Amos 7:7-9

“And the Lord said to me, ‘Amos, what do you see?’ And I said, ‘A plumb line.’ Then the Lord said, ‘See, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass them by…’ vs. 8

Amos had been a shepherd in Judah, and was called to become a prophet in Israel. This was a time of great prosperity in Israel and many had become wealthy. Amos was appalled at what he saw and proclaimed to his audience that he had seen the Lord standing by a wall with a plumb line in his hand, a builder’s device to measure whether or not a wall is straight. In the vision the Lord told him he was going to use a plumb line in the midst of Israel–Jeroboam will no longer be able to be a crooked king. Unless he and his people straighten up, Israel will be destroyed. Amos’ vision is a reminder to us that we are expected to walk in up-right ways, and that there are standards for our lives. And this is where we tend to get in a massive kerfuffle. There are just so many differing viewpoints about how we shall behave, and we’re not the least bit shy about calling each other out! What’s really sad is that for some God’s plumb line has become political, and living a life of integrity has been abandoned! There is still no better guide for living well than loving God and loving neighbor. Those are standards for a lifetime.

Thought for the Day: What standards do I live by?

Mark 6:6b-13

“So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.” vss. 12-13

After leaving Nazareth, Mark says that Jesus went out and continued his ministry, but soon discovered that there was too much for him to do by himself. So he sent out the disciples and sent them two by two into the surrounding villages. He told them they wouldn’t need to bring a change of clothes and they wouldn’t need money or food. Their message was to be brief. They would go proclaiming the coming of the kingdom and the need for all to repent, and on the way they were to cast out demons and cure those who were sick. Not everyone had demons and not everyone needed healing, but all they encountered should repent. That same principle applies to the mission of every congregation among us as well. All continue to need repentance, and that includes believers as well as non-believers. Some might scoff at that notion. In their estimation they don’t need to change, but are as perfect as they’re ever going to be, and some claim they don’t even need to practice forgiveness! But because we live in a broken world, even though we are good, we will continually need the fixing that comes through the Holy Spirit. We’re always in the process of change. Repentance is a lifetime project, and not a singular event. 

Thought for the Day: What happens when I refuse to repent?

Mark 6:1-6a

“Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?’ And they took offense at him.” vs. 3

Mark, the earliest gospel, tells us that Jesus was a carpenter from Nazareth who traveled from Galilee to the Jordan River where he was baptized by John. After his baptism, in which he received affirmation as the beloved Son of God, he returned to the village of Capernaum in Galilee to begin his ministry. It was there by the Sea of Galilee that he called his first disciple and people began to notice him. In the meantime, his family in Nazareth, having heard stories of what he was doing, began to be alarmed and went down to Capernaum to see him. While Jesus ignored them when they came, he did decide to visit Nazareth with his disciples, and while there was invited to teach in the synagogue. But because the people were familiar with him, they took offense at his message, even though it had astounded them. Jesus laments their reaction but is unable to convince them to change their minds. The reaction is not surprising. It’s still hard to receive a prophetic word from those we know well. That’s one of the reasons communication breaks down in a marriage. That’s why teenagers find it hard to receive a word of wisdom from parents. And that’s sad! Because those who know us well are often in the best position to offer a word from the Lord!

Thought for the Day: When has my family been critical of me?

2 Corinthians 12:6-10

“Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.” vs. 10

Paul told the Corinthians that he could have told them about his journey to Paradise, but he had chosen instead to tell them about his weaknesses, so that Christ’s power might be revealed, and not his own. For some that might seem a strange strategy. The wisdom of our world advises us to focus on our strengths and use them as the foundation of our witness. Some religious leaders do that and because of their charisma and charm attract thousands of admiring followers. They often live like rock stars and seem to enjoy their jet-setting lifestyle. But there are other leaders who, like Paul, don’t have much to brag about in terms of their personal achievements or physical qualities. But they do know Christ Jesus and in the genuine humility of their testimony, people feel the warmth and acceptance of God’s love. They may not get the world’s attention but they certainly know the way to our hearts. All of us have weaknesses and often our histories aren’t anything to brag about. But as we live in Christ an amazing truth often becomes obvious: revealing our weaknesses enhances intimacy. It’s when we are open about our ineptness that we build the strongest bonds with fellow believers and with our forgiving and loving God. 

Thought for the Day: What are my weaknesses?

2 Corinthians 12:2-5

“I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows.” vs. 2

Many Jews believed that when a righteous person died they would be taken to a garden called Paradise, a place similar to the Eden that was well-known from the Hebrew Scriptures. Paul claims in this boasting section of his letter to the Corinthians that he had visited this heavenly place some fourteen years before. It’s hard to know what to make of his story. He seems to be bringing it up in response to those who had questioned his credentials as an apostle. It’s like the icing on the cake of his long list of achievements. He’s speaking of what we might call an out-of-body experience, the sort of thing that others were also claiming in those years. It seems to have been some sort of spiritual event in which he heard things that he was not permitted to repeat. We’re familiar with such claims, and generally we’re hard-pressed to know what to do with them. Paul says that even though this happened to him, he’s not going to brag about it, because he is only interested in pointing to what Christ has done. That’s good advice. We can never let our own stories get in the way of the good news that is ours in Christ Jesus. In the long run the gospel isn’t about us, it’s about Jesus!

Thought for the Day: Why are stories of spiritual triumphs a turn-off for so many?

