Psalm 121:1-4

“I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” vss. 1-2

Humans take great pride in being self-sufficient. We’re taught from an early age to take care of ourselves, and, if we have a problem, to find a solution. We like being in charge of our destiny and love being able to choose professions or careers. Those same feelings even carry over into our mental and physical well-being. We count it a blessing to handle health problems with a change of routine or exercise. 

The problem is that life in our good and broken world is not that easy, and we’re regularly stymied when we try to “go it on our own.” Seldom do things turn out as we intend and sometimes problems are so immense that there seems nowhere to turn. Often we don’t know what to pray for! And what’s worse is that sometimes we don’t even know who to pray to! We know that God is, but there seem to be so many options. And sometimes our notion of God changes–the God who seemed so real in our childhood can seem naive or primitive when we’re adults.

The psalmist was in one of those tough spots. We don’t know what was going on but he did know where to turn for help. The Creator God, the one who’d made the mountains and everything else could certainly be his strength. It was simply a matter of falling on his knees and asking for help!

Thought for the Day: What if prayer doesn’t seem to work?

Genesis 12:1-4a

“I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” vs. 3

Some have experienced what it’s like to have a “chosen one” among our siblings. This is the child who, at least from our perspective, has gotten all the advantages while growing up. They’re pampered,  protected, and given the best of everything. That seems to have been the position of Abram as reported in Genesis. In this text God’s preference is obvious. Those who bless him will be blessed, and those who curse him will be cursed. There is little doubt about it, Abram and Sarai’s progeny would be the “Chosen People.”

Sometimes we wonder about things like this. Does God really play favorites? And if that’s the way God is, no wonder some folks don’t like God very much. Playing favorites is never a way to win friends and influence people. It’s important to remember here that our ancient scriptures were written by Hebrews who were the descendents of Abraham. And they really did believe that they were special. That’s one of the reasons they were able to hang out to their ethnic and religious identity in the midst of the tribal warfare of those days. 

But scripture also reports that attitudes gradually changed and that ultimately the prophets proclaimed a more inclusive message. Yes, Israel had indeed been blessed, but those blessings weren’t just for them, they were actually for all the families of the earth!

Thought for the Day: What’s it like to have a “chosen one” in the family?

Matthew 4:1-11

“Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! for it is written, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.”’”vs. 10

Having savored the love and the goodness of God in his baptism Jesus was led into the wilderness for a taste of the world’s brokenness. And as he prayed and fasted he pondered the direction of his ministry. There were so many possibilities. We know this part of the story well. Everywhere we look there are tests and temptations, all promising the best that the world can offer. 

In Matthew’s account of Jesus’ wilderness stay, the temptations are whittled down to the big three: satisfaction of personal desires, fame and fortune, and unlimited power. None of them appear to be particularly evil, and many of us eagerly adopt one or more of them as a part of our personal aspirations. But Jesus saw them all as diversions, symptoms of brokenness masquerading as good. None of them met the standards of the peaceable kingdom he had been called to establish.

In the end Jesus chose the path of humility and service, saying no to creature comforts, popularity, and domination. He determined that he would be a servant and look to his loving God for daily direction in bringing healing and restoration to the world. He would model the sacrificial love of God even if it meant that he would die! And in his life, death, and resurrection, salvation has come to our good and broken world.

Thought for the Day: What have been my aspirations?

Romans 5:12-19

“For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.” vs 19

While we may not agree with Paul’s interpretation of Genesis 3 we have to rejoice in the way he uses the story to proclaim the gospel of grace. His logic is impeccable. As in Adam the many were made sinners, in Jesus Christ the many are made righteous. He recognized that from the very beginning humanity has lived in a good and broken creation, and he believed that in Christ that brokenness has been healed. We can now live in this beautiful world and fully enjoy the incredible life that God intends for us.

Unfortunately, as all have experienced, that brokenness persists. Indeed, it will endure throughout our lives. There will always be times of pain and suffering. But in Christ we need not be overcome by the ugliness. Even death is a defeated enemy and will one day be overcome. And by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit we can know love, peace, and joy in abundance. In other words, we can know the delights of the peaceable kingdom now!

As we move through the weeks of Lent we have the opportunity to daily draw closer to Jesus in our worship and prayer. And as we do we won’t have to worry about our flaws. All that has been taken care of, and abundant forgiveness belongs to us. As Paul says, in Christ we have been made righteous!

Thought for the Day: How have I experienced healing?

Psalm 32

“Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” vss. 1-2

There is perhaps nothing better than having a clean conscience! It just feels so good to have no burden of guilt weighing down our walk through this complicated world. It’s bad enough to have worries and anxieties, and we’ll always have plenty of those. But to have no guilt or shame about the past is an incredible gift! 

There are some who question whether it’s even possible to live that way. They have the mistaken impression that no guilt or shame means we will have lived a perfect life, and that, they will say, is impossible! And that’s right! It is impossible to live a life without sin! Often not a day passes in which we don’t screw up in some significant way. But people of faith have a secret! They know about the power of confession and forgiveness! They know that if we confess our sin, God will forgive our sin, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That’s the way it’s always been with God because that’s how God is. Not only is God slow to anger, God is full of love and compassion, and gladly forgives our sin.

And once God forgives sin, sin is forgiven, and there is absolutely no reason to carry its burden for one moment longer. With forgiveness we are given a clear conscience, and what a gift that is!

