Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19

“May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor.” vs. 4

The psalmist composed this prayer for the coronation of a new king, perhaps for David’s beloved son, Solomon. It reflects the deep desire of the people for a leader who would bring prosperity to Israel and provide protection against invading armies. It’s the sort of prayer that is on our lips when we inaugurate a president–we’re concerned about the military and the economy–we want safety and riches. But the king also had other responsibilities. Again and again our scripture reminds us that the poor and the needy should be the special concern of whoever sat on the throne. Everyone else could take care of themselves, but the lowly had no one to look out for them. They had no other benefactor but the king. For the most part that’s still how it works. Fortunately we live in a land where there are advocates for poor–we have many charitable organizations who focus on caring for the hungry and the helpless. This time of the year they’re hard at work raising funds and building awareness, and every one of us will have multiple opportunities to help the broken and the hungry. Often it seems as though our congress and legislatures have forgotten their poorest constituents. What a blessing it is when we can take up the slack and give generously, not only now, but all through the year!

Thought for the Day: Where am I directing my charitable giving this Christmas?

Isaiah 11:6-10

“They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” vs. 9

Both Isaiah and Jeremiah believed that as the knowledge of the Lord spread upon the earth, hurting and destruction would come to an end. They’re not talking about some doctrine or creed; they don’t have in mind a new religion or the adoption of a resolution by the United Nations. Knowledge for both of them is related to intimacy, a God-connection that can best be compared to making love! That will take place when what happened in Jesus occurs in every created being, when all the fullness of God comes to dwell in every human heart. Can that happen? Of course! It has happened again and again in history–we know the stories–some of us have been blessed to know such persons well. They exude the Christ in every pore and with every breath–in them we sense and experience the overwhelming and unconditional love of God. They have somehow managed to throw off the bondage of religious traditions and rituals and have been grasped by the grace of the gospel. Is it possible for such persons to become the majority among us? Can their peaceful voices drown out the cacophony of bullying and violent speech that has become so commonplace? Doubters would say no, but followers of Jesus believe in the peaceable kingdom–the smell of its coming is in the air!

Thought for the Day: Where have I smelled the sweet fragrance of the coming kingdom?

 Isaiah 11:1-5

“A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” vs. 1

In recent years some families have begun to use Jesse trees as a part of their Advent activity. The tree is multi-branched, often bare of leaves, and each day a new decoration representing some biblical event or person is attached to a branch. It has become an alternative or a worthy addition to the traditional Advent wreath. While this use of the Jesse tree is relatively new, it actually has a long history. In the Middle Ages it was a way to picture the family tree of Jesus as found in the gospel genealogies, and to show how Isaiah’s prophecy had been fulfilled. Jesse was the father of David, the greatest king of Israel, and the family tree proved that Jesus was in the Davidic line. It was for early Christians the much-needed proof that Jesus had all the required messianic credentials. The image of the shoot emerging from a stump is familiar and powerful, and speaks to the potency of the life force in all parts of the created world. What God has begun simply cannot be stymied or canceled out. That which appears to be an ending often becomes the seed of a new beginning. What happened in Jesus had been in the works for a long time, and that’s the way life in Christ continues to be. The light passes from one generation to the next, and nothing can extinguish it!

Thought for the Day: What importance does my ancestry have?

Matthew 24:42-44

“Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.” vs. 44

Today we start the season of Advent. Some will be lighting the first candle on their wreath; children are perhaps opening the first surprise on an Advent calendar. Our text is from a section of Matthew’s gospel dealing with the last days. We are being warned, it seems, to be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour. Altogether it seems a scary proposition, as though the Son of Man is an unwanted intruder, an unwelcome visitor like a thief or a robber. But maybe that’s not the way it is. After all the Son of Man is a mysterious, messianic figure having roots in the apocalyptic scenes of Daniel. And when he comes perhaps we’ll be more surprised than frightened. We do believe that the Christ continues to come in the course of daily living but sometimes we’re so caught up in the ordinary that we miss the signs of his presence. The glare of holiday lighting seems to blind us to his coming. But maybe this Advent it’ll be different–maybe this year we can look for those daily joy-filled surprises and be ready to smile and sing praises. We’ll have to be alert though, the Christ is sneaky and shows up in disguise in some pretty surprising places. Jesus just says it’ll be unexpected, but if we’re ready, we’re bound to see him. It might even be at Costco!

Thought for the Day: When have I been surprised by joy?

Matthew 24:36-41

“For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark…so too will be the coming of the Son of Man.” 38-39b

Most of the time life is pretty ordinary! Oh, there are occasional moments of transition, but mostly we spend our time routinely going about our business, taking care of self and family, and rarely thinking about stuff that might be on its way. When people kept bugging Jesus about possible dates for the coming of the Son of Man he uses the story of Noah to remind them that most people are too caught up in the present to have any worries about the future. Environmental activists know what he means. Some of them have been issuing warnings for decades and get totally frustrated when people don’t respond. It isn’t that folks aren’t aware that disasters are on the horizon–we know stuff is on the way. But in the present, life’s ordinary events are more than enough to occupy our attention. That’s why some religious types choose particular dates for the apocalyptic crises they’re predicting. It was the only way they could get anyone to pay attention. The fact that Jesus warns against such predictions doesn’t seem to bother them. Jesus advises that we should learn to be alert about the future. Life may seem ordinary now, but big things are on the way. It really would be good for us to be prepared.

