Isaiah 66:13-14

“As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.” vs. 13

When a child falls and sustains some sort of injury, often the first impulse is to run for mama! A mother’s hug and embrace has amazing healing qualities, and if a crying boy or girl can somehow snuggle for some extra moments and be held close, the tears will often subside. The prophet was familiar with that sort of healing and used that image to comfort the people of Israel. He says that one day this is how Jerusalem will be for them, that God will comfort them in the city as a mother comforts her child. Jesus picked up on that theme in his ministry too, and when he encountered weeping and sadness, used the image of a mother hen to describe his feelings for hurting people. “How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings…” Comfort has alway been a part of the gospel message, and it’s what we crave when pain and suffering come our way. In those moments it feels so good to know that our God has all the qualities of a loving mother. On our darkest days we can sink into the loving embrace of God and hear all the words of affirmation that we might possibly need. This is one of the reasons so many Christians have such a deep attachment for Mary. Some even claim her as the maternal manifestation of God–in her the mother’s love is unmistakable. 

Thought for the Day: What does a mother’s love feel like?

Isaiah 66:10-12

“Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy…that you may nurse and be satisfied from her consoling breast; that you may drink deeply with delight from her glorious bosom.” vss. 10a, 11

Jerusalem had been destroyed many times, and most recently it had been laid waste by the Babylonians. The temple had been burned and the protective walls of the city torn down. Yet the prophet insisted on telling the people that Jerusalem would be restored, and more than that, she would be better than ever. He uses the image of a nursing mother to describe what she will mean to her future inhabitants. His choice of metaphor is perfect and describes an aspect of God’s relationship to us that is too often neglected. Following the prevailing pattern of scripture we’ve gotten used to thinking of God as father, which gives us a perfectly good but woefully inadequate picture. How much better it is to conjure up a well-known yet hidden way to describe love from a human perspective! Even though we know that breastfeeding is a natural part of child-rearing, for modesty’s sake we often contrive to keep it hidden. But when we see a baby drinking deeply with delight from a glorious bosom we are reminded of the deep bonds that are being created between mother and child. And this is how God has loved us from the moment of our births. This is how precious we are in the eyes of God!

Thought for the Day: How do I react to the sight of a nursing baby?

Luke 9:57-62

“Another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’” vss. 61-62

Periodically we are prone to bouts of nostalgia, times when we look back with fondness to the days of old and the values of yesteryear. Seen through the rear view mirror of our minds the blessings of the past loom large, and what really happened is forgotten. Jesus indicates that such thinking is deceptive and can seriously distort our experience of the present and future. His words “no one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God,” seem harsh, but upon reflection, they are most certainly true. While the objective study of history is important and can keep us from making foolish mistakes, it’s impossible to replicate its glories. That’s true in our personal lives, the direction of our country, and in the life of the Church. The past doesn’t define our future and the sooner we come to terms with that, the better off we’ll be. Many of our congregations are having to deal with what some call “the glory years,” and precious time can be wasted in lamenting that things just aren’t what they used to be. Jesus gave us his Spirit as a visionary guide for the future, and that’s exactly what the Spirit will do. The best is yet to come!

Thought for the Day: What do I like to look back at?

Luke 9:51-56

“And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; but they did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem.” vss. 52-53

Not everyone welcomed Jesus when he showed up on his journeys. This village of Samaritans, regarded with contempt by most Jews because of their suspect lineage, was not willing to show him or his disciples hospitality. The disciples were surprised and a couple, James and John, became angry. They were so angry that they asked permission from Jesus to destroy the whole village. Sadly, that reaction has at times become commonplace among followers of Jesus. History tells us that Christians were very willing to destroy whole cities and participate in crusades at the drop of a hat. Even now there are evangelical Christians who would be very willing to call down fire from heaven on their perceived enemies. Violence is a visible sign of humanity’s brokenness, and being people of faith does not seem to have made us immune. But Jesus had none of it when James and John threatened the Samaritans, and there should be no accommodation for it now. Jesus was the Prince of Peace, and he famously said in the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” He meant it then and he means it now. There’s no room in the Peaceable Kingdom for retribution and revenge. We are called to love our neighbors and pray for our enemies.

Thought for the Day: What moves followers of Jesus to engage in violence?

Galatians 5:22-25

“By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.” vss. 22-23

Sometimes there is confusion between the gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit. Paul emphasizes both in his writings but there is a difference. The gifts of the Spirit are those special qualities you have that equip you for a particular calling in the Church, e.g. things like preaching, teaching, witnessing, pastoring, or evangelizing. Some have many gifts but others only a few. All the gifts are valuable in the life of the community. But the fruit of the Spirit arises from the heart of a person and bears witness to the presence of the Spirit. If you wonder if the Holy Spirit is working within you, a brief conversation with a friend could give you reassurance. Ask them if they see love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in you. These are sure evidence of the Spirit’s work within you. They aren’t commandments! But they are the fruit of a life that is being lived in Christ–if they aren’t present something is wrong at the core. You’ve somehow lost your way and need to repent of your wandering ways. Of course God never stops loving you and when you turn back to that love, the Spirit returns in a heartbeat, and your whole life is transformed.

