Psalm 66:8-12

“For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried.” vs. 10

As the Israelites reviewed the stories of their ancestors they had a particular fondness for recounting the tough times…and there were plenty of such tales to tell. As a people they had gone through so much. Often their very survival had been threatened. What’s interesting is that, while they see the guiding hand of God in their history, they don’t blame God for the tough times. Instead they have come to see those trying times as necessary testing. This was how God had refined their nation and given it resilience, and so they gave God thanks and praise. Some folks don’t like to imagine that God purposely exposes us to hardship and deprivation…they prefer thinking that God is always protective and generous. They say that the testing must come from the devil. But others are in full agreement with the psalmist and point to their own lives as a testimony. They say that trial by the refiner’s fire brought them strength and an enhanced appreciation for God’s blessings. Of course, no one enjoys the moments of testing. Only in retrospect can we actually see the benefits…but that was true for Israel too. They did plenty of complaining along the way. And so do we. It’s here that our faith kicks in. Simple trust, knowing that God does love us and is ultimately in control, allows us to endure and persevere in every time of trial.

Thght for the Day: How have I experienced the refiner’s fire?

Acts 17:22-31

“The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands,” vs. 24

Paul realized that he needed to change his strategy in dealing with the Athenians. Instead of quoting from Hebrew scriptures he begins with more of a philosophical approach, hoping that he can get them into a conversation about the nature of God. His point is clear: God is more than human minds can comprehend…and we should never imagine that God can be contained. All the shrines and temples of Athens, no matter how grand and beautiful, are not the dwelling place of the one true God. God is invisible and all-powerful and all things have come into existence according to God’s plan. Paul’s approach wasn’t convincing for most in his audience. Many of the intelligentsia scoffed at what he had to say. To their ears he was just another religious babbler and his words were nonsensical. In recent years there has been a surge of folks who hold that God-talk is a by-product of superstition and that scientific discovery has eliminated the need for God from the cosmic equation. Their atheism is unconvincing to followers of Jesus, mostly because the notion of God that they are rejecting is totally inadequate. God is beyond time and space, and totally beyond our comprehension. God is all that is…and more, the life force of the universe. As one psalmist has said, “Only a fool says that there is no God!”

Thought for the Day: Why has atheism become so appealing for so many?

John 14:8-14

“Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.’” vs. 8

It’s ironic that the assigned lectionary verses for Mother’s Day are all about our desires for an intimate connection with the Father. Many sanctuaries will be filled this week. Mother’s Day ranks right after Easter and Christmas when it comes to church attendance…and way ahead of Pentecost. It has become customary, at least in the United States, for people to make worshipping together as family a way to honor mothers. Men who may not even come at Easter will show up in their Sunday best on Mother’s Day. One of the other ironies of the day is that for many people, memories of mother can be rather painful. Sometimes mothers have died and are missed so very much. And some mothers have not been very nice…and their children still suffer from the abuse. There’ll be a lot of mixed feelings in the pews this morning! It’s good then to have a text that lifts our thoughts beyond our earthly parents to our heavenly Father. Of course we know that God is more than father to us…and could even be known as our heavenly Mother…but Jesus wants us to know that we do have recourse when earthly mothers and fathers let us down. We do have a God who cares, a God who has been revealed in Jesus, and as we connect with Jesus we also connect with God. That’s good news for any day…and particularly good news for Mother’s Day.

Thought for the Day: What feelings do I have on Mother’s Day?

John 14:1-7

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.” vs. 1

Over and over again we have savored these words when death has come to a loved one. The pain and the sadness may be overwhelming. We mourn the loss of a dear companion and our hearts ache at the prospect of life without them. And then come these words, and Jesus tells us as he told his disciples the night before he died, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Trust me!” And so we do…and while tears do not cease, hope is restored. This hope is at the core of the gospel message and is linked to the resurrection promises that come with our faith convictions. And every time death comes near, we turn to these words for consolation…and never tire of hearing them. Death does not have the last word, Jesus does! And he promises that our loved ones have a home with him forever. And moreover he promises an escort…he himself will take us to our new dwelling place. He doesn’t give us details. That’s left up to our imagination. But the key words to remember are rest and peace. Our dear ones, some of whom were suffering in this world, now are at rest and know intimately the sweet peace that each of us seek. No wonder we savor these words…they promise that the best is yet to come…and that’s very good news!

Thought for the Day: Which words of Jesus bring me the most comfort?

1 Peter 2:7-10

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” vs. 9

As Martin Luther, armed with his fresh understanding of grace and faith, continued to search the scriptures, he began to describe the Church as as the “priesthood of all believers.” That insight eroded the influence and authority of what had become a stifling hierarchy in the medieval church. No longer would leaders be able to use their positions as priests and bishops to control and manipulate their flocks. Luther told the world that the Office of the Keys, the power to forgive sins, had not been given exclusively to a few, but was the common possession of all believers. All of us are priests and have direct access to God…we don’t need mediators. It is our privilege and our calling as priests to listen to the confessions of our brothers and sisters and offer healing words of absolution and forgiveness. Naturally, within this royal priesthood some will take positions as pastors and others will be deacons and teachers…but all will be priests…none will have a role more sacred or holy than another. More importantly it will be the duty of all to be evangelists and proclaim the mighty acts of God to the world. Luther’s egalitarian view of the church was not universally well received…but for many it was close to the heart of the gospel.

