John 2: 1-4

“And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.’” vs. 4

The gospel writer John choose seven signs to show how the glory of God was made known to observers in the life and ministry of Jesus. In his record the first of these divine epiphanies took place at a wedding celebration in the village of Cana, not far from Nazareth. Jesus and his disciples are presumably enjoying themselves when a crisis arises…there is no wine! Informed of the problem by his mother Jesus indicates that it’s not his business…or hers. It’s the kind of situation faced regularly by those who have committed themselves to do the work of Jesus in the world. We learn from experience that sometimes we have to say “no” to the requests that come our way. Not only is it impossible to fix every problem, we all need time to focus on our own needs and interests. So sometimes we have to back away in order to build back energy for loving engagement with the world. It’s the healthy thing to do. Invariably though, right in the middle of our downtime someone will come asking for our help, and then pay no attention to our refusal. Amazingly, many times these will turn out to be real “God moments.” In spite of our reluctance, the light of Christ shines from within, the glory of God is made known, and there is celebration all around!
Thought for the Day: Times I’ve said “yes” when I wanted to say “no.”

1 Corinthians 12:7-11

“To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” vs. 7

Paul believed that in Christ every congregation would thrive as individuals were given opportunity to use their spiritual gifts. He had experienced the differences that exist among disciples and knew that no one person is exactly like another. Each had been gifted in a particular way. He even mentions some of those gifts in his letter to the Corinthians: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing,miracles, tongues…the list probably could go on and on. Under the best circumstances congregations provide a fertile environment for the use of those spiritual gifts. There is no competition or showing off…there is no hierarchy of gifts. Those who exercise their gifts will do so with a spirit of humility and kindness…and no one’s gift will be considered insignificant. Unfortunately brothers and sisters in Christ have had a difficult time creating such an atmosphere. Too often there has been bickering and savage in-fighting…occasionally people have been discounted and precious gifts have gone unappreciated and unused. It’s just so hard to keep the common good Paul talks about at the center of our life together. We get caught up in our individual needs, wants, and desires and the Body loses energy and effectiveness. Each of us has a gift that can be used in our mission…what a blessing it is when we get to use it!

Thought for the Day: What is my spiritual gift and how am I using it in my congregation?

1 Corinthians 12:1-6

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone.” vss. 4-6

Paul had been touched by the Spirit in a big way in his encounter with the Risen Christ on the road to Damascus. From that point on his life was Spirit-driven and Spirit-led, and he desperately wants the congregation in Corinth to recognize the presence of the Spirit within their community. They had begun to experience division and faced the prospect of splintering into multiple groups. It’s a typical human behavior. We love to set ourselves up in positions of power while relegating others to inferior status. Jesus had faced the same tendencies in his disciples in Galilee. Paul tells the Corinthians that they are all Spirit-filled…that’s why they had acknowledged Jesus as Lord. No one of them was any better than any other…and all of their gifts, services, and activities had come from the same God. That truth has been so difficult for the Church to take to heart. And through the years more and more attention began to be paid to position and status. Women were marginalized, men took over, and belief became more important than fruits. But the Spirit was never stifled! The Church has survived and even today we see examples of Spirit-filled communities engaged in the compassionate work of Jesus. In them we see the Light of Christ shining bright!

Thought for the Day: What gifts has the Spirit activated in me?

Psalm 36:8-9

“For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.” vs. 9

For the material minded life in this world can be pretty dismal. Pleasure is connected to accumulation and success is measured by financial portfolios. There’s a game to be played and massive energies are exerted to be on the winning side. Little attention is paid to compassion or service…everything depends on power and domination. The law of the jungle prevails and the strong devour the weak. The psalmist knew that world and rejected its values in favor of a vision centered on the all-encompassing presence of God. He proclaimed that beyond the world our senses report there exists another realm, one that he knew as the dwelling place of the Lord. The psalmist spoke the truth and those who take time to exercise the powers of the spirit understand his words. They know beyond a doubt that with God is found the fountain of life. In God their spirits soar and the joy and wonder of creation explodes. They find pleasure in the moment and know that there’s more to living than simply existing. Their highest value is compassion rooted in the mind-blowing steadfast love of our Lord and modeled in the Way walked by Jesus. Among them there is no darkness at all, for their journey is lit by the eternal light that shines from the face of God.

Thought for the Day: How can I exercise the power of my spirit?

Psalm 36:5-8

“Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your judgments are like the great deep; you save humans and animals alike, O Lord.” vs. 6

It’s not unusual for one of our pets or animal companions to die. In fact for many children this is their first experience with the pain, tears, and sorrow that death can bring. Sometimes in their grief they’ll ask if their beloved cat or dog has gone to heaven…and parents have to come up with an answer. What a blessing it is in those moments to have an expansive sense of God’s intimate connection to all of creation. All creatures throughout the universe live and breathe and have their being in the transcendent and immanent Lord of all. Nothing is born or dies apart from God…so of course our pets go to heaven. As the years pass and children grow in understanding and wisdom we can talk to them about heaven and its location outside the realm of time and space…but those who grieve aren’t much interested in deep answers. All they are looking for is a “yes” to help them dry their tears as they begin their lifelong dance with matters of living and dying. The psalmist understood that God is more mighty and elegant than we can possibly understand and was content to know that in God all things have their salvation. We don’t have to have fancy philosophical answers to the big questions of life. It is enough to know that in God all is well. And that’s good news for people of every age!

Thought for the Day: Why does the death of a pet hurt so much?

