Year B, Epiphany 4, Tuesday

Inspired by Psalm 35:1-10

“Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me!  Take hold of shield and buckler, and rise up to help me!  Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers; say to my soul, ‘I am your salvation.’”  Psalm 35:1-3

Even the most faithful among us will be treated poorly by someone.  No amount of turning the other cheek or meeting hatred with kindness will turn away the attacks or insults of some person or persons who, for some reason known only to them, wish to do us harm.  Being faithful in the Lord will not prevent that from happening.

But we are not left alone to face it.  The psalms show us that not only is it OK to call out to the Lord for help, but it is reasonable to expect that we will receive it.  Perhaps God won’t literally pick up the weapons of war to physically fight at our side, but he may work through other people to come to our aid, or he might grant us greater measures of patience, kindness, and other virtues with which to counter the hostility that is directed at us.

However he chooses to help us, when we are faithful to the Lord, he will support us in our faithfulness.  When we are faithful to the Lord, we know that more than any weapon or shield, God is our salvation.

Let us pray.  Faithful God, you have called us to proclaim your will and advocate for your ways.  Help us in our struggle to fulfill that call, that we may be living examples of your righteousness.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 4, Monday

Inspired by Numbers 22:1-21

“Once again Balak sent officials, more numerous and more distinguished than these.  They came to Balaam and said to him, ‘Thus says Balak son of Zippor: “Do not let anything hinder you from coming to me; for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do; come, curse this people for me.”’  But Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, ‘Although Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the Lord my God, to do less or more.’”  Numbers 22:15-18

The pressures to conform to this world are great.  We are tempted with riches, status, security, or renown, all if we abandon the commands of the Lord for the values of this world.

But what can the world offer us that is better than the blessings of the Lord?  Riches can only buy so much, and nothing of great importance; status is precarious.  There is no such thing as true security, and renown is fleeting.  The rewards of this world may seem abundant, but the demands of this world are relentless, and we will never be able to achieve all that the world requires in order to earn what the world claims to offer.

The blessings of the Lord are substantial, dependable, and eternal.  He alone will never fail or forsake us.  He alone will never demand more than we can give.  God has lovingly created each and every one of us, and we will never lose our status in his eyes.  He has given us all that we need to live fully and abundantly.  As much as the world may tempt or threaten us, its rewards are limited, temporary and worthless, and cannot match the abundance of God’s love and grace.

Let us pray.  God of abundance, you have provided us with all that we need.  Grant us the wisdom to see through the world’s temptations, that we may remain steadfast in your will and your ways.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Fourth Sunday After Epiphany

Inspired by 1 Corinthians 8:1-13

“But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.”  1 Corinthians 8:9

When we truly know Christ, then we know that we have many freedoms in him.  We are saved by grace through faith, not by works, so we don’t need to worry about earning our way into heaven; we know that our actions are a result of our living under grace, and that we will be forgiven when we fall short.

But to those outside of the faith looking in, our freedoms may look like hypocrisy.  The issue in Paul’s day was whether or not it was acceptable for Christians to eat food sacrificed to idols (as most meat available had been); mature Christians understood that there was only one God, and that food sacrificed to any other god was merely food, and that the idol was nothing.  Immature Christians or non-Christians might see mature Christians eating this food, and might mistake it for participating in pagan worship.  Paul advised that it was better to refrain from eating meat entirely than to risk damaging the fragile faith of a Christian who had not yet reached that level of maturity or understanding.  He wasn’t changing the rules to match the opinions of the weaker members; he was suggesting that building up the faith was more important than one’s individual liberty.  If a weaker member’s faith isn’t damaged, then that person can later be taught to understand on a deeper level.

Living by unearned grace is a difficult concept in such an achievement-oriented culture as ours.  As you do so, consider carefully whether your actions are serving to build up the fragile faith of others, or if they’re getting in the way of someone hearing the good news that you live by.  Then ask yourself how important your individual liberty in this matter is compared to building up the whole body of Christ.

Let us pray.  Gracious God, you have given us your grace as a free gift.  Grant us the humility to consider the needs of your beloved children before our own wants, that we may build up and strengthen the whole body of Christ.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 4, Saturday

Inspired by Deuteronomy 13:1-5

“The Lord your God you shall follow, him alone you shall fear, his commandments you shall keep, his voice you shall obey, him you shall serve, and to him you shall hold fast.”  Deuteronomy 13:4

There is so much competing for our attention.  Every day we’re bombarded with options for entertainment, fashion, commerce, success, popularity, and leisure activities, not to mention the ordinary concerns of family, work, chores, and errands, to name just a few.  Some of these concerns are important; some aren’t as important as we make them out to be, and some aren’t important at all.

