2 Thessalonians 3:6-9

“Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they received from us.” vs. 6

Paul was not all sweetness and light in his responses to some of the issues in the congregations that he had helped to found. To say that he was direct is an under-statement, he never hesitated to issue commands when he believed there were serious issues. In this instance, he has heard that some believers in Thessalonica were quitting their jobs and living in idleness. Evidently since they believed in the imminent return of Jesus, they didn’t believe there was any need to continue working. Paul disagreed with passion–he even advised his readers to avoid such folks. Whether that was appropriate or not can be questioned, but it certainly is true that nothing undermines the morale of a congregation more than members who are all talk and no work. This isn’t so much a factor among rule-based Christians–leaders don’t tolerate non-involvement, but where grace is emphasized it can be an issue. Leaders are reluctant to say or do anything that might seem judgmental, and significant numbers of people respond by not doing their share. It’s hard to think of a good solution to this issue–in our time people pretty much do what they want–but there’s no doubt that the mission of the Church is damaged. No team can succeed when members of the team refuse to practice!

Thought for the Day: What’s the morale like in my congregation?

Psalm 98:6-9

“Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who live in it. Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing together for joy at the presence of the Lord…” vss. 7-9a

The psalmist understood that all creation had been called into being by a word from God. So when he talks about making a joyful noise to the Lord he naturally assumes that such praise would only not only come from humans but from the natural environment. Everything, rocks, hills, trees, rivers, seas–all that moves on the face of the earth, flies through the skies, and swims in the deep–all will join in singing together for joy. And why will there be such praise? Because God is present in all! Sadly this comes as new information for too many people. For centuries we’ve not recognized the Divine Presence in the world around. Oh, at various times there has been talk of Mother Earth or Gaia, but mostly such conversation has been dismissed or labelled as heresy. The result has been a sense that humans are free to exploit and ravage the environment. We cause the extinction of species, pollute the air and water, and fail to hear the cries of pain from that which we abuse. Fortunately, in recent years we’ve begun to recognize the interconnectedness of all things and realize that all creation bears the stamp of God’s presence. Life in every form is precious, and even rocks praise God with their beauty and strength!

Thought for the Day: How do trees express joy?

Psalm 98:1-5

“O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things. His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory.” vs. 1

The people of Israel regularly offered praise and thanksgiving to the Lord as they traveled to worship in the temple. Special songs were composed by the Levites and if the country had been enjoying success on the battlefield the rituals were particularly festive. They believed that any prosperity and all victories were the work of God on their behalf. Strangely, we followers of Jesus often get caught up in our experiences of pain and suffering on the journey, and spend an inordinate amount of time with laments and cries for help. But life isn’t always like that. Occasionally, and even often, we’ll be overwhelmed with the blessings that have been poured into our laps–at times we can feel exceptionally prosperous. Our families do well, our children surprise us, and even the nation seems full of goodness. It would be nice in those times that we could be as exuberant as the psalmist in singing to the Lord a new song. God does do marvelous things in our lives and in response we should raise the roofs with our shouts of joy. God gets plenty of blame in tough times–how wonderful it is to reverse the pattern and offer loud cries of praise when times are good.

Thought for the Day: When was the last time I praised God for my blessings?

Malachi 4:1-2a

But for you who revere my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings…” vs. 2a

Some prophets of Israel looked for the coming Day of the Lord, a final intervention by God in which the evil would punished and the good rewarded. There are still many who look for such a Day. Their hope is that the really bad people who are such a scourge on society would be destroyed. It’s an understandable desire. Most all folks would like for there to be some sort of ultimate justice. But there’s another vision for the future, one that doesn’t divide humanity into good and bad and require vengeance from God. Adherents of such a view see the Day of the Lord as a time of purification, a time when the stubble of our lives is burned away, and God acts with unquenchable love to cleanse all people. In Malachi’s words there would be a rising of the sun of righteousness, with healing in its wings. That’s an image worth hanging on to, one that is similar to John’s description of the Light that shines in the darkness and that cannot be overcome. Of course not all will like that picture of the future. They like the idea of division and punishment–it is after all the way of the world. But people of grace will welcome an inclusive view of the life to come. They look forward to the day when the image of God will be fully restored in sinners and all will be welcomed home.

Thought for the Day: How do I understand the Day of the Lord?

Luke 20:34-38

“Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection.” vs. 36

Like the Pharisees Jesus believed in the resurrection. He knew that there was life after death and that it was significantly different from life in this world. As to how it is different he doesn’t have a lot to say, just that there will be no such thing as marriage any longer. There are many folks who wish that he had said more–all of us would love to have more details. As it is we tend to let our imaginations provide definition. Often we hear people say that their loved ones are “looking down” on them from “up there,” wherever that may be. Sometimes they’ll say that they’ve become angels and are singing in the heavenly choirs. Many people believe that their loved ones are maintaining contact and sending signs that they’re okay and that we shouldn’t worry. Others find comfort from believing they’ve joined other family members and are enjoying amazing reunions. Of course none of our conceptions come close to the truth–there’s no way that they can. Life after death is a new existence, one that is unaffected by space and time, and we have no possible way of knowing what that will be like. Probably one of the best images we have is “entering the Light,” a description that again leaves us with more questions than answers. One day we’ll find out for sure. Until then the wondering is fine–as long as it gives us comfort!

Thought for the Day: What do I believe about life after death?

