Psalm 67:1-3

“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations.” vss. 1-2

 The psalmist hoped that when other nations saw how God had graciously blessed Israel they too would come to know the Lord as a source of saving power. These words remind us of Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount, “Let your light so shine before others, that they may see your good works and give glory to God.”  It is true that our lives are probably the most effective evangelism tool that we have. If we have our acts together, do not hide our brokenness, and exhibit unconditional love in all our encounters, people are going to notice. They see when we give ourselves to sacrificial service, and when they also see the presence of God’s gracious blessings, they will be attracted. It has even been said, “You are the only bible that some person will ever read!” Some might consider this to be an unwelcome pressure in their lives, but it is actually a blessing. Sometimes it’s hard to speak of our faith to others, and it comes as a relief to know that we only have to be authentic in how we live. We live in an age when people are paid huge amounts of money for being influencers. That’s how the world operates. And it works in the Church too–as we live out our faith, people are watching, and they will be blessed.

Thought for the Day: Who am I influencing?

Isaiah 56:1, 6-8

“for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. Thus says the Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, I will gather others to them besides those already gathered.” vss. 7b-8

As the prophet revisited God’s plans for Israel after the return from exile in Babylon, he realized that the old exclusive vision had to be revamped. Israel’s God had been too small. Now the prophet looked toward a new Israel that would include the outcasts of every nation. It’s this inclusive perspective of God’s rule that has guided followers of Jesus from the beginning. Wherever they went with the gospel they went first of all to the outcasts, the poor and the misfits of society, and welcomed them to the family. As long as the Church has followed that pattern of outreach, as more and more people on the fringes learned about the unconditional love of God, blessings have been present in abundance. There have been times unfortunately, when the Church, having become rich and prosperous, has lost that focus on the downtrodden. Old prejudices and biases have risen to the surface and the poor and needy have come to be seen as a threat to economic stability. Times like that call for prophets like Isaiah, men and women who can call us back to the gospel and the mindset of Jesus. And what a blessing it is when they show up in our congregations and doors are once more opened to the outcasts.

Thought for the Day: Why is my congregation so homogenous?

Matthew 14:27-33

“Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus.” vss. 28-29

One of our favorite tricks as believers is to test the reality of Jesus by asking to be able to do something we’ve never done before. Now sometimes when we ask such things, we’re amazed to discover that we are actually able to do it. Somehow, out of the blue, we begin to do what we’ve never done before. Peter actually walked on water. He was doing the impossible. Our stories are probably different, but still amazing in their own way. But one thing all the stories have in common–the impossible is not sustainable. We suddenly realize what we’re doing and, like Peter, start to sink. Somehow we’ve gotten out of our depth, out of our comfort zone, and reality takes over. We notice the wind, the people watching, become self-conscious, and revert to our old bumbling selves. This isn’t to say that we should never try difficult things, that we shouldn’t push ourselves to do well–accepting challenges is one of the joys of living, and sometimes we reach levels of competency that amaze even ourselves. But we do have our limits, and when we’re tempted to go beyond them, not even Jesus can keep us afloat. 

Thought for the Day: What happens when I get out of my comfort zone?

Matthew 14:22-26

“And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear.” vss. 25-26

This story of Jesus walking on the sea is both well-known and mystifying to believers. Thomas Jefferson found it unhelpful for the rational mind and did not include it in his cut-and-paste version of the New Testament. That inclination is probably not uncommon, and even if we don’t tear this story out of the bible, we wonder why it’s there. The problem with excising the miraculous portions of scripture is that we end up deleting the most interesting passages and missing amazing truths. The point of this story is not that Jesus could walk on water. We can debate that until the cows come home. It’s the reaction of the disciples that makes the story come alive. The sighting happened in the middle of a violent storm and they were already afraid. And when they saw Jesus they assumed they were seeing a ghost, they cried out in fear! They were quite a crew. They’d already seen him raise the dead, heal the sick, cast out demons, and feed thousands, why wouldn’t he show up in their time of need? We’re like that. We believe all kinds of things about Jesus, at least we say we do, and then when he shows up to save our necks, we doubt, and imagine it isn’t him! 

Thought for the Day: What terrifies me?

Romans 10:12-15

“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 believed with all his heart in universal salvation, that there is no distinction between Jews and Gentiles, and that God’s love extends to all. But he also feared that until people believed this, they would not experience God’s love, the peace that surpasses all human understanding. As a result he devoted his life to spreading that good news–he wanted everyone everywhere to know Jesus and hear the good news of resurrection. After Paul that same missionary spirit infected thousands of believers and they traveled to the ends of the earth with that message of grace and love. There were perhaps many who thought that by doing this they were saving people from the fires of hell, but it’s likely that most simply wanted people to know the good news of forgiveness and life and to experience God’s love and mercy. It really is a worthy calling. Jesus himself sent out disciples to bring healing and proclaim the gospel. Of course the missionary movement has had its dark side too–sometimes missionaries went as agents of colonialism and oppression. But at their best they have been, as D. T. Niles, a Ceylonese pastor put it, “One beggar telling another beggar where to find bread.” Thank God for such faithful proclaimers of the Gospel!

Thought for the Day: What do missionaries do in 2023?

