Daniel 5:1-12 You Don't Know, But You Know.

CW: Suicide

Observation: King Belshazzar of Babylon is having a wild, drunken party, and asks for vessels of gold and silver that he pillaged from the Jerusalem Temple to be brought in. The people drink wine from them and praise the gods of gold and silver. Suddenly, a human hand appears and starts writing something that nobody can read...creepy. Similar to the story of Joseph from Genesis, someone brings up Daniel, who has a special ability to interpret signs from God. What strikes me about this passage is that even though the King has no idea what it says, he knows it probably isn't a dinner invitation. He's pale and his knees are knocking. He knows it's not good news.

Application: This passage just reminds me that God gives us instincts for a reason. Like the King, sometimes something will happen in our lives, and if we're paying attention, we'll think, "oh, that can't be good." I don't mean anything so frightening as a human hand writing on a wall...maybe it's a friend who suddenly drops out of touch, or a son or daughter who's normally talkative becoming more distant. You don't have to be a prophet to know that the metaphorical "check engine light" has come on somewhere in our lives, and it's time to pray about it, and check in with the person we're concerned about.

I just read that in the most recent CDC report on the suicide rate among young people had dramatically increased since 2007, especially among young girls. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for middle and high school youth. Thinking about this and reading this Biblical text, I'm reminded that if we suspect something might be wrong, even if you're not sure how or what, it is never, ever wrong to check in. Call. Text. Connect. Listen non-judgmentally. Trust your instincts. You may not know for sure, but some part of you may know something that needs to be acted upon.

Sometimes, people will throw us for a loop, and the things they do will seemingly come out of nowhere. We can't hold ourselves responsible for what they do. We just can't. But also, you'll never regret checking in with someone you care about, even if you find out everything's fine, because once in a while it may not be. 

If you or someone you love is struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) at any time day or night or chat online at suicidepreventionlifeline.org. 

Prayer: God, keep our eyes and ears open. Help us to trust our instincts, and be open about our concerns with those we c are about. Amen. 
   

2 Timothy 3:1-9 "Just Gimme Some Truth"

Observation: Near the end of this second letter, Paul (or the author writing in Paul's name) warns of distressing times in the last days. The worst part of human nature will come out: selfishness, greed, dishonesty and contempt for the truth will run rampant. I'm not fond of the sexist stereotype that the predicted con artists will "make their way into households and captivate silly women." Even though in the first century more men than women had access to education, in my experience today I find men just as likely as women to be willingly led astray. What really jumps out at me in this text is the writer makes it clear that access to truth isn't the problem: it's accepting it.

Application: Reading this text, I hear John Lennon's caustic 1971 protest song, "Just Gimme Some Truth!" Although that song is 48 years old now, the feeling of deep frustration really resonates. Today, we have instant access to more information than all previous generations of humankind combined. But despite all that, white supremacy is on the rise, diseases we've had vaccines for for generations are making a comeback in supposedly "developed" countries, and Netflix has a feature-length documentary made by people who believe the earth is flat.

"All I want is some truth. Just Gimme some truth!" 

I will not disobey Jesus by speculating about whether the end times are near. It sounds from 2 Timothy as though the writer suspected they were already near in the late first century. What I will say is this: truth hasn't gone anywhere. It's our world that has changed. And for me as a follower of Jesus, this change is a call to action, not to try to change the world back to some idealized time in the past, but to hold closer to the truth I know in the Gospel. To read my Bible, for myself, a little bit each day, and let it affect the way I view myself, my neighbor and my world. To let God's truth--that every human being is made in God's image, and Jesus offered up his life for each and every one of us--guide my perceptions and my actions. To ask God, "just give me some truth," and be ready to receive it when it comes.

Prayer: God, just give me some truth. Remind me of who I am in you, and help me to be that person for the benefit of others, and for the world you gave your life to save. Amen. 

2 Samuel 25:36-42

"WHO KILLS HUMPERDINCK?"

