Isaiah 50:6-9a

“The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame…” vs. 7

The prophet had likely been exposed to a shame-based culture, a society that seeks to regulate behavior by heaping shame and disgrace on any person who doesn’t live up to the cultural norms. Some of us know what that’s like too. For some perverted reason some parents and teachers take delight in using ridicule and shame in addressing the perceived faults of those who live under their authority. A well-placed “shame on you” can wreak havoc on our self-esteem and some people carry the scars for a lifetime. But the prophet knew something that many have forgotten. As a child of God he had intrinsic worth and God was always close at hand with a strong dose of steadfast love and forgiveness. The nearness of God was his comfort and joy and he was convinced that he would never be put to shame. That’s a truth that is worth hanging on to in these times when words are being used as weapons to injure and destroy reputations. Even though the old proverb “sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never harm me,” is surely not true, it is true that those who put their confidence in the Lord are protected against every insult our enemies can hurl against us.

Thought for the Day: When have I been put to shame?

Isaiah 50:4-5

“The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward.” vs. 5

Not only had Isaiah listened to the call of his Lord to teach the exiled people of Judah, he now continued to listen to the daily word that came to him in the stillness of his meditation. That’s what happens when we take some of the precious time allotted to us in the course of every day to be still and attentive to the Spirit. New teachings come, sometimes through the people around us, and more often as we reflect on the insights being brought to us through the portals of our senses. And always the Voice of the Spirit will encourage us to to move on into the glorious future that awaits for every one of us. As Jesus sat on the hillsides of Galilee, watching as the sun rose over the sea, we can be sure that words like these from Isaiah brought him comfort and direction. The immediate future for him seemed ominous. John the Baptist had been killed. But there was no sign of rebellion in Jesus. No matter what those who opposed him would do he would continue on the Way. This is what he taught his disciples and in his teachings they heard the way to new life, and that’s still how it is for those who take the time to listen to the Spirit and to learn the path of love and restoration.

Thought for the Day: When did stillness become my friend?

Mark 7:31-37

“Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.” vs. 36

In Mark’s gospel Jesus is reported to have regularly told the people that he healed to keep the news to themselves. To put it bluntly, he ordered them to tell no one–and in every instance Mark says, “the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.” From the beginning readers have speculated about Jesus’ motivation in this matter. Was he really expecting to be able to conduct his healings in secret? Or maybe he wanted to avoid Herod’s attention in the aftermath of John the Baptist’s execution? We don’t really know of course. There’s a mysterious element to Jesus’ ministry that will continue to baffle us. But we do know that he had a concern about timing, and he wanted things to happen at the propitious moment, at what some call “the fullness of time.” What’s interesting is that his orders mean nothing to the people–they weren’t about to keep such incredible news a secret. In a sense things were already out of Jesus’ hands–a spark had been struck and the fire of excitement was going to burn bright. Nothing was going to hold this campaign back–it would continue to its inevitable ending, and as long as Jesus kept loving, nothing would stop it but his death. And even then, the momentum would continue in even more spectacular ways.

Thought for the Day: What’s the momentum of my life right now?

Mark 7:24-30

“He said to her, ‘Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’” vs. 27

When Jesus began his ministry by announcing that the kingdom of God had come near, it seems that he was initially thinking that this good news was just for the Jews. Accordingly he spent his time teaching in synagogues and visiting Jewish villages. But occasionally, probably to escape the crowds, he wandered into Gentile areas, and in this instance recounted by Mark, came face to face with a Syro-Phoenician woman. She had heard of him and, because she had a demon-possessed daughter, had sought him out as a last resort. Jesus at first wants nothing to do with her–she was a foreigner, and outside the scope of his mission. But the woman ignores his insulting words and uses them to plead her case. Jesus is impressed, recognizes her faith, and heals her little girl. The story reminds us of our own reluctance to practice inclusion, and encourages us to actively reach out to those who are different from ourselves. The us-them division has wreaked havoc with the mission of the Church, both internally and externally, so it’s no wonder our congregations so often end up consisting of people who look pretty much like ourselves. Diversity is difficult, both for the Church and for the culture, and it’s likely to remain a challenge in our ministry for a long time to come!

Thought for the Day: How can people escape their exclusive tendencies? 

James 2:14-17

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you?… So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.” vss. 14, 17

It was because of verses like this that Martin Luther despised the book of James. He considered it an “epistle of straw” and wished that it had not been included in the New Testament. Luther had been driven to despair by his conviction that his works were not sufficient for salvation, and had found peace only when he realized that righteousness came through faith, and was his by grace. That was a remarkable insight and Lutherans in particular have clung tenaciously to his understanding. But James had a perspective that had come through observation and he had seen first hand how some religious people, claiming to have faith, had failed miserably in reaching out to the poor and the hungry. He concluded that if they didn’t have works, they must not have had any faith–and we can’t argue with his logic. And even though Lutherans continue to relish their legacy of grace, most have come to agree with James. Our pious statements of faith turn stagnant and impotent unless they are accompanied by a vigorous mission to reach out to the needy and the downtrodden, and then treat them with all the respect and dignity they deserve as precious and beloved children of God.