Yet all of them have the potential to be our god, the object of our utmost attention and even worship.  But none of them are worthy of that level of attention, because there is only one God.

When we allow a lesser concern take the place of God in our lives, we focus on it to the exclusion of everything else, even those important things that do merit some attention of their own.  But when we keep God as God in our lives, following and serving him alone, then we’ll also be attending to the other important matters in our lives, because God wants us to have strong, healthy family relationships, and contribute constructively to society, and any number of other things.  And those things that we do end up losing or letting go of when we focus on God alone?  We find that those are the things that weren’t actually all that important anyway, and we didn’t really need to be giving them our attention in the first place.

Let us pray.  Sovereign Lord, you alone are God.  Help us to keep our focus on you, that we may give our attention to those things that are pleasing to you, and not to those things that would lead us astray.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 4, Friday

Inspired by Deuteronomy 12:28-32

“Be careful to obey all these words that I command you today, so that it may go well with you and with your children after you forever, because you will be doing what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God.”  Deuteronomy 12:28

During most congregational meetings, when the subject of youth ministry comes up, someone will advocate for the younger members of the congregation with the words, “These kids are the future of our church!”  In one sense that’s (hopefully) true, yet it also understates the importance of the kids’ future responsibilities, and ignores the fact that, since they’re here now, they’re also the church’s present.

Our children are not only the future of the church, but the future of the world.  As the current adults age and die, the younger generation will take over.  That’s the way it’s always been, and that’s the way it always will be.  In the meantime, they’re here now, watching us, learning from us.  What are we teaching them?  How are we teaching them?  Are they seeing us live according to our values?  Probably.  But do our lived values match our stated values?  In other words, when we say it’s important to follow God, do our children see us actually following God?

The commands of the Lord are not capricious demands given by an egomaniacal taskmaster.  The Lord is a just and loving God, who has given us his Word in order that we may know how to live peacefully and prosperously as a society.  Failure to obey that Word brings calamity and strife of our own making.  It is up to us to teach our children not only with our words but with our actions how best to live in the society that they will inherit and shape.  Are we teaching them to do what is good and right in the sight of the Lord so that it will go well for them, or are we teaching them to do what is right in their own eyes, and hoping it all works out?

Let us pray.  Just God, you have given us your commands that it may go well with us.  Help us to teach our children your ways, that it may go well with them, too, as you desire.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 4, Thursday

Inspired by Psalm 111

“Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them.  Full of honor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever.”  Psalm 111:2-3

The world is a marvelous place, full of wonder and mystery.  From the time of the ancients through today, both scientists and artists have studied the earth, seeking to understand and describe it: what it is, how it works, what it means.  Such studies are an honor to the Lord, who is known in part through his creation.  By better comprehending the creation, we can better comprehend the Creator.

The danger comes when we refuse to acknowledge that the creation indeed has a Creator.  The insult to God comes when we value the fact that we have attained this knowledge over the knowledge itself, and what wisdom it can impart to us.

God has blessed us with inquisitive minds and creative expression.  Delighting in the works of the Lord by seeking to understand his creation or by artistically communicating what we observe is a form of evangelism, because it proclaims some aspect of the God of all.  It is only when we seek to glorify ourselves that science and art become offensive to the Lord.

Let us pray.  Majestic Lord, you have revealed aspects of yourself through your wondrous creation.  Enable us to seek you in everything around us, that we may recognize your works and your loving providence.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 3, Wednesday

Inspired by Psalm 46

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult.”  Psalm 46:1-3

The world can be a frightening place.  Cultural norms change, calling into question all of our old assumptions.  Human sinfulness causes war and poverty, and natural disasters bring death and destruction.  It is a real challenge to remain hopeful and strong in the face of such turmoil.

Yet God’s love is never changing, and cannot be defeated.  Looking to God can give us the strength and the hope we need to counter all the fear and pain in the world.  God’s love is active in all times and in all places, and continues to apply even as cultures shift and change.  God’s love encourages those who fight for justice and who struggle to change the systems that exploit the poor to serve the rich.  God’s love empowers those who work to rebuild after a natural disaster, and the kindness shown by one human being to another in any circumstance is the love of God working in the world.

