Ephesians 1:11-14

“In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit;” vs. 13

Paul recognized that as people came to faith in Christ there would be a two step process. First they would hear the word of truth, what he called the gospel of salvation. And then, having heard, they would respond by believing; they would trust that the words of the gospel were true. This process of hearing and believing is familiar to most of us, and some can even add dates as they recount their journey. Always there is the sense that one day we’ll be united with Christ in a new and glorious life. And in the meantime Paul says that we are sustained in faith by the presence of the Holy Spirit. While there is considerable debate about what he means–some say it’s baptism and others claim it’s some other manifestation of the Spirit–we can know this for sure. All those who have come to faith will be sustained by “Spirit Moments,” times in everyday living when God comes close and we are lifted up in our weariness, and sustained in our believing. All things are not yet as they one day will be, but how good it is to be able to rest daily in the peace that comes with the gift of grace.

Thought for the Day: When did I first hear the gospel?

Ephesians 1:3-10

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love.” vss. 3-4

Early Christians continued to use the language of election to describe their relationship to God, but now, instead of linking it to Abraham, as the Jews had done, they taught that it happened “before the foundation of the world.” With that understanding believers began to think of themselves as part of a universal movement, and not a narrow nationalistic religion. As the gospel writer John put it, all things have their beginning in the Word and all humans have a common origin in Christ. The writer to the Ephesians links this common origin to the spiritual blessings that belong to us as the children of God, and says further that we have been destined to be God’s holy and blameless presence in the world. At the very least we can conclude from this that our prime duty and delight in life will be to love the world and one another with all of our heart, mind, and soul. There is no higher calling than to love, not because we have to, but because this is what we have been created to do. How beautiful it is when humans actually live together in such holy harmony!

Thought for the Day: How can broken people love one another?

Psalm 147:12-20

“He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and ordinances to Israel. He has not dealt thus with any other nation; they do not know his ordinances. Praise the Lord!” vss. 19-20

The psalmist believed that Israel was uniquely privileged among all the nations of the world. They were the only nation to whom God had revealed the statutes and ordinances which had given them definition. Of all the peoples on the face of the earth they were the ones who God had chosen; and it was an exclusive claim! No one else was included and out of that position of privilege the psalmist says, “Praise the Lord!” While we are familiar with this claim, it has come to sound quite out of place in our contemporary, multicultural world. It certainly doesn’t fit with what Jesus came preaching and proclaiming, and bears no resemblance at all to what we have come to know as the “Peaceable Kingdom.” And even though Christian Nationalism has been gaining adherents at a rapid pace in our country, people of faith know that its basic claims are antithetical to the gospel! No matter what religious people might teach and believe, the Divine Presence transcends national boundaries. Every folk and nation is included under the umbrella of God’s grace and love, and there’s no better way to start the new year than to reaffirm our allegiance to that one Lord and Savior of us all.

Thought for the Day: What’s my number one New Year’s resolution?

Jeremiah 31:10-14

“Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.” vs. 13

There’s likely to be a lot of singing and dancing tonight as 2024 bids farewell. Some are really looking forward to the new year. Their leader has taken power and is promising wholesale change. For those who are his followers there is bound to be jubilation. But not everyone feels that way, and their festivities this evening will be more muted, and may even involve some serious drinking. It’s interesting that when Jeremiah mentioned making merry he wasn’t talking to the powerful. He had in mind those who’d been immersed in mourning and sorrow. That’s alway how it is for the prophets. Their audience is not the powerful but the poor, and the good news always involves some sort of reversal. That’s why the most poignant images of joy tonight will likely be seen in places like Bethlehem or in refugee camps. It’s here that hope burns deeply in human hearts, and that is why, even in the rubble, there’ll be some dancing and merriment. The spirit of the poor and the persecuted is remarkably resilient, and they’ll never give up their hope. And who knows, 2025 may have some surprises up its sleeve! We never know for sure what’s going to be happening. The only given we have is that God Is, and when I Am is in charge, goodness is bound to follow.

Thought for the Day: What’s my hope for 2025?

Jeremiah 31:7-9

“See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north, and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, those with child and those in labor, together; a great company, they shall return here.” vs. 9

Jeremiah dared to look into an unpromising future and conjure up a vision of hope. Israel had already been scattered and its cities destroyed. Thousands had been taken captive and carried away to distant lands. Others had fled south to the security of Jerusalem. But Jeremiah raised up praises to God for what would surely come–a remnant would return. In our time there has been a great reversal. Now it’s the Palestinians who have been scattered, and millions are living in exile, far from the land that their ancestors have occupied for centuries. Their prophets are the Christian pastors and bishops living in Ramallah, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem and like Jeremiah they dare to hope even as they live in the presence of destruction and oppression. As their congregations dwindle and people lose hope, those who remain see themselves as a symbol of hope in the midst of rubble. They trust that the Child of Bethlehem will one day usher in a reign of peace that will be for the people of all nations. As 2024 draws to a close their voices seem weak and their prospects slim, but they have not capitulated to the dominating powers. And they pray for the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s vision for their people and their land!

Thought for the Day: What hope is there for Christian Palestinians?

