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?

Colossians 3:5-11

“In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all!” vs. 11

Even though we are called to discipline as we move from death to resurrection, the renewal does not depend on our success or failure. To say that it does would remove Christ from the equation, and Paul knows that such can never be the case. He has a vision of newness that is beyond anything ever before experienced by humanity. This is not just a new religion with revised rituals and commandments. Rather, in Christ differences have been wiped away…there are no racial, religious, national, or social distinctions any longer. He sums everything up with these words, “Christ is all and in all!” What an amazing, gracious, and far-reaching vision! All things and all people belong to Christ, even those who have been caught up in the ways of the world. Even wandering children who have rejected the values in which they were raised. Right now our vision of the Christ is obscured…there’s a lot of nasty stuff going on…but the transition has only begun! But one day we’ll know Christ not only as the Alpha, but as the Omega point of all time. He is the beginning and the end. In the meantime it’s enough to be content with glimpses. The renewal has begun…the signs are all around us.

Thought for the Day: Where do I see signs of renewal?

Colossians 3:1-7

“So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” vs. 1

Sometimes followers of Jesus are reluctant to tell others that their lives need to change, that what they are doing is destructive to themselves and to others. Paul had no such difficulty as he dealt with his brothers and sisters in Christ. He wholeheartedly believed that those who have attached themselves to Christ have been raised to new life, not only in ages to come, but now, in the present. For Paul that meant speaking and acting in ways that were different from the ways of the world. He advised his readers to put death things like fornication, evil desire, greed, and impurity. He told them bluntly to change the way they were living. It’s hard to be that assertive…we don’t like to be judgmental, and we don’t want to be offensive. So we say nothing…hoping that people will think we are nice! But Paul is right! Those who are in Christ should look different…after all, those who observe us should be seeing Jesus in the flesh! It would be nice if that transformation just happened, that the new person would emerge automatically like a butterfly from a chrysalis. But that’s seldom the case. Most of the time the new birth is traumatic and painful…always discipline will be involved….and many of us will need the loving direction of our personal Paul.  What a blessing it is to hear the truth about who we are and what we need to change!

Thought for the Day: Who has been a “personal Paul” to me?

Psalm 49:1-12

“Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me, those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?” vss. 5-6

The psalmist was not impressed with those who flexed muscles and boasted about their riches. He considered them his persecutors and knew that they had accumulated their wealth at the expense of the lowly. In his eyes they were no better than fools…their position could not be sustained and one day they would end up in the grave like everyone else. All that they had would be taken away and in the hands of others. Times have not not changed. In fact, where once the rich were inclined to secrecy about their net worth, in our day the powerful flaunt their wealth and brag about their abundance. Some of them brand their possessions with their names, perhaps hoping in that way to achieve some degree of immortality. They’re like children in a playground vying for attention…often their methods are like those of petty bullies. And it’s all foolishness. Within a few short years they’ll be forgotten. The psalmist says that such persons are not to be envied. He points to fearless living, gladly embracing the benefits of creation while not seeking to possess them. It’s a tough balance, but those who have learned to live simply know what he means. The pleasures of life are fleeting for all people, rich and poor, but true joy comes only when we can escape the bondage of “stuff.”

Thought for the Day: How do possessions enslave us?

Ecclesiastes 1:18-22

“What do mortals get from all the toil and strain with which they toil under the sun? For all their days are full of pain, and their work is a vexation; even at night their minds do not rest. This also is vanity.” vss. 22-23

The Teacher, the writer of Ecclesiastes, composed his work over 2000 years ago and describes the human condition about as well as anyone. He speaks from his own experience and observation and his words so resonated with his readers that his little book was included in the “Writings” section of the Hebrew scriptures. He’s not a prophet or a law-giver, he just tells us how things are, and from his perspective life in this world is fraught with frustration and futility. For many people his words still ring true. They don’t like what they do during the day and at night they can’t sleep. Their work is bothersome and some continue in their jobs for the sake of insurance. Even when salaries are good and benefits generous people begin to wonder what the point of their labor is. Accumulation has become easy…we can pile up wealth easily…but sooner or later our bodies wear out and what we’ve worked so hard to gain will be lost. Jesus saw people living this way and said, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” His offer still holds. In Christ we can find the serenity we crave…and life is good!

Thought for the Day: When does work become a vexation?

Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14

“I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun; and see, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.” vs. 14

When we buy into the values of our culture and its prevalent definition of success, sooner or later we’re likely to be overwhelmed by a sense of futility. Like the Teacher in the book of Ecclesiastes our eyes will be opened and we’ll see that all is vanity and a chasing after wind. Many have spent their entire lives madly pursuing the American dream…an extravagant life-style, abundant possessions, prestige,  power…and they don’t even realize that it’s chimeral, a vision based on a faulty premise. It really is sad to see people when their bodies begin to fail and their energies are sapped, especially when all their treasure is tied to the material. No matter how much we’ve earned, no matter how fine our homes and cars, one day all will be taken away. How much better it is when eternal values like love, peace, and joy have dominated our lives and we’ve learned to harvest all the fruits of the Spirit. Those are the treasures that bring contentment in every season of life…they never wear out and always seem to increase in value. The good news is that it’s never too late to change; repentance will always bear fruit! We can live contentedly as God intends even when all the world holds dear is taken away. A solid spiritual foundation will never fail us.

Thought for the Day: What makes for a solid spiritual foundation?