Even as the world changes, God proves that he is not bound by the world, and his steadfast love endures forever.

Let us pray.  Enduring God, you have seen the world change beyond recognition, and it continues to change still.  Show us your steadfast love, that we may reflect your hope to all who struggle.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 3, Tuesday

Inspired by Acts 5:33-42

“So in the present case, I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone; because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them—in that case you may even be found fighting against God!”  Acts 5:38-39a

Humility is a virtue praised by many Christians, but practiced by few.  We are so certain of what we know to be true about God and his will that we often react with hostility towards someone who has a different interpretation than we do.  We take so seriously the command to not be taken in by false teachers that we attack anyone who teaches differently than we do.  Just like the Pharisees did.

The Pharisees were faithful men, trying to protect Judaism from the hostile environment in which it found itself.  According to their understanding, God would never reveal himself through a poor itinerant preacher who was executed as a criminal.  Anyone who taught otherwise didn’t understand God properly, and needed to be put down before they could cause fatal misunderstanding among the faithful.

But God was not limited by the Pharisees’ understanding, and he did indeed reveal himself through a poor itinerant preacher who was executed as a criminal.  Neither is God limited by our understanding, and he still continues to reveal himself in surprising ways.  Of course we are to carefully consider any new interpretation in order to guard against being taken in by false teachings, but we are to do so with humility, understanding that just because we never thought of God in a certain way before doesn’t mean that such thoughts are necessarily wrong.  After all, the law and the prophets had been around for centuries or millennia, understood in a certain way.  Jesus fulfilled the law and the prophets in a way no one expected or had anticipated, yet it was no less God’s work for all its unexpectedness.  Only those will humility were able to recognize it.

Let us pray.  God of wisdom, your ways are unknowable.  Grant us the humility to be open to you, that we may not find ourselves fighting against you in order to defend our own ideas.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 3, Monday

Inspired by 1 Corinthians 7:17-24

“Let each of you lead the life that the Lord has assigned, to which God called you.  This is my rule in all the churches…In whatever condition you were called, brothers and sisters, there remain with God.”  1 Corinthians 7:17b, 24

Encountering the risen Christ can utterly transform our lives.  Our outlook, our priorities, everything about us is affected; nothing about us remains untouched or off-limits to God once we begin to live according to our faith.

At the same time, however, we never cease to be who we are, who God created us to be.  Each of us was born with specific gifts, abilities, and weaknesses, and living a life of faith does not mean we give those up in order to try to be something we’re not.  Rather, living our lives in obedience to Christ empowers us to fully be the people God created us to be, whereas living apart from Christ means we’re only a shadow of what we could be.

Whoever you are, whatever you’re doing when God calls you, God wants you to continue using those gifts as you follow him.  The only difference is that instead of making your own way and living only for yourself, you’ll be living for the glory of the Lord, oriented toward him, part of and supported by the whole body of Christ.  And that one difference makes all the difference in the world.

Let us pray.  Lord of all, you created wondrous diversity.  Help us to recognize the unique gifts we each have to offer, that we may serve you fully and build up the whole body of Christ.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Third Sunday After Epiphany

Inspired by Jonah 3:1-5, 10

“Jonah began to go into the city, going a days’ walk.  And he cried out, ‘Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!’  And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth.”  Jonah 3:4-5

Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, the country that had conquered the northern kingdom of Israel around 732 BC.  They did not worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  They were not God’s chosen people, and they were understood to be outside of God’s covenant.  Jonah’s proclamation was, from their perspective, a message from a ‘foreign’ god, and there was no reason to believe that they would or should take it seriously.

Yet they did take it seriously.  Very seriously.  When they heard the Word of God, all in the city repented and turned from their evil ways, hoping that God would have mercy on them.  Hearing the Word of God had a profound impact on their actions.

How much of an impact does hearing the Word of God have on your actions?  Many of us feel so privileged to be forgiven Christians that we don’t put that much importance on the Word of God.  We don’t let the bible influence our behaviors, or let a powerfully proclaimed sermon that speaks directly to our hearts really change our lives.  In truth, many of us are more likely to allow our local weather forecaster influence our day to day living than the Word of God.

