Luke 12:35-40

“But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.” vs. 39

Jesus follows up his instructions on the dangers of riches and the importance of living simply with a little parable about the importance of servants being ready for the return of their master. It’s hard to miss his point! We don’t know what the future will bring, and we certainly don’t know when our ending will be. Early on Christians used this verse in connection with the anticipated second coming of Jesus, and many still understand it in that way. But it can also be used in a more immediate sense with regard to our own lives. We really don’t know how much time we have left, and if we have a sense that there are changes that should be made, there’s really no point in delaying. And that’s particularly true with regard to our riches and possessions. There’s no better time to simplify our lives than right now. Who knows? We might even have a chance to see the blessings that our shared abundance will make in the lives of the needy. There is amazing gratification in knowing that our generosity has been appreciated. And there’s a far greater chance of our hearing a “well done” or a “thank you” if our giving is done before we die.

Thought for the Day: What am I procrastinating about right now?

Luke 12:32-34

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms.” vss. 32-33a

When we take the words of Jesus seriously and make them the focus of our scriptural study, it’s stunning to discover how often he speaks about riches and wealth. So if your pastor seems to be talking about money more often that you find comfortable, that pastor is not off base. In fact it’s the pastors who don’t preach about money who are distorting scripture. Jesus regularly taught his disciples about the dangers of wealth and the value of giving our stuff away. Here, after talking about the temptations of accumulation, he bluntly tells them to sell their stuff and use the profits to give assistance to the poor. In reality, very few people actually do this. Our ties to possessions are unbelievably strong and we’ve learned through the generations that there are benefits that come to those with good pensions and solid savings accounts. But occasionally we run across people whose generosity astounds us and who regularly give away large sums of money. Often we discover that they can do this because they’ve simply stopped worrying about how much they have and have discovered the freedom that comes with living simply. And while that may not be exactly what Jesus taught, it does come close! The serenity that comes with kingdom living is not connected to the abundance of our possessions.

Thought for the Day: What would happen if I stopped worrying about money?

Hebrews 11:8-16

“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going.” vs. 8

Since Abraham and Sarah are mentioned first among the patriarchs and matriarchs of the Hebrew people, it’s not strange that the writer of Hebrew makes them prime models of faithfulness for his readers. In fact, they get top billing! But as he makes reference to their faithful obedience the writer makes an interesting observation. They set out on their journey of faith without knowing where they were going! In other words they weren’t much different than we are when we begin walking in the way of Jesus. It’s such an interesting exercise! For one reason or another we are touched by the Spirit and make a decision to take a different path through life. This can involve drastic change or a more subtle adjustment in our direction and purpose. But no matter how the repentance takes place, none of us know what is going to happen or where we will one day end up. We simply keep trusting that, day by day, the Spirit will show us the way. There may even be dead-ends and certainly there will be detours, and invariably we’ll be surprised by where we end up. And what’s really neat is that place where we are right now may not even be our final destination!

Thought for the Day: Where has my faith walk taken me?

Hebrews 11:1-3

“By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.” vs. 3

Most ancient peoples have wild and convoluted stories about the creation of the world. In these tales gods and goddesses engaged in mythic struggles for power and position and in the process all things now seen came into existence. By contrast the Hebrew creation stories seem tame and definitely orderly. As the writer to the Hebrews implies, God spoke and it was so. And in the gospel of John we read, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being.”  Now this is obviously a matter of faith! In fact, it’s “the conviction of things not seen.” But what a comfort it is to believe that all things emanate from the Living God, and that even now creation continues. It wasn’t just some “big bang” that happened 13.4 billion years ago but the every day springing into being of the still emerging universe. Every day God speaks and life is created and renewed, and not one thing takes place apart from the presence of God. Believe it or not, that’s just the way it is, and the way it will be forever more.

Thought for the Day: Where have I seen new things coming into being?

Psalm 33:17-22

“Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” vs. 22

There is a lot of talk about love among people of faith. After all Jesus commanded his disciples to love both God and neighbor, and from the beginning his followers have done their best to do just that. And even John Lennon jumped on the bandwagon with his hit single, “All We Need Is Love.” There’s probably not a sermon that is preached that does not enjoin listeners to love as God has loved us. But with all the talk about love, the truth is that too many people don’t even know what love feels like. And that’s okay, because at its core love isn’t a feeling, it’s a decision, an active choice to treat others in a caring, kind, and generous way, even when feelings of love are not present. This is what gives love its power and tenacity–it’s not dependent on the other’s reaction or response. But still, even if we agree that love is a decision, we can’t deny that it really does feel good to be loved. And when words of love are combined with a touch or a hug, the effect is magnified. But how can we feel the steadfast love of God? Where can we go for a hug? Or is it impossible for anything like that to happen? Some say that it is–and they regularly speak of feeling God’s love. It’s a mysterious elusive moment to be sure, but once it’s experienced, it won’t be forgotten!

Thought for the Day: When have I felt the love of God?

