Year B, Lent 1, Wednesday

Inspired by Proverbs 30:1-9

“Two things I ask of you; do not deny them to me before I die: Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that I need, or I shall be full, and deny you, and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ or I shall be poor, and steal, and profane the name of my God.”  Proverbs 30:7-9

The so-called ‘prosperity gospel’ claims that if you follow God in a prescribed way, he will bless you with earthly riches and success.  At the other end of the spectrum, some Christians believe that only embracing utter poverty will bring one closer to God.

Yet these words of Agur son of Jakeh in the book of Proverbs show a more tempered approach, as well as a recognition of how extremes can drive us from the Lord our God.  He prays that the Lord will give him neither poverty nor riches.  How many of us pray that prayer?  Yet he prays it because he recognizes that with abundant riches he may begin to trust in those riches as his deliverance, and lose sight of the fact that they are a gift from God.  And he prays it because he recognizes the utter desperation faced by those in poverty, and fears that that desperation would cause him to lose trust in the Lord and steal for his own survival.

Instead he prays that the Lord will feed him with the food he needs.  In other words, he wants just enough to meet his needs, no more, no less, and he hopes to recognize that it is the hand of God that is meeting those needs.  How much more peace and justice would exist in the world if we all earnestly strove for just what we needed, and recognized that those needs were being met by God?

Let us pray.  God of abundance, you have created enough resources for everyone.  Save us from both poverty and wealth, that we may trust in you to provide all that we need.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Lent 1, Tuesday

Inspired by 1 Peter 3:8-18a

“Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind.”  1 Peter 3:8

What should a Christian community look like?  It has nothing to do with strict adherence to a well-defined and detailed moral code.  It has nothing to do with judgment or condemnation.  And it has nothing to do with litmus tests for piety or specific spiritual gifts.  A Christian community should be where each and every member looks at every other member with love, tenderness, humility, sympathy, and in unity of spirit.

So what does that look like?  Imagine a community where a person is acting contrary to the norm.  Rather than that person being judged, threatened, or censured, every other person in the community would seek to understand why the person is acting that way, and would be open to the possibility that such behavior, though different and unexpected, is in no way contrary to the calling of the Spirit, and may even be worth emulating.  Or, if such behavior is actually indisputably sinful, every member sought to understand what drove the person to such sin, understand the reality of human frailty, and practiced forgiveness, understanding that none of us is capable of a perfectly righteous relationship with God.  That isn’t to say that sin is ignored or accepted, but rather that the community would be understanding, and seek to encourage (not threaten) this person to a better way of life.

Most of our Christian communities fall short of this ideal.  But as Christians in community with one another, this is our calling.  One person attempting to live according to these principles may encourage more to do so, and we may begin to transform our communities into places of safety and grace that can serve as a beacon of hope to the world.

Let us pray.  God of unity, you have called many different people to you.  Grant us the love and humility to accept all your children and their differences as you have, that we may truly be the whole body of Christ in the world.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Lent 1, Monday

Inspired by Ephesians 2:1-10

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—not the result of works, so that no one may boast.  For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.”  Ephesians 2:8-10

Much is made about what good Christians must do in order to be good Christians.  To a point, this is a helpful consideration, as we were created in Christ Jesus for good works, which is the Christian way of life.  But there is a difference between a way of life, and a reason for life.  And our reason for the Christian life is God’s unearned gift of grace.

Through no merit of our own, God sent his only Son to die for us.  Salvation comes through the grace of Christ.  Period.  There is nothing we can do to earn or deserve that grace.  Being a ‘good’ Christian is not what determines our standing before God.  Rather, it is our standing before God that determines how we may live our lives.

In healthy human relationships, a person does something pleasing for another person not to compel greater favor or more love, but simply to make that person happy.  Such is the way Christians are to approach good works.  We do not do them in order to manipulate God into loving us and granting us salvation; God already loves us and has granted us salvation.  It is in response to that love and salvation that we may live freely for one another, being the people God created us to be, not worrying if what we do is ‘good’ enough, but knowing that God loved us first.  Living the Christian way of life is not the price of admission, but is itself part of the reward.

