Monday, December 31

Today’s Lectionary Texts: Psalm 46; Isaiah 26:1-6; John 8:12-19; 2 Corinthians 5:16-6:2; Psalm 139:1-18

The words from 2 Corinthians 5:18 hit me like a ton of bricks today. The verse in the NIV reads: “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” That gift of reconciliation is a tricky thing. You see lots of us hear those words and think about them first at the global level. We think, for instance, what it would be like to reach out and bring Democrats and Republicans together – bring rich and poor together – bring supporters of the war in Iraq together with opponents of the war – things like that. While embracing a ministry of reconciliation on such abstract levels might sound overwhelming at first, it is often easier than you think since in many of these instances you are engaging concepts and – more often than not –strangers in these efforts. What I’ve found more challenging is embracing a ministry of reconciliation within the personal relationships of my life. For on this level, the differences are anything but abstract. They are concrete and real in ways that oftn challenge you to the core. I’m currently struggling to find a way to relate to a family member of mine who has come to very different conclusions than I regarding issues of sexuality. This family member is aligned with a group that would vocally oppose both my ordination as a gay person and the legal standing of my long-term committed relationship. As a result of these differences, for the past four months I have not been in relationship with this family member. I feel the Spirit, however, calling me back into relationship… back into a ministry of reconciliation in the most difficult place of all: my own life. We shall see if I make any strides in this area during my upcoming week off. Having explored the dimensions of reconciliation with you in very personal terms, I’m left to wonder if there might be an area of your life in which God is calling you to seek reconciliation as well. It might not be easy (the personal, concrete situations are never easy), but it might just be the most rewarding thing you can do to start the new year off on the right foot. Til next time…

Sunday, December 30

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 111; Isaiah 63:7-9; Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23; Hebrews 2:10-18; Psalm 95

Lots of us have a hard time trying to explain why bad things happen. As a result, we often resort to cliché’s at such moments. Unfortunately these clichés often end up hurting folks we try to reach out to. For instance, if someone loses a loved one and hears someone offer a cliché like “Well, I guess God needed them more than we did” or “I guess God is using this trial to test our faith”, it can push the grieving person further away from God. I’ve learned at least two things over the years in dealing with folks during difficult times. First, I’ve learned to keep my mouth shut when I don’t understand something so I don’t make things any worse for the folks struggling with the tragedy. In place of clichés, I’ve learned instead to offer a ministry of presence at such times. And second, I’ve learned that the most important faith question I can ask isn’t “Why did God do this/allow this to happen?” Instead, the most helpful question for me to ask is “Where is God in the midst of all this?” In a sense that is what the author of today’s passage from Hebrews is alluding to. In speaking of Jesus’ circumstance, the author writes God made “the author of [our] salvation perfect through suffering” (Hebrews 2:10 – NIV). That passage reminds me that God can use tough times to accomplish remarkable things. Further, it encourages me to explore those times of suffering in my own life to discover how the suffering was used to transform my life and take me to new, previously unexplored places. Places that I otherwise might not have gone. I invite you to do that work in your own life as well. How have your times of suffering transformed you and your faith? And during our times of trial in the New Year, may we draw strength from the One who suffered as well. Til next time…

Saturday, December 29

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 18:1-50; Isaiah 41:14-20; John 4:7-15; Revelation 1:1-8

One of my least favorite aspects of working out is the constant cotton mouth or dry mouth you deal with during your workout. If you’re anything like me, every few minutes you feel compelled to run across the gym and hit the water fountain. This compulsion is what motivates many of us to bring our own water bottles to the gym with us to prevent those trips across the gym. In many ways, there’s a similar dynamic at work in our lives. Given the strenuous demands and duties in our lives, we get overextended and find ourselves needing to return to our source of temporary refreshment so that we can get through the routine of our day. What if I were to tell you there is a source of refreshment that would constantly stay with you and keep you refreshed –a source that – like your trusted water bottle in the gym – would be with you constantly? Actually, I wouldn’t need to tell you about the source of refreshment and renewal myself – for the author of John’s Gospel beat me to the punch and tells us all of such a source. In John 4:13-14 (NIV), Jesus tells the Samaritan woman (and those of us looking for a constant source of refreshment and renewal) the following words: “Everyone who drinks this [ordinary] water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him [or her] will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him [or her] will become in him [or her] a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” Today I ask you to consider your source of refreshment and renewal. Are you quenching your thirst using ordinary water or are you seeking refreshment from a deeper, more lasting source. A source that – like your trusty gym water bottle – is with you always? May your thirst remained quenched this day and always. Til next time…

Friday, December 28

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 77 & 57; Jeremiah 31:15-17; Matthew 2:13-18; Revelation 21:1-7

It’s easy to fall prey to the notion that once the Christ-child appears, all our problems will be solved. And yet this morning’s reading from Matthew reminded me such thinking isn’t entirely accurate. For in this morning’s passage we learn of one of the earliest responses to the appearance of the Christ-child – a bloody attempt by King Herod to find the child and do away with him. When he couldn’t do that, Herod initiated the bloody extermination of all boys under the age of two in the area. Not exactly the sort of warm and fuzzy response you would have envisioned. This response reminded me of a concept I spent much time exploring this fall: the dark night of the soul. What I learned in my explorations of the concept is that dark nights of the soul are often triggered by an experience of insight or clarity. This experience then sets off a purging in one’s life as you let go of those things spiritually holding you back so you can embrace the new things before you. I personally can’t think of anything that introduces a greater sense of insight or clarity than the Christ-child. Of course in the Christmas story, Herod didn’t want to let go of those things holding him back. He much preferred the status quo; hence, his actions to strike out and try to eliminate the threat. In some ways you and I are in a situation like Herod’s. We have heard and experienced the coming of the Christ child once again. As a result, we have to decide what we want to do about that coming. Do we want to do what Herod did and try to do away with the Christ-child (or worse yet, tuck him away along the other Christmas decorations until you haul him about this time next year) or shall we do like Joseph and Mary and embrace the Christ-child and do whatever it takes to protect its role in our life – even if it means treks to the most unlikely of places?! The question is yours to wrestle with today. Til next time…

Thursday, December 27

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 104:1-35, 41; Proverbs 8:22-30; John 13:2-20; 1 John 1:1-9

Over the years I’ve learned that each of us has a particular challenge when it comes to putting our beliefs into practice. Some of us who come from evangelical backgrounds, for instance, often get uncomfortable with comprehensive bible studies that use historical and cultural tools since they believe Scripture is the inspired word of God and – by its very nature - is above the use of such tools. Some of us from Pentecostal backgrounds struggle mightily with contemplative prayer experiences since such practices don’t fit easily with our highly expressive ways of connecting with God. So what is one of the growing edges for those of us in progressive faith communities? Finding a theology of sin. Progressives stumble with this because many of us were raised in faith communities that went to such lengths emphasizing the sinfulness of humanity that they lost sight of some of the wonderful aspects of human nature. This lack of balance between the good and bad aspects of our nature caused a loss of credibility among many progressives. Today’s reading from 1 John challenges us to find a theology of sin as it says: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8 – NIV). The question for today, then, is “How can we find a way of understanding sin that honors the whole part of our being in such a way that it simultaneously acknowledges both the good of which we are capable AND the need for the One who can help us transcends our moral and spiritual limitations and become the person God calls us to be?” Instead of answering that question for you, I’ll leave you to wrestle with it for yourself in coming days as you seek to find your own understanding of this thing called sin. Rather, I should say I'll leave you alone with God to work out your understanding knowing that you're in GREAT hands. Til next time…

Wednesday, December 26

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 107:1-45; 2 Chronicles 24:17-22; Acts 7:55-8:8; Acts 6:1-7

One of the greatest benefits of a sabbatical for a pastor is that it gives him/her the rare opportunity to step back and evaluate his/her ministry. One thing I noticed about myself while I was on sabbatical is that in my first five years of ministry I often fell pray to one of the greatest temptations known to small church pastors: I got involved in virtually every aspect of the church’s ministry. With this being my first call, I didn’t take the time to prioritize the tasks before me and focus my time and energy in those areas that God had particularly gifted me. Instead, I allowed myself to get spread too thin. It’s no wonder I often felt overwhelmed! If only I had paid more attention to today’s passage from Acts 6:1-7. For in that passage we are given a wonderful example of the Twelve’s ability to prioritize their time and energy. When faced with increasing disputes between the Grecian Jews and the Hebraic Jews, for instance, did the Twelve try to do what I did – wade in and fix everything for everyone? No. They said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables” (Acts 6:2). As a result, they appointed other seven persons to handle the emerging disputes for them. This freed them up to focus on what they had really been called to do. Of course pastors aren’t the only ones who struggle with priorities. Most people do - perhaps even you! As we sit on the verge of the new year, today it might be good to make some time to revisit your own priorities. Ask yourself questions like “What are the things God is call ME to do?”, “Do I have enough time in my life to attend to these areas?” “If not, what things should go so that I do have the time to attend to these areas?” The gifts of boundaries and a clearer sense of call will be two valuable things you can give to the Christ-child this Christmas season. Til next time…

Tuesday, December 25

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 110; Isaiah 62:6-7, 10-12; Luke 2:8-20; Titus 3:4-7; Psalm 85

