Isaiah 61:8-11

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” vs. 10

The prophet’s testimony is exactly what we need to hear as we move through this second week of Advent toward Pink Candle Sunday. He used the most exultant language at his disposal to describe what God had done for him, and those who live in Christ know exactly what he means. God has clothed us with the garments of salvation! All of the sin, and the guilt associated with that sin, has been removed from our lives, and we have been freely and graciously forgiven. With that burden lifted we can greet each day with shouts of joy and live each day with smiles on our faces and a bounce in our steps. Our song will regularly be, “This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Because joy is contagious, that attitude can change the environment in which we live, work, and play. Even the bad stuff that drops uninvited into our days will be a momentary blip, and ultimately will be swallowed up by the joy that fills our hearts. And it’s not just positive thinking! The joy of our salvation really changes us, and everyone will see the difference!

Thought for the Day: How do I show daily joy?

Isaiah 61:1-4

“The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners…” vs. 1

After Jesus was baptized by John, and when he had come out of the river, the spirit of the Lord God came upon him, and he realized that in his baptism with water he had been anointed, and more than that, he had been sent with good news for the oppressed and the brokenhearted, just like the prophets of old. In our time billions of people have been dipped, sprinkled, or dunked just like Jesus, and millions even have baptismal certificates to prove it. Unfortunately most of the baptized regard their baptisms as more of an insurance policy than a call to ministry–it’s their ticket to get through the pearly gates. But sometimes people echo the words of the prophet, they’ve felt the spirit of the Lord upon them–it’s a real thing and happens in the here and now. These are the ones who take up the cross of Jesus and march through time proclaiming good news to the hurting and the helpless. We see them in our congregations and in the streets, their joy is palpable and their smiles heal broken hearts. They are the oaks of righteousness among us, the planting of the Lord, and in them the kingdom comes.

Thought for the Day: What is an oak of righteousness?

Mark 1:5-8

 “I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” vs. 8.

Our scriptures indicate that there is a difference between water baptism and spirit baptism. The one is connected with John the Baptist and the other with Jesus. Jesus himself received both, being baptized in the Jordan River by John, and then anointed with the Holy Spirit when he came up out of the river. The early church adopted baptism with water as both a mark of a believer’s faith and a reminder of God’s grace. As doctrines began to emerge in the Church it was understood that when people were baptized with water they also received the Holy Spirit. Currently, in some denominations the baptismal ritual has two parts: baptism with water in the name of the Triune God, and baptism with the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands. The problem is that while water baptism is easily documented and dated, spirit baptism remains clothed with mystery. Some say that it should be distinguished from water baptism, and that people can be filled with the Holy Spirit without being baptized. Their argument is undoubtedly true, but it leaves us with a boatload of questions. What we can say is this: being baptized into Christ is more than a watery ritual, and will always include the marriage of our spirit with the Holy Spirit of God. We may not be able to adequately define that marriage, but the experience will change our lives.

Thought for the Day: Why was my baptism important?

Mark 1:1-4

“John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” vs. 4

When Mark wrote his gospel, very likely the first of the four we have in the New Testament, he didn’t include any stories about angels or shepherds or the birth of a baby in Bethlehem. Perhaps he hadn’t heard of such things. But he does know about John the baptizer and his ministry in the wilderness of Judea, and he knew how influential John was–many had considered him to be the messiah. Mark, though, found in the writings of Isaiah a passage about a voice crying out in the wilderness, and believed that it fit John like a glove. John’s ministry was one of preparation. He had appeared in the wilderness to prepare the way for Jesus, and from what we read in Mark and the other gospels, that’s exactly what he did. John was the catalyst for the work of the Spirit, and through him Jesus received his call to bring good news to our good and broken world. This is the way the Spirit has continued to work through the years. We become who we are called to be because some other person has been the faithful voice of God in our ears, and through that person the Holy Spirit has changed our lives. By hook and by crook we have made our way out of the wilderness, and into the presence of the Shepherd. It’s a never ending good news story!

Thought for the Day: Who has been my John?

2 Peter 3:11-13

“But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.” vs 13

Prior to the testing of the atomic bomb in New Mexico in 1945, hundreds of scientists were working in labs all around the country to see if such a bomb could be built and delivered. Using mathematical formulas a few physicists projected a doomsday scenario in which the unknown forces generated by an atomic explosion could actually ignite the atmosphere and cause the oceans to disappear, a description that is remarkably similar to the apocalyptic scene pictured in Second Peter. Of course other physicists, also using mathematical formulas, showed that the probability of such an event was close to zero. The bomb was successfully tested and a decision was made to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and induce a Japanese surrender. Now many countries have atomic weapons and their presence clouds the future of humanity–the probability of a doomsday scenario is now much greater than zero! Peter does provide a word of hope for struggling humanity. He believed that ultimately the future would bring new heavens and a new earth, and that there would be new life. That’s a powerful vision, one worth hanging on to in these turbulent times. And it could be that the new creation could happen without humanity’s destruction of the old! Who knows? Only time will tell!

Thought for the Day: What could trigger an atomic war?