Let us pray.  Gracious God, you desire good things for your people.  Help us to live in response to your grace, that we may live joyful and peaceful lives, full of the all-encompassing love that comes from you.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, First Sunday in Lent

Inspired by Genesis 9:8-17

“When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”  Genesis 9:16

As we go about our ordinary days, surrounded by ordinary people and ordinary things, it is easy to lose sight of the extraordinary God who walks with us.  We long to see something extraordinary that reminds us of his presence.

God certainly can and does use the extraordinary to bring our focus back to him, but much more often he uses the ordinary to remind us that he is with us even at the most mundane times.  Every time we encounter water, we are reminded that we have died, been buried, and have risen with Christ through baptism.  Every time we encounter the ordinary elements of a basic meal—bread and wine—we are reminded that the God of all became man and gave his body and his blood for us.  Every time we see a rainbow in the sky, we are reminded that God has promised all the creatures of the earth to never again destroy the earth with floodwaters.

And God himself is reminded of his promises by these same elements—water, bread, wine, a rainbow.  These are all earthly elements, and the Lord God walks with us on earth, in our earthly lives, and sees these reminders with us.  And it is his presence with us that makes the ordinary extraordinary.

Let us pray.  Faithful God, you have promised us many things, and given us many signs to accompany those promises.  Help us to recognize those signs, that we may trust in your faithfulness.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Lent 1, Saturday

Inspired by Matthew 9:2-13

“And as [Jesus] sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples.  When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’  But when he heard this, he said, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.’”  Matthew 9:10-12

Who do you spend your time with?  Do you try to surround yourself only with those who believe as you do?  It is good to remain in community with other believers, so that you might encourage one another and build one another up in the faith.

However we are not called to form exclusive clubs with strict membership requirements.  Jesus did not demand people to change their lives or confess statements of faith before he dined with them or associated with them.  It didn’t matter who you were—a disciple, a tax collector, a Pharisee, a prostitute—Jesus was pleased to have you with him and treated you with dignity and respect.  You didn’t even have to come to him first, showing an interest in him or a desire to change your ways; this dinner party began with Jesus walking along and seeing Matthew the tax collector sitting in his tax booth, minding his own (likely exploitative) business.  With no sign of interest from Matthew at all, Jesus approached him and called him to follow.  No conditions that he must fulfill first, no threats of what would happen to his soul if he didn’t; just the invitation, “Follow me.”  And Matthew followed, and was invited to dinner.

It is likely that Matthew’s conversion from greedy tax collector to gospel writer happened only after he was treated with dignity and respect by Jesus.  It is equally likely that had he been told he needed to repent and completely change his life before he’d be treated with that dignity and respect, he probably would never have left his tax booth, and the Gospel According to Matthew would never have been written.

We are to take strength and encouragement from other believers, but we are also called to go out into the world and treat everyone, even the worst sinners we can imagine, with dignity and respect, no strings attached.  Threats or conditions do not inspire conversion, but the experience of grace.

Let us pray.  God of kindness, you created every human being in your image.  Teach us to show all your children the dignity and respect they deserve, that all may experience your love and grace.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Lent 1, Friday

Inspired by Daniel 9:15-25a

“Incline your ear, O my God, and hear.  Open your eyes and look at our desolation and the city that bears your name.  We do not present our supplication before you on the ground of our righteousness, but on the ground of your great mercies.”  Daniel 9:18

When you pray, do you pray with expectation that your prayer will be answered?  Such expectation is appropriate, but only when it flows from humility.  The truth is that God owes us nothing.  We have done nothing to deserve his favor.  We can never be good enough, holy enough, pious enough, or zealous enough to deserve his patronage.  We have no right to demand anything, or to expect anything from God in return for anything we have done.  There is no quid pro quo, there is no mutually beneficial bargain that can be struck.

Yet we can still pray with expectation.  Not because of the merit of our prayer or of the one who prays it, but because of the merit of the one to whom we are praying.  God is merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.  For our sake he sent his only Son to die for us, and for his sake forgives us all our sins.  We did nothing to deserve that, and can do nothing to repay that.  But we can live forgiven and redeemed lives, because that redemption is based not on the worth of those who receive it, but on the worth of the one who gives it.

