Psalm 145:10-15

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. The Lord is faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds.” vs. 13

The psalmist likely lived in Jerusalem and was familiar with the trappings of power and the influence exerted by national interest. He was a Jew and perhaps hoped for a return to the glory days of David. But he was also more than that! His God was more than a provincial God linked only to the destiny of one particular country. His God had an everlasting kingdom and had ruled from the beginning of the universe. Not only was God the Creator, God was the Sustainer, One who lifted up the lowly and who provided all with their food in due season. That perspective could be immensely valuable for those who are tempted to be short-sighted in their view of global events. The rulers of this age aren’t nearly so significant as their minions believe…their influence lasts only for the blink of an eye. Soon they will be forgotten…mere footnotes on the pages of history. All the posturing and positioning is laughable in the context of billions of years…God’s kingdom is the only eternal one. That point of view should give us some sense of peace as we view current goings-on. Of course we’ll want to be involved in politics and policy…it does have value…but it’s not the end of the world if we don’t get our way or our candidate doesn’t win. God is the one in charge…THANK GOD!

Thought for the Day: Why should I care about elections?

2 Kings 4:43-44

“He set it before them, they ate, and had some left, according to the word of the Lord.” vs. 44

Many people don’t realize that there was a miraculous feeding story connected to Israel’s ancient prophet, Elisha. It’s only a couple of verses and recounts the time a servant is told by Elijah to feed 100 people with 20 barley loaves and a few ears of grain. Of course that wasn’t nearly enough to feed so many but it worked…they ate and had some left. It’s an account that sounds familiar to us, probably because each of the gospel writers tells a similar story in connection with Jesus’ ministry. Not only did they want to connect Jesus to the rich prophetic history of Israel, they wanted believers to know that Jesus could provide abundantly for all of their needs, the physical as well as the spiritual. Even when it seemed as though there was a  scarcity of resources, with God there would be abundance. It’s significant that in the Elisha story the loaves are part of a first fruits offering. Our generosity is the first step in the road to abundant living for all. That’s a lesson that has proven to be enormously difficult to learn. More frequently the human impulse is hoarding and not sharing…and the results have been catastrophic. Again and again we’ve allowed massive famines and food shortages to define history…and then blamed God. God can do amazing things with our gifts…but first we have to learn to give.

Thought for the Day: Why does God need our gifts?

Mark 6:53-56

“When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was.” vs. 54

Over the last decade there has been a vigorous debate about healthcare in our country and there haven’t been many satisfactory solutions proposed. We continue to search for the best way to deal with the manifold diseases and illnesses that cause such misery for so many. Jesus ran into those issues in the course of his ministry too…people were hungry for healing and they grasped at any straw. Whenever healers had success in dealing with sickness, large crowds flocked to where they were. Even with the magnificent advances in treatment during the last century we see the same yearning for miraculous cures. We cross borders, take exotic medicines, track the most successful doctors…and sometimes we hit the jackpot. Sometimes it’s said that faith is the key, that if only we have enough faith in face of disease we will be made well. Now faith is obviously important in any treatment…but it’s not a guarantee! The best we can say is that there’s mystery in healing and we haven’t begun to be able to understand it. So what shall we do when illness comes? Certainly we’ll take our prayers to Jesus…and he will work through faith, medicine, doctors, and hospitals to bring wholeness. And if we don’t get the results we crave he’ll continue to give us strength…in him, not even death is the end of the road.

Thought for the Day: What am I doing to be healthy?

Mark 6:30-34

“As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.” vs. 34

Jesus saw that his disciples needed a break…they’d been working hard in ministry and were getting worn out…so he made plans to go off to a quiet place. Evidently there were retreat centers even in those days! There was however an issue with the crowds. Their problems and ailments didn’t take time off and they wanted immediate attention…they likely weren’t sure what needed to be done, they only knew that Jesus was the one who could help. Mark reports that Jesus’ heart went out to them…they were like sheep without a shepherd…and he just couldn’t look to his own needs first. We discover such persons regularly as we continue Jesus’ work. Their stories are so sad! Virtually nothing has gone well in their lives and intractable problems abound. Their needs are overwhelming and, while we feel bad for them, we see no easy solutions. Most of us groan inwardly when we see them coming and do all we can to keep from being enmeshed in their needy lives. What a blessing it is for these hurting brothers and sisters when we take time for listening and caring! We might not be able to solve their problems but we can treat them with love and dignity…and they most certainly will be blessed.

Thought for the Day: How do I treat difficult people?

Ephesians 2:15-22

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.” vss. 19-20

It’s so easy to get caught up in the strident nationalism of our day and begin to believe that illegals threaten every aspect of our future. According to current rhetoric all our problems will go away if only we can stem the tide of migration and eliminate the aliens from among us. Fortunately followers of Jesus find their confidence, not in national boundaries, but in their common citizenship as members of the household of God. Of course we are in one sense citizens of one or another country…but that’s not our most important connection. So when we see pictures of refugees stacked at our country’s borders or families seeking asylum being separated, we need to remember that many of these are our brothers and sisters in Christ and our fellow citizens. Since this is a foundational gospel truth it’s hard to understand how so many so-called religious leaders can spew such hatred in their attacks on those seeking better lives for themselves and their families. In that context it’s a particular blessing to see people of faith offering those fellow saints every kind of assistance and help. In their acts of hospitality the light of Christ is shining bright and God is glorified!

Thought for the Day: Why do people fear refugees?

