Genesis 2:21-24

“Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh.” vs. 24

This little verse, found in three different places in our scriptures, has become foundational in our understanding of the marriage relationship. Obviously marriage practices have changed through the years and there are certainly different cultural standards but strong marriage bonds are the key to a stable and healthy society. In this ancient creation story the woman was formed from the rib of the man…they were one flesh. Marriage then is the return to the original form…the two become one flesh once more. It’s a beautiful picture and one that seems to fit what happens in many of our marriages. We’ve all seen these couples…however it is that they have come together, they show remarkable unity in their life together. They share values and goals and are mutually supportive. Love has touched their hearts, not the love we see in romantic comedies, but a deep self-giving love that goes beyond desire. Each day is devoted to doing and saying the things that bring joy to the other. There is mutual sacrifice and a common desire to share all the blessings that life can bring. With the unity there is also a respect for differences…each will be encouraged to explore and use their varying gifts. Such marriages don’t just happen…a lot of hard work and forgiveness will be included…but what a blessing these couples are to our communities! They are our pride and our strength.

Thought for the Day: My favorite “one flesh” couple!

Genesis 2:18-20

“The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner.” vs. 20

This delightful creation story from Genesis presents an important truth about what it means to be human, namely that we’re not meant to live in isolation. Humans are designed for community, and most importantly we’re meant to have companions. We know this innately…it’s what drives us to connect with others. And while we might get great delight from our animal companions, they simply can’t provide the intimacy that we require. They can’t be partners for us. Now this doesn’t mean that it’s impossible for people to be content and happy unless they’re in a relationship…all of us know single folks who are quite satisfied with their lives. But it does imply that community is a core need…most of us find completion in our connections. Indeed a major driving force in our lives is that desire to find a suitable partner…most all of us, from our teenage years onward have been involved in the quest. It’s not easy…there are a multitude of factors that go into making a good match. In recent years many have turned to computers for help…but even that is no guarantee. Blessed are those for whom God has found a suitable partner…the joy they will find in companionship is one of the great pleasures of life.

Thought for the Day: How has my search for a match gone?

Mark 9:42-50

“If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.” vs. 43

Occasionally we’ll hear stories about poor souls who have taken this verse literally and who have used a saw to cut off one of their hands. They’ve been wracked by guilt for some real or imagined sin and think that amputation is their only salvation. Given such misunderstandings some of us would rather that this talk of hell and unquenchable fire could be expunged from the gospels. We’ve had our fill of preachers who mix calls to repentance with warnings about burning in hell. A better response though is to take the vivid imagery seriously and realize that Mark believes the walk of discipleship may involve extreme sacrifice. His hyperbole hammers home his point. When diversions come our way, when our passions and desires pull us away from our guiding principles, drastic decisions will be required. Of course we won’t cut off our hands or feet or pluck out our eyes…but we will make some possibly painful choices. Even if we don’t believe in the literal fires of an eternal hell there’s plenty enough hell on earth for us all…and that’s no exaggeration! The good news is that in Christ the fires of hell will never prevail. In him there is always forgiveness and restoration. The God of love will never desert us…no matter how hellish our existence!

Thought for the Day: What do I believe about hell?

Mark 9:38-41

“But Jesus said, ‘Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me.’” vs. 39

The disciples had a territorial streak in them. They wanted to be the sole proprietors of the Jesus movement and they didn’t want anyone else horning in on their business. And Jesus could care less! He didn’t even care particularly if people joined his gang of disciples…what counted in his mind was that God’s work got done. He believed that if everyone could get on the same page as far as mission and service were concerned they’d stop all the in-fighting and rivalries would cease. We can learn a lesson from Jesus. We get so caught up in all the differences between denominations and faith communities and even imagine that God cares about these things as much as we do. We paint other religions in the most unfavorable light and stubbornly assert that only we have all the right answers. Naturally we are most comfortable in a faith tradition that is familiar and of course we are drawn to its basic teachings…but that doesn’t mean that everyone else is wrong. Instead of undermining others we are called to work with them in establishing the kingdom of God and bringing peace and hope to our troubled world.  When we can get on the same service page we grow in appreciation and love for one another…and powerful deeds can be done.

Thought for the Day: What other religions do I appreciate the most?

James 5:16-20

“Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.” vs. 16

In the estimation of James there was a strong connection between forgiveness and healing. Therefore the prayers of the community would deal with both sin and illness…the two really couldn’t be separated. Most of us probably wouldn’t agree that there is a direct correlation between sin and sickness…we don’t believe that people get diseases because they are sinners. But it is true that our physical bodies are deeply affected by the health of our spirits or souls…we’ve all known people who have suffered great trauma because of things that they’ve seen or heard. And wrong actions can lead to guilt and depression and then to physical illness. We are complicated beings and we can’t simply assign sickness to a virus or cancer without considering the whole person. That’s one of the reasons prayer for one another and confession of sins are both appropriate in our faith communities. Some congregations even identify particular persons as “Prayer Warriors” and assign them responsibility for regularly lifting up the sick and hurting. They seem to have a special connection to God’s healing power…as James puts it, “their prayer is powerful and effective.” We can’t explain this…we just know it to be true!

Thought for the Day: Prayer warriors that I have known!

