Matthew 2:13-18 Holy Innocents

 

Observation: Just a few days into the joyful celebration of Christmas, here is a terribly shocking reminder of the world into which Christ is born. Echoing the cruelty of Pharaoh in the story of Moses' birth, Herod has all the infants and toddlers of Bethlehem murdered, just to be sure this newborn king does not ascend to take his throne. For the second time in Matthew's Gospel, angels come to the rescue by tipping off Joseph ahead of time. The holy family escapes. Not so for dozens or hundreds of children--an entire generation of Jesus' cousins and relatives--who remain. 

Application: There's a part of me that feels talking about the Holy Innocents--a senseless avoidable mass murder--during Christmas, is totally wrong. Yet there's another part of me that understands why it could be, and has to be, now. For the joy of Christmas to really mean something, Jesus has to be born into the real world, in all its ugliness. He has to be born among families of Sandy Hook students, who should be starting high school, or for families of students in Oxford, Michigan, facing their first Christmas without a child. If the good news of his presence is only for those untouched by tragedy, it must be good news for some other world; surely not our own. There is no part of Jesus' life, not even the story of his birth, which is untouched by the truth of his cross. If he isn't with us on our darkest day, he's not with us at all. That is the meaning of "Emmanuel." 

Prayer: God, be with parents who cry out like Rachel for her children, who refuse to be consoled. Help us to be your presence among them, not just standing there, but in solidarity with them, recognizing their pain, and working with them to rescue other families from it.    

December 21: Luke 23 the Light in the Darkness

 

Observation: I've never read the end of Luke's Gospel so close to Christmas before, and it brings up some interesting parallels. The same Spirit which overshadowed Mary is the one Jesus commends to his Father from the cross. Just as an angel shone with God's glory in the middle of the night for the shepherds, now we see darkness in the middle of the day as Jesus breathes his last. 

Application: Today is the winter solstice, the darkest day of the year. We know from past experience that the days will get brighter from here. They do every year. Yet it's faith that keeps us going on to those brighter days. If you are dealing with dark days, whether it's today or later on in the winter, or even after light and warmth returns to this part of the earth, know that you are not alone in the darkness. That's the promise of the cross. In fact, really, it's the fullness of the promise of the incarnation. Jesus did not take on flesh only to share our fun, joyful moments. Jesus is not a fairweather friend. He doesn't only show up to the bright holiday parties, or in the lives of the relentlessly positive, or those who manage to mask or numb their pain. If the "spirit of the season" just isn't there for you this year, if you're in a dark place, I have better news for you than candles and blinking lights can provide. The light of the world--Jesus--is here with you, in your darkest hour. 

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for being with us on the hardest days as well as the easiest. Amen.  

December 14: Luke 16 Two Masters

 Text: Luke 16 

http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=506489393

Observation: This is another teaching section in Luke's Gospel. The first parable is the parable of the "shrewd manager," who on getting news that he's being fired, proceeds to reduce the debts of all his master's clients. 

Then we have a couple of teachings about the Law, and the chapter finishes with the parable of the rich man and Lazarus: Lazarus, who is destitute and sits at the rich man's door, dies and goes to paradise. The rich man dies and goes to suffer in Hades. The rich man learns it is too late to cross over. 

Application: the theme I see in this chapter is verse 13. No slave can serve two masters. You cannot serve both God and wealth (in Greek, Mammon). 

It is tough to make sense of the "shrewd manager" parable. It just seems like he's cheating. But one possible take is that he would rather "cheat" in a graceful and generous way, with Mammon (unjust wealth) than diligently guard and serve the wealth of a ruthless man. In the same way, the rich man seems to have served Mammon all his life, which widened the chasm between himself and his neighbors in poverty. By the end, he even expects them to serve him in Hades. The chasm is in his heart, and it began to form long ago. 

It's hard to know how to fully serve God in a world that's captive to Mammon. Maybe it will look a little crazy at times. Maybe it will lead us down paths that others don't understand. But it's better to be misunderstood than to forge a chasm between ourselves and our neighbors, either now or in the life to come.

Prayer: Jesus, I need help today. Help me serve you, and forsake Mammon, the God of wealth. In your name I pray.

Amen. 

Luke 7, 8, 9 Healing, Sending, Explaining

 I'm behind by a couple of days, so I'll do a VERY brief overview of these three long chapters and mainly focus on 9. 

Luke 7: Jesus heals a Roman centurion's servant. Jesus raises a widow's only son from the dead. Jesus answers questions from John the Baptizer's disciples, and criticisms from Pharisees. At a dinner in a Pharisee's house, he publicly forgives the sins of a notoriously sinful woman, who anoints his feet with oil and kisses them. 

Luke 8: The Evangelist reveals the names of some women disciples and financial benefactors of Jesus: Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna. Jesus tells parables to the crowds. Jesus stills a storm on the sea of Galilee, to the amazement of his disciples. Jesus casts unclean spirits out of a man, into a herd of swine, which runs into the sea. Jesus heals a young girl who has died, and a woman who has suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years. 

Luke 9: Jesus sends out his apostles or "sent ones" out for the first time, to announce God's Reign, and to heal in his name. As Jesus' reputation increases, Herod begins asking questions about him and his relationship to John the Baptizer, whom he has killed. Jesus feeds over 5,000 people on a hill. Jesus asks his disciples "who do you say that I am?" to which Peter responds "the Messiah of God." then, for the first time, Jesus begins to tell them his destiny: that he will be rejected and die, and rise again. He explains to his disciples that those who follow him must likewise "take up their cross," and offer up their lives for his sake. Then, Jesus takes Peter, James and John up on a high mountain, and is transfigured before them, clothed in dazzling white and talking with Moses and Elijah. The voice of God from a cloud says, "This is my son, the Chosen, listen to him!" Jesus heals a demon his disciples could not, and begins to set his face toward Jerusalem, where the story will end...and begin again...

Application: Wow, so much going on here. The two biggest points I take from these chapters are: 

1) The presence of the Messiah is the presence of healing, forgiveness, and deliverance from evil. 

2) Jesus sends us out to BE his presence in the world. 

This does not necessarily mean we will have the power to do supernatural things. But it does mean that if we see ourselves as disciples (those who follow) then we are also called to be apostles (those sent out in his name). We don't learn from Jesus, or even worship him, for our own personal benefit, but in order that we can go out and do the things he does in the world. In short, when we follow Jesus, we act like Jesus and make the world a better place. It's a tall order, of course, and the results of our efforts are God's things, not ours. But each day we wake up, we are people with a purpose. 

