Psalm 72:1-7

“May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy,   and crush the oppressor.” vs. 4

As might be expected the coronation of a king was a festive occasion in Israel. Trumpets were blown, cymbals rang out, and prayers were said. This psalm was used at just such a moment, and some believed that it was first used at the crowning of Solomon. Some of the refrains were familiar: the prayers for wisdom, long life, and success in battle. But one verse stands out. Because the poor and the needy had no advocates, and no way to stand up for themselves, they were dependent upon the king for defense and deliverance. And that’s how it should be in every land and every generation! In our age those who have adopted the mission of Jesus will be the principal defenders of the poor. They will stand up for them in a system which favors the rich and be their advocates as they struggle to escape poverty. And perhaps most important of all, they will lobby leaders to have the care of the needy near the top of their political agendas. Of course at this time of year it’s wonderful to see the angel trees in our churches and know that our social agencies have not forgotten the hungry and the hurting. But followers of Jesus know that this isn’t just a run-up to Christmas. For us every season is a time for sharing!

Thought for the Day: Where do I do my sharing?

Isaiah 11:6-10

“The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid,

the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them.” vs. 6

We really don’t know much about Isaiah. Oh, we know that he was a prophet and that he lived in Jerusalem a long time ago, but other than that there’s little information about him. What we do know is that he was a superlative and imaginative writer–his carefully crafted elegant words have inspired and emboldened believers for thousands of years. The images of this one sentence have captured our imaginations and enabled us to dream that someday the impossible will be a reality. People will be able to sit at table with one another: black and white, Muslim and Christian, Russian and Ukrainian, Israeli and Hamas–and there will be peace on earth. Right now it may well be that our imaginations fail us–but we’re not in charge. Isaiah said that the reconciliation of the peaceable kingdom would be led by a little child, and we dare to hope that perhaps that child has been born, maybe in a manger, and lives among us. As we move into Advent and begin to wrap our minds around God’s promise of hope, it’s good to remember that God’s endgame is more spectacular than we have ever dreamed, and if we allow the Child to lead, perhaps we’ll be able to see wolves lying down with lambs. It’s a vision worth hanging on to!

Thought for the Day: What impossible dreams am I dreaming?

Isaiah 11:1-10

“The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding,   the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.” vs 2

Isaiah prayed that one day the spirit of the Lord would rest on a shoot from the house of Jesse, and that through this descendent of David, a peaceable kingdom would be established on earth. That prayer found fulfillment in the person of Jesus, and now we regularly use those same words as the baptized are blessed in the rite of confirmation. It’s a solemn and beautiful moment, a time to recognize that the hopes and dreams of the ages are now resting on a new generation. On the one hand it seems an audacious claim. How can we possibly believe that these young men and women, most of them teenagers, can make the kingdom of peace a reality? Yet that’s what we continue to believe! This army of baptized believers is changing the world, and it’s happening now. Bit by bit, one  person at a time, by the power of the Holy Spirit, this world is experiencing healing and peace. Some days it may seem only a dream–we’re constantly being made aware of the brokenness in our lives.  But then comes the day when we come face to face with unconditional love and sacrificial service, and we know beyond a doubt that we’ve been touched by the kingdom of peace.

Thought for the Day: What is life like in the kingdom of peace?

Matthew 24:40-44

“But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.” vs. 43

In order to press home his point about being prepared for the second coming of Jesus, Matthew uses an example of a homeowner with knowledge of when his house would be broken into. He implies that such a person would surely stay awake in order to prevent the burglary. In other words, precise knowledge of the future will most certainly change our behavior in the present. Now the problem is that the readers don’t know the hour when the Lord is coming–and Matthew would say “Exactly!” That’s why they should live in a state of constant expectancy! The question then is, how in the world could a person actually live that way? For some people in Matthew’s time it meant that they quit their jobs–for others it meant not getting married and staying single. And that became a problem! We can’t just stop everything and sit around waiting. Perhaps a better idea might be just to keep on living as we have always lived, trusting in the unconditional love of God and enjoying the amazing gift of life to the fullest. Even if we have a pretty good idea of when our life might draw to a close, that would be no excuse to stop living with joy in our hearts and looking for ways to serve and love. 

Thought for the Day:What would you like to do on your last day?

Matthew 24:36-44

“But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” vs. 36

When Matthew wrote his gospel there was a strong expectation that Jesus was going to return and finish what he had started. So when Matthew read accounts of Jesus’ apocalyptic teachings and decided to use them in his gospel, he made sure to let his readers know that no one knew when that return would be, that not even Jesus had known the day or the hour. It was Matthew’s way of telling people to ignore the predictions that were likely preoccupying believers, particularly now that the temple had been destroyed. Through the centuries since Matthew wrote these words there has continued to be speculation about the end of the age, especially when wars, natural disasters, plagues, and imminent destruction loom large in our collective consciousness. Some are feeling that anxiety as we move into the second quarter of the 21st century. Whether we agree on causes or not, climate change is real, and the consequences are devastating. And when we add in the growing potential for nuclear war, and the completely uncertain results of our obsession with Artificial Intelligence, we shouldn’t be surprised by the current explosion of interest in apocalyptic scenarios. The end is coming! But we still don’t know when. There is one thing that we can count on though. God has not and will not abandon us!