Let us pray.  Merciful Lord, you have redeemed us for your own sake and for the sake of your Son.  Grant us the humility to recognize the source of our salvation, that we may proclaim a gospel of abundant grace to all your people.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Lent 1, Thursday

Inspired by Daniel 9:1-14

“Then I turned to the Lord God, to seek an answer by prayer and supplication with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.  I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, ‘Ah, Lord, great and awesome God, keeping covenant and steadfast love with those who love you and keep your commandments, we have sinned and done wrong, acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and ordinances.  We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.’”  Daniel 9:4-6

Daniel was a good and righteous man, who always remained faithful to the Lord his God.  There is no account in the bible of him sinning, acting wickedly, turning aside from God’s commandments, or ignoring God’s word.

Yet when he prayed, he identified himself with all the people of Judah and their sins.  He didn’t put himself in a position of judgment over his fellow citizens and try to intercede on the grounds of his own righteousness; he confessed “We have sinned and done wrong…We have not listened to your servants the prophets.”  Daniel was of Judah, and their sins were his sins.  Their fate was his fate.  Rather than condemn them for their sins or try to distance himself from them, he simply prayed for mercy.

Are we as charitable to our communities as Daniel was to his?  Do we try to live righteous lives so that we might lift up our sinful neighbors and spread God’s grace as much as we are able, or so that we might distance ourselves from them?  When we point out the ways in which our society has failed to live up to God’s expectations, do we do so as participants in that society, or as observers?

God created each of us individually, but we are all a part of the whole body of Christ.  What happens to one of us affects us all.  Not one of us is truly righteous by his own merit, but we are all saved by grace through faith in Christ.  Even when our neighbors don’t recognize Christ as their savior, we simply do not have the option of writing them off and distancing ourselves from them; they are God’s beloved children, and we’re all in this world together.

Let us pray.  Merciful God, you sent your Son to identify with us and to die for us, even as we were sinning against you.  Enable us to recognize this community that you have created, that we may help to bring in those who have gone astray rather than distancing ourselves from them and thus pushing them further from an experience of your grace.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Ash Wednesday

Inspired by Isaiah 58:1-12

“If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday.”  Isaiah 58:9b-10

The world is a very troubled place.  Governments do not act in the best interests of their citizens, and individuals posture and position for their own advantage because they perceive that nobody else will advocate for their wellbeing.  Those who don’t or can’t engage in such posturing are neglected, forgotten, or exploited.  All in all, it seems as though many are living in dark and gloomy times.

In response to these gloomy times, some are calling for a return to the Lord and his ways.  However such calls are often accompanied by finger pointing, blame, condemnation, and carefully selected morality passages from the bible.  Looking at the bible as a whole, the overriding priority of God is justice and love.  God has provided enough food to feed every person in the world; it is our selfishness and corruption that causes some to starve.  God has provided enough resources for all to live healthy, sustainable lives, but it is our greed in wanting to maximize our own profits or savings that results in others not being able to earn enough to live from their own hard work.

God carefully and lovingly created each and every one of us to live in community with him and with each other.  Enslaving each other, blaming each other for the troubles of the world, and speaking evil of God’s beloved children are what create the darkness and gloom we’re fighting against.  Treating one another with dignity and respect, and looking out for the wellbeing of others rather than just our own, is how we return to the Lord and his ways.  And then we will begin to emerge from these dark and gloomy times, as the Lord will continue to guide us.  All we have to do is follow.

Let us pray.  God of justice, you have created a world of abundance.  Help us to satisfy our needs rather than our wants, that none may know hunger or depravity.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Transfiguration, Tuesday

Inspired by 1 Timothy 3:14-16

“Without any doubt, the mystery of our religion is great: He was revealed in flesh, vindicated in spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among Gentiles, believed in throughout the world, taken up in glory.”  1 Timothy 3:16

Everything you need to know about the history of Christianity is summed up in this single statement from First Timothy.  God himself was revealed in the human being known as Jesus of Nazareth.  It was unheard of for the God of all creation to lower himself down to our state of existence, yet out of love he did.  Jesus lived a sinless life in perfect unity with God the Father, and was proven guiltless by the Spirit.  He was acknowledged and aided in his mission by heavenly beings.  The God of Israel was preached and proclaimed by nations other than Israel, and people outside the covenant all over the world have come to believe in salvation by his grace.  And the person of Jesus was received into the godhead in glory, forever bringing an element of humanity into divinity, and connecting human beings with their loving Creator in the most intimate of ways.