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for your healing presence which enriches my life. Send me out to be that presence for others. In your name I pray. Amen. 

 

John 1:35-42 Andrew Said it First

 

Observation: Today is the festival of Andrew the apostle, and so we read about Andrew's first meeting with Jesus. It's notable in John's Gospel that Andrew has already been searching for truth--he is a follower of John the Baptist. It's also notable that Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, is the first to name Jesus as "Messiah", or "Christ" in Greek. In days long past, the king of Israel, whom God chose to lead the people, was anointed with oil by a priest. For centuries, the people have been waiting for another anointed ruler to save Israel from oppression and sin. The other Gospels make a big deal out of Simon Peter's confession that Jesus is the Messiah. For them, Peter is the first to use that word, and it comes only after walking with Jesus and seeing him in action. In John's telling, Peter first hears it from his brother Andrew. 

Application: I don't know what it is that Andrew sees in Jesus that makes him so certain he's in the presence of an anointed king. John the Baptist has already called him "Lamb of God," but "Messiah" first comes from Andrew's lips. He doesn't wear a crown or fine robes. He's a carpenter. A laborer among laborers. Yet after spending just an afternoon with him, Andrew knows this is "the one", and he's excited to tell his brother about him. 

Learning from Andrew's example, I want to draw my conclusions about Jesus not from appearances, and not from what others say, but from spending time with him. Hanging out with Jesus changes us. And it helps us reach out to others who might want to get to know him. 

Prayer: Jesus, Messiah, help me find more time today to spend with you. Reign in  my heart, and open my mouth to share you with others. Amen.  

 

 

Revelation 11:15-19

 

Observation: In John's vision, the final of seven seals has been opened, and the final of seven trumpets has been sounded. The revelation from God is reaching its conclusion. Elders in heaven announce God's final victory, and judgment over those who have destroyed the earth (and those who live here) for their personal gain. 

 

Application: As I read Revelation 11, it's hard not to hear the "Hallelujah Chorus," from George Frideric Handel's "Messiah." Even though it comes more in the "Easter" section of that work, many of us associate it with Christmas, when many choirs sing it. Every Christmas for many years, my maternal grandfather drove from Farmington, Michigan, to the Hartland Music Hall--just a few miles away from my home--to sing this piece with a community choir. I imagine my mom must have gone to see it a few times, but I don't recall ever going. That brings me a twinge of regret. 

The other piece of this scripture which stands out for me, is the reminder from the elders that it's not just human interactions that count in God's judgment. How we treat the earth counts too. It makes me ponder the question of whether the Fifth Commandment, "you shall not murder," applies beyond the human realm, and into living things that exist beside us, whom God has also called "good" and commanded to be fruitful and multiply? There's a big difference between "harvesting" the goods of the land, both plant and animal, for survival--every living thing does that--and killing for sport, or because it's more convenient than not doing so.  

That's where this text speaks to me today: giving thanks for the gift of music, which connects us to the hosts of heaven, and for the gift of our planet, in which all life is interconnected and responsible for mutual care. 

Prayer: God, thank you for giving us this "sheet music" to the praises of Heaven. Though in this life we'll never know what it sounds like, thank you for inspiring composers and singers to imagine it and share your words with new ears. And God, thank you for the web of life. remind us of our responsibility, not just to future generations, but to our living neighbors, human and nonhuman, who depend on our care and good will. Amen. 

Hebrews 10:32-39 Our Prized Possession

 

Observation: The preacher of this sermon to mostly Jewish believers in Christ reminds them of the struggles they and so many others faced early on because of their faith. Abuse, persecution, prison, and the loss of property were all part of early Christians' lives. Not only did believers themselves go through this, but they had friends and partners go through it as well. Suffering and persecution were never far from the first generation of Christians, and they saw it as a defining mark: a connection to Christ, who himself suffered as part of his earthly life. Yet the preacher reminds the hearers that they were able to do this confidently and even cheerfully, knowing that the possession that really mattered--their identity in Christ--could never be taken away by the cruelty of others. 

Application: Christians lived as a religious majority, in a comfortable partnership with our surrounding culture in Europe and North America, for so long that we lost touch with what it was like for early believers. They often had to choose their faith over friendships, economic opportunities, family connections, and even personal safety. It takes some mental and spiritual work to really identify with what that must have been like, because for many American Christians, faith had been a comfortable thing. When I do take a minute and think what it must have been like to be a religious minority, facing danger for practicing my faith, it reminds me that all the comfort around me is not going to last. I'm thankful to have a good job, a roof over my head, and the freedom to proclaim Christ publicly. Yet even if that all went away, who I am as a child of God would not. My prized possession is not a physical thing but my connection to a loving and gracious God. 

Prayer: God, thank you for all my blessings. Help me to have compassion for all those who suffer and face danger on account of their faith. Help me to remember what is essential in life, and celebrate it each day. Amen.  

1 Timothy 5:9-16 "Real Widows"

Observation: I'll level with you. The Pastoral Epistles (1 and 2 Timothy, Titus) are not my favorite New Testament books, and it's passages like this that explain why. The author, writing in Paul's name, gives the church advice on how to care for widows, and  his words strike me as extremely harsh. Only women who are above 60 and have a good reputation for helping others should be put on "the list" (for financial support from the church). The concern is that younger widows who receive financial support are more likely to get into mischief and give the church a bad reputation, so the author suggests they remarry. 

This one is hard. I really don't like what the author is trying to say here. I resent the way it depicts women. It's hard to see the merciful heart of Jesus in this legalistic language. That said, as a twenty-first century American Christian, I'm in no place to judge, and here's why: the whole conversation from this epistle is based on the assumption that if a widow does, in fact, qualify as "real," whatever that means, she is to be supported fully, in all her daily needs, by the ministry of the church. That's a very different context from what we live in today. 

Application: Again, I have big problems with this whole way of figuring who genuinely "deserves" support, and who doesn't. 

Still, we do make decisions every day with our own finances. When we have money we could be sharing with other worthy causes, we have to ask which ones are more worthy than others. We don't have an unlimited amount of money or time, so saying "yes" to one thing means saying "no" to others. In Western nations today, usually this conversation is one that either takes place in individual households, as we decide how much to share and with whom, or on the governmental level, where we have a major clash of values about larger social programs to help those in need. We don't usually have these conversations in the Church anymore. We're not living communally, as an extended family, like the early believers did, and we are not taxpayer-funded, like some European churches are. Therefore, too often, this starts to feel like a totally secular conversation, with no connection to our faith. Jesus is not invited to the table: neither to the kitchen table nor the legislative table. 

