Psalm 1

“They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.” vs. 3

The psalmist had high praise for those who took delight in the law of the Lord and who meditated on it both day and night. In his estimation they could not go wrong and God’s blessings would abound in their lives. According to his metaphor they were like trees planted by streams of water–even in the dry seasons of their lives their deep roots would be their salvation. The wisdom of the psalmist is particularly apparent to believers now as they navigate the challenges presented by life in this changing broken world. Those who have taken the time to study and meditate on the ancient truths will have resources that are unavailable to those who cruise through life knowing little more than the shallow trends of contemporary culture. When our roots go deep, probing the wisdom of the saints triumphant, we will have access to a vast reservoir of resilience and strength. We won’t be tossed to and fro by the winds of doctrinal change, but will cling closely to the teachings of Jesus and the prophets. Such people live among us in our congregations and we’ve watched with amazement as they’ve weathered the varied times of their lives. No strangers to suffering they nonetheless find joy in every day. They are the rocks on which our Church is built.

Thought for the Day: How deep are my roots?

Jeremiah 17:7-10

“The heart is devious above all else; it is perverse— who can understand it? I the Lord test the mind and search the heart, to give to all according to their ways, according to the fruit of their doings.” vss. 9-10

As Jeremiah continued to present the word of the Lord to the inhabitants of Judea, it appears that he made use of material that can be found in some of the wisdom literature in the Hebrew scriptures, books like Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. In this section he uses that material to describe the human heart. And when he says that the heart is devious and perverse, almost beyond our understanding, we know what he means. We’ve learned through the centuries to hide the true feelings of our hearts or mask them with the chocolates, flowers, and mushy notes of Valentine’s Day. And if we can’t know the hearts of those closest to us, we’ve learned to our chagrin that it’s virtually impossible to read the heart of a politician. Certainly their words don’t reflect their core! But Jeremiah says that, even if we can’t know what people are about, the Lord does know, because the Lord tests the mind and searches the heart. And what criterion is used in the Lord’s evaluation? Ultimately it’s a simple test. Our hearts are revealed according to our ways, according to the fruit of our doings. In other words, if we want to know what’s in the heart of a person, don’t listen to what they say, watch what they do.

Thought for the Day: Why is Valentine’s Day a big deal?

Jeremiah 17:5-7

“Thus says the Lord: Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals and make mere flesh their strength, whose hearts turn away from the Lord.” vs. 5

When Jeremiah was a young man and felt the call of the Lord to become a prophet, it’s not likely that he realized the challenges that he would face. When he spoke the truth to those in power, they did not welcome his words, but instead roused public opinion against him. Year after year those leaders chose to listen to the court prophets who praised them and who told them whatever they wanted to hear. Of course we can’t blame those who resisted Jeremiah. After all, who likes to be told that they are cursed–imagine how we’d feel if our pastors pronounced curses on us when we showed up to worship. Even when our hearts turn away from God, we like to hear kind and grace-filled words from our preachers. But that’s not what prophets do! They say the confronting truths that we don’t like to hear–and they don’t win prizes for doing so! That sort of thing is happening with more frequency these days as we hear about the actions of our governmental leaders. Some prophets are speaking out, and many wonder whether these prophets are for real or misguided–some Christians are saying that they’re traitors. So who shall we believe? The big question for followers of Jesus is this: How closely do the words of contemporary prophets align with the teachings of Jesus? That should be an easy question to answer. It’s certainly not rocket science!

Thought for the Day: If I were a  prophet what would I say? To whom would I say it?

Luke 5:5-11

“But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!’ For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken;” vss. 8-9

Peter’s experience on the Sea of Galilee reminds us of Isaiah’s temple vision. Both were overwhelmed at the presence of the Divine, and both became immediately conscious of their own brokenness. And in spite of their protests both were called into ministry, Isaiah as a prophet, and Peter as an evangelist. Not all of us will have encounters that are even close to those of Isaiah and Peter, but we will from time to time catch glimpses of the divine in our daily living, sometimes in the people we meet, and occasionally in breathtaking experiences. And always, our first response will be a recognition of our own unworthiness. That’s how it is when we come close to the Light–we’re exposed, and the flaws, foibles, and follies of our internal self are seen clearly, if not by others, then surely by ourselves. Those aren’t pleasant moments–it’s like being asked to strip to our skin in a doctor’s office. And then comes the invitation, “Don’t be afraid. I’m going to use you, warts and all, and through you restoration will come to the world.” And the flaws we’ve tried to hide become the windows through which the broken will see the Light!

Thought for the Day: How can Light be seen in flaws?

Luke 5:1-3

“He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.” vs. 3

According to Luke, after the drama of Nazareth, Jesus continued his ministry in Capernaum, a prosperous trading village at the northern end of the Sea of Galilee. While there he became acquainted with a number of residents as he healed the sick and cast out demons, but Luke also tells us that many were interested in what he had to say. In fact, on one occasion such a crowd gathered on the shore that Jesus got into a fishing boat to enable everyone to hear better. The scene is idyllic, one we can easily imagine, and we’d love to know what Jesus preached about. His words were likely related to the kingdom of God and the signs of its presence in everyday life, and were probably told in the form of parables, Jesus’ favorite form of teaching. But the people weren’t there just for the sermon–Luke tells us that they were particularly interested in healing, both for themselves and for those they loved. It’s that sort of thing that continues to draw people to Jesus. Granted, it’s not physical healing so much anymore that attracts us, but we certainly are looking for spiritual peace and serenity. It’s nice to hear a well-prepared sermon at worship, but when the healing blanket of peace becomes our daily comforter, contentment is not far behind.

