Daily Devotions

Trust in the LORD forever, for in the LORD GOD you have an everlasting rock. For he has brought low the inhabitants of the height; the lofty city he lays low. He lays it low to the ground, casts it to the dust. The foot tramples it, the feet of the poor, the steps of the needy.

The way of the righteous is level; O Just One, you make smooth the path of the righteous. In the path of your judgments, O LORD, we wait for you; your name and your renown are the soul’s desire. My soul yearns for you in the night, my spirit within me earnestly seeks you. For when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. Isaiah 26:4-9

I went to the newspaper this morning and the first article I saw reported on a fiery crash on the major freeway into town.  Early this morning a big truck evidently crashed into a pillar and exploded.  All the lanes were shut down in both directions while the crash was investigated and road cleaned up.  Both people in the truck were taken to the hospital, no reports on their injuries.

Life is so like that.

One moment you are relieved to be driving in the early morning hours through what otherwise would be a highly congested road and the next your world is turning upside down.

Sometimes we know we are clearly at fault.  We took a dangerous risk.  We missed an obvious turn.  We got distracted by something on the side of the road.

Other times we are just going about our business, minding our own affairs, when we are innocently caught up in someone else’s carelessness.

Isaiah says that “you make smooth the path of the righteous” and that has always been more than our hope and our prayer, it has been our expectation.  We expect that God will make a smooth path for our lives.  We expect that God will make things easier for us, that God will lay low the mountains which challenge us, smooth the rocks which trip us, paint a nice yellow brick road which we can easily follow.

That is and always be our hope but not always our experience.  Knowing that, Isaiah encourages us to wait for the Lord, to yearn for guidance in the darkness of the night, to trust what we cannot see.

Let us pray:  Gracious Lord, our path through life can take dangerous turns.  Accidents happen and lives are disrupted.  Come to us in our moments of loss and confusion.  And bless those today in positions to be helpful to us when we stumble and fall.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true, for the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”

“See, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me;

but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your comrades the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!” Revelation 22:1-9

I grew up beside a river.  Three rivers actually.  Down beneath the main street bridge, the Bois De Sioux and the Otter Tail rivers converge to form the Red River of the North.  We swam in those rivers, caught fish, floated in the summer, skated in the winter, and every spring worried about how high the flood would be this time.

The Red River defined the boundary between North Dakota and Minnesota.  It created one of the best agricultural valleys in the world.  The truth is, without those rivers, there wouldn’t be a town.

First ports, then rivers, then railroads, then highways – human community needs the flow of transportation to flourish like an individual body needs steady flow of blood, the rhythmic beating of a heart, the inhalation of oxygen and the exhalation of carbon dioxide. 

Flow.  Balance.  Integration.  Connectedness.

It’s no surprise that John’s vision of heaven would be seen from the banks of a river.  Bright as crystal, lined with trees.  It is so human to define great communities by their temples of religion, industry, finance, and government.  It is so divine that life begins and ends in the flowing waters between the banks of rivers.

I read once that there is a finite amount of water in our earthly ecosystem.  The same water, used over and over again, cycled and recycled since the beginning of time.  We drink water that Jesus drank.  It is a wonderful vision to me to think that the great Red River of my childhood flows not to Canada but to heaven.

(Click on the lyrics to enjoy the song)

Shall we gather at the river,

where bright angel feet have trod,

with its crystal tide forever

flowing by the throne of God?

Yes, we’ll gather at the river,

the beautiful, the beautiful river;

gather with the saints at the river

that flows by the throne of God.

Let us pray:  Dear Lord, thank you for this beautiful vision that brings light to our lives, that reminds us that you have prepared a future for those of us so worried about the future.  Thank you for the rivers that carry our lives.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.” They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them. “When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.”

“But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. This will give you an opportunity to testify. So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls.”  Luke 21:5-19

We live in the United States where our lives are so dominated by the media that we become like fish who no longer notice the water.  Fueled by the quest for market share and advertising dollars, television, radio and print media outlets tell us each day what we need to care about, what we need to worry about, and what we need to be afraid of. 

We jump from story to story to story…and then we move on.

