Habakkuk 2:1-4

“For there is still a vision for the appointed time; it speaks of the end, and does not lie. If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay.” vs. 3

Even though Habakkuk saw nothing hopeful in the injustice and the turmoil that surrounded him and cried out in complaint to the Lord, he did not give up hope. We who are his partners in lament would be advised to make his faith our own. Of course Habakkuk was speaking about Israel’s future, but it’s not too much of a stretch to extend that vision to our planet. If that’s the case, people of faith will dare to say in the face of computer modeling and dire predictions of scientists that there is a bright future for our planet. Of course our hope is not built on confidence in human effort, but on our conviction that the universe itself is full of the Divine Presence. There’ll be lots of changes as creation continues to evolve but we’re not going to be abandoned. God doesn’t have a Plan B! Admittedly there are times when that vision seems an impossible dream–often we’re tempted to lose ourselves in despair. But giving up on the vision just isn’t a viable alternative. As Proverbs puts it, “Where there is no vision the people will perish!” We can’t allow the naysayers and skeptics to have the last word–that’s just not who we are as the people of God. We don’t know now how we will survive, but we can’t ever stop believing that we will!

Thought for the Day: What is my hope for the future?

Habakkuk 1:1-4

“Why do you make me see wrong-doing and look at trouble? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise.” vs. 3

Living about the time of Jeremiah, Habakkuk was overwhelmed by the injustice and violence of Judah before the Babylonian invasion and he couldn’t understand why God didn’t do anything about it. Some of us will resonate with his observations in our confused and troubled times. Even though we enjoy relative stability in our comfortable enclaves, the media remind us daily that the world is in a precarious state. In addition to the now commonplace political shenanigans there are disconcerting reports about climate change and its potential disastrous effects. As the oceans fill with plastics and species disappear some are wondering if environmental damages are beyond repair. And if that weren’t enough, tensions are escalating among the nations–terrorism and repression abound as nations gird themselves for war. Already millions of refugees are on the move, fleeing from their homes and yearning for security in a world disinclined to welcome them or offer assistance. It’s as though forces beyond our control have been loosed and there’s no one with the will or the ability to still the storm. And all we can do is sit and watch–and, like Habakkuk, cry out to God to do something! We wonder if there is such a thing as global repentance–and if there is, can it happen before it’s too late!

Thought for the Day: What might global repentance be like? How would it begin?

Luke 16:27-31

“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” vs. 31

Luke’s gospel is full of warnings from Jesus about the dangers of riches. Again and again he tells the crowds and the disciples that those who desire to be wealthy are treading on dangerous ground. Some people took his words to heart–many actually took vows of poverty and lived together in community. But most people were resistant–they hadn’t paid any attention to the same message when it was delivered through the prophets–they certainly weren’t going to listen to Jesus, even if he were to rise from the dead. We see that same resistance in the contemporary church. Many people are drawn to the gospel and love its message of unconditional love and forgiveness. But Jesus’ words about wealth and possessions are a real stumbling block. Often those teachings are twisted and distorted to take away the bluntness of his warnings. People are told that there is no danger in accumulation and that in fact riches are a sign of God’s blessings in our lives. Some pastors have given up preaching on such topics–possibly because they’re so deeply conscious of their own personal wealth. But the question remains. Why would Jesus have spoken so forcefully on this issue if it wasn’t a problem? Could it be that our preoccupation with possessions is a threat to our souls and a not-so-subtle form of idolatry? How might our lives change if we took his words to heart?

Thought for the Day: What questions do I have about wealth?

Luke 16:19-26

“But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony.’” vs. 25

This familiar story paints a stark contrast between the fate of the rich and the poor after death and satisfies a basic human desire for ultimate justice. We are reminded that both the rich and the poor will die, but then comes the great reversal: the poor will go to Abraham’s bosom, a place of comfort, while the rich go to Hades to be tortured in the flames. It’s unlikely that Jesus intended this as an actual description of the afterlife–the images were familiar to the disciples and Jesus used them to tell a powerful and evocative story. The problem is that in our day few people believe the point that Jesus is making. We just don’t believe that the rich are punished and the poor rewarded when they die! The story does however point to an important truth that we can well take to heart. Lazarus in this life was not noticed–he was just a nondescript part of the landscape–but he had a name! And God loved him! Ironically the rich man had no name–he was just another anonymous guy living the good life and ignoring the needy. There’s a bunch of such folks in our congregations–maybe it’s time we open our eyes to the beloved children of God who need both a hand up and a hand out. Maybe we could even take some time to learn their names!

Thought for the Day: Why did Jesus seem to favor the poor?

1 Timothy 6:13-19

“As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty– They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share…” vss. 17a, 18 

According to the gospels Jesus once told a rich young man that he should sell his possessions and give to the poor–and then come follow him. It’s a text that is familiar, but not one that sparks much of a response when used in a sermon. Most of us have learned to ignore scriptural guidance that goes against our natural inclinations. This letter to Timothy recommends a slightly different pastoral approach. The writer assumes that there will be wealthy folks among the followers of Jesus, and that’s pretty much the way it is among us too. While by basic standards most people in American congregations are rich, some of them have managed to hit the jackpot! They have wealth beyond their dreams! Timothy is advised to command such persons to trust in God rather than in money, and not to be haughty. Operating from a position of humility they are to cultivate a spirit of generosity, do good works, and be ready to share. It’s good advice! What a blessing it can be when people of means use their wealth to tackle the inequities and needs of our world! It’s not a common response to be sure–many such persons have inflated egos and prefer to flaunt their riches–but some do, and their gifts are multiplied in magnificent ways.