Thought for the Day: What fruits do people see in me?

Galatians 5:1, 13-21

“For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another.” vs. 13

As Paul wrote to the congregations in Galatia he reminded them of what had likely been his clarion call as he traveled to their cities and proclaimed the gospel for the first time. Over and over he had likely said, “For freedom Christ has set you free. Stand firm and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” It took the Spirit to convince these Jewish exiles to understand that they were no longer bound by the commandments of the Law, that in Christ they had been set free. And now Paul writes to remind them that  freedom is a narrow path, and that they could easily fall into the trap of self-indulgence and become slaves of the flesh. We still struggle to walk that narrow path, with some falling into old legalisms like pietism, tradition, and excessive religiosity, while others dive into one or another of the cultural pleasure pits that line the paths of our cyberworld. It’s not easy to walk in the way of Jesus, and sometimes we think we might need more rules and directions. But Paul reminded the Galatians that the whole Law could be summed up in “Love your neighbor as yourself,” and his words are still all the guide we need for our life in Christ. 

Thought for the Day: What are my cultural boundaries?

Psalm 16:7-11

“You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” vs. 11

The psalmist’s testimony is a powerful declaration of what it is like to walk in the way of Jesus, the Incarnation of the Divine Word. Of course the psalmist did not know Jesus–he lived hundreds of years before him–but he did know the Divine Word. And he had been shown the path of life! And his words perfectly describe life’s blessings. As our lives remain rooted in the gospel we will experience grace upon grace in our daily journeys. We will have meaning and purpose, continually serving and loving the people we encounter, both family and strangers. “How can I help you today?” will be our constant refrain, and countless hurting folks will be blessed by our presence. And because Jesus is our companion on the Way his presence will bring us an abundance of joy, an overflowing joy that will be visible to all who know us. It’s a good life, this life that we have in Christ, and it can only get better. Even as sadness and sorrow enfold us, as they are bound to do, we have the confidence they are only shadows that can never fully obscure the light that is to come. As the psalmist put it, “In your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” And as we cling tightly to this promise, our spirits are lifted, and our joy is increased. 

Thought for the Day: What pleasures await me?

Psalm 16:1-6

“Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.’” vss. 1-2

This psalmist doesn’t seem to be suffering from any dread disease or feeling any stress in his life. But he does recognize that he’s had things pretty good and would like to continue in a good relationship with God. He knows that there are some ugly choices available, ones that would mean isolation and alienation from God, and he is very happy with the life that he currently has. That description could very well describe large numbers of believers. We know that there is a Divine Presence and that life in Christ is a massive blessing. For one reason or another at one point in our lives we have made a decision to cast our lot with Jesus and we know in our hearts that having faith and knowing grace cannot be matched by anything the world can offer. And most of us, probably for a variety of reasons, also have material comforts, at least as much as we need to find joy in daily living. And even though we know not everyone has the life that we have, we give thanks to God for  our daily bread. It is good to be alive and living in such an exceptional world, in spite of its brokenness. We have all we need and more! Thanks be to God!

Thought for the Day: For what am I most grateful in life?

1 Kings 19:15-16, 19-21

“He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, ‘Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.’ Then Elijah said to him, ‘Go back again; for what have I done to you?’” vs. 20

After his encounter with the Lord at Mount Sinai Elijah went back to Israel with a new set of instructions: to anoint a couple of kings and then to choose a prophet to succeed him. He does the third thing first. Having been given Elisha’s name he goes to his home to issue the call. But when Elijah signals his intention, Elisha asks for a delay. He wants to go say good-by to his parents. But Elijah told him there could be no delay. We wonder about the urgency–but the truth is that sometimes the mission is urgent and delay is impossible. The story reminds us of the call Jesus issued to his disciples along the Sea of Galilee. He said, “Come follow me,” and there was no hesitation. They became his followers for the rest of their lives. Many of us have had to make those snap decisions too, and it still seems to be that way with our call to discipleship. There may be difficulties along the way, but more often than not that commitment to walk in the way of Jesus is not one that we will regret for long. There really is no better path to travel in this world, and there is certainly no better master. 

Thought for the Day: When have I had to make a decision without delay?

Luke 8:35-39

“Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.” vs. 35

The people had likely gotten used to the man during the time he was possessed by demons. People have a remarkable ability to adjust to the peculiarities of the people in their communities. But when the man was healed, when they observed him clothed and in his right mind, they were afraid. The difference in his appearance and behavior upset the equilibrium of their neighborhood. We have likely seen this happen too. Sometimes we just become accustomed to a person’s illnesses or addiction and we assume that this is how they’re always going to be. But if there’s a big change, a miracle of some sort, and they exhibit different behavior, everything seems to change, e.g. an alcoholic who stops drinking will be like a new person, and sometimes sobriety brings a whole new set of issues. The same thing can happen when a person has a spiritual transformation and begins behaving in an entirely new way. Friends can be put off by the behavioral changes, and may even wish they’d go back to their old unrepentant ways. But for the person from whom the demons have departed there’s no question of returning to the chains. Freedom in Christ is the greatest gift anyone can ever receive!

Thought for the Day: How can a good change be upsetting?