Lots of folks began their day today by opening gifts – gifts that contain things like new sweaters, or dresses, or coats, or scarves. And in coming days they will take advantage of almost every opportunity to showcase those gifts by wearing them out. What’s the first thing that happens when you wear a gift out? Folks will compliment you on the item and – before you know it – you’ll be engaged in a conversation telling the other person all about the gift: who bought it for you; where they bought it; and so forth. While we are excited to jump on any opportunity to talk about most of our gifts, there is one gift in particular that many of us are hesitant to talk about. The gift of God’s love revealed in the manger. Why is that? I suppose part of the reason is because many of us were taught to believe that talking about our faith (evangelism, if you will) is about memorizing and reciting certain Scriptures to others or being aggressive and pushing your particular theology down someone else’s throat. Because of the negative experiences we might have had in the past with such approaches, we end up becoming totally silent about the gift of our faith. Today’s passage from Luke gives us another way to talk about our faith. Verse 17 tells us how the shepherds responded to their encounter with the Christ child: “When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child” (NIV). The verse tells us the shepherds didn’t worry about trying to memorize all of the right Scripture to impress others. Nor did the shepherds try to establish an air-tight theology that would win folks over to their particular beliefs. No, the shepherds did none of that. Instead, they simply had an experience, got excited, and told others about their personal experience. Isn’t that what God calls us to do? Share our experience. In the days following Christmas, if someone comments that you look particularly happy or content, take a chance and let them know it isn’t your new sweater or dress that is the source of your happiness. Let them know what the real source is! Til next time…

Monday, December 24

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 96; Isaiah 9:2-7; Luke 1:1-20; Titus 2:11-14; Psalm 2

As we sit just 8 days away from a new year, the words that caught my attention during my devotional time were the opening words of Psalm 96. Those words in the New International Version of the Bible read: “Sing to the Lord a new song...” The psalmist’s words got me to thinking about what it means to open yourself – I mean REALLY open yourself – to singing a new song within the context of your life. You see so many of us feel trapped by other people’s perception of who we really are. Consequently, despite the fact that there are so many aspects of God’s creation that we would like to explore, we never explore them. And why not? Because others have convinced us “that that’s not who we really are”. The words from the psalmist today practically beg us to lay aside those perceptions and open ourselves to new songs. Today, give yourself permission to explore the possibility of singing a new song in your life. Then in the coming days start incorporating that new song into your life. See what happens. As long as the new song you are singing is offered to God – and not an excuse for mere self-gratification – chances are the music that will flow out of you will be beautiful. Happy singing! Til next time…

Saturday, December 22

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 132; Isaiah 11:1-9; Matthew 1:1-17; Romans 4:16-25; Psalm 78:32-72

For so long in our society, individuals who were not heterosexual, middle-class white men were raised in an era of glass ceilings. If you were a woman, a person of color, or a gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender person, for instance, it was assumed that you could only go so far. Consequently, folks from a variety of social locations grew up with a sense of profound limitation in their lives. Thankfully, things are finally beginning to change. We now have presidential candidates who come from a variety of social locations – a woman, an African-American, a Hispanic, a non-Catholic/non-Protestant. For the first time, we are actually beginning to become a land of opportunity - not just for some people. Our first instinct might be to pat ourselves on the back and take credit for such a remarkable vision. We would be wrong to do so. For the Apostle Paul lifted up a radical vision of his own for our lives in today’s passage. In Romans 4:18 Paul noted: “When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn't do but on what God said he would do [emphasis added]” (The Message). What a powerful way to lead our lives: lives based not upon what others says is possible for us but upon what God suggests is possible! Such a vision can propel us to new heights – regardless of our particular social location. At a time of the year when we are reminded of how God can use humble circumstances (i.e. a young, unmarried couple and a manger) to do previously unthinkable things, I invite you to open yourself to new possibilities in your own life. In other words, don’t let others decide what you are capable: let God decide. Then summon the faith and courage to follow God’s leading to new heights. Look out world; here you come!!! Til next time…

Friday, December 21

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 78:1-31; Isaiah 10:20-27; John 4:16-30; Romans 4:9-15; Psalm 87

Routines play a huge part in our daily lives. If you have any doubts about this, Christmas is a great time to be reminded of this. Many of us have many routines that inform almost every aspect of our holiday celebration. Most folks, for instance, have a routine about when to put up the Christmas tree (i.e. the Friday following Thanksgiving). Others have a routine about when to mail the Christmas cards (i.e. no later than December 15 to make sure they arrive in time). Still others have routines established around when to open the Christmas gifts (don’t even get me started on the Christmas Eve vs. Christmas morning debate here!). The Samaritan woman’s words in today’s passage from John let us know that routines are nothing new – they had them 2,000 years ago as well. Routine told her that Samaritans were supposed to worship on a mountain while Jews were expected to worship in the Temple in Jerusalem. But then something happened to her that caused her to revisit the unexamined routines of her life. She met Jesus, and he did something totally unexpected. He presented her with a world that defied routine. Instead of validating the religious practices the Samaritan woman raised, Jesus presented worship in an entirely new light. Instead of focusing on the location as the basis of worship, Jesus presented another basis: “God is spirit, and God’s worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24 – NIV). That’s the thing about this Christ-child we are preparing ourselves to welcome once again. He’s not a big fan of unexamined routines. He has a way of taking those routines and turning them upside down – of getting us to connect with what’s really important – of reminding us why it is that we do things. As you begin to unconsciously slide into your last minute routines in preparation for the final days before Christmas, I invite you to follow the Samaritan woman’s example and have your own encounter with Jesus. And just see what happens to the routines and expectations in your life! Til next time…

Thursday, December 20

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 32; Isaiah 10:5-19; John 4:1-15; Romans 4:1-8; Psalm 53

Today’s reading from Romans once again raised the age old debate between works and faith. “When it comes to having a life-giving relationship with the God of Jesus,” many have asked, “is the relationship primarily the result of works or the result of faith?” Paul makes his position pretty clear in this debate. In writing of the difference, Paul says, “Now when a [person] works, his/her wages are not credited to him/her as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the [person] who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his/her faith is credited as righteousness.” (Romans 4:4-5). While Paul’s words have helped many settle the debate in their heads over the years, I’ve always had a pretty instinctive grasp of the issue that is more heart based. I see the relationship of faith and works in similar terms to one’s relationship with a significant other. When it comes to a love-relationship, how do you go about establishing it? Do you do a series of works (i.e. buying the other person flowers, taking him/her out to dinner, taking a trip during a long weekend, etc.) to create a previously non-existent relationship, or do you naturally do those things because of the relationship you took a leap of faith and entered into makes you WANT to as a natural expression of your love? I don’t know about you, but it worked the latter way for me. I took the leap of faith, and then the relationship (and the work J) followed naturally. In the midst of your preparations for the coming of the Christ-child, how are you approaching the final days before Christmas? Are you working yourself to death in order to try to create the perfect holiday experience, or are you enjoying the seasonal activities and preparations because they are a natural expression of a life-giving relationship that already exists? Your motivation and approach will go a long way in determining the nature of your experience. Til next time…

Wednesday, December 19

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 99; Isaiah 9:18-10:4; John 10:31-42; Hebrews 10:19-25; Psalm 82

Little by little, I’ve detected a shift in the public face of Christianity over the past six or eight years. For the better part of the 1980’s and 1980’s the public face of Christianity (at least the public face that the media portrayed) was of a people who were moralistic, judgmental, mean-spirited, and power hungry. At times during those two decades it seemed as if Christians only cared about two things: abortion and homosexuality. Little if anything was ever said about other concerns like the growing environmental crises or the growing economic disparity between the rich and poor. Needless to say, it was often difficult for me to identify with the public face of Christianity since that face looked so little like Jesus’ face. But then things started to change. Values like love and compassion started coming to the forefront. When a shooter shot and killed the young girls in a school house in Pennsylvania last year, for instance, the first words out of their Amish community were related to love and forgiveness. As the reality of global warming continues to set in, more and more Christian leaders from all theological camps are talking about the issue – not just as a matter of right and wrong but as an expression of faith. And last week when a 19 year old gunman ended several lives in two faith communities, the first scripture some of the relatives of the deceased turned to in reaching out to the family of the gunman was 1 Corinthians 13 – commonly known as the love chapter! With each passing day I become more encouraged as I see more and more of the spirit of Christ present in Christianity. Little by little, it would seem, we are collectively living into the words from today’s passage from Hebrews 10:24-25: “Let's see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching” (The Message). In face of these promising collective steps, I encourage you to get inventive yourself as you find powerful new and transformative ways to love one another and help one another out. Til next time…

Tuesday, December 18

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 79; Isaiah 9:8-17; Matthew 18:1-6; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, 13-17; Psalm 96

Let’s face it. We live in a world that values complexity above all else. Whether we’re constructing relationships dependent upon cell phones and e-mail; building our daily routines around our blackberries; or relaxing to the sounds on our iPods; our lives are increasingly built around the newest innovations. And yet today’s scripture from Matthew reminds us that complexity isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. “I’m telling you, once and for all” Matthew quotes Jesus as saying, “that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you’re not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in.” And if that’s not enough, Jesus concludes, “Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like a child, will rank high in God’s kingdom” (Matthew 18:3-4 from The Message). The Gospel reading is especially appropriate during this Advent season, for this is a season when we celebrate the awe-inspiring gift of the Christ-child. Today, in the midst of the complexity of your life, I invite you to find time to reconnect with those simple and elemental pieces of yourself that you’ve locked away – pieces that you thought were no longer relevant in the world. Take time to explore those dimensions within yourself. Before you know it, you might just find yourself connecting with God in new and exciting ways! Til next time…

