Proverbs 9:1-6

‘“You that are simple, turn in here!’ To those without sense she says, ‘Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed.’” vss. 4-5

A large section of the book of Proverbs is devoted to pointing out the differences between wisdom and folly. Here Wisdom (always portrayed as a woman) is throwing a party and she sends out a special invitation to those who are simple and without sense. It’s not that she seeks to take advantage…rather she is wanting them to lay aside immaturity and walk with insight. “Eat my bread,” she says, “Drink my wine, and be filled with my wisdom.” It’s a good reminder about the importance of early participation in Holy Communion. There was a time when it was believed that only those who had a proper understanding of the Real Presence should be welcomed at the Lord’s Table. What a blessing it has been to see the immature and even those without sense present themselves for the meal! As they eat and drink they are feasting on the Wisdom of God, the Holy Spirit of Jesus. It’s here that their faith is strengthened and they can grow to be mature members of the Body of Christ. At first there may be interruptions and giggles but as time passes their demeanor changes and the meal touches their hearts. “Let the children come to me,” Jesus says, “for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.”

Thought for the Day: When should children begin communing?

John 6:45-51

“I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.” vss. 48-49

In the first century there had been a struggle between those Jews who had embraced Jesus as messiah and those who clung to the old traditions. Ultimately that conflict led to a split and the separation of church and synagogue. As John writes his gospel he wants his readers to know that in Jesus they will find the pathway to eternal life. The provision of manna in the wilderness had been a wonderful gift and it had sustained their ancestors for a time…but the bread offered by Jesus was spiritual food and its benefits never ended. This was a radical new message and many found it unpalatable, but it’s a message that we continue to proclaim every time we celebrate Holy Communion. This meal is more than a little bit of bread and a sip of wine to get us through the week. Indeed it’s our chance to feast on the one who is the bread of life. As we eat the bread we eat the body of Christ…as we drink the wine we drink his blood. Barbaric as it may sound this meal has become for us the center of worship and faith. In it we anticipate the heavenly banquet, the feast of victory for our Lord. In it we receive the assurance of forgiveness and the promise of new life. It truly is a meal that fits every diet!

Thought for the Day: Is Jesus symbolically or really present in the bread and wine?

John 6:35, 41-44

“They were saying, ‘Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, “I have come down from heaven”?’”

As far as the people in the crowd were concerned Jesus had human origins…they knew his father and mother. For him to say that he had come down from heaven was too much to swallow…even if he did claim to be the bread of life. We shouldn’t be too hard on them…we have a tough time with Jesus’ divinity too. And for some that’s a step of faith that’s too difficult. They’d rather simply understand him as a teacher and prophet, a good man, but no more than that. A part of our difficulty comes from our inability to imagine divinity in a person. Does it take away from the humanity or is it a supplement? Was Jesus like a superhero, able to transcend the laws of physics and switching between human and divine as needed? People of faith know that they’ll never be able to understand the mystery…and most have come to the point where they don’t need to. They know that Jesus was perfectly human and that’s okay with them. But they also know that in him we catch a glimpse of heavenly origins…a blessed reminder that there’s more to this world than meets the eye. And best of all they have found that as they connect with him they experience life in its fullness…he really is the bread that feeds their soul.

Thought for the Day: How do I understand Jesus’ divinity?

Ephesians 4:29-5:2

“Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.” vs. 29

Paul’s picture of Christian community seems almost utopian, almost too good to be true. We’ve grown so accustomed to coarse, bullying, and degrading talk that we are hard-pressed to imagine a world in which each word is carefully weighed and gracefully used. But some followers of Jesus do choose to use language to build up and not tear down. They refuse to engage in gossip or slanderous conversation designed to diminish and ridicule. They don’t use the cheap and gratuitous four letter words that the culture finds so fascinating but strive for purity in discourse. Are they appreciated for their efforts? Not always! Often they are labelled as puritanic or naive…many people have grown accustomed with using words to wound and hurt…and they’re numb to filthy talk. But there is a better way to live…and the words we choose can be powerful tools for healing and loving. This doesn’t mean avoiding tough conversations. And sometimes we’ll be saying things others would rather not hear…that’s how it is when we speak the truth in love. But if we’re serious about repentance and change there’s no better place to start than with the words that come out of our mouths. As Proverbs puts it, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.”

Thought for the Day: How often do my words wound?

Ephesians 4:25-28

“Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy.” vs. 28

There’s something delightfully naive about this verse from Ephesians. Usually the writers of scripture come down hard on sinners…thieves are given warnings to change behavior or face harsh consequences. But here there are no threats or condemnation, just a heartfelt admonition for thieves to stop stealing and begin to work honestly. And why should they do this? So they’ll have something to share with the needy! Instead of being takers, Paul wants the thieves to become givers. His words are a subtle reminder that in every community there are takers and givers, those who focus their lives on accumulating and those whose primary goal is to share. Our world has struggled with this dichotomy for a long time. In our day it seems that the balance has shifted in favor of the takers…massive fortunes are being amassed while charitable giving declines. The more people have the less inclined they are to share. It’s a sad situation…a sign that something has gotten out of whack. It’s an imbalance that breeds resentment and mistrust and does nothing to further the kingdom of God. Paul saw the danger clearly and made a plea for takers to change their ways. He wasn’t against profiting from honest work but his bottom line was the health of community. As scripture reminds us, “The love of money is the root of all evil.”

Thought for the Day: How often does the amassing of wealth involve thievery?

