Genesis 43:3-11, 15

“Then Judah said to his father Israel, ‘Send the boy with me, and let us be on our way, so that we may live and not die—you and we and also our little ones. I myself will be surety for him; you can hold me accountable for him.’” Genesis 43:8-9a

When Joseph’s brothers sold him into captivity they believed they’d seen the last of him. For them it was a good solution. Of course their father was upset but Joseph would no longer be a thorn in their sides–and they hadn’t had to kill him. Little did they know that years later he would show up in their lives once more, and they would be held accountable for what they had done. The Hebrews made this story a part of their scripture as a reminder that the consequences of sin can hang on for a lifetime. Examples of this show up in our life stories as well. In too many families, even when we try to forget the painful and ugly stories, the memories of the abuse can never fade completely away. Decades later, a person or a story from the past can show up, and old pains are experienced anew. The Joseph stories from Genesis had a happy ending and the Hebrews learned that even when we fall short, God can turn what was intended to be evil into a great good. And sometimes that happens for us too. Our sorrows are turned into joys, and our garbage heap becomes a garden of delight.

Thought for the Day: A time when my bad became a great good.

Luke 6:24-26

“But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry.’” vss. 24-25a

Jesus’ words about poverty and riches leave no doubt about where he stood on the matter of economic inequality. His sympathies are squarely on the side of the poor and his words about riches make most of us squirm. Again and again, particularly in Luke’s gospel he warns about the dangers of wealth, and on one occasion he even tells a rich man to sell what he has and give the proceeds to the poor. Of course many believers have figured out ways to ignore these teachings about money and focus on the spiritual side of faith. We love to talk about giving our hearts to Jesus but would never dream of giving him our bank accounts. Some used to feel at least a little bit guilty about our greed, but not any more. We’ve seen a radical shift in values, and now even many Christians are approving of our country’s overt worship of riches. Some are saying that our government has no responsibilities for the poor and needy and applaud the elimination of virtually every aid program being currently funded. Sooner or later true believers are going to have to make decisions about where they stand. Either Jesus was blowing smoke or he was speaking the truth. The choice is becoming more clear-cut with each passing day. Which will it be? Billionaire oligarchs or the poor and needy?

Thought for the Day: How will I step up to help the poor?

Luke 6:17-23

“Then he looked up at his disciples and said: ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.’” vss. 20-21a

Luke’s Sermon on the Plain parallels Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount and contains similar teachings. Together these two sections of the gospels contain the core of Jesus’ message to his disciples and to the crowds who came to hear him. If we really want to know what Jesus believed and taught there is no better place to start. Even though many in the crowds had come because of Jesus’ reputation as a healer, they were also interested in what he had to say. His touch provided healing for physical problems but his words would feed their souls and shape the trajectory of their lives. He begins with offering a series of blessings that address the poverty of their situation. Even though they were poor and hungry they had a place in the kingdom of God and they would be fed. And on top of that, their tears would be turned to laughter. That’s such a positive and hopeful message, and it must have been compelling for those who heard it. And that’s probably why the earliest devotees of Jesus were the poor and needy. For those who are hungry there’s still no greater gift than to be lifted out of poverty.

Thought for the Day: If I were poor what would I do?

1 Corinthians 15:12-20

“If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.” vss. 19-20

Believers have always been fans of Valentine’s Day. Way back in the third century there was a St. Valentine who performed works of love and service in the area of Rome. As the years passed, stories and myths helped to preserve the memory of his life and martyrdom, and February 14 became his feast day. At some point in the Middle Ages Valentine’s Day came to be associated with romantic love and now even unbelievers are sending valentines to those they love. It’s a good thing to elevate the presence of love in our broken world, and certainly followers of Jesus will join the now mostly secular celebration. Jesus was all about loving and called his disciples to even give their lives in acts of love and service. But as wonderful as it is to be engaged in loving in this world, Paul reminds us in Romans 8 that there is nothing in all creation that is of more value than the love of God in Christ Jesus. In fact, he says that not even death can separate us from that great love. How do we know that? Well, it’s all about the resurrection of Christ. As he tells the Corinthians, because Christ was raised from the dead, we can be confident that we too will have new life.

Thought for the Day: How is romantic love different from Jesus’ love?

1 Corinthians 15:12-15

“If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain.” vss. 13-14

There are some who are troubled when believers testify that they have put their trust in Jesus so that they can go to heaven when they die. They believe that the new life in Christ is something to be experienced in the here and now, and that we don’t have to wait until after death to draw close to God. And of course they are right. The kingdom of God comes to us in this life, and we don’t have to wait until we die. But that truth doesn’t mean that we should abandon resurrection as a basic tenet of the Christian faith. Paul is right. Having confidence in the resurrection of the dead is central to what we believe. And without that hope we would have nothing to say to those who are dying. As it is, when believers sense that the end is near, we can bring comfort in a multitude of ways. Not only can we assure them of forgiveness and encourage them to put aside their guilt, we can comfort them with the good news of peace and new life that is ours beyond death. How awful it would be to have nothing hopeful to say to the dying! Christ is Risen, Alleluia! We too will live again!

Thought for the Day: What do I say to someone who is dying?

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?