Psalm 103:11-13

“As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him.” vs. 13

Even though God is beyond description and it’s really impossible for our puny minds to understand or comprehend the Divine Presence, we still have a need to use words in our conversation about God. As a result humans have always used metaphors to try to communicate that which we sense is true about God. We lift them from our human experience and one of the favorites has been that of father. In fact, here the psalmist uses the image of a father’s compassion for his children to describe God’s compassion. Obviously this isn’t a helpful comparison for some. We’ve had fathers who didn’t show much compassion and who may have actually been pretty nasty, or even absent. But we will have a sense of what the psalmist means. We perhaps have had friends with compassionate fathers, or maybe we’ve heard of such parents. At any rate, we get what the psalmist is trying to say, that God at the core is slow to anger and is abounding with steadfast love and mercy. So even if our dad was a jerk, we know that God, who is neither male nor female, is the essence of self-giving love and sacrifice. And if the father metaphor doesn’t work for us in our God-talk, we are perfectly free to find one that does!

Thought for the Day: How does the father metaphor work for me?

Psalm 103:8-10

“He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.” vs. 10

Women’s gymnastics has become one of the favorite Olympic events and the semis and finals always show up on primetime television. We enjoy the grace and incredible athleticism of the gymnasts, and anxiously watch the performance of our favorites. There are always missteps and falls, sometimes there is paralyzing anxiety, and in the end only a few end up on the podium with medals around their necks. It’s possible to see in gymnastics a kind of metaphor for life. All of us are involved in a dizzying number of events and sometimes we can be overwhelmed by the difficulty. We regularly fall on our faces and suffer embarrassing setbacks. And some of us just aren’t very good at living–we seek shortcuts and hate the disciplines it involves. And of course the anxiety being provoked by a hypervigilant media provides an everywhere present sense of tension at every step of the way. We might even come to believe, based on our lifetime performance, that there’s no way we’re ever going to make it to the podium. Our salvation of course is that life is not like gymnastics in one important way. God is not our judge. Oh we get judged plenty in the course of living, but God doesn’t do it. Our falls and slips are not counted against us. Instead, we are set on our feet, encouraged and loved, and treated like winners every step of the way!

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

Genesis 50:15-20

“Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today.” vs. 20

The date September 11, or more familiarly, 9/11, has an iconic quality to it, and, like December 7, 1941 for a prior generation, quickly brings back a whole flood of memories. Many can easily recount what they were doing on that Tuesday morning and can remember what it was like to see a sky completely void of planes in the days that followed. That attack shocked our country and for a few weeks brought about a kind of spiritual revival as people headed for churches to pray and try to make sense of it all. In those moments Americans were inclined to put aside differences and draw together in our grieving. Sometimes that’s what happens when evil comes near. Genesis, in describing the reunion of Joseph and his brothers, says that God’s good intentions can trump the evil intentions of humans. Of course there’s truth in that. We can find the seeds of good in the rubble of evil, and often they grow and flourish. Some good things have happened in the wake of 9/11, and we can be grateful for that. But sometimes it takes humans a long time to learn lessons, and too much hate and terror still remains in our world. Ultimately goodness will triumph…we just wish it wouldn’t take so long!

Thought for the Day: What did 9/11 mean for me?

Matthew 18: 18-20

“Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.” vs. 19

There are some folks who believe that when they pray in agreeance with another person for anything that is in accord with God’s will, their prayer will be answered. Whatever they have prayed for will be done for them! Accordingly, whenever they have a need, they will find a person who will join them in a prayer of perfect harmony. In their estimation this multiplies the power of the prayer and virtually guarantees that it will be answered. Now it’s always wonderful to join others in prayer, but it’s also important to remember context as we interpret scripture. This saying of Jesus shows up as he’s talking about forgiveness in our faith communities. In that context what we have here is a promise that when we forgive a brother or a sister, that forgiveness is from God. The same is true in our worship when we participate in a ritual of confession and forgiveness. Those aren’t just words, they’re words with power! The forgiveness is real and from God. Likewise, the words of the confessional are power-packed–with the absolution comes God’s forgiveness. How do we know that the forgiveness is from God? It’s easy. Whenever we are gathered,  to celebrate God’s mercy and grace, even two or three are enough, Christ is present, and our words of absolution are the words of Christ.

Thought for the Day: Why do some like to have prayer partners?

Matthew 18:15-17

“If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one.” vs. 15

Because life in our world is both good and broken, humans have had to deal with the matter of forgiveness from the beginning. Certainly it was at the center of Jesus’ ministry and he regularly offered unconditional forgiveness to the sinners that crowded around him. Through the centuries people have grown accustomed to hearing forgiveness announced in worship–in general we know that God’s forgiveness is a central part of the good news. A problem arises however in our

interactions with others. What we gladly receive from God we are more reluctant to extend to others, especially if the wounds are fresh and deep. This happens again and again in our relationships with family and friends, and very often in our congregations. Often the damage is done unintentionally and sometimes we won’t even know what we’ve done. Jesus told his disciples that the first step in healing must be taken by the one who has been hurt. We don’t gossip or report the offense to others, but engage the offending party directly. This is never easy, but it’s really the best way to achieve reconciliation. Done properly, without a lot of drama, it gives opportunity for pardon and forgiveness…and relationships are restored. And it’s a must for healthy marriages!

Thought for the Day: How well has this process worked for me?

