Romans 7:15-20

“I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” vs. 15

It’s not likely that the Apostle Paul played golf, yet his description of his own actions sounds very much like the lament of an addicted golfer. It’s probably one of the most frustrating sports ever invented, precisely because it mirrors the human experience. Even though we know exactly how life should be lived, we are incapable of actually pulling it off.

Now it’s possible to laugh off our experiences on the golf course. It is after all only a game. But it’s harder to live with our daily failures to live as we ought. We’re forever saying what should not be said, being silent when we should speak, eating and drinking things that are bad for our body, and looking out for ourselves when we should be looking out for others. 

That’s the sort of thing that happens when we aim for perfection in our lives–it just doesn’t work! We’ll never pull it off this side of the grave. Wise golfers have figured this out. They stop playing the game of perfect and take whatever they’re given. And as they relax in their attempts to hit the ball, all kinds of good things begin to happen. 

So it is with life in Christ! We’re not called to be perfect. And as we learn to relax in our walk, by the grace of God we discover the pure joy of simply living!

Thought for the Day: How relaxed is my walk with Jesus?

Psalm 145:11-14

“The Lord upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down.” vs. 14 

According to the scriptures, our world is both good and broken at the same time. That’s a truth we experience every day of our lives, And the psalmist tells us here that the One who brought this world into existence and who continues to sustain it, has a particular love for lifting up all who are falling and raising up all who are bowed down. In other words God has a special interest in restoring the goodness and healing the brokenness of this wonderful world.

Perhaps that helps us understand why Jesus spent so much of his time healing the sick and tending to the needs of the poor and the broken. That’s why he sent out the Twelve on their first mission. He had compassion on the harassed and the harried and did all that he could to expose the basic goodness that was at their core.

This caring continues to be the core of Christian community. How good it is to be a part of such a fellowship! When we have our breakdowns, and they’re sure to come, our brothers and sisters in Christ will be present to offer forgiveness, affection, kindness, and love. And as that process continues there will inevitably be restoration and healing. That’s how God has set this world up and that’s why the Church has spread to every corner of the globe.

Thought for the Day: Where do I experience a caring community?

Psalm 145:8-12

“The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made.” vss. 8-9

There are several passages in scripture that refer to the anger and the judgment of God. In some verses  the Lord is even portrayed as being cruel and vindictive, particularly to the enemies of Israel. For example, again and again the armies of Israel were ordered by the prophet Samuel to kill all the Amalekites, even the women and children and all of their cattle. Samuel said that this was the will of God!

In that context the words of this psalmist are reassuring and comforting. This is a description of God that does not make us cringe. It’s very likely that when Jesus rose early in the morning for prayer and meditation, words like this filled his heart and ordered his day. And since we affirm Jesus to be the Word of God, this is the way that we too understand the Divine Presence.

Oh how good it is to know that God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and that compassion permeates the universe! These are words to hang on to in this time when different notions of God are gaining traction and compassion is considered to be a sign of weakness. These words are the truth!

Thought for the Day: Why do some consider compassion to be weakness?

Zechariah 9:9-12

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” vs. 9

When the Babylonian exiles returned to Judea, they were full of hope and anticipated that this might be the beginning of a new era for Israel, but their dreams quickly dissipated as old rivalries surfaced and the different factions began jockeying for power. It was in that context that the prophet Zechariah showed up with a new vision for Israel. He looked forward to the day when there would be a new king riding into Jerusalem. This king would be humble and riding on a donkey, and his reign would be the end of war and conflict.

It’s a powerful image, and we recognize it as the one Jesus adopted in his final visit to Jerusalem. Jesus knew that the hope of the world did not lie in adopting more powerful weaponry or amassing blood-thirsty armies. His kingdom would be one of peace and it would encompass all lands and all peoples. 

Against all odds, that Kingdom of Peace has been established and continues to be the hope of the world. Humility and gentleness are the marks of its leaders and it fights division with diversity, equity, and inclusion. Those who have been called to serve by Jesus use steadfast love and sacrificial service as their weapons and they will be victorious!

Thought for the Day: Why is the Kingdom of Peace such a threat to politicians?

Matthew 10:42

“and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.” vs. 42

Often when we take Jesus’ call to reach out to the helpless and the harassed seriously by offering them shelter, clothing, water, or food, we discover that they want to help us too. They will offer hospitality in whatever way that they can, and they’ll do it in surprisingly generous ways. Sometimes we’ll feel ourselves being almost embarrassed and we’ll attempt to discourage them. “No, no,” we’ll say, “we’re here to help you. You don’t have to give us a thing!”

Of course such a response is not only condescending, it also robs the person being helped of a chance to receive an even greater blessing! We leave feeling good about what we’ve done but they’re left feeling even more like a welfare case.

But when we receive what they offer, even if it’s only a cup of cold water, we restore a bit of their dignity, and when we praise their generosity, it’s even better. The more we can lift up the little ones we’re called to serve, the “least of these” is what Jesus called them, the richer the connection that is made. Barriers are broken down, brokenness is healed, and relationships are born. And this is what kingdom living is all about!

Thought for the Day: What gifts have I received from those I’ve served?

