Revelation 7:9-17

“After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands.” vs. 9

As John’s vision continued a new scene appeared before his eyes. Again there was a great multitude standing before the Lamb, all robed in white and with palm branches in their hands. What’s striking about this crowd of saints is their diversity; they’re from every nation, all tribes and peoples and languages! Whatever might be said about the Seer, it’s obvious that he doesn’t have a narrow view of the Church. All are included! That’s a perspective that has regularly been lost in the course of the centuries. Too often leaders have had a parochial notion of the faith, and have been quick to exclude anyone who was different. There are even some who are confusing white nationalism with the Church of Jesus Christ, and there’s nothing that can be further from the truth. In fact, it’s a travesty to even intimate that Jesus differentiates among the people of God, and has good news only for a select few. Even now we are a part of a great company of saints who are walking in the Way and living in the Word of the Lord. And all these people, multi-national and multi-colored, will live through death and into new life, and be one with the waiting Lamb.

Thought for the Day: How would the Church react to a non-white pope?

Psalm 23:4-6

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me;   your rod and your staff—they comfort me.” vs. 4

Since we all will walk through dark valleys in the course of life’s journeys, particularly when our enemy death casts its ugly shadow, this verse brings enormous comfort. It’s good to know that the Shepherd is always near and travels with us through tough times. But the psalmist says that our greatest comfort comes, not from the Lord’s presence but from his rod and staff, and we wonder what that means. Some biblical scholars tell us that the rod and staff are what a shepherd used to ward off dangerous predators on the way, and we like that picture. We like having a defender in life, someone who can take a hard swat at tormenting bullies. It’s good to have a protector. But that’s not all that a shepherd uses a staff for! In fact the most frequent use for a rod in the world of shepherding is to give a hard whack to the side of any sheep who wanders from the path. And maybe that’s the most valuable thing the Good Shepherd can do in our lives! It just might be in this world of conflicting values and options that the most helpful guidance we’ll ever get from the Lord is a not-so-gentle nudge to keep us on the Way. And that’s particularly true when we’re walking through the dark valleys!

Thought for the Day: When have I needed a good “whack” to stay on track?

Psalm 23:1-3

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.” vss. 1-3a

Only the misguided in our world claim that they need no leader, and it’s sad when such people actually become our leaders. The wise will always acknowledge their need for a leader and will search until they find one that is trustworthy. The psalmist had done that and had learned to trust in the Lord as his shepherd. He knew that under the Good Shepherd life could become like a walk in the park, or maybe even a golf course. All needs would be provided for. But what’s even more important, the psalmist knew that with the Lord his spirit would be renewed. Like the psalmist many have come to realize that life’s walk is a spiritual journey, and that nothing is more important than the renewal of our souls. Often that happens when we choose to spend time in the gentle embrace of nature. There is nothing more calming for our spirits than a stop on a bench or a rock by a stream, or maybe by a duck-inhabited pond in a park. Jesus started every day with prayer in his favorite spot overlooking the Sea of Galilee. It’s there he found his inspiration. Some say that an hour by still waters is as good as an hour of worship, and if Jesus has led us there, it’s bound to be true!

Thought for the Day: Where in nature is my place of spiritual renewal?

Acts 9:36-43

“So Peter got up and went with them; and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them.” vs. 39

The Christians had been driven out of Jerusalem by Saul’s campaign to search and destroy their community. Of course his efforts were unsuccessful and served only to increase their influence. Many had settled in Joppa on the coast and their outreach was significant. One of them, a woman called Dorcas, led them in making garments for the poor and they were proud of their serving ministry. Even today in many congregations there are Dorcas groups who delight in continuing her mission. As happens, in spite of her faith and spirit, she became ill and died, and the whole community mourned. But they were a resurrection people and someone said, “Maybe Peter can do something!” And they sent for him–and he came. And as he viewed her body they told him Dorcas’ story and he was moved to action. Sending the people from the room Peter prayed, and like Lazarus, her life was restored. Stories like this spread throughout the early congregations, and the faith grew exponentially. Not that all their dead were restored to life, but they were convinced that death was not the end–and one day there would be new life for all. And they continued to serve like Dorcas!

Thought for the Day: How do I feel when I hear stories of miraculous recoveries?

John 21:10-19

“When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’” vs. 15

It’s not surprising that this was the chosen gospel text for the funeral of Pope Francis. Not only does it testify to the resurrection, it focuses on Peter, the disciple considered by many to have been the first pope. The text was particularly appropriate for Francis, a man who often spoke of love as the defining principle of his ministry, and who devoted his papacy to serving the flock that had been entrusted to him. As believers we often engage in speculation about what it means to be a follower of Jesus, and regularly debate the doctrines that emerged in our efforts to define the faith. Sometimes those conversations become intense and can even result in separation and division. All such things are a distraction from our true mission, to love the Lord with our heart, mind, and soul; and our neighbor as our self. Pope Francis went out of his way to bring the love of Christ to the downtrodden and the forsaken. His heart broke at the suffering that results from war and persecution. His simple desire was that all people should experience happiness in this world, a joy that flows out of the living Christ. May his hope become a reality in each of our lives!

Thought for the Day: What influence does the pope have in our world?