Thought for the Day: What would James think of my congregation?

James 2:1-4

“My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ?” vs. 1

James evidently was fed up with the behavior of the believers in his  congregations–and he doesn’t mince words. Because of their acts of favoritism he questions whether they really believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. And what is it that they’ve been doing? It has to do with their reception of visitors. If a person with fine clothes and gold rings comes into their assembly, they are greeted with respect and shown to the finest seat. Likewise, if a poor person in dirty clothes wanders in, they are treated with disdain and told to sit on the floor or stand against the side wall. Amazing isn’t it, that James observed such nonsense in a first century congregation! The same thing happens among us, only we’ve learned to be more subtle! We mostly just ignore the poor people with their dirty clothes–they can sit where they want, preferably toward the back. And we’ve figured out ways to make our appreciation for the rich more behind the scenes. Oh we do like for them to have comfortable seating with good sight lines, but the pampering takes place in the attention they get from the clergy and congregational leaders. They get the warm greetings and personal visits! And James says that when we make such distinctions we’re not practicing what we preach! And he’s absolutely right!

Thought for the Day: How do I treat rich and poor people differently?

Psalm 146:5-10

“Happy are those whose hope is in the Lord, who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry, and sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind, he lifts up those who are bowed down; The Lord watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow.” vss. 5,7, 8a, 9a

When the psalmist warned his readers not to trust mortal rulers and to put their hope in God, he went on to outline what the Lord’s platform for life in his kingdom would look like. As we read through the planks we see that Jesus was obviously familiar with God’s plan–these are things he talked about regularly. And they’re ideas that have not gone out of date! For those wondering how to use their time during the current campaign, it’s an interesting exercise to see how God’s platform matches up with that of the political parties. There was no doubt where Jesus stood on any of these items. It would seem logical that candidates claiming to be lovers of God would stand for the same things. Of course there’s more to running this country than what the psalmist mentioned–there are a myriad of things to be concerned about, e.g. matters of the economy, defense, and the environment. But the things Jesus talked about, what could be called the social gospel, would provide an underlying spirit of compassion, and attention to these things are what really make a country great.

Thought for the Day: How can we tell whether politicians love God? 

Psalm 146:1-4

“Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help. When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.” vss. 3-4

In the middle of a hard-fought election campaign it’s easy to get caught up in the drama and hyperbole of the contrasting candidates. Our passions are excited by the hyperbole, dualistic thinking paralyzes our brains, and we begin to think that everything depends on what happens at the polls. Obviously there are differences among those running for offices, and it’s very natural to develop strong preferences. Some will even be convinced that disaster is looming if the wrong person wins. Now it is true that every election has short-term consequences that can make huge differences in public policy, but it would be helpful for all voters to remember the words of the psalmist. “Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help. When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that day their plans perish.” If we live long enough we can understand the truth of that scripture. In our country we’ve chosen some leaders who reeked with incompetence, and some who were spectacular. In every case, with the passage of time, we can scarcely remember their names. While it’s important to participate in elections in our democracy, our final trust is best reserved for the Lord and Giver of life, in whom all things have their beginnings and endings.

Thought for the Day: What passions is this campaign raising in me?

Isaiah 35:4-7a

“Say to those who are of a fearful heart, ‘Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you.’” vs. 4

Isaiah had been called to bring the word of the Lord to a frightened nation. Enemies threatened on every side. Assyria had ravaged Israel and carried its people into captivity and now Babylon was a threat to the east. The king of Judah was little more than a puppet ruler and powerful neighbors were demanding tribute. And the citizens were suffering; many were very afraid of the future. And to them Isaiah brought a word of hope, imploring them to be strong and not to fear. He told them that their God was near and would come to save them. In fact the Lord “would come with vengeance, and with terrible recompense.” It’s likely that the people of Judah loved that message–it’s certainly what we like to hear. Deep in our hearts there is a desire that someday God will come and clean house. But that’s not what Isaiah had in mind. Instead he paints a picture of a compassionate God who will bring healing and restoration. “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.” It’s because God is full of compassion and steadfast love that we can live without fear!

Thought for the Day: What’s it like to have a fearful heart?

Mark 7:14-15, 21-23

“Then he called the crowd again and said to them, ‘Listen to me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.’” vss. 14-15

So what is it that is the measure of a person? Is it their golf handicap? Or maybe it’s their appearance, whether they have tattoos or piercings–or perhaps it’s their diet, whether they are careful about what they eat or drink? Whether we like it or not, most folks rely on externals in appraising another person’s character. Through lifetime experiences and personal prejudices we tend to develop an extensive list of characteristics to use in making judgments about others. Even things like gender and skin color get factored into the mix. And Jesus tells us that none of those externals can tell us a thing about the soul or spirit of a person! What is the measure of a person? It’s the things that come out of them–these are the only accurate indicators. But too often people don’t get a second chance with us. For some reason we are strangely confident in our ability to use externals, and snap judgements are common. How good it is when we can lay aside our prejudices and learn to take time with others! We aren’t always right in our initial analysis. Often we’re dead wrong, and the people we’ve written off become choice friends.

Thought for the Day: How do I measure the worth of another person?