Psalm 118:21-32

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” vs. 24

An increasing number of people are uncomfortable using religious language in their daily lives, some because they don’t believe in God and others because they have abandoned religion in favor of what they call spirituality. As a result they are limited in their ability to express wonder at the sheer gift of life. Presumably even atheists and agnostics appreciate being alive in such a spectacular and beautiful universe. Even if they ascribe its existence to sheer chance and deny any transcendent power, being alive is a pretty awesome experience. And none of us earned the life we have…everything we see, smell, hear, touch, or feel is a gift. So who or what does an unbeliever or a skeptic thank for so great a gift? Or isn’t thanksgiving necessary? The psalmist wasn’t troubled by such questions…and he had no doubts about who he should thank! His words have been used by millions through the centuries as the very best way to greet the morning. “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” It’s possible to plod along through life whining and complaining, and showing no appreciation for blessings, but what a shallow and ungrateful way to live! Even birds start the day with songs of joy…surely humans can do the same. It might even change the way we live!

Thought for the Day: What is my morning prayer?

Psalm 118:14-20

“Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.” vs. 19

The psalmist had been through some tough days but he knew for certain that the Lord was his salvation. With confidence and boldness he now asks that the gates of righteousness would be opened to him. No longer wracked by guilt or self-doubt he knows that he is one of the righteous…he has direct access to the Lord. While the psalmist’s metaphors may seem strange they do speak to us of an important truth. Because the Lord is our salvation there’s no reason for us to demean ourselves with negative self-talk or pointless recriminations. There’s no need for any of us to grovel before God and revel in our sinfulness. To use an old image, we are the redeemed! We are choice creations of the Lord, the apple of God’s eye, and we need to learn to act like it. Of course we will disappoint ourselves and others with thoughtless and selfish deeds and words, but that’s not the last word about who we are. What a blessing it is when, like the psalmist, we can approach God with confidence knowing that we are both loved and forgiven. We children of God are beautiful!  What a difference it makes to know that in our hearts! We can hold our heads high, put smiles on our faces, and smother the world with love! Such is our calling and our purpose!

Thought for the Day: How do I present myself to the world? As a slumping sinner or a proud saint?

Acts 5:29-32

“But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than any human authority.’” vs. 29

Peter and the apostles didn’t hesitate when they were challenged by the high priest and told to stop ministering to the sick and teaching in the temple. They had a higher calling…their allegiance was to Jesus and not to any temporal or religious authorities. Through the centuries the faithful have continued to model that commitment whenever the laws or teachings of the world have come into conflict with the principles of the kingdom of God. Many became martyrs…others were ostracized…always they have demonstrated that they are not the puppets of any political leaders. In our day we’ve seen such servants of God engage in protests, break unjust laws, and regularly participate in acts of civil disobedience. It’s what followers of Jesus do. They won’t put up with corrupt, immoral, or unethical leaders. They won’t turn a blind eye to those who use laws to abuse the weak and enrich the powerful. What a blessing such persons are in this age of expediency when integrity and honesty are regularly set aside for the sake of financial or political gain! It’s not easy to speak the truth to power when lies and deception are the order of the day. But when Christ is loose in the world truthing happens in the most unlikely places. Ordinary men and women stand tall and proud for Jesus’ sake, and bit by bit the kingdom comes on earth as well as in heaven.

Thought for the Day:  When have I obeyed God rather than a human authority?

Luke 24:1-12

“But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.” vs. 12

The disciples initially dismissed the women’s story of their visit to the tomb of Jesus as a fanciful tale. But Peter had second thoughts and decided to check out what they had said. He was amazed to find the tomb exactly as they had described it…so he did as any of us might of done. He went home! In fact, that’s probably what most of us will do today after our worship. We’ll sing the joyful songs, listen to the story, ponder a sermon about the triumph of life, and then go home…or maybe out to brunch. It’s what we do on Easter Sunday! Peter likely stayed at home trying to figure things out, and that wouldn’t be a bad idea for us either. Too often we take the news of resurrection pretty lightly…we hear the same story year after year and we get back into our routines pretty quickly. We may not dismiss the news as an idle tale but neither do we get very excited about it. The proclamation of new life really deserves better. Peter’s life was changed forever by the Risen Christ…and the same can happen for us. Christ is alive and loose in the world…and awaits our contemplation.

Thought for the Day: Where will I meet the Risen Christ today?

Ezekiel 37:1-14

“Then he said to me, ‘Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.”’” vs. 11

The Israelites living in Babylon had given up hope. They and their descendants would die in the land of captivity and they would never know the land of promise. The prophet Ezekiel paints another picture for them. The Lord would breathe on them and they would be restored to their homeland. Like the bones in the barren valley they would regain sinew and flesh and the spirit of God would give them new life. Today is Holy Saturday. We’ve heard the awful story of Good Friday and Easter is yet to come. Death has come…life awaits…but it still hasn’t arrived! Some wonder if it’s ever going to come at all. They know all about the darkness of the grave…that’s where they live. They’ve known suffering, betrayal, pain, death…disappointment is an everyday visitor. When those dark days succeed one another in a relentless pattern such persons find it really hard to hang on to hope. Even Easter seems like a fantasy, a kind of wishful thinking conjured up by well-meaning religious folks to lift them from their doldrums. But no one stays in the grave forever! One day even the hopeless will hear the wind of the spirit begin to blow and they’ll feel the breath of God…and Easter will be a reality!

