Psalm 96:5-9

“For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.” vs. 5

Our ancestors in the faith, whose stories and insights we read in our scriptures, knew that the gods of the peoples around them were no gods at all. Those household, tribal, and national deities were the products of human imagination and had no power. They had no existence beyond their images and outside their temples. The true God, the God worshiped by the Israelites, was the maker of the heavens and the earth, the author of all existence. This God could not be contained in a building or even captured in a creed. The God of Israel was the Lord of the universe and defied human understanding. We who are their descendants in faith continue to regularly offer praise and thanks to that God with one caveat. We say that in Jesus we catch a personal glimpse of the omnipotent God’s loving heart! That may not seem like much of an addition, but really it’s big deal! It means we don’t have to struggle to figure out God and develop some sort of philosophical and theological description. We don’t have to construct a god for ourselves or imagine some sort of primal goddess. We don’t even have to argue about the nuances of some human designed creed. For us it’s enough to know that in God there is love, and in that knowledge there is amazing peace.

Thought for the Day: Why can’t we understand God?

Psalm 96:1-4

“O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.” vs. 1

We can’t be sure when humans started singing but it had to have been right around the time we started to talk. It’s one of the most natural things that we do and is probably the very best way we have of expressing joy and happiness. We’ve been particularly fond of singing as we look for ways to thank God for the wonder of our existence in this amazing universe. All worship services include hymns and songs…they’re an integral part of liturgy. And while most folks have an appreciation for the old standards for praising God, we’re always looking for new songs too. And when our musicians come up with verses and tunes we’ve never heard before, it adds excitement to congregational singing, particularly if the rhythms and harmonies are pleasant to the ear. It would be a sorry Sunday if we didn’t get at least one chance to lift our voices to the Lord even if we haven’t the talent for joining the choir. Our singing, even if it’s what some call, “a joyful noise,” gives opportunity for showing appreciation for life and for the unfathomable greatness of our Lord. And at other times, those moments of reflection and sadness, the refrains can bind us together as nothing else. They become our common prayer, a crying out to God for mercy and comfort. It’s a sorry soul that never has a chance to sing.

Thought for the Day: What are my favorite songs and hymns?

Isaiah 45:4-7

“I form light and create darkness, I make weal and create woe; I the Lord do all these things.” vs. 7

The presence of evil in the world has been a perplexing question from the beginning of human consciousness. Again and again while struggling with pain we wonder why God couldn’t have made a world in which only good things happen. It’s a “why” that seems beyond our capacity to comprehend…and yet we persist in asking, “Why is there evil?” Today’s text provides an answer of sorts…and it’s really rather simple. Isaiah tells us that light and darkness, together with their partners, weal and woe, are God’s doing. They are a part of the fabric of creation. Neither goodness or light can even exist without their opposites. In order for the world to be discernibly good, it was necessary for evil to exist. Of course God wants us to know and experience light, but we wouldn’t even know it was present if there weren’t darkness. Admittedly this truth is little comfort in those moments when we’re struggling with the forces of evil and feeling great pain in our lives, but it does help to know that God is in control, and that that all things have their origin in God. We will never be able to comprehend God…that’s too much for our little human minds…but one day the One who made us will welcome us home…and our questions will end.

Thought for the Day: What if there were no evil in the world?

Isaiah 45:1-3

“Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him and strip kings of their robes, to open doors before him— and the gates shall not be closed:” vs. 16

The prophet, living among the captives in Babylon, makes an astonishing identification. Prompted by the Spirit he tells the people that the messiah is coming…but it’s not going to be a son of David, it’s not even going to be a Jew! The anointed one of the Lord will be Cyrus, the Persian king, and he will be the one to release the remnant of Israel from captivity and allow them to return to the land of Judah. And that’s exactly what happened! Cyrus defeated Babylon and gave permission for the captives to go home. It’s a powerful reminder that God can use anyone in the pursuit of justice in our world…and we see it every day. The Spirit of God takes leaders of all stripes and uses them to loose the bonds of oppression and to offer relief to those who are suffering. Remarkably, if Christians aren’t producing the fruits of righteousness, God will grasp the hand of a Muslim or a Hindu to get the work done. That’s how God operates. What’s needed is a love of justice and a desire to do kindness…and where those two things are present, anyone with a humble heart can become God’s anointed. Our God is ruler of all the earth…and not just Christians.

Thought for the Day: In what sense am I God’s anointed?

Matthew 22:11-14

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless.” vss. 11-12

Jesus adds a bizarre twist to this mostly straightforward parable about the wedding feast when he mentions the man without the wedding robe who gets bound up and thrown into the outer darkness. And since Jesus offered no explanation he opened the door to a huge variety of interpretations. Obviously the man isn’t thrown out because he’s a bad guy…and we certainly wouldn’t expect that someone coming in off the street would have the right clothes. So what gives? Some have surmised that the wedding robe was a gift to those who came, and since the man didn’t have one, he must have refused it. If that’s the case it could be that the man represents those who don’t believe they need the gift of grace. These would be those who rely on their own righteousness instead of the righteousness freely given by God. While this interpretation may not be what Jesus has in mind, it does have the ring of truth. Those who reject grace in favor of their own works are bound to miss the banquet. There’s no way that any of us can live up to our own expectations…and we certainly can’t avoid the stain of sin…we really do need the robe of righteousness.  Only fools would possibly think otherwise!

Thought for the Day: Why would anyone refuse grace?