Yet as Christians we have encountered the Word made flesh; therefore that Word should be the most important influence in our lives.  God desires us to live fully; those in Nineveh understood that, and heeded the Word from a God they’d never known.  Those of us who have encountered the risen Christ and call ourselves by his name should do no less.

Let us pray.  Merciful God, you have given us your Word as a gift.  Help us to listen and to heed, that we may enjoy the fullness of the lives you have given us.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 3, Saturday

Inspired by Jeremiah 20:14-18

“Why did I come forth from the womb to see toil and sorrow, and spend my days in shame?”  Jeremiah 20:18

While we may want to believe that faith in Christ will spare us from all pain, suffering, turmoil or difficulty, the truth is that we still live in a fallen and sinful world, and the whole creation is groaning for redemption from bondage and decay.  The difficulties of living in this world can seem overwhelming.  Living as Christians who reject the values of the prevailing culture can cause us to suffer even more, because we can be perceived as threatening to other people’s comfortable way of life.

Such was the case with Jeremiah.  Jeremiah called out these words of despair because he was being persecuted for obeying the word of the Lord, proclaiming the word to people who didn’t want to hear it.  Jeremiah was overwhelmed with hopelessness and despair, and cursed the very day he was born.  But that birth was no accident.  For God had told him, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”  God also promised him, “Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you.”

The people to whom Jeremiah was speaking were hostile to his words, and fought against him.  Yet Jeremiah himself knew that despite the suffering he experienced by obeying the Lord, the Lord was with him, and the One who created him would have the final word.  And through the centuries and even millennia, the words of Jeremiah have brought many people comfort, and have shown us that feeling hopelessness and despair is not a sign of weak or faulty faith, but are just as much a part of being a faithful follower of God as confidence and certainty are.

Let us pray.  God our Comforter, you have promised to be with us.  Comfort us with your loving grace, that we may not be defeated by the enemies of your will.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 3, Friday

Inspired by 2 Peter 3:1-7

“This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you; in them I am trying to arouse your sincere intention by reminding you that you should remember the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets, and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken through your apostles.”  2 Peter 3:1-2

The bible is an ancient book.  The most recently written parts of it date back about nineteen hundred years, and the oldest from about three thousand years ago, which set down oral tradition that was much older than that.

Yet the words that were spoken and written millennia ago were inspired by our timeless God, with his timeless love and timeless wisdom.  While much of the bible deals with specific cultures in specific lands in a specific point in history, the overall message is not bound by time and space.  God created the world and everything in it, and saw that it was good.  God has guided his people and instructed them in ways of justice, charity, equity, and love.  God has desired peace and wellbeing for his people, and told them how they could achieve that in this life.  And God sent his Son to save us from ourselves, and to bring us back to the One who created us, who loves us, and who continues to guide us.

The fact that the bible is so old does not mean that it is irrelevant to our lives today.  Rather, the fact that the bible is so old demonstrates that God is steadfast in his love, has been with us from the beginning, has never given up on us, and will continue to be with us through the very end.

Let us pray.  Eternal God, you have spoken through the prophets and through your Son.  Grant us the ears to hear and the wisdom to understand, that we may live justly and peacefully by your words and your will.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 3, Thursday

Inspired by Psalm 62:5-12

“For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him.”  Psalm 62:5

We put our hope in so many things.  Things like jobs, financial security, and riches can be useful tools, but intellectually we understand that they will not meet our every need (though we frequently act as though they will).  We also put our hope in people: friends and family.  Yet as much as we love them, and as close as we may be to them, they (and we) are still sinful human beings, and are also incapable of meeting our every need.  Even the person we love most in the world will sometimes disappoint us.

And that’s fine.  Learning to live with one another’s shortcomings and practicing forgiveness when we inadvertently hurt each other is an important part of mature love.  Expecting another person to ‘make me happy’ or ‘save me from my troubles’ or ‘make everything OK’ is unfair to that person, because we’re turning them into an idol, rather than a person to be loved and respected in his or her own right.  Only God is capable of meeting such high expectations; only God will never disappoint us, and only God is worthy of our entire hope and trust.  Jobs, financial security, and riches can help us be good stewards; loved ones can support us and build us up and help us on our journeys.  But only God can deliver us and be our salvation.

