1 Peter 5:6-11

“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time.” vs. 6

The longer we live in this world the more likely it is that we will come to understand the virtues of humility. We just don’t have all the answers and we don’t have solutions to every problem. Some things are beyond the capacity of human minds to comprehend or figure out. Naturally, some of our more arrogant politicians seem incapable of such thinking, but that shouldn’t stop the rest of us from humbly bowing our hearts and minds before the Lord of the Universe, and acknowledging that there’s more to life than our puny concerns and desires. In the scale of time each of us gets only a brief moment in which to shine and strut our stuff, and then our day is over, and a billion more take our place. That doesn’t mean our experience of life should be disdained or diminished! Our short moments of existence are precious and holy, an incredible gift from the Creator, and those minutes and years are to be cherished above all else. And as we learn to humbly give God thanks, Peter reminds us that God has even more in store for us. One day the humble will be exalted and in the fullness of time we will be drawn into the  miraculous unity of the Christ, the one who is the beginning and the end.

Thought for the Day: What breeds arrogance in us?

1 Peter 4:12-14

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” vs 12

Believers are regularly promised in the New Testament writings that they should not be surprised when suffering came their way. Times were different and persecutions came sporadically but inevitably to people of faith. They are told by their leaders that they should regard these ordeals as a test of their faith and an opportunity to identify with the sufferings that Jesus endured. We are fortunate not to live in such times, but that doesn’t mean we are immune to testing. Many of us haven’t been able to gather for in-person worship for months, and some are growing weary of the forced solitude. The loneliness that is endemic in our fast-paced world is becoming more intense and it’s been hard for congregational leaders to know how to respond. Staff members have been let go, while youth and music ministries have pretty much ground to a halt. Many congregations have applied for government assistance–something they’d never even thought of in years past. The challenges are enormous, and because of the nature of COVID-19, it seems that life in our churches will not return to normal for many months. The good news is that with the struggle will come endurance. Already the Spirit is at work among us, new models for ministry are emerging, and the Church of Christ will be stronger than ever! We can count on it!

Thought for the Day: How is the present crisis making the church stronger?

Psalm 68:32-35

“Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth; sing praises to the Lord, Selah” vs. 32

The word “selah” occurs 71 times in the psalms, always at the end of a verse, and no one knows what it means! Oh, some scholars have made guesses. Many say it is some sort of a liturgical direction that was used in temple worship, perhaps signaling a pause, but no one really knows for sure. Undoubtedly, at one time, when the psalms were being used regularly in the temple liturgy, everyone knew, but through the years, divorced from its context, the word lost its meaning. Of course, selah isn’t the only word in the Hebrew bible whose meaning has been lost. It’s actually quite common for translators to have to guess at the meanings of words, especially when they are rarely used. That’s how it is with words, new ones are born while others become archaic–and that’s even the way it works with the way we express our faith. Sometimes beliefs we have grown up with become obsolete, and we’re hard-pressed to make the transition. What we were so certain of in our youth is called into question, and we may even begin to wonder if there are any eternal values. It’s one thing for technology to change but shouldn’t biblical truths stay the same forever? When those disconcerting questions fill our minds it’s good to remember that God doesn’t change. Definitions and theologies are continually evolving, they’re all human made, but the Divine Presence is immutable. God will be God forever!

Thought for the Day: What ideas have I discarded as I grew older?

Psalm 68:1-10

“Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds—his name is the Lord— be exultant before him.” vs. 4

When our ancient ancestors watched the clouds roll across the sky they sometimes imagined them as chariots of the Lord, the God of the storms who had the power to vanquish hated enemies and provide relief for the oppressed. It’s an impressive image–in all of the natural world there’s no greater display of power and might than in the towering clouds, the winds, and the lightning of a massive thunderstorm. Of course, most of us have a more expansive view of God than did the psalmist–we certainly have a more scientific understanding of storms and weather events. While God can be observed in the wonders of nature, we know that God is bigger than that. We’ve come to know God as the Divine Presence which permeates all that exists, and that is even present in every person. But even though our perception of God has changed, it’s still appropriate for us to lift up songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. Some of us make it a practice to get out-of-doors each day. That’s a perfect time for us to take a look around and exult in the wonders of mesquites, grackles, and the beautiful bougainvillea. We might even catch a glimpse of a chariot drifting across the blue of the sky and be reminded that God is in charge–and breathe a song of thanks.

Thought for the Day: In what setting am I moved to praise God?

Acts 1:6-14

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” vs. 8

Many people have given up trying to understand the ascension of Jesus in a literal way. It doesn’t make any sense to their logical scientific minds. But for Luke it has enormous significance as a transition point between the ministry of Jesus and the mission of the Christ. It was a way for him to describe in concrete and physical terms the transformation of power that had taken place in the world. After the resurrection, “something” had happened. The Risen Jesus was loose in the universe. The earth could no longer contain him! From now on the power of God was not confined but would be distributed among the disciples and used to bring the good news of life, love, and forgiveness to the ends of the earth. Rather than get hung up with Luke’s image, how much better it is to use this Ascension week to celebrate this incredible, impossible mission that has now passed to us. Even though the gospel has been heard in every part of the world, there’s much to be done. Our work is plain! We are to continue as witnesses with every breath, word, and deed…all the while knowing that the power of the Holy Spirit is in us and with us. We cannot fail!

