Colossians 3:1-7

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” vs. 7

It’s easy to get confused about the writer’s intention in verses like this. Some presume that he’s telling believers to set their minds on heaven, that place up in the sky where angels live. Indeed for long periods of time that’s what Christians have done, and it’s not been helpful! But the “things that are above” refer to the fruits of the Spirit: the love, joy, peace, and patience that are seen in the lives of those who are in Christ. The writer contrasts these things with those that are earthly: like fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed. In Christ we have died to the ugly and profane, and have been raised to live as the presence of God in this world. In today’s terms we might say that in Christ we hit the reset button and begin to live in accordance with our lineage and heritage as children of God. In that capacity we are called to set our minds on that which is pure and holy, and resolve each day to imitate Jesus. As the caring standards of our nation and our world are slowly eroding in the presence of the widespread lust for power and wealth, we are the only hope of the poor and the needy. In us Christ is made visible!

Thought for the Day: What is my mind set on?

Psalm 49:1-12

“Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me, those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?” vss. 5-6

The psalmist was feeling persecuted by rich folks, those who trust in their wealth and in the abundance of their riches. We know what such people are like. Their names are always before us and we can’t escape the reports of their profligate spending and ostentatious lifestyles. They have more money than we can imagine and their greatest desire is to have even more. What seems strange to us is their desire to manipulate laws and regulations to give them even more benefits, even at the expense of the poor and needy. That’s likely what the psalmist was feeling, and there was little he could do to oppose his persecutors. As we well know, there’s no way to out-lawyer the rich! They win every time! His consolation was that their wealth was going to get them nowhere, and one day they’d lie “a mouldering in their graves’ in the company of “fools and dolts.” There’s no denying the reality of the psalmist’s words–the billionaires who now run our world will lose their battle against time. Their bodies will shrivel and break, and their brilliant brains will turn to dust. Blessing are those who trust in the Lord who is, was, and will always be. In God and God alone will we find our solace and hope!

Thought for the Day: Who are billionaires beholden to?

Ecclesiastes 2:18-23

“I hated all my toil in which I had toiled under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to those who come after me—and who knows whether they will be wise or foolish?” vss.18-19a

The Teacher’s words will resonate with many in our accumulation-driven society. Many people devote long years of their lives to building their portfolios and establishing retirement funds, and often they don’t even like the work that they’ve been doing! And then when they finally retire, they make a sad discovery! Retirement isn’t nearly as wonderful as they thought it would be–and our enjoyment of it is almost totally contingent on our health. And that certainly isn’t guaranteed! It’s amazing how fragile our body parts are, and how quickly they wear out. And then there are those who come after us! If we’ve done well in the accumulation game, we can be sure that our heirs will know that. And some of them will begin to wonder why we’re living so long–we might even suspect that they’re hoping we’ll die sooner rather than later. After all, the sooner our money finds its way to them, the more time they’ll have to spend it. And who knows how wise or foolish they will be? It’s amazing how often such thoughts creep into our minds, but that’s how it is when the measure of our life is based on stuff! What a blessing it is when such thinking does not preoccupy us! And that’s always true for those who live in Christ!

Thought for the Day: What has toil brought to my life?

Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14

“I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun; and see, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.” vs. 14

Like the book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes is a part of the wisdom literature of the Hebrew people, and its writer, self-described as Koholoth or Teacher, takes on the persona of Solomon, a man described in the first book of Kings as the wisest person in the world. He says that he “applied (his) mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven.” What we have in this book then are his conclusions. It’s a pretty pessimistic picture! All is vanity, a word derived from the Hebrew word for breath. The Teacher intends it as a metaphor for the futility and meaninglessness of life. We wonder what he might think of artificial intelligence, the latest rage to absorb our attention. It too purports to gather all knowledge and then make it accessible in the blink of an eye. We can guess that he would not be much impressed! AI promises the world but delivers confusion, mistruths, and a deep pessimism about the future. What the Teacher presents as his book unfolds is a brutally realistic picture of life in this world, and we see deep truths in his words. Yet he never gives up on God! And neither should we. No matter what AI tells us, however misguided it might be, it can never replace the unsearchable, unconditional love of God. 

Thought for the Day: What is AI doing for me?

Luke 11:5-13

“For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” vs. 10

Jesus doesn’t seem to have any problems with what we might call “unanswered prayer.” In his estimation, that’s virtually unthinkable. Oh, he’s certainly aware of what it’s like to imagine that somehow God has abandoned us or gone on vacation. He knows what those feelings are like. But he knows something about God that we sometimes forget. It’s impossible for God to abandon us because God is as close to us as our breath or the beat of our heart! If we’re alive God is near, and we cannot fail to receive when we ask, or find when we search, or have the door opened when we knock. Not only does God give good gifts to us, but God freely showers upon us the Holy Spirit, the most precious gift of all. And the Holy Spirit fills our hearts with God’s presence and daily leads us into lives of compassionate love and abundant service. And our prayers are the accompanying cloud of connection that insure our daily peace and joy. They don’t require words and they don’t require a particular place. Of course those things certainly don’t hurt, but Paul told believers to pray without ceasing, maintaining that this constancy was the key to our daily life in Christ. 

Thought for the Day: What value is a regular time and place for prayer?