Without any doubt, the mystery of how this all happened is great.  But we do not need to understand how it happened.  We only need to know that it happened, and why.  The Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, loved us enough to lower himself for us, suffer on our behalf, and ensure our living in active relationship with him throughout eternity, blessed by his love and grace.  How is a mystery, but it is what it is, and thanks be to God for that.

Let us pray.  Mysterious God, your ways are hidden from us.  Grant us a spirit of acceptance, that we may joyfully and gratefully live in the mystery that is you.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Transfiguration, Monday

Inspired by Hebrews 2:1-4

“Therefore we must pay greater attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it.”  Hebrews 2:1

Words have meaning, meaning inspires action, and actions have consequences.  The words we hear and pay attention to help to shape who we are and how we view the world.  How we view the world determines how we interact with it, and how we interact with it largely determines how it interacts with us, including the events we experience, the people we encounter, and the words they say.  We hear their words, are shaped by them, and the circle continues.

We have the words of the Law and the Prophets.  We have the story of how our loving God has created and interacted with his people since the beginning of time.  We’ve encountered the Word who was in the beginning with God, who was God, and who became flesh and lived among us.  This Word has meaning, and, if we pay attention to it, it can help to shape who we are and how we view the world.

But there are many other words being spoken: words of anger, of bitterness, of jealousy, of greed, of selfishness, of blame.  These words have meaning, too, and can also help to shape who we are and how we view the world.  These words are always being spread, fed, and renewed.

There are too many words in the world to pay attention to all of them.  The ones we pay attention to, the ones that have greater meaning for us, will determine who we are and the world we live in.  Which words would you rather have shape your world?  Words of hate, or the Word of God?

Let us pray.  God of the ages, your Word is the source of life and love.  Help us to pay attention to your Word above all others, that we may help to shape the world according to your grace and love.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Transfiguration of Our Lord

Inspired by Mark 9:2-9

“Then Peter said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’  He did not know what to say, for they were terrified.  Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!’”  Mark 9:5-7

When Peter, James, and John followed Jesus up that mountain, they had no idea that they would find themselves in the very presence of the embodiment of the Law, the Prophets, and God himself.  They all reacted quite rationally: they were terrified.  But Peter tried to overcome his terror, and take control of the situation.  In the presence of the Law, the Prophets, and God himself, Peter passed his own judgment on what was taking place (it is good for us to be here) and proposed a course of action (let us make three dwellings).

God invites us to witness many amazing things, but that does not mean that we must always be in control of the situation we’re witnessing.  As much as we strive to be active workers for the kingdom, to do all the good and right things that God calls us to do, sometimes God just calls us to be.  Peter wasn’t called to that mountain so he could evaluate the situation, and he certainly wasn’t called to build tents.  Peter, James, and John were there to stand witness, to notice what they saw, to remember it, and, at the appropriate time (which Jesus told them was not now but would be at some point in the future) to tell others what they’d witnessed and to let their experience inform their understanding and their actions.

As you go about your daily life, rather than trying to influence every encounter, just notice what is going on.  God works in many and various ways, and some of those ways don’t require your direct involvement.  Observe how God is working around you, in and with other people, and through certain events.  Perhaps you will find that you are the one being influenced, because when you’re not speaking your own mind you might be able to hear the words of the Lord saying to you, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!”

Let us pray.  Holy Lord, your ways are many and mysterious.  Help us to be mindful of your work through others, that we may continue to be molded and shaped by your bountiful grace.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Transfiguration, Saturday

Inspired by Psalm 50:1-6

“The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge.”  Psalm 50:6

Christianity and judgment have always had a difficult relationship with each other.  On the one hand, the bible is clear that God is our judge, so we can’t simply dismiss the concept (though many of us would like to!).  On the other hand, the bible is equally clear that only God is our judge, and therefore it is not our calling or our place to pass judgment on one another.