James 5:13-15

“Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord.” vs. 14

James opens a window into the life of the early Christian community and gives us a glimpse of an early faith practice that has persisted until our time. Always, in every place, followers of Jesus have offered prayers for the sick. We wonder about such things and some ask whether advances in healthcare will someday render such prayers obsolete. The answer to such questions is obvious to most believers. If anything, as the years have passed, prayers for the sick are even more integral to our faith communities. It’s not that our prayers are a substitute for medical care. When illness comes we’d be foolish not to take advantage of doctors, surgeries, and medicines. They are a gift from God and a powerful tool for healing. But prayers connect us to one another in a powerful way and in the connections healing is enhanced and supported. Of course there’s always mystery involved…we can never understand how anointing with oil has any therapeutic value. And there are no guarantees…the sick won’t always get well and ultimately all of us will die. But still we pray…and in the praying the community is strengthened and drawn together. In the praying we become one with God and with one another…and by faith the sick are made well!

Thought for the Day: What is the value of healing services?

Psalm 19:7-14

“Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults.” vss. 11-12

Those of us who have been steeped in grace sometimes develop a subtle disdain for the law. We just don’t see the point of all the ordinances and commandments of scripture when salvation comes by grace through faith. The psalmist would have been amazed at our thinking! He regarded the law as God’s greatest gift and reveled in meditation on its perfect decrees. For him it was more precious than silver or gold…even better than the drippings of the honeycomb. In it he found both directions and warnings…there would be great reward in obedience. But there was one disquieting thought: What about his hidden faults, those errors he was often unable to discern or detect? We know what he was talking about. Each of us has a dark side, a part of our being in which demons dwell and which is largely unknown both to ourselves and to others. It’s from here that discouraging and hurtful words and actions emerge and there’s nothing that we can do about it. That’s why the gospel of grace provides such comfort. God does indeed clear us from hidden faults and give us new opportunities to walk in faithful obedience. In Christ we are set free from our demons and given power to live as God desires.

Thought for the Day: What are my hidden faults?

Numbers 11:16, 24-29

“But Moses said to him, ‘Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!’” vs. 29

Whatever else might be said of him, Moses was not a slow learner. He’d had enough of shouldering the burdens of the people all by himself, and when the Lord showed him a better way, he jumped on the bandwagon. Even when a couple of unauthorized persons began prophesying he had no objection. As far as he was now concerned, the more the merrier! He was tired of being the “go to” guy. It takes a strong leader to allow others to have a voice in the community. Too often would be leaders are shut down or told that their opinions have no value. Obviously it’s important to provide training for those called to lead but sometimes our concern for credentials and proper procedure gets in the way. The church is more than a human organization, it’s the Body of Christ and the Spirit of God works in and through every member of the Body. In Christ the vision of Moses has become reality! Does that mean it can be chaotic at times? Of course…and that’s a good thing. As long as we remember that we are bound together in love we can usually find a way through the variant voices to a Spirit-guided consensus. Stifling opinions in a community of faith will never be a productive option!

Thought for the Day: Why are voices stifled in our congregations?

Numbers 11:4-6,10-15

“Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they come weeping to me and say, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ I am not able to carry all this people alone, for they are too heavy for me.” vss. 13-14

Moses had discovered that being the leader of the Hebrew people wasn’t the glamour job that it at first promised to be. It had been nice in those first weeks as they had made their escape from Egypt…the people were appreciative and gave him all the honor. But once the wandering began his attitude shifted. He was now the focus of their impossible demands and he got tired of hearing their complaints…so he complained to God! He felt all the responsibility had been laid on his shoulders and he wanted out…even death was preferable to what he was experiencing. It’s not unusual for servant leaders to become frustrated with their calls. Often they feel underappreciated and overworked! To put it in contemporary terms, they burn out! Generally that happens when leaders believe everything depends on their own skills and abilities, that they’re the only ones who can solve problems or make decisions. Wise servant leaders will recognize that they’re not the only gifted ones and that there are many others who can share burdens if given the opportunity. That collaborative leadership style may not give recognition or fuel our egos, but the results will be gratifying…and maybe we won’t burn out!

Thought for the Day: What does burnout feel like?

Mark 9:33-37

“But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest.” vs. 34

Those who listen to sports talk shows are accustomed to loud, opinionated men (usually) arguing about GOATs, just which athlete in any particular sport is the Greatest Of All Time. While that’s not particularly surprising in our sports obsessed society it is surprising to see that the same sort of conversation took place among Jesus’ disciples as they followed him along the way. These hand-picked men, intimately connected to Jesus, had actually been debating which of them was the greatest! Had they not been listening to him? At any rate, it didn’t take Jesus long to set them straight, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Of course we can’t be too hard on the disciples…we engage in the same petty rivalries, and not just in sports. We’re always looking for ways to measure greatness and have a dickens of a time remembering that the only thing that mattered to Jesus was serving. Of all the practices involved in discipleship this is perhaps the most counter-cultural. We pay lip-service to the idea but regularly show by our words and actions that our hearts are untouched. But some do get it! These believers find great joy in obscurity, never putting themselves forward, never seeking acclaim or reward. In them we see Jesus so clearly and by their presence we all are blessed.

Thought for the Day: How does our culture measure greatness?