Wednesday, April 16

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 125; Jeremiah 30:18-22; Matthew 12:22-32; 1 Peter 4:17-19; Psalm 120

My favorite of the four canonical gospels is Matthew’s Gospel. I suppose I’m particular to Matthew because I love its emphasis on Jesus’ teachings. Today’s passage from Matthew, however, contains one of the few pieces of Matthew that I take issue with. Let me spell out my issue with that area of concern. In addressing the relation between people of faith and those outside the faith, the author(s) of Matthew’s gospel has Jesus say: “If you’re not on my side, you’re my enemy…” The author(s) of Mark’s Gospel has Jesus say something slightly different in response to the issue: “If he’s not an enemy, he’s an ally” (Mark 9:40). While both passages make similar points, their area of emphasis differs dramatically. In many ways, the difference harkens back to the old “Is the glass half empty or half full?” saying. Jesus’ words in Matthew make the glass seem half full while Jesus’ words in Mark make the glass seem half full. I’ve noticed that this same tendencies run through Christian individuals and communities today. There are those eager to label those who differ from them in any way as enemies, and there are those who are willing to give “the other” the benefit of the doubt. Which approach would characterize your attitude toward your faith? As you encounter “the other” are you prone to a Matthean approach or a Markan approach? Do you tend to see “the other” as enemy or ally? Your answer to that question will go a long way in shaping your day to day experiences of the world and of your faith. Til next time…

Tuesday, April 15

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 108; Jeremiah 30:10-17; Matthew 12:9-21; 1 Peter 4:12-16; Psalm 40

In the 1960’s, Andy Warhol said, “In the future everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes”. Given the short attention span of the media and the American public, I’ve seen the spirit of these words lived out time and time again as the media picks up on a story, elevates one of the player in the story to the status of celebrity, becomes immediately bored, and then moves on to the next story. One of the sad dynamics that have been set into motion because of this process is that folks are use to getting their 15 minutes by “acting out”, if you will – doing something bold and brash that will set them apart from others. Such an approach toward life is in marked contrast to the spirit captured in Jesus’ quotation of Isaiah found in today’s reading from Matthew. In that passage, Jesus reminds us of the qualities to be found in the chosen one: “But he won’t yell, won’t raise his voice; there’ll be no commotion in the streets. He won’t talk over anyone’s feelings, won’t push you into the corner. Before you know it, his justice will triumph; the mere sound of his name will signal hope, even among far-off believers.” As a person of faith called to live out your convictions in an attempt to bring the realization of God’s reign a little closer, what approach do you take? Do you get sucked in to the quest of 15 minutes of fame and make bold and brash pronouncements of what should be, or as a follower of the chosen one do you find yourself manifesting those qualities that the prophet Isaiah spoke of in your own spiritual walk? If your approach is reflected by the later, you might not get your 15 minutes of fame. You might, however, get something much more lasting: peace, hope, and joy. Til next time…

Monday, April 14

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 54; Daniel 6:16-18; Matthew 12:1-8; 1 Peter 4:7-11; Psalm 102

Three weeks ago, we started a study in our faith community titled “How to Listen to God”. Needless to say, the topic of prayer has been on my mind more so than usual. During our study I have realized that some of my pre-suppositions about prayer are different than others – even slightly different from the author of today’s passage from 1 Peter. Let me tell you how. In today’s passage from 1 Peter, the author wrote these words of instruction to believers: “Therefore, be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.” I realize what the author was probably trying to get at. My assumption is that the author was encouraging us to come into our prayer time grounded so that our prayer time isn’t dominated by us and our reactionary thoughts. Here’s where I diverge from the author’s perspective, however. I strongly believe that prayer can truly be a transformative time when God can do amazing things through us – often in spite of the head space we are in. In other words, I believe prayer is essentially a time when our goal if for God to change us – not vice-versa. Therefore, I don’t believe we always have to clean ourselves up to spend time in prayer. In fact, some of my most productive times of prayer have been when I have gone to God raw and real. Kind of like the sentiments expressed by the psalmist in Psalm 54 today. These feelings seem to be the very anti-thesis of being “clear minded and self-controlled”. My biggest concern about the words from 1 Peter is that they might ironically prevent some people from seeking God at the times when they most need God simply because in those moments of excruciating pain and extreme vulnerability they aren’t feeling “clear minded and self-controlled”. I hope my ramblings today have invited you to think more about your understanding of prayer as well. My greatest hope today, however, is that you won’t spend all your time thinking theoretically about the nature of prayer; my greatest hope is that you’ll – to borrow a phrase from Nike – “Just Do It!”. May our time of intimate communication with God today lead to our on-going spiritual growth and transformation. Til next time…

Sunday, April 13

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 100; Acts 2:42-47; John 10:1-10; 1 Peter 2:19-25; Psalm 23

If I were to ask most folks on the street, “What do you need to build a church or faith community?” I’m pretty sure what most of the answers would be. The most popular would be, “I would need lots of money.” Other popular answers would be things like “Land” and “Hammers and nails.” All of these are good perfectly good answers from a human perspective. Today’s reading from Acts reminds us of other essential ingredients that are even more basic than the items listed above. The list includes teaching, the life together, the common meal, and prayer. Of course many of us wouldn’t make this mistake only when it comes to the notion of building a church. We often do the same thing with our lives. When we find ourselves off track, our first answers about how to get back on track often have little to do with any of the elements mentioned in Acts. As you think about constructing (or perhaps re-building) an area in your life, I would encourage you to start with these four elements and then see what happens to your plans. Til next time…