Thought for the Day: What motivates a rich person to be generous?

1 Timothy 6:6-12 

“for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.” vss. 7-8

This little letter of pastoral instruction was written somewhere around the end of the first century and offers some bits of wisdom for people of faith. The writer maintains that there is “great gain in godliness combined with contentment,” and we would likely agree. But it’s not as easy to achieve this as it may seem. Godliness can be a stretch–but it’s not nearly so hard as contentment. We can usually figure out ways to lead a decent life and at least participate in periodic worship and prayer, but it really tough to live like a minimalist and be content with only food and clothing. We love our stuff! And most of us spend a good portion of our lives accumulating all the extras. Naturally if we’re going to live like that we’re going to need a ton of money and that’s where things really get tricky. In our desire to get more we spend precious time and energy and can end up neglecting the godliness part of the equation big time. It’s not that the money is bad–it’s the love of money that gets us in trouble–in fact we’re told here that the love of money is the root of all evil. Fortunately, there’s a kind of wisdom that comes with aging. As we get rid of our things we discover contentment–and we wonder, “Why couldn’t this have happened sooner?”

Thought for the Day: What do I need besides food and clothing for contentment?

Psalm 146:5-10

“Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry.”  vss. 5-7

The psalmist would have loved to know all the things that we know about the universe. It’s enormity, beauty, and complexity would have boggled his mind and his praise of his Lord even more effusive! And he would have said to us, “Isn’t it wonderful to know that the Lord of this immense and ancient universe cares about us and our little blue planet, and will keep faith with us forever?” He believed that to have such convictions was a good thing–and he was right! It is a huge blessing to have such confidence in God–it’s what can keep us going during stressful and uncertain times. But with the blessing comes responsibility. The psalmist speaks of the Lord’s concern for the oppressed and the hungry, and here’s where we are needed. God doesn’t act out of a vacuum to execute justice and give food–God uses us. While we may despair of tackling such issues we have no choice but to do whatever we can in the place we are to make a difference. The God who created black holes has a heart for the hungry on earth–and uses our goodness to feed them!

Thought for the Day: What’s more important than justice for the oppressed and food for the hungry?

Psalm 146:1-4

“Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help. When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.” vss. 3-4

The psalmist knew nothing of elections or democracy. He lived in a monarchy and the king ran the country like it was his private estate, taxing as much as the people could bear to fund the varied expenses of the kingdom. His heirs were the princes and they did what they could to consolidate their respective positions by cultivating favor among the masses. The psalmist trusted none of them! All of them would die and their promises and plans always died with them. We live in different times and have become accustomed to a democratic political process, one that in theory gives power to the people through an electoral process. But even though there are differences we’d be well advised to pay attention to the psalmist’s words. We’re fools if we believe that our salvation lies in the hands of politicians. They all make promises, sometimes with good intentions, but always with a view toward maintaining power and control. Every few years we are caught up in their frenzied campaigning and posturing for votes. It’s easy to begin to think that one or another of these mostly wealthy folks will be our messiah and lead us to unprecedented peace and prosperity. We’re wise to maintain a high degree of skepticism! While it is important to vote, it’s far more important to cultivate our relationship with God and continually offer praises to the Lord!

Thought for the Day: Why do people fall for the promises of politicians?

Amos 6:1a, 4-7

“Alas for those who lie on beds of ivory–who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp–who drink wine from bowls–but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!” vss. 4a, 5a, 6a, 6c

Amos was not impressed with the life-styles of the rich and famous in the Israel of King Jeroboam II. He was a non-credentialed prophet from an obscure village in the hill country of Judah and he had a word from the Lord for the wealthy of Samaria. Not only were they living in luxury and enjoying every amenity, they didn’t feel one ounce of compassion for the poor and the needy. We’re all too familiar with the scene–the rich don’t seem to change from one century to the next–and we even see the symptoms in ourselves. We do like to live well! We love furnishing our homes with the finest couches and filling our days with music from Pandora while enjoying fine wines and fragrant oils. We’ve grown accustomed to a life-style that is the envy of the world. Many of us didn’t have this in mind when we started our families and careers. We got along quite well with bricks and boards for our bookshelves. But wealth happened! And we’d hate to give it up! So what shall we do? For Amos everything revolved around the least and the lowly–and that’s the measure of our society too. There are things we can do with our riches that will make life better for the hungry and the hurting. Alas for us if we don’t!

Thought for the Day: How did I get so rich?

Luke 16:10-13

“Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.” vs. 10

Golf is a sport with simplicity at its core. The object is to hit a ball off the tee box and then count how many strokes it takes to get it in the hole. Along the way there are penalty areas and occasional out-of-bounds, but it really isn’t very complicated. Golfers are responsible for keeping track of their strokes and are expected to call penalties on themselves when they occur. It’s a game with enormous potential for both frustration and joy and is said to not only build character but reveal it. Many believe that a person who cheats during a round of golf is likely to cheat in other aspects of their life as well. It’s the sort of thing that Jesus was talking about with his disciples when he said, “Whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.” Obviously he wasn’t talking about golf, but what he said can be applied in a multitude of other situations. We use it all the time as we form opinions of people around us. Those who lie about little things will lie about big things. Those who cheat on taxes will cheat on their spouses. A person who litters has contempt for the environment. We reveal ourselves to others in everything we do or say–and most often it’s the little things that are the measure of who we are.

Thought for the Day:  When am I most likely to cheat?