Psalm 34:4-8

“O taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are those who take refuge in him.” vs. 8

There are a multitude of grocery stores and restaurants that advertise organic and natural foods. They’re seeking to profit on the recent surge of interest in what is called “clean eating,” the desire to avoid processed foods and eat only what is whole or natural. Such eaters assiduously read labels and try to find products that have zero or few additives. Many report that they’re feeling better than ever before…and that their bodies are happy too. Some folks of course are suspicious. Having been raised on fast foods they’re used to tastes that satisfy unhealthy cravings. They’d much rather have a cheese-covered pepperoni and sausage pizza than a massaged kale salad. Such concern with healthy eating is a good thing and we can only rejoice that people are finding such joy in food. We can only hope that the trend would extend to matters of the spirit as well. The psalmist encourages us to “taste and see that the Lord is good,” and perhaps the idea will catch on. That’s a scary proposition for many…they’re suspicious of anything that sounds religious and fail to see that a regular diet of faith practices is essential for whole health. Prayer and meditation might appear exotic at first but the benefits are truly life-changing! And they’re at least as palatable as collard greens!

Thought for the Day: How healthy are my eating habits?

Psalm 34:1-3

“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” vs. 1

Occasionally we will meet people who regularly include words of praise and thanksgiving in their conversation. They’ll say, “Praise God,” or “Thank you, Jesus,” without any hesitation or sense of irony. They really mean what they say and aren’t at all reluctant to give public testimony of their faith. Like the psalmist they want to keep the praise of the Lord continually in their mouths. Other people of faith are reluctant to speak so openly…perhaps there is a fear of being offensive or misunderstood. Or maybe they’re afraid of appearing pietistic or overly religious. Whatever the reason, large numbers of people are silent when they could be openly witnessing to their faith convictions. For some it’s a part of their denominational culture…they’ve learned by observation and experience that religious exuberance should be curbed, that expressions of praise are for worship on Sunday, and not for the workplace on Monday. As a result cursing and filthy talk have actually become more socially acceptable than offering blessings to the Lord in large segments of our society! Now it is true that extravagant displays of piety can be hypocritical and an exaggeration, but stifling our praises in favor of silence is surely not the only alternative. There are a multitude of times in every day to give voice to our grateful hearts…and if others hear those exultations they will be touched and blessings will abound.

Thought for the Day: Why is it so acceptable to use four letter words in our culture?

1 Kings 19:4-8

“He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God.” vs. 8

Elijah was on a pilgrimage of sorts. He’d gotten involved in a fierce struggle with Ahab, the king of Israel, and his pagan queen, Jezebel. Just when it seemed things were going well the tides shifted, and Jezebel focused her attention on revenge…she wanted Elijah dead. Fleeing her wrath he headed south…it seems he had decided to go back to Israel’s spiritual birthplace in the wilderness, Horeb or Sinai, the mountain of God. Some of us have had similar experiences with life crises. These are the unexpected blips on our radar…a death or divorce, the loss of a job, or the loss of health. We may not have had evil queens seeking our lives but we’ve felt the pain nonetheless. It’s in those moments that some folks go on pilgrimages…they want some clarity about the future and some redirection…maybe a new sense of  purpose. There’s a craving for spiritual depth and a desire to reconnect with God. Of course we don’t need to cross the seas to go on pilgrimages…there are a multitude of ways to enhance spiritual connections. And here’s the key: every pilgrim journey will require food along the way and a disciplined daily regimen. Ultimately it’s in this spiritual eating and drinking that we experience renewal and rebirth. In other words, it’s all about the journey and not the destination!

Thought for the Day: Where do I find bread for the journey?

John 6:30-35

“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

As followers of Jesus we are rightly involved in programs to address the massive hunger problems that our world faces. The food supply, even on our fertile and productive planet, is often in jeopardy, and no one quite knows what the effects of global warming will be in the decades ahead. It seems that the hungry will always be with us…and will always be a part of our concern. In fact this is one area where all the various Christian denominations have shown a desire and an ability to work together. We may not agree on a lot of issues but we do manage find common ground in feeding the hungry. But what Jesus has to offer goes far beyond our bellies…the bread he gives feeds the soul and gives spiritual satisfaction. It’s food that comes from God and gives eternal life…and it’s this bread that we have a special calling to share. And it’s here that we sometimes struggle in our congregations. Simply put, we have a hard time figuring out ways to reach out with the spiritual nourishment that people so desperately need. It’s a massive challenge in our age of declining church membership and widespread apathy. Of course some folks can pull it off…their words are music to our ears and provide a boost to our spirits…and we’re all blessed by their presence.

Thought for the Day: Where do I eat the bread of life?

John 6: 24-29

“Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” vs. 27

Jesus was no fool. He knew that the crowds gathered at every stop because the people wanted something from him…mostly they were looking for healing but now they were also expecting to be fed. And it wasn’t that he begrudged them their concerns. He consistently did what he could to help. But he knew that he had much more to give…in him people could find satisfaction that went beyond health and wealth. Even now we’re confused about such things. It would seem that most of us yearn for that which does not satisfy…we want material goods, food for our bellies and luxuries for retirement. Some preachers even make that the center of their ministries and promise riches and prosperity to all who follow their teachings. Some folks check their portfolios on a daily basis…if stocks are going up they’re happy campers…they bask in the promises of healthy returns. Jesus calls such things the food that perishes and recommends that we pursue instead the food that endures for eternal life. Some folks have figured that out and have contentment in daily living. They know that all the blessings are a gift…and not something to be earned.

Thought for the Day: Describe the food that endures for eternal life.