Luke 11:1-4

“He said to them, ‘When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread.’” vss. 3-4

The disciples had observed that prayer was an important part of each day for Jesus. Most of the time he did it in private early in the morning, but sometimes they could see what he was doing–and they were curious. John had taught his disciples to pray but so far Jesus hadn’t given them any instructions. When they ask he gives them a few simple lines, which we have come to call The Lord’s Prayer. Obviously Jesus didn’t limit his prayers, but the disciples were right in considering these petitions important. The introduction is like the password we use in connecting to our computers, not that we have to get it exactly right or use all caps. We just use the name we’ve chosen, e.g. Jesus, Lord, Father, Christ, Mother. But the name is what connects us to the Divine and that sets this time apart as holy. And the first thing we say is, “Your kingdom come.” Wow! Here we are praying that the Peaceable Kingdom would become a reality in our world, and that all could experience it. And then we ask for daily bread, not just the food we eat, but all we need for daily living. It’s not that we don’t get it if we don’t ask, but in this petition we recognize that all good things do indeed come from God.

Thought for the Day: Why do I need a password to pray?

Colossians 2:13-15

“God made you alive together with (Christ), when he forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross.” vss. 13b-14

Paul assures the Colossians that everything necessary for their salvation has already taken place in the death and resurrection of Jesus Chriat. That statement alone has provided great consolation for believers through the centuries. It’s so good to know that there isn’t some big test or exam to pass–there’s literally nothing more to do. It’s all grace! But still there’s nothing wrong with using visuals to cement the reality of that forgiveness in our minds. Some believers have had opportunities to actually write their sins on small pieces of paper and then nail them to a large wooden cross on the floor of the worship area. In that reenactment, actually using a hammer to nail our bad record to the cross, there can be a sense of relief. It’s a visual reminder in the present of what has already taken place in the past. Of course for many, such sacrificial references to the atonement lack meaning. They have other ways of understanding the significance of Jesus’ life. But there is no denying that the cross connects us to forgiveness in a powerful way. That’s why it hangs in so many of our churches. Above all the cross reminds us that the past does not define our futures. We have been forgiven!

Thought for the Day: What visual reminder of forgiveness has power for me?

Colossians 2:6-12

“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” vss. 6-7

The saints in the little congregation at Colossae had heard the gospel and had begun to trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord. There was nothing more for them to hear or learn, all that the Apostle asked was that they continue to live their lives in Christ. This is a familiar message for us too–it’s what we have received from our parents, teachers, and pastors. But sometimes it’s a bit of a mystery to know exactly what it means to live in Christ. It sounds nebulous, because there really isn’t a detailed instruction manual. It’s almost like it’s a daily journey directed not by rules but by the Holy Spirit. And that’s exactly what it is! The life in Christ is exciting, rooted in the solid foundation of the love commandment, and being continually built up by the restoring power of the Spirit. And what’s neat about it is that we know how we shall live–there’s no mystery in purity, gentleness, and generosity. Jesus’ teachings are clear, and if we’re puzzled, we can just imitate him. And because we’ve been so blessed, there is nothing more to do than to daily let our thanksgivings resound! Whining Christians are no fun at all!

Thought for the Day: Why do some believers whine so much?

Psalm 138

“For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly; but the haughty he perceives from far away.” vs. 6

The psalmist’s insight is precious. He regards the Lord as being high, almost elevated from the plane of the earth, which would fit the notion that some have of the “Big Guy Upstairs.” But that doesn’t mean that he considers God to be somehow removed from humanity. On the contrary he teaches that the Lord is very close to the lowly, and that the Lord has a special relationship with the meek and the gentle. That’s the sort of thing Jesus was referencing in the Sermon on the Mount when he speaks of the poor in spirit as being particularly blessed. However, the haughty, the psalmist goes on to say, just don’t have that same connection to God. And Jesus would agree. The proud and the arrogant have no relationship with the Lord–God remains far away from their spirits because they have no time for the Spirit. Everything is wrapped up in pleasure, power, and possessions. It’s not that they’re unloved by God, but their self-constructed barriers make it nearly impossible for them to receive God’s blessing. Jesus had a special word for them,”Woe to you who are rich now…woe to you who are well-fed now.” We might not like it, but scripture is plain. It’s the poor and the needy who have a special place in the heart of God.

Thought for the Day: How does one become haughty?

Genesis 18:27-32

“Then he said, ‘Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.’” vs. 32

A lot of people have bargained with God through the centuries, but it’s doubtful that any could match Abraham’s success. Bit by bit he chipped away at God’s intentions until he got the deal he was looking for. And of course, as the story continued, it didn’t do any good. The ten could not be found and the city of Sodom was destroyed! It’s a well-told story, and the Hebrews even made it part of their scriptures. The problem is that it paints a picture of God as both a judge and a destroyer, and that isn’t even close to the image of the Divine that we see in Jesus. Jesus ushered in a kingdom of peace and love, and there’s no indication that he saw in his Father any hint of vengeance or retribution. Still, there’s something about the bargaining Lord of Genesis that we find appealing, especially when we are confronted with the most appalling aspects of human behavior. On some days we would love to see those worst offenders subjected to the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. But that’s not the way of Jesus, and as his followers we’ll just have to learn to love the unlovable and pray for our enemies. 

Thought for the Day: Who do I wish God would destroy?