What I get from these verses in First Timothy, as judgmental as they may seem at first, is this is not a community asking "whether" it's their responsibility to support widows and others in need. They are asking hard questions about "how." I don't think there's any wiggle room in the Bible about "whether" to help those in need. The only question is "how." The answer may change over time, but reading scripture does at least ground us in the right question: for our personal finances, as well as our larger civic conversations. 

Prayer: God, ground me in your word before I open my mouth. May my words reflect your values, in my home, in my community and in the larger conversation of our society. Amen.  

 

Deuteronomy 28:58-29:1 The Kick of "Karma"

 

Observation: This is a sobering collection of verses about the consequences of Israel's breaking its covenant with the Lord, and no longer following God's laws. Lasting afflictions and maladies, including the plagues God brought on Egypt. Dwindling numbers. Slavery. Ruin and destruction. It's grisly stuff. It reminds me a little of the pop-culture definition of the eastern concept of "karma", that "if you do bad things, bad things will happen to you." I notice in this warning from the Lord, however, that it isn't just general moral "badness" that will yield these bad results. It is covenant unfaithfulness: the failure of God's chosen people to obey God, and to live in the specific way God outlines, which they are here promising to do. 

Application: I don't really believe in "karma", neither in the Eastern version, in which bad choices in this life yield bad results in future lives, nor the simplified "pop culture" version, that some divine force will immediately "zap" you with calamity as a direct result of specific choices you made yesterday. I've seen way too many terrible things happen to loving and conscientious people, and way too many wonderful things happen to hateful, selfish people. Jesus says God causes the rain to fall on the just and the unjust alike. 

That said, I do believe in cause and effect. I know that tiny choices we make everyday, added with tiny choices of billions of others, can make the world a better or worse place: a place, for instance, where famines, drought, pandemics, and a host of other things warned about in Deuteronomy, are more or less likely to happen across the world. Unfortunately, the result of my choices doesn't always fall squarely on my head. It might affect my neighbor more. And the choices of my neighbor, who might be thousands of miles away, might come and smack me upside the head. I don't believe it's God pulling levers on every little thing that happens to me daily. 

I do, however, believe God has given me a framework for a better world. It starts with small choices--for me, as an individual, because I'm the only one I can change--but over time and across the globe, it can make a huge difference. Even though I'm under a new covenant as a follower of Jesus, the first covenant, in Deuteronomy, has some really helpful guidance for living in community. It's a gift. If we unwrap it and learn from it together, might just make this ride on planet earth a bit less bumpy, between now and the Day of the Lord. 

Prayer: God, thank you for the gift of your law. Help me greet it as a gift: protecting me from harm, showing me where I still need work, and guiding me into a better way of being in the world. Amen.  

Acts 9:32-35 They Saw Him and Turned to the Lord

 

Observation: Peter is in Lydda, about 20 miles northwest of Jerusalem. There is already a group of Christ-believers there. Peter speaks to one of them Aeneas, who has been paralyzed for eight years, and tells him "Jesus Christ heals you, get up and make your bed!" This story shows a little of Peter's forceful personality. Jesus in this past Sunday's Gospel lesson began his healing of Bartimaeus by asking, "what do you want me to do for you?" Peter, on the other hand, simply approaches Aeneas and announces that Jesus is healing him, and that's that! Still, when Aeneas is able to get up, everyone present "turns to the Lord." 

Application: A Biblical healing story isn't a healing story without the "punch line." In a joke, the punch line is the destination, the make-or-break moment that will tell you if it was worth listening to the joke. The intended result, of course, is that you'll laugh. 

The "punch line" of a healing story, however, is not the "laugh line" but the "faith line." A healing story isn't done when a person's ailment has been shown to be gone. What always, always, always follows on its heels is the response of those nearby: awe and faith in God. The punch line of Aeneas' story is the people "see him and turn to God." That's the twofold purpose of healing in the scriptures: yes, Jesus heals simply to alleviate the pain of one individual, but also, Jesus heals to turn people's attention to God.

Today I'm thinking about my own experiences of healing, of new life, and of growth. What are the "punch lines?" What has Jesus done in my life that can cause people to "see and turn to the Lord?" I want to tell my story in such a way that the punch line is not, "Hey, aren't I blessed and lucky that God did this for me?" but rather, "Look at our amazing God, who loves, heals and saves, and can do the same for you!"

[Today is the commemoration of the hymnwriter Paul Gerhardt, so for my prayer I want to share stanza 4 of his hymn, "All My Heart Again Rejoices", ELW #273.]

Prayer: You, my Lord, I'll ever cherish; 

though my breath fail in death, I will never perish; 

by your side in light eternal

I shall be endlessly filled with joy supernal.

Amen.     

1 Samuel 10:17-25 Hiding Among the Baggage

 

Observation: The Prophet Samuel is, begrudgingly, helping the people of Israel select a king. He knows this is a rejection of God's leadership. He knows they're just trying to conform to what other nations are doing. But God has allowed this to happen, so Samuel goes along with it. By casting lots, they discern God's will, narrowing it down to one tribe, one family, and even one son among the family: Saul, son of Kish. The problem is, Saul is nowhere to be found. He's out hiding among the baggage. That's not a problem for God: even when Saul hides from his calling, he can't stop God's plan for his life. 

Application: I may never have run and "hid among the baggage," like Saul. I may not have booked passage to Tarshish, like the prophet Jonah. But more than once, I've avoided a difficult conversation, allowed myself to be distracted by something I know isn't part of my mission, or put off a task I know is essential for God's purpose in my life. This beautiful passage from 1 Samuel is a great reminder that God is merciful, and God is persistent. We all stumble and make mistakes. That doesn't take us off the hook. God waits us out, goes after us, forgives us, heals us, and calls us all over again. Our procrastination, our flakiness, even our outright stubbornness, can't mess up God's plan for our lives. We don't have that kind of power. Thanks be to God, and let's get on with it. 

Prayer: God, find me when I hide from my calling. Help me cast aside my excuses as quickly and easily as you do, and pursue your call. In Jesus' name, amen.  

Where is Jesus in Deuteronomy 24???

 

Observation: Before entering the Promised Land, Moses gives laws to the Israelites about divorce. I just have to put this out there: as a twenty-first century reader, I find these laws objectionable, to say the least. They make me mad. First, only a man can initiate a divorce, and he can do it for whatever random reason his wife does not "please" him. Second, once the man has divorced the woman, and she gets remarried and divorced again, the first man can't take her back because she's been "defiled." YIKES. I'm not going to sit here and defend this. It may have contributed to the social fabric of the Israelites 3,000 years ago, but I see no indication that God intended for everyone in every culture since then to follow it to the letter. Even by Jesus' time it's clear that at least women were also divorcing their husbands.

