Luke 17:15-19

“Then Jesus asked, ’Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’” vss. 17-18

So why didn’t those nine cleansed lepers return and offer praise to God? No one knows…all we can do is speculate. All we do know is that Jesus found it very interesting that the one who did return was a foreigner, a much despised Samaritan. It seemed surprising to him, but maybe it shouldn’t have been. Somehow it’s always the most unlikely people who are the ones who are so overwhelmed by God’s goodness that they can’t hold back from giving thanks. It could be that they think they don’t deserve the received blessings. At any rate, it’s always a bit embarrassing when outsiders seem to have a deeper God consciousness than those who have hung around churches all their lives. And that’s what happens…again and again! Maybe we just take all our spiritual and material blessings for granted. We see that ungrateful nature popping up in our children and it drives us nuts. We have to threaten to get them to send a thank you note to grandma and grandpa. Maybe that’s it! Maybe being thankful is something we have to learn…especially when we have so much. And maybe gratefulness comes naturally to those who have little. Whatever the reasons, the truth is that we should all be falling all over ourselves giving praise and thanks to God for the wonder of life in this world.

Thought for the Day: How can I best show gratitude for all my blessings?

Luke 17:11-14

“When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean.” vs. 14

For centuries there has been a powerful social stigma attached to leprosy. Those who contracted it were isolated, sometimes by moving them to leper colonies, or, as happened in Jesus’ day, by having them leave community. Separated from family and friends they would wander through the countryside in small groups, totally dependent on handouts for survival. As one familiar with the laws of Leviticus Jesus knew that a simple healing would not be enough. The priests held the keys of restoration, and even a healed leper had to submit to their examination before being welcomed home. That’s just how it is with communities, and Jesus doesn’t protest the procedures. He knows the rules and follows them. We have our ways of dealing with reconciliation too. When someone has been separated from family or community it’s not just a matter of showing up at the front door again. There’s bound to be an examination or at least a period of testing to ensure that the purported repentance or healing has genuine depth. The good news is that lepers can come home again. So can drug addicts and alcoholics and prodigals of every kind. But then comes the test and maybe some waiting, and that’s always the tricky part. And the chances of restoration are always better when Jesus has been involved.

Thought for the Day: What’s the best test for knowing if healing is genuine?

2 Timothy 2:8-15

“Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening.” vs. 14

“Wrangling over words,” the blood sport of theologians, biblical scholars, and religious leaders, has done enormous damage through the centuries. Debates about definitions, translations, and grammar have split congregations and even entire denominations. Heretics have been censured and martyred, crusades launched, and the gospel of grace obscured because humans love to exercise power by excluding and even exterminating their opponents. The stated motivation has often been the purification of the church but the net result has almost always been the undermining of its moral authority. Even today would-be followers of Jesus can be barred from communing with one another because of dogmatic doctrinal definitions and continued wrangling over words. No wonder that the very word “Christian” has such direct connections to hypocrisy and exclusion in our culture. Now it’s true that words are important! And it is fun to consider the nuances of meaning implicit in the word choices that we make. But in the context of gospel proclamation what counts is the impression received by those who are listening. Clever wordsmithing means nothing if people aren’t hearing a message with forgiveness and hope at its core. Differences are inevitable among us, but in Christ they need never be a barrier to unity.

Thought for the Day: Where have I noticed “wrangling over words?”

Psalm 111:6-10

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever.” vs. 10

To “fear the Lord” is to have a sense of humility and reverence about our place in the universe. It’s a recognition that we are creatures, a part of the creation, and that we are not in charge. The psalmist says that having such an understanding is the beginning of wisdom, contrary to the loud claims of the proud and the arrogant in the world around us. Many of those contrarians, reputed to be wise in their own circles, claim that there is no God at all and that we are on our own in the universe. They say that the advances of science and technology mean that it’s no longer necessary for humans to acknowledge a Supreme Being. While there is an appeal of sorts to such a nihilistic vision, it offers little hope or guidance to those who yearn for meaning and purpose. Most of the time such a vision reveals at its core a superficial and primitive notion of God. To use the psalmist’s language, those who truly fear the Lord will put aside such arrogant notions and humbly live their lives as servants of the One who has brought all things into existence. They will search out and live by eternal values and find purpose in caring for the earth and in loving others. And on that journey of discovery, they will daily grow in wisdom and understanding.

Thought for the Day: What is the appeal of atheism?

Psalm 111:1-5

“Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them.” vs. 2

Desert places have long held fascination for those who are drawn to meditation. The reason for the attraction can be debated but it could have something to do with the mostly barren landscapes. Lush jungle-like environs don’t seem to have the same appeal. Perhaps the absence of distraction in the desert allows a more careful focus on the interior life. Free from external stimuli we can be mindful of our spiritual appetites and tend to the feeding of our souls. But still, reminders of the physical environment are all around us in our desert retreats. We see clearly how plants and animals have adapted to the scarcity of water and marvel at the beauty of those adaptive forms. Even the most desolate places are teeming with examples of life’s tenacity and beauty. The psalmist was familiar with such geography; wilderness was always close at hand and in its presence he marveled at the greatness of creation, identifying the special joy that comes to those who study its intricacies. Those meditative moments, under the vast expanse of the wilderness sky, bring special awareness of God’s universal majesty. The only fitting response is that of the psalmist, an unrestrained song of praise and thanksgiving!