Monday, December 17

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 150; Isaiah 9:1-7; Matthew 21:23-32; Hebrews 12:18-29; Psalm 21

One of the folksy clichés I’ve created in my life is this: “You often find what you are looking for.” Lots of folks hear this and assume I mean it literally. I don’t. I mean it figuratively. I mean that if you are looking for the worst in a person or a circumstance you’ll almost always find it. Likewise if you are looking for the best in a person or a circumstance, you’ll almost always find it. So much of our life is determined by what it is that we are looking . As I read today’s passage from Hebrews, I was reminded of this cliché. For in the passage, the author sets up a contrast for us. “Are you looking for a mountain that it burning with fire,” he asks, “or are you looking for Mount Zion?” There’s a big difference, the author notes. The mountain burning with fire is best characterized with words like darkness, gloom, and storm; Mountain Zion is best described as a place of joyful assembly. I can certainly see in this instance how what you are looking for would shape the nature of your spiritual life. In these final days before Christmas as you head out to the shopping centers with your lists in hand – acutely aware of the last minute items you are searching for – I ask you to stop for a moment and consider what YOU are looking for in your spiritual life as well. A God of grace and mercy… A God of retribution and wrath… A loving and inclusive God… A demanding and exclusive God… Whatever it, I’m sure you’ll find it. Til next time…

Sunday, December 16

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 146; Isaiah 35:1-10; Matthew 11:2-11; James 5:7-10; Psalm 30

Today is the third Sunday in Advent and the theme for worship is joy. That’s why many churches will light the pink candle in their Advent wreath since some traditions teach that the pink candle is a visual representation for joy. Needless to say, I’ve been thinking a lot about joy this week. I realized that many of us (myself included!) grow up equating joy with simply getting what we want. Today’s words from Isaiah invited me to think about joy in a new way, however. You see in the passage, Isaiah doesn’t tell the people what they want to hear. He names for them in pretty direct terms exactly what things they are facing. This includes naming things in their lives like deserts and dry lands. Most of us in this situation would conclude that joy means moving oneself to an entirely different location; a location like, say, the beach or the mountains. Isaiah doesn’t do that. Instead, he talks about important shifts that will take place in their current location. He talks about, for instance, the blossoming or blooming that will unexpectedly take place in the desert. He talks about the waters and streams that will spring forth in the dry lands. In other words, he talks about hope breaking out right where we are. This Christmas, when you are tempted to ask God for things that are predicated on a new location (i.e. a new job, a new house, a new relationship, etc), stop and think for a moment about the ways in which God might bring joy into your current setting. May the blossoming crocuses and the cool waters spring forth in your life this holiday season and bring you joy in surprising new ways. Til next time…

Saturday, December 15

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 42; Isaiah 8:16-9:1; Matthew 17:9-13; Romans 13:8-14; Psalm 33

I learned an important lesson early in my life about balance. You see from an early age I was always someone who expressed my love for – and understanding of – God through service to others. This way of being led me to become an activist for peace and justice concerns by the age of 22. For nearly 8 years I devoted most of my spare time to these causes. But over those 8 years, something happened to me. I become more and more connected to the causes and less and less connected to the God who inspired me to become involved in them in the first place. As a result, I felt burned out by the age of 31. That’s why I so appreciated Paul’s words of perspective to the Romans in Romans 13:11 where he said: “But make sure that you don’t get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all of your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God” (The Message translation). Perhaps there is a day-by-day obligation in your life that is overwhelming your life and minimizing the time you devote to your relationship with God. I invite you to step back, look at your life, and see if you’ve become oblivious to God. If so, find a way of balancing your commitments so that God doesn’t get pushed out of your life. Til next time…

Friday, December 14

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 58; Isaiah 8:1-15; Matthew 11:16-24; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; Psalm 25

After years of reading Scriptures, it’s easy to develop a cavalier attitude about the language and imagery used to capture the nature of our connection with God. You can start to think you’ve mastered all of the images used - that there's no insights left to gain. Unfortunately, that’s been the case with me at times in my life. Thankfully whenever I get to that point, God often throws me a curve that reminds me I still have much to learn. Today’s second Psalm provided me with a great example of this. For in reading the 25th Psalm, I encountered a phrase that was used to describe our connection with God that was new to me. In the fourteenth verse of Psalm 25, the psalmist says: “The Lord confides in those who fear [God]; [God] makes [God’s] covenant known to them.” The language suggesting we are confidants of God was totally new to me. I suppose that’s because I’ve been so use to relating to God in such a way that I think that I am the only one sharing things in my relationship with God – a relationship where God is solely my confidant. The psalmist’s suggestion that I might be a confidant of God reminded me that in order for a relationship to be healthy, it requires both parties have a willingness to be there for the other and listen to the other. In these busy last days before Christmas, I invite you to slow down and starting looking for – and listening to – God. This might empower you to be a better confidant for God. Good luck in your efforts! Til next time…

Thursday, December 13

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 86; Isaiah 7:10-25; Matthew 11:7-15; Hebrews 10:32-39; Psalm 127

Each year around this time, a faith-based controversy seems to arise in my community. A couple of years ago, for instance, the controversy was around Denver’s “Parade of Lights” that was in the practice of banning faith-based participants. A year or two ago the controversy had to do with retail persons who were saying Season’s Greetings instead of Merry Christmas. Those controversies showed me to what a large degree today’s Christians in the United States have developed a sense of entitlement. It seemed as if many of those complaining wanted society to make it as easy as possible to live out and express their faith – not even acknowledging or caring about other expressions of faith. This saddened me greatly on multiple fronts. Today’s passage from Hebrews is a great reality check about what it REALLY means to hold on to your faith. Wouldn’t you know it? There’s no mention of being guaranteed parade permits. In place of a parade is mention of enduring insults and persecution. And wouldn’t you know it: there’s no mention of Christmas greetings by retail clerks. In place of catchy greetings is mention of solidarity with the imprisoned and confiscation of property. The passage culminates with these words from Hebrews 10:36 in the NIV: “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what God has promised.” The next time you find yourself starting to complain about inconveniences that pop up in your life, stop and remember the spirit of today’s passage from Hebrews. May this passage move us beyond a sense of entitlement in regards to our faith to a sense of perseverance as we face the challenges ahead. Til next time…

Wednesday, December 12

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 61: Isaiah 7:1-9; Matthew 11:1-6; Galatians 6:1-10; Psalm 31

As someone who was raised in a small town (1,500 people), it was a thrill for me to move to the big city. That was because the city offered so many things a small town couldn’t: a diversity of people and cultures; access to professional sports teams and the arts; economic opportunities; you name it. For the first several months I was here I was in heaven! But then one day when I made my first trip to the Rocky Mountains, I got another take on the effects of living in the big city. Coming down from the mountains, I gazed down upon the city and saw a gray cloud of pollution hanging over the city. It showed me very clearly the results of city life in a way that was difficult to deny. Had it not been for having the luxury of a different view, I would not have seen this side of city life. I remembered that experience today as I read the psalmist’s words from Psalm 61:2 in the NIV: “From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to a rock that is higher than I.” Those words reminded me of what happens when you experience things from God’s eyes rather than our own. We get a different take or perspective on things – a healthier perspective. Today, as we live in a world still reeling from the effects of things like the shootings at the Omaha mall and the shootings on two church campuses here in Colorado, I would encourage you to make the time to ascend to the higher rock. May our faith and courage be strengthened as a result of that climb. Til next time…

Tuesday, December 11

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 119:65-120; Isaiah 6:1-13; John 5:30-47; Revelation 22:16-20

Today’s readings are all rich with imagery involving themes of coming times. The opening passages of Isaiah, for instance, use powerful imagery to describe a vision the prophet has of God on the throne. The passage from Revelation uses dramatic imagery of the culmination of days. In the midst of all of these bigger-than-life images, there was another smaller – less dramatic use of imagery that caught my attention today. It was the imagery used in verse 10 of this morning’s passage from Isaiah. In this passage the prophet uses various body parts to establish a link between senses and our spiritual insights. The first two pairings are to be expected; the prophet links eyes with seeing and ears with hearing. But then things get interesting. In the third pairing the prophet links understanding not with the brain (as we modern folks might expect) but with another part of the body: our heart. Over the last several decades we mainline folks have increasingly approached our spiritual lives as if the brain were the epicenter of our experience of God. We analyze Scripture using extensive historical and cultural tools; we study methods that others use to connect with God (i.e. methods of prayer and meditation); and we apply the principles of marketing to better understand outreach/evangelism. In other words, we do a WONDERFUL job feeding our intellects and gaining knowledge. But how are we at using our hearts to gain understanding? Today, I invite you to take a risk and take a few steps out of your head and into your heart. See if perhaps the Spirit’s leading in the process might bring you a little more understanding as together we inch ever closer to the manger in Bethlehem. Til next time…