One thing I do appreciate is the idea of giving a newlywed couple a year to just be together, without pressing the husband into military service. I wish our own society made life a little easier on newlywed couples. 

Application: I'll make no apologies. I read scripture from my own cultural and theological standpoint. Some people will tell you they don't; that they take scripture literally and they just simply believe what the Bible says, period. Nobody really does that. Nobody really does that. We're not robots. We don't live in a vacuum. We bring our baggage to the Bible, every time, even when we swear up and down that we don't (which you shouldn't do if you read the Bible literally because Jesus said), and the Holy Spirit helps us juggle it in order for us to hear what God needs us to hear. 

I read the Bible from a Lutheran lens. I put Jesus, my incarnate, crucified and risen Lord, at the center. I'm not sorry for that. I think it's the right way to read the Bible, and it's pretty clear to me that it's what the first Christians (including some who were authors of the Bible) did. The parts of the Bible that show me a God willing to enter into our suffering and offer us love and blessing are the parts I emphasize. The parts that don't are, frankly, less important to me. The Bible is not a democracy. Every verse doesn't get a vote. Jesus is Lord and what he says goes. 

When I come across a tough Bible passage like this one--the kind that makes me mad--my bets play is to bring it to Jesus, ask him about it, and figure it out from there. This one's easier, because the Pharisees actually already asked him about this, and he said "Yeah, that's a dumb law; don't do that." Jesus asked his followers to show a higher standard of love for their neighbor than what this law required. His words in themselves give us some heartburn, because this high standard isn't one we can meet. Thankfully, our inability to live up to what Jesus wants is not the end of the story. The story ends when Jesus takes our sinfulness into himself, dies with it, and comes back to embrace us once again. I make no apology to steering the conversation back to that, anytime. That's the Gospel. And if you look for it in the Bible, and in the world around you, you'll find it in unexpected places.

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for expecting so much of me, and for showing us we can do better. Thank you, also, for doing better on our behalf, so that when we fall short--and we always do--we can rest in your grace. Amen.     

Zechariah 8:20-23 Let Us Go With You!

 

Observation: It's been a rough road for Jerusalem. After seventy years in exile in Babylon, the Jews have returned to a city, and a Temple, in ruin. Restoring and rebuilding their city, their Temple, and their nation, is a monumental task. Yet Zechariah lays out a prophetic vision that one day Jerusalem will be a spiritual center, not just for his fellow Jews, but even for people from foreign lands across the globe. 

Application: I was born in 1981. In the United States, for the entire time I've been alive, participation in churches, and in the Christian faith in general, has been declining in numbers. Of course, many individual congregations and movements here have experienced explosive growth. In other parts of the world--Africa, for instance--Christianity is growing. But here in America, the trend has been downward. That's a reality I've lived with as a Christian for as long as I've been alive.

Even before a global pandemic disrupted our congregations, Christians in this country had some rebuilding to do, much like the people of Jerusalem after their exile. We're not rebuilding the past, but building up a Christian life that we can pass down to future generations. It'll have to look different from the way our grandparents practiced their faith, and that's okay.  With that lifelong task ahead of us, Zechariah's vision is exactly what we need. We need to remember that the Lord we worship is mighty, but more importantly the Lord is supremely good. The Lord is someone worth knowing: someone our friends and neighbors will want to know, once they get to know us and what God has done in our lives. God is so good that, if folks knew what they were missing out on, Zechariah's vision would come true. We'd have ten people at once, from nations across the world, grabbing us by the lapels and saying, "let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you!" Mind you, that vision is not ours to accomplish--only God can do it--but it's one to keep in mind when we're becoming forgetful. We are so very blessed to know God. 

Prayer: God, thank you for being you. Thank your for your grace and mercy from the dawn of time, and into eternity. Help me to remember how good you are to me every day. Help me to share your goodness with everyone I meet today, Amen.   

Matthew 9:9-13 Mercy, Not Sacrifice

 

Observation: Jesus calls Matthew--a tax collector, reviled by his neighbors for personally profiting from Rome's occupation of Galilee--to follow him. He doesn't ask him any questions about his theology or his moral conduct. He simply issues a challenge, "follow me," and Matthew gets up and does it. The text doesn't say of Matthew is the first tax collector to start following Jesus, but soon after, many tax collectors and "sinners" are in Jesus' presence, eating with him. After facing some resistance, Jesus clarifies that this is his mission: to call not the righteous but sinners.

Application: We spend too much time arguing with ourselves. Not on real introspection or prayer, mind you, but rather on the constant internal dialogue about whether we really believe what we say we believe, whether we're really doing what we say we're doing, whether we're really as effective at it as we want to be. We argue with ourselves about what we want, and whether our heart is truly in the right place. Am I a good person? Do I believe enough? 

I guess when I say "we" I mean "I." You may or may not relate. 

It is a word of profound grace, and profound challenge, to me today, that Jesus apparently does not care about the state of Matthew's heart. There is no litmus test. There is no moral qualification. There is no creed or belief statement to sign before starting his journey. There is only the challenge, "follow me," and the opportunity to take the first step. Jesus knows that when Matthew takes the first step, his mind and his heart will eventually get where they need to get. The same is true of us. 

If you want a restless heart and spirit, keep arguing with yourself about whether you're good enough. Don't move a muscle until you have it all figured out. 

But if you want a lighter burden, if you want a peace the the world can't offer you, gently place those questions aside today and go ahead and do one thing you know Jesus wants you to do. I don't know what that one thing is, but I suspect you do. And judging by my own experience, when that one thing is done, your trust in Jesus will have increased on its own, and your concern about your own goodness will have become just a little less relevant. 

Prayer: Jesus, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for the call to follow. Help me to leave my stupid little counting booth and take one step out into your world today. In your name I pray, Amen.   

Deuteronomy 4:15-20 Out Of the Iron Smelter

 

Observation: Moses uses vivid language to remind the people not to make idols of any kind, neither of any living creature, nor of the sun, moon or stars. God is formless, and can't be "possessed" in any physical form by the people. Yet God took the people themselves out of Egypt, "the iron-smelter," and claimed them as God's own possession.

 

Application: We didn't create God. God created us. We don't form God. God forms us, continually, throughout our lives. We don't own God. We belong to God. 