Meanwhile, the after-effects of the tsunami in Japan and the earthquake in Haiti remain daily challenges long after the media moved on to the next “big” story. When natural disasters fade, we can always go back to character assassination of political candidates or the disastrous character of Hollywood idols.  Why else would Charlie Sheen have gotten a second of media coverage let alone showing up in a Thursday morning devotion? Sex, murder and mayhem always sells.

Edwin Friedmann suggested that we have become a nation of information addicts.  We thrive on being constantly manipulated by the emotional onslaught of voices telling us how “they” are at war with “us”, how stupid or greedy or evil “they” are and how much better “we” would be without “them.”

So it is that we hear Jesus talking about wars, insurrections, earthquakes, plagues, and famines and we find ourselves thinking, “So what is so new about any of that?  They are always present, in every age, somewhere in the world.”  Yes they are.

The question is:  How does God invite us to live in the face of all of this? This is never an easy question but perhaps always the key question.

Jesus tells us, “So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict.”  Implicit in that is a reminder to trust God, rather than self, in the face of anything.  It might even be helpful if people are open to rational conversation and the free exchange of ideas.

I read an article this morning in the New York Times about an event that happened this past October 9^th.  Hundreds of Egyptian Christians and some Muslims gathered outside the building that houses the state-run Egyptian media to protest the failure to investigate the burning of a Christian church.  By the end of the day, soldiers guarding the building had killed 28 people and left 325 wounded. 

Is this the answer?  Perhaps those protesters came to the realization that God was calling them to march that day, to stand up to the authorities and challenge them to do their jobs, rather than quietly justifying their failure to act by remaining silent.  Perhaps the soldiers firing their guns felt called to do so in defense of God and country.  All we know for sure is that further conversation on the matter is no longer an option for 28 people.

The world is a broken place.  The whole creation, says the Apostle Paul, is groaning in travail, waiting for redemption, waiting for release, waiting for salvation.

Advent waiting.

Let us pray:  Dear Jesus, we live in the dangerous, chaotic times that you warned about because all people live in such times.  What we need from you is guidance and direction.  Help us know the next right thing in our lives and give us the courage to do it. We want to be part of the solution.  So we pray this morning for all those who work for peace, for breaking down dividing walls, for freedom and for enough for all.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

“But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour. Matthew 24:36-44

Our readings for this first week of Advent are heavy on the “get ready” theme.  So let’s play with that.

We begin again with the reminder that no one but the Father knows what the future holds.  The best we can do are educated guesses, tracking past trends, reading the signs, and arguing our points.  It is like the on-going debate over climate change. One group tells us the sky is falling and the next group tells us the books are cooked.

Who to believe?  Where to turn?

Matthew portrays Jesus re-telling a portion of the Noah story.  Everyone was eating and drinking, having a high old time, when suddenly the rains started falling and everyone – except Noah and his family and a boatload of animals – got deep sixed. 

But Matthew tells us that Jesus then puts a new twist on the story. Instead of preserving one family and dropping the rest, the future means – poof! – one of two workers in a field will disappear.  One of two women grinding meal will disappear. One field worker and one grinder in heaven…and the other two left scratching their heads, “Now where in the world did the other one go?  I swear they were just standing right over there.”

Now let’s get serious again.  These are serious stories.  I remember first hearing them as a child, especially as a young teenager at a fundamentalist-minded Bible camp where they were used to absolutely terrify us at the prospect of being left behind.  To this day, that fear is much more than skin deep. 

No way, for me at least, does the joyful prospect of being “taken” counter balance the fearsome prospect of being “left behind.” I don’t want anyone to be left behind. Love doesn’t leave people behind.  In fact, not only do I believe that the work of the church is about not leaving anyone else behind, I’m not the least bit interested in heaven if it turns out to be an exclusive club. But those are Management decisions.

Then Jesus uses the thief analogy.  This is another scare tactic.  If the owner of the house knew when the thief was coming, he would be ready.  Ready for what?  To joyfully welcome the thief or to pull out the 12 gauge? 

I know something about thievery; I live in a big city.  I have had my car broken into more than once.  I have had all my lawn equipment stolen out of my garage.  My wife had her house robbed, on Ash Wednesday no less, of virtually everything of value.  The thieves left behind a smashed in door, an utterly trashed house, and a family that didn’t sleep well for weeks.