Luke 2:41-52

“Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival.” vss. 41-42

As he studied the various stories about Jesus’ childhood that were available as he began to write his gospel Luke decided to include this one about his trip to Jerusalem with his parents when he was 12 years old. As the only scriptural reference to Jesus’ life before his baptism, it reveals that these trips were an annual part of his family’s life. As such it’s a potent reminder that if parents want their children to grow up in the faith there’s nothing better than habitual, regular worship. When a child is baptized parents promise to worship with them, and some take that commitment seriously. Week after week as their children grow in grace there’s never a question about what is going to happen on Sunday morning. The kids never ask, “What are we doing today?” They already know. The habit is deeply ingrained. Granted, this isn’t always a good thing, if the children don’t see the faith modeled at home, they will know that their parents are hypocrites, and quickly leave when they have a chance. And if the religion they are exposed to is rigid, unloving, and exclusive they will ultimately see the lie of it all. But if love and mercy are at the heart of their Sunday experience, when they are old they will not depart from that faith, even if they stop going to church!

Thought for the Day: What’s it like to worship habitually?

Colossian 3:12-17

“As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” vss. 12-14

These verses honestly need no commentary! They present for us in clear and unmistakable terms what life is like in God’s peaceable kingdom. Just imagine what would happen if all those who celebrated the birth of Jesus would take these words to heart. It actually brings tears to our eyes to consider the possibilities! And it would all be so simple. None of the practices listed here are beyond our capabilities. We’re not being asked to do the impossible or believe any strange doctrines. This is Christianity 101, but unless transformation starts with believers it’s not going to happen! This isn’t the time for pointing fingers–this is all about looking in the mirror! So take a look at the wardrobe of your soul! What clothing is hanging there in your closet? Compassion and kindness are there–the Holy Spirit has hung them with care. When was the last time you wore them out in public? And how about humility, patience, forgiveness, and love? Is there some special occasion you’re saving them for? When was the last time you even tried them on? It’s only when we decide to wear the clothing of the Spirit ourselves that we can expect to see any changes in others!

Thought for the Day: What clothing am I wearing?

Psalm 48

“We ponder your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple.” vs. 9

For the Israelites the temple had more significance than the palace of the king. It was for them the dwelling place of the Lord on earth, and they came regularly with their offerings of praise and thanksgiving. Here sacrifices were offered by priests and Levites offered magnificent liturgies. Everything was done in order and with great decorum, but according to this psalmist it was also a place for pondering the steadfast love of God. We continue to need those spaces for contemplation. Oh we know that God cannot be confined to any particular building or temple, but there is within us a sense that buildings can be holy places. We even decorate our sanctuaries in ways that evoke a sense of holiness and mystery. There are statues, banners, and paintings that catch our eye and that bring to mind some aspect of our loving God. Sadly, there’s not always a lot of time given to pondering in worship, and some are even uncomfortable doing that kind of wondering. We’ve trained ourselves to be quick-moving in our worship, and some pastors like to “get ‘em in and get ‘em out” as fast as they can. Others call pondering, dawdling, and worry that they won’t get home in time for the early game kick-offs. In reality pondering is one of the richest spiritual practices, and is probably the best way for our minds to nibble away at the essence of the Divine Mystery.

Thought for the Day: Where and when do I do my pondering?

1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26

“Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and with the people.” vs. 26

Those familiar with the gospel of Luke will recognize these words from the first book of Samuel, as being very similar to the description of Jesus’ childhood and adolescence found in Luke. The births of both Samuel and Jesus are described in some detail, and both had remarkable ministries as adults, but it only took a few words to describe their formative years. Which is pretty much still the way it is for a lot of us! We’re born, and when the rejoicing is done, the growing begins. We get taller and smarter and learn whatever it is that our parents think we need to know. Those aren’t easy years! In fact for some they’re filled with trauma–adolescence is not easy, and it hasn’t gotten any easier. There are so many conflicting notions about who we ought to be and our contemporary infatuation with social media hasn’t helped at all. Samuel and Jesus grew in favor with God and with their communities–they had safe and secure childhoods, and they were blessed. When it came time for them to step out in ministry they were well-equipped and ready. And that’s exactly what we want for our children and grandchildren–and it does happen, even in these confusing and divisive times. For that we give thanks and praise to God.

Thought for the Day: What are the biggest challenges for children now?

John 1:1-14

“And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.” vs. 14

The preamble to the gospel of John, (vss. 1-14), is one of the most significant sections of scripture for Christians. This isn’t a heart-warming story of a baby born in a manger and visited by shepherds, this is the description of the Universal Christ, the Creative Word of God, the One through whom all things have come into existence. This is the story of a Being beyond our imagination who, in order to be known by human minds, became flesh and lived among us as Jesus of Nazareth. And because John and other gospel writers have recorded the remembrances of those who walked with him and who saw his glory, we too have been given a glimpse of the eternal grace and truth that is the center of the Universe. And today we celebrate his birth! Last night, on the eve of his birth we sang the earthy praises fitting for a child in a manger. Today is a day for pondering the mystery of the Incarnate Word, and considering what it means that God is in us and that we are in God. Think of it, each of us contains a spark of the Divine Mystery that can never be taken from us! And one day, after our stint as flesh and blood in this world, our Maker will take us home!

Thought for the Day: Where’s the Divine Spark in me?