Unlike ancient Israel, we're not surrounded by people who make literal, physical idols of gods and pray to them in their homes. Yet we are surrounded by a culture that routinely uses God's name to endorse our own national, political or social ideas. We may not be smelting idols out of iron, bronze, silver or gold, but we are tempted to associate God with our national flags, campaign slogans, or social platforms. Christian Nationalism is the effort to make worship of God and celebration of our country into one and the same thing. I'll be candid: it is idolatry. God is the maker of heaven and earth, not just our own nation. Jesus is the savior of the whole world, and he doesn't need help from any human institution in doing that work. 

To be a disciple of Jesus, we need to leave behind a lot of what our surrounding culture considers valuable. We need to be God's possession, instead of treating God like our possession. We need to be formed by God, instead of trying to form God into a shape that's pleasing to our eyes. 

Prayer: God, deliver us from idols of all kinds. Help us lay our values down at your feet, seek first your Reign and your righteousness, and let you transform us. Amen.    

John 1:43-51 Not if I See you First

 

Observation: Today is the feast day of Bartholomew the Apostle, one of Jesus' original twelve disciples. Traditionally the church has connected Bartholomew with Nathaniel, the disciple who meets Jesus in John 1. In this story, Nathaniel is impressed by how well Jesus seems to know him, without having met him before. Jesus sees him coming and calls him "an Israelite in whom there is no deceit." Jesus somehow saw Nathaniel under the fig tree before Philip even called him. Just as Jesus sees Nathaniel and knows him, he promises Nathaniel will one day see a lot more of who Jesus is, and know him as the Son of Man. 

Application: There's a goofy expression I've never understood. When someone says "See you later," I've heard people say, "Not if I see you first!" Does that mean you'll duck out of the way to avoid saying hi to me? Gee thanks...

Anyway, the first thing Nathaniel learns about Jesus is that Jesus has in fact seen him first. Jesus knows him in a surprising and vulnerable way, right off the bat. We often think of apostles as people who have seen Jesus, or helped others to see him. But the first step of being an apostle, or a disciple of any kind, is to accept that Jesus has already seen us. Jesus knows us. Jesus knows us well enough to know where to send us, and how. Jesus knows us well enough to prepare us when we need to hear a new and uncomfortable truth. Jesus knows us well enough to know exactly the word of comfort we need to hear at the end of the day, whether that day included success, failure, or one more day of the daily grind, getting a few things right and plenty of things wrong. We shouldn't only identify as those who "know Jesus." First, we need to think of ourselves as people Jesus knows. 

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for see Nathaniel and Bartholomew (whether they were the same person or not). Thanks for seeing me. Help me to see you today. Amen.

2 Peter 3:14-18 The Patience of the Lord

 

Observation: What I notice in the closing words of this letter is a theme of patience. Just as the audience of first century Christians is trying to wait patiently for Jesus' return, the author reminds them that this delay is actually God's patience with the world. Every extra day we get is another day to grow in grace and knowledge of Christ, and to seek his peace. God's patience is our salvation. 

Application: I saw a meme the other day that got me thinking. It said, "I'm not resilient, I'm just dissociating from reality." That kind of stung, honestly.

So, I'm a pretty optimistic, laid-back person. I rarely seek out drama. And yet, with this temperament, for me, comes some self-doubt: why am I so convinced things will work out? Am I just in denial about the big problems facing my family, the church, our country, and our planet? Is it inappropriate to continue to be hopeful in a hopeless time? Is this just complacency in disguise?

I don't have a good answer to that question. I wish I did. I believe the future of this world is ultimately in God's hands, but God has given us a scary amount of freedom to mess things up in the meantime. I am not pinning my hope on Jesus returning before the effects of climate change get even more disastrous, or COVID-19 claims even more lives. To bet it all on God's miraculous intervention in a certain way at a certain time is foolish. 

What I get from 2 Peter, though, is that my attitude or yours has no bearing on what God expects us to do in this moment. Whether I'm feeling panicked or cautiously optimistic today, my job is the same. To be at peace: not cool and collected, but seeking to bring the peace, acceptance and reconciliation of God to those around me. To be thankful for another day of life: for God's patience with me, to spend another day trying to figure out my walk of discipleship. And to grow in the gifts and knowledge of my Lord. Seeking peace. Giving thanks. Growing in Christ. I can do that however I'm feeling or whatever the headlines say. There will never come a day when any of these three are bad ideas, not when any of them is beyond my control. Maybe it's not perfectly calming, but it does help me with clarity. 

Prayer: God, help me strive to be at peace. Help me be grateful for your patience. Help me grow in you. Amen. 

1 Corinthians 12:27-31 The Greater Gifts

 

Observation: In the first century, all congregations were "charismatic" congregations, meaning they defined themselves  and organized themselves in terms of spiritual gifts. But for the congregation in Corinth, the focus on spiritual gifts is both a blessing and a curse. People are "ranking" themselves based on spiritual gifts, which was never God's intention. As Paul writes, "strive for the greater gifts," he's not about to set one kind of gift against another. He's entering into one of the most famous chapters in the New Testament, in which we learn that all the spiritual gifts in the world are nothing without the gift of love. 

Application: In today's terms, I would not classify myself as a "charismatic" Christian, nor would I call my congregation "charismatic". We do not define ourselves or organize ourselves primarily according to our spiritual gifts. You won't see every single spiritual gift on display in a typical worship service of our congregation. I have never had a person speak up in tongues during one of my sermons, for instance. But we do have spiritual gifts, and we do use them. And although we may not realize we're doing it, we may still fall into the same pitfall as the Corinthians, by ranking ourselves in terms of which gifts are most important. People who like to get their hands dirty and serve can get frustrated with too many meetings. People with a gift for organization and policy may get frustrated in a situation where not enough is in writing. People with a gift for prophecy may wonder why any of us is even focused on that smalltime stuff when the church as a whole is in need of deep and radical reform. People with a gift for teaching (like myself) find ourselves continually reminding the church that we've been here before: many, many times, in fact. And in Paul's writings from two thousand years ago, we find a reminder that will keep the body of Christ  healthy for years to come. We can have all the gifts in the world, but if they're not rooted in love--God's unconditional love--they're worth nothing. 

Prayer: Thank you, God, for the gift of being part of the body of Christ. Thank you for the gifts you have given each of us. Thank you, above all, for your love. Root us and keep us growing in that love, that our gifts may work as you intend. Amen.    