Romans 13:11-14

“Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near.” vss. 11-12

Paul felt that the Romans needed a wake-up call! He was expecting that the end would be coming soon, that Jesus would return to complete the work that he’d gotten started.  So he encourages the Romans to wake from sleep and to get ready for the end. In our day, we don’t have that same sense of an imminent return, but we do know that we are most certainly drawing closer to the end, however we imagine that ending to be like. And we’re certainly familiar with the concept of a wake-up call, that jarring moment in time when we’re shocked into making or attempting to make significant changes in the way we live. They can come in a variety of ways: a crisis in our health or in a relationship or maybe the loss of a job. In those moments we become super motivated to make lifestyle adjustments and stop living in destructive ways. It’s amazing how quickly we can change when enlightenment comes. And what’s equally astounding is the fact that the changes we make will often be of a spiritual nature. We don’t wake up and decide to indulge our flesh–that’s pure foolishness. Almost always we awaken and begin to seek the enrichment of our spirits and souls–and some of us are able to pull it off.

Thought for the Day: How have I experienced wake-up calls? 

Romans 13:8-10

“The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet’; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” vs. 9

Most people have at least a vague sense of familiarity with the Ten Commandments. Occasionally we’ll hear about some new plan to have them engraved on monuments on courthouse lawns or posted on the wall of public school classrooms. There is a sense that they’re important, a summary of divine imperatives, rules that we should all live by. And most of us would agree. We spend an enormous amount of time in confirmation classes trying to drum them into the heads of our children, and we’re mostly unsuccessful. Very few people can actually say the Ten Commandments in their entirety. And that would be okay with Paul! In his estimation, as long as we’re loving our neighbors as ourselves, we’re doing just fine, for all of the “Thou shalt nots” are included in the one “thou shalt love.” To put it another way, loving our neighbor as ourselves is the benchmark of life in Christ. The problem is that this is an enormously high standard! Obeying commandments is a lot easier than loving someone unconditionally. For one thing love draws us into a relationship with the other–we’re called to do something positive, rather than to not do something negative–and that can often be a challenge. But then again, Jesus never said it would be easy to follow in his way!
Thought for the Day: When is it hard for me to love?

Psalm 119:33-40

“Turn my heart to your decrees, and not to selfish gain. Turn my eyes from looking at vanities; give me life in your ways.” vss. 36-37

Because we carry the divine spark in our genes we have an innate sense of how life shall be lived. Of course, from the time we are toddlers we are also receiving alternative messages from our context and culture. We are regularly encouraged to look to our own needs, build up wealth, and then use our excess on baubles and vanities. And it works! We live in the most prosperous nation the world has ever seen. But regularly people are discovering that such living does not bring satisfaction or serenity. Depression is at all time highs. We’re discovering that Isaiah was right, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.” The psalmist certainly would agree, and recommends that we turn away from selfishness and our lust for fleshly delights, and seek the life that was programmed into us from the beginning. Certainly, that’s easier said than done, and some have no concept of what that life might be like. We have to be taught the ways of the Lord, and sometimes it takes years to discover our inner truth. But as we continue searching we’d be well advised to pay attention to teachers along the way, folks who seem to have figured life out–they’re easily spotted. They’ll be living simply, not worrying about tomorrow, and giving full attention to the joys of today.

Thought for the Day: What is it like to live simply?

Ezekiel 33:10-11

“Say to them, As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?” vs. 11

There is probably nothing worse than to think someone doesn’t care about us. Some who have been given that message by parents or presumed lovers carry the scars for the rest of their lives. They can never quite deal with the knowledge that they have been rejected or abandoned. Their betrayal can become an issue that never quite goes away. More than that, some even live with the sense that they have been abandoned by God. Perhaps they believe that their lives have not measured up to divine standards. Maybe they’re living with addictions and haven’t been able to turn from their self-destructive ways. If that’s the situation they can feel estranged and despair of ever being embraced by God’s love. It’s an awful place to be! The prophet Ezekiel has a word for those who feel that way. He tells them that God takes no pleasure in their destruction and wants them to experience restoration. We can’t do much about the attitudes of those who have done us wrong–we can’t make anyone love us. But we can know that we are loved unconditionally by our Maker and Creator–even before our restoration!

Thought for the Day: Times I’ve felt unloved!

Ezekiel 33:7-9

“So you, mortal, I have made a sentinel for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.” vs. 7

Ezekiel was feeling the pressure of his prophetic role. He had been chosen as a mouthpiece for the Lord, and his major responsibility was to tell the wicked that if they did not change their ways they would surely die. If he didn’t do it, and they didn’t change, their blood would be on him. If however, he did issue the warning, and they didn’t repent, well, then it was on them–he’d done his job. Sometimes we are in a position to offer words of warning to others–we can see clearly that if they continue on their chosen path they’re going to crash and burn. Mostly we don’t like that prophetic role. We like minding our own business and keeping our noses out of the affairs of others. So we often choose silence rather than intervene. The problem is that, if we’re right, and they continue their downward spiral, we’re almost certain to feel guilt. On the other hand if we do offer warnings in a spirit of love, it could be that our words will bring repentance. Then everyone can rejoice! If however they pay no attention, even becoming angry for our interference, we will at least know that we were faithful to our call. Of course that’s little solace when assessing the damages–we would rather they had paid attention. But at least we will have done what we could!

Thought for the Day: How do I know when to speak and when to be silent?