Owe

"She gave thanks to God and spoke of him to all," Luke 2:38.

Him: the 40 day-old Jesus. She: Anna. So, who's Anna? In a minute, but first. Ever get upset when you've asked for just this one thing and God doesn't do it? Can't be that big a deal? (I certainly have.) But why should God do anything at all for anybody at all? I mean, really, what in the world does God owe us? For real, what? People walk around all the time mad at God for not doing something. Here's Anna: She's 84. Married at an early age, her husband died seven years in. What does she do? She spends her time worshipping, fasting, praying in the temple. Six decades or so. And seeing baby Jesus, she thanks God and prophesies of Jerusalem's redemption. Sky kingdom.

Encouraging one another, we visit with a brother or sister today. We speak of Jesus, redeemer of our lives. We release self-centered wants. And, together we give thanks for Jesus yielding his very life for us. Amazing!

Consolation

"He was waiting for the consolation of Israel," Luke 2:25.

Ever had a real strong feeling about something was going to happen? Well, Simeon heard the Holy Spirit promise he wouldn't die until he had seen God's Christ. [Sidebar: The Hebrew Bible, the Old Testament, ever points to a time when God would send his especially chosen man. In those days when they talked about a special choice, they said messiah, meaning christ, meaning anointed, depending on the language talked. Sidebar ends.] This special man would redeem Israel, enlighten all peoples, save all from the distress, console those waiting for him, and bring peace to all who pleased God. Jesus is about 6 weeks old (40 days, to be exact) when Simeon finds him, takes the infant in his arms, and says: This is him. The Christ of God. The consolation of Israel.

Touching bases with a brother or sister today, we remind each other of the hope Jesus brings despite distress. He pulls the yoke with us, forward to eternal life. So, consoled together, we give thanks.

Latin

"Gloria in excelsis Deo," Luke 2:14.

The night Jesus was born: Those are the words the heavenly army of God spoke, if they spoke Latin. Which they didn't. Glory to God in the highest, are the words, if they spoke English. Which wasn't invented yet. Doxa en hupsistois theo, are the Greek words. But, instead, they worded praise to God in Aramaic, the  language of common shepherds shepherding sheep that night. God speaks words in any and all human languages, living or dead. Sometimes folk think we get more religious by talking words in ancient languages. But God's fluency finds purchase in the Word made flesh. God is fluent in languages of the heart. English, Swahili, Arabic, Mandarin, whatever, are all ok. But his Word speaks to our hearts. Sky kingdom.

We commune with a brother or sister today, as we hear God's Word speak his love. And, together, we give thanks that God understands. Glory to God!

Fourth

"To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior," Luke 2:11.

Well, today is the fourth day of Christmas, according to folks who keep such time. (You know, the day for the four calling birds.) And you thought Christmas was over! Nossir! The dozen days of fame end only on January 6, celebrated as the Epiphany, that is, the day of the Manifestation (when God showed up as a human being, Jesus being born, right?). Actually, January 7 is the celebration, but we won't quibble. But, we say, it's not the date, but the fact of Jesus' birth that we celebrate, even if quaint folk celebrate Jesus' birth on the wrong day. Now, that's the point: the earliest followers of Jesus, for the better part of two centuries, did not celebrate his birth on any day. What they did celebrate, without fail, every week, was his death, burial, and resurrection. What he asked his people to remember. Communion. Hope.

We fellowship with a brother or sister today, and speak of the confident expectation of resurrection after death. And, together, we give thanks to God for his son's humble, life giving obedience.

Keeper

"Where does my help come from? My help comes from Jehovah God," Psalm 121:1,2

O, Lord God! You are the source, the beginning, the initiator, the start of my help! Yes, of my hope! It's not the hills that inspire me, it's not creation that inspires me. It's, You, maker of hills, of skies, and of earth who inspires me! You keep my feet secure on the path. You watch while I sleep. (You never sleep!) You keep me shaded under the hot sun. You keep me lit under the moon's domain. You're my keeper, Lord! You keep me from the evil one. You keep my life. You keep my every movement. Praise you, God!

Encouraging a brother or sister today, we remind each other of our God, the source of all goodness, protector of our souls. Starting from now and forever more ahead. Together, we give thanks.

Shoes

"Suddenly, a huge army showed up in the sky praising God!" Luke 2:13.