Thought for the Day: What will the next big disaster be like?

Romans 13:11-14

“Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” vs. 14

As Paul writes to the Romans his carefully reasoned theological constructs are not always easy to understand, but he closes with some practical advice that is hard to misconstrue. He wants them to know that proper theology can be helpful, but it’s not the bottom line. What really counts is behavior. He believed that the end times were coming and that they should be prepared. It wasn’t the time for reckless and licentious behavior–and it certainly wasn’t the time for reveling and drunkenness. In fact he advises them to make no provision for the desires of the flesh, words that later Christians have often interpreted in excruciatingly narrow ways. Strict and austere behavior was encouraged; anything fun or pleasurable was ruled out. In our day such pietism is rare–we’re more into the “anything goes” phase of life style choices. While this move away from moralism can be understood–we no longer believe that following Jesus means stifling joy and pleasure–Paul did have a point. Our behavior does make a difference and our appetites can get out of control. Temptations abound in our world and some choices can lead us far from the path of righteousness. It isn’t that we need to behave in a particular way because the end is near–that’s a pretty hypocritical motivator. But if we really are interested in letting our Christ-light shine, there’s no substitute for simple love and tender care in all of our interactions.

Thought for the Day: When have my appetites led me astray?

John 6:25-35

“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’” vs. 35

Thanksgiving is a holiday that seems to arise naturally out of human experience–people in nearly all countries have annual festivals to give thanks for harvest blessings. Often there will be prayers offered to God, even by those who don’t typically recognize God’s existence–presumably even atheists have reason to feel thankful. And of course, there will be some sort of meal. It’s what comes naturally on Thanksgiving Day–families come together over great distances, traditionally foods are prepared, and everyone eats too much. For people of faith Thanksgiving will also be a time to recognize the spiritual blessings that God has for believers. According to John, Jesus took pains to let people know there was more to living than eating their fill of bread on a hillside.  He calls himself the bread of life and promises that whoever believed in him would never be hungry again. And it’s true! Those who have come to know Jesus as the Christ find satisfaction for their hungry hearts. In him there is forgiveness and healing. By the touch of his spirit the image of God is restored and they know perfect peace. And today every one of them will be offering to God songs of praise and prayers of thanksgiving.

Thought for the Day: For what am I most thankful today?

Philippians 4:4-9

“Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” vs. 6

Thanksgiving Eve has become a favorite time for interfaith services. It seems that we can, for at least one day, put aside differences and concentrate on that which we have in common. And that’s a good thing! All of us, regardless of religious affiliation, receive amazing blessings from God, and it’s proper for us to come together to offer our praise and thanksgiving to God. Actually, that would be a good thing for us to do every day–Paul seems to indicate that his advice is a way to avoid the pesky anxiety and worry that plagues believers on the journey. He further indicates that there’s nothing wrong with letting our requests be made known to God. Each of us have areas of dis-ease and we should feel comfortable in asking for healing and completeness, both for ourselves and for others. When we can adopt this kind of rhythm in our lives, i.e. daily prayer that includes thanksgiving and supplication, we will find ourselves well on the way to the contentment and serenity that we all crave. Who knows, we might even find ourselves spontaneously singing for joy–every day! And for those who think that Paul was being unrealistic, it’s helpful to be reminded that he offered this optimistic advice while being held in prison on trumped up charges! He’s anything but a Pollyanna!

Thought for the Day: For what do I give thanks every day?

Psalm 122

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers.’” vss. 6-7

Jerusalem was not only the capital of Judah, it was the center of worship life for all devout Jews, no matter where they lived in the world. The temple was here and three times each year there were important festivals to attend. Even today three major religious groups consider it a pilgrimage site. Here can be found the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Dome of the Rock–there is probably no more “holy” city in the entire world. Yet through the centuries it’s known anything but peace and security, having been destroyed twice, besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, and captured 44 times. It stands as a symbol, not of peace, but of the horrible violence that has accompanied the growth and influence of religion. There seems to be nothing that can incite rage and mayhem more than a desire to control fueled by religious convictions. In our history we have felt completely justified in murder, wars, and even genocide when it’s done in the name of our God. No wonder so many in our time have such contempt for religious beliefs–our record is abominable! Atheists are completely justified in pointing to religion as a root cause for much of humanity’s destructive behavior. It’s only when followers of Jesus abandon religion and begin living the Christlife that we find credibility. There’s still a chance for peace in the world, but it has to begin with us.

Thought for the Day: How can I abandon religion?

Isaiah 2:1-5

“He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” vs. 4

Isaiah believed that one day Jerusalem would be established as the hub of God’s rule. From there God would establish order and justice among the nations and there would no longer be any need for war. We’re still waiting! For many centuries that vision of beating swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks has motivated peacemakers in every land, but we haven’t come close to making it a reality. In fact, we seem to be more in love with guns and bombs than ever before. Military spending dwarfs every other item on our national budget and woe to any politician who even hints that we need to cut back. Every year tens of thousands of people are killed in wars around the world. And still we keep hoping! We know that such violence is not a part of God’s intention–all people are created in the image of God and are programmed for love and not for hate. Perhaps one day our eyes will be opened to the foolishness of this endless struggle for power and control and Isaiah’s vision will become a reality. The gift of life is so precious. It’s heartbreaking to see how accustomed we’ve become to all the killing–it’s as though it’s part of the natural order and not a senseless tragedy.

Thought for the Day: Why do some leaders love war so much?