July 19, 2018     

“For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us.” vs. 14

The earliest division in the Body of Christ was between the circumcised and the uncircumcised, and it took years of debate and argument before the issue could reach even an initial stage of reconciliation. The circumcised were so proud of their identity as the children of the covenant and it was hard to accept that the Gentiles, who had so long been outsiders, were now included. Compromise was possible only when both groups realized that unity came, not with anything they said or did, but only by an act of God in Christ. Those kinds of divisions have continued to plague the Church through the years. We seem to love erecting walls of separation and imagining that somehow others don’t measure up to God’s standards. We use all kinds of factors to divide…sexuality, race, gender, doctrine…the list seems inexhaustible. And it’s all so contrary to the gospel! It’s what Christ has done that makes us one…and it’s already happened. There is no point in exclusion or hostility…the wall has been broken down. All are welcome in the family of hope and promise. It’s amazing what happens when we can begin to relax with one another and celebrate the peace that we have in Christ. We have plenty to do in bringing healing and justice to the world…pointless hostilities are always a distraction!

Thought for the Day: Where have I seen hostility in the Body?

Psalm 23

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.” vs. 6

In the course of a lifetime there are moments that invite reflection, times when we can think back on twists and turns of our journey, and perhaps consider the impact of important decisions. Always there will have been a point on the way when we adopted, either consciously or unconsciously, some basic principles for living out our days. For some the 23rd Psalm reflects those values and they’ve claimed its precious promises. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want!”  Wow! What a blessing it is to simply give ourselves into the care of God! In that context there’s not a lot to worry about! We’ll be able to enter the valleys of dark shadows and know that we’ll emerge in the light…the Lord is our strength and our comfort. And God’s provision never ends…we’ll always have an abundance of all that we need all the days of our lives. For those who trust the Shepherd the days of reflection will be filled with a deep sense of satisfaction. They know in their hearts that they’ve been blessed beyond measure and that there is no need to fear the future. It’s not that they’ve been so clever or wise…and they may not have even made all the best choices…but that’s okay, that’s not important. What does count is that we’re in the Shepherd’s care and we’ve been deeply loved! Who could want for anything more?

Thought for the Day: When’s a good time for annual reflection?

Jeremiah 23:4-6

“The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.” vs. 5

Even though Jeremiah was relentless in pointing out the sins of Judah and the inevitability of its destruction he remained hopeful about future prospects. He believed that, having gotten rid of the old kings, the Lord would raise up a new one, and that new shepherd would execute justice and righteousness in the land. He was right to be an optimist but he was wrong in thinking that the new leader would be like David. Of course he wasn’t alone in thinking that. Nearly all the Jews believed that the coming messiah would be a conquering ruler and restore the ancient kingdom. People continue to have those old notions about leaders…we can’t stop thinking that our politicians are going to be our salvation. Every election we go through the same process by attaching totally unreal expectations to our candidates and thinking that somehow they’re going to fix things. And it doesn’t work…and we’re reminded once more that the Lord had bigger things in mind. The new Shepherd would be different…this leader, who we’ve come to know as Jesus, passionately cared about all humanity and would be willing to lay down his life for his sheep. In his kingdom of love and mercy God’s righteousness would actually become a reality. The Good Shepherd is the one leader totally worthy of our trust and allegiance.

Thought for the Day: Where do I experience the Good Shepherd?

Jeremiah 23:1-3

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord.” vs. 1

When Jeremiah speaks of shepherds he has in mind the corrupt and power hungry kings of his nation. Their leadership had meant the dissolution and scattering of the people…already many had been led away into exile. He himself would soon be taken against his will to Egypt. It was a terrible time…and leaders bore the blame. And that’s pretty much the way it still is. When we think of the terrible wars and calamities of the last century, it’s not ordinary folks who are responsible. Generally it’s the powerful men and women, the rich ones who make the legislation and laws, who sit at home while others fight, they’re the ones who are accountable for all the destruction and scattering. In fact, whether in business, government, schools, or churches, leaders are directly responsible for the good of the whole. When they’re humble, benevolent, and nurturing the organization prospers…they set the bar for behaviors from top to bottom. On the other hand any self-aggrandizing, power-loving leader spells disaster…and sometimes it takes years to recover. Jeremiah understands leaders to be like shepherds, people who have a calling from God to bring prosperity and peace to humanity. They have a big part to play in establishing the kingdom of God…and woe to the ones who mess it all up!

Thought for the Day: Where are you seeing good leadership right now?

Mark 6:21-29

“When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.’” vs. 22

There’s some confusion in the ancient documents about this dancer’s name (Josephus says she was called Salome), but there’s no doubt that this was probably the favorite biblical scene for medieval and renaissance artists. They loved to paint the seductive, sexy girl, draped in seven diaphanous veils, and holding a platter holding the gruesome bloody head of John the Baptist. We can see hundreds of such paintings in museums all around the world. They’ve helped to contribute to the notion that innocent men are easily tricked into sinful behavior by the wiles of wicked women. Until recent years even the most egregious examples of sexual assault were presumed to be the fault of the victim. It’s a difficult prejudice to overcome…particularly when biblical passages ares used to give support. In truth Herod is totally responsible for John’s death…his massive ego and foolish need to impress meant the ugly end of a godly man. Sadly megalomaniacs like Herod are still around, and always it’s the innocent who suffer. Sin isn’t a male or female thing…it infects us all. What a blessing it is to be surrounded by forgiven sinners who humbly seek to do God’s will and who resist the narcissism that plagues our times!

Thought for the Day:    How could you be seduced and lured into sin?