Psalm 119:33-40

“Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.” vs. 34

We can understand the heart of the psalmist. Like most of us he sincerely wants to be a good person and live a life that is pleasing to God. And somehow he’s gotten the notion that if he can only receive the gift of understanding, he’ll be able to achieve his goal and keep God’s law. Again, we can identify. We too believe that if only we can understand something, we’ll be able to do it. That works well in a school setting where understanding problems is a crucial first step in being able to solve them. And there are many instances in life where that strategy works well…but not always. Again and again we can point to instances where people have known full well what they were doing, and still persisted in doing hurtful, ugly things. Understanding is a powerful and useful tool, but it won’t guarantee that we will keep the law. Sin is just too powerful an enemy. Paul puts it this way in Romans 7, “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” Sometimes, the more insights that we have, the more confusing our behavior is. We persist in doing the things that are the most perplexing to us…and then act baffled when we get the same repugnant results. The desire of the psalmist is commendable…but the greatest gift of God, and the one that we need the most, is not understanding, but forgiveness!

Thought for the Day: When has understanding been a blessing to me?

Leviticus 19:11-18

“You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” vs. 18

Reading the legal prescriptions of Leviticus reminds us that we’ve known for a long time how we ought to behave while living in community. There really are no mysteries here. We don’t need to be rocket scientists to be able to figure out that stealing, lying, slandering, and cheating the poor destroys our relationship with God and one another. So what’s really sad is that we just don’t seem to be getting any better! We’re still behaving in the same way our primitive ancestors did! And some days, if what we experience in the streets and see on the news is true, we’re actually getting worse. Fraudulent and scandalous behavior is so commonplace it doesn’t even surprise us anymore. Still, in the midst of all that mess we do manage to get things right occasionally…and most of us have experienced the amazing blessings that come with unqualified and unconditional love. And it doesn’t just happen on Valentine’s Day! Again and again we rise above our sin and touch the lives of others with tenderness and gentle affection. How good it feels to give and receive the hugs and kisses…and know that we have value. It’s the part of being human that we can feel good about…even when we make a mess of the other stuff.

Thought for the Day: What does love feel like?

Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-10

“You shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien: I am the Lord your God.” vs. 10

The ancient Israelites, by virtue of their belief in the holiness of God, looked after the poor and the aliens in their midst. In fact, Leviticus 19:34 indicates that “the alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.” It’s not surprising then that the law code contains provisions for the nurturing and care of such persons. A part of every crop, grain from the edges of the fields and fallen grapes of the vineyard, was designated for the poor and the alien. In Israel’s estimation it was the right thing to do…it would be what the Lord wanted. It’s wonderful now in our times to see that concern for the poor and the resident aliens has for the most part been embedded in the laws of our land. There is within our hearts a desire to share our blessings with the needy and strangers. Of course there are always some who want to marginalize such persons further, and who are always working to cut their benefits. Some even promote laws that would strip the rights of aliens altogether. People of faith will uniformly reject such selfish thinking and look for even more ways to support the alienated and provide relief for the poor. It’s not just a good idea…it’s a reflection of God’s holy intentions.

Thought for the Day: Who are the aliens among us?

Matthew 5:33-37

“And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one.” vss. 36-37

It’s unlikely that Jesus intended that we should never make promises or vows, a view that would pretty much undermine the commitments of marriage or ordination. There are most definitely occasions which call for statements of intention, and the words said at those times are certainly binding and reassuring. What Jesus has in mind is the swearing of oaths to convince hearers that our words of promise are truthful and sincere. Those oaths had become a necessity because of the human propensity to speak falsehoods. It was a way for a speaker to convince hearers that what had been spoken was indeed the truth. Such oaths are regularly used in courts of law to insure that juries and judges will be hearing the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Sadly, in recent years, it appears that there has been a growing disregard for truth-telling. Lying is excused by calling it hyperbole and we’ve become cynical about believing what even our leaders tell us. Oh how we long for that world described by Jesus in which people tell the truth as a matter of course, and there is no need to swear oaths. It’s unlikely that we can change the growing trend in public discourse, but surely those who are followers of Jesus can be counted on to always speak the truth.

Thought for the Day: When am I most likely to lie?

Matthew 5:27-32

“But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” vs. 32

There are some who believe that when Jesus took away the loopholes in Mosaic law he intended to establish an even stricter law for those who became his followers. If that’s the case, the whole gospel of grace goes out the window and is replaced by the hammer of condemnation. But that’s not what Jesus is doing in passages like this. Instead he’s making crystal clear how people who live by grace will behave in their most intimate relationships. In his mind the marriage relationship is sacred and deserves the highest respect and our deepest commitment. Anything that threatens that bond of intimacy, whether it be lust or divorce, is to be avoided. He also wants to protect the fragile status of women in society…they are not to exploited, either as sexual objects or as discarded wives. In our culture we face the same kind of pressures…and the stakes are even higher. There are threats to marriage and to women from every direction. The solution is not an outright banning of divorce, as though that would solve all marital difficulties. Rather we are encouraged to pay careful attention to our intimate connections, and where there is brokenness, to seek healing and reconciliation. And if divorce has cast its ugly shadow in our lives, we are forgiven, and not condemned. Thank God for new beginnings!

Thought for the Day: When is divorce the best option in marriage?

