Ephesians 1:11-14

“In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit;” vs. 13

In the ritual of Holy Baptism, after the baptism and the tracing of the cross on the forehead, these words are often said, “Child of God, you have been sealed with the Holy Spirit and marked with the Cross of Christ forever.” They’re ancient words, ones used by the early apostles to celebrate the connection of the individual believer to the salvation that already belonged to them by the grace of God. It’s an important connection! Without it we could wander unattached for a lifetime, knowing about Jesus, but not knowing him personally. With the connection that comes in baptism we are reminded again and again that God knows our name and has destined us for greatness. It isn’t that the baptism has saved us–it’s simply a washing with water after all–but it points us in the direction of our salvation. Armed with the assurance of the water and the word, a promise sealed by the presence of God’s Holy Spirit, we are set free for a lifetime of loving and serving. As we daily walk with Jesus in the company of all the saints we grow in faith and holiness and actually become the living presence of the Christ in our hurting world, and in us the glory of God is revealed to all we encounter.

Thought for the Day: How does it feel to have salvation?

Psalm 149:6-9

“Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands, to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples…” vss. 6-7

Anyone with even a passing interest in history will know that warfare has been a constant part of our human experience. From the very beginning tribes and nations have risen against each other for a variety of reasons, occasionally as a defensive reaction but more often as an intentional effort to dominate and destroy. The people of Israel were no exception–and like other nations they called upon their god for support and success. The psalmist paints a picture of soldiers singing songs of praise to God before using their swords to execute vengeance and punishment on their enemies. Such scenes are still taking place in every place where armies prepare for battle. Troops stop for prayer and worship before engaging the other. Religious leaders bless bombs and weapons and offer the promise of eternal life to any who might die. Fighters are told they are on God’s side in the great struggle between the forces of good and evil and millions have sacrificed their lives. Millions more have died as so-called “collateral damage.” Followers of Jesus have come to believe that this incessant warring is not a part of God’s plan. We look forward to the day when swords are beaten into plowshares and there will be no need to study war any more. And while that day has not yet come we can at least resist the temptation to use religion as a fuel for fighting. 

Thought for the Day: Why are there chaplains in the military?

Psalm 149: 1-5

“Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the faithful.” vs. 1

All of us have experienced new songs or hymns in the course of our worship, and some have found it to be an aggravation. They try to join in the singing but the tune is often unfamiliar and it doesn’t take long for them to start pouting. They want worship to be comfortable and singable hymns are essential for that experience. Wise pastors and music directors are aware of those feelings and will take care as they make song choices. They know familiar hymns can calm our anxious  hearts and troubled minds–they bring blessed assurance when faith is faltering and doubts are creeping in. And when everyone knows the tunes and some can sing parts, congregational singing provides an amazing boost. Some say it’s as important as a good sermon to the worship experience. But some occasions cry out for new songs and tunes and our lives would be barren indeed if we weren’t regularly challenged to learn them–and sometimes they become our new favorites. Occasionally the tunes follow us through the week as well–we hum or sing them in our work and play and the praise of God actually becomes a regular part of daily living. It could even be that those new songs will make it into our Pandora or Spotify playlist! Singing praises to God has been essential for believers since the time of the psalmists–and where the practice continues faith is bound to be vibrant and strong.

Thought for the Day: What hymns will be sung at my funeral?

Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18

“But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever—forever and ever.” vs. 18

The book of Daniel was likely one of the last writings to be included in what is commonly called the Old Testament. It’s a collection of stories featuring a young Jew named Daniel along with a series of apocalyptic visions. Like the book of Revelation in the New Testament it was put together at a time of intense persecution and was intended to give hope to those who read it. In this passage, Daniel has written down a scary dream about beasts rising out of the sea and seeks an interpretation that can wring truth from the vision. He is told that the beasts represent kings who will seek to dominate but that the holy ones of God need not fear–their kingdom will last forever. Most apocalyptic passages in the bible have this as a central message but our tendency is to focus on the scary visions. Again and again preachers go to these old passages to lift out the most frightening scenarios and then apply them to the present age. And people listen! It’s as though there is some Halloween gene locked into our DNA that causes us to embrace the macabre–a lot of us just adore haunted houses and chainsaw massacres–and we’re drawn to the beasts and dragons of Daniel and Revelation. But the truth of those old metaphors is always the story of victory–good triumphs over evil and God’s kingdom is ours forever.

Thought for the Day: Why do people love Halloween?

John 8:33-36

“So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” vs. 36

In 1945 the State of New Hampshire adopted the motto “Live Free or Die,” a slogan with roots dating back to the French Revolution. Some feel that it’s the perfect summation of the revolutionary principles that guided American patriots to declare independence in 1776. Like Patrick Henry’s “Give me liberty or give me death,” its words evoke passion and lift up freedom as the most desired human core value. Many of us would agree–but the picture gets murky when we begin to define just what freedom is. Our tendency is to think of freedom in political terms and assume that it’s closely related to what our constitution calls the Bill of Rights. That’s not a bad definition but it doesn’t come close to what Jesus meant when he spoke of freedom. For him freedom meant liberation from the power and bondage of sin and was unachievable by human effort. Such freedom is far superior to that won by American patriots and can be experienced by people living under every kind of political domination. External circumstances do not affect the liberty enjoyed by those whom the Son has made free. Such persons find light and joy in every moment of every day–we can see it in their eyes and in their loving. It’s wonderful to live in a free country! But it’s even better to freely live in the Light of Christ!