Matthew 10:40-41

“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.” vs. 40

In Matthew’s account Jesus’ instructions to the disciples that he sent out in mission are lengthy and precise. He emphasizes the cost of discipleship and lets them know that there will be difficult sacrifices, but he ends his little sermon with some words of reassurance and hope. As insignificant as they may feel, they have an important role, and whoever welcomes them will be welcoming him. They will be standing in his stead!

That should be a word of assurance to anyone who recognizes that they have been called as disciples and given a role in bringing in the peaceable kingdom. When we reach out to others with a prayer and a word of healing hope we are for them the presence of Jesus. Think of it, in our loving our face is the face of Jesus. Our smile is his smile, and our hug is his hug. It is through us that the hurting people of our neighborhoods and communities encounter the Divine Presence. And that is a pretty significant role.

So if we’re ever feeling that we don’t count for much in our congregation or in the church, we can just forget about such nonsense. We are God to those we serve! And if that doesn’t give us some idea of our significance, it’s hard to know what would! We are sent in the name of Jesus and those who welcome us, welcome him.

Thought for the Day: What happens when I take my role as Jesus seriously?

Romans 6:17-23

“For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness for sanctification.” vs. 19b

Paul tells the Romans that their choice isn’t between being a slave and being free. Not at all! The choice is between being a slave to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, or being a slave to righteousness for sanctification.  No matter which way we turn, we’re going to be slaves!

And while that language may seem strange we can see from our experiences in the world that Paul has a point. When we get caught up in the brokenness that seems to be everywhere, it’s impossible to extract ourselves from the tentacles of iniquity, and we are drawn deeper into the morass. That’s the testimony of every person who has ever ventured into the truthtelling of any Twelve Step Program. 

But when we are captured by righteousness the same process brings entirely different results. Only this time instead of being caught up in sin, we are grasped by the desire to live a good and decent life. The truthtelling takes hold of us and we find ourselves changing from the inside out. Soon we find ourselves living in holiness, just as we have been created and set aside to do. The transformation is stunning and beautiful! It’s incredible what the Holy Spirit can do with our lives. In fact, it’s a miracle!

Thought for the Day: What’s it like to be a captive of goodness?

Romans 6:12-16

“No longer present your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and present your members to God as instruments of righteousness.” vs. 13

As we live in this good and broken world, we will have daily encounters with brokenness, both in ourselves and in the world around us. Paul describes that brokenness as sin, a cancer that infects the whole creation, and says that in Christ we have an option. We can either succumb to the brokenness and let it dominate our lives, or we can present ourselves to God as agents of healing and reconciliation.

Now this isn’t just some doctrine or theology, as we are sometimes prone to think. This is real and has everything to do with how we actually experience life. These really are our options: we can align with our brokenness and give ourselves up to all the passions and desires of a self-oriented life. Or we can align with what Abraham Lincoln called “the better angels of our nature” and give ourselves to unconditional loving and sacrificial service.

Of course a right choice will not give us immunity to the signs and scars of brokenness. But in Christ we can, by the grace of God, experience all the fruits of the Spirit in daily living. We can know love, joy, peace, and patience in abundance!  And such a life is far superior to that provided by wallowing in the self-destruction of self-indulgence!

Thought for the Day: What fruits  of the Spirit do I know daily?

Psalm 89:15-18

“Happy are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance; they exult in your name all day long, and extol your righteousness.” vss. 15-16

Every year there are surveys of people living all around the world to determine which country is the happiest. While the results vary, the Nordic countries generally rank in the top two or three. And when the ratings come out social scientists attempt to give some reasons, which may or may not be true. One common takeaway from the survey is the conclusion that happiness seems not to be related to wealth.

The psalmist would probably be inclined to agree and would then add faithfulness as a primary factor in people’s happiness. He believed that those who walk in the light of God’s presence, offering regular thanksgiving for all that God has done, will be blessed. And we’d be hard-pressed to disagree!

People who have learned how to live at peace in their relationships to God and to one another have a leg up on the universal quest for happiness. And that will always involve a high degree of contentment with the daily blessings that are a part of our lives. Mostly it’s the little things: some moments in the out-of-doors, conversations with family and friends, and opening our senses to the constant presence of the Lord. When we devote our lives to such matters, happiness is sure to follow!

Thought for the Day: When am I the happiest?

Psalm 89:1-4

“I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens. “ vs. 2

In this world of social media influencers and ubiquitous youtube channels we can find thousands of conflicting testimonies about the nature of God and God’s relationship to humanity. Occasionally what we see and hear in these videos sounds vaguely scriptural, like it could even conceivably be true. But most of the time the information is bogus, a kind of pseudoscience mixed with falsehoods that have been around for generations. 

If we really want an authentic word about the Divine Presence we would do well to immerse ourselves in the psalms, and Psalm 89 is a good place to start. This psalmist’s bold assertions have the ring of truth, and are backed up by the words of Jesus, the One we proclaim as the eternal, incarnate Word of God. Listen to the psalmist’s proclamation: “I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.”

If we’re really wondering what God is like, we need go no further. Forget about anything you’ve ever heard about God as being cruel, vindictive, or judgmental, even if you’ve seen it in some bible verse. The truth is: God is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love! This is the nature of God. This is the way God has always been, and because God is the epitome of faithfulness, this is how God always will be.

Thought for the Day: What is steadfast love?