But many of us have been judged by others, whether they were passing judgment in the name of God or merely according to their own personal opinions.  Either way, most of us associate being judged with unfairness, rejection, and a whole host of other negative emotions that also get transferred to God when we contemplate God as judge.

But God is not that kind of judge.  Usually when we’ve been judged it’s been by someone who has no idea what it’s like to walk a mile in our shoes.  But God in Christ has walked in our shoes.  God became human and lived as an ordinary person, with all the fears, temptations, and struggles that characterize the human condition. 

God the Son is the righteous judge, in perfect relationship and harmony with God the Father, but we are not judged by that standard.  If we were capable of such righteousness on our own, then we would not have needed Christ in the first place.  Rather, we are judged by our Lord Jesus Christ, the righteous judge, who looks at us through the eyes of the one who looked at his own murderers and prayed, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

Let us pray.  Lord our judge, you alone are righteous.  Grant us the courage to trust in your merciful justice, that we may confidently proclaim you to the world.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Transfiguration, Friday

Inspired by 1 Timothy 1:12-20

“I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence.  But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”  1 Timothy 1:12-14

The order of events in Paul’s conversion is telling.  Although he’d heard of Jesus, he did not believe in him as Christ the Savior; therefore he continued his ways of blasphemy, persecution, and violence.  It was while Paul was in the midst of these ungodly behaviors that Christ judged him faithful and called him to himself.  Upon receiving such grace, Paul was strengthened to change his evil ways and begin working in the service of Christ.

Sin, grace, transformation.  That is the order in which God’s love becomes manifest.  God does not reserve his love for those who are ‘good’ and ‘deserve’ it.  The charge that “God won’t love you unless you change” is false; it is God’s love that enables radical change.  But always, God’s love and Christ’s grace come first, effecting our salvation.

The salvation of Christ is not primarily about getting into heaven when you die.  The salvation of Christ frees us from lives of sin and bondage here on earth, and enables us to live redeemed lives overflowing with the faith and the love of our Savior.  He comes to us with mercy, faith, and love first, and that experience transforms us into joyful and obedient workers for the kingdom.

Let us pray.  Merciful Lord, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Ignite in our hearts thankfulness and devotion to you, that we might become the people you have already called and created us to be.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Transfiguration, Thursday

Inspired by 2 Corinthians 2:12-17

“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing him.  For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.”  2 Corinthians 2:14-15

Where is God?  So is the question asked by skeptics and those who look to the skies for dramatic signs and wonders proving the existence of a divine Being.

But God’s ways are more subtle than that.  God works through his people, showing love and grace and providing hope through the joyful obedience of those who have experienced his love and grace for themselves.  Where is God when tragedy strikes?  He is there in the people helping with the relief efforts and who are comforting the victims.  Where is God in tyrannical regimes?  He is there in the people working to overthrow such unjust power structures.  Where is God in the dark monotony of our ordinary lives?  He is there in the people performing extraordinary acts of kindness and generosity.

God is in the people who refuse to yield to the norms of evil and self-indulgence.  God is in the people who live lives of hope in the midst of despair.  God is in the people who meet greed with generosity, cruelty with kindness, hate with love, and apathy with genuine concern.  God is active in the midst of his creation, working through his people and for his people, and not sitting up in the sky performing dramatic displays of power for the purpose of impressing the doubtful.

Let us pray.  Inspiring God, your love emboldens us to perform your work in the world.  Help us to display your gracious nature to all creation, that the doubters among us may come to know your love through our actions.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 6, Wednesday

Inspired by John 4:46-54

“When [the royal official whose son lay ill in Capernaum] heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.  Then Jesus said to him, ‘Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.’  The official said to him, ‘Sir, come down before my little boy dies.’”  John 4:47-49

There is a common saying that goes, “There are no atheists in foxholes.”  While some dispute the accuracy of that statement, the fact remains that in times of great need and desperation, many who have been doubtful or skeptical in matters of religion are suddenly willing to pray to the One in whom they’ve never believed.  They hope for deliverance, even though they’ve never seen anything to convince them that such deliverance is possible.

