1 Corinthians 15:1-11

“For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” vs. 9

Paul occasionally drops autobiographical material into his writings and what he says about himself usually corresponds to what we read about him in Acts. Initially he had no love for the church and actively participated in the persecution of its members. All that changed with his personal encounter with the Risen Christ, an revelation similar to that which had been experienced by the leaders of the church in Jerusalem. From that point on Paul was an energized missionary, working harder than anyone to spread the good news of Jesus. Some would even say that he was the founder of Christianity, the guiding force behind its development and growth. He never forgot his past nor did he ever try to cover it up. Everyone knew his story. In one sense he didn’t feel he deserved to be an apostle…he didn’t have the credentials. But that didn’t keep him from working night and day to pass on the good news of life and salvation. In our time we mistrust redemption stories. We’re reluctant to believe that anyone can change and love the dirt that can be dug up about our politicians and leaders. Our investigators would have had a field day with Paul…but he wouldn’t have cared. He knew what he had been and he knew what he had become by the grace of God. Nothing could keep him from his appointed mission.

Thought for the Day: Why are redemption stories treated with skepticism?

Psalm 138:5-8

“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” vs. 8

We have a tendency to obsess about God’s will for our lives, imagining perhaps that God has some special plan that we’re not seeing, a purpose that will elevate our status in the kingdom. The psalmist doesn’t seem to be troubled by such a notion; he has perfect confidence that the Lord will do with him what needs to be done. His life is an instrument in the hands of the Lord; the Lord brought him into existence, equipped him with gifts for compassion and loving, and will use him as needed. God’s purpose may not be spectacular, the writing of 95 theses, for instance, but we can be sure that as we walk our ordinary ways, we’ll make a difference for good. As someone has said, “God doesn’t make junk!” Indeed, each of us is a special creation, particularly made with infinite care, and in the strands of our DNA God has planted seeds that will produce a rich harvest. We’ve been programmed for good works and when we surrender our wills our Lord will use us to touch hurting lives every single day. There’ll even be a benefit in our own lives…there’s nothing that brings more satisfaction than bringing hope and comfort to people needing a reassuring word or smile. What we do may not seem like much, but God working through us can change the world.

Thought for the Day: How did God use me yesterday?

Psalm 138:1-4

“On the day I called, you answered me, you increased my strength of soul.” vs. 3

Even though countless books have been written about prayer and its efficacy, we still wonder from time to time if it really makes any difference. Often we pray for God’s intervention and nothing seems to happen…answers are unsatisfying and we question whether God has even heard. Presumably the psalmist had similar experiences but on at least one day he found great satisfaction…even if he didn’t get the answer he wanted. He discovered that God had responded to his call by increasing his strength of soul! Somehow in the process of his meditation and prayer he had felt empowered at the core of his being. That same sort of thing happens regularly in the lives of those who take time with God on a regular basis. As they turn over their cares to the Divine Presence and reflect on those things which come to mind they discover an inner peace and strength that enriches and brings joy. Even if they haven’t gotten their particular desires fulfilled they have received far greater gifts. Their discovery is simply put: it’s the process of praying and not the results that ultimately brings satisfaction to our souls. For those who only pray when they want some goody from God, such a notion is foolishness. But to those who make daily prayer a habit it’s the wisdom of God and ultimate peace.

Thought for the Day: How can we connect with God without praying?

Isaiah 6:5-8

“And I said: ‘Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!’” vs. 5

When Isaiah envisioned the awesome power of the living God his own inadequacies were exposed and he sensed that his whole being was flawed. He knew himself so very well, and he was particularly conscious of what he had so carefully kept hidden from others. In the Divine Presence all those secrets were exposed and his first response is to make confession. His reaction is familiar for any person of faith. When we first make a connection with God and realize that in God there is amazing purity and power, we can’t help but confess our imperfections and secret sins. As some liturgies put it, “we are sinful and unclean.” It’s at that point that Isaiah got a big surprise. He experienced the burning, cleansing power of God and knew in a flash that he had been purified. He had been set free from the power of sin and equipped for a ministry of service and proclamation. That same invading cleansing power comes to us right on the heels of our confessions. Our inadequacies, whatever they might be, are no barrier to our continuing God connection. All of our excuses for avoiding God are taken away. We are liberated to let our lights shine before others and to give all the glory to God.

Thought for the Day: Is confession a one time thing or do we have to keep doing it?

Isaiah 6:1-4

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple.” vs. 1

Isaiah gifts us with a description of his call to prophetic ministry and even gives us the year, somewhere around 740 BC. He was in the temple and had a vision of God’s presence…it was overwhelming and changed his life. Such divine encounters were common for our spiritual ancestors. They occurred at different times, often in the wilderness, but always they brought enlightenment and direction. In every instance they gave a glimpse of God that was precious and life-changing. God wasn’t a theoretical being who may or may not exist. These folks knew that God was real. More than that, they actually knew God! What’s really exciting is that these encounters have continued to happen in the lives of God’s people. We might not have visions like Isaiah, or see the heavens opened like Jesus, or even dream like Jacob, but we can have experiences of God that fill us with awe and wonder. There might even be a call to ministry involved. Of course the realm of the Spirit continues to be mysterious and elusive and there’s no good way to manipulate spiritual experiences. They simply come, not necessarily to everyone, and they’re always a surprise. Some say that prayer and meditation provide the environment for spirit visitations. There could be some truth in that observation…that’s what Jesus did and maybe it could work for us.