Let us pray.  Majestic God, you have blessed us with the capacity to love other human beings deeply.  Enable us to keep our hopes and expectations of each other reasonable and realistic, that we may reserve our worship for you alone.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 2, Wednesday

Inspired by Luke 18:15-17

“Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.”  Luke 18:16b

We make Christianity unnecessarily difficult.  We put rules and restrictions on specific behaviors, beliefs, and attitudes that must or must not be demonstrated in order to determine who is truly a Christian, and who is not.  We set expectations, and condemn anyone who fails to meet them.  Anyone who does not give enough, do enough, or believe exactly these doctrines is shunned at best, or threatened with hellfire and damnation at worst.  For all that we say that Christianity is a religion of grace, our actions point to a religion of law.

Children have very little to offer.  Infants have even less.  Yet when people who were bringing infants and children to see Jesus were turned away by the disciples, Jesus insisted that they be allowed to come.  He then held up these children and infants as the model by which all should receive the kingdom of heaven.  People who have done nothing, who lack even the capacity to do anything to earn or deserve the kingdom are the ones to whom it belongs.

An encounter with the risen Christ will certainly change us, and living out our faith in discipleship will flow naturally from that.  But the encounter itself, coming to meet Jesus, can only be done when we have nothing to give, but everything to gain.  Nothing can be simpler than that.

Let us pray.  Gentle Lord, you called the little children to you.  Grant us a child’s trust and humility, that we may approach you not with boldness and expectation, but with awe and adoration.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 2, Tuesday

Inspired by 1 Samuel 15:10-31

“And Samuel said, ‘Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obedience to the voice of the Lord?  Surely, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.’”  1 Samuel 15:22

Discerning the will of God is rarely easy, but with steadfastness and self-discipline in keeping God foremost in our hearts and minds it can be done.

But sometimes we don’t want to.  Following God usually involves some degree of self-sacrifice or self-denial, and sometimes we just want what we want when we want it.  So we don’t consider God in our decisions, and we do what seems right in our own eyes.  Sometimes our actions seem to pay off, and we have more money, more esteem, more ‘success’ as the world defines it.  But wanting to be good Christians, we try to spin it such that we did what we did in order to better honor God by giving more money or stuff to church or other charities.  But it’s as if we’re saying, “Look, Lord, I did it on my own without you, and look how we both get to benefit!”

While helping others through church ministries and charities is good, God doesn’t want us to do it on our own.  He wants our hearts and our minds, not our stuff, and he wants us to walk in relationship with him, open and obedient to his will.  When we’re truly walking with God, the benefits to us and to all of his creation are far greater than a few extra dollars in the offering plate.

Let us pray.  God of wisdom, you walk with us, guiding our ways.  Help us to follow you, that our service might reap benefits for others in ways that are beyond our ability to imagine.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 2, Monday

Inspired by 1 Samuel 9:27-10:8

“Now when these signs meet you, do whatever you see fit to do, for God is with you.”  1 Samuel 10:7

When we’re faced with a difficult decision, we often pray for guidance so that we will know what the ‘right’ choice is.  We want to know what God wants us to do.  And we fear choosing ‘wrong,’ afraid not only of the consequences of a bad choice, of but God’s wrath for not correctly discerning his will.

It’s good to seek God’s guidance in our decisions.  But God does not have one single prescribed path for each of us that we risk ruin and damnation if we accidentally deviate from it.  When we seek God in all that we do, when we remain focused on him as a regular part of living our ordinary lives, we have a good idea of what choices will be pleasing to God, and what choices would serve to drive us away from him.  Clearly we want to avoid the second, but just as there are multiple ways in which to serve the Lord, there are multiple choices we can make that would be in accordance with his will.  When God’s will is a regular consideration in all that we do, he is with us as we do as we see fit.  And if we fail to consider him and end up making a bad decision that drives us further away from him, he will always be there, calling us back to him, ready to embrace us in his grace.

Let us pray.  Generous God, you have granted us many freedoms in your creation.  Guide us in our choices, that we may always serve you according to the gifts you have given each of us.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Second Sunday After Epiphany

Inspired by John 1:43-51

“The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee.  He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’  Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.  Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.’  Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’  Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’”  John 1:43-46

Many churches have special committees dedicated to ‘evangelism.’  Some even spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on ‘evangelism programs’ designed to bring more people to the faith and (sometimes more importantly) to that particular church.  Most mainline Protestants shy away from the idea that each and every one of them should be actively engaged in evangelism because they don’t feel that they have the right training, tools, or personality for it.

