Isaiah 51:1-3

“Listen to me, you that pursue righteousness, you that seek the Lord. Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug.” vs. 1

Even in our entertainment driven, sports crazed, celebrity worshipping culture people will, from time to time, turn their thoughts to God and try to figure out whether there is some meaning in life beyond drugs, alcohol, and sex. In other words they start thinking about spiritual things and may even seek some system of belief that will help them make sense of this universe. And there are plenty of options! New religions are springing up all over the place, each with great marketing and plenty of answers for life’s persistent questions. The prophet had an interesting response to the folks in his day who were wondering what to make of their uncertain post-exilic future. He says, “Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug.” Those words ooze wisdom and are certainly applicable to our confusing times. There isn’t some new thing to be invented by human minds that is going to give answers to all the hard questions! Rather the important stuff has already been developed and we already know all we need to know about life and God. That truth is wrapped up in the life and teachings of Jesus. If that seems a simple answer, so be it. As most everyone knows, the things we learned in kindergarten are all we really need to know!

Thought for the Day: Which rock was I hewn from?

Matthew 15:25-28

“She said,’Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.’” vs. 27

It’s clear from scripture that as Jesus continued to announce the coming kingdom of God he was forced by his encounters with non-Jews to make some adjustments. By nature he was compassionate, and his heart went out to these Gentiles who kept coming with their requests for healing. And when he saw their deep faith he began to make some exceptions in the way he dealt with them. It likely wasn’t easy for him to go against the strict precepts of the elders, ones that he probably hadn’t even questioned in his younger days. It’s never easy to break away from deeply held convictions and move away from exclusion. We see that clearly in our day as followers of Jesus have struggled with the whole issue of human sexuality and the full inclusion of gays and lesbians. Some have found it too hard and have reverted to the comfort of old laws and prohibitions. But others have taken the plunge, following the example of Jesus with the Canaanite woman, and have welcomed diversity to the community of faith. That woman was remarkable in her persistence; she knew in her heart that there were no limits to God’s gracious provision. It really is admirable to see the dogged determination of the excluded. They kept pounding on the door of the kingdom until it was finally cracked open and they could find a place at the table.

Thought for the Day: How have I dealt with the inclusion of the LGBT community?

Matthew 15:21-24

“But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.’” vs. 23

Sometimes it’s hard for us to understand the words and actions of Jesus in the course of his ministry, probably because we are trying too hard to make a Christian out of him. We forget that he was thoroughly Jewish and had been steeped in the law of Moses through his entire life. Generally he stayed away from Gentile cities and only occasionally interacted with the Roman occupiers. He had no strong desire to hang with foreigners and believed that his mission was to restore the kingdom to Israel. Of course society wasn’t totally segregated and periodically outsiders like this Canaanite woman sought him out for assistance. His first impulse is to ignore her…much like we try to ignore the needy people we encounter on the streets. We tell each other, “Don’t make eye contact…maybe they’ll go away,” and wish that we didn’t have to deal with such folks. That’s certainly how the disciples were feeling. They considered the woman a nuisance…but they couldn’t shut her up. She knew that God’s mercy was for her too…and that Jesus could help her. So she kept on shouting, and finally the barrier came crashing down. The outsider was heard and her prayers were answered.

Thought for the Day: When do beggars bug me the most?

Romans 11:29-32

“For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.” vs. 32

Many times it’s not easy to figure out what Paul is up to in his letter to the Romans, particularly because the topics that were of intense interest to him seem insignificant to us. In this chapter, for instance, he wants to show that the Jews are not out of the picture as far as God is concerned since the gifts of God are irrevocable. Their disobedience did not negate God’s mercy, but instead made it possible to for God’s mercy to even be extended to Gentiles…who had also been disobedient. In fact, the one thing Jews and Gentiles have in common is disobedience…and that’s a good thing, because it means that God is merciful to all! If that seems convoluted, we just have to live with it…and squeeze out some good news for us too. The bottom line is that every person among us is a sinner. And while that’s not a cool thing to say in our hip culture and society, it’s still the truth. Every one of us falls short of the glory of God…and we regularly disappoint ourselves and others. Sometimes even our mothers don’t like us very much! Sin is what we all have in common. And, here’s the good news, sin cannot separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. God is merciful to us all.

Thought for the Day: What do I have in common with the President?

Romans 11:1-2a

“I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.” vs. 1

Some folks in the early church had come to the conclusion that because Jesus had been rejected by his own people, God had in return rejected them. They believed that Israel had lost its unique status and been replaced by the Church of Christ. Paul argues against such a notion, noting that, quite obviously, he had not been rejected, and he was a descendant of Abraham and a proud member of the tribe of Benjamin. God was in fact using him and other Jewish Christians to spread the gospel to the nations…which had been God’s intention all along. It’s a reminder for us that God is not in the business of rejecting, and that God continues to use people, often in surprising ways, in establishing the kingdom. It is true that people do reject their baptisms and even become hostile toward Christianity, sometimes with good reason. But the Holy Spirit of God never gives up on the elect and regularly works through such persons to bring healing to the hurting and love to the lonely. Many times, even some of those who call themselves atheists become lifelong servants of goodness and mercy, and for that we give constant thanks and praise to God. Our God is not a petty tribal God but the mighty Lord of the Universe!

Thought for the Day: Why might people reject their baptisms?

Psalm 67

“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations.” vss. 1-2

We typically end worship services with some sort of benediction, a prayer that God’s blessings of grace and peace would rest upon us as we go out into the world. It’s an old tradition, one that stretches back to the very beginning of our life together as God’s people, way back even, to Israel’s wilderness wanderings. The psalmist uses a form of that Aaronic blessing as he asks that God would continue to make his face shine on Israel, not just for her own sake, but for the sake of all nations. That’s an important caveat, one that remains in effect for us. Often we’re glad to ask for continued prosperity in our lives, both as individuals and as a nation, but we often forget that if we are blessed, it’s not just for us, but for the sake of the world. We can never become so parochial in our thinking that we begin to believe that we are the center of God’s world. The world’s bounty is intended for all its citizens, not just those in our family or in our country. How sad it is when we who have been picked to share blessings begin instead to hoard them! May those words of benediction that we hear as we leave worship be a continual reminder of our call to be a blessing to all those we encounter, both in our neighborhoods and around the world.

Thought for the Day: How do I understand American exceptionalism?

Isaiah 56:6-8

“for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. Thus says the Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, I will gather others to them besides those already gathered.” vss. 7b-8

In the prophetic vision Israel had been set aside by God to be a gift to all nations. One day the prophet believed the doors of exclusivity in the house of God would be thrown open and people from all over the world would be gathered in. Just as God had gathered the outcasts of Israel, bringing them home from Babylon, so in the future the outcasts from all the lands would be welcomed and included. We’ve seen that happen through the years, as the Church of Christ has made this vision a central part of the faith. Countless millions of people, refugees from injustice and bondage of every kind, have been welcomed into our congregations and our hearts, and all have been blessed by their presence. We should not expect that such a welcoming spirit will always be dominant among us. As has been seen in recent times it’s always tempting to close the doors and change from being a house of prayer for all peoples to being a club of insiders. Suspicion and xenophobia are always at hand and often rear their ugly heads in times of stress and panic…and it touches us all, and is even present in our churches. However we might rationalize our actions, we know in our hearts that such exclusion is not the will of God.

Thought for the Day: What is xenophobia and where have I seen its presence?

Isaiah 56:1

“Thus says the Lord: Maintain justice, and do what is right, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed.” vs. 1

Against all the odds, the nation of Judah had gotten a reboot; it was the biggest mulligan in history, and a chance to start again. Admittedly all power and influence was gone. The royal family had disappeared and folks were struggling to get temple worship going again…but it was a new beginning and this time there was hope that maybe they could get things right. They were going to start with the basics and the prophet’s instruction could not be plainer. “Maintain justice, and do what is right.” Obviously that’s easier said than done, and greater nations than Israel have struggled with exactly those issues. Even in our time we have massive debates in our congresses and legislative bodies about justice and what is right. Of course that’s a good thing! These are the issues that we should be concerned about and even when we have contrary opinions about what is just in different circumstances, at least we’re having the conversation. Somehow in that process, in the give and in the take, the right thing eventually gets done and our thirst for justice is satisfied. It’s the kind of issue that never goes away and that will always be central in human interactions. We can be confident that when we are working for justice God will smile on us…particularly when we’re standing up for the weak and the needy.

Thought for the Day: Where do I see the most injustice?

Matthew 14:27-33

“Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’” vs. 31

Like us, Peter was one of those little-faith folks. He just couldn’t help it…doubts would creep into his mind without his bidding, not because he didn’t think Jesus was powerful and mighty, he knew Jesus could do spectacular things, but his doubts originated completely between his own ears. He didn’t believe that he could do the things Jesus thought him capable of, and his biggest obstacle was fear. He was afraid to fail…and as a result he did! At least Peter tried! So many of us can’t even take that first step. We don’t trust that we can do the job or complete the task, and we’re not even being asked to walk on water. We just don’t trust that we can do whatever it is that we’d like to do…and our fear of failing insures that we will indeed fail. We’ll miss the putt, hook the drive, blank out on the test, have a panic attack, say the wrong thing…there are so many ways to disappoint ourselves, and it always feels so bad. The good news is that when it happens, and we start to sink, we are not abandoned. A consoling hand reaches out, lifts us up, and we get still more chances. It’s easy to beat up on ourselves when failure comes…and think there is no good in us at all. That’s just not true…and some day, maybe when we expect it least, we relax, the fear stays away, and we actually walk on water!

Thought for the Day: When am I the least confident?

Matthew 14:22-26

“And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,” vs. 23

Jesus had been trying to get away from the crowds for several days, but had been unable to escape them. When he went in a boat across the lake, the people simply followed along the shore to find him. The lake isn’t that big and folks could easily see where he was going. But on this day he managed to shake the crowds and the disciples…the pressure was off and he headed up the hill for prayer. These glimpses into the private life of Jesus are precious. Like us, after a busy time with people he needed time to restore his spiritual batteries. And, like many of us, he found the mountain to be a special place. From the heights, as he watched the sun set over the lake, he asked for God’s blessings on the hurting people and for direction and guidance. During his prayers he began to realize that his mission would lead him to Jerusalem and a major confrontation with the religious leaders. Those alone moments have great value for us too. They give us hours to sort things out spiritually and consider decisions that we might have to make. It’s also a good time to think about our fellow travelers, and ask that God fill their days with purpose and peace. And sometimes it’s just good to get away!

Thought for the Day: Where is my special spiritual get-away place?