Isaiah 62:1-5

“For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a burning torch.” vs. 1

Once the Babylonian refugees started straggling back to Jerusalem the prophet brimmed with optimism about the future. He proclaimed confidently that God would vindicate Jerusalem and restore her to greatness. While things didn’t turn out exactly as the prophet expected, he was actually just doing his job. People need to hear that there is hope for the future and that better days are coming. There’s little need for pessimistic leaders among the people of God. In fact we all like to hear words of promise for the future–it’s what keeps us going. The prophet even uses marriage as a metaphor in this passage. No young couple madly in love imagines anything but a bright tomorrow for themselves–their love will not dissipate but grow stronger with the passing years. And maybe there will even be children to bring added joy to their days. So it must be among those who are in Christ! There is no reason to give in to the pessimism of political disappointments. God is bigger than all that negativity and in fact has a glorious future in mind for us all. And for us this is more than optimism! Our faith is built on the resurrection, the cornerstone of our convictions for the life that lies ahead. God is and will be forever!

Thought for the Day: Why is it hard for me to be positive about the future?

Luke 3:21-22

“and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’” vs. 22

Luke doesn’t tell his readers why Jesus joined the crowds who were baptized by John at the Jordan, but he does report that after his baptism Jesus took time for prayer. It’s not surprising to learn this about Jesus, prayer seems to have been a regular part of his daily routine. It was during this initial time of prayer that Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit, heard the affirmation of God, and received his call. While he didn’t yet have a clear picture of what that might mean, he did know one thing for sure. He was deeply loved by God and was precious in God’s sight. And for the rest of his earthly life, that was all that he needed! That’s pretty much the way it is for all who have been baptized into Christ. For most the baptism is pretty routine–pictures may have been taken–and there’s probably a certificate or two. It’s later on that the exciting stuff begins to happen and the Jesus experience is repeated in us. We’ll not get a call to be the messiah (that job has already been taken), but we will be regularly visited by the Holy Spirit. And always, when the Spirit comes near, we will receive assurances of God’s love, and direction for our ministry. And the key for us, as for Jesus, will be regular prayer!

Thought for the Day: How has the Holy Spirit directed me?

Luke 3:15-17

“John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.’” va. 16

The gospels tell us that excitement was building in the area of the Jordan River where the prophet John was preaching and baptizing. People were coming to John from the whole region and many believed that he was the promised messiah. But according to Luke, that’s not what John believed. He knew people needed to repent and change their lives, but he also knew that their good intentions were not enough. They would need more than a dip in the Jordan, they needed a dose of the Divine, they would need the purifying presence of God’s Holy Spirit. And that’s what they got in Jesus! Jesus did not come baptizing, but in him people did experience the healing and restorative power of God. It’s hard to know exactly what that spirit baptism involves. Currently there are a multitude of religious groups that emphasize the gifts of the Spirit, and each of them have their advocates. But even if we are reluctant to embrace some of the more radical approaches to Spirit-infused living, we must acknowledge that there’s more to the new life in Christ than habitually following the old ways just because that’s what we’ve always done. Change is always a part of a healthy spirit-filled life!

Thought for the Day: What changes in church have been hard to accept?

Acts 8:14-17

“The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus).” vss. 9-10

Early believers didn’t belong to any religious group and there was no organized Church. Most of them were practicing Jews but they also were a part of a Jesus Movement. Within that movement all kinds of incredible things were happening and there were no rules or procedures in place–people were coming to faith and many were being baptized. Some were having powerful experiences with the Holy Spirit and others were not. And in all that confusion there emerged a power that captured and transformed lives. The movement spread rapidly, and no one was really in charge. As the gospel of John put it so well, “The Spirit blows where it chooses, and you can hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it is going or where it is coming from.” There have been times in the history of the Church when the Jesus Movement has re-emerged. Many can remember the “Jesus People” who even made the cover of Time magazine in 1971. Again it was a confusing time for the Church but the Jesus Revolution became a national phenomenon. Ultimately, it’s hard for movements to be sustained–the excitement fades, and organizations take over. Of course it’s probably necessary to have rules and procedures. But it’s really sad when the Spirit of Jesus is no longer blowing freely!

Thought for the Day: My experiences with the Jesus Movement.

Psalm 29

“May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!” vs. 11

Our faith ancestors described God using clues that came directly from their observations of the world around them. They saw the movements of the stars and had experienced the earth-shaking terrors of thunder and lighting storms. They’d seen hurricane force winds level forests and rip the branches from trees. There were devastating floods in the ravines and valleys as rain pummeled the dry land. And as they sat huddled in places of safety they agreed that they were experiencing the power of God, and composed psalms of glory and praise to the Almighty. We can understand those feelings–the powerful forces of nature still have the capacity to bring us to our knees in fear and trembling. But as this psalmist finished his hymn he had one final request of his God, “May the Lord give us strength! May the Lord bless his people with peace!” And we say “Amen!” No matter how we conceive of the great God, no matter how we picture the Great Mystery, we still desire strength for life’s challenges and peace for the world’s warring peoples. We simply don’t know what the future will hold. So many things remain unknown. Just when we think we’ve got things figured out, the consequences of our behavior wreak new havoc and bring new challenges. But we continue to know this: whatever happens we will need strength, and oh how wonderful it would be to live at peace!

