Matthew 24:36-41

“For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark…so too will be the coming of the Son of Man.” 38-39b

Most of the time life is pretty ordinary! Oh, there are occasional moments of transition, but mostly we spend our time routinely going about our business, taking care of self and family, and rarely thinking about stuff that might be on its way. When people kept bugging Jesus about possible dates for the coming of the Son of Man he uses the story of Noah to remind them that most people are too caught up in the present to have any worries about the future. Environmental activists know what he means. Some of them have been issuing warnings for decades and get totally frustrated when people don’t respond. It isn’t that folks aren’t aware that disasters are on the horizon–we know stuff is on the way. But in the present, life’s ordinary events are more than enough to occupy our attention. That’s why some religious types choose particular dates for the apocalyptic crises they’re predicting. It was the only way they could get anyone to pay attention. The fact that Jesus warns against such predictions doesn’t seem to bother them. Jesus advises that we should learn to be alert about the future. Life may seem ordinary now, but big things are on the way. It really would be good for us to be prepared.

Thought for the Day: What will the next big disaster be like?

Romans 13:11-14

“Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” vs. 14

As Paul writes to the Romans his carefully reasoned theological constructs are not always easy to understand, but he closes with some practical advice that is hard to misconstrue. He wants them to know that proper theology can be helpful, but it’s not the bottom line. What really counts is behavior. He believed that the end times were coming and that they should be prepared. It wasn’t the time for reckless and licentious behavior–and it certainly wasn’t the time for reveling and drunkenness. In fact he advises them to make no provision for the desires of the flesh, words that later Christians have often interpreted in excruciatingly narrow ways. Strict and austere behavior was encouraged; anything fun or pleasurable was ruled out. In our day such pietism is rare–we’re more into the “anything goes” phase of life style choices. While this move away from moralism can be understood–we no longer believe that following Jesus means stifling joy and pleasure–Paul did have a point. Our behavior does make a difference and our appetites can get out of control. Temptations abound in our world and some choices can lead us far from the path of righteousness. It isn’t that we need to behave in a particular way because the end is near–that’s a pretty hypocritical motivator. But if we really are interested in letting our Christ-light shine, there’s no substitute for simple love and tender care in all of our interactions.

Thought for the Day: When have my appetites led me astray?

John 6:25-35

“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’” vs. 35

Thanksgiving is a holiday that seems to arise naturally out of human experience–people in nearly all countries have annual festivals to give thanks for harvest blessings. Often there will be prayers offered to God, even by those who don’t typically recognize God’s existence–presumably even atheists have reason to feel thankful. And of course, there will be some sort of meal. It’s what comes naturally on Thanksgiving Day–families come together over great distances, traditionally foods are prepared, and everyone eats too much. For people of faith Thanksgiving will also be a time to recognize the spiritual blessings that God has for believers. According to John, Jesus took pains to let people know there was more to living than eating their fill of bread on a hillside.  He calls himself the bread of life and promises that whoever believed in him would never be hungry again. And it’s true! Those who have come to know Jesus as the Christ find satisfaction for their hungry hearts. In him there is forgiveness and healing. By the touch of his spirit the image of God is restored and they know perfect peace. And today every one of them will be offering to God songs of praise and prayers of thanksgiving.

Thought for the Day: For what am I most thankful today?

Philippians 4:4-9

“Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” vs. 6

Thanksgiving Eve has become a favorite time for interfaith services. It seems that we can, for at least one day, put aside differences and concentrate on that which we have in common. And that’s a good thing! All of us, regardless of religious affiliation, receive amazing blessings from God, and it’s proper for us to come together to offer our praise and thanksgiving to God. Actually, that would be a good thing for us to do every day–Paul seems to indicate that his advice is a way to avoid the pesky anxiety and worry that plagues believers on the journey. He further indicates that there’s nothing wrong with letting our requests be made known to God. Each of us have areas of dis-ease and we should feel comfortable in asking for healing and completeness, both for ourselves and for others. When we can adopt this kind of rhythm in our lives, i.e. daily prayer that includes thanksgiving and supplication, we will find ourselves well on the way to the contentment and serenity that we all crave. Who knows, we might even find ourselves spontaneously singing for joy–every day! And for those who think that Paul was being unrealistic, it’s helpful to be reminded that he offered this optimistic advice while being held in prison on trumped up charges! He’s anything but a Pollyanna!

Thought for the Day: For what do I give thanks every day?

Psalm 122

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers.’” vss. 6-7

Jerusalem was not only the capital of Judah, it was the center of worship life for all devout Jews, no matter where they lived in the world. The temple was here and three times each year there were important festivals to attend. Even today three major religious groups consider it a pilgrimage site. Here can be found the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Dome of the Rock–there is probably no more “holy” city in the entire world. Yet through the centuries it’s known anything but peace and security, having been destroyed twice, besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, and captured 44 times. It stands as a symbol, not of peace, but of the horrible violence that has accompanied the growth and influence of religion. There seems to be nothing that can incite rage and mayhem more than a desire to control fueled by religious convictions. In our history we have felt completely justified in murder, wars, and even genocide when it’s done in the name of our God. No wonder so many in our time have such contempt for religious beliefs–our record is abominable! Atheists are completely justified in pointing to religion as a root cause for much of humanity’s destructive behavior. It’s only when followers of Jesus abandon religion and begin living the Christlife that we find credibility. There’s still a chance for peace in the world, but it has to begin with us.