Can you imagine? Camping out under the stars, quietly minding your own business, and out of nowhere a thunderous roar rolls in shaking earth and sky, the words: Glory to God! over and over! Wow! Masses in battle array show up in the sky, touching earth, praising God, proclaiming peace among mortals. (Well, you had an inkling something was going to happen because a single angel had already broken your reverie moments earlier.) And then, suddenly as it all started, the quiet returns. Stunned, the shepherds say: We might ought to check this thing out in Bethlehem. And so they do. And they tell their story. Sky kingdom starting to break out into this old world.

With a brother or sister, today, we remove our shoes and bow in wonder at this thing that has happened. God's rolled up his sleeves, fixing our mess. So, together, we give thanks, glorify, and praise him.

Fixing

"Don't be afraid! I'm bringing you good news! Great joy! For everybody," Luke 2:10.

Middle of the night, out on the grassy meadows, keeping an eye on the sheep. Shepherds doing their thing. Out of nowhere: A blast of light blazes everywhere. They see an unearthly creature through the brilliance. They're scared to death! (You might have noticed, angels often look pretty scary.) Good news? What good news? A baby is born. That's the news? O, Yes, yes, yes! God at work! God doing something about the mess we're in! God fixing things! A savior is born, this day, Christ, the Lord! In David's town! God keeping promises made to father Abraham and Sarah 2,000 years before! And to King David, 1,000 years earlier. Joy! Very, very happy!

With a brother or sister today, we say Praise God! Praise God! And, together, we give thanks that we get to be part of the fix.

Working

"Loud lament, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more," Matthew 2:18.

Before we get too maudlin about peaceful manger scenes, snow-dusted pastures, starry starry skies, and the stable's warm glow (one of my favorite scenes in the whole wide world!) ... Why did King Herod slaughter the little boys? worldly kingdom. to kill the child Jesus. Mary birthed baby Jesus into that world. Glad things are different nowadays. Not counting, like, children blown up in Oklahoma daycare centers, or sprayed with bullets in New Jersey schoolrooms; or people shot in South Carolina prayer meetings. Oh, No! God, please, No! But, Yes, we've made a big, big mess; O yes, we have. God's working on it, has been for a long, long time.

With a brother or sister today, we confess sin has utterly broken this world. What deep need to receive, and to extend, forgiveness! So, together, we give thanks that God receives Jesus' trust and obedience as ours.

Unsnarling

"O Bethlehem Ephrathah, from you will come a ruler in Israel for me," Micah 5:2.

That line came more than 7 centuries before Jesus was born. The prophet foretold the Assyrian destruction of Israel. Because the people worshiped the lie. And killed children to appease their idols. In the middle of the destruction foretelling, suddenly the prophet talks about a ruler from the little town of Bethlehem who'll save the leftovers. Fast forward. When the magi from the East (remember the star-followers?) lost their way to a new kid-king, how did they get back on track? King Herod's researchers found that old line. That's how they knew to find him in Bethlehem. God's been setting up things for a long, long time, to fix the big, big mess we've made.

With a brother or sister today, we reflect on the centuries God's been resolving his promise. The blessing promise, no lie, to Abraham and Sarah, 4,000 years ago. God's unsnarling our mess. And, together, we give thanks that we, too, get blessed.

Asleep

"Jehovah is God and he has shined on us," Psalms 118:27.

You are my God, and I will thank you! Lord, you are good. Your steadfast love lasts forever. I called on you in distress and you set me free. The Lord makes me sing. Lord, you taught me a hard lesson, but didn't let me die. You answered me and saved me. The stone not good enough for the builders, you made it the cornerstone! This is your doing, O God. You made today - You made our day - we're thrilled! (Whoever comes in the Lord's name, the Lord's blessings on you!) You are my God, You are good! I will thank you forever.

We call a brother or sister today and tell of the light that shines in our darkness. Of fading despair, of growing hope. And we give thanks for the light of the nations asleep in a manger.

Overflowing

"There was no room for them in the guest room," Luke 2:7.