Romans 15:22-33 "One Last Job" for Paul

Observation: Paul is writing to Christians in Rome about his future travel plans. Paul has taken a collection from mostly Gentile churches throughout what is now Turkey, to offer famine relief to Christians in Judea. This will both meet their material needs and hopefully cement a bond between Jewish and Gentile Christians. Paul promises, once this delivery is made, that his next trip will be a missionary journey to Spain, and he will make his first visit to his fellow Christians in Rome on the way. What we know from the Book of Acts (ch. 21) is that Paul never does get to Spain. He is arrested in Jerusalem, and ultimately martyred in Rome. 

Application: Paul says Gentile Christians owe a huge debt of gratitude to Christians in Judea (modern-day Israel and Palestine). Therefore, he gives Gentile Christians an opportunity to support them in their time of need. 

I was blessed to travel to Palestine and Israel in 2015, to visit many Christian holy sites, but also to meet with Christians who have lived their entire lives in Jesus' homeland. Our tour guide was a devout Catholic, who was born in Bethlehem and married in the Church of the Nativity. Every morning, he got up early enough to make it through a checkpoint in Jerusalem, be picked up by our bus driver, and meet with our tour group by 9am.

I was able to visit with the pastors at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in the Old City of Jerusalem, a congregation who worships every Sunday in English, German and Arabic, mere blocks from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the traditional site of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection. Redeemer's pastor at the time, Rev. Ibrahim Azar, is now bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land. 

I visited Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem, which is run by the Lutheran World Federation, and provides some of the only specialized cancer care available to Palestinians. I was able to participate in their olive harvest, on the mount of olives, which goes to support their vocational training programs for youth in the city. 

My short time in that country reminded me that I was not simply in a "holy land" visiting "holy sites," but I was also surrounded by "holy people." The people of God, in the land of Jesus' birth, are like people anywhere else. They need what anyone needs: safety, a way to pursue their livelihood, access to medical care when they get sick, and most of all, hope. And even a passing familiarity with that region should let us know that it has not been easy for these Christians, or for people of any faith, in our lifetime. 

So today, as I'm reflecting on Paul's words, I'm taking them rather literally. He wanted Christians in the west to remember and offer support to their siblings in the east. That's what I'm feeling called to do today. If you'd like to learn more about Augusta Victoria Hospital, and support their work, there is a link below. 

Prayer: Jesus, you are the Son of the Most High God, and yet you were born in a particular place at a particular time. Help me see your presence everywhere, everyday, and also offer care and support to those who live where you lived, and safeguard the places where your story unfolded. Amen. 

https://jerusalem.lutheranworld.org/content/financial-support-91  

 

Zechariah 9:14-10:2 My Wandering Mind

Observation: I'm struck by the poetic beauty of the images Zechariah puts forth. God's people are like a flock of sheep, and like the jewels of God's crown, shining on the land. Yet, in a time of anxiety, when the Persian empire is waning and the Greeks are getting set to charge through, people are turning every which way for guidance--except to the Lord who has gotten them through so much worse already.

Application: To whom or what do I turn when I really need guidance? Can I honestly say that when life gets confusing or stressful, that my first instinct is to run to God's word, to prayer, to conversation with other people of God? I would like to say I'm getting better with that. But the reality is that too often my first counselor is my own anxious mind. I'll play out a hundred worst-case scenarios before I lift any of them to God. My mind is like a sheep without a shepherd, yet God never tires of running after me. Surely goodness and mercy shall pursue me, chase after me, get me on track, again and again, all the days of my life.  

Prayer: God, my shepherd, help me turn to you first instead of last. Help me check in with you regularly, and listen for your voice daily, not as medicine for a life-threatening illness, but as daily bread. Amen.  

 

Amos 9:1-4 You Can Run, But You Can't Hide

 

Observation: The Lord speaks a warning to the prophet Amos. He is fed up with the people of Israel and intent on destroying them. There is no place--not even Sheol, the land of the dead, or at the bottom of the sea--where they can escape God's punishment. Yet a few verses beyond today's appointed reading, to the end of Ch. 9 and of the book itself, God promises to rebuild and bring to prosperity the very nation God has destroyed for its unfaithfulness.

Application: I always struggle with texts about God's wrath. I know God gets angry, but  the idea of unrelenting punishment that chases people down to the ends of the earth seems so different from the God I know in Jesus. I don't think this is how God usually interacts with God's people. What I do take away from this text, however, is humility. Amos warns proud sinners, who say, "evil shall not overtake or meet us," that they shall die by the sword. In our relentlessly optimistic, positive-thinking culture, I worry that sometimes we each think of ourselves as special. Especially good, especially fortunate, especially deserving of God's love. I have to admit that I sometimes have an innate sense that things will work out for me, because I have been so fortunate in the past. Like in Garrison Keillor's old stories of Lake Wobegon, "where all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average," I worry that sometimes I carry with me a certain complacency toward God's grace. Maybe I need a text like this to remind me: I do not deserve it. I never, ever will. What I deserve is to face the consequences of my sin, and to be fully on the hook for the ways I have hurt others, or failed to help them. And in that scenario, if I were to get what I deserve, there would be no place to hide. Not beneath the sea, not below the earth, not in space. I am forever grateful that God's love and forgiveness are just as relentless. 

Prayer: God, your sight and your presence are everywhere, and there is no escape from you. Thank you for your mercy. Help me be changed and transformed by it to live for you. Amen.    

James 5:7-11 Patience

 

Observation: James is the pastor of the church in Jerusalem, but he’ll always go down in history as “the Lord’s brother.” I have to say, something I appreciate about his writings is the “family resemblance” in his writing. Just in this little snippet we have a parable about agriculture, a warning about coming judgment, and a promise for those who are suffering, that theirs is the same lot as the prophets. It does feel wonderfully familiar.

But even by the time of James’ writing, a new theme has emerged: patience. I think one of the first seismic shifts in the early church was coming to grips with the reality that Jesus might not come back in their own lifetimes. And in the meantime, life is hard for Christ-believers. “Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near…” even if it feels so far away.

Application: I think we’ve learned more about patience this past seventeen months than we ever thought we’d have to. We’ve spent a lot of time obsessed with the return of a status quo that will likely never come back. At the same time, some religious leaders have had to be the “patience police” for others, pumping the brakes on the drive to get back in our sanctuaries, get back to communing the way we knew, singing the way we knew, worshiping the way we knew…

Something I’ve learned about patience during this time is: we tend to have a never-ending well of it when it comes to familiar things, but precious little of it when it comes to new things. We’re hard pressed to try something new more than twice if it’s not an astonishing success, but when it comes to something we know how to do, we’re all too happy to keep at it for years after it’s been proven ineffective.

