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…