Isaiah 58:1-12

“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry…?” Vss. 6-7a

In a couple of days Ash Wednesday will be here and many are now thinking of Lenten disciplines. They’d like some spiritual practice that could be used as a meditation aid for the next six weeks or so. Some are even considering fasting, an ancient discipline that the ancient Hebrews used to show the depth of their piety, and perhaps even impress God. They would dress in sackcloth and ashes to show their humility and, if God didn’t notice, at least their fellow believers would.  Isaiah, who was a prophet among them, did not find their performance convincing. In fact, he believed they were making a mockery of faith. He tells them that God is irritated by their pious posturing. If they really want to please God they should practice justice, let the oppressed go free and share their food with the hungry. Isaiah’s words continue to resonate in the hearts of believers. We know in our hearts that our pious words and actions mean nothing unless they are preceded by deeds of mercy and acts of sacrificial service. During this Lenten season, as the hearts of our leaders have turned to thoughts of power and riches, there are a multitude of ways for Isaiah’s words to bear fruit in our fasting.

Thought for the Day: What are my Lenten intentions?

Luke 9:33-36

“When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.” vs. 35

It seems that the time on the mountain was not so much for Jesus as it was for Peter and James and John. Jesus regularly spent time in prayer, often out on the hillsides by himself, but the disciples seem not to have had such a regular practice. So when the disciples were asked to accompany him, they were likely filled with anticipation, and they got more than they had ever dreamed. Not only did they see Jesus in all his glory, they were scared out of their wits by an enveloping cloud. “This is my Son, my Chosen, listen to him,” a voice proclaimed, and that became their life verse! Since that time millions of other disciples have done exactly that. They’ve made the words of Jesus the instructional manual of their lives. Rather than listening to every petty despot who comes along with some other half-baked directions for a better world, they circle back to Jesus and take his sayings to heart. They love their enemies, care for the poor, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and laugh in the faces of those who claim that riches provide the path to joy and delight. Like Peter and James and John they’ve heard the voice of God and know that Jesus is the way to truth andl life.

Thought for the Day: What is my life verse?

Luke 9:28-32

“Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.” vs. 32

It’s hard to know what to do with the story of the Transfiguration as it appears in the gospels–it’s so different from anything that we’ve ever experienced. Some have said that it’s almost like a resurrection appearance that was later inserted into the narrative of Jesus’ Galilean ministry. It’s as though Peter, James, and John, who were already being told that suffering would mark the end of Jesus’ ministry, were being given a glimpse of the glory that would one day follow. Even before Good Friday, they were getting an Easter experience. Indeed, that’s what Transfiguration Sunday is for those believers who are getting ready to walk with Jesus through the season of Lent. It’s a reminder that beyond the brokenness and pain of this life there is a transfiguring glory awaiting us. And it’s not just a matter of the liturgical calendar! Right in the middle of this life we sometimes catch dazzling glimpses of how good life can be. We see love in its purity and humanity at its best, and Jesus whispers in our ears, “Friend, one day this vision will become a reality, and you’ll be enveloped in the Light forever.” Those are the transfiguring moments that keep us going when times get tough and Easter seems only a fanciful tale.

Thought for the Day: What is a transfiguring moment? 

2 Corinthians 3:17-4:2

“And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.” vs. 18

Paul is grateful that those who trust in the Lord Jesus can see the reflected glory of God and that the good news of life and salvation are not veiled from them. As he tells us in other places no one can know or experience God fully–there’s always more to come. But as we wait we are being transformed by the Holy Spirit from one degree of glory to another. All of us have seen and experienced this phenomenon as we live in Christ. We are born in the image of God and as we are tended and nurtured through the work of the Spirit, year by year, the fruits of that Spirit become more apparent to us and to others. The seed planted in us at birth and carefully tended by faithful parents and teachers grows and grows and one day people will actually see the image of God in us. They’ll see God’s love and compassion and experience through us the cleansing grace of forgiveness. Although at some points in our broken lives that may seem a fanciful notion, the transformation does take place, not because we are so wonderful, but because the Spirit of God has power beyond our imagination.

Thought for the Day: What are the signs of transformation in my life?

2 Corinthians 3:12-16

“Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.” vss. 15-16

Paul had a scholar’s familiarity with the Hebrew scriptures and believed that the little story from Exodus about the time Moses put a veil over his face explained why the Jews didn’t “get” Jesus. In his estimation their minds had continued to be veiled to the truth. He’s obviously not right in that assessment–many Jews had become believers and had welcomed the good news of Jesus. But it is true that occasionally we will meet folks who have what seems to be an inherent inclination to doubt anything we say that’s related to faith. The moment we mention anything about God or church we can almost see the glaze of disinterest beginning to cover their eyes. They have absolutely zero interest in hearing anything about spiritual matters and will quickly change the subject or shift their attention to something else. But there are also times when the people we encounter seem to have an intense attraction to what we’re saying. We see it in the directness of their gaze, the questions they have, and their willingness to share the story of their own spiritual journey. Shakespeare may not have ever written the phrase often attributed to him, “the eyes are the window to the soul,” but the sentiment of the words is most certainly true.