Monday, December 10

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 109; Isaiah 5:13-17, 24-25; John 3:22-36; Acts 10:34-43; Psalm 12

The church I serve had its annual congregational meeting yesterday. That meant that for the past several weeks, I had the opportunity to spend time thinking about our ministry together in very concrete, very specific ways. What I re-discovered during this time is that as faith communities look toward the future, there is certainly no shortage of materials that identify keys to success for one’s ministry. Unfortunately a large percentage of these materials approach the topic programmatically. If you add a (fill in the blank) ministry, you’ll attract more people from this (fill in the blank) demographic. While much of their words made sense in my head, most of them didn’t make sense in my heart and spirit. Luckily today’s Gospel reading from John provides an element that is missing from the programmatic approaches. It adds a spiritual dimension to the issue. And what’s so beautiful is that the approach it suggests works not just at the corporate level, but at the individual level as well. The key that I’m speaking about comes from the mouth of John the Baptist who, in speaking of Jesus’ burgeoning ministry in John 3:30, says: “He must become greater; I must become less” (NIV). In those eight simple words, John lays out a plan that can benefit us all. During the last two weeks of Advent, I invite you to spend time in prayer and meditation as you begin to live into John’s way of being. Til next time…

Sunday, December 9

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 72; Isaiah 11:1-10; Matthew 3:1-12; Roman 15:4-13; Psalm 7

One thing that has saddened me deeply as a Christian is the way that Christianity got co-opted by a small group of Christians and used for very specific, very political, very personal gains in the 1980’s and 1990’s. This group was totally obsessed with gaining political power and privilege and didn’t care whose lives were destroyed in the process. Sadly, because they loudly trumpeted their faith, many in our society came to believe over those two decades that that was what Christianity stood for: mean-spiritedness and divisiveness. Thankfully, today’s words from Isaiah remind us that this is NOT what God intended; for the prophet’s words lay out very clearly the sort of effect the promised Messiah would have. God pointed us toward a Messiah whose presence would cause the wolf to lie with the lamb – the leopard with the goat – the calf and the lion and the yearling – the cow with the bear – the infant and the cobra. If Isaiah re-appear and share the effects of the Messiah in our language, I can only envision how that vision might look: the Republican would get along with the Democrat – the straight with the gay – the citizen with the immigrant – the pro-life with the pro-choice... The list of polarzied and hostile camps these days unfortunately could go on and on. Such a vision would be the very embodiment of Good News! This holiday season, my fervent hope and prayer is that each of us will give God the very best Christmas presents possible: peace, harmony, and humility. Til next time.

Saturday, December 8

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 28; Isaiah 5:8-12, 18-23; John 1:29-42; Romans 3:21-31; Psalm 49

Within many church circles, there is a name for some folks who visit churches only occasionally. That name is CE Christians. The C and E stand for Christmas and Easter. The name means these are folks who come to church only for these two special occasions. That name speaks of a larger cultural dynamic at work that seems to motivate folks at these times of the year to try to draw closer to God. Today’s words from Romans draws into question that notion that it is ever WE who draw closer to God. In Romans 3:28, Paul says: “What we've learned is this: God does not respond to what we do; we respond to what God does. We've finally figured it out. Our lives get in step with God and all others by letting him set the pace, not by proudly or anxiously trying to run the parade” (The Message). In my old Wesleyan circles, this act of God’s reaching out first is called prevenient grace – the grace that comes BEFORE our response that makes it possible for us to even respond in the first place. This holiday as you are tempted to try “running the parade” in preparation for Christmas, take a moment and stop. Remind yourself who has really done the work this – and every- holiday season. Now resume your activities: this time not driven by a spirit of manic urgency but rather a spirit of gratitude. Til next time…

Friday, December 7

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 80; Isaiah 5:1-7; John 1:19-28; Revelation 5:1-10; Psalm 40

One of the most frustrating aspects of living in the modern age for me as a mystic is resisting the urge modernists have to neatly define everything – including God. Lost in the modernist approach toward life is the reality that some things – by their very definition – defy definition. I can think of nothing where this is more true than of God. The psalmist beautifully captures this truth in the 40th Psalm when he wrote in verse 3: “More & more people are seeing this: they enter the mystery, abandoning themselves to God.” The natural response to this mystery? “I start talking about you, telling what I know, and quickly run out of words. Neither number nor words account for you” (Psalm 40:5 – The Message). While many modern folks are uncomfortable without having things neatly defined, I can think of no time better than Christmas to abandon yourself to the mystery we call God. Think about the many times your experience of God transcends definition during this season: the feeling you get in your heart when you watch your child excitedly open a gift; the emotion you feel when you sing “Silent Night” by candlelight at the Christmas Eve service; that moment when you walk out of the Christmas Eve service at midnight and your breath is taken away by the cold and the calm. Each of these experiences testifies to the truth of the psalmists’ words. This Christmas season I invite you to resist the urge to define God and instead abandon yourself to the Mystery. Til next time…

Thursday, December 6

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 76; Isaiah 4:2-6; John 1:6-13; Acts 10:9-16; Psalm 43

Lot’s of folks have a “wish list” when it comes to Christmas: things that they desire but seem well beyond their reach. For some this list might include an expensive flat-screen high definition TV; for others it might be a diamond ring; for still others, it might be a trip to another country. There’s one such thing that is on most people’s list that’s so elusive that – over the years – they’ve completely forgotten to even include it on such a wish list. That item is total love and acceptance. Over the years we’ve become so use to living with others’ expectations of who we are that gradually we begin to give up on the notion that anyone can love us for who we REALLY are. Instead, we settle for letting them love and appreciate the person they think we are. Luckily in today’s Gospel reading from John, we are reminded of One who does in fact love us for who we are. In the prologue, the author uses these words to describe the dynamic around the coming of Jesus: “But whoever did want him, who believed he was who he claimed and would do what he said, he made to be their true selves, their child-of-God selves” (John 1:12 - The Message). As we prepare ourselves once again to receive the coming of the Christ-child, we can give thanks for the one who not only allows us to be our true selves, but who actually helps make that possible. May our experience of the Christ-child this year awaken us to the fact that we can cross at least one item off our wish-list. Til next time…

Wednesday, December 5

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 90; Isaiah 3:8-15; Matthew 25:31-46 2 Peter 3:8-18; Psalm 94

Over the years, I’ve noticed a subtle but important shift taking place in many mainline churches. Many of them have moved from a model where members of local churches were directly involved in helping people to a more professionalized model where we now take offerings to help others who help people. Some would say that this development is positive since it puts skilled people in place to provide the most effective assistance possible. As someone who worked in human services myself for 8 years myself, I definitely do see the upside in having professionally trained folks available to help those in need. Alongside this professional approach toward mission, I hold Jesus’ words from today’s passage in Matthew, where he holds up a different model for helping. In praising the lives of the blessed, Jesus pointed out what it was that set them apart: “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me” (Matthew 25:35-36 – NIV). In this passage, Jesus refers very clearly to an intimate connection that ought to exist between those in need and those with resources. One of the most unfortunate side effects of our current professional model is that by paying others to do the work for us we no longer see the person in hunger, thirst, the stranger, the naked, the sick, or the imprisoned. We have the luxury of looking the other way. During this Advent season - when we spend so much time looking for the things we want to see and pursuing them (i.e. the items on our Christmas lists) - I invite you to first spend some time looking in those directions you perhaps don’t want to look. After you get a few glimpses of the unexpected, I encourage you to do what Jesus suggested: respond - in very personal ways. You’ll be surprised at the changes that begin to take place; not just in the lives of those to whom you reach out, but within yourself as well. Til next time…

Tuesday, December 4

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 75; Isaiah 2:12-22; Matthew 25:14-30; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; Psalm 62

Today’s parable from the Gospel of Matthew is one of my favorite parables. It’s one of my favorites because it makes a valuable point about how the way we perceive “the master” affects the way we live our lives. In the parable of the talents, the master gives three individuals a different sum of money. Two of the individuals invest (and subsequently grow) their money; the third individual doesn’t. He simply buries the money and produces it when the master reappears. The most fascinating aspect of the parable for me is when the third individual reveals the reason for his cautious approach; he says to the master: “I knew that you are a hard man… so I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground” (Matthew 25:24-25 – NIV). So many of us are like the third individual. Instead of taking out the talents that God has given us and using them, we bury them: afraid to take a risk. I love this morning’s parable because it explicitly invites us to take risks with the blessings God has given us. In fact, it suggests that’s what God expects of us. During this Advent season, I invite you to CONSIDER different ways God is calling you to take a risk and THEN step forward and actually TAKE that risk. While I know the experience can be terrifying, relax: the master we serve is loving and gracious and will appreciate whatever returns come from your risk. Ironically, the only real risk we ever take in our spiritual lives is the choice to play it safe. Til next time…

Monday, December 3

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 97; Isaiah 2:6-11; Matthew 25:1-13; Acts 1:6-11; Psalm 25

