Revelation 22:1-5

“And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” vs. 5

It’s hard not to think of death as we look toward the future. All of us have had loved ones die, and we know that one day our time will come too. It’s inevitable and no matter how hard we try, no matter what kind of medicines we take, there’s no way to avoid the “grim reaper.” Many people find comfort in the face of death by hanging on to a strong conviction that one day they will experience new life, and some have a vivid sense of what that life will be like. They imagine scenes of laughter and play in the presence of long departed parents and children. There’ll be banquets, heavenly choirs, and maybe angels floating by on clouds playing harps. It’s natural to have such things come to mind, but most all of us know that there are no earthly delights that can capture the heavenly experiences that are to come. John’s best metaphor was light and he’s not talking about sunshine or days at the beach. This is the light that swallowed up darkness on the first day of creation and it was present long before sun, moon, or stars. This is the Light of Christ and it has the power to devour death in all its manifestations. And knowing this really is enough! It’s all the comfort that people of faith need when death comes near!

Thought for the Day: What gives me comfort in the face of death?

 Revelation 21:10, 22-27

“I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb.” vss. 22-23

John’s vision of the new Jerusalem would have been hard for faithful Jews to comprehend. The temple had been the center of their life together for centuries and it had been destroyed by the Romans. Many hoped for its restoration. But not John! As he peered into the mysteries of the future he was confident that a new creation was coming and all things would come together in the Lord God and the Lamb. The Light that shone so brightly in the beginning of creation would be there at the end. His vision is potent and even if his metaphors seem strange we know that he spoke the truth. Ultimately pure Light will triumph…and darkness will be no more. Of course we don’t know when that will be…endings are always shrouded in mystery. But as we continue in Christ we can know that we’ll not be left behind. Buildings and denominations will come and go…creeds will be debated and then forgotten…new images and concepts will emerge. And day by day, century by century, millenia by millenia, the Light will grow increasingly bright…and we’re not going to miss a thing! The glory of God will be ours!

Thought for the Day: Why do some think that the End is near?

Psalm 67

“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations.” vss. 1-2

The psalmist’s words remind us of the benediction that is frequently said at the close of our worship services. For some pastors it’s the highlight of the day, a final chance to ask that God’s face would shine upon the faithful, that they would know in their hearts that they are loved and blessed. It really is good to know that God smiles on us, that there is always a never-ending stream of grace and love coming our way even on our bad days. The psalmist adds a petition to the blessing that reminds us that there’s a purpose in God’s loving kindness and that it’s destined for all nations. When things work the way they’re supposed to God’s smile will be mirrored from us to others. To put it another way, the Light of Christ is reflected from our shining faces into the hurting hearts of those around us. Through us the Christ becomes the salvation of the world.That might sound like a burden to some, just another thing to feel guilty about, but that’s not the way it is. This isn’t another rule or commandment to follow, it’s simply something that happens when God’s face shines on us. God’s love lights up our lives and observers can’t help but see it.

Thought for the Day: How come some religious people are so grumpy?

Acts 16:14-15

“When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.’ And she prevailed upon us.” vs. 15

We don’t know much about Lydia, only that she was a prosperous businesswoman in  Philippi, and a worshipper of God. She had encountered Paul along the river on the sabbath and had been moved by the Spirit to seek baptism for herself and her household. Not only that, she had offered her home to Paul and his friends as a lodging place, the first century equivalent of an Airbnb…and she wouldn’t take “no” for an answer. Her warm hospitality was undoubtedly one of the reasons Paul always remembered the Philippians with joy and considered them a shining light among the newly formed Christian communities. Strong forceful women of faith have always been at the forefront of outreach and evangelism among followers of Jesus. Even when the patriarchal system has sought to stifle the independent voices of women in the church, leaders like Lydia have found ways to connect with the Christ in new and exciting ways. Most of us have grown up in congregations with such female leaders. They may not have been pastors but they embodied the heart and the mind of Jesus and made sure their households were baptized and taught to walk in his loving ways. Their faithfulness is beyond reproach!

Thought for the Day: What strong women have nurtured my faith?

Acts 16:9-13

“On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there.” vs. 13

Paul didn’t have much of an itinerary for his missionary journeys…he simply went wherever the Spirit guided him…and he paid attention to dreams! When a man appeared in a vision imploring him to come to Macedonia he dropped everything and caught a ship to Philippi, a new Roman city, where he found some women gathered for prayer on the banks of the river outside the gates. Paul was outside familiar territory. There was no synagogue here and no established Jewish community, but that didn’t keep him from his sabbath routine. He found a place and a people with whom he could worship and pray. Some of us know what that is about. We too are often on the move in the course of our lifetimes, sometimes for business and pleasure, and occasionally outside of our comfort zones. What a blessing it is to be able to keep the sabbath on those trips and find a faith community for worship and prayer! It’s in those moments that we discover the full extent of the Body of Christ and begin to realize that the Spirit is working everywhere on the planet. We have sisters and brothers in every nook and cranny of the globe and together we are the hope of the world.

Thought for the Day: Where do I worship when I’m traveling?