Thought for the Day: What does it mean to be free from the bondage of sin?

John 8:31-32

“Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’” vss. 31-32

John tells us that the Word was present with God in the beginning and that through the Word all things came into existence. He further tells us that this Word became flesh and lived among us as Jesus of Nazareth. When Jesus began his ministry many people who heard his word believed in him. They acknowledged that he had come from God, but they still didn’t get what this meant for their lives. People still struggle with that matter of what it means to believe in Jesus. For some it’s a matter of acknowledging that he existed, performed some miracles, was crucified, and then raised from the dead. Now those are good things to agree on–but they don’t come close to what John was talking about in his gospel. He says believing is intimately connected to continuing in the word of Jesus, and this is where it gets tricky. This word didn’t originate in the mind of a first century Jewish rabbi–rather it came directly from the Word that was with God in creation. To believe is to receive the Light of the World and let it permeate every aspect of our being. It is to be bathed in the Light of Christ! When that happens we will know the truth and nothing else will matter for us.

Thought for the Day: How do I bathe in the Light of Christ?

Romans 3:22b-28

“For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…” vss. 22b-24

Through the centuries, as believers have read Paul’s letter to the Romans, they’ve taken verse 23 of chapter 3 to heart, and have used it as the great leveler. Yes, indeed, all of us are sinners, from derelicts to saints, and there’s no use denying it. Many of us grew up making that confession within five minutes of sitting down for worship, “I am by nature sinful and unclean, I have sinned against you by thought, word, and deed.” It’s become our identifying mark, useful as an excuse in most every circumstance, and we’ve used it often. And of course it’s true–but we forget that it’s only the first half of Paul’s sentence! Yes, all have sinned, but all are now justified by his grace as a gift! Our sin is in the past! Our present and future are full of grace! So why do we keep claiming sin as our identity? Why not confess on Sunday morning, “I am cleansed and restored. I am good and merciful, created in the very image of God.” Are we afraid of raising people’s expectations of us? Granted, there are advantages to using sin as a cover, but it’s such a dismal way to live. It’s like hiding in darkness instead of rejoicing in the light–and it diminishes what Christ has done for us.

Thought for the Day: What happens when I tell others how wonderful I am?

Romans 3:19-22a

“But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.” vss. 21-22a

Paul was attempting to give the congregation in Rome a more theological perspective of what had happened through Jesus. As part of his argument he takes pain to explain that the righteousness of God is in no way a response to the law or human obedience. Instead, he implies that the righteousness of God has been present from the beginning, that it existed even prior to the law, and it was obvious in the Torah and the writings of the prophets. For the sake of order commandments and laws were written and observed but those regulations only served to reveal human sin. It was in Jesus Christ, the second incarnation of God (the first being creation itself), that the already existing righteousness of God was clearly revealed. And now, Paul says, through faith in Jesus Christ, all humanity can share in that God-given righteousness. And it’s totally a gift from God! That was Martin Luther’s great insight as he studied the book of Romans back in the early sixteenth century. He had presumed that he could never become good enough to deserve the righteousness of God. And then he saw the truth–righteousness wasn’t something to be earned–it came as a gift, by grace. And, as his eyes were opened, a great load was lifted from his shoulders–he was set free to be!

Thought for the Day: What am I free to be?

Psalm 46:6-11

“The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.” vss. 6-7

In recent months, given the state of affairs in our world, i.e. the tensions among nations and the threat of global warming, we’ve begun to hear talk of the “last days” among some Christians. They’re convinced that these current events are the signs spoken of in scripture and a sure indicator that the end is near. Others are not so sure! According to their historical perspective there’s an ebb and flow to the events and circumstances of world affairs. It may be that climate change has exacerbated some environmental conditions and made storms larger and more frequent. And there is a lot of tension and warfare on every continent, but that’s always been the case. By some measurements the world is actually better off now than ever before. The psalmist would likely agree. Things were bad in his day, really bad, and he still dares to put his trust in God. And that’s his word to us too. When things get tough, he tells us, the God of our ancestors is still our refuge. There are many endings that await humankind in the next centuries, but there will also be many beginnings–and through everything God is in charge. Instead of cowering in fear to await the “last days” we’d be well advised to pull up our britches and get ready for an amazing future. 

Thought for the Day: What do I think about the “last days”?

Psalm 46:1-5

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” vs. 1

Sometimes we forget that Martin Luther was not only a great biblical scholar and theologian, he loved music and wrote dozens of hymns for congregational singing. His most famous, “A Mighty Fortress,” took its inspiration from Psalm 46. Luther lived in turbulent times among constantly warring nations and regularly expected to be arrested and put to death. While he was mostly grateful for the protection provided by the Elector of Saxony, he believed that God was his true fortress and strength in every time of danger. This psalm spoke to his heart. We who have known turmoil and tragedy in our lives understand Luther’s feelings. There are people in our lives who offer protection and assurances. We are blessed to live in communities with police protection and wonderful hospitals. Many of us are under the regular care of a physician–we’re getting the best health care available. But nothing beats knowing that God cares deeply and has our back in every conceivable circumstance. In fact, not even death can separate us from the love of God. It’s particularly important for us to hang on to that hope in times when earthly institutions and governments seem on the verge of breakdown. After our daily exposures to the internet’s charges and countercharges it’s good to be able to turn to God as our very present help in trouble. God truly is our never-failing bulwark!

Thought for the Day: What daily help do I get from God?