Acts 9:32-35 Jesus Christ Heals You

Observation: Just as Jesus did, Peter approaches a paralyzed man and is able to heal him. But importantly, Peter's exact words are, "Jesus heals you." Peter emphasizes over and over that nothing he does is on his own. Jesus does it all.

Application: It's not common--maybe it never was--to see a miraculous healing in Jesus' name. No matter how common some traveling for-profit "faith-healers" would like you to believe it is, there's a reason why even 2,000 years ago healings were included in the Gospels. They don't happen every day.

That's not to say I don't believe they do happen. God can do anything, and God is full of surprises. Sometimes God acts in ways we can't explain. That said, I'm grateful for the advancement of science and medicine we've had in our modern age, and I believe this too comes from God.

The bottom line, as Peter points out, is that healing comes from God. I have no hesitation at all in praying with someone for healing in Jesus' name, knowing that healing takes many forms, and praying prepares us to see them.

Prayer: God, in the name of Jesus, I ask for healing for people in my life who are suffering. I pray, too, for those who I don't know who are suffering. Transform my spirit to be able to know your wonders when I see them. 

Hebrews 7:1-10 One Tenth of Everything

Observation: The Book of Hebrews talks about Melchizedek, a mysterious "king of righteousness" who appears in Genesis 14 with no genealogy (strange for Genesis) and who is also a priest. In Genesis, after winning a battle, Abraham gives Melchizedek the priest king one tenth (or a tithe) of the spoils. From an early Christian standpoint, it's not hard to see why New Testament writers were comparing this priest/king to Jesus. What strikes me is that Abraham doesn't do a deep dive into Melchizedek's family history or background before giving this gift. That's not even the point. He gives not because of Melchizedek's worthiness, but because he, Abraham, is thankful to God.

Application: "Ten percent of everything" is pretty steep. The latest stats of which I'm aware are that active members of Lutheran churches give an average of 2.5% of their income to the church, but it's been a number of years, so I suspect that's gone down. It's something many Christian leaders strive for: to give a tithe of all their income, not after tax but before, out of gratefulness to God. My family is close, but not quite there...and when the bills come pouring in, even what we do give is sometimes a leap of faith.

Although the Bible lifts up "tithing" many times as an example, it's not a magic number. For some families in dire financial straits, it would be a reckless decision to jump to a tithe and go deeper in debt or go without necessities. And for other families, honestly, ten percent is a pittance that would hardly be missed. Maybe God is challenging them more.

It's important to remember, too, that tithing is to God, not just to one congregation, and so any money that you freely give, for which you get nothing in return and which is doing God's will in the world, is part of your giving.

All that said, a tithe is a gesture of gratefulness. It's a decision to count your blessings--all of them--and decide ahead of time how much of what you've ben given will be passed on for God's purposes. It's a choice that instead of hoarding, we will circulate God's blessings.

Prayer: God, when I pray "Your kingdom come, your will be done," I sometimes don't mean it. Sorry. I know that if I really meant it, that would mean devoting all of my resources to making that happen, and sometimes I get scared and hold back some. But I want to keep praying it, because I want to want that, and to give back more of what is yours to make it happen. Amen.

1 Samuel 12:1-25 That I Should Sin By Ceasing to Pray For You

Observation: This seems like an exit interview. Samuel, the last of the judges (tribal leaders of Israel like Moses and Joshua) tells the people to bring up any corruption or wrongdoing on his part now, before he leaves office and Saul becomes their first king. The people confirm that there has been no wrongdoing. Even though Samuel goes out with a violent thunderstorm to signal God's displeasure with the people's demand for a king, he also says a wonderful thing: "Far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and right way."

Application: It seems like right up until the end, Samuel believes the Israelites could possibly change their outlook and behavior, and choose not to pursue this disastrous course of monarchy. He knows it's the wrong way, but he hasn't been able to convince the people. Now, all he can do is pray for them, and he will not neglect that duty.

It's a lesson we learn over and over again in life, and we always seem to learn it the hard way: we can not change or control anyone else's behavior. Just our own. I've listened to so many people with a family member who suffers from an addiction, a family member or significant other who is manipulative or abusive, or maybe even a whole family system that is dysfunctional and destructive. If you're fortunate enough not to have been in that situation, it's safe to say that in our current toxic political climate we have all had a friend or family member whose mind we had to stop trying to "change", for our own sanity's sake, because the conversation was doing more harm than good. The refrain is shockingly similar: "I tried so hard to help them, I tried so many times, in so many ways, but in the end they didn't want to change, and all I was really doing was slowly killing myself. So I had to let go, let them do what they were going to do, and just keep praying for them."