John 13:34-35

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” vs. 35

During those exciting first centuries of the Church’s existence apostles and evangelists went all over the Mediterranean world and beyond proclaiming the powerful message of God’s universal grace and unconditional love. Thousands were convicted by the Spirit and were baptized into the Body of Christ. And then the leaders of these fledgling faith communities, anxious about questions of power and influence, began to worry about matters of doctrine and definition. Creeds were adopted, heresies defined, and heretics excluded. In a heartbeat those credal statements became the defining standards of the Church and the faithful were taught that orthodox beliefs were the exclusive mark of discipleship. This shift didn’t happen overnight but once the pattern was established it has proved to be remarkably resilient. The result has been a proliferation of denominations most of which have claimed to be the true manifestation of the Church on earth. The loss of energy and momentum has been breathtaking and the image of the Church has been sullied. In our time there have been remarkable signs of hope as more and more followers of Jesus reclaim their identity as lovers. We might never agree with one another about matters of doctrine but we can certainly be bound together by love. It’s as we put aside our differences and embrace love that we discover our true identity as the Light of Christ.

Thought for the Day: How do I deal with those who don’t believe as I do?

John 13:31-34

“When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him.’” vs. 31

Typically the word “glorified” is used to describe something that has been elevated beyond its natural state. To achieve glory to be honored and acclaimed in the sight of our peers, and is something that many of us seek. John tells us that Jesus was glorified by God and that God was glorified in him, and we’re not surprised. Jesus was a pretty spectacular fellow. But what does surprise is that the moment of glorification is Judas’ betrayal! It’s not what we would expect, but it’s exactly how God operates. One of the two great truths of human existence is that we are drawn closer to God and to one another, not in times of triumph or success, but in the moments of pain and suffering. In rejection and betrayal, in sickness and in death, our individual achievements and reasons for boasting melt away and we find our consolation in the hugs that come from the compassionate presence of Christ as channeled through our friends and neighbors. In that vulnerable state we discover the second great truth, the unconditional love that binds us together as one community of faith. Through our suffering and our loving we are drawn into the glorified presence of God where we too are glorified together with Jesus and all the saints.

Thought for the Day: Why do the benefits of suffering go unappreciated?

Revelation 21:1-6

“And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” vs. 2

In the final sequence of his vision John speaks of a glorious future, not one in which humans go to heaven to be with God, but one in which God comes to dwell with us. Quite simply, “the dwelling place of God is with mortals;” we belong together and one day there will be a grand union of God and humanity, what some have called the Omega Point of history. John uses the imagery of marriage to describe this great coming together…the holy city appears as a bride adorned for her husband. It’s a fitting metaphor, one that is used in the letter to the Ephesians, where the bride is the Church and Christ the bridegroom. Indeed, marriage is the relationship that, at its best, simply reeks of self-giving love. In a good marriage husbands and wives lose track of themselves, put aside their self-serving behaviors, and willingly give their hearts to the other. Unhealthy dualistic thinking is put aside in favor of a glorious unity, a relationship in which both partners can find the companionship that is the Divine Intention for living in this world. The two become one and in so doing get a taste of unparalleled love and affection. It’s a glimpse of heaven on earth, and a foretaste of the life to come.

Thought for the Day: What makes a marriage strong?

Psalm 148:7-14

“Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps, Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars! Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds! Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth!” vss. 7, 9, 10, 11

The psalmist hadn’t likely studied theology or anthropology, but he did have a strong conviction that all things had been brought into existence by the word of the Lord and therefore had a natural inclination to offer praise to their Creator. Put in more contemporary terms we can say that the DNA of God has been poured into creation, and even more precisely, that the creation is the first incarnation of God. Some of us have only heard the word  “incarnation” used in connection with Jesus, that in him the divine became human. While certainly that is true and important to us as followers of Jesus, it’s also exciting to think of the universe itself as revealing the stamp of God’s presence. Certainly such an understanding adds to the appreciation of our natural and social environment. The “stuff” of our daily lives, every bit of it, carries with it the essence of God. Every marigold, poppy, eucalyptus, labrador, javelina, pigeon, pelican, and irritating neighbor is of God and in God. On our daily walks and drives, when we expand our sense of the Other to include all that is around us, our perceptions, behaviors, and attitudes will change. God moves from “out there” to “right here” and we are blessed!

Thought for the Day: If all things come from God, where does evil come from?

Psalm 148:1-6

“Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created.” vs. 5

The psalmist knew that all things in the universe have their origin in God: stars, planets, angels, sun, moon…all things! By the word of the Lord they were created, and in the name of the Lord they offer praise and thanksgiving. Our eyes have become dulled to the connection between God and the stuff of the universe. Sometimes we even imagine that humans alone have any kind of God connection, forgetting that the creation existed long before we arrived on the scene. But when  we see the pictures sent back by space telescopes and exploring vehicles of exploration we can’t help but be inspired by the sheer beauty and symmetry of it all. In the vibrant colors and explosions of light we see the testimony referred to by the psalmist. Truly the heavens are declaring the glory of God…and it happens every day! We too are marvelous creations of the Lord, products of an ongoing creation that daily brings forth life for us to use and to enjoy. How blessed we are to be alive in this magnificent universe! How much more blessed we are when our eyes are opened and we are able to delight in its beauty! May we be at least as faithful as the sun, moon, and stars in offering daily praises to the Author of Life!

Thought for the Day: When am I most likely to offer praise to our Creator?