Thought for the Day: What would Jesus have preached about?

1 Corinthians 15:8-11

“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them—though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” vs. 10

Paul was very aware of his past. He had persecuted the Church with all the weapons at his disposal and had participated in the death of the first martyr, Stephen. And when he received a call from the Risen Christ to be an apostle he knew that he did not deserve it. Only by God’s grace had he been given the opportunity to be a missionary to the Gentiles–and it was grace that continued to sustain him and empower him in ministry. Sometimes believers are told that they deserve the good things that have come their way in the course of life, and some are tempted to believe that this is truly the case. But most people of faith are quick to laugh at such statements because in truth they deserve nothing. Everything they have and are is by the grace of God, and they know that it’s grace, not their good works or reputation, that will ultimately bring them home. So if there is a time when we are feeling particularly blessed, that would be a moment to give profuse thanks to God for the pure grace that is ours, and not waste a single second in thinking that we somehow deserve the goodness that has come our way.

Thought for the Day: When have I gotten what I deserve?

1 Corinthians 15:1-7

“For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures..” vss. 3-4

While some believers have come to love Jesus because of his teaching and healing ministry they’re not as comfortable with his resurrection. It seems a gross violation of the laws of nature and they have a hard time making sense of it. It’s almost as though they prefer a dead Jesus to a living Christ. Well, Paul would have been appalled at that notion. In fact, he told the Corinthians that what he had handed on to them about Christ’s death and resurrection was of first importance in his gospel. This wasn’t something that he had made up–he was actually passing on what he had received from people he had persecuted. In fact if the good news of resurrection had not been the central part of that gospel that was planted and that flourished in ancient days, Jesus would have been forgotten long ago. We would do well to remember that as we consider what to teach and preach in our congregations. There is nothing more important to the life and ministry of the Church than the handing on of the good news of Christ’s death and resurrection. Here is where we find forgiveness and hope, and that’s the most important gift we have for the next generation.

Thought for the Day: How do I hand on what I have received?

Psalm 138

“The Lord will fulfil his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures for ever.  Do not forsake the work of your hands.” vs. 8

It’s not unusual for us to think about our purpose, and it’s a blessing when we sense we’ve been using our gifts and skills in the fulfillment of that purpose. It would be awful to wake up one day and realize we’d been going in exactly the wrong direction, though that does happen, probably more often than we think. The psalmist found consolation in the knowledge that finding our purpose is really not something to worry about. What counts is that the Lord’s purpose is fulfilled in us, and that can happen even when we don’t know what it is! Think about it! It’s not all up to us! The psalmist knew that the steadfast love of God endures forever, and it persists through every wrong turn and foolish action on the part of human beings. We are the work of God’s hands, and the image of God has been planted in every one of us. Oh there are certainly times when we get off track and our broken ways seem to threaten the goodness of creation–some are thinking we’re moving through such a time now. But the psalmist was confident, and so are we. God will not forsake humanity–and for better or for worse the Lord’s will be done among us!

Thought for the Day: What is the Lord’s purpose for me?

Isaiah 6:6-8

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’” vs. 8

As great as it was for Isaiah to glimpse the glory of God in his vision, the best was yet to come. The seraph touched his unclean mouth with a live coal and said: “Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.” In that moment Isaiah heard that forgiveness is part of the fabric of the universe, and that even a sinner like him could receive a call to proclaim that good news to any who would listen. That message has resounded among the people of God through the centuries and continues to be our one source of hope in this broken world. Even though guilt visits us regularly in the course of our lives, when we confess our sin, both individual and corporate, we are forgiven, and our unclean lips are made clean. But because this is a message that is crying out to be heard, with the cleansing there comes an invitation. Now most believers don’t identify with Isaiah’s experience–they don’t believe that they’ve been called to share the good news. But some do! And what a blessing it is when folks respond with Isaiah, “Here I am; send me!” They’re forgiven sinners like anyone else, but when they share the message of restoration with the broken, the world is changed!

Thought for the Day: How do I respond to the question, ”Whom shall I send?”

Isaiah 6:1-5

“And I said: ‘Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!’” vs. 5

While there are similarities in the “call” stories that we find in scripture, there are also significant differences. Isaiah described his experience as a kind of vision that had taken place in the temple, one that was so spectacular he likely could have given the day and the hour. He had seen the glory of God, and it was overwhelming, and most significantly it had reminded him of his own uncleanness. He wasn’t worthy to be in the presence of such awesome Divinity, and what he reports sums up the essence of the human experience. As we live out our days in this magnificent universe believers will from time to time catch glimpses of God’s ultimate goodness and glory. It could happen in worship and many times it happens as we interact with the splendors of the creation. But while those moments are wonderful they also remind us of our  brokenness and reveal our imperfections. At times the sheer ugliness of human behaviors can drive us to despair. And even though we’re appalled, we also have to admit that the perpetrators are our brothers and sisters. And while we may not like to admit our own culpability for any of the brokenness, we stand with Isaiah. We live among “a people of unclean lips,” and their guilt is ours!

Thought for the Day: Why is it hard to confess corporate guilt?