Like Samuel, so many of us have tied way too much of our self worth to trying to be a good influence on someone who doesn't want to be influenced, and at a certain point we have to realize it isn't helping them one bit. It's just hurting us. When the relationship has to end, either for good or until the other person seeks help, we have not failed. In many cases, we have succeeded in saving ourselves. But we can always pray. We can always commend that person to God's care, and ask God to work the healing we would never have been able to provide. "Far be it from me that I should sin...by ceasing to pray for you."

Prayer: God, help us to release to your care those whom only you can save, which is...which is everybody, come to think of it. In Jesus' strong name, Amen. 

1 Samuel 10:17-25 God's Not-So-Subtle Signs That This Is A Bad Idea

Observation: Gosh...if only there was some way the people of Israel could have known that Saul's reign would not work out well. I mean, yes, God did specifically tell them through the prophet Samuel  that it wouldn't work out well, and laid out all the problems monarchy would create. And yes, God did say through Samuel that by choosing a human king, they are rejecting God as king. And okay, when they press on and ask for a king anyway, the one they choose by lot is Saul, and he's...hiding with the luggage for some reason? The text doesn't say why (though later in the book there are indications that Saul suffered from a debilitating mental illness, so that could contribute to it), but they go grab him and bring him out anyway, because this king thing is happening today, no ifs, ands or buts. "Long live the king!"

If only God had given us some heads up that it wouldn't go as planned...

Application: Okay, it's easy to sarcastically pick apart someone else's decisions knowing the whole sad story, but come on...the signs were there. God tried to let the people know this wouldn't end well. And it didn't.

In an age where you don't commonly have God's voice booming from a cloud, and you don't have one established prophet to speak with God's voice, it may feel a lot harder to hear God's voice, or to interpret the signs of what we should or shouldn't be doing today. But I believe signs still do come. We just have to have our eyes open.

Sometimes we get an idea so firmly stuck in our brains that we assume it's got to be from God. Otherwise, why would we feel so strongly about it? But no matter how strongly we feel, sometimes we can waste a lot of time and effort running into the same brick wall over and over again, refusing to listen or accept that maybe God has something else in mind for us.

It's a blessing to be able to check in with God's word, check in with Christian friends and request their prayers, and check in through our own prayers, to figure out whether it's time to change course. If an idea we had doesn't work out, that doesn't mean our effort was in vain. If there had never ben a Saul, there wouldn't have been a David, and if there hadn't been a David, we wouldn't have the Messiah from David's line: Jesus. But it won't always work the way we expect, and we save ourselves a lot of misery by just paying attention. God gives us signs, and often they are not subtle. We just have to be open to them.

Prayer: God, help me read the signs you set out, and believe them. Amen. 

Obadiah 17-21 And the Kingdom Shall Be the Lord's

Observation: The end of this book is about vengeance. The "house of Esau", or the Edomite neighbors who stood by and let Judah be conquered, will be "burned up" by the Judahite kingdom. But ultimately, "the kingdom shall be the Lord's." Throughout the Old Testament, we are reminded again and again that the real ruler of Israel is God. Any other earthly king can only rule in God's place, on God's behalf.

Application: I don't think God wants me to take away from this that it's okay or good to seek out and fantasize about revenge. That's why I focus in on that last line: "The kingdom shall be the Lord's". Whatever else will or won't happen in this renewed kingdom, the most important thing to the prophet is that it belongs to God, and God calls the shots.

This makes me think of the things I pray about on a regular basis. I've never specifically prayed for revenge, but we all pray with certain "results" in mind.  Whether it's health, safety, happiness, security, success, prosperity, healing, or a hundred other things, we pray asking God to take action and achieve a positive outcome.

But in Christian prayer, there's always a twist ending: "In Jesus' name, Amen." We pray this because whatever result we have in mind, we want it to be in line with Jesus' purposes. If it doesn't advance God's Reign, the space in which God's will is done on earth as in heaven, we don't want it. That's why we bring Jesus' name into it. Anything we receive, build or dream up belongs to God.

Prayer: God, help me turn my dreams and visions over to you. Be the Lord of my heart and mind. Make me part of achieving your will today. I pray it in Jesus' name. Amen.