Observation: In yesterday's text, Abigail talks King David down from taking violent revenge upon Nabal, her husband, for insulting David's men. In today's text, Nabal dies ten days after overindulging in alcohol at a feast. David sees this as divine punishment on his behalf. He is grateful to God that he did not avenge himself, but rather that God settled the score.

Application: Yikes. Let me just first own that this, and many other parts of King David's story, makes me uncomfortable. I guess I'm glad that David didn't respond the way most kings would have, and slaughter all the men in Nabal's camp...but we have Abigail to thank for that, because without her apology and gift, that's exactly what David would have done. And the "moral" of the story seems to be that David was rewarded for restraining himself, by God intervening and striking down Nabal. "Let God do your dirty work," I guess?

There's a lot in the Bible, both Old and New Testament, about God settling scores: punishing the wicked and rewarding the righteous. That's a central aspect of the idea of a final judgment. We in the Western world have latched onto the Eastern concept of karma--though most of us don't fully understand it--as the idea that "what goes around comes around." But of course, the whole idea of grace is that God gives us blessings we don't deserve. And mercy means God refrains from giving us punishments we do deserve. So, if we really believe that on the cross God is reconciling all things to God's self, then we have to ask the question: is divine justice a deal-breaker? Would we be okay with a God who sets things right in the end, but who doesn't necessarily let everything that goes around, come around?

Prayer: God, thank you for your grace. Thank you that I don't get what I deserve. Help me reflect that same grace and mercy in my way of being in the world. Amen.
   

2 Samuel 25:31-35 The Lord and the "lord"

Observation: King David has been disrespected by a man named Nabal, whose wife Abigail then comes to apologize profusely and bring a gift, in the hope that David does not take vengeance. In English this passage is tricky, because Abigail invokes all kinds of blessings of "The Lord" (YHWH, God of Israel) upon "my lord" (meaning King David). I had to read it a couple times to get it. But I think it's an intentional move on Abigail's part, even as she's blessing him, to always remind David: "You are 'my lord', but you aren't THE Lord. Be gentle." David takes the hint and has mercy. Abigail eventually becomes his wife, which is probably good for David and definitely good for Abigail, but not so good for Nabal...but that's another story.

Application: To me, this is just a reminder that there are many "lords" in my life--many people who, for better or worse, wield great influence over my day to day existence. But there's only one Lord (capital L). When my people-pleasing tendencies threaten to hamper the ministry I'm called to do, it's best to check in with God. When I do that, it's easier to take a breath, acknowledge the tummy butterflies, and remind any would-be "lord" that I already have a Lord, and I'll be doing that Lord's will today, thanks.

Prayer:
Lord, you alone are the source, the guide, and the restorer of my life. May your will be done on earth--and in my life--as in heaven. Amen. 

Isaiah 43:10-13 One God, Zero Excuses

Observation: God reminds the Judahite kingdom, in exile in Babylon, that not only did God exist before there was anything and will exist after, but there never have been, or ever will be, other gods. 

Application: When I talk with middle school students about the First Commandment, "You shall have no other gods before me," I make it clear: I do not suspect you of having idols to Zeus or Mars or Aphrodite under your beds. But that doesn't mean you never break the First Commandment. In fact that's the easiest one to break. Most folks in my church don't have a literal belief that other gods exist. Theologically speaking, getting the population of gods in our minds up to one is challenge enough. But practically speaking, there are plenty of gods in our lives, if we define it the way theologian Paul Tillich did, as the "ultimate concern." Anything we trust in when times get tough, anything to which we give a huge amount of time, attention, money, effort, and devotion, can become a god for us. 

Right now, if I'm being totally honest, my god is "getting things done." Looking at the way I spend my days, and ask whether I expect any help from God, or intend to do anything at all beyond the scope of what I myself can accomplish in the roughly 15 waking hours I have available--anything that would require God's help--I need to repent, reset, and let God be god in my life. I'm going to have to let some things go and turn some things over to God, and that's going to hurt. 