Thought for the Day: How can I abandon religion?

Isaiah 2:1-5

“He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” vs. 4

Isaiah believed that one day Jerusalem would be established as the hub of God’s rule. From there God would establish order and justice among the nations and there would no longer be any need for war. We’re still waiting! For many centuries that vision of beating swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks has motivated peacemakers in every land, but we haven’t come close to making it a reality. In fact, we seem to be more in love with guns and bombs than ever before. Military spending dwarfs every other item on our national budget and woe to any politician who even hints that we need to cut back. Every year tens of thousands of people are killed in wars around the world. And still we keep hoping! We know that such violence is not a part of God’s intention–all people are created in the image of God and are programmed for love and not for hate. Perhaps one day our eyes will be opened to the foolishness of this endless struggle for power and control and Isaiah’s vision will become a reality. The gift of life is so precious. It’s heartbreaking to see how accustomed we’ve become to all the killing–it’s as though it’s part of the natural order and not a senseless tragedy.

Thought for the Day: Why do some leaders love war so much?

Luke 24:39-43

“Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’” vss. 42-43

In Luke’s gospel Jesus continues his ministry as he hangs dying on the cross, first forgiving his taunting killers and then offering hope to the criminal hanging next to him. His promise concerning Paradise has been scrutinized and studied for centuries–it’s an ambiguous term and can mean a variety of things. It’s often used as a synonym for Eden and some have identified it as Abraham’s Bosom, a place of peace and pleasure for the righteous dead. Still others wonder what he might have meant by “today.” It seems almost antithetical to the widespread belief in the resurrection of the dead to think that Jesus and the thief would experience new life on the day of their death. As is often the case we should probably just take a deep breath and quit trying to figure out an answer. It is enough to simply receive the promise of new life, rejoice for a moment, and then go on to enjoy this life to the fullest. The truth is that we don’t know the details of what happens when we die–no one does. How about we just take Jesus’ words at face value? Paradise awaits–there will be peace and comfort. And it does feel good to know we won’t have to wait!

Thought for the Day: Where is Paradise in this world?

 Luke 23:33-38

“Then Jesus said, ’Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they cast lots to divide his clothing.” vs. 34

Those of us who watch the Netflix series called “The Crown” have gotten a pretty good idea of what it’s like to sit on the throne of England. We know the glory, wealth, and prestige that comes from being a king or queen. In the gospels it is intimated that Jesus is a king–we even celebrate the last Sunday of Pentecost as Christ the King Sunday. But his kingship was a far cry from that of earthly monarchs! His throne was a cross and he ruled as Suffering Servant. Those who attended his coronation treated it as a joke and mocked him as he hung dying. They teased him for his weakness and hurled insults as he bled and died. And his last words to them were, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” What magnificent last words! Jesus doesn’t ask for retribution against those who put him to death. He doesn’t ask God to strike them down–all he wants for them is forgiveness. Oh what a king we have, and what a kingdom he has given us! There is no mistaking his example or intention for how we shall live. Where did we ever get the notion that it’s fine to seek vengeance against those who do us wrong? Perhaps it’s a primal survival instinct; it certainly didn’t come from King Jesus!

Thought for the Day: Why isn’t restoration a central value of our justice system?

Colossians 1:17-20

“He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell…” vs. 18-19

The Christ who was in the beginning, who is the image of God imprinted in every human, is seen fully in Jesus of Nazareth. In Jesus we get a snapshot of how to live in a suffering world. He is the model of compassion and servanthood and willingly gave his life for those he loved. In his resurrection, because he is fully human we find hope for victory over death. Jesus invites us to become his disciples and to live as his followers–he is the way, the truth, and the light. As we live, play, and work on the journey we are his presence, his body in our relationships with others. The Christ that was in him is also present in us and as “little Christs” we are his hands and feet–through us his continuing work is done. Sometimes it’s hard to get our heads around the mystery inherent in our sense of the Christ–it’s the kind of truth that we can nibble at, but never consume fully. But how wonderful it is to believe that God’s self (the Christ) has been poured into our universe and that there is no where we can be where God is not present. We may not understand this now, but one day we will know fully, even as we have been fully known.

Thought for the Day: When do I notice the presence of the Christ in myself?

Colossians 1:11-16

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him.” vss. 15-16

These are two of the most spectacular verses in all of scripture and deserve to be etched upon our hearts and maybe even tattooed on our skin! In these few words we can begin to understand the distinction between Jesus and the Christ even as we celebrate their union. Christ was the Word of God, present at the Big Bang, and through the Christ all things were spoken into existence. Christ is present in all and works through all, the image of the invisible God, inseparable from God. In Jesus of Nazareth, Christ was made flesh and lived among us, revealing through Jesus all that we need to know of God. What’s even more amazing is that the Christ also lives in every single human–the Christ is the indelible image of God in which we were created and that can never be taken from us. That image can be obscured, yes! But never blotted out! And when Jesus says, “Let your light shine,” he’s calling forth our Christlight, that all might see the glory of God. Jesus was human; the Christ is divine, and together they are the Light of the World. In their unity we experience most fully the unconditional love of God.

Thought for the Day: How am I like Jesus?