Obadiah 10-16 On the Day that You Stood Aside

Observation: The prophet Obadiah is writing to the people of Edom, a country Southeast of Judah, after Jerusalem was occupied and destroyed by the Babylonians. The Edomites stood aside and did nothing. In fact, they gloated, even though Judah was their close relative. Therefore, says the Lord, no one will have compassion for Edom when it is in need. "As you have done, it shall be done to you."

Application: The poem of Pastor Martin Niemoeller, who spoke out against the Nazis in the 1930s, has been so widely quoted lately that it almost seems to be losing its meaning. Still, reading this Bible text I find it especially appropriate:



First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.


Niemoeller's poem is about standing aside when others are losing their freedom, their safety and their lives. It is as relevant today as it was in the twentieth century, as are Obadiah's words of the 6th century BC. Too often when we watch a neighbor being persecuted, rather than asking what is a right and faithful response, we ask, "how does their suffering affect me?". For people of faith, that question is utterly irrelevant. Just because a problem doesn't affect me directly doesn't mean it isn't a problem. And as Niemoeller points out, it's also short-sighted: from bitter experience he reminds us that a cruelty done to a neighbor today could be done to us tomorrow.


If I were to only use the power of my voice, my vote, whatever modicum of influence I have, to defend my own interests, you could call me a lot of things, but "Christian" isn't one of them. Jesus says any ordinary person off the street will generally love those who love them and be kind to those who are kind to them. His disciples are called to more. We are called to come to our neighbors' aid because of our shared humanity. Standing aside is not an option.


Prayer: God, show me how to speak out. Show me how to set fear and self-interest aside. Help me to be faithful in frightening times. In the name of our crucified and risen Lord, Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Deuteronomy 5:1-21 Sabbath Freedom

Observation: Moses' final sermon to the people of Israel includes a recap of the Ten Commandments God gave to them on the mountain. Just as in Exodus, the first place the commandments appear, special attention is paid to how and why the people should observe a Sabbath day every week. It's a great equalizer: it's for people of every station, free and slave alike, and it is born from Israel's communal trauma of being slaves themselves in Egypt.

Application: I recently had an online discussion with other Lutheran pastors about days off. It's variable, but most people take either Friday or Monday as a day of rest. It's becoming more common today for Pastors to take an actual "weekend" (Either Friday-Saturday, or Sunday afternoon through Monday) the same way many other professionals do.

What strikes me about our understanding of Sabbath today is that we sometimes think of it as a luxury, or a personal indulgence. It's not...it's a Commandment, and it's for everybody. It is an act of worship, in its way, to cede control of our lives to God and know the world will keep turning even if we get off the hamster wheel.  At the same time, we no longer live in a society that shuts down one day a week. It can't. While some rest, others pump gas, answer emergency calls, and monitor hospital units. Or, you know, preach the Gospel.  So our sense of Sabbath has become individualized. We have to figure out what Sabbath looks like for us. But it has to be a full day...if you think you can really let go of trying to be Lord and master of your life on four hours here and eight hours there, between shifts, with no consistent schedule, you've missed the point.

You're not a slave to anyone. Not your boss, not your bills, not the economy, not the election cycle, nobody. And besides that, you're not God. The world will get along fine without you, and even better when you return refreshed. Take a day and be free.

Prayer: God, help me let you be you. Amen. 

Matthew 5:27-37 A Hedge Around the Law

Observation: In his sermon on the mount, Jesus uses a Rabbinical teaching technique called "building a fence around the Law," or "Khumra" in Hebrew. The idea is to avoid committing small, less harmful sins in order to protect against bigger ones. Don't want to commit adultery? Don't even look lustfully at someone. Don't want to swear falsely? How about not swearing at all? You can see why Jesus says just a few verses earlier that he's not here to abolish but to fulfill the law.

Application: I don't know if you can relate to this, but I'm much less disciplined a person than I'd like to be. Sometimes reading Jesus' sermons is daunting. I don't love the idea of being cast into hell (or Gehenna, the actual word used here, but that's another story), just for a minor offense of my hand or eye. Jesus' standards are impossibly high. For him, technically fulfilling the law isn't enough. He raises the level of accountability to the nth degree, until pretty much nobody really feels "free and clear" in their day to day conduct.

I believe that's part of the point. I think Jesus intended to raise the stakes to the point where no one was comfortable or complacent anymore. If anything got under Jesus' skin it was a self-righteous attitude, so he pretty much torpedoes any chance of that from the get-go.

Jesus probably didn't intend for people to just read all this and despair. I think he really believed in the potential of humans to be better than the bare minimum. But he also knew how to hit us where it hurts, to remind us that nobody has this thing completely down. We all need God's grace.