Thought for the Day: What do I need strength for?

Isaiah 43:4-7

“Because you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life.” vs. 4

Even though the people of Israel had regularly engaged in idolatry and their kings had been inept, in their captivity the prophet brought them words of encouragement and hope. In their brokenness he tells them they are precious in the sight of the Lord and that they are loved. That good news has been a constant source of encouragement for the people of God through the centuries, and it continues to spark joy even in the trials and turmoils of 2025. When we’re discouraged by political shenanigans and disheartened by stories of terror attacks it’s good to know that we have a special place in God’s heart. And that’s even true when our personal relationships are in shambles through our own selfish and misguided actions. God never falls out of love with us, and always sees our precious core. We’ve heard it said many times that God doesn’t make junk and that continues to be true. Certainly there are flaws in our behavior and we often disappoint ourselves with our words and actions, but God’s love remains constant in every circumstance. That’s the whole reason for Jesus’ ministry! Out of love he reaches out to the broken and offers healing for the ravages of sin. And as we receive him God’s intentions become reality and we are restored.

Thought for the Day: How do I know that I am loved?

Isaiah 43:1-7

“But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” vs. 1

Through the centuries Israelites had come to believe that they had a special relationship with God. They weren’t just a scattered group of people, free to do as they pleased with life, they actually belonged to God. They were God’s own people, a holy nation set aside to be a blessing to the world. We who are called by the name of Christ are the inheritors of that promise. When we are baptized into Christ we gain a new identity as the children of God, and this is no small thing. Now it’s not unusual to wonder about our purpose as we meander through life. So often we seem to be going through the motions: going to school, marrying, having children, accumulating possessions. We do as the culture directs us with little sense of a broader purpose or direction. But those who know they belong to God also know there is another dimension to life. We have a calling. We’ve been set aside to be a holy people in a broken world, and that purpose gives a new perspective to everything we do or say. Gathered by the Spirit into faith communities we will spark healing and reconciliation in a multitude of places. We will be the world’s difference makers.

Thought for the Day: What difference am I making?

Matthew 2:1-12

“When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.” vss. 9-10

In Luke’s gospel an angel appears to shepherds outside of Bethlehem to announce the birth of the Messiah, but in Matthew’ gospel it’s a star that gets central billing. It’s a lovely story, and even though it lacks the tender warmth of Luke’s manger scene, the star has become the symbol of an entire season of the church year. Today is Epiphany, a day when we say farewell to Christmas and all its trimmings and embrace the Star of Bethlehem. Stars have always had an attraction for humans and we love to spend our nights in observing and probing the mysteries of their movements. Most of them are at an enormous distance, yet they appear each evening as a reminder that we earthlings are not alone. In a very real sense, they are the light of God, the light that gives life to the universe. The Epiphany Star is the Light of Christ, and through this season we’ll be remembering the ways in which that light was revealed in the life of Jesus. And even more than that, we’ll be celebrating the times when the Star actually stops over our lives and its light can be seen in all that we say and do.

Thought for the Day: What do I feel when I look at the stars?

John 1:15-18

“No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.” vs. 18

From the beginning humans have engaged in speculation about the nature of God, with many religious leaders claiming to have special insights or inside information. Sometimes their descriptions have been compelling enough to gain massive numbers of adherents for their movements. But ultimately, John is right! No one has even seen God! Our languages fail us–there are simply no words capable of unraveling the Divine Mystery! And then John makes an audacious claim. Even though we can’t see God we can know him through Jesus Christ. And what is it that we know of God through Jesus? Well, Jesus didn’t give us a new book of laws–in fact, according to John he had only one commandment, that we love one another. Jesus revealed to the world through his words and his life that God is the source of unconditional and sacrificial love. To put it simply, God is Love! And whenever we encounter that pure, self-giving love, we can know that we are in the presence of God. Now, the simplicity of that message may not be enough for some, but for those who believe it is enough. And what a blessing it will be, as we move through the months of this brand new year, to actually be the means by which others will know God!

Thought for the Day: How do I make God known?

John 1:10-14

“He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God,” vss. 11-12

Sometimes we wonder why people are reluctant to acknowledge Jesus as the Incarnate Word of God, particularly when those persons are members of our own families. Yet that’s how it is–and that’s how it’s been from the moment that Jesus began his ministry in the towns and villages of Galilee. There isn’t a clear cut answer as to why this happens. Many factors are usually involved and it’s hard to pinpoint exactly why any particular person does not receive Jesus as their Lord or Savior. Sometimes it isn’t even Jesus who is the issue–some folks often have an appreciation for him and his teachings but have huge issues with those who call themselves by his name. In our time “Christian” has come to be just another word for a hypocrite! It’s important for us to remember that those who do not receive Jesus are not rejected by God. In fact, all people are created in God’s image and contain the divine DNA, and that’s something they can’t lose. But John says that those who do receive Jesus get a kind of “genetic bump” and actually become empowered to be the people they were destined to be. And as their light shines before others, God is glorified and the world is loved.

Thought for the Day: What keeps people from receiving Jesus?