But evangelism is nothing complicated, threatening, or (especially) expensive.  All it takes is for one who has been called by Christ to say to another, “Come and see.”  We don’t have to ‘convert’ people to the faith; all we need to do is invite them to where they might encounter Jesus for themselves, so that they might hear his call, too.  If our own encounter with Jesus has had an impact on our lives, then the way we live our lives will be argument enough that such an encounter is worth having.  If someone doubts us, all we have to do is say, “Come and see,” and Jesus will do the rest.

Let us pray.  Living Christ, you call us as we are to follow you.  Grant us the courage to invite others to experience you for themselves, that we may help to bring your grace to all those who so desperately need it.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 2, Saturday

Inspired by Matthew 25:1-13

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this.  Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.  Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.  When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.”  Matthew 25:1-4

Wisdom was not a prerequisite for becoming a bridesmaid; the ten were bridesmaids because their relationship to the bridegroom made them so.  However being a bridesmaid carried with it some responsibilities (i.e. being prepared for the bridegroom’s arrival).  They were given lamps to aid them in fulfilling this responsibility, yet five of them still did not put enough thought into their duties to remember that lamps, something they used every day, required oil.

We are called to be disciples of Christ through no merit or wisdom of our own; we are Christians because our relationship with Christ makes us so.  However being a Christian disciple carries with it some responsibilities: growing in relationship with the Lord, and discerning his will and following it in every aspect of our lives.  We are given the tools necessary to fulfill these responsibilities (grace, forgiveness, the Word, abundant resources, etc.) but we must still use those tools appropriately.

God did not send his Son into the world so that we could just show up and announce, “Present.”  God sent his Son into the world so that we might live in active relationship with him, living intentional lives of grace and love.

Let us pray.  Gracious Lord, you called us to be in active relationship with you.  Help us to be thoughtful and intentional disciples, that we may enjoy the fruits of your love and show to the world what a blessing you are.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 2, Friday

Inspired by Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18

“O Lord, you have searched me and known me.  You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away.  You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.  Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely.”  Psalm 139:1-4

“He knows if you’ve been sleeping; he knows when you’re awake.  He knows if you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake!”  So goes a well-known song about Santa Claus, a character who, in popular understanding, shares many aspects with God.

But while the all-seeing and all-knowing jolly old elf uses his powers for reward and punishment, God does not in fact operate that way.  It is true, as the psalmist writes, that God knows everything about us, even what we’re going to say before we say it, but he does not use that knowledge against us.  Rather, the Lord of all creation knows us because he created us out of love, and there is nothing we need to hide from him.

We don’t need to live in fear and isolation.  We don’t need to worry about rejection.  There is absolutely nothing about ourselves that would cause God to recoil from us in disgust and loathing if he ‘found out’ about it.  There is nothing about us that he doesn’t already know, and he loves us so much that he gave his own Son to die for us.  God knows you, and loves you.  Let yourself be comforted by the complete and total love of God.

Let us pray.  Loving God, you know the worst about each of us, yet you love us anyway.  Free us from our isolation and self-loathing, that we may experience the life-changing grace that you offer through your Son.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 2, Thursday

Inspired by 2 Corinthians 10:1-11

“I ask that when I am present I need not show boldness by daring to oppose those who think we are acting according to human standards.  Indeed, we live as human beings, but we do not wage war according to human standards.”  2 Corinthians 10:2-3

One of the most perplexing aspects of living the Christian life is the concept of being ‘in the world, but not of the world.’  In some ways, the church is nothing more than a gathering of sinners, prone to all the shortcomings and failings of any other organization.  Yet at the same time, we’re called to be more.  How can we do both?

It is true that we are sinful human beings, and can never be anything but.  However we have also been saved by the grace of God in Christ Jesus, and therefore made perfect in him.  This doesn’t mean that we are no longer sinners; it means that we’re no longer merely sinners.  We have also been made saints by the power of God.  As such we can no longer allow the world to set the terms for how we live our lives; our lives are the Lord’s, and the terms of how we live them are his to set.  And he sets them by meeting hate with love, rejection with acceptance, fear with steadfastness, and transgression with forgiveness.  While much of the world defaults to ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,’ God in Christ did not treat us that way, and as those who name ourselves Christians, we are called to treat each other as Christ treated us.  We are still sinful human beings, complete with failings and shortcomings, but we know what it is to be loved and forgiven, and therefore are able to show love and forgiveness to others.  This indeed is boldness.