John 21:1-8

“That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the lake.” vw. 7

Chapter 21 appears to be a kind of an epilogue that was added to the gospel of John sometime after it was completed. It consists of an account of another resurrection appearance by Jesus, this time in Galilee, and could have been an attempt to rehabilitate the image of Peter who had earlier denied Jesus. The section starts with some of the disciples back in their hometown when Peter suggests that they go fishing. After they worked all night and caught nothing, at dawn a man appears on the shore and calls out to them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat. Only after another disciple recognizes the Risen Lord does Peter take action. He leaps into the water, struggles ashore, and there discovers that it is indeed Jesus. The whole episode reminds us that resurrection is mysterious, and isn’t a matter of physical resuscitation. The Risen Christ is elusive, full of the Spirit, and is always full of surprises. Even now the Resurrected One appears out of nowhere in our lives for the purpose of rehabilitation. We probably won’t recognize him–he’s a master of disguise, but when he makes himself known, often in the breaking of bread, his mission is unmistakable. We are a sent people!

Thought for the Day: What’s Jesus’ favorite disguise?

Revelation 5:11-14

“…singing with full voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing!’” vs. 12

When the door of heaven is opened and the Seer is taken up in the Spirit to view its wonders, we are quickly introduced to the slaughtered Lamb of God, a metaphor for the Christ that is used 28 times in the book of Revelation. Obviously the early Christians were familiar with this image that is lifted from the sacrificial practices of Judaism as described in the Hebrew scriptures. As they searched for ways to describe the sacrificial love of God as revealed in the cross it made sense to identify Jesus with the Lamb. And even though that image of Christ has to some extent fallen out of favor, it still remains as an integral part of the Eucharistic liturgy. In fact the Agnus Dei or Lamb of God is sung every Sunday in many congregations as the people ready themselves to receive the Body and Blood in the form of bread and wine.It’s a beautiful hymn, a gift to believers from the writer of Revelation, and makes a strong connection between the death of Jesus and the forgiveness of sins. And that’s important! No one should ever leave a regular worship service without having heard that their sins are forgiven in Christ Jesus. And whether we like it or not, there’s no more powerful metaphor for forgiveness than the slaughtered Lamb. Praise be to God for the Agnus Dei!

Thought for the Day: What’s my favorite part of the Communion liturgy?

Psalm 30:6-12

“As for me, I said in my prosperity, ‘I shall never be moved.’ By your favour, O Lord, you had established me as a strong mountain; you hid your face; I was dismayed.” vss. 6-7

The psalmist had been confident in his relationship with the Lord, and, in his estimation, he had been blessed. Like many people he believed that there was a link between faith and prosperity, and since he had wealth, he anticipated that the good times would continue. And then the bottom dropped out and things turned sour. Judging from the context of his prayer, he became very ill, almost to the point of death. At that point, with his confidence shaken, he had turned back to the Lord, and in humility pleaded for healing. His story is not rare! There are many who could  tell the same sad story. We did our investing, worked hard, and piled up nice little nest eggs for our retirement and we learned quickly to enjoy the perks of prosperity. We plan trips and the future looks good, and on Sundays we thank the Lord for our blessings. And then life happens. Sometimes a routine physical reveals the unthinkable. Financial resources are depleted by forces beyond our control. Our stable family relationships begin to disintegrate. Our whole attitude changes and in despair we turn back to God, and discover that our true wealth is not in the material, but in the spiritual.  And Jesus becomes once again our refuge and strength!

Thought for the Day: When have I gotten “wake up calls?”

Psalm 30:1-5

“For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” vs. 5

Most folks don’t consider that their unfortunate circumstances have come because of God’s anger. They recognize that in a broken world there is bound to be suffering, tears, and pain, and that those moments aren’t necessarily connected to our behaviors or actions. The psalmist did believe that God could be angry, but only for a moment, and the anger would be quickly followed with favor, a deep and profound love that endured for a lifetime. For some that observation reflects the experience loving parents have with their children. There are moments of anger, but the bond of love will last forever. And once we’ve gotten a few years under our belts we also come to know that weeping is regularly followed by joy. And maybe we too have gone to bed with tears in our eyes and then awakened with gladness in our hearts. It’s miraculous what a night of good sleep can do to bring healing to life’s calamities, and that’s especially true when our lives have been molded by a deep and profound confidence in a living, loving Lord! As believers we were weaned on the Easter message of resurrection, and that good news has the power to sustain us through every troubling chapter of our life story. In Christ every ending is also a wonderful beginning!

Thought for the Day: What does a good sleep do for me?

Acts 9:3-9

“He asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The reply came, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.’” vss. 5-6

There are some who refer to this experience on the road to Damascus as the conversion of Paul, but that description misses the point. Paul was not converted, but remained a proud and faithful Jew, a man proud of his training and heritage. And what happened to him on the road was his call. On the surface it was a foolish choice, exactly the opposite of what human agency would have predicted. Paul had been the chief enemy of the Christian community, completely mistrusted by those he was now being called to love and serve. We can be sure it was a shock to Paul too. He knew the Lord’s voice. He was arresting Christians because he loved the Lord, and then in a flash of light the Lord was revealed to be none other than Jesus. To the end of his life Paul believed that this was his call to be an apostle, not a substitute chosen by the roll of some dice, but the equal of Peter and John. As time passed the Spirit revealed to him that he was to be the apostle to the Gentiles, and he assumed that role with joy and gladness. His story reminds us that Jesus chooses unlikely folks for the most important work, and often we’re the ones that he has picked.

Thought for the Day: What is my call?