 Isaiah 62:1-5

“You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.” vs. 3

The prophet is ecstatic about the possibilities ahead for the people of Israel. He was preaching to a people living in exile, a defeated nation, and he plants in their imagination a vision of a royal future. This was more than a politician’s campaign slogan, this was a pronouncement of divine love. The people’s hearts were lifted and the prophet’s words were remembered. Sustained by assurances of God’s love the people continued their journey of faith in confidence. We who are in Christ have our own journey and at times we can become discouraged. Days don’t go as we wish and we’re blindsided by tragedy and defeat. Because of our own sin our hearts are weighed down and our self-image suffers. Too many of us come to be believe that we are of no-account…some find it hard to imagine that God cares…they feel the deep pain of isolation and loneliness. And to us, in those moment, the prophet thunders, “You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord…a royal diadem.” Words like that lift us from our doldrums and force smiles to our faces. “Really?” we reply. “Me? With all my faults and imperfections? I will be a crown of beauty?” And the answer is a resounding “Yes!” That’s how it is on the journey of faith. We step out on the Way with the full support of God and a glorious future awaits!

Thought for the Day: Why do some find these words hard to believe?

Luke 3:21-22

“And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’” vs. 22b

It didn’t take long for early Christians to search out the presumed baptismal place of Jesus and erect churches as close to the Jordan as they could. Early pilgrims could come to this site and remember their own baptisms with prayers and a dip in the water. Presumably it would also be a time for rededication and renewal. As a result of recent archeological discoveries there has been a renewed interest in reclaiming the original Jordanian location as a pilgrim destination. Several Christian denominations have built beautiful sanctuaries not far from the river just north of the Dead Sea and a little east of Jericho. Pilgrims and tourists are coming in ever-increasing numbers. Hopefully they will be reminded in their visit that Jesus’ call came with a powerful word of affirmation. “You are my Son, the Beloved.” Think of it! The Jesus Journey begins with a word of love! And so it is with everyone who walks with him. No matter when we were baptized, or how, or even if we’ve never been baptized before, the journey of faith begins with an “I love you,” from God. And as our lives continue in all their glory, splendor, suffering, sadness, and delight that steadfast love will be present until we draw our final breath. It’s the one thing that we can count on in our crazy, unpredictable, increasingly complex world. The love of God never ends!

Thought for the Day: Where do I experience the love of God?

Luke 3:15-17

“As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah…” vs. 15

The people who encountered John in the wilderness had strong expectations and were wondering who he was. They shared a conviction that one day God would answer their prayers and send the Messiah. Many thought that John just might be the one. But it’s hard to know about messianic leaders…seldom do they meet all the qualifications and external factors can be misleading. Discernment is difficult. We know that from our presidential campaigns. Currently we use a primary system and invite candidates to make their pitch…and then one by one through a series of elections we sort them out. The theory is that the survivor will be the messiah, though there is considerable debate whether that has actually ever happened. At best it’s a flawed system! But leaders are important…and we continue to have expectations for those who would guide our futures. Luke reports that John made it easy for the folks who were considering his candidacy. He stepped aside and deferred to Jesus. And for many of the wondering folks that was enough. They called Jesus the messiah and devoted their lives to him…and millions more have followed in their steps. Jesus has met our expectations and we love life in him. What a blessing it is to cast our vote for him and not have to depend on politicians for fulfillment and meaning!

Thought for the Day: How would Jesus fare in the New Hampshire primary?

Acts 8:14-17

“Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit…” vss. 14-15

These were exciting, heady days for the community of believers in Jerusalem. There was opposition and opportunity and the movement lacked a play book and written instructions. Before long they were involved in mission they’d thought was impossible, a preaching expedition among the Samaritans, their long-time rivals and enemies. At one time the disciples had wanted to call down fire from heaven on the Samaritan villages; now they prayed that the fire of the Holy Spirit would fill the hearts of those who had been baptized into Christ Jesus. They recognized that becoming a follower of Jesus was more than the splashing of water on heads or even full-body immersion. We mimic the actions of the apostles in our baptismal rituals with the pouring of the water and the laying on of hands. There are earnest prayers that the Holy Spirit of God would fill the life of the newly baptized. And then we  give up control and yield to the mysterious power of the Spirit. We simply can’t predict what will happen! We can’t force people to be Spirit-filled and our rituals, no matter how faithfully performed, do not guarantee faith or obedience. The Spirit blows where it wills! All we can do is pray for the appearance of fruit…and then rejoice when we finally see the love and faithfulness blossom and flourish.

Thought for the Day: What are the duties of baptismal sponsors?

Psalm 29:5-9

“The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.” vss. 7-8

Those who have experienced powerful summer storms know exactly what the psalmist was referencing in his song of praise to the Lord. The jagged flashes of lightning from dark foreboding clouds accompanied by the rolling crashes of thunder fill us with awe and wonder and fearful trembling. It’s an awesome display, one that humbles the mighty and even causes golfers to flee for their lives. Of course we know that thunder and lightning are natural phenomena, (we know they’re not caused by Odin and Thor), but nevertheless they serve as wonderful reminders that we earthlings are a pretty puny bunch. Some even say that the increasing power and destruction caused by natural forces is directly related to our failure to be good stewards of the environment. Such persons believe that the ever intensifying storms are an indictment of our greed and unwillingness to curb our appetite for possessions and wealth. Whatever we believe about such things, there is no doubt that humans are inextricably linked to the complexities of the world around us. We need to pay attention to thunder and lightning and the whole network of interconnected life. We are the caretakers of creation and when we mess up the effects can be devastating. Environmentalism isn’t just for tree-huggers…it’s the responsibility of every child of God.

Thought for the Day: What can we do about climate change?