Thought for the Day: When does my conscience trouble me?

Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate.” vs. 6

One of the great tragedies of life in our world has been the continuing relegation of women to a subservient role in almost every culture. While situations do vary by regions and ethnicities, women are regularly discounted and regarded as inferior in nearly every land. Almost always they are regarded with suspicion and their attempts to claim equality are considered a threat to male dominance. Even though Paul wrote that men and women should be considered as one in Christ Jesus, the Church has made little progress in erasing this stigma. Only recently have women been welcomed as pastors and bishops, but even then, there is often an undercurrent of suspicion.

Those prejudices are often traced to particular scriptural passages The woman, it is said, was seduced by the serpent, and she in turn seduced her husband. No end of misery has come from interpretations of these few words and the resulting prejudices against women can even be found in other world religions. 

But there are signs of hope! Barriers to full inclusion for women are falling! Both men and women are now being seen as “very good,” and the old distorted myths are finally being abandoned. Praise God! 

Thought for the Day:Why do some men delight in putting down women?

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

“Beware of practising your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.” vs. 1

When Ash Wednesday arrives there is a sense among believers of all stripes that we are entering a season of opportunity. We know that this is a fixed time during which we can practice spiritual disciplines and take time to reflect on the state of our souls. Perhaps in previous years we’ve elected to “give something up for Lent,” and then lost interest after a couple of weeks of going without coffee or chocolate. It’s likely that we know that a real Lenten discipline means more than giving something up.

Jesus’ words here give a hint. Of course he wasn’t thinking about Lent, but he was speaking about spiritual discipline, namely the practicing of piety. It seems that he was all for such a thing. He knew from his own life that there was a place for fasting, prayer, and the giving of alms. Those practices, he says, will add blessings in our lives. But he does have a caveat! Beware of practising them before others in order to be seen by them! We know what he means. There is nothing more off-putting than hearing someone crowing about their latest spiritual triumph. Lent isn’t a time for showing off!

That doesn’t mean we will never talk about our spiritual life! Of course we will share our piety with others–and it wouldn’t even hurt to mention the blessings that have come our way!

Thought for the Day:How have my spiritual disciplines been a blessing?

2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10

“but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God;” vss. 4 ,6-7a

Paul thought of himself and his partners in ministry as being ambassadors for Christ, and that through them the Corinthians were being reconciled to God. He knew that their conduct in that role was crucial, and he was proud that in every circumstance of suffering and hardship they had shown dignity and strength. And it wasn’t just that they had endured, they had also demonstrated the fruits of the Spirit: purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God.

Paul’s notion of himself as an ambassador is appropriate and is a role that every faithful follower of Jesus will emulate. The world has had enough of pompous, arrogant, ignorant, impatient, and lying leaders. The only way for healing and reconciliation to take place is through humble, loving, and gentle truth-telling. We may not be called as ambassadors to foreign capitals but we are called to flood our neighborhoods and faith communities with our peaceful presence and active advocacy.

When that happens, the power of God is unleashed and we begin to see signs of Christ’s presence all around. The world may not note what is happening among us but we will see the changes, and all the glory will go to God!

Thought for the Day: How will I be an ambassador for Christ during Lent?

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17

“Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing.” vs. 13b

The prophet Joel responds to a devastating invasion of locusts by calling the people of Israel to repentance. It’s never been uncommon for people to make connections  between the forces of nature and the actions of God. Even today, laments are regularly lifted up when weather events or other calamities come close. We pray for an end to droughts and floods and protection from hordes of insects. Often such events spur people to reconnect with religion and even unbelievers turn to prayer.

Joel urges the Israelites to return to the Lord, and his description of God is one of the finest in all of scripture. Because his words are regularly used in our Lenten liturgy many find them familiar and have taken them to heart. Some will be using them in their meditations as they prepare for Ash Wednesday. They are a call to “return to the Lord,” a plea to get serious about matters of faith and to get reacquainted with Jesus. They define God perfectly, noting that God “is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.” 

There’s no doubt. Lent is for believers a time for repentance, a time to put aside all the clutter, and focus on that which is essential. It’s a time to get back to the basics or adopt some new spiritual discipline. Some say it’s the best time of the whole church year!

Thought for the Day: How do I feel about Lent?

Matthew 17:5-9

“While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!’” vs. 5

It was a great comfort for Jesus to know that God was pleased with him and that he was loved unconditionally. And as he regularly took time for prayer each morning, he likely remembered his Jordan baptismal experience, and soaked in just a bit more divine love. It was what sustained him in his mission.

In later years Peter and the other disciples called to mind their mountaintop experience with Jesus. Not only had it been an other-worldly exhilarating moment, a “thin place” some would call it, but it established Jesus as the center and the source of faith. He really was the Word made flesh and in listening to him they would be hearing the voice of God. 

We live in a world with many competing voices. Seemingly everyone has a blog or a website and we’re constantly being encouraged to sign up or subscribe. Politicians scream at us at all hours of the day, pulling us both this way and that in an attempt to win our votes or get our money. But followers of Jesus know there is only one voice worth listening to, because only one voice will never lead us astray. Daily he comes to us through the Spirit, assuring us that we are loved and regularly calming our fears.

Thought for the Day: Where do I hear Jesus most clearly?