Thought for the Day: What does hopelessness feel like?

Psalm 22

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?…Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.” vss. 1, 3

When we get a good dose of suffering on the discipleship trail it’s not unusual to feel as though we’ve lost touch with God. We wonder why rotten things are happening in our lives and, even though we know better, the word “why” keeps coming to our lips. Those days can be excruciatingly painful and the feelings of alienation and separation hang with us through each passing hour. Some have reported finding consolation in the initial words of Psalm 22, the same words Jesus used as he hung on the cross…his only words according to Matthew and Mark. It’s not just that misery loves company, though that may be a factor, but we really do connect with him in a new and intimate way. “Wow,” we think to ourselves, “so this is how Jesus felt!” It’s important for us to remember in those moments that Jesus, like the psalmist, uttered those words in the context of a deep and abiding faith. Even though Jesus in that moment felt estranged from God he also knew that God was majestic and holy, greater than any imperial power, even more powerful than death itself. That’s our hope too in our moments of darkness. Beyond our suffering there is new life…and a love that will conquer all.

Thought for the Day: Why does misery love company?

John 13:31b-35

“Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’” vs. 33

Goodbyes are never easy! And the ones we say toward the close of our lives are probably the hardest of all. Sometimes we don’t know if we’ll ever see this person that we’ve loved so much ever again. Maybe distance is the factor…many times it’s age. We have the sense that death is going to come…never again will there be conversation or hugs. The disciples must have had those premonitions as they gathered with Jesus in that upper room for their Passover meal. Jesus certainly knew that time was short. Words said in those last encounters are important…they often are emblazoned in our memories. The disciples never forgot what Jesus told them in that last time together…and neither should we. “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” These words were intended by Jesus to be the identifying mark of his followers. As we practice this directive in our congregations we provide a witness to the world and fulfill the deepest desires of our Lord and Teacher. Even though Jesus died he continues to be present to us in the love we have for one another…and it’s for this reason that this day is called “Maundy Thursday.”

Thought for the Day: What does the word “Maundy” mean?

Hebrews 12:1-3

“Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart.” vs. 3

Most of us will, at one time or another in the course of our lifetimes, discover that there are people who have it in for us. Sometimes we’ll know the reason. We’ve done or said something that has caused offense and the victims are simply getting even as best they can. Their rationale is obvious: we’ve hurt them, and now they’re going to inflict some pain in return. But at other times we really don’t know what the problem is…we just know that there’s real hostility in each of our encounters. That’s kind of the way it is in this world when the tentacles of sin can insinuate themselves into most every relationship. Our journey is never without complications. The writer of Hebrews offers some direction to readers. Likening life to a race he advises them to run with Jesus and to remember that Jesus too faced hostility along the way. If it happened to him we can be pretty sure that we who bear his name will face the same challenges. It’s just part of the job description! Jesus didn’t lose heart…and neither should we! Living by faith we slog our way through the toughest times with confidence. In Christ we’re all going to be winners!

Thought for the Day: When have I encountered hostility in life?

Psalm 71:1-14

‘Upon you I have leaned from my birth; it was you who took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is continually of you…Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength is spent.” vss. 6, 9

Not everyone comes to faith as a child. Many followers of Jesus report that their parents gave them little spiritual direction as they grew up and that they were left to make their own decisions about how to live and what to believe. It was only after experimenting with a variety of life-styles that they discovered the Jesus Way and made a conscious decision to become a disciple. Other folks have had a different experience. They’ve never known a time when God wasn’t at the center of their consciousness. From the time of their birth they’ve felt a connection and have always made an effort to walk in the way of the Christ. That kind of long-term relationship with God is such a blessing…and sometimes those who have lived that way don’t even realize how special it is. It becomes particularly important as we move into the time of life when strength fails us and we feel the effects of physical aging. The psalmist prayed that God would continue to offer peace and support in those years when his physical body began to wear out. After all, it’s at that stage of our lives that faith is our most precious possession, the one thing that can’t be taken from us.

Thought for the Day: When did I first realize how precious faith is?

Isaiah 42:1-9

“Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it:” vs. 5

The prophet knew that the Creator of the Universe had given spirit to every breathing person on the planet. That spirit is our God connection and is humanity’s common inheritance. It doesn’t just belong to Christians, Jews, Buddhists, or Muslims…it belongs to us all. Of course many people of all races and creeds live as though they have no relationship to God. Some are caught up in the desires of the flesh and even deny that God exists. Those who do have a spirit consciousness have a special calling. As the prophet puts it, they have been given as “a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.” It’s no accident that this sounds very much like the mission that dominated the ministry of Jesus. In him, and in us, the spirit of God has been enfleshed and through us light shines. The world would like us to believe that all is darkness and terror. That’s just not true! The light is shining brightly in every land…and if we open our eyes we’ll see it!

Thought for the Day: Where is the light shining in my neighborhood?