Thought for the Day: What do people see in my eyes?

Psalm 99

“Mighty King, lover of justice, you have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.” vs. 3

In recent months the notion of DEI, diversity, equity, and inclusivity, has become a synonym for whatever is wrong with our country. The government has completely shut down any of its DEI programs, and companies are being urged by their stockholders to shelve their DEi practices. Some might find it surprising then that the psalmist believed that it was the Lord who had established equity, and that it was a part of the divine plan for Israel. Equity is a term that is connected to justice and fairness, and should be distinguished from equality. Equity recognizes that people do not all start from the same place and that those differences should be accommodated by a caring community. While we can readily accept that this is how God deals with humanity, it’s difficult for us to treat the people around us in the same way. If we sense that someone is receiving special accommodation for a position or a job, we’re quick to claim that they’re getting an unfair advantage. But what a blessing it is to know that God doesn’t operate by our standards and instead offers healing and restoration to the broken. It would be even a greater blessing if we could learn to treat our hurting brothers and sisters with the same kind of compassion.

Thought for the Day: What’s the difference between equality and equity?

Exodus 34:32-35

“When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; but whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would take the veil off, until he came out…” vss. 33-34a

Sometimes the stories in scripture that we have from our faith ancestors are beautiful and life-changing, but at other times they’re just bizarre, and we have no idea what they’re about. This little excerpt from Exodus is like that. The neat thing about such texts is that occasionally they contain real gems! In this story about the shining face of Moses we’re told that he had to veil his face to keep from frightening the people. In other words they couldn’t handle the pure glory of God that they saw reflected there. They had to be careful and take precautions, kind of like the ones we take when we want to view an eclipse of the sun. It may be that Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 13:12 are getting at the same truth, “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.” There are so many things we can’t possibly know about God–our little puny minds can’t even imagine the glory of God’s presence. A glimpse of God’s essence would simply explode our brains! And so we wait. For now God is veiled to our view, but one day, we will see face to face!

Thought for the Day: What’s the purpose of a veil?

Exodus 34:29-31

“Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.” vs. 29

According to Hebrew tradition, not only was Moses the one who had led them out of slavery, he was also the great law-giver. When the Israelites had encamped at Mt. Sinai, Moses had repeatedly climbed the mountain to consult with the Lord and to receive the commandments by which Israel was to live. Finally, after a brief episode of idolatry involving a golden calf, Moses brings them the final version of the law. It’s a spectacular moment for Moses and it was reported that the experience of talking with the Lord had caused his face to shine. While we don’t know exactly what that was like for Moses, we do know that close encounters with the divine can have discernible effects on a person’s appearance and demeanor. We could even describe such persons as having shining faces! It’s the sort of thing that can be seen and experienced among believers in moments of deep spiritual connection. Like Moses these believers will be so moved by the Spirit that they won’t even be aware that they’ve been changed, and that it’s visible to those around them. Those are amazing, almost scary moments, and we’re almost grateful when the intensity dissipates and the shining fades away, and life returns to normal. 

Thought for the Day: What causes faces to shine?

Luke 6:37-38a

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you.” vss. 37-38a

We’ve become familiar with television preachers over the last decades who delight in using this saying of Jesus to increase donations to their expensive and growing ministries. “Give, and it will be given to you,” they say, as they encourage viewers to send offerings to them. And then they will tell stories of how people have grown rich because of their tithing practices. Because greed is so widespread, their strategy works, and they’ve raised millions of dollars from financially strapped people looking for an easy way to become wealthy. Of course that isn’t anything close to what Jesus had in mind when he was encouraging his disciples to live counter-cultural lives. He wanted his followers to be at peace with the world around them, not judging or condemning, and to give generously to the poor and the needy. The life he described is beautiful! And what a blessing it is to simply love all of our neighbors, even the provocative fools who regularly dominate the daily news cycle. Of course that’s not easy, but some have learned to pull it off, and the serenity with which they live is the envy of all.

Thought for the Day: Why am I so quick to judge and condemn?

Luke 6:27-36

“But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.” vs. 38

For those not familiar with the teachings of Jesus these words are shocking. And even many believers are surprised at his description of God. They have assumed that God wreaks vengeance on the ungrateful and the wicked, and to see that Jesus actually said that God is kind and merciful to them is a bit of a jolt. Some might even be a bit disappointed–they like the notion of a judgmental and unforgiving God. And when Jesus told his disciples that they should be merciful as God is merciful some might have wondered if they could actually do that. It is true that Jesus’ words here are challenging and difficult. We just don’t see them modeled in our culture or society. Instead we are taught that it’s just fine to attack our enemies and slander their names. And we certainly don’t see many folks out in the world who don’t expect anything in return for their generosity. In fact almost all benevolence is regularly considered to be self-serving–at the very least we’ve grown to expect a sizable deduction on our income tax returns. Now Jesus does assure those who live in his way that there will be blessings on the journey, but he’s not talking about financial gain. The reward he has in mind is far better than that!

Thought for the Day: How can I love people that I can’t stand?