Let us pray.  Forgiving God, you treated our scorn with kindness.  Enable us to show your love to those who live by hate, that your grace and forgiveness may be known throughout the world.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 1, Wednesday

Inspired by Isaiah 41:14-20

“When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.  I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.”  Isaiah 41:17-18

Sometimes our need can be overpowering.  Our troubles surround us, our resources fail, and it seems as though there is no hope, no way out of our despair.  No matter how much work we put into solving the problem, no matter how many different ways we try to think up a solution, there simply is none.

Our solutions depend on limited resources, but God knows no limit.  In a dry and parched land, God can bring water out of the dusty ground.  In a dry and parched heart, God can bring love out of pain and coldness.  In a chaotic and strife-filled world, God can bring peace.

Even when we can’t see how a solution could be possible, God can create the impossible.

Let us pray.  Omnipotent God, you make the impossible possible.  Ease our troubled spirits, that we may trust in you and experience your peace in the midst of our chaos.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 1, Tuesday

Inspired by Exodus 30:22-38

“You shall say to the Israelites, ‘This shall be my holy anointing oil throughout your generations.  It shall not be used in any ordinary anointing of the body, and you shall make no other like it in composition; it is holy, and it shall be holy to you.’”  Exodus 30:31-32

Most Western cultures and societies have become increasingly more informal over the past few decades.  In some ways this is a positive thing, as many artificial or needless barriers have been broken down, and there is more equalization between people.  But such pervasive informality has also made everything common and ordinary, with very little considered ‘special.’  Even God.

Jesus came to bridge the gap between the Great I AM and fallen humanity.  By intent, Jesus is common and ordinary enough that we can relate to him.  But Jesus is also God made flesh, and God is still the Great I AM, still the Most Holy God.  The humanity of Jesus made it possible for us to approach the throne of God, but we must not lose sight of the fact that God is not to be approached as casually or cavalierly as we would approach a drinking buddy.

Some people complain that some more ‘traditional’ churches are too ritualistic and ‘foreign’ in their worship.  However such foreign-seeming rituals can help to remind us that we are doing something different, something special, something more important than anything else we could be doing.  God doesn’t need special oils or candles or clothing in order to be worshiped, but we might need those things to remind us that we are worshiping God, and God is uncommon and extraordinary.

Let us pray.  Exalted God, we are all equal before you, but we are not equal with you.  Enable us to remember your majesty, that we may understand the extraordinariness of your love and your grace.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 1, Monday

Inspired by Psalm 69:1-5, 30-36

“I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.  This will please the Lord more than an ox or a bull with horns and hoofs.”  Psalm 69:30-31

What do you give to the God who has everything?  Everything that exists in the world, everything in creation, belongs to him.  What can we give to him that isn’t already his?

Animal sacrifices were a common practice in ancient Israel.  Instructions were given on what, when, and how sacrifices were to be made.  Yet the Psalmist understood that while such sacrifices could demonstrate genuine worship of God, it was the worship itself that pleased God, not the sacrifices.  Singing God’s praises and magnifying him with thanksgiving were much more pleasing to him than the empty act of sacrificing an animal.

We no longer sacrifice animals to God.  Calls for sacrificial giving involve giving of our time and our possessions in order to proclaim the love of God through Jesus Christ, and to help ease the suffering experienced by so many of God’s beloved children.  Such sacrifices, when given out of true worship, are still pleasing to the Lord, and he desires us to show mercy and generosity to one another.  However it is still the worship itself that is most pleasing to him.  If you have nothing material to offer, God still wants nothing more than for you to praise his name in song, and to magnify him with thanksgiving.

Let us pray.  God of blessedness, you have given us all that we have, and need nothing yourself.  Inspire in us worshipful hearts, that we may treat all in your creation as generously as you have treated us, and all may offer you praise and thanksgiving.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Baptism of Our Lord

Inspired by Acts 19:1-7

“[Paul] said to [the disciples he found in Ephesus], ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?’  They replied, ‘No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’”  Acts 19:2-3

It seems a little odd to think of believers having never heard of the Holy Spirit.  However such an idea isn’t all that farfetched.  The number of people who call themselves Christian believers today who don’t understand the basic tenets of their own faith is staggering.

