Psalm 25:1-10

“He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.” vs. 9

According to the ways of our world, humility is more of a curse than a blessing. It’s the narcissists who get the power and the acclaim…and we absolutely love the arrogant and the proud. The psalmist would be appalled! In his estimation such persons do not walk in the way of the Lord and are to be pitied for their posturing and their perversion of righteousness. Their grandiose behaviors and elevated self-importance are a detriment to genuine human community and undermine the mission of the Christ. According to the psalmist and the witness of Jesus we glimpse God most clearly in the lives of the humble and the gentle. It’s through such persons that we experience God’s kingdom and in their presence that we are given a compass for virtuous living. The brash and the beautiful may be skilled at capturing headlines but it’s in the presence of the humble that we can see God at work. Sometimes we won’t even notice them in the course of the day…they’re adept at hiding in plain sight. But they’re around, and in every part of the world…it’s through them that loving gets done and lives are changed. It’s because of the humble that our world is civilized and fit for habitation…through them evil is held at bay and goodness ultimately triumphs. In them God’s will is being done.

Thought for the Day: Can humility be learned or is it innate?

Genesis 9:8-17

“When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” vs. 16

As the Hebrews recalled their ancient flood narrative they included within it a powerful word of hope, the promise that the world would never again be destroyed by a flood…and the bow in the clouds would be the everlasting sign of that covenant. In their story it’s interesting to note that the bow is a reminder to God of the promise that had been made…and some of us might wonder why God would need a reminder about anything! And that’s true…we’re the ones who need reminders…and the rainbow is one of the best. There really isn’t a good reason for rainbows to happen…we could have perfectly good thunderstorms without them. They come without invitation for no apparent purpose…and we love them. We can’t help but stop what we’re doing and gaze up into the heavens in amazement at their beauty. They’re a symbol of hope in our troubled and divisive times, a universal reminder of the intimate connection that exists between God and the entire creation. No one tribe, no one species, is God’s special favorite. All things are precious to the creator…and the rainbow cries out to us that our diversity is a matter of God’s design. “Red and yellow, black and white, all are precious in God’s sight!”

Thought for the Day: What does it mean to be a rainbow coalition?

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

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

This year we’re reminded that Ash Wednesday is for lovers…a day to remember the deep and intimate love relationship that exists between us and our Maker. Scripture tells us clearly that God’s love for us is unconditional and unconfined…it knows no boundaries and overcomes even our persistent sin. Our love for God is defined and shown by our piety, something that Jesus defines as fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. And just as cheating lovers try to cover up their unfaithfulness with romantic cards and showy bouquets, we can try to impress others with our external and shallow acts of devotion. We brag about our giving, prattle on with pointless prayers, and try to show our adoring public how much we love God. It’s the religious thing to do! But God is not impressed…and neither is anyone else! The world knows when we’re faking faith. Pious sounding politicians and two-faced religious leaders fool only their misguided and naive followers. True love, the self-giving kind we’re celebrating today, has the ring of authenticity and warms our hearts. During this season of Lent we’ll be given plenty of opportunities to demonstrate our love with genuine acts of piety…and by the time Easter rolls around we’ll have a whole vault of treasure stored up in heaven.

Thought for the Day: What is my Lenten discipline?

Psalm 51:1-17

“You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.” vs. 6

We’re coming up on the season of Lent, a penitential time for reflection on the state of our souls. As usual we’ll be walking in the footsteps of Jesus and meditating on the significance of his suffering and death for our own life of faith. It’s a favorite time of the year for many! Because it’s hard to sell or glamorize suffering the season is remarkably free of the cultural baggage that plagues so many of our holy days. We’ll have 40 days to freely consider our baptismal callings…and it’s going to be good. The psalmist suggests that we pay some attention to our inward beings, that part of ourselves that we typically keep carefully hidden from others…and sometimes even from ourselves. For so many there is a deep divide between our private and public selves. We’ve learned to bottle up shame and guilt and we wouldn’t dream of allowing others to see into our secret hearts. As a result we live behind facades in our interactions with even our intimate friends. We suspect we would be rejected if they could see our core. What a blessing it is when we can so trust in the cleansing power of forgiveness that we dare to bare our souls to our soulmates! The transparency is invigorating…especially when we discover that the Lord has created a new heart within us…and our spirit has been transformed.

Thought for the Day: Who knows the thoughts of my inward being?

 Joel 2:1-2

“Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming, it is near— a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness!” vss. 1-2a

A plague of locusts had descended upon Israel! Borne by the desert winds the cloud of insects had blackened the sky and brought devastation to the land. For Joel the invasion was a sign of God’s impending judgment and he called upon the nation to repent. While we’re not so likely to attribute natural disasters to God’s wrath there’s no doubt that they still get our attention. Every year we’re visited by earthquakes, fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and the like…and they seem to be increasing in intensity. They bring with them loss of life and massive property damage, and we’re always humbled by their force and destructive power. They remind us that this earth we inhabit is governed by immutable physical laws and we can never escape their influence. And even though God doesn’t send hurricanes and floods to punish coastal cities, we cannot deny that such events drive us to our knees in prayer and motivate our generous compassion. They are a reminder of our own mortality and impotence and often provide opportunities for loving service and acts of amazing heroism. The calamities bring communities together and often provide the impetus for repentance and change. We see God, not in the destruction, but in the helping hands of those who serve.

Thought for the Day: What motivates my generosity?