Prayer: Jesus, build a fence around my heart. Help me be better today than yesterday, but also rely on your grace. Keep me hopeful but humble. Amen.

1 Corinthians 7:10-16 Paul's Advice on Marriage

Observation: In response to a question from the Christian community in Corinth, Paul writes that as a command "from the Lord", divorce is to be discouraged, and as a word of personal advice, "not from the Lord," that even if a Christian is married to a non-believer, they should stay together. I should note here that Paul's individual call from God was to stay unmarried and celibate all his days.

Application: Sigh. Putting together a sermon about Jesus' words on divorce this past Sunday was hard. And here comes Paul's advice right on its heels, and this is hard to read too. It's like a one-two punch. I know so many people who have been through divorce, and I know it's not because they messed up, or didn't try hard to work through issues they may have had. Yet there is still so much guilt and shame when it comes to divorce and Biblical texts like 1 Corinthians 7 aren't helping matters. I'm not sure what to do with it sometimes.

Of course, marriage is a lifelong commitment, and we should go into it intending that that be the case. God wants us to be able to support and love one another all of our days, and never have to wonder if the relationship we have today will be there tomorrow. That's the ideal. And I should say based on my reading of scripture, I don't believe that ideal lifelong commitment of love and support should only be open to heterosexual couples. God doesn't want any of us to be constantly doubting ourselves or our romantic partners, never knowing if and when we may end up alone.

But something I said on Sunday applies here too: I do not believe Paul or Jesus would have envisioned a world where people whose marriages end are ostracized from society, and especially not from the Christian community. God does not want a world where people have to choose to either endure abuse, misery, or households devoid of love or compassion, or to be completely isolated from their church, friends and family. Some situations in life are no-win. No one wakes up joyful and excited on the day their marriage comes to an end, but no one should ever face that day any less confident of God's love, support, forgiveness, and grace than they were before.

To paraphrase Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber, God doesn't love the "ideal" version of you, because that person doesn't exist. God loves the "real" you, with your story, your past, your present, your future.

Prayer: God, I pray for anyone reading this today who may read texts like this and feel deep pain from their past. I pray you would love them and walk beside them as they heal. I pray you would remind them that nothing in all creation can separate them from your love. And I pray you would use your church not as a gavel of judgment, but as a living, breathing reminder of that promise.  Amen.

Genesis 21:22-34 Abraham the Migrant

Observation: Abraham doesn't yet have a land of his own. God has promised that one day his family will be a great nation with its own land, but for now, Abraham lives the same life as his ancestors: he's a nomadic herdsman. As such, it's really important to maintain good relationships with the owners of the land where his livestock graze. In this text, Abraham makes a covenant with Abimelech that they will have honest dealings with one another while Abraham resides in his land as an alien.

Application: What jumps out for me today is that all three of the "Abrahamic" faiths--Judaism, Christianity and Islam--claim a migrant worker as their ancestor. Throughout his entire life, Abraham lived as a foreigner in the land of others. He never had his own. Furthermore, a central value God lifts up for Israelites when they do finally enter the Promised Land, is kindness to foreign residents on their land, remembering they once were in the same position.

In remembrance of Abraham, a lifelong nomad, and of Jesus, an itinerant preacher who never had a permanent place to lay his head, we are called to be compassionate to immigrants, and find the proper way to do right by them.

Prayer: God, we are your guests on this land. No one is here permanently. Help us be humble, and generous with all that we temporarily call our own. In the name of Christ, the Shepherd of our souls, we pray. Amen.

Zechariah 10:1-12 Ask For Rain

Observation: the prophet tells his readers to ask for rain from the Lord, rather than their household idols, because only God can deliver. Because of false dreams and visions from these idols, the people of Israel are wandering aimlessly. Only God can give them the direction their lives need. 

Application: We woke up to an autumn thunderstorm this morning. Aside from making my kids extra squirrely and difficult to get ready for school, it was a good thing. Rain is one of those things that reminds me I'm not in charge and my plans are often contingent on things I can't control. Today I'm grateful for rain, but however I feel about it, it's 100% a God thing. 

There are a lot fewer things in our lives over which we have control than we'd ever want to admit. Sometimes in addition to "thy will be done" I think we should also be saying "and help us to go with the flow." We can't stop the rain ourselves, much less start it. Better to pray for the presence of mind to bring an umbrella. 

Prayer: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen.