Matthew 3:1-6

“In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’” vss. 1-

Matthew doesn’t give us much of a backstory on John the Baptist, but some believe that John was connected to the Essenes who had taken up residence at Qumran, a monastic community located near the Dead Sea. The Essenes were known for celibacy, ritual bathing practices and simplicity in daily living. While we can never know for sure, it is conceivable that John left the community at Qumran to proclaim a message of baptism and repentance along the Jordan River. What Matthew does tell us is that John’s message was powerful and well-received. People came to him from all around Judea and the Jordan Valley. Matthew says that he was the “voice in the wilderness” written about in the book of Isaiah. His purpose was to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord. It’s not a glamorous job to be a forerunner, but it appears that John did his job well. He was instrumental in connecting Jesus with his call–so influential that Jesus adopted his basic message “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near,” as his initial mission statement, and of course some of John’s disciples later switched their allegiance to Jesus. John’s ministry reminds us that the gospel doesn’t arrive in a vacuum–there will always those who prepare the way. And sometimes that’s even the job we get to do!

Thought for the Day: Who or what prepared me to receive the gospel?

Romans 15:7-13

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” vs. 13

Hope is what keeps us going in the face of adversity or difficulties, and hope is perhaps the most precious gift of God. Because we are broken, God plants in us the seed of hope so that we might have the expectation of restoration and healing. The very presence of hope in our lives is a sign of God’s presence, and a reminder that the way things are is not the way they will always be. And as we learn to trust that God-inspired hope we are bound to receive joy and peace, the ultimate gifts of God in this broken world. Those of us who have had hope dashed in the course of our journey know how very precious it is. Without it, expectations are crushed and it’s easy to get lost in depression and malaise. But because hope is God generated and Spirit inspired, it often bubbles to the surface almost in spite of ourselves, and when it again appears, joy and peace are not far behind. It’s fun to be in the company of hopeful saints in our congregations. Their effervescent smiles and genuine caring are contagious and in their presence we often find our faith strengthened and our hope regenerated. And none of this is our doing. It’s all the gift of God through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Thought for the Day: How have I experienced the power of hope?

Romans 15:4-6

“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.” vs. 4

As Paul came to the end of his sometimes cumbersome and long letter to the Romans he wanted to leave his reader with hope. They’d had a rough time absorbing this radical message of inclusion. His Jewish readers had never dreamed that one day they would have table fellowship with Gentiles. It was likely beyond their imagination. Yet so Paul had proclaimed, and so they had come to believe, and now he wants them to know that he hadn’t just been making this stuff up. He tells them that the Hebrew scriptures had been written for this purpose. Everything that he had told them had come from their holy writings, and because that was the gospel’s source,  they all might have hope. That gospel of grace now belongs to us, and it is such a blessing to see the threads of that message running through all the scriptures. Oh, sometimes it’s hard to see how all things fit together, and sometimes we wish the writers could have been more clear and direct. But as we use that precious library of books for instruction and for insight we see that this is what Paul said it was, a grace-filled message of inclusion and hope. As we study and read it our understanding grows and we are bound to give thanks for our long-lived family of faith.

Thought for the Day: What do I do when scripture baffles me?

Psalm 72:1-7

“May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy,   and crush the oppressor.” vs. 4

As might be expected the coronation of a king was a festive occasion in Israel. Trumpets were blown, cymbals rang out, and prayers were said. This psalm was used at just such a moment, and some believed that it was first used at the crowning of Solomon. Some of the refrains were familiar: the prayers for wisdom, long life, and success in battle. But one verse stands out. Because the poor and the needy had no advocates, and no way to stand up for themselves, they were dependent upon the king for defense and deliverance. And that’s how it should be in every land and every generation! In our age those who have adopted the mission of Jesus will be the principal defenders of the poor. They will stand up for them in a system which favors the rich and be their advocates as they struggle to escape poverty. And perhaps most important of all, they will lobby leaders to have the care of the needy near the top of their political agendas. Of course at this time of year it’s wonderful to see the angel trees in our churches and know that our social agencies have not forgotten the hungry and the hurting. But followers of Jesus know that this isn’t just a run-up to Christmas. For us every season is a time for sharing!

Thought for the Day: Where do I do my sharing?

Isaiah 11:6-10

“The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid,

the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them.” vs. 6

We really don’t know much about Isaiah. Oh, we know that he was a prophet and that he lived in Jerusalem a long time ago, but other than that there’s little information about him. What we do know is that he was a superlative and imaginative writer–his carefully crafted elegant words have inspired and emboldened believers for thousands of years. The images of this one sentence have captured our imaginations and enabled us to dream that someday the impossible will be a reality. People will be able to sit at table with one another: black and white, Muslim and Christian, Russian and Ukrainian, Israeli and Hamas–and there will be peace on earth. Right now it may well be that our imaginations fail us–but we’re not in charge. Isaiah said that the reconciliation of the peaceable kingdom would be led by a little child, and we dare to hope that perhaps that child has been born, maybe in a manger, and lives among us. As we move into Advent and begin to wrap our minds around God’s promise of hope, it’s good to remember that God’s endgame is more spectacular than we have ever dreamed, and if we allow the Child to lead, perhaps we’ll be able to see wolves lying down with lambs. It’s a vision worth hanging on to!

Thought for the Day: What impossible dreams am I dreaming?

Isaiah 11:1-10

“The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding,   the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.” vs 2

Isaiah prayed that one day the spirit of the Lord would rest on a shoot from the house of Jesse, and that through this descendent of David, a peaceable kingdom would be established on earth. That prayer found fulfillment in the person of Jesus, and now we regularly use those same words as the baptized are blessed in the rite of confirmation. It’s a solemn and beautiful moment, a time to recognize that the hopes and dreams of the ages are now resting on a new generation. On the one hand it seems an audacious claim. How can we possibly believe that these young men and women, most of them teenagers, can make the kingdom of peace a reality? Yet that’s what we continue to believe! This army of baptized believers is changing the world, and it’s happening now. Bit by bit, one  person at a time, by the power of the Holy Spirit, this world is experiencing healing and peace. Some days it may seem only a dream–we’re constantly being made aware of the brokenness in our lives.  But then comes the day when we come face to face with unconditional love and sacrificial service, and we know beyond a doubt that we’ve been touched by the kingdom of peace.

Thought for the Day: What is life like in the kingdom of peace?

Matthew 24:40-44

“But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.” vs. 43

In order to press home his point about being prepared for the second coming of Jesus, Matthew uses an example of a homeowner with knowledge of when his house would be broken into. He implies that such a person would surely stay awake in order to prevent the burglary. In other words, precise knowledge of the future will most certainly change our behavior in the present. Now the problem is that the readers don’t know the hour when the Lord is coming–and Matthew would say “Exactly!” That’s why they should live in a state of constant expectancy! The question then is, how in the world could a person actually live that way? For some people in Matthew’s time it meant that they quit their jobs–for others it meant not getting married and staying single. And that became a problem! We can’t just stop everything and sit around waiting. Perhaps a better idea might be just to keep on living as we have always lived, trusting in the unconditional love of God and enjoying the amazing gift of life to the fullest. Even if we have a pretty good idea of when our life might draw to a close, that would be no excuse to stop living with joy in our hearts and looking for ways to serve and love. 

Thought for the Day:What would you like to do on your last day?

Matthew 24:36-44

“But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” vs. 36

When Matthew wrote his gospel there was a strong expectation that Jesus was going to return and finish what he had started. So when Matthew read accounts of Jesus’ apocalyptic teachings and decided to use them in his gospel, he made sure to let his readers know that no one knew when that return would be, that not even Jesus had known the day or the hour. It was Matthew’s way of telling people to ignore the predictions that were likely preoccupying believers, particularly now that the temple had been destroyed. Through the centuries since Matthew wrote these words there has continued to be speculation about the end of the age, especially when wars, natural disasters, plagues, and imminent destruction loom large in our collective consciousness. Some are feeling that anxiety as we move into the second quarter of the 21st century. Whether we agree on causes or not, climate change is real, and the consequences are devastating. And when we add in the growing potential for nuclear war, and the completely uncertain results of our obsession with Artificial Intelligence, we shouldn’t be surprised by the current explosion of interest in apocalyptic scenarios. The end is coming! But we still don’t know when. There is one thing that we can count on though. God has not and will not abandon us!

Thought for the Day: What are my plans for the future?

Psalm 122

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers.’” vss. 6-7

The psalmist obviously loved the city of Jerusalem. When his family had traveled there for festivals, it was the highlight of his year, and he likely remembered every trip. Even today a visitor can sense how significant the city must have been, purely because of its geographic location in the mountains of Judea. And when the First Temple was there, towering above the city, visible from miles around, it would have a spectacular sight to the pilgrims from every part of the land. So we can understand why the psalmist made it the centerpiece of this hymn of praise. But as important as it was, Jerusalem was always at risk, and ultimately, the temples, both first and second, were completely destroyed, along with the city. But it still has significance! Visitors from all over the world come there to visit sites and buildings called holy by three great religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. We yearn for the peace of Jerusalem, but contentious disputes over land make it ground zero for religious conflict and many wonder if there can ever be reconciliation. So like the psalmist we continue to pray that someday there will be peace, and that Isaiah’s vision of Jerusalem as a “house of prayer for all nations” would become a reality.

Thought for the Day: What image do I have of Jerusalem?

John 6:25-35

“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

If you have had occasion to go grocery shopping in the last few days, you’ve likely encountered massive crowds, and occasionally, empty shelves. This is the holiday that is focused on consumption, and in homes all across the land people are sitting down to meals featuring all the traditional favorites: turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, dressing, cranberries, and some variety of green beans. And that’s followed up by large pieces of pecan or pumpkin pie. Of course each family will have variations, some special recipe handed down through the generations that provides a taste of nostalgia, even if it isn’t very good! For many reasons eating has become our ritual of thanksgiving–even Jesus was aware of the powerful significance of food and intentionally instituted a meal of eating and drinking for his followers. But he also reminded us that there is more to our lives than filling our bellies, no matter how good the food might be. John reports that when crowds came searching for him, looking for more loaves, he told them that they could satisfy their spiritual hunger by learning to trust in him. And he was right! As good as today’s calorie rich meal might be, it can’t compare to the satisfaction that comes with the feasts we regularly reconsume at his Eucharistic Table. 

Thought for the Day: What foods do I associate with Thanksgiving?