Mark 10:17-22

“Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’” vs. 21

The man in our text was craving more from life than he had been getting and he interrupts Jesus with his plea, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” The answer he got shocked him…and he went away in sadness. We should be shocked too, but of course we aren’t. We’re familiar with Jesus and his sayings and we’ve developed ways of moderating or completely ignoring his radical instructions. There are probably none of us that would even think for a second that we are called to sell what we have and give the money to the poor. More often than not our motto is “I’ve got mine and I’m going to keep it!” It’s not that we don’t give…many of us give generously from our excess income to churches and relief efforts…but seldom will those gifts be sacrificial. And that’s not going to change…no preacher or prophet is going to convince us otherwise. Even so, it would be sad if we didn’t at least take some time to meditate on the great truth behind Jesus’ words. Possessions and wealth can never give us the blessings of eternal life! It’s something to ponder…the stuff we love so much is the biggest barrier to the fulfillment of our deepest spiritual desires.

Thought for the Day: Why do I have so much stuff I don’t need?

Hebrews 4:12-16

“Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” vs. 16

Occasionally we run into folks who carry a heaven burden of sin…they’ve done or said things, mostly known only to themselves, that have left them with a giant dose of guilt. They know about forgiveness but have the sense that it doesn’t apply for them…that somehow they’ve slipped beyond the possibility of reconciliation. Perhaps they learned in their Sunday School class that God was a jealous God, one who punishes even unto the third and fourth generation. Whatever the reason, they now understand themselves to be outside the company of the redeemed. They’re reluctant to attend worship and unwilling to participate in Holy Communion. This verse from Hebrews addresses such persons…it speaks of a throne of grace and not judgement. And we sinners are encouraged to approach the throne with boldness…for us it is a source of mercy and grace, a place to find help in time of need. Would that every person carrying a burden of guilt could take these words to heart. There’s enough needless suffering in this world…there’s no need for any more! We have a God who loves and cares…we fear him but need not be afraid. And even more than that, we have a Savior who understands what it means to be human…one who understands our weaknesses…and in him we are made strong!

Thought for the Day: Why do I need mercy?

Psalm 90:12-17

“Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us, and as many years as we have seen evil.” vs. 15

The psalmist isn’t asking for the moon here, his request is simple, “O Lord, may we at least have as many good days as bad days in life.” We can understand his thinking…because sometimes it seems as though things have gotten out of balance  So if we’ve had a string of years in which nothing has gone right it seems only just that they be followed by an equal number of years that are full of blessings. Whether the universe actually works like this is another question. And to blame God for the afflictions and the evil we endure does seem a bit of a stretch. But when we’re down in the dumps we don’t worry about logic. All we know is that we’re feeling bad and we want some relief. When the psalmist had those days he let God know about it and that’s not a bad move. It’s perfectly appropriate for us in our prayers to offer our complaints and laments…and if we’ve had a whole series of bad days we have every right to ask for gladness. That’s one of the blessings that comes from reading the psalms…the writers had an open connection to God and they never fail to let God know what’s going on. They are the perfect model for us…the first rule of prayer is to always be honest!

Thought for the Day: What complaints are a part of my prayers?

Amos 5:12-15

“Therefore the prudent will keep silent in such a time; for it is an evil time.” vs. 13

These words from Amos seem a bit strange in their context. He’s been railing against injustice and taking shots at the excesses of the wealthy. We’d expect that he would encourage his listeners to speak up and join the crusade. But he doesn’t do that…instead he says that the prudent will keep silent in such a time. His words are strangely prescient for those of us who are lamenting the sad case of political discourse in this election campaign. Even a brief encounter with television or radio ads is enough to turn our stomachs…and all of the candidates are doing it. There seems to be a concerted effort to sow division in our country…to force us to take sides. Some are finding that long time friendships are being threatened. With that as a backdrop Amos is right…the prudent thing for us to do is simply keep our mouths shut and keep on doing those things we know are pleasing to the Lord. Focus on good and speak up for justice…love kindness and mercy…pray for our enemies and treat those with whom we disagree with respect! Use our ears often and our tongues seldom, and perhaps some day the incivility will come to an end! There’s no question about it. These are difficult times…and followers of Jesus are being challenged to let their light shine for all to see.

Thought for the Day: When is speaking up the right thing to do?

Amos 5:6-7, 10-12

“Seek the Lord and live, or he will break out against the house of Joseph like fire, and it will devour Bethel, with no one to quench it.” vs. 6

King Jeroboam II, of the tribe of Ephraim, one of Joseph’s sons, was riding high. The country of Israel was enjoying a period of unprecedented prosperity and the wealthy were getting even richer. They were hard-pressed to think of what to spend their money on and were even building winter homes in the Jordan Valley and decorating them with ivory imported from Africa. That was the scene when Amos, from the country of Judah, showed up with his message of doom. Where others saw riches he saw injustice, recognizing that the new found wealth stemmed from exploitation of the poor. While the royal court had contempt for Amos and his message some scribes believed that he spoke a word from the Lord and wrote down his oracles…and those words are now a part of our scripture. They remind us that too often wealth and prosperity come at the expense of the needy and the poor. It’s a message for all time…and needs to be heard in every nation that is focused on material gain. Amos’ words were remembered because they came true…and now they may very well be a wake-up call for us. Greed and injustice always go together, and when they dominate the culture, the consequences are devastating.

