Matthew 14:28-33

“Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’” vs. 31

Whatever else might be said of Peter, Matthew wants us to know that he didn’t shy away from a challenge. When Jesus told him to get out of the boat and walk on the water, he actually did it. And what we often forget is that he was successful! He was able to imitate Jesus, and did the impossible. He walked on the water. But when he noticed the wind and took his eyes off Jesus, he immediately began to sink. 

It’s a wonderful story! As followers of Jesus we are capable of amazing things in the course of life. Impossible dreams become a reality, and we surprise even ourselves in what we can accomplish. Some days we can even walk on water! We begin to think that we’ve got this thing called life under control and that there’s nothing beyond our grasp. All obstacles melt away as one success follows another. 

And then everything comes crashing down! We notice the strong wind of opposition and our eyes are diverted from the compass that has been our guide. And as our attention drifts away from Jesus, we begin to sink beneath the cares of this broken world. Doubts overwhelm us and the hand of the Lord becomes our only salvation. And he does not let us down!

Thought for the Day: What’s it like to have a sinking feeling?

Matthew 14:22-27

“But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’” vs.27

As Matthew tells the story, after the feeding of the 5000, Jesus had stayed behind for much needed prayer and meditation, and had sent the disciples back across the sea by themselves. When the winds increased and their boat was being battered by the waves, the disciples saw Jesus in the darkness walking toward them, and, thinking it was a ghost, they were terrified. Seeing their fear Jesus says “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” 

The Greek words that Matthew uses, “It is I,” can be translated literally as “I am,” and immediately remind us of the self-identifying words Moses heard from the Lord at the burning bush, “I am who I am.” 

If in our lives in this terrifying world we need a word of consolation and assurance from Jesus we need look no further. The simple phrase “I am” immediately connects Jesus with the Divine Presence and reminds us that in every situation, no matter how dreadful or disconcerting, Jesus is as near as our breath and as real as our beating heart. Even if a tsunami of bad luck or depressing news washes over us, and if we wonder if God is only a mirage or a fanciful hope, there is no reason to be afraid. Jesus is! And that’s all we need to know!

Thought for the Day: When am I most likely to feel alone?

Romans 10:11-15

“But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him?” vs. 14

Paul knew that God made no distinctions and that the gift of salvation was for all people. No one was excluded! The problem was that not everyone knew Jesus and they’d never been told about the resurrection. If they were to enjoy salvation in this life, which was surely God’s intention,  someone would have to bring the good news to them! Paul was doing whatever he could to spread the gospel, but he couldn’t do it all himself. 

We’re facing much the same situation in our time. It’s true that millions of people have now heard of Jesus Christ and the new life that is possible in him, but so many others have not. The problem is that too many of us seem to have little passion for passing on the good news. We reason that since all people already have salvation there’s really no urgency in encouraging them to believe now. 

But just think what they are missing out on in the present! There is nothing better than living in Christ and experiencing the strength, love, and comfort that comes through the Church. Perhaps there is someone in our network of family and friends who is yearning for new life. And maybe we’re the one being called to bring the good news!

What a beautiful opportunity that would be!

Thought for the Day: What keeps me from proclaiming Jesus?

August 6, 2026 Romans 10:5-10

“because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” vs. 9

Paul was dealing with people who believed that righteousness came through obedience to the Law. But Paul taught that righteousness came through faith, that there were no heroic actions required to win God’s favor. Rather, he taught, righteousness came through confession of Jesus as Lord and belief in his resurrection. In other words, God comes to us where we are, and the Spirit of the Living Christ brings us salvation–and it isn’t something we have to wait for. The gift is ours now.

There are countless believers who can attest to the truth of what Paul taught. They know that salvation is theirs by grace and that through the power of the Spirit they are being made holy. And they know this gift hasn’t been made real in their lives by chance, but that it is somehow connected to their relationship with Jesus. So in order to keep that living faith alive they tend to their Jesus connection through prayer, meditation, and worship.

Sadly, because the gift is by grace, some have concluded that staying in touch with Jesus isn’t all that important. Since they don’t have to worry about the afterlife, they neglect what they have been taught, and stop practicing their faith. And when faith dies, salvation ceases to be real for them. It really is a sad sad story!

Thought for the Day: How do I keep my faith alive?

Psalm 85:10-13

“Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.”  vs. 10

When we look across the political landscape of our country it’s hard to maintain a spirit of optimism. Not only is it difficult to know what is true, it’s virtually impossible to see how anything good can come of the intense polarization  that is taking place. There are accusations and countercharges on every hand, and often civil discourse seems like a forgotten dream. Efforts to control climate change have ground to a halt and leaders seem to be ignoring the dangers of our warming planet.

The psalmist knew nothing of such things but we know from the historical record that all was not well for Israel. Enemies stood ready to pounce and the royal house was riddled with corruption. In his time as in ours, greed called the shots, and from a political perspective there wasn’t much hope.

But even in that context the psalmist had a beautifully optimistic view of the future. Because all things were in the Lord’s hands, there would come a day when “steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; when righteousness and peace will kiss each other.” Would that we could take these precious words to heart and put aside the negativity that clouds our perspective! The Lord is greater than any petty tyrant and the goodness of creation is a daily reminder of our blessed future. Steadfast love and peace will triumph!