Whoa! Guest room? Wasn't it the inn where the innkeeper said, Go away, we've got no room in the inn! (?) Well, don't know how to say this gently, but it's the guest room. (Same word Jesus uses later for the guest room where the last supper happened.) The innkeeper, he's not even in the story! Now, that's a bummer: Love to hate that old curmudgeon. Here's what's going on: Everybody's at their ancestral homes due to the census. Town's packed. Guest rooms overflowing. Best place for a swaddled baby is straw-filled manger in the home's courtyard. That's how the shepherds knew to find the right baby in the city of David. God fixing the big mess we made.

With a brother or sister today we join our praise with that of the shepherds of old. We glorify God, together, in thanksgiving for the Savior who is Christ the Lord.

Major

"The maiden will conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel," Isaiah 7:14.

So there they were, all hunkered down, seven plus (7+) centuries before Jesus' birth. Jerusalem besieged. King Ahaz, all scared and stuff, and Jerusalem with him, because the bad guys surrounded them. God's man Isaiah shows up and gives a minor prophecy: No worries - bad guys are humans. Ahaz, see that maiden over there? By the time she's had a kid, named him Immanuel, and weaned him, the bad guys will be history footnotes, because God is with us. (And that's just the way it happened.) But God is bigger than footnotes. He turned the minor into a major mind-blowing prophecy seven plus (7+) centuries later: A virgin conceived Immanuel. God with us. The son of God.

With a brother or sister today, we pause in wonder at this God who, for centuries, has been working painstakingly on this mess of ours, to fix it right. And, together, humbly, we give thanks.

Babies

"That which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit," Matthew 1:20.

Ok, kids! Can you say Incarnation? In-car-na-tion, can you say that? Now. All together, let's say it: In-car-na-tion. In-carnation. Incarnation. Good! But what's with that? means this: Word became flesh. Word into brawn. That which is conceived (weird way to say it, but ... the baby) in her (the baby Mary's carrying) is of (had his start from) the Holy Spirit (the Holy Spirit). A virgin will become pregnant. So, Joseph, fiancee of Mary. Yes, you, the guy engaged to marry Mary. Right, it's kind of embarrassing all around, isn't it? The kid's not yours and all. Awkward! No, don't divorce her. (Love her anyway.) Leave town for a while, take her to Bethlehem, everybody will assume, nobody will know. And it'll be Ok. For everybody. For generations of unborn babies to come.

Today with a brother or sister we marvel at the way God's fixing the mess we're in. Seth, Perez, Salmon, Obed, Solomon, Samuel ... seems like God always starts with babies. And, together, we give thanks he makes us part of the fix.

Sparkles

"The Word became flesh and camped out with us," John 1:14.

Now that's John's whole discussion of the Nativity. No wise men, shepherds, angel armies, grouchy innkeepers, mangers, or even little drummer boys. Something John wants us to get: Jesus is the Word become human. What Word? the one there at the start when God said, Let there be light. Word was God. Look up into the night sky - see the sparkles of light? None of it was there without that Word making it so. Look deep into a photon - wonder about its brilliance? that Word lights the details. And that Word pitched his tent with us. (yeah, it really says that.) The Word put on skin (not pretend like a costume, but became part of his self). And that Word, through our darkness, shines. O how he shines!

Camping out with a brother or sister today, making our way to the land of promise, we share Jesus' light. And, together, we give thanks that we see.

Swear

"He was not the Light, but he came to tell about the Light," John 1:8.

Who wasn't the light? baptizing John wasn't. So who was John? a witness. God sent John out to testify. To swear Jesus was the true light that shines in darkness. John said, He was before me. (Wait, wasn't John six months older than Jesus?) John said, I am not the Christ. John said, I am not Elijah. John said, I am not the prophet. John said, I am a wilderness voice calling out: Make the way of the Lord straight! John said, I am not worthy to kneel in front and untie his sandal. John said, Look! Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Witness John said, I'm telling you, he's the Son of God. John said, He must increase and I must decrease.

We visit today with a brother or sister and we testify with John that the Lamb has taken away our own sins, too. And, together, we give thanks for testimony that points out from our mess, up to the lifted Christ.

Decent

"Praise the Lord! I will give you thanks, Lord, with my whole heart, among decent people, and in the assembly," Psalm 111:1.

Your work shines! People who delight in your works, think about them a lot. Your work makes my effort worthwhile! Your grace and your mercy are food for my soul. I trust your guidance; I trust your work; I will follow you truly, with integrity. When I honor you and listen to you, I get smart. You have redeemed me. Your promises will never change. Nor will you. Your very name is holy and awesome! Praise you, God, forever!