If you’ve turned on your television or radio lately, you’ve noticed that retailers are trying to convince you that time is running out. The commercials incessantly bring home the same point: only 21 shopping days left until Christmas! Several of today’s lectionary readings pick up on a similar notion: timeliness. The passage from Isaiah talks about the impending day of the Lord; the passage from Matthew talks about the five virgins who find themselves unprepared when the bride groom presents himself; and the passage from Acts tells the story of Jesus informing his disciples they can’t know the specific times or dates of God. The readings ought to give us a different sense of urgency than the commercials on television or the radio: a sense that our spiritual lives DO matter and ARE worthy of our attention! In this post-Christian day and age when our spiritual lives have gone from being the first priority in our lives to becoming simply one of many things competing for our attention, I invite you to examine where your spiritual life falls on your lists of priorities. Is it at the top of your list, or does it fall somewhere else – somewhere, say, between taking the kids to soccer practice and picking up your dry cleaning. If you discover your spiritual life ranks lower on your list of priorities than you realize, perhaps its time to start paying more attention to it. Right here. Right now. Til next time…

Sunday, December 2

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 122; Isaiah 2:1-5; Matthew 24:36-44; Romans 13:11-14; Psalm 145

Each Advent season I love hearing the words of the prophets create an image of the One for whom we wait. Their words create such a stark contrast between the “what is” and the “what could be”. The sense of possibility is amazing! In today’s passage, Isaiah does a beautiful job creating a vision of transformation. He talks about swords being transformed into plowshares – spears being turned into pruning hooks. Often we hear these words of transformation and relate them solely to those things outside ourselves. Today, I invite you to do a personal inventory and see if there are parts of yourself that are the equivalent of a sword – maybe your anger, your fear, your jealousy. Find that part of yourself. Now, take that piece and spend some time imagining how that part of yourself might look if it were transformed into something more positive: the equivalent of a plowshare. Imagine, for instance, if your anger were transformed into a passion that motivated you to get out and help others. Imagine if your jealousy were transformed into a sense of love and appreciation that caused you to grow deeper into your relationship with another. Just think what might happen. Real peace might be achieved in the one place that matters most: your heart. Til next time…

Saturday, December 1

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 87; Isaiah 1:21-31; Matthew 24:46-51; Romans 13:8-14; Psalm 14

Buried near the middle of today’s passage from Isaiah lies one of my VERY favorite theological concepts. Let me first share the passage from Isaiah that I’m referring to and then reveal that theological concept to you. After Isaiah begins by pronouncing God’s disgust at Israel’s practices in the first four verses of today’s passage, Isaiah then tells us God says in Isaiah 1:25b (NIV): “I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities.” In my old Wesleyan circles, the concept here is referred to as sanctification. Sanctification is the process wherein the Spirit of God works within the heart of an individual to clean things up. The key thing to remember here is that sanctification is the work of God – NOT the work of an individual. In order to understand this process I’ve always thought of sanctification in terms of what happens to an individual when she or he falls in love. When the individual falls hard for that special someone, each and every element of her or his life begins to fall in line. You unconsciously start finding time to be with the special someone; you think about that special someone incessantly when you are apart; you find excuses to seek out that special someone’s presence. That’s what happens in our spiritual lives as well when we fall in love with God. This Advent season – as we once again fall for the incomprehensible love of God that we find expressed in that manger in Bethlehem – may we give thanks for the ways in which sanctification kicks in and helps our lives catch up with our hearts. Til next time…

Friday, November 30

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 50; Isaiah 1:10-20; Matthew 24:29-35; Romans 13:1-7; Psalm 15

Each Christmas season it is easy to get so caught up in your “to do” lists that you never stop to think about what you are doing. Instead, if you’re like me, you become so focused on the next item on our “to do” list that the holiday seems to be over before you know what hit you. This morning’s passage reminds us about the important of taking the time to slow down and spiritually think about what you are doing before you do it. Isaiah 1:11 (NIV) cries out to us: “’The multitude of your sacrifices – what are they to me?’ says the Lord. ‘I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.’” Here, God reminds us that it is not just the practice of ritual that matters most (i.e. the next item on our spiritual “to do” list), but rather the heart that lies behind those actions. This Advent season I invite you to examine your “to do” list with new eyes. Is there someone on your list, for instance, who might benefit more from some relationship-building time and truth-sharing than yet another scarf or tie for their collection? If there is, slow down and tend to the heart of the matter. In doing so you will honor the coming of the Christ-child in new and transformative ways. Til next time…

Thursday, November 29

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 38; Isaiah 1:1-9; Matthew 24:15-28; Revelation 1:12-20; Psalm 128

There’s no other way to put it than to say this morning’s readings aren’t a lot of fun to read. In Isaiah, for instance, you have words talking about the impending doom to be visited upon Israel; and in Matthew you have a disturbing apocalyptic vision of the future. Needless to say, not the most comforting words I’ve experienced in my daily times of devotion. Today’s first Psalm – Psalm 38 - did raise an interesting issue for me. In that passage, the psalmist cries out in verse 18: “I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin.” This verse got me to wondering: is the psalmist troubled by his/her sin simply because of the consequences he/she’s received, or is he/she troubled by his/her sin because of the distance it’s put between him/herself and God? For some, this distinction might not seem significant. To me it is. The first option suggests a sort of mechanical relationship with God (“Just tell me what to do and I’ll do it so my life turns out the way I hope”) rather than a relational connection with God (“I’m deeply in love with you God and want to make choices that strengthen our relationship rather than weaken it”). How would you describe your approach toward God: is it mechanical, relational, or perhaps something else? Is your approach what you would want? During this season of Advent, I hope you’ll take the time to nurture the sort of connection with God that you feel called to create. Til next time…

Wednesday, November 28

Today’ Lectionary Readings: Psalm 18:1-50; Nahum 1:1-3; Matthew 24:1-14; Revelation 1:4-11

There are so many aspects of ourselves that can be our defining piece. For some, for instance, the defining piece is our family. For others, it might be an affiliation with a political party or social cause. For still others, it might be an allegiance to a sports team. This morning’s reading from Revelation reminds us of a piece that ought to be a bedrock piece of us. Revelation 1:8 in the NIV reads: “’I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.’” In that passage, we are reminded of the foundational nature of God. The question to consider is, “Is God the foundational – or defining piece in my life? Is God my Alpha and Omega – my beginning and end – or is God something I turn to after exhausting my other resources first?” As we head into the first Sunday of Advent this Sunday, may we once again use the anticipated coming of the Christ child to ground us in the One who is, who was, and is to come. Til next time…

Tuesday, November 27

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 27: Obadiah 15-21; Matthew 20:29-34; Ephesians 1:15-23; Psalm 127

Some folks read the words of the prophets and experience them solely in a moralistic way. This means that they understand the prophets to teach us that the good things in life are simply rewards from God for the righteous decisions we have made in our lives while the bad things in life are punishments from God for the poor decision we have made in our lives. Approaching the prophets’ words solely from this angle, however, contributed to the emergence of the question of theodicy – a question Rabbi Harold Kushner made famous through his book Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People? That question got me to thinking about the prophets’ words in a new way several years ago – a way that incorporated the notion of natural consequences into the equation rather than just relying entirely on the traditional reward/punishment model. For instance, if you don’t exercise and eat a healthy diet – instead of thinking God smote the afflicted individual with either heart disease or cancer, I understood the subsequent health issues that developed to be the natural consequence of one’s lifestyle. This allowed me to be present (with myself or others) in difficult situations in a way in which God could be seen Friend, Ally, and Supporter instead of as solely the Enforcer that some had made God out to be. I was reminded of this when I read the words from the prophet Obadiah, which read: “As you have done, it will be done to you, your deeds will return upon your own head” (Obadiah 15b). As we approach the end of 2007 and many of us ponder what resolutions we might make for 2008, I invite you to explore your deeds and see what cycles or patterns you would like to break for the coming year. The good news is that these resolutions won’t just lead to a healthier life for you, they could lead to a healthier relationship with your Creator as well. Til next time…

Monday, November 26

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 105; Zechariah 14:12-21; Matthew 20:17-28; Ephesians 1:3-14

In reading today’s Psalm, I was reminded once again that God doesn’t enter our life in broad, generic ways. God enters into our stories in very specific, very concrete ways. The psalmist makes this abundantly clear as – after assuring us God remembers God’s covenants or age-old promises in Psalm 105:8 – he proceeds to spell out the very specific, very concrete ways in which God was present in the lives of the people. This is the same point that the Christmas story makes for us as well. For each Christmas we are reminded the Christ child didn’t appear in a broad, generic way; the Christ-child appeared at a specific time, in a specific, place, to a specific set of people. Of course the notion of the healing and reconciling spirit of Christ's appearance doesn't have to be limited simply to a geographical place. That appearance can be within a location of an individual's life as well: within a relationship, within a piece of one's self image, etc. This year, as we embark upon the season of Advent and prepare our hearts to once again receive the Christ-child, I invite you to think about the specific, concrete area(s) of your life in which you seek to receive the healing, reconciling spirit of the Christ-child. May that Christ-child bring unprecedented levels of joy and peace into those areas of your life this year. Til next time…

Saturday, November 24

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 97; Zechariah 14:1-11; Matthew 20:1-16; Philippians 2:1-11; Psalm 92