Luke 20: 27-33

“Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to him and asked him a question, ‘…the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her.’” vs. 27, 32-33

The Pharisees and Sadducees, the two major parties among the Jews, disagreed about the resurrection–for the Sadducees, since it wasn’t mentioned in the Torah, it couldn’t be true. They believed in God and followed the Law, they just believed that when a person died, that was it. So they arrange a ridiculous scenario about marriage after death and play, “Stump the Rabbi” with Jesus. Their method is familiar. There are many people in our world who have decided that the Sadducees are right, and to debunk notions about life after death they create literalistic pictures of the resurrected life that can be easily ridiculed. That didn’t work with Jesus and it shouldn’t work with us either. The truth is that there are no logical, objective arguments either for or against life after death–it’s totally a matter of trust. Either we believe or we don’t–the decision comes from our hearts and not from our heads. Those who believe in life after death trust in the continuing presence of Jesus Christ in their lives and they believe that when their life on earth is ended they will be welcomed into that eternal presence and find perfect rest and peace. There’s power in such trust–and comfort when death draws near–even if we can’t prove it! It’s certainly a belief worth hanging on to!

Thought for the Day: Why do I believe in the resurrection?

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.” vss. 16-17

Paul has so much to say to this little congregation. He wishes he could be there to give them instruction and keep them connected to the true gospel. Sometimes his letters to those early Christians were harsh and full of judgment–he felt he needed to be blunt and offer warnings–there were so many false teachers on the prowl. But he also had a pastor’s heart. He knows that the gospel was rooted in grace and based on God’s unconditional love, and he wants that good news to make a difference in the lives of his readers. More than anything he wants them to have eternal comfort and hope as they continue to fill their days with good works and words of love. None of us have a timetable for the future, but we do have a calling for the present. Each day there are deeds to be done and words to be said, and we are in charge of what we do and say. As we grow in our relationship to Jesus and come to know his will and his ways we will be conformed to him. Through the presence and work of his Spirit Jesus Christ will act  and speak through us, and blessings for all will abound. It’s the best life imaginable!

Thought for the Day: How well have I been conformed to Jesus?

2 Thessalonians 2:1-5

“As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we beg you…not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by letter…to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here.” vss. 1-2

Even  though we have a grasp of history and understand that human beings have been around for a long time, we have a tough time with the future. Aside from science fiction buffs most of us can’t imagine out beyond a generation or two. That’s one of the reasons we can’t seem to get to excited about the long-term effects of environmental damage. Anything that’s out there more than a dozen years seems unreal–and doesn’t spur us to change. That’s also the reason folks in the early church looked for the imminent return of Jesus–if it didn’t happen soon there wasn’t much point in even talking about it. As a result all kinds of theories about his coming were floated around, so much so that Paul had to tell the folks in Thessalonica to settle down and not believe everything that they heard. Our generation is no different–believers love to interpret current events as being signs of the last days. But the truth is that we humans are going to be around far longer than we can even imagine–and the things we do now are going to have an effect, for better or for worse, on folks living hundreds of years in the future. 

Thought for the Day: What will life be like for our great, great grandchildren?

Psalm 17:6-9

“Guard me as the apple of the eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings, from the wicked who despoil me, my deadly enemies who surround me.” vss. 8-9

We live in a dangerous world and the psalmist knew it–likely he’d experienced the pain and suffering that can come our way. He craved the assurance of God’s protection in time of danger and so do we all! We know that we are precious to God, each of us are crafted in God’s image, and we bear the stamp of the divine. The light of Christ dwells within us! Surely then, it will be as the psalmist prayed, we will be guarded as the apple of God’s eye. Indeed that is our most fervent prayer–”deliver us from evil–save us from the time of trial.” Again and again we pray, and not only for ourselves, but for those we love so much–children, grandchildren, dear friends. “O Lord God,” we ask daily, “keep these dear ones safe. Guard them and keep them from any harm.” Mostly we don’t know what else to do. We only know that these dear children of God are precious, and we can’t by our own efforts, keep them safe. We are forced by our own inadequacy to offer them up to God’s care, knowing full well that sometimes our prayers are not enough and ugly things happen. But still we keep on praying–quite literally, there is nowhere else that we can go, nothing more that can be done! O Lord have mercy–and hear our prayer!

Thought for the Day: Why do we keep praying for those we love?

Psalm 17:1-5

“If you try my heart, if you visit me by night, if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me; my mouth does not transgress.” vs. 3

Some of us are quite accustomed to feeling guilty! We know that we sin against God and one another in countless ways, and are regularly reminded of our shortcomings when we worship. Over and over we’ve said the self-condemning words in the confession and our self-image is affected. Sometimes even when we hear the good news of forgiveness, the weight of guilt remains. So it comes as a bit of a surprise in this text  to encounter a psalmist who isn’t burdened by guilt. In fact, he welcomes nightly tests from God and is confident that God will find no wickedness in his actions or in his speech. The context tells us that he’s engaged in a bit of bargaining with God. Having experienced injustice he’s making a case for God’s intervention on his behalf. He reasons that since he is beyond reproach and his opponents are scoundrels, God is bound to hear his prayer. It’s a familiar argument, one that we may have used ourselves in our discussions with God about justice. Even when we have feelings of guilt it wouldn’t be unusual to believe that we deserve a good break or two from God. And even if we don’t get our way, in the long run, the way we speak and act does make a difference.

Thought for the Day: On a scale of 1 – 10, where do I rank on the goodness scale?