Connecting with a brother or sister, today, we encourage each other to deep honor of our God. Every single good gift comes from the sky kingdom above, where Christ is, seated at God's right hand. So, together, we give thanks.

Reveal

"The child grew and was in the wilderness till the day of his reveal," Luke 1:80.

Who? John. The kid, who, still in Elizabeth's womb, when she, Elizabeth, first heard Mary's greeting, and she, Mary, had baby Jesus in her own womb, this kid, John, jumped! And now, from the wilderness, cultured pretty much like a wilderness man, he comes out like Elijah into the Judean wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord! He baptizes repentant people who demonstrate their repentance by bearing fruit befitting their repentance. Like Elijah, he challenges the king's rot, who justifies his rot by beheading John. Of whom Jesus said: From those born of women, there has risen no one greater than John the baptizer. 

Today, with a brother or sister, we join in the wonder of this God who moves history to include you and me, too. And we give thanks for the cloud of witnesses who prepared the way for us.

Magic

"He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb," Luke 1:15.

No, not talking about Jesus. The pregnant mother? the very old Elizabeth, theretofore childless. The stunned father? the very old Zechariah. The Spirit filled, unborn baby? John. Before he was Baptist. We'd think that if God was going to send his own son into the world, he'd just get on with it, wouldn't we? I mean, if God is so loving and so strong, he'd hear our ads, and Just Do It. We'd think. But God's not man, nor the son of man. He's, well, God. And God's not magic. Magic knows nothing of human need, of unintended consequences. God considers everything we never even dreamed. So God does what we need. And baptizing John's needed to prep us, humans, big time: Repent! the kingdom of heaven's nearly here!

With a brother or sister today, we consider God's mercy in preparing us to receive grace. We set aside ignorant pride, and trust God's provision. And, together, we give thanks to the One who accounts for our need. Even before we were born.

Baby

"They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly," Luke 1:6.

Remember some gracious elderly people, from your youth perhaps? Kind, gentle souls, waiting on God? (Yeah, we've all known the other kind, too!) Well, here they are. Who? Zechariah and Elizabeth. Old couple without kids. Good people, but old. Seniors quietly living out their religious rituals. Just old folks waiting on God to do something, waiting to die. So. In this way Luke starts the story of Jesus. The gospels start, not with Jesus' ministry, but with the son of that ancient couple. Yes, we read right, their son. She, a little embarrassed by her late, way late pregnancy, he, speechless. But both excited and thankful. A baby's on the way. God doing something about the mess we're in.

We touch bases with a brother or sister today, and speak of God's unseen work to fix our mess. And of God's overwhelmingly evident work, too. And, together, we give thanks that God's work ever advances independently of our appreciation for it.

Carelessness

"So that you may know the truth about the words you were taught," Luke 1:4.

Why doesn't God do something about the mess we're in? I mean, pick a tragedy, any tragedy. Got it? Yes? Good. Now ask, if God's so loving and strong, why didn't God prevent it? Ever hear people conclude: Either God must not love that much, or God must not be that strong ... is God even there? In our despair, what awake human hasn't thought that? What's God even doing?! The Bible is the book about What's God Doing. What God did in the beginning, in the middle, close to the end right now, and in the end. It's the book about arrogant choices humans make (and then blame God for impotent carelessness). It's a big book, because it's a big mess. So Luke takes us back to the God who had a son, named Adam, the arrogant one.

With a brother or sister today we confess the truth of our arrogance, and we repent. We receive forgiveness given freely, washing, cleansing, empowering. And we give thanks for God's other son, Jesus, the humble one.

History

"The birth of Jesus Christ was this way," Matthew 1:18.

Ever wonder about ancestry? How many generations back can you give names without a break? (I can barely do it to 150 years ago.) Before Matthew pens that line about Jesus' nativity, he has already detailed fourteen generations - well, actually, three sets of fourteen generations back. Forty-two. About 2,000 years. About fourteen from Joseph (and Mary) back through Jehoiakim (and Nehushta) and the deportation, about fourteen more through David (and Bathsheba), and another fourteen to Abraham (and Sarah). Baby Jesus, this mortal manchild, comes with some history. Some 4,000 years ago childless seniors, a man and woman, believed God's promise to make of their barrenness an innumerable, blessing nation. So here we are. Through a born child with some history.

