Amos 6:1a, 4-7

“Alas for those who are at ease in Zion, and for those who feel secure on Mount Samaria… Alas for those who lie on beds of ivory, and lounge on their couches…” vss. 1a, 4a

Amos had come to Israel from its southern neighbor Judah and he had words of judgement for the royal hierarchy and other notables. We wonder how he knew that death and destruction lay ahead for those who felt so secure in their luxurious palaces. It certainly wasn’t apparent. Israel was riding high. There had been decades of peace and prosperity. The money from trade and taxes was rolling in. But Amos saw darkness on the horizon. Maybe that’s how it always is when the poor are trampled on and even religious folks worry more about turning a profit than helping the needy. Amos didn’t need a crystal ball to divine Israel’s future, he had a word from the Lord, and that word is constant through the ages. Nations whose wealth is built on the backs of the poor will always come to a wretched end. Of course no one paid any attention to Amos. The priests of Israel told him to go back where he came from and to keep his mouth shut. There’s no record that a single person in Israel repented or made any effort to change. But Amos’s words were collected and remembered…and we have them today. We pray that they will make a difference in our opulent times.

Thought for the Day: What might Amos say to our presidential candidates?

Luke 16:10-13

“No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” vs. 13

Sometimes we can find a bit of wiggle room in the things that Jesus said…they are at least subject to interpretation. Not this time! Through the centuries there have been many followers who took these words seriously and went to great pains to show their devotion to God by giving up their possessions. In our time even religious folks pretty much ignore the dozens of times Jesus talked about wealth and many get angry any time their pastor mentions money. For them it’s deeply personal and they believe what our culture teaches, that the measure of a person is how wealthy they are. Wealth is their deepest aspiration, and they devote their lives to accumulation. Devotion to money drives all their life choices from choosing a spouse to picking a career. One interesting thing though is that we don’t have to be rich to be obsessed by money. And paradoxically some wealthy people can be absolutely devoted to God! The key is in remembering that we are never masters and always servants, either of God or wealth. Serving wealth is a dead-end journey…ultimately we lose everything. Serving God means deep satisfaction…the blessing is abundant life. There really are no other options.

Thought for the Day: Am I serving God or wealth? How do I know that?

Luke 16:1-9

“And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.” vs. 9

Even though Jesus was intentionally obscure about the meaning of some of his stories, we wish in this instance that his editor, Luke, could have clarified his intent. As it is, meditating on verses like these can be less than illuminating! The point seems to be that one day all of our stuff, regardless of how we’ve gotten it, is going to be gone! We can’t take it with us. Jesus also seems to indicate that all wealth has a stain attached, no matter how scrupulous we might be in accumulating it. The early desert fathers would have agreed…so they got rid of everything and lived in caves in the wilderness in an attempt to attain purity in this life. Our solution need not be so drastic! Perhaps Jesus is simply recommending that we use whatever goods we have to make life better for others. Rather than obsessing about getting more and more in our portfolios as we grow older maybe a wiser choice would be to start giving everything away. We certainly would have less to worry about! Of course we will still worry. Will we have to live for years in the streets totally dependent on hand-outs? While that could happen, it’s doubtful that it will. Like the dishonest manager we are pretty shrewd when it comes to money matters.

Thought for the Day: How much money will I need in my retirement?

1 Timothy 2:5-7

“For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself a ransom for all…” vss. 5-6a

Like us the early followers of Jesus lived in an age of religious pluralism. Gods of every shape and form were worshipped in every forum of every major city. Their temples and altars abounded. Today’s text, a liturgical fragment from that time, states the core of the Christian message for that context. There is one God, not many gods; and one mediator between God and humankind, the man known to Christians as Christ Jesus. Those early believers weren’t one bit embarrassed about their exclusive claim but boldly proclaimed it wherever they went. We’ve lost that boldness in our context, almost afraid to say what we believe for fear of being accused of religious bigotry or provoking controversy. Sometimes we’ll even water down our faith statements in the hope of making them acceptable to everyone. The resulting blandness ultimately undermines the core of our proclamation by negating the message of the cross. Jesus gave his life..and what Jesus did, he did for all! Our exclusive claim is inclusive!  And that’s good news for every person on our planet, no matter what faith family they belong to. When we keep silent, that gospel is not heard!

Thought for the Day: What’s the relationship between proclamation and conversion?

1 Timothy 2:1-4

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.” vss. 1-2

The world of first century followers of Jesus was very different from our own. They were a tiny minority in an empire dominated by leaders who maintained massive armies to subjugate peoples and nations. There were wars and rebellions and frequent persecutions for those deemed a threat to the emperor’s control. Those early Christians couldn’t have even conceived of a democracy or the opportunity to elect presidents, governors, and legislative bodies. All they wanted was to be able to live quiet and peaceable lives in their little faith communities. So they prayed for the despots and dictators in high positions, giving thanks for the tranquility of strong rule. Only in that context would they be free to proclaim the good news that God desires everyone to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. In due time the Roman Empire fell and has been replaced by a variety of dominating powers, some horribly cruel and others more benign. Our calling as the people of God is to continue our prayers for our leaders, no matter what we may think of their politics, that under them our communities of faith will be free to prosper and grow.

Thought for the Day: What will I pray for our next president?