Romans 10:5-11

“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 taught that the righteousness of God comes as a gift through faith, and not through obedience to the law. To make this clear, he describes the content of faith as confession of Jesus as Lord and belief in the resurrection. Those who have faith, as thus defined, will have salvation. When he wrote these words he could not have predicted how this simple truth would be distorted and abused. For some reason, countless Christians have turned this beautiful grace-filled affirmation into an ugly law of exclusion. They say that anyone who does not confess Jesus as Lord will not be saved and will instead spend eternity in the fires of hell. They do not seem to care that this interpretation condemns billions of people, including, in many cases, members of their own families. How can anyone even imagine that this teaching reflects the righteousness of God? Jesus himself never taught anything like this! Of course it’s good news that followers of Jesus have salvation, but to then say that nonbelievers or those of other faiths are condemned is anything but gracious and merciful. In fact it’s a hateful and divisive message, one that should be repugnant to any true follower of Jesus. It is God’s desire that all people be saved, and if that’s what God wants, that’s what God will get! Praise God!

Thought for the Day: Why is it a good thing to confess Jesus as Lord?

Psalm 85:8-13

“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

All of the prophets felt a call to bring the word of the Lord to the people of Israel and Judah. Most of the time it came as a warning of impending doom if idolatrous behavior didn’t come to an end. Again and again the prophet would thunder, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Unless there is repentance I will bring down my wrath upon this disobedient nation.’” The scenarios were different and the language would vary, but the tone was always one of judgment and destruction. But in this psalm the writer, using the voice of a prophet, brings a different message. There has been turmoil in the land, but now the Lord has a word of peace for the people. “Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.” Thank God for prophets like this! Most of us are tired of the doomsday messages that tumble from the mouths of contemporary prophets. While perhaps necessary for us to hear, they inspire in us a spirit of gloom and hopelessness. How much more uplifting it is to hear that word of peace! Even if it seems unlikely to be true, it brings welcome relief to people of faith, and maybe that’s exactly what we need the most! Prophets of doom don’t always have the last word!

Thought for the Day: What prophets do I choose to listen to?

1 Kings 19:11-21

“and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.” vss. 12-13a

Huddled in his cave, Elijah waited for the Lord to make an appearance. First came a great wind, then an earthquake, and finally a great fire, but the Lord was not to be seen or heard. But then there was a sound of sheer silence! Elijah left the cave and the Lord came near. For centuries scholars have wrestled with that phrase, “a sound of sheer silence,” and have proposed a variety of translations. But while theologians have wondered, ordinary folks seem to get it. It’s an almost perfect description of what we’ve gotten in return when we’ve poured out our hearts to God. It’s not just that the Lord remains hidden, it’s that the silence is deafening! We want so badly to hear even a whisper in response to our prayers but instead there’s a big, fat nothing! We can even begin to wonder if God is only a product of our imaginations, a childhood fantasy that has no place in the reality of our maturity. It’s a lonely feeling, and we can imagine like Elijah that our faith has been futile, and then, after the storms and calamities of life have swept by, and the sound of nothing is at its peak, the Lord comes near! We are not alone.

Thought for the Day: What are the sounds of silence?

1 Kings 19:9-10

“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

Elijah was on the run. Queen Jezebel and the prophets of Baal had forced him to flee for his life and he’d gone south into the desert mountains of the Sinai peninsula. There in a cave, isolated from his country and kindred, he spent the night, and he heard the word of the Lord, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” That’s a powerful question, one that will force us to take stock of all that we are and all that we have done. All have been given the gift of life, but before we even know that it’s a gift, the journey begins. Early on we simply react, doing what we’re told to do. We fall in love, sometimes get married, almost always find a job–and sometimes we do all these things without even thinking about what we’re doing. And then the word of the Lord comes, “What are you doing here, Elijah? What are you doing here, Elizabeth?” And we really don’t have a good answer. We’ve been born, stuff has happened, and now we’re here–sometimes we’re not even sure how we got here! Sometimes we think to ourselves, “Boy, seems to me I could have done a lot better.” In those moments it’s so important for us to remember that we are the good creation of God, and it’s not all up to us! And the Spirit has used us.

Thought for the Day: What has been the purpose of my life?

Matthew 14:18-21

“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

The miracle of Jesus feeding the multitude with a few loaves of bread was a favorite of the gospel writers, appearing six times in all, twice in Matthew and Mark. And while preachers regularly ruin the story with their feeble attempts to explain how Jesus pulled it off, there is no doubt that early believers took great delight in recounting its details. For them the story called to mind what was regularly happening in every community of faith–the words are virtually identical. Jesus took the loaves, looked up to heaven, blessed and broke them, and then through the disciples distributed the bread to the crowds. This is the ritual that was central to the early church, and even today every congregation gathers regularly for the breaking, blessing, and distribution of the bread. While we most frequently connect Holy Communion to the Last Supper there’s something special in linking it to this impromptu meal on the grassy hills of Galilee overlooking the Sea of Galilee. It must have been a spectacular setting. But best of all, no one was left out. All were invited to eat, all were fed and filled, and all were satisfied. It was the best meal ever, a foretaste of the feast to come!

Thought for the Day: What is satisfying about Holy Communion?