Contacting a brother or sister today, we remind each other of God's faithfulness throughout the generations. We remind of the kingdom of heaven, of which we are children. And we give thanks, together.

Dust

"My whole being, praise the Lord! My whole being, praise his holy name!" Psalm 103:1.

All that is within me: bless his holy name! O soul of mine: don't forget all his kindnesses. Remember his forgiveness. Remember his healings. Remember how he delivered you from the pit. O soul of mine: remember his steadfast love, his mercy. Remember the refreshing good he gave. Remember, he moved my transgressions as far away as the skies are from earth. As far as the east is from the west. O Lord God: you know that I'm made of dust. You know my days are like a wildflower - here and then gone, and nobody remembers where it was any more. But your love is from eternity past through eternity future. Let me honor you and keep covenant with you. Your throne, O God, your kingdom in the skies rules over all.

With a brother or sister, today, we share in remembering God's mighty works in our lives. And, together, with all that we are, we give praise and thanks.

2000

"We see Jesus wearing a crown of glory and honor," Hebrews 2:9.

He's wearing that crown, right now. He died (2,000 years ago). God raised Jesus from the dead (2,000 years ago). God seated Jesus at his right hand (2,000 years ago). Jesus' reign began (2,000 years ago). Jesus must continue his reign (2,000 years strong today) through the end of time, until the last enemy, death, is destroyed. And then, Jesus will hand the kingdom over to God, and will become himself also subject to the God who set him to reign. Jesus had said, I will build my church. With his building it, the sacred of heaven broke out into this profane world. His church. Sky kingdom.

With a brother or sister today, we bow together in deep worship of God and his reigning Christ, the King, Jesus. And we look forward to the consummation of the age when all will be made new. And, together, his congregation, we say, Thank You! Forever alive.

Crowned

"The kingdom of God is among you," Luke 17:21.

So Jesus says (it's Jesus here, right?) the kingdom of God wasn't coming in a way that people could say, like, It's right here! Or, There it is, over there! Like, Here's the Roman kingdom, over there's Israel's kingdom, and way over there's God's kingdom! Like, driving along and there's a line across the road, and a sign says, Entering God's Kingdom! No. The kingdom of God (so says Jesus, anyway) is in you. Not just in you, personally. Is among you, all of you, plural. The kingdom of God rests in the people collected from the four corners of earth, from throughout time, who believe, like Abraham did, that God is trustworthy. Who confess Jesus Christ is Lord. Who have been born of water and Spirit. Who have crowned Jesus, king. Who are become subject to the rule of the God of the heavens. His church. Sky kingdom.

As we meet with a brother or sister today, we see our common citizenship in the sky kingdom. This world is not home. And we offer joyful thanks, together, to our King.

Confessant

"Some cried out one thing, some another, for the church was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together," Acts 19:32.

What a churchly mess! Yelling in the chaos, unsure what it was all about, on the cusp of all out riot, a huge mob of pagans rock the city with their chants. But wait a minute: Does it say: church? Yep. Except that most of our English translations say assembly, not church. Yet it's the same exact Bible language word. Which returns us to the point: When Jesus says, I will build my church, he's not talking a new world religion. Rather, he collects human beings from every nation, tribe, language group, culture, race, whose commonality rests in this exclusive confession, Jesus Christ is Lord. And you are become a fellow confessant in that fellowship. Even as we speak, God, through the Spirit of his unique Son, is putting this congregation together. Some assembly required.

With a brother or sister today, we hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering. And, together, we give thanks that God has transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved son. Sky kingdom.

Oracles

"This is he that was in the church in the wilderness," Acts 7:38.

(That's how the King James Version renders the passage.) So, who was in this church? Moses. What wilderness church? Well, it's talking about the hundreds of thousands (millions?) of people collected at Mt. Sinai. After their deliverance from slavery in Egypt, Moses received the living oracles of God there. But church? How can there be a church centuries upon centuries before Christ? Nothing here about deacons or evangelism or Sunday school or ... Exactly the point. (We already noted elsewhere that in Bible language the word, church, just means assembly, right?) Moses met with the people assembled, collected, congregated to hear the oracles of God. Just like Jesus meets with the people whom he delivered from death, now gathered together, collected, assembled by his living Word. Even if it's only two or three congregated in his name. Sky kingdom.

