2 Kings 2:9-12

“As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven.” vs. 11

UFO enthusiasts read this passage as an account of an alien abduction, and maintain that Elijah was carried away by visitors from another world. This fanciful interpretation did not occur to scriptural interpreters in Judea…they saw it as a great mystery, and believed that one day Elijah would return as a precursor of the long-awaited messiah. Because of these expectations, when Jesus arrived in Galilee proclaiming the coming of the kingdom speculation followed wherever he went. Perhaps he was Elijah…or maybe he was the messiah and John the Baptist had been Elijah. No one knew for sure, and naturally opinion was divided. We humans are like that, particularly when we live in turbulent times and the future seems clouded. We look for God’s intervention and often attach our yearning to some person who seems to carry God’s stamp of approval. Often those endorsements are based on public opinion and turn out to be disappointing. The new messiahs have feet of clay and their vision is fleeting and most often self-serving. Followers of Jesus will not be swayed by the appearance of pseudo-Elijah’s and fraudulent messiahs. We find contentment with Christ Jesus and have seen in his ministry the true kingdom of God. There is no need to wait for another!

Thought for the Day: Why aren’t people content with Jesus?

2 Kings 2:1-8

“Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.’ But Elisha said, ‘As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.’ So they went down to Bethel.” vs. 2

Elisha had left his father and mother and dedicated his life to Elijah, the great prophet of Israel. The two of them had a long and fruitful ministry together and Elisha couldn’t bear the thought of it coming to an end. Consequently when Elijah tells him to remain behind, he refuses…and the two go on together. Many of us have had special relationships like that, a loving tight connection to another person that we pray could go on forever. Of course that can’t happen…and ultimately that relationship comes to an end. Those endings are horribly difficult and the resulting grief is often intense. We feel anger, despair, and sadness…and wonder how we can possibly go on without our partner. Sometimes we refuse to let go, and keep hanging on to the relationship, hoping that our denial will allow us to stay connected. In our loneliness we question our identity and wonder what the future holds for us as a single. Often in that search for meaning and purpose there’ll be deep reflection and heartfelt prayer. What a blessing it is when we begin to sense that God has not abandoned us, that with every ending there comes a new beginning, and that our memories are the seedbed for continued fruitful living.

Thought for the Day: How do relationships end?

Mark 1:33-39

“In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.” vs. 35

Jesus taught in the synagogue but he prayed on the mountainsides. According to Mark he would get up early in the morning, while it was still dark, and go out by himself for prayer. There he would have been treated to spectacular sunrises over the Sea of Galilee, the daily victory of light over darkness. Those of us who habitually rise early in the morning for some quiet time with God know the experience. As we see the sun arrive, often accompanied by pinkish colors of joy, whatever thoughts may have plagued us through the night are quickly dissipated and hope is born again. The future opens up and we begin to see a way through whatever challenges the new day may present. Jesus used this morning prayer time to reconnect with the vision and purpose of his mission. What a gift these moments are! They’re a recipe for dealing with depression and sadness and offer an enriching rhythm to our walk with the Lord…and they’re readily available to every one of us. All that is necessary is a morning alarm and the discipline to get out from under our comfy blankets. Everything else is provided by God and the highlight, the rising of the sun, always comes precisely on time.

Thought for the Day: What time of day do I use for prayer?

Mark 1:29-32

“As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.” vs. 29

Even though the old city of Capernaum is in ruins it’s a favorite stopping point for pilgrims and tourists intent on walking in the footsteps of Jesus. The old synagogue is here. Archaeologists say it’s from the first century, and it’s easy to imagine Jesus teaching here…and casting out a demon. Not far away there’s a church raised above the ancient walls of a house that was used as a place of worship about the same time. Many believe that this was the house of Simon and Andrew, the one mentioned in Mark’s gospel. It’s a fascinating place…one of the few in the Holy Land where an unbroken connection to Jesus can be felt. Time spent wandering and meditating in the rubble of these ancient streets is well worth while. We are reminded that the Lord we serve once walked this earth and brought hope and healing to real people in a real place. Jesus is more than an idea or a symbol and while many myths and legends have grown up around his ministry, at the core of the stories was an actual breathing person. He was a man of his times, well acquainted with dominating forces and the plight of the poor, and his teaching was spectacular. There’s tenderness too, as he reached out to Simon’s feverish mother-in-law and healed her with a touch. This is truly a man worth following!

Thought for the Day: Why do we love studying ancient ruins?

1 Corinthians 9:16-23

“I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.” vss. 22b-23

Paul would not compromise on the gospel, the good news of God that is ours by grace through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But he was willing to adapt to every changing situation that he encountered. He was chameleon-like in the way he adjusted his message to his audience. There are some who might question his tactics and wonder if they were a symptom of weakness, that maybe he lacked integrity in trying to be all things to all people. Certainly what he did was not easy. Any of us who have tried know how wearying it can be to try to please everyone. But that really isn’t Paul’s purpose. He wasn’t trying to please everyone…he only wanted to break through whatever was blocking his ability to communicate his message. He was making a point of connection with them…and that’s something each of us can do as we live out our commission to proclaim the good news. It’s a matter of learning how to read our listeners, identifying their strengths and weaknesses, and then using the language that each understands. Who knows, with practice and lots of loving, we might even learn how to crack the elusive code of the millennials! And that would be a blessing for us all!

