1 John 3:1

“See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are.” vs. 1a

We regularly hear that we are children of God, and for some that’s really old news. It’s old hat, something we take for granted. But for John, the epistle writer, it was spectacular, the supreme example of God’s abundant love. We can suspect that it meant so much to him because, in one sense, at least, being children of God meant that we were in the same category as Jesus, almost the equivalent of being a son of God. Put that way, being a child of God is about as good as it gets in this world. We certainly don’t get put in that category because of our fine behavior. All we have to do is take a look around and see what despicable things we humans are capable of doing to put that notion to rest. Not even the ones we call saints become the intimates of God because they are such fine people–though in fact they are the creme de la creme. No, we are the children of God purely because of God’s love–it is who we are–and it’s love that makes it so! Again, it may be that today we are responding to that good news with another big ho-hum, what else is new. If that’s the case, it’s really too bad because life really doesn’t get any better than this. 

Thought for the Day: How does being loved change my life?

Psalm 34:1-10, 22

“O taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are those who take refuge in him. O fear the Lord, you his holy ones, for those who fear him have no want.” vss. 8-9

Today is All Saints Day, the festival set aside for remembering those who have moved from this life to the next, the ones who are said to rest from their labors. We all have memories of such persons, and sometimes our thoughts of them can bring tears–we miss them so very much! But it’s not only the saints of the church triumphant that we call to mind today–there are saints who are very much alive who have had a profound influence on us. They live all around us, in our neighborhoods and in our congregations, and they remind us regularly that their trust is in the Lord. Many have served the Lord Jesus through their entire lives and have regularly given of their time and energy in lifting up the lives of the needy. Some have seen tough times and their suffering is written on their brows and in the wrinkles of their faces. But they’re not complainers, and regularly testify to the goodness of the Lord. If you want, they will gladly tell you how they have been lifted up and given refuge by their Savior. They ask for nothing more than to walk humbly with their Lord for the rest of their days. These are the ones Jesus called, “the salt of the earth.”

Thought for the Day: The living saints who bless my life!

Revelation 7:13-17

“They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” vss. 16-17

There are some people who don’t particularly like the book of Revelation. They’re literalists and the beautiful metaphors and images don’t touch their hearts. They believe that since we can’t really know anything about life after death, we shouldn’t say anything. But what fun is that! The words of comfort in these verses have lifted the spirits of mourners for centuries. Of course they’re metaphors, but metaphors aren’t lies! They’re the words used to describe the indescribable and to paint a picture of what we want for our loved ones beyond death. No more hunger, no more thirst, no more Phoenix summer heat! The Good Shepherd will be there to guide them to springs of living water, and then we see these incredible words, “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Some may prefer the light-filled testimony of those who have had near death experiences, but for sheer beauty there’s nothing that can beat Revelation. Whatever lies ahead for us, these words provide all the reassurance any of us need to hear. And tomorrow, on All Saints Day, perhaps we’ll be able to imagine our loved ones in the arms of the Shepherd, and really, who could want for anything more!

Thought for the Day: Why are images better than words to describe new life?

Revelation 7:9-12

“After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands.” vs. 9

Tomorrow is Halloween, or All-Hallows Eve, the evening before All Saints Day, an annual holiday set apart by the Church to remember the dead, and traditionally a time for the lighting of candles in memory of loved ones and for prayer. And while most congregations do continue to celebrate an All Saints Sunday, Halloween itself has been taken over by the culture and, through marketing magic, has been completely rebranded in the eyes of the public. For the last month neighbors have been competing to erect macabre displays in their front yards, build haunted houses, and celebrate a ghoulish notion of the dead more in line with Hollywood fantasy than Christian faith. It’s telling to contrast those scenes with the vision presented in the book of Revelation. While there are scary chapters in Revelation, these verses are spectacular: a multitude beyond number, from every tribe and nation, totally inclusive, all robed in white, gathered before the throne and the Lamb, with palm branches in their hands. Now wouldn’t it be great if we could catch a glimpse of something like that in our neighborhood yards? It would be a vast improvement over skeletons and the revenge of the zombies!

Thought for the Day: Who will I be remembering this All Saints Eve?

John 8:34-36

 “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” vs. 36

We love freedom! Nothing else gets our juices flowing like the prospect of being free! It’s been the rallying cry of nearly every revolution as the masses have risen up together against tyranny. Many can remember the joy of leaving the structured living of parental homes, and for the first time realizing that they could go where they pleased and come back whenever they wanted. It’s a delicious feeling–and though it can dissipate quickly as we enter the rat race, we savor the memory, and look forward to feeling it again in retirement. The problem is that we are never as free as we think we are. As Jesus reminded the Jews who flaunted their freedom, anyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. And he’s right. And those who flit around doing whatever their flesh desires, learn quickly that doing as they please can lead to the ugliest kinds of bondage and captivity. According to Jesus there’s only one way to know real freedom, and that is through forgiveness. And that’s the message that’s been the heart of the gospel from the beginning. It’s the good news that Paul proclaimed and that Luther discovered anew in the Reformation. Through the cross of Christ we have the complete forgiveness of all of our sins, and have been set free to live in accordance with God’s perfect design. Yes, freedom is wonderful, but it comes, not through our own works, but by the grace of God.

Thought for the Day: When did I discover the joy of freedom?