Thought for the Day: What thoughts come with desert meditation?

2 Kings 5:7-15

“But his servants approached and said to him, ‘Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, “Wash, and be clean”?’” vs 13

Naaman was rich and powerful and he expected that Elisha would provide him a spectacular healing, something like what a television evangelist might do. But the man of God didn’t even come out to see him! Instead he sent a messenger with instructions to go wash in the river Jordan. It was all so ordinary…and in Naaman’s mind, demeaning. We laugh at Naaman’s prideful response even when we have the same tendencies. We want God encounters, of course we do, but we’d like them to be spectacular, something we could brag about with our friends, a special action reeking of divinity, something unmistakably miraculous. We want lightning flashes and rolling thunder, not a long forgotten washing with water and periodic tastes of bread and wine. It all seems too simple and there’s just not much for us to do. In fact there’s little more than nothing for us to do to receive God’s healing touch. “Wash and eat,” our scriptures tell us, and that will be enough. No bells or whistles, just the gentle presence of the Spirit in water and bread…and healing is ours!

Thought for the Day: What healing have I received?

2 Kings 5:1-3

“Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favor with his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram.” vs. 1

Back in the early years of our faith community, centuries ago when stories first began to be written down, folks had a broader concept of God than many believers have now. For example in today’s text it is acknowledged without comment or explanation that the Lord had given victory to Aram through a Syrian general called Naaman. The country that Naaman had defeated was Israel! Even those who thought of themselves as God’s chosen people knew that God was at work in all nations. Later on Isaiah, a Judaean prophet, acknowledged Cyrus, the King of Persia, as the messiah. Nowadays religious people of all types are forever trying to turn their particular faith into a national religion. When they succeed the results are always repressive and divisive. What they forget is that God can use people of every faith, and even those of no faith, in establishing the much anticipated peaceable kingdom. Wherever peace and reconciliation take place, wherever the hungry are fed, wherever justice is established, we can be confident that great people are present and God’s work is being done. Our God is always bigger than any of us can even imagine!

Thought for the Day: How does God use Americans for accomplishing good in our world?

Luke 17:7-10

“So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, ‘We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!’” vs. 10

Occasionally in the course of our daily activities we’ll do or say something that is completely in accord with our job or calling and we get a big thank you. We do appreciate those thoughtful responses, but often we’ll then say, “Oh think nothing of it. It’s what I do!” Faithful followers of Jesus simply do what they’re supposed to do and it really shouldn’t be any surprise when they are seen to be caring, thoughtful, and loving. We behave this way because we’re walking in the Way of Christ and not for any expected compensation or reward. We could even think of ourselves as slaves, not because we live in bondage, but because we freely serve our Lord. Still, it is nice to get thanks from the people we encounter. Expressions of appreciation are always welcome, even when they’re not necessary. And it may be that those behaviors we take for granted will have a powerful effect on others…they could even come to be imitated in the general culture. How good it would be if all people could see that the Way of Christ is to be caring and kind, and not judging and condemning! That would be something for which we could all give thanks and praise to God.

Thought for the Day: How do people know that I’m a follower of Jesus?

Luke 17:5-6

“The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’ The Lord replied, ‘If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it would obey you.’” vss.5-6

If the apostles, who were standing in the presence of Jesus and listening to his words, were concerned about their lack of faith, it’s not surprising that we who stand at such a temporal and spatial distance would have similar concerns. Faith seems to have a mind of its own and flits in and out of our lives. Some days it’s present in abundance. At other times it seems to be on life support, and we figure we might as well pull the plug. So often we look at others, marveling at what seems to be unshakeable trust, and wish that we could have their faith. Maybe, like the apostles we ask in our prayers, “Increase our faith!” If so, Jesus’ answer should reassure us. He tells us that we shouldn’t worry about how much faith we have. He says that the little bit any of us has, the tiniest amount imaginable, will be sufficient. And more than that! That mustard-sized faith unleashes the power of God. Goals will be achieved. Records will fall. Good deeds in abundance will be done. All this happens because we have decided not to wait for the coming of mega-faith but go forward with the micro-faith we have.

Thought for the Day: What happens if I lose my faith altogether?

2 Timothy 1:1-14

“For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.” vss. 6-7

In many of our faith traditions there is a ritual known as confirmation or the affirmation of baptism in which young people, many times about thirteen or fourteen years old, receive a blessing through the laying on of hands. It seems from today’s text that something like that also took place in the early church. Here Paul is reminding Timothy of that special day, asking him to rekindle the gift of God that was within him. Some among us can identify with Paul’s concerns. It’s so easy for young people to wander off to see where demons dwell, to experiment with other ways of living, and to even abandon the faith into which they were baptized. Some are embarrassed by the faith of their parents and rightly reject what they see as narrow-minded prejudice and hypocrisy in the church. They’re looking for a new and a better way…yet what they seek is so elusive. Paul says that what they seek is already within them, that it’s the spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline. It’s the gift of God and it belongs to them. All it needs is a bit of rekindling. And that’s our prayer too for the young ones we love so much!

Thought for the Day: In whom do I want to see the gift of God rekindled?