Genesis 43:3-11, 15

“I myself will be surety for him; you can hold me accountable for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.” vs. 9

Not too many years before Judah and his brothers had contrived to sell their father’s favorite son, Joseph, into slavery. The story of Joseph’s rise to a position of prominence in Egypt is well-known, as is the famine-driven trip of the brothers and their reunion with Joseph, who they fail to recognize. Joseph contrives a test for them and sends them back to their father to retrieve his much loved son, Benjamin. And now, Judah, speaking for his brothers shows that he has changed. He promises himself as surety for his little brother. Such things do happen in our world. People do change. The sins of our youth can be cast aside as we are transformed in the image of the Christ. In recent years our society has shown a reluctance to believe the repentant. There’s little inclination to extend forgiveness, even if there’s clear evidence of remorse and repentance. To some extent we can understand this on a political level…the accusations are a part of the game. But it’s sad when such skepticism dominates our relationships and we regularly deny the possibility of redemption even for those we love. We can change! And when it happens it is something to be celebrated and not doubted.

Thought for the Day: Where have I seen profound change in a person’s life?

Luke 6:24-26

“But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.” vs. 24

A series of warnings immediately following a list of  blessings is not unusual in the Hebrew scriptures. The prophets used that tactic regularly in delivering their oracles. But Luke is the only gospel that has Jesus using this method. In his Sermon on the Plain Jesus follows his favorable assessment of the poor with cutting words for the rich and the prosperous. Naturally American Christians tend to ignore his words…we have learned from a young age that wealth is to be desired and that bountiful blessings await those who can turn hard work and clever investing into massive profits. We honor the rich and do all we can to ease their burdens. It’s doubtful that Jesus would be impressed! He would agree that those who are wealthy can live comfortably and enjoy their place of privilege. But he would be quick to add that life is more than riches and that the pursuit of wealth is a futile foolish enterprise…amassing a fortune can never bring spiritual satisfaction. So what then should we who have “gotten ours” do with what we’ve accumulated? Jesus’ likely answer to that question is disconcerting, “Give it away…get rid of it!” Few people will do that! It’s just too hard to give away what we’ve spent a lifetime getting. We’d rather test the truth of his words. Maybe he’s wrong and we can take it with us!

Thought for the Day: How much do I really need to live a comfortable life?

Luke 6:20-23

“Then he looked up at his disciples and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” vs. 20

The beatitudes that open the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew are well-known to most Christians. There’s a beautiful symmetry in his account of Jesus’ description of his followers and it’s a favorite text for All-Saint’s Day. Luke also makes reference to the beatitudes as he recounts what is known as Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain. The first thing to note is that some words are left out of the first beatitude. It’s no longer “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” but “Blessed are the poor.” It isn’t that Luke believes Jesus doesn’t have empathy for those struggling with spiritual frailty…but he definitely wants us to know that Jesus cares deeply for those living in material poverty. That’s important information for those of us who are enjoying relative prosperity as we struggle in our life of discipleship. If we are truly committed to living as his presence in the world we will do everything we can locally and globally to address the needs of those who struggle with basic needs for food, housing, and healthcare. We will be encouraging legislatures to adopt budgets with ample provisions for meeting economic needs. We’ll support social service agencies and hunger relief programs with generous donations. The poor are always with us, and if they are to be truly blessed it will be through our hands and assistance.

Thought for the Day: What am I doing to help the poor?  

 Luke 6:17-19

“They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured.” vs. 18

During his ministry Jesus functioned both as a teacher and a healer. Luke says that great multitudes of people gathered to hear him speak and to seek healing from various diseases…and he didn’t let them down. They eagerly received his words of insight and wisdom and believed that he spoke with authority…a refreshing change from their scribes who merely rehashed old teachings and repeated old laws. But they were likely more interested in the power they felt in his presence, a healing power that brought liberation from unclean spirits and release from their ailments. As we walk in the way of Jesus we continue to look to him for guidance and direction…and we pray our hearts out for the people around us who struggle with illness and addiction. We know that there is power in the Divine Presence and that as hurting souls experience the Christ who dwells in and around us there will be healing of the mind and body. While we are grateful for hospitals, labs, and physicians for the amazing treatments that have been developed through the years to make our lives better, we also know that true healing comes from God. That’s why we continue our prayers! When offered with love they represent Christ’s restorative presence in our world and are the strength of our faith community.

Thought for the Day: How have my prayers for healing made a difference?

1 Corinthians 15:16-20

“If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.” vs. 17

For Paul God’s greatest act of love was forgiveness and he often speaks of Jesus’ death on the cross as the atoning sacrifice that removed our sins. In this passage however he links forgiveness to resurrection and says that if Christ had not been raised we would still be in our sins. In other words, the cross would be pointless if it weren’t for the open tomb. It’s important for us to remember this as we continue our journey. Too often we spend our time looking back and trying to remember our sins, perhaps even enumerating them so we can get absolution and be made pure. But maybe it’s more important to be looking forward as we move through our days. What God promises is not just cleansing, but a whole new life. We are walking into transformation and day by day are being remade in the image of Christ by the work of the Holy Spirit. Of course it’s a good thing to be able to live free of guilt, but it’s even better to live in anticipation of being a re-creation and a new person. Today is Valentine’s Day. Some of us will get special cards from our lovers. Our best valentine is Jesus, the heart of God enfleshed, and in him our faith is not futile. Our sins have been forgiven and in him we’re getting new hearts, transplants that will last forever.

