Isaiah 5:1-3

“Let me sing for my beloved my love-song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill.” vs. 1

As Isaiah began his work in Jerusalem he took pains to remind the people of the special love relationship that existed between them and the Lord. It wasn’t just an accident that things had worked so well for them in their long history as a nation. They had done well because they were the beloved people of God…it was out of love that they now lived in this fertile and productive land. It’s important for all of us to remember that all things that God does in this universe are grounded in love…we have existence because we are loved. Good things have been showered upon us because we are loved. Hopefully we’ve gotten used to hearing this in the course of our lives…but for some reason love is one of the easiest things for us to begin to doubt. We even doubt the love of our parents! Some doubt the love of their spouses or children. But we should never question the overarching love of God…it was present in our beginnings and will be there at our endings. We hear it in the words of scripture and see it in the bounty of creation. We feel it in the hugs and kisses of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Love is all around us…and it all begins with God!

Thought for the Day: What has caused me to doubt that I am loved?

Luke 12:15-40

“But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.” vs. 39

Preparedness has been a part of the Christian life from the beginning. Jesus talked about it with his disciples and later believers took up the theme as they looked for the coming Christ. Later on, even as the expected imminent return was delayed, there continued to be a strong emphasis on being prepared for the end in both preaching and teaching. Year after year congregants were reminded that the Lord would be coming soon and that they needed to get their lives in order. Believers today may have a different understanding of Christ’s return, but that theme of preparedness has continued to be important. Two factors are at play here: First, there’s massive uncertainty about the future, and secondly, life is fragile! We really don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but we do know that one day we will die. In that context Jesus’ words continue to ring true. We don’t have unlimited time to do the things that are on our bucket lists, and one day we’ll not get another chance to say “I love you” to those we hold dear. Being prepared doesn’t mean retreating to the wilderness and wearing white robes, but it does mean using each day to the fullest and not wasting one precious moment of this incredible life we have been given purely by the grace of God.

Thought for the Day: What have I been putting off that needs to be done?

Luke 12:32-34

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” vs. 32

Whether we like it or not we are treated to hourly reports, Monday through Friday, on how the stock market is doing. There is generally no rhyme or reason for the daily fluctuations but we can’t escape knowing how it’s doing. Some folks like that! They have multiple investments and want to know exactly what’s happening…when it’s going up they rejoice, when it turns downward they turn suicidal. But it’s not only big investors who are influenced by the reports coming from the world’s stock exchanges. All of us have grown to accept economic growth as a primary marker of success. As long as the markets are trending upward all is well…when they plummet panic sets in and fears abound. In the face of all that Jesus says, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” His words point to a different understanding of wealth and riches, one that is unrelated to the market or material prosperity. In his estimation the good life comes to us as a gift from God and cannot be measured by our bank accounts or annuities. If he were to analyze our portfolios he’d have only one word of advice, “Sell!” Tuning out Wall Street isn’t easy in this world’s climate, but it can be done, and when we do, our riches are multiplied!

Thought for the Day: How do I feel when the stock market falls?

Hebrews 11:8-16

“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going.” vs. 8

For the early Christians it was obvious that the community of faith included more than just those who were acquainted with Jesus and his teachings. They were happy to embrace Abraham and Sarah and all those others who had gone before them in the ongoing journey of God’s people. Those early pioneers had been touched by the Spirit of God and they had responded in faith, even though they had no sense of where they were going. That’s how it continues to be in the Christ family…we’ve been called by God and we’ve responded, and we really don’t know what tomorrow will bring. Sometimes when we reach a resting place and look back it’s stunning to see the twists and turns of the road we’ve taken. Most of us have had no idea we’d end up where we are! There are even times when faith seems pointless…the immediate benefits aren’t always apparent…and sometimes life is a grind.  But still we hang on…after all we belong to a long line of faithers, and we’re on the way to our common inheritance. It really is an exciting journey and periodically there’ll be reassuring signs that we’re on the right path. Children are born, goodness is done, and joy abounds, just when we need it the most!

Thought for the Day: How do I know I’m on the right faith track?

Hebrews 11:1-3

“By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.” vs. 3

Our faith ancestors had a strong conviction that the universe came into existence by the word of God. It wasn’t something that they could prove or even explain very well, but it was the foundation of their belief system. Through the years as we’ve gained important scientific knowledge about our origins some have concluded that there are natural explanations for existence…and a god need not be involved. Many others, however, even while accepting the findings of science, continue to trust that God is the creator. Some of these say that the universe itself is the presence of God, that the visible came out of the invisible as an explosion of light, a kind of “Big Bang.” This understanding seems rooted in the hearts of humans and perhaps accounts for the deep feelings of awe and wonder that come to us in natural settings. Perhaps it’s that observation that has sparked the worship rituals of indigenous people. Again, there’s no way that such ideas can meet the rigid demands of science. No experiment can demonstrate the existence of God! But by faith many continue to believe that all things have come into being through the word of God. In their estimation life itself makes sense only when God is added to the equation.

Thought for the Day: What’s lacking when God is not in the equation?