Mark 9:7-9

“Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!’” vs. 7

Mark seems to indicate that whatever the transfiguration experience meant for Jesus, it was equally transforming for the disciples. For Jesus there is a consult with Moses and Elijah, representing the law and prophets from Israel’s history. Presumably it was verification of his ministry, a sign that he was on the right path. But for the disciples there’s a meeting with God! And it takes place in a cloud! Somehow that seems appropriate. At best our God encounters are obscure and mysterious…and it’s virtually impossible to see God, even when God is near. But in the cloud the disciples heard the voice of God…it was so clear to them, and it was virtually the same message that Jesus had heard in his baptism, “This is my Son, the Beloved,” with one addendum that was just for them, “Listen to him!” What a word of direction for us when we’re grappling with uncertainty and struggling to orient ourselves in the complexities of our cloudy existence! Confused? Don’t worry, just listen to Jesus. In him is the way to eternal life. In his words we have our own personal GPS…and get divine guidance for our baptismal mission to work for justice and peace in the entire world. We may not always be that sure about God, but we can always be confident that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Thought for the Day: How can life get us disoriented?

Mark 9:2-6

“Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them.” vss. 2-3

The account of the Transfiguration in the gospels has a hint of Easter about it and almost seems out of place in the rhythm of Jesus’ ministry. It’s like a foretaste of what lay ahead for the disciples and they don’t have a clue what to make of it. Peter stammers out some nonsense about building three booths…as an extravert he just had to say something…and his suggestion is simply ignored. Only later on would the disciples begin to understand that they had glimpsed eternal light. Occasionally those times come for followers of Jesus. Most of the time our journey is pretty mundane and not a lot changes from day to day. But then there’ll be a moment, a transcending wrinkle in time, when we catch a hint of light and life that is unlike anything we’ve ever experienced. It could be a vision…or maybe a particularly intense instance of meditation…and we see the light! Like Peter we may be inclined to try to capture the moment, to perhaps preserve it for future reflection…but our efforts don’t work. All too soon the experience is over and we’re back on the path with our old companions…and life goes on. But it won’t be the same! Even if we don’t understand, those glimpses are priceless…and give us energy to stay the course!

Thought for the Day: What leaves me speechless?

2 Corinthians 4:5-6

“For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake.” vs. 5

In spite of the criticism that he frequently received Paul remained convinced that the good news he proclaimed was from God. When accused he would fall back on the basic principles of his mission: Jesus Christ was Lord and he was a slave. We might not like that kind of language, particularly the part about being a slave, but these two ideas are the strength of the true Church of Christ. This whole enterprise, this call that we have received in baptism from God, is not about self-exaltation or power-grabbing. Instead, like the early Christians we proclaim our simple creed, “Jesus Christ is Lord!” and then give our lives as slaves to those we are called to serve. Whatever profession or career we find ourselves in, whatever job we come to have, our number one priority will be service to our fellow workers and our clients. Certainly that’s what Jesus had in mind for his followers…he said it again and again in the course of his teachings. He himself had come, not to be served, but to serve and to give his life for others. Paul knew that, and nothing gave him more joy than being a slave for Jesus’ sake. It was his princely calling…and so it is for us!

Thought for the Day: If I’m a slave, who is my master?  

2 Corinthians 4:3-4

“In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” vs. 4

Not everyone who heard Paul preach was convinced by his message. Some refused to believe his teachings about Jesus as messiah, and many more considered his preaching to be obscure and misleading. As a result a good portion of his energy was devoted to dealing with his opponents…and he really didn’t like their attacks and insinuations. From his perspective their minds had been blinded by the god of this world, likely a reference to Satan. That issue of unbelief has been a source of consternation for believers from the beginning. Why are people so quick to reject and disregard the light of the gospel? Why can’t they see what we see? Why can’t they just believe that Jesus is the Christ? If Paul is right unbelief isn’t a choice. Instead it happens when an external force, the god of this world, pulls a veil over people’s eyes. When that happens they can’t be persuaded by logic or testimony…they refuse to believe no matter what argument we might choose. Paul reacted to that stubbornness with anger…a better response for us might be love. It does no good for anyone to hear words of condemnation…and those words are never redemptive. But when we can love unbelievers unconditionally veils are lifted…and the light of the gospel can even touch their stubborn hearts.

Thought for the Day: How do I treat unbelievers?

Psalm 50:1-6

“He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people: ‘Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!’” vss. 4-5

For this psalmist God was no shrinking violet, a god who crept around in the shadows and who remained hidden from our eyes. This psalmist’s God was Lord of the universe, creator of all that exists, the One who ordered the paths of the sun and moon and who summoned storm clouds of thunder and lightning. And it was this God who had chosen Israel and who had made a covenant with her that was sealed by sacrifice. And now that God was calling for a renewal of the covenant, a reaffirmation of their promise to obey…and the whole congregation of believers had gathered in a liturgy of recommitment. Those services of reaffirmation have always been important for God’s people. They’re a time to reflect on God’s promises and also a reminder of our promise to love and obey God. Sometimes we call the ceremony an affirmation of baptism and join together with others in a common confession of faith and renunciation of evil. The years of our lives pass quickly and promises can be forgotten without special times of renewal. We don’t need to worry about the faithfulness of our mighty and powerful everywhere present God…but our zeal can fade…and let’s face it: sometimes we need rebooting!

Thought for the Day: Why do some renew their marriage vows?