Once of the things that most intrigued me growing up in the small town (population less than 1,500 when I was a kid) was the stories my mother told of how life use to be when she was a girl. She used to tell me that when she was little, there were only a few churches in town: a Catholic parish, Congregationalist church, a Lutheran church, and a Methodist church. The result of this was that when folks moved to town from other denominations (i.e. Presbyterians or Baptists), they would have to find a church that was outside their tradition in order to worship. The amazing thing was that in the 1940’s and 1950’s, people from other backgrounds in these churches didn’t fight for supremacy or control; they actually got along. Not only that, they saw their differences from each other not as things that must be stamped out or eliminated; they actually saw their differences as opportunities to learn! Unfortunately, something happened to the soul of the church in the 1980’s and beyond. People from certain traditions stopped talking and learning from others, and started battling those who differed from them for control or supremacy of the faith. If you saw the Bible differently than I did – if you had a different understanding of Jesus – if you belonged to a different political party – if you had a different position on abortion or homosexuality – then it was war. As a result of this split, our faith became seen by many in our society as the thing that caused the troubles in our world; not the thing that healed them. On this eve of Reign of Christ Sunday, today’s passage from Philippians reminds us what the original vision and purpose of Christ was. Listen to these amazing words from Philippians 2:1-4: “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ… then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” As we prepare for the start of Advent next week, let us keep this vision in mind. My prayer is that we may hold to that vision so strongly that the world may see the coming of the Christ child for what it is: good news. Til next time…

Friday, November 23

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 51; Zechariah 13:1-9; John 11:28-44; 1 Corinthians 3:10-23; Psalm 105

One of my favorite pairings of individuals in the Bible is a pair of sisters: Mary and Martha. I appreciate them because they provide us with two different approaches toward living out one’s faith. And the beauty is that there is room in Jesus’ company for both approaches. There’s the Mary approach (“get your priorities in order and respond immediately in a heart felt way”) and the Martha approach (“dutifully respond in socially appropriate ways). Once again we encounter the contrast between the two approaches in yesterday and today’s Gospel reading. The passages from the 11th chapter of John tell the story of Jesus’ raising of Mary and Martha’s brother Lazarus. In John’s telling of the story, Jesus intentionally waited to see the siblings until Lazarus had died so he could use the situation to reveal God’s glory. The difference between the sisters’ response to Jesus’ delayed appearance is telling. When Jesus finally shows, Martha said (in a respectful and dutiful way): “If you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask” (John 11:21-22). Even in the midst of her overwhelming grief, Martha goes to great lengths to clean up her raw emotions and use the situation as an opportunity to express her faith. Mary was different. In today’s passage, Mary let’s loose when she sees Jesus finally showing up. She says simply: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:32) In the depths of her grief, Mary includes no affirmation of faith as Martha did. And what was Jesus response? Did he walk away offended by Mary? No. The very next verse reads: “When Jesus saw her (Mary), and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved and troubled in spirit” (John 11:33). And then Jesus wept with them. The story reminds me that the loving spirit of Jesus has room for BOTH our Mary moments AND our Martha moments. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all definition of faith. Today, let us continue to give thanks for our relationship with a God that allows us to not only think outside the box – but have a faith that defies boxes as well. Til next time…

Thursday, November 22

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 109; Zechariah 12:1-10; John 11:17-27; Jude 14-25; Psalm 125

First things first: Happy Thanksgiving. May you and yours have a blessed holiday time together! There was a verse from the first of today’s Psalms that really captured the essence of the day for me. That verse was Psalm 109:30 (from The Message). It read: “My mouth’s full of great praise for God, I’m signing his hallelujahs surrounded by crowds.” That verse reminded me of conversations I’ve had with folks over the years where they have asked: “If God is the Creator of the universe and Source of All life, does God really need the praise of little old folks like us?” My answer is typically both a yes and no. On one hand, the questioner is correct. As the self-sustaining source of all, God probably could get by without little old Craig Peterson taking some time on Thanksgiving Day and expressing gratitude for all that he’s been given. On another level, however, I like to think that God is so great because of God’s relational nature; a nature that is fed in ways we’ll never fully understand by the intimate connection between Creator and creation. In this day and age where we are increasingly losing our connection with others, let us give thanks for the One whom is always connected to us – whether we stop to realize it or not. And then let us respond in the only way appropriate: WITH PRAISE! Til next time…

Wednesday, November 21

Today’s Lectionary Reading: Psalm 20; Zechariah 11:4-17; John 11:1-16; Judy 1-13; Psalm 124

I can sure relate to the disciples in this morning’s Gospel passage from John. They are a step or two behind Jesus. When he talks with them about Lazarus’s condition, for instance, they don’t understand. That’s why Jesus has to move from coded language (“our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep”) to explicit language (“Lazarus is dead”). There are many times when I, like the disciples, am a little slow on the uptake. This is particularly true around Thanksgiving. When it comes to giving thanks, I go part of the way. I stop and give thanks for the blessings in my life. But I often miss an important step in my spiritual walk. In addition to giving thanks, I forget to experience those blessings as signs that both point me back toward God and strengthen my experience and understanding of God. To say it another way, it’s kind of like what Jesus said to the disciples as they approached Lazarus and his circumstance: “You’re about to be given new grounds for believing” (John 11:15 – The Message). What signs have appeared in your life that could be considered “new grounds for believing”? This Thanksgiving let us not stop just to give thanks, but explore those blessings as new opportunities to strengthen our relationship with God. Til next time…

Tuesday, November 20

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 103; Zechariah 10:1-12; Matthew 18:21-35; 3 John 9-15; Psalm 104

Today’s reading from 3 John reminded me of an experience I had attending a denominational meeting in Cleveland seven years ago. At the quadrennial meeting, delegates were dealing with a variety of controversial issues ranging from contentious social issues such as abortion and homosexuality to crucial organizational issues such as the regional election of delegates. I had gone to the meeting hoping the gathering would show me how the amazing grace of God could transform a potentially divisive gathering into a place of unparalleled peace and reconciliation. Unfortunately, I was sadly disappointed. For what I found was that the powers that be chose to mimic the ways of this world (i.e. shameless power plays and brutal manipulation) instead of the ways of Jesus. The maneuverings at the gathering would have made folks in Washington, DC blush. It was so easy to want to adopt the methods I saw displayed around me in order to do what others were doing – getting what I wanted. Thankfully, I had the words of 3 John rattling around in the back of my mind – words that said: “Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good if from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God” (3 John 11). I’m sure there have been times in your life when you too have been tempted to adopt some of the questionable approaches around you in order to get what you want. Today, first let us give thanks for the Good in our life – the One who constantly shows us a better way. And second, let’s resolve to follow that way - no matter what! Til next time…

Monday, November 19

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 100; Zechariah 9:9-16; Matthew 18:10-20; 3 John 1-8; Psalm 23

In reading today’s Gospel passage, I stumbled upon a lesson I need to learn in my day to day life: how to handle conflict. I have a problem in my life with something called triangling. Here’s what triangling means. Let’s say John and Susan get into a conflict about something. Instead of handling the issue between themselves, let’s say John comes to me to complain about Susan with the expectation that I can help get Susan to come around. What originally started as a conflict between John and Susan escalates into an issue between John, Susan, and me. As a pastor, there are many times when things like this happen. Folks expect me to have all the answers (or at least pull the ‘pastoral privilege’ card in order to get the other person “to come around”). Of course with my propensity to be a people pleaser, more often than not in the past I’ve dived in when I shouldn’t have. Hence, my experience of triangling. Let me say from years of experience that triangling IS NOT FUN (This would be the understatement of the year). Jesus’ words in Matthew, however, remind me of another way of being in the midst of conflict. Matthew 18:15-17 (NIV) says: "If your brother [or sister] sins against you, go and show him [or her] his [or her] fault, just between the two of you. If he [or she] listens to you, you have won your brother [or sister] over. But if he [or she] will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he [or she] refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church…” Jesus’ words remind us both to place accountability where it belongs – with the individuals involved. Jesus’ words also remind us that we are not a magical fix it tool that can accomplish the work of peace and reconciliation on our own. Whether or not you have an issue with triangling in your life, those words of wisdom regarding accountability and peace-making might help make your life a bit easier. Til next time…

Sunday, November 18

After a 15 hour day yesterday and a full day of responsibilities today, I'm exhausted today so I'll take a break from my postings. Check back tomorrow. After an evening of rest I hope to get back on track.
Peace,
Craig

Saturday, November 16

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 131; Malachi 3:1-18; Matthew 18:1-9; 2 John 1-3; Psalm 133

Over the years, it has amazed me how complicated we’ve allowed our faith to become. We’ve bought into the notion that living out our faith means first creating and then supporting institutions and systems. This approach often gets picked up by folks in our pews and encourages them to lead lives that are equally complex and overwhelming. But does our faith really have to be so involved? Today’s Gospel reading suggests not. Matthew 18:4 reads: “Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God’s kingdom.” What a wonderful thought. Today, when you find yourself starting to get sucked into the complexity and drama of our modern world, remember Jesus’ words and see if you can start molding a life of faith that is simple and elemental. See what begins to happen. Til next time…

Friday, November 16

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 118; Malachi 2:1-16; Luke 24:36-53; Romans 12:14-21; Psalm 126