John 8:31-33

“Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’” vss. 31-32

From the beginning many more people have been attracted to Jesus than have actually remained with him. It was true during his Galilean ministry, and it remains true today. The most typical example can be found in the hundreds of crusades that have been held in arenas, stadiums, and churches around the world. They’re known for the thousands of people who make “decisions for Jesus” and who soon fall away. Some report having been “saved” again and again, but to no avail. Of course, the same phenomena is seen in youth confirmation classes. Often the rite of confirmation has been held on Reformation Sunday with dozens of white-robed confirmands. All make their promise to be faithful to Jesus and most are never seen in a worship service again. So why is there a reluctance to continue in the word of grace that comes from Jesus? For confirmands the answer is easy. They thought the ritual was a graduation ceremony and not a commencement. And that’s probably what happens for many folks–their commitment was a last step, something they’d finally decided to do. Jesus said that belonging to him was like being born again, the first step on a lifelong journey of love. And those who understand that will stay connected. In Jesus there is both truth and freedom!

Thought for the Day: How do I stay connected to Jesus?

Romans 3:25-28

“For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law.” vs. 28

Paul is clear that all are made righteous by grace, the free gift of God in Christ Jesus, but he also wrote that each person is made righteous by faith, and sometimes this confuses us. We’re forever trying to remember if justification is by grace through faith or by faith through grace. It’s hard to keep it straight, and it’s good to know that our phrasing really doesn’t make any difference to God. But if we’re really interested in such things it’s helpful to remember that grace is what God does, and faith is what we do.  So of course salvation is by grace–it’s God’s gift. And faith is our trust in what God has done! Without faith we won’t believe that we are justified by grace. So both grace and faith are important, and really, both are gifts! But some folks muddy the waters a bit by implying that faith is a work. They say things like, “Unless you believe that Jesus is your personal savior you can’t be saved.” And that’s a misrepresentation of the gospel. We have salvation by grace, period! Our lack of faith can’t negate that! There are all kinds of people with no faith–and they too have salvation. Now it’s sad that they have no faith, we often wish they did believe–but we should never believe that God’s grace does not extend to them. After all, it is a gift! 

Thought for the Day: When did I start trusting in grace?

Romans 3:19-24

“For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…” vss. 22b-24

For Paul it was obvious. Since we’re all sinners no person could ever be made righteous by obedience to the law. At its best all the law can do is make us aware of our sin–so if we truly want to be righteous, we’re going to have to look for another way. And, guess what, Paul knew another way! Like a proud parent he announced to the Romans and to any one else willing to learn, that the other way is GRACE, the free gift of God made possible through Christ Jesus. We don’t have to work to be righteous, God makes us righteous! We have to admit that this is pretty incredible news–at least sinful guys like Martin Luther thought it was. Luther was so ecstatic that he let his hair grow long and wrote the Small Catechism. He started writing about this good news in Wittenberg, where he was teaching, and within a few years was producing enough material to keep five different print shops busy with his treatises and books. Sadly there are some who regard grace as dangerous, and who are now embracing exclusionary tactics that are nothing more than warmed over law. Of course it won’t work! There is no other way to the heart of God than through GRACE, freely given and freely received through Jesus Christ!

Thought for the Day: When did I fall in love with GRACE?

Psalm 46:8-11

“He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. ’Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.’” vss. 9-10

Martin Luther lived most of his life in Electoral Saxony, during some of the most tumultuous times in European history. Suleiman the Magnificent, one of the greatest Muslim conquerors, had brought his troops to the gates of Vienna, and was being resisted by the combined armies of the Holy Roman Empire. During those same years there was a Peasants Revolt, one that was brutally repressed by the ruling classes, nobles who had found inspiration in Luther’s “Against the Murderous, Thieving, Hordes of Peasants.” Luther lived precariously, not always on the “right side,” knowing that at any time he could be arrested and charged with heresy. In that context, Luther found comfort in the words of Psalm 46, and used it as the framework for his most famous hymn, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.” We can’t use all that Luther said and did as our guide for these confusing times, but we can join with him in turning to the psalmist. And when we don’t know what to pray for, we can always repeat his familiar refrain, “Be still, and know that I am God!” Even while chaos continues, and the shadow of death grows even darker, we know that God is, and always will be, and in God there will be restoration.

Thought for the Day: How do I know I’m on the “right side?”

Psalm 46:1-7

“The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.” vss. 6-7

As the war between Israel and Hamas continues, tensions are rising throughout the Middle East, and the ripple effect is felt throughout the world. While it is true that the conflict has been replaced by more mundane concerns in the hearts of many, leaders know that we are at a dangerous point. As in the days of the psalmist “the nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter.” What’s really scary is that the proposed solutions to the crisis that have been bandied about for the past 75 years now seem, not only improbable, but impossible. Where once agreements seemed feasible, there are currently none even on the table. Major combatants are involved in what seems to be a zero-sum game and are unwilling to yield any competitive advantage. If that thinking persists, it seems the results will be chaos, not a particularly hopeful scenario. For the psalmist hope could only be found in the everyday presence of the Lord. And while many may scoff at that notion, people who trust that God is our refuge and strength, know that out of chaos can come a new creation. And so we continue to pray that the Spirit of God would soften hardened hearts and minds, and that this senseless slaughter would quickly come to an end.

Thought for the Day: What is a zero-sum game?