Thought for the Day: What might a divine encounter feel like?

Luke 4:24-30

“When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage.” vs. 28

At first glance the response of Jesus’ hometown congregation seems out of proportion to what had been said. It almost appears that we’re only getting fragments of the conversation…and that could be the case. The gospels are frequently pretty sketchy and at best we’re getting a brief summary of all that Jesus did and said. But it’s also true that the folks in Nazareth aren’t that much unlike people that we’re acquainted with. They’d been disrespected! They thought Jesus was putting them down. Oh how quick we are to respond with anger when it appears someone isn’t giving us the respect we think we have due. We regularly hear stories about sports figures who provoke fights because someone “dissed” them. There are many people who are sensitive about their reputations and don’t like it when it appears they’re being insulted. And thin skins aren’t found only on streets and playgrounds…we’ve seen such folks in all of our congregations. They carry chips on their shoulders and their anger can flare up quickly in response to perceived insults. It’s not that anger isn’t an appropriate response to real injustice, but so often it’s rooted in plain old pettiness. And sometimes those flashes of anger lead to painful confrontation and pointless division. We’d all be better off swallowing our pride and putting the best construction on what others say or do.

Thought for the Day: What do I do when I’m disrespected?

Luke 4:21-23

“All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, ‘Is not this Joseph’s son?’” vs. 22

When Jesus returned to his hometown after his experience with the Spirit in the wilderness he was invited to speak in the synagogue. He was the “hometown boy made good” and people were proud of the reputation that had preceded him. Initially the response is positive and the people are actually amazed…they’re surprised that he speaks with such polish and grace. But then there’s a problem! Jesus is more than they could handle. His words seem presumptuous and disrespectful, and demand more of them than they’re willing to give. Their words turn nasty, “Just who does he think he is?” That’s how it is with Jesus. He’s more than he first appears. When we first come near him we hear the message of grace and are impressed. But there’s more to his story. He invites us to follow and then lets us know that this will involve discipline. In order to gain our lives we are going to have to lose them…and that likely has not been part of our gameplan. There’s a radicality to the mission that will involve sacrifice. For some people that’s enough and they start looking for another messiah, some other more palatable leader. Jesus does have a good reputation…many speak well of him. But there’s more to following him than meets the eye…and the foolish turn away!

Thought for the Day: Why are some people turned off by Jesus?

1 Corinthians 13:8-13

“Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end.” vs. 8

Christianity is known for its trends. Every few years there is a major breakthrough of some sort and we become obsessed with the newest and the latest worship practices and doctrinal statements. At those moments there are endless debates and arguments among various denominational factions, and occasionally some brand new groups are birthed. Religion has always been a fertile ground for speculation and controversy. Some new preacher, some high profile biblical scholar, some spirit-filled dynamo captures our attention and we begin to believe we’ve got all this God and Jesus stuff figured out. And it’s all a charade! All the new liturgies get boring, preachers dry up, and the spirit-filled have swallowed the doves feathers and all. That’s how it’s always been in the church, and Paul saw the trend at the very beginning. He tells the Corinthians that all the things that have been such a concern to their body will come to an end…but the love that comes straight from the heart of God and that has drawn them together will remain forever. It’s what is left when all else has let us down! God never ever stops loving…and that will continue to be the glue that holds any faith community together. It’s the most valuable possession we have.

Thought for the Day: If love never ends, why do people stop loving?

1 Corinthians 13:1-7

“And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” vs. 2

Occasionally we meet the people who Paul describes so well. Sometimes they’re the pillars of congregations, steeped in biblical knowledge and able to answer any theological question. They’re clever and gifted people, generous in their giving and faithful in worship, but they don’t have a clue about love. They’re harsh in their judgments and careful to let people know that they have the proper church pedigree, and they completely miss the point of following Jesus. Jesus doesn’t give a rip about church doctrines or hierarchies…he doesn’t even care how many bible verses we can quote. What Jesus wants to see in his disciples is deep and compassionate love for one another and for the world. He wants to see love in our eyes and in our smiles and in the tender hugs we give to those who are hurting. The old camp song puts it well, “They’ll know we are Christians by our love,” and the more we can demonstrate that love in daily living, the better life will be for us all. Oh how our mission has suffered with our countless debates and frequent splits in the pointless pursuit of orthodoxy and purity! It sounds like a cliche, but it’s true, “all we really need is love.”

Thought for the Day: What’s the primary attribute of a lover?

Psalm 71:1-6

“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.” vs. 6

For the psalmist the Lord was not some divine being who existed apart from creation and who periodically checked in to see how he was doing. Not at all! The God he loved and worshipped was intimately present to him…the Lord was a rock and had tenderly breathed life into him at his birth. At no moment of the psalmist’s life would God be absent from him…and he could call on him always…God would be as close as his breath. What a comfort it is to know that our God is so connected to our hearts and minds! Of course there will be times when we wander from God…at least it seems as though we do…in reality that’s not possible. But there are other powers in the universe and we can often feel their influence…ugliness and evil are close at hand. In those moments it feels so good to call on the God who has never gone away, the God in whom we live and move and have our being. The God who brought us into existence will sustain us in times of danger and despair and give hope when our enemies come near. Even though we aren’t protected from every calamity we do find our strength in the Lord. In our God we have eternal security, and therefore with the psalmist our praise is continually of the Lord.

Thought for the Day: What is my major source of security?