Thought for the Day: What are my plans for the future?

Psalm 122

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers.’” vss. 6-7

The psalmist obviously loved the city of Jerusalem. When his family had traveled there for festivals, it was the highlight of his year, and he likely remembered every trip. Even today a visitor can sense how significant the city must have been, purely because of its geographic location in the mountains of Judea. And when the First Temple was there, towering above the city, visible from miles around, it would have a spectacular sight to the pilgrims from every part of the land. So we can understand why the psalmist made it the centerpiece of this hymn of praise. But as important as it was, Jerusalem was always at risk, and ultimately, the temples, both first and second, were completely destroyed, along with the city. But it still has significance! Visitors from all over the world come there to visit sites and buildings called holy by three great religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. We yearn for the peace of Jerusalem, but contentious disputes over land make it ground zero for religious conflict and many wonder if there can ever be reconciliation. So like the psalmist we continue to pray that someday there will be peace, and that Isaiah’s vision of Jerusalem as a “house of prayer for all nations” would become a reality.

Thought for the Day: What image do I have of Jerusalem?

John 6:25-35

“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’” vs. 35

If you have had occasion to go grocery shopping in the last few days, you’ve likely encountered massive crowds, and occasionally, empty shelves. This is the holiday that is focused on consumption, and in homes all across the land people are sitting down to meals featuring all the traditional favorites: turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, dressing, cranberries, and some variety of green beans. And that’s followed up by large pieces of pecan or pumpkin pie. Of course each family will have variations, some special recipe handed down through the generations that provides a taste of nostalgia, even if it isn’t very good! For many reasons eating has become our ritual of thanksgiving–even Jesus was aware of the powerful significance of food and intentionally instituted a meal of eating and drinking for his followers. But he also reminded us that there is more to our lives than filling our bellies, no matter how good the food might be. John reports that when crowds came searching for him, looking for more loaves, he told them that they could satisfy their spiritual hunger by learning to trust in him. And he was right! As good as today’s calorie rich meal might be, it can’t compare to the satisfaction that comes with the feasts we regularly reconsume at his Eucharistic Table. 

Thought for the Day: What foods do I associate with Thanksgiving?

Philippians 4:7-9

“Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” vs. 8

There is certainly a lot to think about in these contentious times. Every day some new scandal breaks or some outrageous message is posted on social media. And there seems to be little regard for truth! Those who even try to do any fact-checking rapidly fall behind, and no one even seems to care if news reports are accurate any more. The problem with this incessant barrage of lies and mistruths is that once we hear or see something, it’s really hard to let go. Pretty soon all we’re thinking about is ugly stuff, and it’s tough to break out of the cycle. And the tragic part of all this is that the garbage damages our spiritual life. Could there be a better time for us to review Paul’s words to his beloved Philippians? Let’s read them again, or maybe even memorize them: “Whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”  This means making some choices about what we feed our brains and pass on to others. When we decide to bury the rumors, gossip, and lies in favor of beauty, truth, and affirmation our days are transformed.

Thought for the Day: What’s my strategy for avoiding spiritual decay?

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”  vss. 4-6

Paul loved the people that had welcomed him to Macedonia when the Spirit had led him there on his first missionary journey. The congregation that had developed around the leadership of Lydia had become an example to the whole Church. Their generosity was stunning–even though they were poor they had given more than anyone else when hunger and famine had come to Judea. And now at the end of his letter to them Paul tells them to rejoice always and let their gentleness be known to all. How refreshing it is to see gentleness raised to first place among the virtues! Too often among us it is seen as a sign of weakness, not a “manly” attribute at all. Haven’t we had enough of that nonsense in our culture, the notion that both men and women need to be tough and calloused in their relationships? How beautiful it is to be around gentle people! In their presence we can truly feel that Jesus is near! This would be a good week for us to give thanks for such folks in our circle of friends and family–when they are around it’s easy to follow Paul’s advice and not worry about anything!

Thought for the Day: Gentle people that I know!

Deuteronomy 26:1-11

‘‘’So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O Lord, have given me.’ You shall set it down before the Lord your God and bow down before the Lord your God.” vs. 10

There almost seems to be a bit of a gap in the liturgical calendar this year, a blank set of days between Christ the King Sunday and the First Sunday of Advent. Chances are not many will notice the gap though–our country fills it fully with Thanksgiving and Black Friday, one almost a religious holiday and the other a cultural celebration of greed and acquisition. From a scriptural perspective Thanksgiving was around long before the Pilgrims landed in Massachusetts. Deuteronomy tells us it was the first act of worship for the Israelites when they crossed the Jordan and entered the land of the Canaanites. They were to bring the first fruits of the ground and set it before the Lord at the place appointed by the priests. Of course the Israelites didn’t invent Thanksgiving–it’s been a part of the rhythm of life in every land from the beginning of time. Humans have long understood that the produce of the ground is a gift from God, and that the proper response is through an offering of first fruits. Thank God for our altar guilds who round up displays of garden produce in our sanctuaries this time of the year. And how beautiful it is to see food for the hungry being brought as offerings in our congregations. That’s really what Thanksgiving is all about!

Thought for the Day: What will my offering be on Thanksgiving?