Only the Father knows – that’s all we need to know.  And Jesus, though he is full of surprises, isn’t a thief.  But he clearly has a place in his heart for thieves.  To at least one he said, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”  And that’s all we need to know.

Let us pray:  Dear Lord, our future, our lives, the whole creation, is in your hands.  Set us free from fears which bind us.  Break down the walls that divide us. Come to us, abide with us, that we might always be ready to be surprised by joy.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

“Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, to the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

“I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind—just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you—so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:1-9

There is a way of being in the world that is based on the idea that the end justifies the means.  While he certainly didn’t invent it, this way of being is often attributed to Machiavelli’s work, The Prince. 

“The end justifies the means” says that, if we believe our goal is honorable or just then it doesn’t matter if we have to behave dishonorably or unjustly to attain it.  Following this path leads us into all sorts of ingenious ways of explaining away otherwise unacceptable behavior.

“The end justifies the means” is the way that most of the world works.  It certainly is the way that power is most often exercised.  It is the rationale for war.  Back in the struggle for civil rights, using fire hoses and other violent means of attacking protesters was explained as necessary actions (means) to avoid greater riots and damage (a peaceful end.)

But there is another way of being in the world.  Over against “the ends justify the means”, Dr. Martin Luther King often pointed out that “the means participate in the ends.”  That is, achieving a peaceful society would require peaceful protest.  The “ends”, the vision of where we are going, is acted out on a daily basis on the way toward those ends.

This way of being in the world, recognizing that the ends participate in the means, is how the Apostle Paul both models and teaches the Christian faith.  He lives today in the hope of tomorrow.  He puts his life on the line for the sake of the message he carries because he knows not only that it is worth it but that is what it means to follow Jesus who did the same.  He encourages the Corinthians to live faithful, blameless lives, in anticipation of the day when they will be declared blameless by the grace of God, in the presence of God.

The end, fellowship with God eternally, is lived out today as we share fellowship with one another.  We love as we will be loved.  We forgive as we will be forgiven.  Knowing our future informs our present.  As Paul would later write, “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.”

Let us pray:  Gracious Lord, even as we begin our Advent waiting, fill us with a sense of where you are taking us, where we are going, that we might live out of that hope each day.  Forgive us for losing sight of you, for taking too much into our own hands, for the damage we cause to ourselves and others, for living out of fear. Help us live faithfully, blamelessly, honorably, until we see you face to face.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. But you, Daniel, keep the words secret and the book sealed until the time of the end. Many shall be running back and forth, and evil shall increase.” Daniel 12:1-4

This is quite the reading to begin our first week of Advent.  It is taken from the last vision in the book of Daniel.  Daniel is one of the few examples of apocalyptic literature in the Bible. 

Like the book of Revelation and portions of Ezekiel, apocalyptic literature is written during times of severe ordeal – in the case of Daniel, probably in the midst of the struggles and fallout after the Greek domination of Israel.  Common features of apocalyptic writings include the use of visions, dreams, exotic creatures, symbolism and numerology.  All of that is in Daniel and all of that opens a wide door to misinterpretation, misapplication and abuse.

The key to listening well to apocalyptic writing is also its danger.  We do well to listen more with our heart than our head, to pay attention to our emotional reactions more than turning it into a mathematical Rubic’s cube of speculation.  Apocalyptic literature is an art form like poetry, painting, and music.  It is better appreciated this way than reduced to a talking head on television warning us that the Russians are coming.

The hero in this final vision is Michael, the archangel, God’s bodyguard.  Central to the purpose of the book – encouraging people to faithfulness in the midst of trial and hardship – is the hope that the bad guys will be both defeated and punished while those who remain faithful will be rewarded.  Thus Michael, a biblical superhero, comes in to save the day.

My favorite angel story was told to me by Duane Ferchen, my supervising pastor during my internship.  He told me about a Christmas pageant that happened in his first parish, out on the prairie of eastern Montana.  They didn’t have enough children to play all the parts to the roles of the angels were left to the men of the congregation.  He said it was an amazing sight to see six big beefy pot-bellied farmers in their blue jeans and white t-shirts, wings affixed to their shoulders, come thundering down the center aisle of the church to take their place as protectors to the rest of the cast.

How could I forget such a vision?  And how could the readers of Daniel not take heart from a book that promises that, in the end, God wins.