Prayer: God, help me. Help me center you, and let you set the agenda. Help me worry less about all the things I can do, and worry more about the few things I should do, which are the things you place before me. Be my god. Because frankly I'm terrible at it and I need a break.  

Acts 17:22-34 Love Letter to My Favorite Sermon

Observation: When Paul wrote about becoming "all things to all people," that was no joke. He had this uncanny ability to tap into the culture in which he was sharing the Gospel, and speak their language, both literally and figuratively. In Athens, Paul knows he's facing a tough crowd. It's the intellectual and theological center of the Greco-Roman world. It's the central marketplace of ideas. The Araepagus is the Carnegie Hall of rhetoric and philosophical argument. Or, depending on your chops, it could also be the Apollo theater.

Paul is prepared. This is his moment.

 He begins by flattering the Athenians: "I see how religious you are." You know, on account of the hundreds of polytheistic idols.

Then he sees his in: the "idol to an unknown God." Okay. We can work with this.

"What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you..."

And here comes the Gospel. One God, who made heaven and earth, is near to us always--in God we live, move, and have our being--and if that weren't good enough news, that God can be known in the person of Jesus, who walked among us, died for us, and now lives, having risen from the dead to show God's love.

Mic drop. This is it. If they don't buy this, I've got nothing.

And...

It ain't Pentecost. There's no three thousand baptisms. But the Athenians are intrigued. A few say, "we will hear from you again," which is high praise. And a handful of people begin their walk with Christ that day. To these few, this day made all the difference in the world.

Application: I just love this sermon. It's poetic, it's forceful, it's short and to the point, and most of all, it appeals to our common humanity. Everyone wants to feel that they are more than just an accident: that they were lovingly created by one who can be, and wants to be, known. As I read this sermon I just give thanks to God that I'm part of a movement tasked with simply telling a compelling and true story, and giving away love that changes the world.

Prayer: God, thank you for the message and mission you have given to us. Thank you for the privilege of giving away Good News to a world that badly needs it. Amen. 

Matthew 10:5-15 You got it for free. Share it for free.

Observation: Jesus sends his disciples out to do everything he's already been doing: Announce God's kingdom, cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. This in itself seems like a pretty extreme leap of faith. But the even bigger leap is that they are to do all this for free: "You received without payment. Give without payment." 

Application: In the world we live in, nothing is free. Sure, you get free samples in the grocery store, or free trials of software, but you know darn well the point of that is they hope you'll but their products. When someone offers you something that's truly free of charge the question arises, "Hey, what gives? What's the catch? Is there something wrong with it? Am I committing to something I don't know about? Where's the fine print?" 

Jesus insists that there should genuinely be no catch, no fine print, no membership agreement, no "trial period" with charges to come afterward. Everything God has to offer--the healing, salvation, justice and peace that comes with God's will being done on earth--all of it is a gift. Free now, free forever.

Unfortunately that's not always true with the church. Hey, I know better than anyone we've got bills to pay. I have a family to feed too, so I can't be a pastor for free. But here's the big question: when we announce God's kingdom to the world, either with our words in worship or with our actions in service, is it really free of charge? Do we expect to gain something, whether it's church members, or money, or attention, or influence, or power, by what we do? Or is it really and truly just a grateful response to the wonderful gifts God already gave us for free? Do we see our connection to the surrounding community as a "quid pro quo", asking for something in return for the good we do? Do we see the bottom line of evangelism as just "getting more members," or is it really just giving away God's love? How free is our Gospel really? 

Prayer: God, thank you for the free gift of Grace and peace with you through Jesus Christ's sacrifice. Help us to simply give your love away, trusting that it is the force that governs and restores  all creation. Amen.