Thought for the Day: How do you exercise your priesthood?

1 Peter 2:2-6

“Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house,” vss. 4-5a

When people sign up for a trip to the Holy Land they are likely anticipating a brief tour of ancient archeological sites and looking forward to “walking in the footsteps of Jesus.” And indeed that’s a part of the experience. Tour groups do see a lot of ancient ruins and travel through landscapes that would have been familiar to Jesus. Many people will even take boat rides on the Sea of Galilee and be immersed in the waters of the Jordan. But for most the highlight of the journey will be the encounters with the “living stones” of Israel and Palestine. These are the men and women currently engaged in bringing good news to the poor and working for peace in a complicated, challenging, and often violent environment. As travelers listen to their stories and see what they’ve been doing, they are reminded of their own call to be living stones and often return home with new energy for mission. For many it’s a life-changing experience and produces a renewed commitment to the One who is the Living Stone. Of course there is no need to travel overseas to encounter living stones. We can see them regularly in our faith communities…they are the foundation and the bulwark of the true Church of Christ on earth.

Thought for the Day: What are the properties of a “living stone”?

 Psalm 31:5, 15-16

“My times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.” vs. 15

Life can at times seem so very fragile. We know from our daily experiences that it can be snatched away at any moment, and many times there’s nothing to be done. There’s a randomness to violence and disease that defies preparations and safety precautions. Even though we might want to live out our days in good health and sound mind, there are no certainties…and we know that so very well. Even when we try to whistle happy tunes and close our eyes to pain and suffering, unless we become hermits, there are going to be regular reminders of mortality. The psalmist dealt with those feelings by recognizing that his times were in the hand of God. It’s that kind of healthy surrender that allows us to live with the uncertainties of existence. We just don’t have the control that we might like to have. Oh, we have the option to avoid risky behavior…that might help a little…but ultimately even that is no guarantee. Those who trust in God have the confidence that whether they live or whether they die, they belong to God. When that is our mantra we can have the serenity to live each day without fear, and without holding back. Because our times are in God’s hands we can love one another freely and fully…and that’s the best lifestyle of all.

Thought for the Day: How long am I expecting to live?

Psalm 31:1-4

“In you, O Lord, I seek refuge; do not let me ever be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me.” vs. 1

The psalmist has one big request of the Lord: that he would not ever be put to shame. It’s a petition that comes up again and again in the Psalms. For people in that time and culture shame was closely connected to honor, and nothing could be more humiliating than to have one’s name be held up to shame and ridicule in the community. Even today in parts of the world where tribal traditions dominate, it is considered permissible for a parent to kill a child who brings dishonor to the family. While such a notion might seem reprehensible most of us know how devastating it is to be shamed. For many it’s a legacy of childhood, a gift from parents who thought shaming was a way to control a child’s behavior. Whatever the intention of those parents, the result is devastating and crushing to the ego of their children. It’s bad enough to carry a burden of guilt for the things that we know we’ve done wrong, but shame messes with our souls. It undermines the very essence of who we are. Shame makes us want to hide our faces and crawl in a hole…we begin to believe that we are unloveable. Thank God that in Christ we are set free from both guilt and shame. No matter what we’ve done or how we’ve been made to feel, in Christ we have value and worth…and no one can ever take that away from us.

Thought for the Day: A time when I’ve felt shame.

Acts 7:55-60

“Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he died.” vs. 60

Stephen had been chosen by the community to help in the distribution of assistance to the poor, but as time went by he found himself the focus of unwanted  attention. Some resented his works and words and plotted against him, even bringing false testimony against him…much as the crowds had done earlier with Jesus. And as had happened with Jesus, Stephen was arrested and put on trial, but this time they didn’t call on Romans to act. Taking the law into their own hands the crowd dragged him out of the city and stoned him to death, the traditional punishment for blasphemy. Stephen becomes the first recorded martyr among the followers of Jesus, and in his dying we see the ultimate cost of discipleship. In those tumultuous times those who followed Jesus regularly laid their lives on the line…and as they suffered, like Stephen, they often asked God to forgive their tormentors and killers. It’s not likely that we will be called to walk in their steps, though times could always change,  but in every age those who act boldly in the pursuit of righteousness will face opposition. When that happens, though we’d like to punch someone in the nose, the way of Jesus demands that we continue to love and forgive.

Thought for the Day: Do you want justice or mercy for your opponents?

John 10:6-10

“I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.” vs. 9

Right at the point in this passage where we expect that Jesus might say, “I am the Good Shepherd,” he announces, “I am the gate,” which seems a bit bizarre. Upon reflection however we see that this image contains an amazing insight. All of us are on a journey through life and the road we take isn’t always straight. There are a variety of curves and inclines and sometimes we’re not even sure that we’re on the right path. Always we’re confronted with options and choices and see along the way what appears to be a series of closed doors all hiding what lies behind them. In those moments we’re forced to start checking the doors just to see what possibilities beckon. Sometimes the doors are locked and we can go nowhere. At other times we can push our way through and tentatively begin to explore a new direction for our lives. Jesus tells us in these verses that he is the gate, he is the door through whom we can pass to experience Easter living. In that new life we find pasture, a protected place for our days and our nights where we are constantly fed and nourished, a home for now and forever. Other doors can offer pleasure and adventure, but only Jesusgate offers eternal life and salvation.

Thought for the Day: What key is needed for the Jesusgate?