Let us pray:  Dear Lord, as we enter this Advent season of preparation for Christmas, we pray that this season bring us visions not only of Christmases past but also of the grand future that you are preparing for your people.  May our hope in you sustain us in the midst of whatever is happening in our lives.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:14-21

The college I attended, Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, had an honor code that was taken very seriously by every student I knew.  It wasn’t complicated.  My memory of it is limited to not cheating and not messing around with anyone else’s stuff.  I do remember once that I forgot my backpack full of books and notebooks on a couch in the student center.  Two days later (obviously two days not focused on studying), I realized I lost it.  I retraced my steps and found it just where I had left it.  That was normal for life at Concordia.

I also remember the mission statement of that college.  Though I graduated 29 years ago, I often remember and will never forget:  The purpose of Concordia College is to influence the affairs of the world by sending into society thoughtful and informed men and women dedicated to the Christian life.

From the first time I heard that I thought to myself, “I want to be one of those people.”

This all came to mind for me in reading again from the advice on Christian character Paul gave to the Romans.  I thought about growing up in a small town, about Robert Fulghum’s classic, “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten”, about the formation that happened for me in college.  His words seem so simple.  So common sense.  And so absolutely other-worldly.

Don’t just be with people, really be with them.  Feel free to feel their joys and sorrows with them.  Strive to get along well with others.  Don’t think you have to be, or act like, you are better than anyone else.  You are good enough and that is good enough.

Don’t “get back” at people.  Doing so damages yourself so why do double damage?  If you are to do anything, practice kindness and generosity.  Be a force for good in the world.

This seems so simple because it really is simple. It is also possible.  One thought at a time.  One action at a time.  One day at a time.

Perhaps the right question to ask is, “How (rather than what) do I want to be when I grow up?”

Let us pray:  Dear Jesus, you have broken down the dividing wall of hostility that divides us from God and one another.  We pray for your help so that we might live our lives out of that reality.  That we might, in word and deed, love our neighbors as we love ourselves, grounded always in your love for us.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”). He sold a field that belonged to him, then brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. Acts 4:32-37

Money doesn’t grow on trees.

Is there a child in the world who hasn’t heard their parents say this line – or some other cultural equivalent?

Is there a parent who hasn’t said this line only to hear their smarty-pants child come back with “Yes it does because it is made of paper”.  Which, if patience is available to said parent, then turns to an explanation of the cotton content of modern money.  And there you go.

Here’s the truth….money doesn’t grow on trees.

Here’s another truth….the vast majority of people with marketable skills AND a job (those two no longer go together as they once did) acquire enough money to provide the minimum needs for sustaining their lives.  Right now we are living through a difficult period of economic change.  It affects virtually everyone.  A 10%+ unemployment rate in many parts of the United States, interest income down, a highly volatile stock market, glaring problems in the European countries – all of this has increased our anxiety and hit us in the pocketbooks.  But the vast majority of us still have food to eat, a place to sleep, and enough left over to share with others.

It isn’t like this everywhere.  It isn’t like this for everyone.  But that has always been the case.  There has always been and there will always be wide disparities in how the good gifts of God are provided, acquired, managed, distributed and saved.

In this scene from Acts 4, the spiritual reawakening which has come in the power of the indwelling Spirit of God has also produced a new kind of social awareness.  The new disciples are loving one another, not just in words, but in deeds.  They are sharing what they have with those who have little or nothing, the result of which is that there are no needy among them.

Some of what is shared comes from the daily incomes of people.  Some of what is shared comes from accumulated assets which are being sold and the proceeds donated.  This passage makes conservative capitalists nervous (it sounds too much like socialism or even communism) but it must sound like water on parched land to the poor.  It is a vision of a very different life than the dog eat dog survival rat race that is the most common way of being in the world.

But remember.  Money doesn’t grow on trees.  God is not magically dropping lottery winnings on the early church.  People are experiencing “enough” in life because those with “more than enough” are sharing what they have.  God gives everything but it takes human beings to manage the distribution of that everything.  The issue isn’t “is that possible?” – the issue here is “are we willing?”

