Psalm 35:11-25

“They repay me evil for good; my soul is forlorn. But as for me, when they were sick, I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting. prayed with head bowed on my bosom, as though I grieved for a friend or a brother;” vss. 12-14a

While the psalmist had never heard of Jesus these words could well have been a part of the Sermon on the Mount. He knows that it is the will of the Lord that he should pray for his enemies, and not just superficially. So he not only fasts but prays fervently with his head bowed down. He prayed as one who “laments for his mother.” And that’s what the faithful do. They’re praying for oppressors and killers in Minneapolis and St. Paul. They’re lamenting the horrible division that is splitting our country. They’re praying that those who called them “domestic terrorists” would be blessed. That’s not an easy thing to do, but that’s how it is for followers of Jesus. And how does that work for us? Take a look at what happened for the psalmist. “But at my stumbling they gathered in glee, they gathered together against me; ruffians whom I did not know tore at me without ceasing; they impiously mocked more and more.” We don’t pray for our enemies to get them to like us! We pray because we desire God’s blessings in their lives–and that is a really hard thing to do! But because Jesus did it, we will too. And one day we pray, there will also be blessings for us!

Thought for the Day: Why do bullies need our prayers?

Psalm 35:1-8

“Let them be put to shame and dishonour who seek after my life. Let them be turned back and confounded who devise evil against me.”  vs. 4

The psalmist has been engaged in a battle with people who, in seeking his life, have devised evil against him, and he wants the Lord to get involved in his struggle. He begs the Lord to use every available weapon against his enemies, so there will be no doubt about whose side God is on. Fortunately we don’t often find ourselves in such situations, but some people of faith are saying that this is what is happening now. Many followers of Jesus, well aware of his desire that we stand with the oppressed and protect those who seek refuge, have not been able to remain silent as they oppose the practices of our national law enforcement agencies. They’ve gathered in massive peaceful crowds to protest and some have put themselves in dangerous situations. They’ve been labelled domestic terrorists by the leaders of our government. A couple have been shot and killed! Their killers are being called heroes and patriots. It would be no surprise if many believers have used prayers like those of the psalmist as they now cry out to God. We’re well aware Jesus enjoined us to pray for our enemies and rejoice in our persecution, and so we do. But it’s also a time to pray for strength and solidarity as we seek justice for the oppressed.

Thought for the Day: How am I praying for Minneapolis?

Micah 6:1-8

“He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” vs. 8

Micah imagines a controversy between Israel and the Lord which has come to trial. In spite of all the Lord had done for Israel, the people had been faithless and wearisome in return. After hearing the charges, Israel wonders what should have been done and what would have been pleasing to the Lord. It’s an interesting question and one that is sometimes asked of our political leaders. Is God pleased with what you have been doing? Is the Lord pleased with your record? In Micah’s account of the trial the Lord is baffled that Israel doesn’t seem to know. Micah believed that there was no doubt about what was pleasing to the Lord. His answer sums up the whole of the prophetic message to Israel. There is no mystery about what is good, “and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” So if this defines what is pleasing to the Lord, how do our leaders measure up? Now it could be that some believe that they are doing justice, but we see few indications of kindness and humility. What’s more likely is that few really even care if they’re pleasing God. They seem more interested in riches and power, and in their estimation those are the only measurements that count.

Thought for the Day: Who are politicians most interested in pleasing?

Matthew 4:18-23

“Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.” vs. 23

Since Jesus’ ministry did not focus on baptism, he concentrated on a teaching, preaching, and healing ministry that brought him to many villages in Galilee and beyond. It was obviously the kind of mission that was more than he could handle by himself, and from the beginning he gathered a group of disciples who would join in his effort, and eventually, in carrying his message on their own. He seems to have deliberately chosen what we might call “blue-collar” men and women for what he called a fishing expedition. They were working people, not priests or scribes, and they seem to have been chosen for their ordinariness. They knew the struggles of the poor in this broken world, and could be expected to know the needs of hurting people. They were doubtlessly attracted by the good news of the coming peaceable kingdom and relished passing on the message of forgiveness to those who had been excluded by current religious practices. While they didn’t always understand the implications of his teachings, they remembered his stories and parables, and looked forward to their private times when he would explain the mysteries of faith. Their life as disciples was not easy and over time they learned the cost of discipleship, but they never forgot what a privilege it was to have been called.

Thought for the Day: When did I become conscious of my call?

Matthew 4:12-17

“Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee…From that time Jesus began to proclaim, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’”

John the Baptizer had a significant following in the area of Judea, a part of King Herod’s territory, and because John had been critical, Herod had been keeping an eye on him for a long time. Jesus had been hanging out with John’s disciples, and had likely been listening to John’s preaching. But when John was arrested Jesus wasted little time in heading back to Galilee, and eventually settling in Capernaum. Almost immediately, Matthew says Jesus began to preach, and his message initially was identical to John’s, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” He too believed that repentance, or change, was the key to restoration, but there’s no indication that he continued John’s practice of baptism. He knew that his call was different from John’s, and it’s likely that his time in the wilderness praying had given him some clarity about what he would be doing. It must have been a lonely enterprise in those early days. People did not yet know him and some must have believed that he was putting himself forward as a successor to John. It could also be that he wanted to distance himself a bit from John politically. At this point in his ministry he really didn’t need to get on the bad side of King Herod. That would come later!