While it might be tempting for ‘faithful’ Christians to pass judgment on those who rely on God as a last resort, in truth that is how faith works in most of us.  We try to obey the law, do good works, be a good person, and in many other ways earn God’s grace, but such grace is a free gift, and it is given to us because we never can obey the law diligently enough, do enough good works, or be a good enough person to achieve our own salvation.  It is only when we recognize that our own wisdom and abilities are simply not enough that we are willing to cry out to the Savior of the world, and accept his help.

In such cases, we do not pray because we have seen the proof of God’s existence with our own eyes and know that praying to him will accomplish what we want how we want it.  Rather, we pray because we’ve exhausted all of our own resources and there is simply nothing else we can do.  It doesn’t matter that we’ve never seen proof, or signs and wonders; we only know that we desire life—our own or the life of someone we love—and we cry out in faith to the author and giver of life himself.  We’ve failed ourselves, and in that final, desperate moment, all our hope is in him.

Let us pray.  Life-giving God, you remain when everything else fails.  Help us to seek you sooner, that we might experience your grace long before our final moments, and instead be able to live a life blessed by your love.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 6, Tuesday

Inspired by 1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1

“‘All things are lawful,’ but not all things are beneficial.  ‘All things are lawful,’ but not all things build up.  Do not seek your own advantage, but that of the other.”  1 Corinthians 10:23-24

Throughout much of the world, we enjoy freedoms unprecedented in human history.  Whether it’s individual liberties granted by the government or a loosening of social and cultural expectations, people are able to be more self-determining than ever before.  This truly is a gift, as it enables us to fully be the people God created us to be.

But like many gifts, self-determination and liberty can be abused.  Just because we can do whatever we want, doesn’t necessarily mean that we should.  God has given each of us gifts and abilities, and has placed each of us in a situation where we can proclaim his goodness and grace.  Government laws and cultural norms can be very permissive regarding how we use our gifts and abilities, but the will of the Lord constrains us to use them for his glory and purpose.

How can we tell if we’re abusing our gifts?  Remember that the will of the Lord is that all people know his love and his grace.  Is the only or primary outcome of your abilities your own personal advantage?  Then what you’re doing may be lawful, but it probably isn’t benefiting the kingdom.  Are you demonstrating God's love and grace in the use of your gifts?  Then you are using them to build up the kingdom.

There is no simple rule-book detailing what is right and what is wrong (that includes the bible, which is neither simple nor can it be reduced to a simple list of rules).  Rather we must actively seek the Lord in all that we do, keep his love and grace before us at all times, and then we will know when we should make full use of our liberties, and when it is better for the kingdom for us to practice some self-restraint.

Let us pray.  Lord of compassion, you have graced us with many freedoms.  Grant us the wisdom and the self-discipline to use our freedom to proclaim your love, that we may not use the gifts you have given us to mislead or enslave others.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 6, Monday

Inspired by 2 Chronicles 26:1-21

“[Uzziah] did what was right in the sight of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done…But when he had become strong he grew proud, to his destruction.  For he was false to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to make offering on the altar of incense.”  2 Chronicles 26:4, 16

Blessings often come to us when we obey the will of the Lord.  The laws of the Lord were given to us so that in following them ‘it might go well’ with us, and so it often does.

But when things ‘go well’ with us for a sustained period of time, we sometimes lose sight of the source of our well-being.  We might begin to believe that it is our own wisdom, strength, or abilities that bring us such good fortune.  When that happens we lose sight of the Lord, we stop seeking his will and assume that we can do whatever is right in our own eyes, as we rely on our own wisdom and understanding.  Perhaps we still give lip service to God, falsely giving him credit while ignoring his will and trusting in ourselves.  Invariably we begin to lose our way, and suddenly things don’t go as well with us as they did when we actively sought the Lord.

We were created to live in relationship with the Lord our God.  He has shown us his ways that we might live rich and full lives, enjoying the goodness of the earth and all of God’s creation.  He has given us gifts and abilities to participate in his world, but he is, was, and always will be the source of all good things we enjoy and experience.

Let us pray.  Generous God, you have blessed us with many things.  Help us to always recognize you as the source of our blessings, that we may not grow proud and arrogant in our ways.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Sixth Sunday After Epiphany

Inspired by 2 Kings 5:1-14

“Naaman became angry and went away, saying, ‘I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy!’”  2 Kings 5:11

What is it we want when we pray to the Lord for help?  Do we want the situation to change for the better?  Or do we want to see some proof that God is something extraordinary?