Thought for the Day: How’s my witnessing going?

John 14:18-21

“They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.” vs. 21

John’s powerful and affirming words of love in this portion of his gospel have lifted the hearts of Christians for centuries. It just feels so good to know that Christ dwells in us and that love is the ultimate mark of God’s presence in our lives. These are words to share with those who feel unloved and disconnected from God. This is the good news of the gospel. Unfortunately believers have also used these words as a hammer and a wedge in their dealings with the world. They’ve given these words of love a wooden interpretation and tell the broken that God’s love is contingent on their behavior. “Unless you obey the commandments of scripture,” they say, “you will not be loved by the Father, and you will never know the Christ.” And then they proceed to outline all the rules of proper Christian behavior, and imply that obedience is the first step in any relationship with God. The reasoning is logical and airtight and has enabled the establishment of any number of exclusive faith communities. What they fail to consider is that our response to God is not the first step in the relationship. Everything begins with God’s universal love–and there are no strings attached. And where Jesus is concerned, there is only one commandment, that we love one another, for it is in loving that we know God.

Thought for the Day: What part does obedience play in the Christ life?

John 14:15-17

“This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.” vs. 17

Spirit talk is almost always mysterious–it’s the language we use when we try to describe the everyday nearness of God, and that’s close to an impossible task. Some people, many people maybe, never seem to get what we’re saying and sometimes we can even confuse ourselves. John gets at that difficulty as he mentions the connection between loving Jesus and receiving the Spirit of Truth. The world, which has been created and loved by God, doesn’t get it, not because the Spirit is so far from them, but because the world can’t recognize what’s already in the world. Only when love begins to flow from within do we see and know the internal source of love that is already in us. The promise is clear. The Spirit of Truth abides in us now, and will be in us forever. There will never be a time when the Spirit is absent from us–oh, there will be times when it feels like that, but those moments are only an aberration, and happen precisely at those times when we imagine the absence of love. The Spirit is of course Christ, the One who is Truth, Way, and Life, and who is our partner in loving–and Christ is in us always.

Thought for the Day: What does the absence of love feel like?

1 Peter 3:18-22

“in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water.” vss. 19-20

Peter reminds us that in the early years of the Church, believers gravitated toward the image of the ark as a metaphor for the meaning of baptism. It was easy to understand: just as the waters of the flood lifted the ark and preserved the lives of Noah’s family, so the waters of baptism bring new life in Christ. And thus the ark became a favorite decoration for the walls of the places where Christians worshipped. And Peter also has an answer for those who wonder about the salvation of those who are not baptized. In his world, they aren’t left out! In fact that was Christ’s Saturday mission after his redemptive death on the cross! Peter’s  teaching even made it into the Apostle’s Creed with the words, “he descended to the dead”! Those who missed the boat in Noah’s day heard the good news from the Christ, even though they had not obeyed. What happened on the cross is for all people of all times! That’s what makes it the greatest news ever told. Peter is not intending to disparage baptism, not at all, he wants only for us to see it as grace, a symbol of life and salvation for all.

Thought for the Day: What’s the best age to be baptized?

1 Peter 3:13-17

“Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence.” vss. 15b-16a

The people Peter was addressing were living in turbulent times and their situation was quite different from ours. Believers were very much a minority group and regularly faced questions and even persecution from their adversaries. Peter advises patience in suffering but also a boldness in responding. And then he adds a phrase that could be useful for us. “Do it with gentleness and reverence,” he says, and we need to pay attention. We do occasionally have opportunities to have faith conversations with others and we should not be shy about sharing what we believe and describing the hope that faith gives us. But sometimes those exchanges get out of hand–religious differences can bring deep animosities to the surface and even rupture relationships. There’s a tendency to express faith convictions in strong and forceful ways–even when none of us have concrete proof for what we are saying. We’re passionate and quick to slide into making distorted claims in defense of our positions. Such debates are seldom helpful and often divisive. How good it would be if we could be gentle in our conversations–and show reverence for those having contrary opinions. We’re all just doing our best in this complicated world to make sense of life, and it’s wonderful when our thoughts can be helpful to others–and the kinder we are, the more likely it is that this will happen!

Thought for the Day: Why is religion a forbidden topic for conversation in some homes?

Psalm 66:8-20

“Bless our God, O peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard, who has kept us among the living, and has not let our feet slip.” vss. 8-9

We still don’t know when or if life will return to normal as we continue to deal with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. For some the middle of May is seen as a time to loosen restrictions and begin to open up the economy. Others are more pessimistic and believe the virus will be a part of our lives for months, or even years to come. Regardless, decisions will be made–and we can pray that they will be wise and informed. And what else can we do? The psalmist has a suggestion. He writes, “Bless our God…let the sound of his praise be heard, who has kept us among the living…” Not all have been affected by the virus in the same way. Many have been able to escape it by virtue of their station in life or occupation. It has had a disproportionate effect on the poor and the aged, and those working in crowded conditions. Health care workers have been hit hard. But if we are among the living, certainly there is room for thanksgiving and praise. There’ll be other days for debating the mysteries of why bad things happen to good people. For now, we are alive, and that’s worth a boatload of alleluias! And there’s no good reason to keep our “thank you’s” to ourselves!

Thought for the Day: How has this virus changed my life?