Thought for the Day: If Jesus asked you to repent, what would you do?

1 Corinthians 1:14-1

“For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.” vs. 17

We’re not used to hearing words like this from preachers in our times. In our congregations it’s all about eloquence and wisdom, and people are likely to leave if that’s not what they’re getting in sermons. But Paul had an entirely different perspective. He knew that any community of faith that was pastor-centered would soon be powerless. The only thing that mattered to him was the gospel of Jesus Christ, and if for some reason pastors were using the gospel to glorify themselves, division would not be far behind. There are many pastors called to proclaim the gospel who aren’t very gifted preachers, but they do know Jesus intimately, and it can be seen in all they say and do. They visit the sick, care for the needy, and always listen with compassion. They love the background at church functions and can often be found in the kitchen or waiting on tables. They’re servant leaders to the core, and are valued not for their clever and funny sermons, but for their humble and selfless sharing. Such pastors know that the cross of Christ is their power and if they have served faithfully, when they leave, they’ll be quickly forgotten. And that’s okay for them–they weren’t called to be remembered, but to proclaim Christ in word and deed.

Thought for the Day: When is eloquence a detriment to pastoral ministry?

1 Corinthians 1:10-13

“Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose.” vs. 10

Paul gets to his point immediately in his first letter to the Corinthians. It had been reported to him by some insiders in the congregation that serious divisions were taking place. The central focus on Christ had been replaced by competing loyalties to particular leaders–some followed Apollos, some followed Paul, and others Cephas. This factionalism was destroying the unity of the community. It’s the same sort of thing we see when members of a faith community express allegiance to pastors and lose sight of their life-giving connection to Jesus. It is true that some preachers are more charismatic than others, but that does not qualify them as a Christ substitute. And when they use their charisma to gather people to themselves, they do damage to the Body of Christ. Paul was appalled when this happened in Corinth and he urged people to be single-minded in their devotion to the Lord Jesus and his ministry. Only then would their congregation have credibility in its teaching and preaching. Only in this way could they claim to be obedient to the final prayer petition of Jesus, that his followers might be one. Paul was right. Unity in Christ is still the primary mark of a healthy congregation!

Thought for the Day: What makes “charismatic” pastors different?

Psalm 27:4-9

“Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger, you who have been my help. Do not cast me off, do not forsake me, O God of my salvation!” vs. 9

Even though the psalmist had confidently proclaimed, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?”, he could not hide his sense that the Lord’s support could vanish in an instant. Underneath his bold assertion of trust there lurked a fear that the Lord was a fickle friend, that he might soon be on his own, forsaken by the one who had been his salvation. Many can easily identify with the psalmist’s words. Perhaps we have been in a love relationship that seemed so solid and strong, one in which our trust was absolute, and then one day everything changed. The love that binds us can become rejection in an instant. And even if that has never happened to us, we know that it could–we’ve heard the stories and seen the movies. And because that’s true in our brokenness, it’s easy to transfer that uncertainty to our relationship with Jesus. Might it not be that one day Jesus will tire of our whiney neediness and cast us off? How can we actually trust that God’s love is unconditional and will endure forever? So sometimes we worry–we just can’t help it. What we forget is that God’s love is different from human love. It’s self-giving and sacrificial, and it never ends. God’s love is greater than our greatest fear!

Thought for the Day: What’s it like to be jilted?

Psalm 27:1

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? vs. 1

There are those who have it all together as far as faith is concerned, and the psalmist seems to be such a person. It isn’t that everything has always gone well for him, but as far as the center is concerned, he has no complaints. As he puts it, “The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” It’s great to have that kind of confidence. God knows that there are a multitude of things that can happen as the years roll by. Brokenness abounds, and sometimes it touches us. Relationships can be tested, particularly if we’ve been careless about our choices. Careers can be disappointing, and our work can become a grind. Disease stalks at every age, and we never can really predict when our bodies are going to fall apart. Aging brings its own set of challenges and body parts are not easily replaced. But when our trust has been in the Lord, when like the psalmist we can say, “The Lord is my light and my salvation,” we can amaze even ourselves with our strength and resilience. We will stumble, but not fall. We’ll get discouraged, but not disheartened. People will be amazed, and we’ll likely even amaze ourselves. But that’s just how it is when the Lord is at the core of our daily prayers. Darkness never overcomes us.

Thought for the Day: How would I describe my faith?

Isaiah 9:1-4

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them light has shined.” vs. 2

Today many businesses and schools are closed to acknowledge Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a national holiday established by congress to honor and remember King’s life and achievements. Dr. King, a Baptist pastor, was a disciple of Gandhi and was an advocate of non-violent resistance to racial oppression and bigotry. His last speech in Memphis contained these closing thoughts, “I’ve been to the mountaintop…and I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the Promised Land! I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land! So I’m happy tonight, I’m not worried about anything!…Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!! The next day he was killed by an assassin’s bullet. It’s not an accident that the speeches of Dr. King contain many references to the prophets–he was steeped in scripture and found hope in their words. Like Isaiah he believed that one day the people who walked in darkness would see a great light. While King had many enemies during his lifetime and even today many disparage his accomplishments, those who proclaim Christ as the Light of the World, know that in King’s life and ministry, Christ’s light has shined.

Thought for the Day: In what ways does racial bigotry continue today?