We’re going to have to work on that going forward: being a little more impatient with the familiar, because as we’ve seen, it could evaporate at any moment. But being a little more patient with the new things God may be doing among us. If God calls us to try something once, maybe we shouldn’t be afraid to tweak it, and try it twice. Like those crops James talked about, maybe it’ll take an early and a late rain to make a new thing grow, which will bear fruit for God’s world.

“strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.” I believe that. But it probably won’t look the way we picture. So right now, maybe patience means following Jesus’ lead, and letting new things grow.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, give us patience. Help us water the crops in our souls we know the world needs, even when they are slower growing than the weeds we are used to. In your name we pray. Amen. 

John 21:15-19 Loving is Feeding

 

Observation: After Jesus' Resurrection, he sits by the sea of Galilee for one last heart-to-heart with Simon Peter. Jesus asks Peter three times, "Do you love me?" Although Peter is confused and a little hurt by Jesus' repeated question, it gives him the opportunity to declare his love for Jesus three times--just as he denied knowing Jesus three times the night before his crucifixion. Each time Peter declares his love, Jesus basically tells Peter to do the same thing: tend and feed his sheep. 

Application: Today is the festival of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles. Both the text from John 21 and the appointed prayer today focus in on martyrdom, or the fact that Peter and Paul both died for publicly professing their faith. According to Christian tradition, Paul was beheaded in Rome, and Peter asked to be crucified upside down, because he saw himself as unworthy of dying the same type of death as his Lord. Often when a saint's life comes to a dramatic or violent end, the death takes the focus and the life takes a backseat. But really, it's the life of a saint that can teach us a lot more. God willing, it's very unlikely that Christians today in the western world will be beheaded or crucified upside down for our faith. But we will be asked, on a daily basis, to do the work of Peter, and feed Jesus' flock. It doesn't have the dramatic flare of a public martyrdom, but it's what needs to be done. Every day, we will be surrounded by people who need to hear good news: that they are loved, that their lives are precious in God's sight, and that God cares about their needs, both spiritual and physical. It may not go down in history, and we may not even remember or notice by the end of today the ways we built up Jesus' flock. But Jesus will.  

Prayer: Jesus, I love you. Help me show it by feeding and tending your flock today. In your name I pray, Amen. 

Revelation 22:1-5 One Light, One Tree, Many Kinds of Fruit

Observation: God shows John a vision of God's ultimate plan for the creation. One great river flowing from God's throne, one tree on either side of it, lit neither by the sun nor by the moon, but by the glory of the One God. But the tree bears more than just one kind of fruit. In fact, it bears twelve; a different fruit each month. Twelve is a number of completeness in the Bible, and it's often associated with the twelve tribes of Israel. But the fruits of this tree will be "for the healing of the nations", which often means the nations other than Israel. From one central source will come healing for each and every nation, unique to its need. 

Application: I like the symbolism of this heavenly "fruit of the month club." It reminds me that every nation, and indeed every person, needs a different kind of healing. It also reminds me that the healing does not happen all at once: in God's Reign we are comfortable centering and healing the pain of others, even if our hurts may have to wait until next month, or the month after that. God knows who needs what kind of fruit, and when, and it comes in due season. In God's Reign, there is abundance. We can clearly see there's fruit enough for the needs of all. I can wait quietly until December and support the healing of my siblings in June. In fact, my healing takes a different form as I celebrate others' healing, each month with the dawning realization that all our healing, unique though it is, is bound up together. Like much of John's heavenly vision (and pretty much any heavenly vision in the Bible) my approach is: "it will happen then, but why can't it happen now?" So, as I pray "your kingdom come" today, I pray for fruits of healing in due season for all the nations--all my neighbors across this world--and I give my attention to bearing the fruit they need. 

Prayer: God, your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as in heaven. Tree of life, bear me as fruit to the nations, for the healing they need. Amen. 

 

  
 

Revelation 20:7-10 Fire From Heaven

Observation: In a mystic vision, John of Patmos sees a final battle taking place. Satan gathers a vast evil army "as numerous as the sands of the sea," and they surround the camp of the saints (holy people of God). But as quickly as they gather, they are destroyed by fire from heaven. Not a single sword is lifted, and not a single bullet or missile is fired. God wins the day. 

Application: Revelation can be a confusing and terrifying book for modern readers, but the take-away for believers is so very simple: God is in control. When things look dire and evil seems to surround and overpower us, it is not by brute force or military might that the forces of good will triumph. It is by faithfulness to God. The fire that does the devil in does not come from the camp of the saints. It comes from heaven. 

It is tempting to go down a deep rabbit hole of interpretation in the Book of Revelation, so we can be ready to combat evil when "the Beast" rears its ugly head. But even though the imagery in Revelation is colorful, at every step of the journey it is God who takes action, and it is the people's job to continue to be faithful, trusting God and loving our neighbor as ourselves. At no point do our standing orders change, no matter what we may suspect will or will not happen at the end. The battle belongs to God. The victory is already ours. 

Prayer: God, help us to be faithful. When times are frightening, help us double down on being peacemakers, in the name of the one whose peace passes all understanding, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.    

 

Numbers 6:22-27 Put My Name On Them

 

Observation: The Lord gives this beautiful blessing for Aaron and his family, who will be Israel's priests. God promises "I shall put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them." God's name is holy. By receiving this blessing, the people of Israel are also made holy. 

Application: File this under "Bible passages Lutherans have memorized but don't know it." This beautiful priestly blessing has been offered at the conclusion of Lutheran worship services going back generations, if not centuries. (I'd be interested to learn if it's also common in the worship of other Christian denominations. I don't have that information on hand, but I suspect so.) Through our connection to Jesus, we believe that we have been "grafted onto the tree" of God's chosen people, and can be included in offering this holy blessing to one another. It's not a thing to be taken lightly, but a gift to be received with great humility. This is how God puts God's name on us. 

Prayer: God, you are holy. Thank you for blessing us and making us holy as well.

BONUS TRIVIA: Watch this interview Leonard Nimoy, in which he tells how he developed Mr. Spock's Vulcan greeting, "Live Long and Prosper." It is adapted from the Aaronic blessing as offered in his childhood synagogue! now you know :-)

1 Corinthians 2:1-10 But What Do I Know?

 

Observation: Paul is writing to Christians in Corinth about  the beginnings of their relationship, when he first gathered this community together in Christ. Although Paul is a very gifted speaker and writer, he did not use "lofty words or wisdom" to share Christ with them, but "to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified." Instead of fancy speeches, Paul chose to preach Jesus' story, and let the Spirit take over. 