Psalm 113:5-9

“Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap,” vss

For some God is far away, high and lifted up, mysterious and invisible, the transcendent Lord of the universe. And it is true that God is beyond our understanding, more than we can even imagine. But it is also true that God is close, low and nearby, personal and caring, with a heart for the poor and the needy. All over the world it is the poor who suffer the most, beaten down and crushed by repressive regimes, drowned in their make-shift boats while fleeing oppression, hungry and neglected in the midst of plenty…and where they are, God is present, constantly preserving hope and life. The Psalmist asks, “Who is like the Lord our God?” Is it not the ones who stand with God in the refugee camps and the homeless shelters, constantly offering assistance and support? In this partnership of caring the people of God are the presence of God, and the poor are raised and the needy lifted. What a blessing it is for those who move beyond fear and politics to actually be the hands and feet of God in bringing justice and mercy to our world. Sometimes it’s not convenient, and often our decision will mean real sacrifice, but there’s really no debate, standing with the poor is the work of God.

Thought for the Day: To what extent am I standing with the poor?

Psalm 113:1-4

“From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the Lord is to be praised. The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.” vss. 3-4

We frequently find opportunity for praise as we live and work in our world. We do it as a natural expression of love and as a response to acts of goodness. It’s a way to lift up those who need encouragement and to let folks know that they are appreciated. It’s also been a central part of worship from the beginning of our God consciousness. People love singing songs of praise to the Lord, extolling the wonders of creation and celebrating God’s bountiful grace. As we grow in years and in faith we become ever more conscious that God is greater than we can possibly understand or imagine. The immensity of the universe and the interconnectedness of all things are just too much for our little minds to comprehend. What an incredible gift it is to have existence in this moment of time! We wonder at the sheer improbability of life itself! The only proper response to all of this is sheer, unbridled, unrestrained praise, praise that is sung out with smiles on our faces and joy in our hearts. It’s not that God needs or requires our praise, it’s our own need that drives our songs and hymns. What a blessing it is to stand in a congregation of the faithful and let the beautiful, uplifting words and sounds fill our ears! Praise the Lord!

Thought for the Day: When does praise come most easily for me?

Amos 8:4-7

“Hear this, you that trample on the needy, and bring to ruin the poor of the land…the Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Surely I will never forget any of their deeds.” vss. 4, 7

Amos was a prophet of Judah and acquainted with wilderness living. When his mission brought him north and he saw the incredible wealth of Israel he wasted no time with niceties in his proclamations. He could not believe how the rich exploited the poor by manipulating trade and business to increase their profits or that religious leaders condoned such practices. Sadly, the words of Amos have mostly been ignored through the centuries and we’ve allowed such inequities to flourish in every time and every place. Instead of reaching out to help the needy we devise ever more successful ways to help the rich get even richer. When will we ever learn that this is not a God-pleasing way to live? Still, there are folks in every age who do get the point. In our neighborhoods and congregations there are countless followers of Jesus who take the words of prophets like Amos to heart and who work diligently for change by pointing out inequities and practicing contentment. Such people understand the blessings that come with generous simplicity and are the leaven of decency in our culture of excess.

Thought for the Day: What is generous simplicity?

Luke 15:8-10

“When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’” vs. 9

When something has been lost, and then found, it’s virtually impossible to repress the feelings of joy that are released. We don’t even have to think about it. Whether it’s a key or a passport or a person that we’ve lost, the finding brings gladness. But sometimes that which has been lost can’t be found again…and then joy evades us. For many 9/11 has come to represent that kind of deep irreplaceable loss on a national scale. And it’s not only that hundreds of innocent people died in tragic ways. It’s more than that. Somehow in those horrible moments we lost a sense of security and began to realize our vulnerability. And post-9/11 the pain has continued. War seems unending and more horrible than ever. Enemies and militias abound. Paranoia has gripped our national psyche. We are horribly divided. There just isn’t much out there to bring joy or gladness. Even feel-good events like Olympics or Super Bowls bring reminders of that loss of innocence with their emphasis on screening and security. Only our on-going trust in the ultimate goodness of God gives hope. Our story tells us that out of crucifixion comes resurrection, from endings come new beginnings, and what has been lost will be found. Joy will be restored! Not through elections, but by the sweeping enlightenment of God’s Spirit of Love.

Thought for the Day: How has 9/11 impacted my life?

Luke 15:1-7

“So he told them this parable: ’Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?’” vss. 3-4

The point of this parable is obviously God’s love for those who are lost and the joy that is inevitable when they are found. But sometimes in our reading of these verses our minds are diverted by the image of 99 sheep left in the wilderness while the shepherd is searching. They aren’t in the sheepfold, they’re out in the desert by themselves. So what happens to them? While nothing is said the implication is plain: as long as they stick together and don’t separate they’ll be just fine. We can make that assertion comfortably because that’s our experience in the church. The key to wilderness survival among the faithful is community. Even second century monks in the desert came from their isolation for common worship. Sometimes in our congregations it seems as though a lot of pastoral attention is being paid to those with the obvious needs, and it may appear that a lot of good folks have been left on their own. But that doesn’t mean that we have been abandoned or neglected. We’ll be fine as long as we hang together…and in our worship and communion we discover that the Christ who goes after the lost is perfectly present among us too.

Thought for the Day: How might it feel to be one of the ninety-nine?