Thought for the Day: When does prosperity become a curse?

Mark 10:13-16

“But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.’” vs. 14

The disciples didn’t want kids around Jesus. In our day they would empathize with the stern-faced congregants who turn around in their pews to give the evil eye to parents struggling with noisy little ones. They wanted Jesus to themselves and the children were becoming a distraction. Jesus set them straight with a few direct words and actions. He wanted the children to come…and he loved to take them in his arms and give them blessings. He knew that faith was born and nourished, not with adult level debates and sermons, but with gentle touches and a welcoming atmosphere. That’s how most people become believers…it takes root with the stories and hugs of Sunday School and even survives the questions of adolescence. Jesus told his disciples that children with their unquestioning faith and limitless love were their guides to the Kingdom of God. We see that too…children hear the great truths of forgiveness and eternal life and they believe them! Often congregations without children are like tombs…old people sitting around waiting to die. But with the youth comes spirit and enthusiasm…there’s a stirring in worship, the sound of little voices…random comments in the silence. And no wonder…it’s in their presence that the Kingdom of God has come close!

Thought for the Day: Why don’t some people like children in worship?

Mark 10:2-12

“He said to them, ‘Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.’” vss. 11-12

When this text is read in our worship services it often triggers feelings of guilt.  Many followers of Jesus have been divorced and struggle to align their experience with his teachings. Even those who were in abusive relationships wonder if they should have simply endured…others are convinced that by being divorced they’ve fallen from grace. Some church leaders are insistent that marriage is a sacrament and vows can never be broken…becoming divorced means excommunication. Some folks try to explain away Jesus’ words by saying they reflect cultural convictions that no longer have any application. Two truths are important for us to consider: first, divorce is not always a sin, but the breaking of marriage vows is…and that usually happens long before the divorce occurs. Sometime divorce is the best way to bring healing and renewal. Secondly, all the sin that is connected with the break-up of a marriage is covered by God’s all-sufficient grace and love. There is no reason for divorced people to feel guilty for the rest of their lives. Of course divorce is never the first option when difficulties arise…often incredible blessings come to those who remain faithful through troubled times. Strong marriages are the strength of our society…it’s important to do all we can to support them.

Thought for the Day: When might divorce be the best option in a marriage?

Hebrews 2:5-12

“It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” vs. 10

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews was confident that Jesus was every bit as human as anyone else…otherwise the things that he did and the hope that he brought would have no meaning to mortals. But since Jesus did share in our humanity we are able to follow him on the way to eternal life. He was the pioneer of our salvation! And there’s one more bit of hope for us! We should not regard suffering as being a barrier on the road to glory…and why not? Because Jesus who leads the way suffered as well. In fact the writer believed that Jesus was perfected through his sufferings! Some of us probably aren’t comfortable with that kind of language…it comes from the world of temple worship and sacrifice. But for people who were steeped in that background such words brought comfort and understanding. Jesus’ sacrificial suffering opened the way to complete forgiveness and hope. For us the hope comes from knowing that suffering is part of the journey, and in fact, can be seen as a blessing. Not that we will seek it out…we get plenty just by being alive…but it’s good to know that there will be an end to pain…and life will be good again.

Thought for the Day: How has suffering benefited me?

Hebrews 1:1-4

“Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son…” vss. 1-2a

The early Christians treasured their scriptures and regarded them as authoritative guides for living. They particularly valued the words of the prophets and saw in them a reflection of God’s wisdom and judgement. But they also believed that God had brought a new word in Jesus and they loved the teachings that were now circulating among them. The old ways had revolved around the temple sacrifices but now that the temple had been destroyed Jesus had become the source of their forgiveness and hope. Their attitude toward scripture is helpful as we struggle to make sense of the bible. Like them we regard those ancient writings as holy but we also know that the gospel is rooted not in literal interpretations of old scrolls but in a living relationship with the person of Christ Jesus. What a blessing it is to have freedom with regard to scriptures and to be open to all the new possibilities of new life in Christ! We have been liberated from blind allegiance to the letter of the law in order that the Spirit of Jesus might lead us to even greater appreciation for the message of grace. It’s that openness that differentiates us from some of the other world religions…we have our roots in the past but the future is wide open and full of exciting possibilities.

Thought for the Day: What happens when we become bound to the past?

Psalm 8

“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?” vss. 3-4

Twenty-five hundred years ago the psalmist was fully aware of the wonders of the universe…even without a space telescope he sensed that the earth was but a puny speck among the thousands of stars filling the canopy of the heavens. What amazed him then and what amazes us now is that the God who brought all things into existence could care one bit about human beings. Our earth is a tiny blue dot in a remote section of the Milky Way galaxy…how dare we believe that we have any universal significance? But that’s what the psalmist believed…he says that humans have a special place in creation and that we are deeply loved by God. In fact he tells us that we have a special responsibility for our earth and all its inhabitants. There is a great truth in his words. No matter what we think about God or the universe, even if we don’t believe that there is a God, we have a special responsibility for this place we inhabit. We don’t live here to despoil the environment or cause the extinction of species…we’re not here to pillage our beautiful planet. Just as God has cared for us and given us the joy of existence, we are to care of the earth and all its inhabitants and do whatever we can to preserve it. Such is our sacred trust!

Thought for the Day: Why do some people disparage environmentalists?