Application: I've said it before that I am a professional over-thinker. It's what I do, and I dare say I've gotten pretty good at it. There's no lily I can't gild; no molehill I can't make a mountain of; no simple, straight-forward truth I can't expand upon and make more complicated than it needs to be.

I say that ironically, but the truth is sometimes I really do get wrapped up in language and ideas about God when I preach, and forget to tell the simple story of Jesus Christ, the crucified one. There's a lot more to say about our faith than "Jesus died for us," but it is the foundation of any authentic statement we can make about God, about love, and about our understanding of the nature of the universe. There's plenty I know, plenty I think I know, and much, much more that I don't, but sometimes "Jesus died for us" is enough. So that's where I'll leave it for today.

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for giving your life for me and for all. Help me to trust that your way of self-giving love is indeed the way, the truth and the life. Amen.  

1 Corinthians 12:12-27 The Body of Christ

 

Observation: Paul is writing to a community of Christians in Corinth, and they have had a lot of division and turmoil. Paul needs to remind them that even though they have different spiritual gifts, they are all equally valuable to God, and in fact they are connected. He uses the image of a body--Christ's body--to remind his readers that they need each other. 

Application: Believe it or not, I had already planned to do a sermon series later this summer on the Body of Christ. This isn't the only place in the New Testament, or even in Paul's writings, where this image is brought up. There's a lot to talk about with Paul's inspired metaphor. Today, the thing that stands out for me is verse 26, "if one member suffers, all suffer together with it". The body of Christ is interconnected, and it is not truly healthy while any part if it is hurting. This means my own spiritual and emotional health is important not just to me, but to the whole body of Christ. 

There's a way of looking at families, churches, and other close groups called 'systems theory.' the basic idea is that sickness and health are not just individual, but communal. One family member may be the 'identified patient,' the one suffering from cancer, depression, an addiction, or another ailment. But their condition affects the whole family's behavior, and even when the 'identified patient' becomes healthy again, there will be much work to do for the family to adapt and also become well. It's not enough to treat one part of the system. You have to look at the whole system.

I guess the takeaway today is that being part of a body means our own health--especially spiritual health--is not just our own individual concern. Tending to our own lives, in body, mind and spirit, is a blessing to our families and our churches, too. It's not selfish to take the time and effort to get well in whatever way we need. The body needs us. 

Prayer: God, help me be well. Help me to take my wellness seriously. Heal me when I hurt, and help me to heal the hurts of others as your Spirit gives me ability. In Jesus' name, Amen.    

Titus 1:1-9 Blameless Leaders

 

Observation: Paul writes to Titus about finding leaders in every town who can manage the work of the church. He speaks of elders and of bishops (a word which means "overseer"), and lists many personal moral qualifications. Blameless, married only once, children are believers, not accused of debauchery or licentiousness, not addicted to alcohol or greedy for gain, not arrogant, with a firm grasp of the word and Christian teaching, the list goes on and on...in short, the church needs leaders of the highest quality, because their job is difficult, and the world is watching. 

Application: In the ELCA, this is a season of Synod Assemblies, which is where the leadership of bishops is on full display. I am pleased to say, despite the many challenges of meeting online for the very first time, and recovering from eye surgery, our bishop and his team led admirably. There was a tremendous amount of work to do as a church, but Bishop Satterlee rose to the task, and his report reminded us not just of what we do, but why: for the sake of spreading the Good News of Jesus to a world in need. 

Synod Assembly season is also a season of bishop elections, and our denomination had a rare moment of being in the national news for electing our first openly transgender bishop: The Rev. Dr. Megan Rohrer, bishop elect of the Sierra-Pacific Synod. I will link to a couple of news stories about their election and their ministry up to this point, but suffice it to say, of the many stringent expectations Paul places upon Titus in finding bishops and leaders of the Church, Pastor Rohrer appears to meet them all. But that does not mean they will not need our prayers...indeed, even under normal circumstances, the life of a Christian leader is a difficult one, to say nothing of the public vitriol which is surely already coming Pastor Rohrer's way. So today, I pray for them, as well as for our synodical bishop, Craig Satterlee, and our presiding bishop, Elizabeth Eaton. 

I honestly can't say what a "blameless" life and ministry looks like. There are things on Paul's list which I would have questions about, and things I might add. To me, knowing how stressful leading a church can be, I know it's dangerous to aspire to perfection. I'll never get there. But I can be perfectly imperfect. Perfectly ready to be the right person for this time and place, and to trust a perfect God to work with my imperfections. That's what I aspire to in my ministry, and that's how I will pray for our bishops today. 

Prayer: Holy Spirit, stir up in all Christian leaders the ability to dwell in you, to be formed by you for all the challenges of this day, and at the last, to turn them over to you, who do not slumber nor sleep. Ignite the spirits of our bishops, Elizabeth and Craig, and the spirit of Megan, newly elected to lead your people in the Sierra Pacific synod. Given them the strength they will need for today. Forgive them when they fall short, and give them the capacity to forgive others. Defend them from every evil. May they be blameless in their conduct, but even more in their trust that you can use our imperfections for the sake of your mission in this world. I pray this through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. 

For Further Reading: 

Lutherans Elect First Openly Transgender Bishop Megan Rohrer 

Megan Rohrer elected bishop of ELCA Sierra Pacific Synod

Office of the Presiding Bishop, ELCA

What is a Synod?

1 Timothy 6:13-16 Without Spot or Blame

 

Observation: The words that catch my attention in this pastoral letter are "without spot or blame." Paul, or a representative writing in his name, encourages Timothy, a young pastor, to keep the commandment without spot or blame: flawlessly. Perfectly. He reminds Timothy that Jesus himself did this by freely confessing who he is in front of Pontius Pilate, knowing the consequence would be death. The words "without spot or blemish" are often used in the Hebrew Bible for a temple sacrifice: a goat or a lamb. 

Application: I'm a lot of things, but I am not "without spot or blame." I don't always know what to make of letters like this, that demand perfection. What I do know is that Jesus is without spot or blame, and he has willingly sacrificed himself for me. That doesn't let me off the hook, of course. In gratefulness for his sacrifice, I still try to get up and follow him as best I can each day, dwelling on his teachings, imitating his sacrificial love for the people he puts before me. But I know I can't reach perfection. The spots and blemishes will remain, but Jesus has taken care of them. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Jesus, Lamb of God, thank you for your sacrifice for me. Thank your for your grace and mercy. Help me to move forward into this day, giving yesterday's spots and blemishes over to you, keeping your greatest commandment of love. In your name I pray. Amen.