as though we are in control of our labors and can reap all the benefits for ourselves, that’s only an illusion. There is an owner, and we are simply the stewards, and we are called to work as the owner has directed us. And because of our exalted position, even if it is only in our own minds, the entire creation is touched by our stewardship–for better or for worse! When we are faithful to our charge to “take care,” blessings will abound for all. When we are faithless–all are hurt!

Thought for the Day: What are my stewardship responsibilities?

Psalm 8:1-4

“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?” vss. 3-4

The psalmist had likely spent long hours observing the wonders of the world. We can imagine him in the Judean hills, perhaps on a mountaintop, watching the sun go down and seeing the myriads of stars emerge in the darkness. There was no light pollution in those days and the skies exploded with brightness and movement. Observers could not help but be overwhelmed by the immensity of space and the minuscule presence of humans as marked by the flickering lights marking their towns and villages. Imagine how he would have responded to a glimpse of the universe as revealed by the Hubble Space Telescope! As it is, his words reflect a deep appreciation of the creation–it’s almost too much for words. And the fact that we mortals have a ring-side side to all these wonders is more than he can comprehend. Think of it! We have done nothing, nothing at all, to deserve the bounty that has been dumped into our laps by our loving God. All that we have is beyond our capacity to produce–and we can’t even get our heads around the majesty of it all. The universe as it exists and has been given to us is even beyond our imaginations. And we get to live here every day of our lives! How did we ever get to be so lucky?

Thought for the Day: What amazes me most about the creation?

Genesis 1:25-2:4

“So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” vs. 27

According to Genesis 1 humankind is the crown of creation; we only show up when everything else has been done, and, more than that, we’re the only ones created in the image of God. It’s not surprising that the Hebrews wrote in this way. All the  ancient storytellers put themselves in the center of their creation accounts. Even today most people have no difficulty believing that everything exists for the use and benefit of humans. What’s different in Genesis is the conviction that we are the ones commissioned as caretakers for the earth. We are God’s sentient presence within creation, and through us God continues to act creatively to preserve and protect all that exists. Sadly, those created to take care of the earth have more frequently acted like schoolyard bullies. For us it’s a power game, the “survival of the fittest,” as one of our catch-phrases describes it, and we play the game relentlessly. But regardless of what biologists might say, we don’t have to behave this way. We can be the good guys! In fact, as Genesis puts it, we can be “very good,” and show the universe that God’s DNA flows in our veins. We can treat the world with respect and kindness, tending and nourishing, exactly as we have been programmed to do. And when that happens, all the creatures will surely rejoice and sing!

Thought for the Day: How’s my tending and nourishing going?