Psalm 61: Refuge and Stability

Observation: the first half of this psalm seems very personal. The writer asks God to listen, to guide, to be a refuge. The second half is more political: "prolong the life of the king." But the more I read in the Bible about monarchy, and especially about how unstable things got when there was a transition of power, the more I think in this case the political, too, is personal. The psalmist is praying for stability. For peace.

Application: I'm not sure if this is legit or not, but I remember hearing that there's an old Chinese curse for an adversary, "May you live in interesting times." It certainly tracks with the idea in many cultures that, even if life isn't perfect, if it's predictable--dare I say, "boring"?--it's pretty good. Considering the "interesting times" in which we live, in which every new day brings a new crisis, nationally, internationally, environmentally, I can empathize with the Psalmist's cry: "Hide me. Guide me. Be my refuge." It's okay, maybe even preferable, to pray for more boring times. But here's a question I'm pondering: If God answers that prayer by making my life more "interesting" so my children's and grandchildren's can be "boring", would I make that sacrifice? As always, be careful what you pray for.

Prayer: Oh God, make our lives more boring. Be our peace and refuge. Hide us in the shadow of your wings. But Lord, make us willing to do our part to make this world a more peaceful, stable, "boring" place. If that means we make personal changes now, make us strong and help us live into the new normal for you and for future generations. Amen. 

Leviticus 14:33-53 The Priestly Role

Observation: Some of the religious laws in the Torah read almost like public health regulations. And in a way, they are. This collection of verses is instruction  for priests on  how to spot an infectious disease like leprosy, how to quarantine and, if necessary, destroy a house in which it is found, and how to inspect to ensure the sufferer has become healthy again. Before doctors, the priests were the experts on health and disease.

Application: I'm glad we now have a public health system, and we know more about how diseases spread and how to treat them. Being sick in Biblical times would have been awful. I'm glad we (generally) trust doctors and nurses to care for the sick.

But as Christians (Martin Luther called us the "priesthood of all believers") we're not totally off the hook. We have doctors to diagnose physical diseases, but it's still important for us to know how to spot spiritual diseases. By this, I definitely do not mean mental illness: rather, I mean attitudes that we often take for granted that are harmful to our neighbors and ourselves. Just as Jesus had a keen eye for spotting spiritual illness--he could sense greed, xenophobia, and self-righteousness from a hundred paces--it's vitally important for us to train our own sight. Spiritual illness doesn't just go away on its own, and it's human nature to let it go untreated. That's where followers of Jesus come in. Let's be the priesthood the world needs.

Prayer: God, heal my spirit. Heal me of my need for control, my inability to trust in you. Help me to walk humbly alongside your other patients, as we come to you for care. Amen.

Habakkuk 2:12-20 Building on Bloodshed

Observation: The prophet rails against those who "build a town by bloodshed" and promises that someday soon the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, "as the water's cover the sea." Though this may seem to be a good thing, here it reads as a warning. If you really want to know what God is like and what God thinks, get ready to be held accountable for an awful lot of violence and injustice, both to humans, animals, and the earth itself.

Application: I think of the community where I live as pretty peaceful. There's a relatively low crime rate compared to other places. But just because you can't see violence doesn't mean it's not there. Monday is Indigenous People's Day. It's a day to remember that I live on what was once Obijwe and Potawatomi land. How to make peace with that in the present day, I'm not sure, except to acknowledge it and learn about it, so I can stand up against similar exploitation in the future. It's also a good time to remember that violence against animals and the land itself is equally abhorrent to God as violence against people. From the prophet today, I learn that violence we're used to, or used to ignoring, is violence all the same.

Prayer: Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. May that peace begin with honesty and inward repentance.
Amen. 

Revelation 2:8-11 Poverty of the Rich

Observation: The Apocalypse (Or "Revelation") to John begins with messages from Jesus to each of seven Christian congregations in Asia Minor (modern Turkey). What stands out to me in his message to Smyrna is "I know your affliction and poverty, even though you are rich."