To those unfamiliar with the Christian life, praying for God’s help or intervention might involve strange chanting and arm waving, accompanied by the sky rumbling, lightening flashing, and the earth shaking, all culminating in a single moment of dramatic frenzy when the power of the Almighty is unleashed upon the object or person being prayed over.  But while God is certainly capable of such visible acts of power, more often he chooses to work quietly, through ordinary people and ordinary things.  Naaman expected dramatic pageantry to accompany the healing of his leprosy, and was deeply angered and offended when Elisha merely sent a messenger to him telling him to go wash himself in the Jordan seven times.  That was it.  No details on exactly how to wash, no intricate maneuvers to perform.  Just go and wash.

And it worked.  Naaman followed the counsel of his servants and did as Elisha had instructed him, simply dunking himself in the Jordan seven times (probably unenthusiastically and feeling somewhat silly all the while).  But when he came up for the last time, he was cured.  No thunder, no lightening, no chanting, no drama.  He was just cured.

Our God is a God of action and results.  He doesn’t need to make a production out of every act he performs; he does what he does through ordinary people and ordinary things.  And through such ordinary elements he demonstrates that he is indeed an extraordinary God.

Let us pray.  Almighty God, your power is beyond comprehension.  Grant us the discernment to recognize your work through ordinary creation, that we may testify to your power to those who are unable to see it.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 6, Saturday

Inspired by Matthew 26:6-13

“‘Why this waste?  For this ointment could have been sold for a large sum, and the money given to the poor.’  But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, ‘Why do you trouble the woman?  She has performed a good service for me.  For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.  By pouring this ointment on my body she has prepared me for burial.’”  Matthew 26:8b-12

As Christians we are called to work for justice and serve the poor and needy.  Given that we live in an unjust world filled with poor and needy souls, it seems that our work will never be complete.  We battle discouragement and frustration as we try to make a small dent in the overwhelming need, bringing hope to one person at a time as more and more people show that they are desperate for our help.

Our work would be futile but for one thing: we are doing this on behalf of Christ.  It is Christ who has called us, redeemed us, empowered us.  It is Christ who sustains us.  And it is Christ to whom we must remember to turn periodically.  The work and the needs will always be there, but if we don’t pause to refresh and renew ourselves with our Savior, then all our work is for nothing, because we will become discouraged and frustrated, and we will give up.

Jesus Christ our Lord died, and was buried.  And then he rose again, and he is with us now, though not in body as his first disciples knew him.  Do not get so caught up in the work that you forget why you’re doing it in the first place; turn to Christ, tend to your relationship with him, and let him serve your needs, as well.

Let us pray.  Tender Lord, you have called us to hard and unrelenting work.  Turn our hearts to you, that we may be refreshed and renewed by your grace.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 6, Friday

Inspired by Acts 19:11-20

“Then some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, ‘I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.’  Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this.  But the evil spirit said to them in reply, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”  Acts 19:13-15

It is said that imitation is the highest form of flattery, but in matters of Christian faith a mere imitation is no substitute for the real thing.  Since the beginning of the Church, there have been those who have recognized the earthly benefits of claiming Jesus as their own and tried to do so for their own advantage, absent any real faith.  In Paul’s day it was itinerant exorcists who wanted to enjoy the power to command spirits.  In modern times it might be someone who wants to be perceived as possessing a certain morality, or someone who desires to hold a position of power and leadership, and a local congregation seems an easy and convenient venue to achieve that.

Such imitation might reap some rewards for a short time, but real faith is not about the power to cast out demons, living according to a specific moral code, or enjoying an elevated status in an organization.  Real faith is about having an active, living relationship with our active, living Lord.  Absent that relationship we cannot banish evil, be truly moral, or be recognized as a called leader, because by ourselves we cannot do any of those things.  All of those earthly benefits and more are given to us by Jesus alone, and only true faith in him can transform us into people capable of great power, morality, and leadership.  Anything else is just a pale imitation.