Psalm 50:1-8, 22-23

“Those who bring thanksgiving as their sacrifice honor me; to those who go the right way I will show the salvation of God.” vs. 23

Even though scripture is clear in saying that God is displeased with the pomp and ceremony of religious rituals, we also learn that God is honored by those who take time to offer heartfelt thanksgiving. Each of us are in this universe, not of our own doing, but as a gift. During our stay on earth we get to enjoy all the benefits of life and the bounty of creation. We receive those things not because we deserve them but just for showing up…they’re participation awards, and they come to us all. Granted, there are some who take the credit for all they are and have…but they’re just the fools among us. The wise know that all things come from God, and they are glad to offer daily thanksgiving. That thanksgiving can take many forms. Sometimes it’s in the form of a prayer in the beginning or the end of each day. Or the petitions can spring forth spontaneously whenever our eyes are opened to particular scenes of beauty and awesomeness. Those who are alert to the wonders of life will produce such exaltations many times in the course of a day. Of course one of the best ways to offer thanks to God is with a word or an act of love to a friend or a stranger. However we choose to show it, whenever thanks fills our hearts, God is honored.

Thought for the Day: How often does thanks fill my heart?

Isaiah 1:16-20

“Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.” vss. 16-17

Isaiah not only railed against the political and religious leaders in Jerusalem, he told them in no uncertain terms what God required of them. It couldn’t have been hard for them to understand, but it proved enormously difficult for them to do. It would have meant repentance, a complete turn around from what they had been doing. Kings and priests would have needed to stop looking out for their own narrow interests and instead look to the interests of the oppressed and the weak, the least powerful and influential members of society. It’s doubtful that they paid the least bit of attention to Isaiah’s preaching. That’s just how it is with those who hold the reins of power. But Isaiah’s work was not in vain. Jesus adopted his basic teachings and made them the centerpiece of his ministry in Galilee. Latter day prophets have continued to echo Isaiah’s words as they worked on behalf of the oppressed and the broken. From time to time we hear them as they clamor for justice and plead for an end to evil-doing by those in positions of authority. It’s not a popular calling and progress can seem slow. But God is on the side of the lowly, and one day God’s will will be done!

Thought for the Day: Why does power corrupt?

Isaiah 1: 1, 10-15

“When you stretch out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.” vs. 15

Isaiah had harsh words for Jerusalem and its rulers during the years of his ministry. He was filled with the Spirit of the Lord and saw clearly the hypocrisy of their religious posturing. It wasn’t that they were neglecting the temple rituals or avoiding sacrifices. On the contrary they were making a pageant of religion…the calendar was filled with festivals and the altars filled with offerings. The stench of blood and the sweet smell of incense provided sensory overload for all who came near. The temple was a happening place! And Isaiah called it all an offense to the Lord. That’s how it is with so many religious efforts. Human intention has been good…we’ve wanted to worship God…but again and again we’ve gotten sidetracked by the details of our rituals and liturgies. Many times religious activities have become allied with national interests as political and religious leaders form unholy alliances designed to curb dissent and preserve power. It’s not that we should abandon all external forms of worship…it’s good to come together as communities of faith and offer praise and thanks to God. And for that, rituals and liturgies are a necessity…but they’re only tools for our worship and never ends in themselves. God’s main concern is what we say and do after we’ve said “Amen!”

Thought for the Day: What is the heart of worship?

Luke 12:16-21

“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’” vs. 20

It’s hard to know what to do with this parable from Jesus. Typically we like to deflect the point of the story and imagine that it applies to others. But that’s hard to do when we’re the ones building bigger barns. When compared to the world’s population there is absolutely no doubt that we are rich. Our cupboards are full, we eat out in fine restaurants, live in massive homes, and drive expensive vehicles. Some of us go on cruises and trips all around the globe where we catch occasional glimpses of how 70% of the world’s population lives. When we get old we can tap our retirement accounts, collect social security, downsize to comfortable retirement homes, and continue to live the good life. So what can we do with Jesus’ words, aside from squirming and feeling uncomfortable? Mostly we’ll do nothing! We like our abundant life and most of us have come to terms with being rich. Some pastors even preach a prosperity gospel and say that God wants us to have material wealth. But once in a while the Spirit stirs within and we are moved to use our riches as a blessing to those in need. These giving moments bring great joy and remind us that God’s most precious gifts have nothing to do with money.

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

Luke 12 13-15

“And he said to them, ‘Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.’” vs. 15

In our age of extravagant consumption it’s easy to point fingers at the super-rich and accuse them of living greed-driven lives. Their garish displays of ostentatious wealth are regularly splayed across our television screens for all to see. But we don’t have to be wealthy to be plagued by greed and avarice. Almost all of us at one time or another feel the lust for possessions, and some of us spend a great deal of time wishing that we had more or coveting what belongs to our neighbors. Even presumably loving families can be torn apart when it comes to dividing an estate…disputes about inheritance have caused irreparable rifts among siblings…and it didn’t start yesterday. Greed has been around for a long, long time! Some would even argue that greed is good, that it’s an essential part of the capitalistic system, and without it, progress and innovation would grind to a halt. Jesus didn’t see it that way and plainly told his disciples that greed was a powerful enemy, one that could distort the whole purpose of life. He intimated that we can live without greed and many have taken him at his word. They’ve learned the art of simple living, attend to basic needs, and revel in the delights of being alive in this incredible universe.

Thought for the Day: When have I noticed myself being greedy?