Application: this verse made me think of the above quote. Of course because it's been propagated online, it's hard to tell who said it, but it's true: "Some people are so poor, all they have is money."

It also reminds me of the song "dig a little deeper" from the Disney movie "The Princess and the Frog". Singing to a destitute Prince Naveen, the wise woman Mama Odie says,


Prince Froggy is a rich little boy
You wanna be rich again
That ain't gonna make you happy now
Did it make you happy then? No!

Money can be a powerful pain-killer. It can dull all sorts of spiritual aches, but just like other pain killers, that dulling comes at a great cost. It is addictive, and the story you believe about yourself when you have it, and even more so when you lose it, is even more addictive. But it does nothing to deal with the root cause of your pain in the first place. We spend way too much of our selves tracking down a financial solution to a spiritual problem. Maybe instead, we should acknowledge our inner poverty--our need for God, and for moments of divine abundance, which can turn whatever we have into a holy "enough."




Prayer: God, help me dig a little deeper, and find the fulfillment I need in you, and in the beautiful people you have placed in my life. Amen.

Genesis 1:21-25 The First Covenant

Observation: God creates by speaking. On the fifth day, after creating light, the sky, the land, vegetation, the sun, moon and stars, God creates living creatures, first in the sea, then on the land. Then God gives the very first command to God's creation: be fruitful and multiply. All this happens before there are any people on the face of the Earth.

Application: This week is the feast day of Francis of Assisi, who famously preached to the animals of the wilderness (among many other very cool church-renewing things). Tonight we're going to do a "blessing of the animals" during our Wednesday evening worship. We're doing this because caring for animals is essential to our faith.

Our scriptures declare that even before humankind, God blessed the animals and told them to be fruitful and multiply: essentially, to live and be who God made them to be. Currently, our planet is losing species at an alarming rate, and much of that is due to human activity: habitat loss, among other things. This isn't just bad for humankind (although it is REALLY bad for us). It's also a sin against God, because we are taking away the ability of other forms of life to fulfill their covenant with God. To allow and encourage life to thrive, and be what God made it to be, isn't just a nice thing to do. It's holy work. Animals have their own relationship with God. When we get out of the way, it tends to  go pretty well.

Prayer: God, thank you for the animals we know, for our pets, for working animals, for those whose lives give life and abundance to us. And bless the animals who live their lives independent of us, who we may never see or know. Let them be pleasing to you by just "being". And keep us from careless attitudes, that might make their just "being" much more difficult. Amen. 

James 5:1-6 No More Sugarcoating

Observation: James, the leader of the first century church in Jerusalem, and the younger brother of Jesus, has some very strong language for rich people. All your treasure will rot and rust, and the wages you unfairly kept back from your workers will cry out to God. There will be a reckoning for those who gain wealth in an unfair way, or who take advantage of an unfair system.

Application: I grew up in a middle class home in suburban Detroit. My parents tell me there were lean times, but I don't remember ever being worried. I feel truly fortunate to have had access to a good education and spent most of my adult life in a fulfilling, full-time job. I'm thankful to God for all of that.

At this point in my life, our "treasure" seems to flow out to the landlord, the car dealership, the utilities companies, the medical professionals, and so on, before we get much chance to "store it up." But that doesn't change an important fact that middle class Christians are too apt to sugarcoat: whether or not we feel we have "enough", wealth is a spiritual liability. Which is to say, having it is fine, but it can also be dangerous, so handle with care. Even having a little can be dangerous without God's guidance. Our messed up  attitudes about wealth--how much we deserve, how much we feel it defines us, how much we use it as a measuring stick relative to our neighbors--stack up like oily rags in our spiritual garage. If you just leave them alone, without looking through them, you might be okay...but why would you risk it? Why not dispose of our attitudes properly, and turn to God for guidance in how to use our wealth?

Prayer: God, help me let go of my stinginess, and my trust in money to solve my problems. Cast out the unclean spirits of greed and apathy from our hearts and our society. Amen.