Let us pray.  God of power, all wonders come from you.  Grant us sincere and humble faith, that the works we do in your name will turn more hearts toward you.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 6, Thursday

Inspired by Hebrews 12:7-13

“For [our human parents] disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but [God] disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share his holiness.  Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”  Hebrews 12:10-11

As Christians, we generally shy away from the idea of our loving God disciplining us.  Yet God desires us to walk in his ways, and therefore will not reward us for willfully disobeying his commands.  Most of the time the natural consequences of our actions serve well enough as discipline.  Occasionally we suffer something akin to a ‘time-out,’ when we feel that we are separated from God entirely.  Such a feeling of isolation is painful and a little terrifying, but we can rest assured that our loving Father is just beyond our sight, waiting for us to stop throwing our temper-tantrum.  Once we’re calmer and able to reflect on our actions, how they do or do not fit in with how God desires us to live, and how they’ve caused hurt or destruction to ourselves or someone else, we’ll find that God will let us out of the time-out corner and start engaging with us again.

As we learn from this discipline, we’ll grow into a deeper relationship with God, and indeed enjoy the peaceful fruit of holiness that comes from living in right relationship with him.

Let us pray.  Holy Lord, you desire us to experience peace, not pain.  Enable us to see the error of our ways, that we may live according to your good purpose and give you no cause to administer your discipline.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 5, Wednesday

Inspired by Psalm 102:12-28

“Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet unborn may praise the Lord: that he looked down from his holy height, from heaven the Lord looked at the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die.”  Psalm 102:18-20

We are a disbelieving people, wanting to see the proof with our own eyes so that we may make our own judgments.  In some matters it is prudent to retain such skepticism.  Someone who believes anything anyone tells him is likely to be taken in by falsehood, and fails to use the judgment and discernment that God has given him.  But total reliance on one’s own judgment and discernment rejects the notion that others may also have judgment, discernment, and experiences of their own.  Especially when those experiences are profound enough to shape the course of history.

God was active in the lives of those who lived in ancient Israel.  They knew that their salvation was from God, that it was God who heard their cry and rescued them from their despair.  That salvation shaped the course of their lives for centuries, and they taught their children all that God had done for them so that they would know to worship and honor him as well.

Must God prove himself anew to each generation?  Or are we willing to accept the testimonies of those who came before us?  God is still active in our lives today, though only those who are familiar with his actions in the past are likely to recognize his activity.  The bible documents how God has interacted with his people from the very beginning of time; while we did not see it with our own eyes, we have the witness of generations before us who experienced the profound love of God, and who told their stories so that we too may worship and praise the Lord.

Let us pray.  God of the ages, you have always been active in your people’s lives.  Help us to accept their testimony as true, that we may better comprehend your loving nature.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Year B, Epiphany 5, Tuesday

Inspired by Acts 15:36-41

“After some days Paul said to Barnabas, ‘Come, let us return and visit the believers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.’…The disagreement [about who they should take with them] became so sharp that they parted company; Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus.  But Paul chose Silas and set out, the believers commending him to the grace of the Lord.”  Acts 15:36, 39-40

Even among ourselves, faithful followers of Christ, we disagree.  There is so much work to do, so many ways to do it, and so many different abilities and perspectives within the whole body of Christ that there will always be differences of opinion regarding the best path, strategy, or approach.

And that’s OK.  Unity in Christ does not mean uniformity.  Being of one mind in Christ means being united in achieving Christ’s purpose, which is to proclaim the good news of the Lord.  Exactly how we go about doing that is open to interpretation, provided we treat each other with the same love and grace we are called by our Lord to show to all.

Paul and Barnabas wanted to see how the people who had come to believe in the cities they’d already visited were doing.  They disagreed on who should go with them.  In the end they split up, each taking along the person they felt was the appropriate choice.  And despite their disagreement, they both continued on their mission, united in the purpose of the gospel.  Even though they never became of one mind on the matter, they both put the gospel mission first, and did not try to hinder the other from accomplishing it his own way.

Let us pray.  God of unity and diversity, you desire us to be of one mind in you.  Help us to understand that there are many ways to obey your will, that we may better recognize and appreciate the unique gifts and perspectives you have given to each of your beloved children.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.