Psalm 33:12-17

“Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage.” vs. 12

The psalmist believed that the children of Israel were God’s chosen people. This sentiment appears regularly in the Hebrew scriptures and has continued to be the foundation of Judaism. Even today the nation of Israel sees itself as having that special relationship to the Lord, and there is a credible scriptural basis for that belief. Of course those who have been called to follow Jesus have a different perspective, and have come to believe that all people are children of God, and that no nation has special status in God’s sight. They see themselves in a larger context as being in Christ, and inhabitants of God’s transnational  peaceable kingdom. In recent years, particularly in the United States, there has been a movement to use the language of the psalmist with reference to our own country. And it sounds good to our ears. We now use it regularly in our pledge of allegiance, where we are “one nation under God,” and we declare on all our coins and currency, “in God we trust.” And now there are some who want to go further still and who would love to make Christianity the American religion. The problem is that adopting such a stance even informally takes us far from the inclusive teachings of Jesus and Paul. All nations are under God, and Jesus is the Lord of all people: Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and even the atheists, and he loves them all!

Thought for the Day: Why are most politicians so religious?

Genesis 15:1-6

“And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.” vs. 6

It’s just a single verse from one of the ancestral stories in Genesis, yet these few words have had an outsized importance as believers have put together their story of God’s steadfast love and faithfulness. Paul used them as the linchpin of his letter to the Romans in his attempt to show that our salvation doesn’t not depend on our obedience to works of the law. And it’s true! While what we do is important, and always will be important, what really counts is the spiritual connection that we have to the Divine Mystery. Abram had done nothing–he had grown old and had sired no children with his wife, Sarai. But as the story goes, the promise of progenty continued to be made, and Abram kept on believing it. And that trust was what counted. So it is with us. We are promised that the Kingdom of God has come, and yet humanity continues in its same broken ways, and we seem far from the Peaceable Kingdom, but as we keep trusting, as we keep on believing, we actually begin to see signs of fulfillment. The key word is trust! It’s not allegiance to doctrines or a particular denomination, but a conviction that God is and that we are God’s people. And as we continue to trust, in good times and in bad, the Kingdom does come among us, just as Jesus has assured us! And it’s all grace!

Thought for the Day: What keeps me trusting in God?

Luke 12:16-21

“And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you.’” vss. 19-20a

If any of the people in the crowd around Jesus were familiar with the book of Ecclesiastes they would have realized that the truths contained in his parable on greed were found in its pages. While some of his parables were obscure and needed interpretation, the point of this one is obvious. Whether any of them took it to heart is another question. People who devote themselves to the accumulation of wealth are impervious to the wisdom of Jesus and Ecclesiastes. Ask any of the billionaires now running this country and creating tax laws for their own benefit about this parable and they would likely smile dismissively. Most of them only invoke the name of Jesus to impress voters and maintain a facade of faithfulness. They seem not to realize that cutting programs to help the poor and deporting asylum seekers reveals only their blatant self-serving hypocrisy. But we can’t only pick on rich politicians, the truth is that most people do little to curb their lust for accumulation, so it’s also in their best interest to tune out the clear warnings of Jesus. The problem is that he spoke the truth! It is the height of foolishness to devote our energy to pleasure and gain. Only in loving service do we find the fuel that feeds the soul.

Thought for the Day: How do I deal with the convicting words of Jesus?

Luke 12:13-15

“And he said to them, ‘Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.’” vs. 15

Jesus had narrowly avoided getting involved in a family dispute about an inheritance, an issue that’s been around ever since children began to wonder how their parents’ possessions would be distributed after their deaths. Of course there are a myriad of laws to cover such occasions and thoughtful estate plans can be helpful, but few families can avoid hurt feelings and deep anger when assets are distributed. There’s never a winner in such disputes and Jesus wisely avoids getting sucked in. He rightly points out to bystanders that the real issue here is greed, more so even than justice or fairness. Of course it’s nice to receive an inheritance, and sometimes the heirlooms being passed down have symbolic value. But the truth is that family treasures will have little or no significance in the quality of our lives. And if it’s money that’s involved, getting a windfall inheritance doesn’t come close to giving the peace and serenity that is at the heart of our yearning. Some people, being aware of such issues, make a decision to rapidly disperse any goods that are bequeathed to them. In such instances, their generous giving not only defeats the power of greed, but also can serve to meet the needs of the poor and vulnerable. 

Thought for the Day: Who will benefit from my death? What is my estate plan?

Colossians 3:9-11

“Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator.” vss. 9-10

It’s true, lying is not one of the Ten Commandments, yet there’s probably nothing more destructive to human relationships! And it comes so naturally to us. It’s one of the first things children learn how to do–and often it’s their parents who teach them. And in these times, since even AI has been taught lies, lying has become the most potent enemy of the truth. Our politicians have learned to lie with impunity and all of us know it. Are their lips moving? Well then, they’re probably lying. So what can we do about it? As starters we should know that lying is not compatible with our new life in Christ. We are undergoing daily restoration through the cleansing power of the Holy Spirit and being changed into our new selves, the very image of the Invisible God. And all that repentance begins with a renewed dedication to truth in everything we say or do. We don’t have to tell “white lies;” we can speak the truth in love. If we think dancing around the truth is the way to go, we should know that our dance partner is the devil, the Father of all lies. It is stunning how the simple practice of truth-telling transforms our relationships. With it trust is restored and brokenness is healed.

Thought for the Day: Where did I learn to lie?