Baptism is an initiation.  It does not signify the beginning of God’s work in our lives, because God can and does work in us before we are baptized.  Neither is it merely a formal recognition of an existing relationship, because such a recognition suggests some sort of completion.  Rather, baptism initiates us into Body of Christ, the community of believers that continues to live in active relationship with the Triune God.  And as with any relationship, we must continue to interact with and learn about the one with whom we’ve been joined.

God has given us his whole creation, his has given us his written Word, he has sent us his Son, and he has sent us the Holy Spirit, all of which can help us to know him better.  It’s up to us to engage with all those resources so that we can grow in our relationship with him, and enjoy all the benefits that come with a mature understanding of the One in whom we believe.

Let us pray.  Living God, you created us to be in relationship with you.  Encourage us to learn about you and grow in our faith, that we may enjoy the fullness of your grace and love.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 1, Saturday

Inspired by 1 Kings 2:1-4, 10-12

“When David’s time to die drew near, he charged his son Solomon, saying: ‘I am about to go the way of all the earth.  Be strong, be courageous, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn.’”  1 Kings 2:1-3

We are each given a single turn lasting only a limited number of years on this earth.  Some people live longer than others, but all eventually ‘go the way of all the earth.’  The love of God, however, existed long before we came to be, and will last well beyond our own short lives.

Each of us who follows the Lord does so because someone else showed us how.  It might have been our parents showing us as children, or it might have been someone we respected living a life of peace and contentment that came from recognizing and experiencing God’s presence in all that they did.  Whoever it was, the love of God has been passed from person to person throughout the generations since the beginning of time.

Let the love of God be reflected in your life as a testimony to him.  And then follow it up with words, telling those you love about the One you serve, so that they will be able to serve him as well, and also experience his love in their lives.

Let us pray.  Eternal God, you walk with your children in all times and in all places.  Help us to show your love in our lives, that we may inspire others to follow you, and that they may then teach others as well.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany of Our Lord

Inspired by Matthew 2:1-12

“In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?  For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’”  Matthew 2:1-2

What was it about this star that led the wise men to interpret it as they did?  Why did astrologers from the East care about the birth of a new Jewish king enough to embark on a long, arduous journey so they could honor him and give him gifts of great worth?  Israel was not an independent nation; it was under Roman rule.  What compelled them to seek out this infant king of a conquered people?

The story of the wise men raises more questions than it definitively answers, but one thing is clear: God was working through unexpected people in unexpected ways.  Up until the time of Jesus, God’s blessings were believed to be restricted to the people of Israel.  Furthermore, according to Jewish law, those who studied the stars for signs were believed to be fortunetellers and sorcerers, both of which were abhorrent to God.  Yet here is God speaking through the stars to astrologers who were far outside the covenant of Israel.

There is no limit to what God might do in order to proclaim his love to all his creation.  There is no place that God isn’t, no person beyond his care, no way to block his offer of grace.  We might turn to the stars rather than the bible for our answers, but we can’t stop God from speaking to us through those stars, because he created them too.  We can always choose to ignore him and turn away, but there is nothing we can do to prevent God from reaching out to us.  His love for us is that great.

Let us pray.  Ever-present God, you created the heavens, the earth, and all that is in both.  Help us to see your love in your creation, that we may turn to you and experience your grace as the wise men did.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, January 5

Inspired by Luke 6:27-31

“But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.”  Luke 6:27-28

To live a truly Christian lifestyle is to set oneself against the prevailing cultural norms.  Prioritizing God above all else calls into question society’s pursuit of material goods, social status, and power, and many who are beholden to the ways of the world feel threatened by Christians, and attack them.

The human response to such attacks is to become defensive, perhaps even launching counterattacks meant to highlight the superiority of the Christian way.  But while such responses might be human, they are not Christian.

Jesus was attacked for his countercultural message and actions.  More than that, he was killed for them.  Yet he knew that fighting back in all the expected ways would be letting the world set the terms for salvation, and the world simply was not capable of achieving salvation on its own terms.  So instead he met hate with love, greed with generosity, violence with peace, and, ultimately, death with life.  Living according to those values is certainly difficult, and somewhat contrary to human nature, but those are the values that Christ lived by, and Christ is what makes us Christian.

Let us pray.  Lord of peace, your gentle and loving spirit defined your earthly life.  Grant us the ability to live according to that same spirit, that we may show the world your love on your terms.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.