Today’s passage from Romans is a wonderful primer on how to get along with others. I particularly resonated with Paul’s advice in Romans 12:17-18. Eugene Peterson, in his translation titled The Message, translates these words as follows: “Don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody.” As I read these words, I was reminded of an irony in my life. Let me tell you what that is. My first job out of college was teaching English and social studies in a juvenile detention center. In my position, every day I encountered individuals who had committed a wide variety of offenses: from assaults to sex offenses to murder. You name the offense, I saw it! For some reason, being in a place where everyone knew everyone else was wrestling with a flaw of some sort made it relatively easy to look beyond those faults and find the “beauty in everyone.” Actually, the setting required it! In working in churches off and on for the past 24 years (my first church job was as janitor for my home church when I was 16), I’ve Paul’s words more challenging to live out in this environment. Maybe it’s because we feel as if church is a place where we can’t bring our flaws. Our constant efforts to project perfection (or at least “I’ve got it all together”-ness) perhaps leaves us worn out and cranky. Whatever the case, we often end up taking it out on others around us. What has been your experience in living out Paul’s words? Are there times and places in your life when it’s been easier to follow them than at other times and places? Today, may God’s Spirit encourage and empower us to live into them at all times. In all places. Til next time…

Thursday, November 15

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 132; Malachi 1:1-14; Luke 24:12-25; Romans 12:9-13; Psalm 121

Today’s second Psalm really hit the spot after the day I had yesterday. You see I received word in the morning that our church had been vandalized for the second time in the past six months. Both times, my office was hit. Thankfully, nothing of great value was taken either time. It appeared that both incidents were relatively small acts of senseless destruction. It’s amazing how at such times, our first instinct is to reach out to physical objects as means of regaining our sense of security: buying bigger locks, increasing the lighting, and so on. In the midst of such natural, fear-based reactions, however, come verses 7 and 8 of Psalm 121 that read in The Message translation: “God guards you from every evil; God guards your very life. God guards you when you leave and when you return; God guards you now; God guards you always.” As I continue to vacuum up the broken glass, rearrange my papers and books, and make the changes necessary to decrease future risk; I challenge myself to remember where my real sense of security lies. Suddenly, I feel less vulnerable. I hope the psalmist's words make you feel less vulnerable too. Til next time…

Wednesday, November 14

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 21 & 66; Zechariah 8:9-17; Luke 23:56b-24:11; Romans 12:3-8

It’s always good for me to read some of the familiar passages “out of season” if you will. By this, I mean it’s instructive to read the Christmas story in July; or – as is the case with this week’s lectionary readings – the story of Jesus’ passion in November. I say this because when you read them out of season, you tend to pick up on different themes or angles than you would otherwise. Take the women’s discovery of the empty tomb in today’s passage from Luke. In season, it’s easy to read this solely within the context of the Jesus’ story and not extend its meaning into the context of our lives. Today when I read the story, it invited me to think about the ways in my own life that I do what the women did: look for the presence of Jesus only in the places I expect him to be. Today’s passage reminds me that Jesus doesn’t work that way. He is constantly breaks out of the boxes (tomb or otherwise) in which we try to place him. The next time you walk into a meeting at work, for instance, ask yourself: “Do I expect to encounter the spirit of Christ here?” The next time you sit in the stands at your child’s soccer game, ask yourself: “Do I expect to catch glimpse of Christ somewhere from these stands?” The next time you are anxiously standing in line at a grocery store with your cart, look around you as you ask yourself: “Where might the essence of Christ be embodied right now?” Today, give thanks that our experience of Jesus transcends not only our boxes - but our expectations as well. Til next time…

Tuesday, November 13

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 145 & 43; Zechariah 6:1-15; Luke 23:32-43; Romans 12:1-2

Last Sunday in our adult Sunday school class, we explored the story of Jesus’ feeding of the 5,000. One of the aspects of the story we discussed was the fact that the individuals in the crowd were so enthralled with Jesus that they followed him out into the countryside without giving any thought to how they would feed themselves when they got hungry. Folks in our conversation wrestled with the practicality of their decision. That conversation got me to wondering whether or not our faith should be practical. Then, in the midst of my deliberations about this thing called practicality, along came Paul’s words to the Romans in today’s readings. Eugene Peterson translates Paul’s words in Romans 12:2 as follows: “Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.” In sitting with Paul’s words, I was reminded me that the word “practical” itself is misleading since what is consdered practical varies from one culture to another - from one group to another. In other words, it’s relative to one’s perspective. Today, I invite you to think about your faith with Paul’s words as a backdrop. Is your faith considered practical by the world’s standards; or is your faith considered practical by God’s standards? Remember. Those standards are not the same. Til next time…

Monday, November 12

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 145 & 43; Zechariah 6:1-15; Luke 23:32-43; Romans 11:29-36

There are a lot of words that we like to use these days to describe a person of faith. Drawing from the words of the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, we like to describe people of faith with words like patient, kind, loving, and merciful. Now don’t get me wrong – all of these are perfectly wonderful adjectives that should be used to describe a person of faith. The last verse of today’s reading from Zechariah give us another word to use: a word that’s fallen out of favor these days. That last verse in The Message reads: “All this follows as you put your minds to a life of responsive obedience to the voice of your God.” I wonder how many folks would use the word obedient to describe a person of faith these days. That’s a tough word for most of us to embrace these days because it threatens our world that’s been constructed on the individual. Anything that threatens the autonomy of the individual turns our stomachs! The more I think about the word obedient, however, the more I realize its importance in living a life of faith. You see you can practice all the other qualities I listed above (patience, kindness, love, and mercy) and do so on YOUR times and on YOUR terms. You can be patient when it suits you; you can be kind when the other person is deserving of kindness; you can be loving when you are around those who you feel are lovable; and you can be merciful when you feel its appropriate. But the word obedience changes everything. It reminds us that we can’t take on those qualities of God when WE feel like it; instead, we must take on those qualities in response to God and practice them on GOD’S terms (i.e. 24 hours a day/7 days a week). If I were to ask your loved ones to describe you as a person of faith, how many would use Zechariah’s word “obedient”? Today, think about your willingness to embrace the word obedience and then see where the word obedience leads you. Til next time…

Sunday, November 11

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 45 & 65; Zechariah 7:1-10; Luke 20:27-38; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5

As we enter the holiday season, it’s easy to become so fixated on our commitments and traditions that we lose sight of what the holidays really represent. If that’s happened to you, don’t feel badly. You’re in good company. In this morning’s reading from Zechariah, we are told the people of Bethel have done the same thing. They’ve become so fixated on the religious tasks spelled out for them that they’ve lost sight of what’s really important; hence, God’s words through the prophet Zechariah spelling out what really matters – things like true judgment, kindness, and mercy. Today, as you anticipate the crushing demands of the holiday season before you, I urge to slow down and remember what’s really important during this time. Til next time…

Saturday, Novemer 10

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 22:1-31; Zechariah 5:1-11; Luke 23:26-31; Romans 11:22-28

In reading today’s Psalm, I was struck by the strong connection between Psalm 22 and Matthew 27. In Psalm 22, there is mention of the casting of lots for the psalmist’s clothes (Matthew 22:35); the psalmist’s cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 22:46); and the mention of being scorned and mocked by the crowd (Matthew 22:39-41). It was just one more reminder of the profound intimacy between the Hebrew (OT) and Greek Scriptures (NT). Having already written about the importance of that connection last week, however, I don’t want to take my time further developing this point. Instead, there was another aspect of the Psalm that grabbed my attention. This aspect was in Psalm 22:2 which read in the NIV: “O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer…” This claim from the psalmist got me to thinking about prayer once again. It’s so easy to practice intercessory prayer and equate one particular response (a yes - or getting what we want) with God listening/answering/caring. Many of us have little theological room for different answers (no, or not yet). Hence, the complaint, “You’re not listening.” I invite you to think about your own practice of intercessory prayer. Are you like the psalmist and equate God’s listening/answering/caring with getting what you want? Or do you have another perception of what it means for God to listen/answer/care? Til next time…

Friday, November 9

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 130 & 131; Zechariah 4:1-14; Luke 23:13-25; Romans 11:13-21

Let’s face it. There are some pieces of scripture that commentaries and studies don’t fully open up for you. The only thing that can do that is life experience. Today’s passage from Luke is one of those pieces – at least for me. This passage is the account of Pilate’s appearance before the people with Jesus when Pilate makes it clear that after examining Jesus he found nothing wrong with him. The underlying message Pilate conveys is that he wants to do the right thing by releasing Jesus, but the people won’t let him. Consequently, he is presented as a victim of his circumstances. The older I get the more I realize how easy it is for the rest of us to fall into situations in our lives where we feel like Pilate – circumstances where we profess that we want to do the right thing but say we are trapped. Folks at work, for instance, who don’t want to change numbers on the end of the year report but do so because their boss insisted. Folks who vote for an extremist candidate who blames a segment of society for all of societies ills and then justify their vote by saying the extremist candidate was better than his or her opponent. Folks who shop at a retailer that fails to provide livable wages and benefits for their employees and then excuse their purchases by explaining the retailer had the best price in town. Time after time we - like Pilate - have the opportunity to take control over our own lives and do the right thing; time after time we abdicate that control to others and simply go with the flow. Today, I encourage you to take an inventory of your life and see if there are places where you have done that. If you find such a place, spend some time in God’s presence asking for the strength to break that pattern and do the right thing. Til next time…