Thought for the Day: How well do I read people?

Psalm 147:7-11, 20a

“His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the speed of a runner; but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.” vss. 10-11

In a few days the attention of the country will be focused on Minneapolis, not because it has beautiful lakes and pedestrian skyways, but because that’s where the Superbowl is being played. It’s the biggest single day sporting event of the year…and some say it deserves a place in the liturgical calendar. The psalmist would not have been impressed either by the grandeur of the setting or the skill of the athletes. He writes plainly that the Lord does not delight in the strength of a horse or the speed of a runner. The idolatrous things that entertain us…sports, competition, betting, Grammys, Oscars, the list goes on and on…are nothing to God. Instead the Lord takes pleasure in the faithful, those who hope in God’s steadfast love. We sense that what the psalmist says is true but the pull of those distractions is enormous and it’s hard to stay focused. Trusting God just doesn’t give the adrenaline rush that we get from watching our gladiators perform in our expensive coliseums. So…chances are we’ll succumb and, come Sunday, at least take a look at the commercials, even though we know in our hearts that next year we likely won’t even be able to remember that the Eagles won the game.

Thought for the Day: Why is sports such a big deal for us?

Psalm 147:1-6

“He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.” vss. 3-4

Deism and theism are often held up as two contrasting ways to understand the existence of God. From a deistic perspective God is the creator of the universe, the first cause of all things, but not the source of inspiration or revelation. It’s a mechanistic rational approach to existence…God never intervenes and there are logical explanations for all mysteries. Deism came of age during the enlightenment and was the religion of many of our country’s founders. A theist on the other hand would argue that God not only brought all things into existence but retains an integral and sustaining connection to them. God is intimately and inextricably related to even the most insignificant parts of all that exists. God answers prayers! The psalmist brings those two ideas together as he offers praise and thanksgiving to the God he knows so well. For him, quite obviously, God brings healing to the brokenhearted and gives sanctuary to the outcasts. But God is also the awesome creator, the one who numbers the stars and gives them their names. It’s as we blend these two notions in our daily devotion that we can begin to imagine the amazing presence of God in the universe. The one who knows the pains of our hearts is also the designer of the most distant supernovae. O God, our God, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Thought for the day: Am I more of a deist or a theist?

Isaiah 40:27-31

“Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” vss. 30-31

Sometimes it seems as though the young have a leg up on the rest of us in today’s tech dependent world. They’re the ones who have grown up with computers and who have learned how to write basic code in elementary school. They even know why tv’s have three remotes! But familiarity with social media and smartphones isn’t everything and they soon discover the stress that goes with the crush of innovation and are exhausted by the ever-increasing pace of life. For some instantaneous connections are too slow and impatience grows with every delay. Even though they’re adept at multitasking, many yearn for true intimacy and seek respite for their dulled senses. For folks such as these the prophet suggests another way, one that should be considered by anyone wearied by the constant busyness of their living. “Slow down!” come these words from the past. “Wait for the Lord!” and your strength will be renewed. We don’t need to die in order to mount up with wings like eagles, it’s a way of life available to us now. It’s refreshment without obsession and it comes with purposefully slowing our pace and drinking in the joy that is available in every moment of every day. Perhaps it’s a lesson the old could teach the young!

Thought for the Day: How can I slow the pace of my life?

Isaiah 40:21-26

“It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to live in; who brings princes to naught, and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing.” vs. 22-23

For a thousand years or more the people of Israel had had a ringside seat as they watched a whole string of great powers flex their muscles, exercise dominion, and then virtually disappear. The prophets now knew that all human maneuvering for position and wealth was nothing but a charade, and that there was only one true king in the universe. We might laugh at Isaiah’s description of the heavens being stretched out like a tent, but we cannot deny his perspective on history. He gets that all of our land grabs and efforts to colonize and destroy other nations are pure foolishness. We might be top dog for a few short generations, but then another power will take our place, and then another after that. In the eyes of God we are all like grasshoppers…we hop around excitedly for a time and then we’re gone…and all our pretensions won’t even make the footnotes of history! If that truth can’t bring humility to our leaders and politicians, chances are nothing will. So how shall we live out our time on earth? Certainly not by wallowing in pessimism about the future! We’re here to find joy in existence…and that means living simply while loving God and our neighbor.

Thought for the Day: What great power is likely to replace the United States?

Mark 1:25-28

“They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, ‘What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.’” vs. 27

Occasionally we hear people talk of their inner demons, those voices that speak from our dark side, and that seek to divert us from our intended goodness. For some those spirits are uncontrollable and cause every manner of difficulty. Our experiences with such persons are usually uncomfortable…and we wish there were ways to provide healing. The gospels tell us that Jesus was able to cast out demons and that it was a regular part of his ministry. In fact his ability to command the obedience of unclean spirits was one of the reasons for his early fame in Galilee. We don’t quite know what to do with such stories. On the one hand they seem primitive and strange…and yet we know perfectly well that demons are present among us too. We just call them by different names…and most often rely on medication to control them. It’s good that through the passage of time we’ve figured out new ways to cure diseases and cast out demons, and we can be grateful for medical advances. But it’s also important for us to remember that there is a spiritual dimension to illness and disease…it’s not always a matter of finding the right pill! Healings and exorcisms can often require an authoritative voice and a connection with the mysterious power of God. And prayer is more than a placebo!

Thought for the Day: What happens in an exorcism?