Let us pray:  Gracious Lord, thank you for all that we are and all that we have.  Thank you for the privilege of daily work and a trustworthy income.  Thank you for opportunities to share with others.  Especially this week we pray for an attitude of gratitude that flows into a heart of generosity. We pray today for those without enough, for those seeking jobs, for those who work hard but struggle to meet the demands of their lives.  Where we can be helpful, relieve our anxiety and give us the willingness to share.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the origin of God’s creation: “I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth. For you say, ‘I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.’ You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Therefore I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich; and white robes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen; and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. I reprove and discipline those whom I love. Be earnest, therefore, and repent. Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me. To the one who conquers I will give a place with me on my throne, just as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” Revelation 3:14-22

Martin Luther King said that the opposite of love was not hate but apathy.  Winston Churchill said that the only thing necessary for evil to triumph would be for good men to do nothing.  And the angel writing to the church of Laodicea on God’s behalf says “I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”

Of themselves, the Laodiceans say, “I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.”

Warner Sallman’s painting, “Christ at Heart’s Door” is one of the most iconic images reproduced in stained glass and behind the altar of many traditional congregations.  People are quick to notice that there isn’t a knob on the outside of the door (Jesus does the knocking but we have to open the door).  We are less apt to notice the lighting which puts Jesus at the center of a heart that includes the door.

Whenever I’ve seen this image, I always think about the Easter Sunday scene in John when Jesus passes through the locked door to join the fearful disciples.  The idea that God is somehow less powerful than the locked doors of a human heart seems ludicrous to me because I can’t imagine God being less powerful than anything.  God, after all, is God.

But I do recognize the Laodiceans.  I do recognize the self satisfaction of a positive balance in the bank; the egotism that says that life is all about me; the rationalism that explains away God; the consumerism that reduces the Christian faith to meeting my needs the way I want them met when I want them met how I want them met as long as I want them met.  I get all of that because I have all of that.  And because I have all of that, I see it in others.

The writer says:  “You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked”.  To that I would respond, “Actually, late at night when we can’t sleep, or when life takes uncontrollable turns in the bright light of day, or when we run up against the illusion of self control or hear yet another shrill voice telling us the world is rushing toward self destruction, we realize all of that.  For that is precisely what we are medicating ourselves against.”

“Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.”

Let us pray:  Gracious Lord, come into our lives again today.  Forgive us for all that we do that separates us from you and us from one another.  Come to us as we huddle in fear or run in rebellion.  Don’t let us go!  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

You then, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus; and what you have heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will be able to teach others as well. Share in suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving in the army gets entangled in everyday affairs; the soldier’s aim is to please the enlisting officer. And in the case of an athlete, no one is crowned without competing according to the rules. It is the farmer who does the work who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in all things. Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David–that is my gospel, for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. The saying is sure: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful — for he cannot deny himself. 2 Timothy 2:1-13

A man was brought before a judge for his arraignment.  The judge saw that the man did not have an attorney.  “Sir, do you not have an attorney to represent you?” asked the judge.

“No your honor.  I can’t afford an attorney.”

“Don’t worry, son,” said the judge, “We’ll find an attorney for you.”

“Thank you very much,” said the accused, “And while you’re at it, I could use some really good witnesses too.”

Jesus can use some really good witnesses as well.

He went to the cross alone.  The Bible tells us that there were some who witnessed against Jesus, but their stories were obviously crossed and trumped up.  The stony silence is that Jesus had no witnesses who spoke up on his behalf.  At best, those who would have spoken up for Jesus stood at a distance, at worst they ran away.

But on Easter Sunday night, Jesus entered the room where his friends were hiding and he gave them a new purpose.  “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”  And then again at the beginning of Acts:  “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

1 and 2 Timothy are letters of encouragement to a young church leader, an invitation to excellence and persistence in witnessing to Jesus.  There are warnings that the way will not be easy, there will be suffering and hardship.  There is the reminder that witnesses do not travel alone. 

And there is the promise: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful — for he cannot deny himself.

Let us pray:  Dear Lord, we pray that you give us opportunity to commend the faith that is in us today.  Bring people to us who have something to say that we need to hear and in our hearing, may they sense your care.  Bring us opportunities to share what we have with others, and in our sharing, may they know your provision.  Bring us people who have lost hope, that we might provide encouragement, and in our encouragement, may they sense your strength.  Use us as your witnesses.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.