Thought for the Day:  What undermines my optimism?

Psalm 85:8-9

“Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.” vs. 8

The psalmist craved to hear the word of the Lord, and evidently had a pretty good sense of what the Lord would say. Based on what we can assume were years of faithful living he knew that he would hear admonitions to seek peace in every circumstance. 

The faithful know this in their hearts but it’s not at all what we hear in our society and culture. Our country is not preparing for peace but for rigid authoritarianism and war. We seem to take delight in destruction and in demeaning the weak and the needy. Our youth have embraced violence, and delight in video games featuring death and domination. To go to a movie theatre for an entertaining movie means sitting through twenty minutes of previews, nearly all dystopian films that make us cringe. 

But such are not the ways of the Lord! The psalmist knew it and so do today’s people of faith. When we turn our hearts to God our lives are transformed and we get a taste of the peace and serenity that Jesus preached and taught. Contrary to advice of the so-called brilliant minds of this age, the way to joy is not paved with cryptocurrency or mind-boggling wealth. The Prince of Peace teaches another way, a path of humility and contentment.

Thought for the Day: What does it feel like to be at peace?

August 3, 2026 1 Kings 19:9-18

“At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there. Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’” vs. 9

For a moment Elijah was triumphant in his struggle against the paganism that Israel had embraced under King Ahab and his queen, Jezebel. He had defeated her prophets of Baal in a great contest on Mount Carmel, but when she erupted in rage against him and threatened his life, Elijah was frightened and fled all the way to Mount Sinai far in the south. There he attempted to hide in a cave.

But the Lord found him and he heard the words, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” As some of us have discovered to our chagrin, that’s how it is with God. We might like to run away, but God’s pursuit is relentless. No matter what we try or where we hide or what disguises we might use, the Lord always finds us. Indeed, there is no place where God is not.

God came to Elijah, not in the fire, wind, or earthquake, but in the sound of sheer silence, and that’s where the Lord catches most of us. Ultimately in the midst of the turmoil of existence and the noise of the world, there comes a quiet moment, and it’s then that the Lord speaks, and we are told to stop running and confront our demons. And it’s in obedience that we find our peace!

Thought for the Day: What am I running from?

Matthew 14:15-21

“Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.” vs. 19 

Most everyone knows the gospel story of the miraculous feeding of the 5000 people beside the Sea of Galilee. It was obviously one of the more significant acts of Jesus’ ministry. It’s mentioned in all four of the gospels, but nowhere is there any indication of how he did it. But that doesn’t keep us from wondering! In fact we regularly ruin the story by trying to explain how 5000 folks were fed from just five loaves of bread. For early Christians it was the perfect way to proclaim Jesus as the bread of life, and it quickly became associated with the Lord’s Supper. Matthew even used the same words to describe Jesus’ actions in each event. It’s a sequence we’re familiar with: Jesus took the loaves, blessed and broke the bread, and gave it to those who sat with him. 

When we see the connection, it’s easy to understand the significance the breaking of the bread has in the life of believers. This is the central action of most Christian worship, and some of us continue to feast on the bread of life every week. We still don’t know how Jesus does it, but as our debate continues, we also know that like that crowd of hungry folks we are filled and satisfied.

Thought for the Day: Why do we try to explain miracles?

Matthew 14:13-14

“Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.” vs. 13

When Jesus heard that John the Baptist had been killed, he withdrew to a deserted place where he could be alone. He needed time for reflection and prayer. But when the crowds had heard the news of John’s death, they wanted to be with Jesus, and even though he was in a boat they could easily follow him by land. They knew where his boat was going, and they got there first!

We might imagine that Jesus would have been irritated to see the crowd when he’d planned to be by himself, but if he was, the feeling was quickly replaced by compassion. His own needs were forgotten as he tended to the crowd. After all, they were looking for a shepherd, and they needed his comforting words and his healing touch. So there sitting beside the still waters in a green pasture, oblivious to the passage of time, the crowd feasted on his presence.

We too need those times of comfort and consolation, and when they come, we hang on hard. Maybe it’s a sermon that touches our deepest needs that we hope will never end! Or maybe it’s the presence of a friend who sees our pain and who offers an ear and a hug. Time stands still, and healing begins! So it was with the crowds and so it is for us.

Thought for the Day: Times when I’ve needed a hug or words of love!

Romans 9:3-5

“They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises;” vs. 4

Paul was proud of his heritage, and he loved the Jewish people. He would gladly have forfeited his salvation for the sake of his “kindred according to the flesh.” They were the people of the promise, the chosen children of God and they were frittering away their glory because they refused to believe that Jesus was the Christ.

Through the centuries there have been many Christians who have had a passion for the conversion of the Jews. Sadly that passion when thwarted has regularly been channeled into persecution and even genocide. Even Martin Luther, angry because Jews failed to respond to his interpretation of the gospel, pronounced curses on them and promoted violence and destruction in their communities. 

Paul could never have imagined that such things would happen to his people. He loved them, and it was because of his great love that his feelings were so deep. It’s important for us to show that love in all our interactions with Jews. They don’t deserve the stereotypes and jokes that are so common among Christians. We have a common heritage, a deep and rich one, and the same family tree. The fact that we belong to the Jesus branch does not disconnect us from our brothers and sisters.

Thought for the Day: What has my relationship with Jews been like?