Thursday, November 8

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 69:1-36; Zechariah 3:1-10; Luke 23:1-12; Romans 11:7-12

If you were to ask most folks on the street to give a one word description of Christianity, I wonder what word they would use. Given Christianity’s treatment in the media, I suppose some of the descriptions would include things like “divisive”, “judgmental”, or even perhaps “self-righteous”. Of course, none of these descriptors are words that capture the true essence of Jesus. So what other words could be used to describe Jesus and his followers? Well, today’s reading from the Gospel of Luke provides a word that’s hidden in the accusations against Jesus by the assembly. That word? “Subversive” (actually, “subverting” in the NIV translation of Luke 23:2). That word got me to thinking about how much our reputation as followers of Jesus has changed over the last two millennia. While Jesus words often were subversive to the status quo, all too often Jesus’ words today have been tamed by the institutional church which has re-made Jesus into the poster boy for the status quo. Today, I ask you to consider the affect encountering this Jesus has had on you. Has it made you a poster girl/boy for the status quo, or are there whispers that you – a follower of this Jesus – just might be subverting the status quo as well? If so, you are in good company! Til next time…

Wednesday, November 7

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 71 & 142; Zechariah 2:1-13; Luke 22:54-71; Romans 10:21-11:6

One of the themes that undergirds the Gospel of Mark is often referred to as “The Messianic Secret”. This means that Jesus reportedly warned the disciples not to tell anyone who he was because it was not yet time for them to hear the news. When I was younger, Jesus’ approach there always frustrated me because it seemed as if Jesus and the disciples should have gotten the word out immediately and let the people decide whether or not they were ready to receive the news. As I’ve gotten older, however, I’ve realized Jesus’ wisdom in recognizing the importance of waiting until someone is ready to hear something before you share it. Today’s reading from the Gospel of Luke picks up on this nugget of wisdom when Jesus appears before the council of elders and is questioned by them. When they ask if he is the Christ, his response was simply, “If I tell you, you will not believe me; and if I asked you, you would not answer” (Luke 22:67-68). Often when we want to reach out to help or connect with others, we fail to consider whether or not they are ready to receive our efforts. This lack of consideration often leads to hurt feelings and bad experiences. The next time you are ready to say or do, I invite you to consider Jesus’ approach and ask yourself, “Are they ready to receive my offering or should I wait?” Til next time…

Tuesday, November 6

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 2 & 33; Zechariah 1:17-21; Luke 22:39-53; Romans 10:17-20

It’s easy for me to get so caught up in the demands of my daily schedule that I lose time to practice my daily spiritual disciplines. That’s especially true when it comes to my prayer life. I try to convince myself that this is okay to forgo my time of prayer since I’m connecting with God in other ways (i.e. acts of service, etc.) Today’s passage from Luke, however, is a reminder that I have no excuse for being too busy for prayer and centering, as the passage provides the example of Jesus who – on the verge of his arrest, trial, and crucifixion! – found time to pray on the Mount of Olives. That, for me, is lesson one: always find time to connect with God – especially at the most difficult times when you are tempted to forget this connection. There’s a second lesson regarding prayer in today’s passage as well. It has to do with the content of one’s prayer. In modeling a way to pray for us, Jesus said, “Please, not what I want. What do you want?” (Luke 22:42 from The Message) What a powerful way to help us re-conceptualize our prayer life – a way where our prayer life is built upon something other than just our wishes and desires. Today, I invite you to join me as we incorporate both lessons into our lives by first making the time to connect with God and then spend that time pursuing God’s desires and not simply our own. Til next time…

Monday, November 5

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalms 144 & 143; Haggai 2:10-23; Luke 22:31-38; Romans 10:10-16

As I explored emergent worship during my summer sabbatical, what most impressed me about faith communities exploring emergent worship was their willingness to let go of established patterns and routines and open themselves up to fluid ways of being that allowed for the movement of the Spirit. In most cases, the emergent communities were collections of individuals who had the luxury of choosing a new way of being. Today’s words from Haggai, however, remind us individuals and communities don’t always have the luxury of choosing new ways of being. In speaking to Zerubbabel, the governor of Juday, Haggai spoke these words: “I am about to shake up everything, to turn everything upside down and start over from top to bottom” (Haggai 2:21 in The Message). Often, we assume that having our worlds turned upside down is automatically a bad thing. But is it? In Zerubbabel’s case, the turning upside of his world meant Zerubbabel was taken as God’s “personal servant and I will set you as a signet ring, the sign of my sovereign presence and authority” (Haggai 2:22). Perhaps you are facing a circumstance in your life in which your world seems to have been turned upside down. Take some time and see what possibilities or opportunities might be opening themselves to you as a result of this traumatic time. Til next time…

Sunday, November 4

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 3 & 122; Haggai 2:1-9; Luke 19:1-10; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-12

This morning’s passage from Luke is a great eye opener for me. For in the passage we are introduced to an individual named Zacchaeus, a man whom is viewed one and only one way by his peers: as a Tax Collector. This title established not only Zacchaeus’ standing in the community, but his identity as well. This was so entrenched that no one – not even Zacchaeus – could imagine seeing himself any other way. Along came Jesus, however, who was willing to do something no one else was willing to do – look at Zacchaeus with new eyes. This willingness led Jesus at the end of today’s passage to establish a new identity all together for Zacchaeus; instead of being simply a Tax Collector he became seen as a Son of Abraham. The story reminds us that when we see the world through Jesus’ eyes, things begin to change. Today, I invite you to take a glance at the world from Jesus’ perspective. You might be surprised what you see. Even in yourself! Til next time…

Saturday, November 3

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 89; Haggai 1:1-15; Luke 22:14-30; Romans 10:5-9

Just yesterday I was having a conversation with a friend about what it means to be living in an age designated “the Post-Christian Age”. The Post-Christian Age simply means that we are living in a time in American society when the power and privilege Christianity has historically enjoyed has passed. We are now in a time where Christianity has become just one of many, many things competing for our time and energy. The result is that in many cases, our faith has come to rank very low in terms of our overall priorities. We might think that this development is new, but the prophet Haggai’s words in today’s lectionary reading reminds us, it’s not. In the passage, the prophet decries the fact that folks of his day have neglected their faith in favor of their own pursuits. In exploring the lives of his peers in Haggai 1:6, the prophet utters: “You have spent a lot of money, but you haven’t much to show for it. You keep filling your plates, but you never get filled up. You keep drinking and drinking and drinking, but you’re always thirsty. You put on layer of layer of clothes, but you can’t get war. And the people who work for you, what are they getting out of it? Not much – a leaky, rusted-out bucket, that’s what.” Amazing how little things have changed over the last several thousand years, eh. So what was God’s advice for Haggai’s peers – for US, today? “Take a good, hard look at your life. Think it over.” Today, I invite you to do just that. Take a priority check and see where – in this Post-Christian Age – your faith ranks in terms of all the things competing for your time, energy, and attention. And if you don’t like where it ranks on your scale of priorities, DO something about it. Today. Til next time…

Friday, November 2

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalms 41 & 55; Proverbs 25:15-28; Luke 22:1-13; Romans 10:1-4

In several discussions over the years involving the sacred readings of our faith, I’ve heard folks be dismissive of Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament readings) they struggle to understand. Often they’ll say things like, “I’m not sure what to make of that passage, but it doesn’t really matter because I’m a New Testament Christian so I don’t have to worry much about the Old Testament.” Every time I hear that response, it makes me sad for I don’t believe you can really make sense of who Jesus was – and how his ministry was shaped – without a solid understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures. This point was brought home for me today as I completed my daily readings. Let me tell you why this issue was raised. Lots of folks probably remember Jesus’ teaching about our enemies that read: “You have heard that is was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” (Matthew 5:43-44). So where are the roots of Jesus’ teaching (besides, of course, his huge heart and spirit)? Proverbs 25:21 in the NRSV reads: “If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.” The passage may have stopped short of using the word love, but a similar sentiment is there. Today, I invite you to consider the ways your faith has been shaped and informed by not one testament, but two. Let us give thanks once again for an expansive God that continues to take us outside our comfort zones as we explore our faith. Til next time…

Thursday, November 1

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 123 & 60; Proverbs 23:19-21, 29-24:2; Luke 21:29-38; Romans 9:28-33

One of our greatest challenges in our lives is to see things as they are, not as we would like them to be. Over the years I’ve counseled countless folks, for instance, who are in troubled or abusive relationships. Time after time, however, individuals in these situations cling to the relationship because they insist on seeing the other person for who they’d like them to be, and not for who they really are. As a result, the individuals often remain trapped in life-denying relationships. Why am I off on this tangent today? Well, I’ll have to blame a section of today’s passage from Proverbs for that. In Proverbs 23:31-32, the author advises: “Don’t judge wine by its label, or its banquet, or its full-bodied flavor. Judge it rather by the hangover it leaves you with – the splitting headache, the queasy stomach.” That passage is a spiritual call to be honest with yourself in looking at – I mean REALLY looking at – the circumstances in our lives. Are there any areas of your life where you could benefit from a more honest assessment? If there is, ask for God’s assistance in helping you revisit (and hopefully address) this area. Til next time…