Matthew 22:1-10

“Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.” vs. 10

A couple of things catch our attention in Jesus’ parable of the wedding banquet as remembered by Matthew. The first is the reluctance of the invited guests to come to the dinner. It seems strange to think that anyone would turn down a chance to celebrate…but that’s exactly how it is. What Jesus offers is amazing: the complete forgiveness of all of our sins, the hope of eternal life, and the indwelling presence of the Spirit of peace. And many say “no thanks” and refuse the invitation. We see it all the time. But the parable has still another surprise. When the slaves go out to find other guests they are remarkably undiscerning and gather both good and bad. The king is determined. One way or another, the wedding hall is going to be full! For many this is the most amazing good news. Just think, there’s room at the banquet table for the worst of us, and ultimately even the jerks will find a place with their name on it. The sheer grace of this good news is almost beyond comprehension. Can it really be true that our inclusion doesn’t depend on our worthiness or reputation? Will we have a place even if our name wasn’t on the original guest list? The answer of the parable is a resounding “yes”…we can count on it…and we’ll likely be surprised to see who is across the table!

Thought for the Day: Who doesn’t have a place at the table?

Philippians 4:8-9

“Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” vs. 8

Paul’s letter to the Philippians is universally loved and appreciated, mainly because of verses like this. And what a gem this one is! As we read these carefully chosen words we can actually imagine that he is writing to us. We face a daily barrage of information from radio, television, and the internet…and so much of what we hear is depressing and inflammatory. We’re encouraged by our culture to think about corruption, predation, threats, and slander of every kind. By the time we go to bed at night our brains are bursting with images and phrases that keep us from sleep and increase anxiety. Paul encourages us to direct our thoughts in other directions and focus on what is true, honorable, just, pure, pleasing, and commendable. Some might doubt that this is even possible given the depravity of the times, but others seem to pull it off. We see it in their demeanors and attitudes, by the smiles that never seem to leave their faces…and we love to hang with them. Their positivity is uplifting and even contagious. It’s not that they are unaware of the world’s ugliness, but they refuse to focus on it…and they are indeed a blessing in the community of faith. They are models for us all!

Thought for the Day: What is worthy of praise in my world today?

Philippians 4:1-7

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.” vss. 4-5

Paul was encouraged by what he heard from his beloved friends in Philippi. Oh, there were some conflicts…a couple of women were evidently at odds. But overall things were going well as these followers of Jesus began to develop a congregational identity in the community. Paul advises them to rejoice always and to let their gentleness be known to everyone. His words have occasionally been a challenge for people of faith…there are times when we aren’t in a rejoicing mood and would rather complain. We’d rather he would have said, “Rejoice when good things happen, and try not to be too sad during the tough times.” That would be easier for us to pull off…and that’s really Paul’s point. Anyone can rejoice when things are going well…even the pagans do that. But Christians rejoice in every circumstance, not because they’re masochists, but because their joy comes from the constant indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. It’s a product of whose we are! That same Spirit is also the source of our gentleness, our most truly counter-cultural attribute. The world prizes toughness…but God calls us to be gentle in our interactions with others…and seekers are impressed! There are no better tools for outreach and growth than gentleness and joy…and followers of Jesus will have both in abundance.

Thought for the Day: How am I rejoicing today?

Psalm 23

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” vs. 1

These familiar words strike a familiar and comforting chord in our ears. We love hearing that God has our backs and will take care of us even through the darkest days. But if these words are true, and if we truly believe that the Lord is our shepherd, why do so many of us behave so poorly? If the Lord is our shepherd do we actually think the Lord would lead us in paths of bigotry and encourage the use of language that demeans and diminishes? If the Lord is our shepherd why do we spend so little time in listening for the Lord’s guidance? Is it because we really don’t have much interest in being led on paths of righteousness and would rather travel on the way of sin and selfishness? Of course there is no adequate answer to such questions. People have pondered the causes of sinful behavior since the beginning of time. It just seems easier for us to go our own way…and then when we get in trouble to start looking for the shepherd. But imagine how different life would be if each morning we would call on the Lord for directions…and would then faithfully follow where the Lord leads the way. Obviously this isn’t an easy thing for strong-willed people to do…we hate to give up control…but certainly it’s worth a try. When the Lord is our shepherd goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives…and that’s a very good thing!

Thought for the Day: Where has my shepherd led me today?

Isaiah 25:6-9

“And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death forever.” vs. 7

Most of us become aware of death during the years of our childhood. Sometimes it’s when a favorite pet dies…or worse, when we experience the loss of a friend or family member. We learn early the pain that comes with grieving…the explosion of tears as we comprehend the awful words. These are moments when we don’t wonder how to feel, the feelings just come and sometimes we doubt we’ll ever laugh or smile again. Death is a formidable enemy, and it stalks us every hour of every day…and no matter how hard we try to eat healthy and exercise, one day it will come for us. But it doesn’t have the last word! That last word belongs to God and it comes most forcefully in the shouts of Easter morning. “Christ is Risen. Alleluia!” Those are the words we hang on to for dear life as we tread our way through precarious times, sometimes with tears in our eyes. One day the shroud that hangs over humanity will be destroyed and death will be swallowed up forever. That good news doesn’t take away the sting of death…it will always hurt when our ancient enemy comes near…and tears are always appropriate. But the promise is secure…life is more powerful than death!

Thought for the Day: When did I become aware of death?