2 Peter 3:8-10

“But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day.” vs. 8

Climate change has been accelerating in recent years and there is continuing debate around the world about what needs to be done. Some say that the survival of humanity is at stake, and that unless drastic steps are taken to eliminate the use of fossil fuels there will be a global catastrophe. Many are wondering how much time we have to make the necessary changes. That’s a big question. How much time do we have? In the early years of Christianity leaders were projecting that the day of the Lord was imminent, and people wondered how long it would be before Jesus returned. Peter couldn’t tell them, but he did know that the Lord had a different calendar. It could happen very soon, but then again, maybe it wouldn’t. That’s still the way it is when we start talking about the future–we just don’t know how much time we have. That’s true for the global community as we debate climate change, and it’s true for us as individuals as we consider how our life journeys are going. We could have a lot of time to get things in order, but then again, maybe we won’t. Suffice it to say that if we do have significant aspirations, it might be a good thing to act now and not put things off!

Thought for the Day: What unrealized dreams do I have?

Psalm 85: 1-2, 8-13

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

In spite of Israel’s ongoing dysfunction, the psalmist was optimistic about her future, not because the people were behaving so well, but because God had freely showered forgiveness on them. We too live in the shadow of God’s forgiveness. It’s what we have in common with all other people on earth, and it’s what gives us hope, even in the darkest circumstances. When in faith we embrace God’s forgiveness, God’s steadfast love is unleashed in our lives, flooding our hearts and minds with the assurance of God’s grace. In that context the psalmist assures us, righteousness and peace will kiss each other, a beautiful description of the new life we have in Christ. The language implies intimacy, a tender merger of righteousness and peace, a coming together of the divine and human spirit that is the essence of the Christmas gospel. Occasionally we will encounter folks in whom we see that combination of serenity and goodness, and their presence never fails to give us delight. It’s a living demonstration of the wonderful life that is God’s intention for us all. Such life is not dependent on material wealth or privilege, but is received by those who say with Mary, “Let it be with me according to your word.” There is no doubt! When love and faithfulness meet, life is very, very good!

Thought for the Day: What gifts has faith given me?

Isaiah 40:9-11

“See, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him…He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.” vss. 10a, 11

When our faith ancestors were in a tough spot they eagerly looked for the coming of the Lord, so it’s not surprising that the prophet assured the people that the Lord was on the way, and that the Lord would come with might. What does surprise us is his description of the coming Lord as a shepherd! Too often we’ve gotten the idea that power and might will involve weapons and armies, a kind of military campaign that will overwhelm enemies with “shock and awe.” We have the sense that armed forces are the only might that can make right! But Isaiah suggests another way. He says that the coming Lord will be like a shepherd, and “he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.” Think of it! In these coming weeks as the Mighty One invades our space, it will not be with the intention of whipping us into shape. That just doesn’t work! What we need more than anything else is gentleness! Now we won’t get that from heavy handed politicians and their silly power games, but that is what we get from the incarnate Christ. God is, and a gentle touch is our sign of God’s presence.

Thought for the Day: Where do I find gentleness?

“Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.” vss. 1-2

There are times when we want to throw up our hands in despair and cry out, “Enough, O God, I’ve had enough, and I’m tired of being treated like refuse in this broken world.” Those moments don’t come to everyone but we all know people who have gotten more than their share of trouble in the course of life. They’ve endured loss, illness, death, brokenness…and just when it seems like they’re about to break, something else happens. It may be that they haven’t lived exemplary lives–probably none of us have. But no one deserves the trouble that comes to some. The prophet was charged by God to bring words of comfort to folks such as these, and he did as he was told. And that’s our call too! When people have been beaten up by life they don’t need lectures or pity, they need tender words of comfort from friends who care deeply. And we can do that! There’s something about this season that exposes the pain and hurt that lies deep within, and if we can speak tenderly to these wounded folks, it will mean more than any gift we could buy them. God isn’t out to get anyone–God brings comfort, and not more pain.

Thought for the Day: What words of comfort do I need to hear?

Mark 13:32-37

“Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come.” vs. 33

The emphasis on keeping alert in the apocalyptic teaching of Jesus is puzzling to some. They wonder why it’s so important to keep awake, and why the sleeping would be excluded when the faithful are gathered into the kingdom. We’d expect that if the Lord returns in clouds with multitudes of accompanying angels there’d be such a stir that even the dead would awaken. It’s that dramatic apocalyptic description that gets us off track. The truth is that the coming of the Lord is much more subtle than we could ever expect, and unless we are alert we’re likely to miss it entirely. It can literally happen at any time, and it almost always catches us by surprise. Because life disguises itself as an unending series of indistinguishable days we can easily get caught up in our daily routines and rituals. We have regular encounters with a whole variety of friends and strangers that all melt together and that seem unremarkable. But it’s into that culture and environment that the Lord comes, always in disguise and imperceptible except to eyes of faith.  When we are alert and not lulled to sleep by the sameness of our days, we do see the Lord Jesus and it doesn’t just happen once. It’ll happen this Advent! We can count on it. The Lord has come, and is coming again, and again, and again…

Thought for the Day: What’s the best way to keep alert?