Matthew 5:21-26

“So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.” vss. 23-24

Jesus clearly wants his disciples to know that living under the mantle of grace does not mean abandoning the old standards for lawful living. In fact he raises the  benchmarks and tells them that reconciliation is the key to God-pleasing behavior. It’s not enough to refrain from murdering each other…in the community of faith we will actively seek renewal and unity in every one of our relationships. Living in peace with those closest to us is more important than doing “churchy” things on Sunday mornings. This is particularly true in our families! When spouses take the time to settle differences in a timely way their marriages are blessed. It’s impossible to live with a loved one and not have occasions when we are angry for being discounted or ignored. Rather than letting such feelings fester and grow more intense, wise couples will stop whatever they are doing to explain grievances and patiently listen. The same is true of brothers and sisters, parents and children…all those with whom we share important connections. This isn’t a matter of rigidly following a set of commandments…it’s just the way Jesus wants people of faith to treat each other. What a blessing it is to live at peace with those we love!

Thought for the Day: How are things going in my closest relationships?

1 Corinthians 3:1-4

“What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each.” vs. 5

The congregation in Corinth was giving Paul fits. Instead of celebrating their unity in Christ they were choosing sides, with one group claiming connections with Apollos, the silver-tongued orator who had come to them after Paul, and the other claiming special allegiance to Paul, the church planter. And now the two groups were at odds, like a couple of rival political parties backing rival candidates. That kind of bickering, the sort modeled on the ways of the world, can destroy the mission of a faith community…and Paul wants it to stop. He tells the Corinthians that they are better than that! What really counts is that they have become believers and it really doesn’t make any difference which apostolic leader was the instrument of faith for them. And so it is for us. Each of us has followed a different path to Jesus and we’ve all had great influences along the way, but our denominational backgrounds and pastors we have known are unimportant in the larger scheme of things. Being Lutheran or Baptist or Catholic means nothing…what counts is knowing the Christ and giving our lives in faithful service. That’s the kind of maturity Paul was looking for in Corinth…and that continues to be the gold standard for Christian community two thousand years later.

Thought for the Day: Through whom have I come to believe?

Psalm 119:5-8

“O that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.” vss. 5-6

The psalmist prays with all his heart that he will be able to keep the statutes of the Lord and thereby avoid being put to shame. We shouldn’t doubt his sincerity…it reflects our own desire to lead a good and blameless life. And he rightfully names shame, the faithful partner of guilt, as a consequence of sin. And since no one is capable of perfection with regard to the law, we can presume that, despite his love of commandments, he was familiar with shame and guilt. In fact, the more emphasis we place on keeping the law, the more intensely we’ll feel the guilt that comes with our failures. Sadly some religious leaders and some parents have even come to believe that piling on shame will result in improved behavior. Many who have been beaten down by that unrelenting message have found relief only by abandoning religion altogether. What a delight it is for such persons when they hear the pure gospel of grace and discover that with confession sin is forgiven and guilt is removed. There is no need for any person to stagger through life carrying those awful feelings of shame that come with sin. Through faith in Christ those burdens are removed and we are set free to bring forth the fruit of the Spirit in abundance.  

Thought for the Day: What feelings of shame are hard for me to let go of?

Psalm 119:1-4

“Happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord.” vs. 1

This is the longest of all the psalms that have come down to us and has been carefully crafted to pay homage to the law and to offer encouragement to those who seek to obey it. The psalmist begins by observing that those whose way is blameless, who walk in the way of the Lord, are blessed…and we would have to agree. Even those of us who live by grace and who struggle with obedience will admit that there are rewards for righteous living. Life is a lot easier when we stay on the straight and narrow and don’t wander off to see where demons dwell. And even Jesus says that the rigors of the law are not relaxed for those who become his followers. If anything it would seem that the standards are even more rigid for disciples. So what do we do when we slip up and lapse into conduct that is worthy of blame…as seems almost inevitable? Well, quite obviously, we’ll feel bad and won’t be very happy…in fact, sin always results in feelings of guilt, both deserved and undeserved. But God doesn’t abandon us in our trespasses…and this is the good news of grace. When we confess our sin God is faithful and just and forgives us…and we are welcomed back into the ranks of the blameless, where we can rediscover the fruits of righteousness…and be happy again.

Thought for the Day: How does it feel to live a blameless life?

Psalm 119:1-4

“Happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord.” vs. 1

This is the longest of all the psalms that have come down to us and has been carefully crafted to pay homage to the law and to offer encouragement to those who seek to obey it. The psalmist begins by observing that those whose way is blameless, who walk in the way of the Lord, are blessed…and we would have to agree. Even those of us who live by grace and who struggle with obedience will admit that there are rewards for righteous living. Life is a lot easier when we stay on the straight and narrow and don’t wander off to see where demons dwell. And even Jesus says that the rigors of the law are not relaxed for those who become his followers. If anything it would seem that the standards are even more rigid for disciples. So what do we do when we slip up and lapse into conduct that is worthy of blame…as seems almost inevitable? Well, quite obviously, we’ll feel bad and won’t be very happy…in fact, sin always results in feelings of guilt, both deserved and undeserved. But God doesn’t abandon us in our trespasses…and this is the good news of grace. When we confess our sin God is faithful and just and forgives us…and we are welcomed back into the ranks of the blameless, where we can rediscover the fruits of righteousness…and be happy again.

Thought for the Day: How does it feel to live a blameless life?