Thought for the Day: Who is my special valentine?

1 Corinthians 15:12-15

“and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain.” vs. 14

Paul had had an encounter with the resurrected Christ. It was the realest thing he had ever experienced and he couldn’t believe that there were some who insisted that there was no such thing as resurrection. When he heard that some such folks were tickling the ears of the Corinthians with their speculations he battled back. It was true that within Judaism there had been many who didn’t believe in resurrection but for Paul it wasn’t even a debating point. He knew Christ was alive. To deny the resurrection would have destroyed the heart of the gospel. It would have undermined his proclamation and been a stumbling block to faith. Today followers of Jesus continue to proclaim the resurrection with confidence and to celebrate Easter with gusto. We won’t always agree on the meaning of resurrection and that’s okay. Describing the indescribable is always a challenge…even the stories of the early witnesses have significant differences. But we are one in proclaiming that the Christ is alive and we look forward to our own resurrections. While it is true that our calling and work is to engage in kingdom living in the present, we are grateful that when the end comes and death comes, we will know new life. For some that’s the one hope that keeps them going through tough times!

Thought for the Day: How important is resurrection to me?

Psalm 1

“Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” vss. 5-6

This psalmist lived in a black and white world, rigidly divided between the righteous and the wicked. It’s a way of thinking familiar to us. We love to make distinctions and, while we pay lip service to the notion that all are sinners, in reality that’s not how we think. In our minds there are good and bad people and we have pretty strong convictions about who belongs in each category. It’s natural then that we resonate with the portions of scripture that support that view…and there are plenty to choose from. That was the general position of the religion that Jesus grew up with and he was doubtless familiar with this psalm…which makes the way he lived his life all the more remarkable! He habitually drew the ire of the righteous folks by hanging out with sinners and even eating with them. There’s a lesson in his example for us. Too often we go to scripture to find verses that back up our particular prejudice or world view and forget that we don’t have to believe something just because it’s in the bible. We can study difficult verses like these from Psalm 1 and understand that they reflect a common human belief…and then go on to embrace the Way of Jesus in dealing with the matter of good and bad people.

Thought for the Day: Who are the wicked in our world?

Jeremiah 17:5-10

“Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream.” vss. 7-8a

Jeremiah understood that faith is trust and more particularly, trust in the Lord. He based his declaration on his observation of the people he was encountering in his ministry. Those whose trust was in the Lord and not in mere mortals were blessed, and it was obvious to all those who knew them. They lived with confidence in the midst of uncertainty, their spirits fed by regular communion with the indwelling Divine Presence. We continue to see those blessings in the lives of those who know that there is more to life than meets the eye and who understand that energy for fruitful living comes directly from our ever present Lord. They live with a sense of serenity and peace, not being swung to and fro by the machinations of politicians or market manipulators, fully in the world but not tempted or led astray by its false promises and faulty logic. In their presence we feel the strength of their loving convictions and sense kindness that is rooted in the compassion of Jesus. Like a tree planted by water that sends out its roots by the stream, they find strength in their connections to the living water that comes through meditation and prayer. Their influence permeates the community and through them all of us are blessed.

Thought for the Day: Where are my roots planted?

Luke 5:6-11

“But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!’” vs. 8

When Simon Peter catches a glimpse of the Divine Presence in Jesus his immediate response is to ask him to go away, a request that reminds us of Isaiah’s call story some centuries before. It’s a reaction that many can understand, especially if we have a sense of our own unworthiness and impurity, a self image that stems from repeated reminders in the course of a lifetime that we are sinful and unclean. As “dirty rotten sinners” we can find it hard to believe that we have any business even standing in the presence of the Holy. It blows our minds to discover that the Holy One not only tolerates our presence but welcomes us as beloved children. Jesus didn’t obey Peter…he stayed in the boat and commissioned him as a disciple. Of course Peter wasn’t purified…we’re very aware of the stories of his denial during Jesus’ trial. But that didn’t keep  him from serving…we don’t need to be pure in order to love. All God is looking for is a joyful response from those who are called, “Here I am, O God, send me!” God can use even the impure in the ministry of transformation. And as we fix our eyes upon Jesus in our daily walk we are changed into his image and become the light of the world.

Thought for the Day: Why are people more likely to see themselves as sinners rather than saints?

 Luke 5:1-5

“He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.” vs. 3

After being run out of his hometown Jesus goes to Capernaum, a town on the Sea of Galilee not too far from Nazareth. Again people are very interested in what he has to say and crowd him right off the shore and into a boat. Simon is the owner of the boat and does what he can to accommodate the teaching rabbi. Little did he know that this first encounter would turn into a life of discipleship. By welcoming Jesus into his boat Simon took the first step on the Way and it turned out to be an incredible adventure. That’s how it is with Jesus. He invites himself into our lives and never leaves. One day we’re going about our business and the next we’re sacrificing everything for the sake of our Jesus connection. The whole trajectory of our lives is changed by the unchanging Divine Presence and we embark on a daily journey of loving and serving. At first Simon likely thought Jesus’ commandeering of his boat to be a nuisance…it took him away from his planned schedule. Later he likely realized that this was the best day of his life. That’s what life with Jesus is like. What seems bothersome, an unwelcome interruption, turns out to be the turning point of our lives!

Thought for the Day: How has Jesus changed my life?