Psalm 23:4-6

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me.” vs. 4

There is a lot to be troubled about in our good but broken world. Even if we don’t believe in climate change, global warming cannot be denied, and we’re feeling its effects in a myriad of ways. The war in Gaza continues with little prospect of even a ceasefire agreement to end the humanitarian suffering. China is threatening Taiwan. The Ukrainian war continues. Refugees are on the move, more than ever before in history. Atomic bomb stockpiles are being replenished. The internet, once hailed as a boon to human development, has proven to be a cesspool of misinformation, lies, and deception. There is good reason for us to be frightened about the future! But in the midst of all that scary stuff, people of faith continue to find comfort and hope in scripture, and no passage is dearer to our hearts than the Twenty-third Psalm. There is no reason for existential fear because we aren’t alone! God is never apart from us, even in our darkest valleys, and evil will never have the last word. We have a Shepherd who loves sacrificially and unconditionally, and as the arms of the Shepherd embrace us, our fears fall away and we find comfort. And that’s no pious malarkey!  It really does happen. Even now God brings precious consolation to believers of every folk and nation. And blessed are those who know this to be true!

Thought for the Day: Why do I not fear the future?

Psalm 23:1-3

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” vs. 1

In case you missed it, there is a presidential campaign going on, one of the most divisive in generations, with both major candidates framing the election as a choice between good and evil. Of course that’s not true, and we should know better. Both men have been created in the image of God, both have goodness in their DNA. And both are flawed! They are broken persons, or to use another word, both are sinners. And come election day people will be choosing a president based on their own good and flawed reasons. In this whole process we will continually need to remember that we are not choosing a messiah, and whoever we choose will not be our country’s savior. In fact, in not too many years, our grandchildren will be hard-pressed to remember which of them emerged the winner. We know this–it’s a lesson that history teaches quite clearly. Presidents, dictators, countries even, all come and go, and life will continue unabated. This doesn’t mean that our choice this year will make no difference–there will be obvious policy shifts and we’ll like some and detest others. Our vote does make a difference in that respect. But these men will never be our Shepherd, even if their out-sized egos give that impression. We already have a Shepherd, and because the Lord fills that role, we will never be in want.

Thought for the Day: Why are people so passionate about this election?

Ezekiel 2:1-5

“Whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house), they shall know that there has been a prophet among them.” vs. 5

Ezekiel had been deported to Babylon along with thousands of other residents of Jerusalem and Judea. Sometime later, probably as a young man, he was grasped by the Spirit and told that he had been chosen to bring the Word of the Lord to the people living in exile. He was told that some would listen and some would not, but at least they would know that there had been a prophet among them. There has always been a need for prophets among God’s people and our age is no exception. The problem has been one of discernment. Which are the true prophets and which are the charlatans? Some of those claiming to be prophets are using their platforms to terrify and frighten their audiences by saying demonic forces are on the attack. True prophets will begin with a call to repentance and reformation, and then point the way to hope and salvation. Their focus will not be the latest terrifying tropes they’ve gleaned from social media, but on the good news of forgiveness and love that is ours in Christ Jesus. It’s as we give ourselves in sacrificial love to others that we hear God’s sanctifying word of grace, and that’s the message that a true prophet will consistently bring.

Thought for the Day: Why is attacking others so much easier than self-examination?

Mark 5:21-23, 35-43

“When he had entered, he said to them, ‘Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.’” vs. 39

When death comes to our families there is almost always sadness and grief. Visitors come to offer consolation and support. Tears will be shed, and occasionally the setting can even be chaotic. That’s particularly true when the mourners are unfamiliar with the feelings death brings–perhaps they’ve never before experienced the loss of a loved one, and they’re not quite sure what to do. The feelings of sadness can be overwhelming. But for those who have been nurtured in Christ Jesus, and who have taken to heart the message of new life, know what to do when death visits their home. Of course there will be tears, but there will also be an undercurrent of hope. When a person’s trust is in Jesus, death is never the end of the road, but rather the beginning of new life. So when a loved one dies our faith kicks in and we remember the promises of scripture. A service begins to be planned, one that will include the whole faith community, and while attention will be paid to remembering the life of the one who has died, the focus of our worship will be on resurrection. We’ll acknowledge the foibles and faith of the one who has died, but it’s the good news of Jesus that will bring us comfort and peace.

Thought for the Day: Why don’t some people want a funeral service?

Mark 5:24-34

“He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.’” vs. 34

When the woman with the flow of blood was healed by touching Jesus’ garment in the midst of the crowd, he assured her that it was her faith that had made her well. We’re not surprised by his words; he regularly credits trust as a major factor in his healing ministry. It’s no wonder then that people continue to believe that healing has a strong connection to faith. And they’re right! Countless medical practitioners have borne testimony to the importance of faith in the entire healing process. It does make a difference. But we run into problems when we begin believing that faith brings certainty to healing. There are times when an abundance of faith is present and diseases still result in death or continued illness. No matter how sincere or fervent our prayers, we will not always get the desired results, and those who offer guarantees are being deceptive. There’s always mystery involved in healing, and while we’ve figured out a multitude of ways to increase its odds, we simply can’t offer certainties. But having said this, we should never downplay or discount the blessings that come from the prayers of a faithful heart. Faith does make a difference. If that weren’t true, people would have stopped praying a long time ago!

Thought for the Day: How has my faith made me well?