Today, with a brother or sister, we meet to hear the living and active word. To joy in the God of our salvation. And, together, we give thanks that we may be part of the congregation of Christ.

Congregated

"In the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise," Hebrews 2:12.

Who's singing? Jesus. Who's he singing to? God. Where's he singing from? From the middle of the congregation. What congregation? Ah, well, that's today's subject. Congregation translates this Greek word: ekklesia. Most everywhere else in our English New Testaments ekklesia comes like this: church. And this word, church, loads so much misinformation that we must unteach. Church doesn't mean building. Church doesn't mean religion. Church doesn't mean organizational hierarchy. (Whatever that means.) Church doesn't mean religious leaders with unusual clothes and jewelry. The Bible word means, well, like it says up there, congregation. Assembly. Gathering. Group. Of people. And in Jesus' case it's that group of persons who listen to him singing. From their midst. To God.

With a brother or sister today, we gather to hear Jesus sing to God. That he is not ashamed to call us brothers and sisters. And, congregated (even if by phone or internet), we give thanks.

Pastoral

"We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture," Psalm 100:3.

Whose people? The Lord God Jehovah's people! Don't you forget whose you are. Now, sometimes folks will interpret like this: God is God, God made us to be sheep, so we're nothing more than just a bunch of old sheep. I get the value to warn against human arrogance, but here it misses whole thing big time. A pastoral society defines wealth in terms of its stock of cattle or sheep. So here's what it says: God created us, we are his, we are his people, we're his stock market. When God shows off his wealth to whatever in the world (and out of the world) there is to show it to, you're what he shows. So don't harden your heart. Don't you forget your value to whose you are!

With a brother or sister today we remind each other that God is good, his steadfast love endures forever. And, together, we say, Thank you God, we bless your name!

Unshakable

"The kingdom of heaven is at hand," Matthew 4:17.

At hand means real soon now. So where is Jesus' heavenly kingdom? Well, some folks say it's still not here yet. It's so common to think of the kingdom as a future reality. It's so common to think that Jesus' church, a present reality, is a sloppy placeholder until God finally gets the act all together. It's so common to think that maybe someday, if we're good enough, we'll get to be part of heaven's kingdom. But all that is not Bible. Rather, the kingdom Jesus said was coming soon, got here already in the lifetime of some standing there when Jesus said it. And it's still here, among us. Behold, God qualified his people, God already transferred these from the dominion of darkness into the kingdom of his beloved son. Already. Redeemed. Forgiven. Sky kingdom.

No fear with a brother or sister today! It's the father's good pleasure to give us the kingdom. We share with any and all in need of stuff and of salvation. And, having received an unshakable kingdom, together we give thanks.

Gratitude

"To the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen." Romans 16:27.

Thank you, God, for your wisdom. Thank you, God, for your steadfast love. Thank you, God, for your merciful kindness. Thank you, God, for your forgiveness. Thank you, Father, for your son, Jesus. Thank you, Father, for adopting us all, your children, brothers and sisters to Jesus. Thank you, God, for your congregation. Thank you, God, for family. Thank you, God, for our earthly parents. Thank you, God, for our friends. Thank you, God, for supplying the necessities of life. Thank you, God, for sharing your wealth. Thank you, God, for letting us join your work. Thank you, God, for the rock-solid hope of forever life with you in the sky kingdom.

Today we join in with a brother or sister and together in one voice we say Thank you God! Hear our gratitude, forever.

Foreigners

"It is a faithful thing you do for the brothers - foreigners/strangers as they are," 3 John 5.

Who's talking? Old man John, the last living apostle of Jesus' twelve. Who's he talking to? A man walking in the truth, named Gaius. What's Gaius doing to show John his faithfulness to Jesus? He supports fellow Christians who have gone out for sake of Jesus' name (sounds like missionaries, doesn't it?), even though these brothers are foreigners, strangers to Gaius. John says that when God's people support these folks, they become workers together in the truth. How cool is that? (Note, it's not just anybody, willy-nilly, Gaius supports - these are clearly brothers; just not of Gaius' own worldly cultural people.) Yes, the old apostle says they don't depend on unbelievers - believers must support these brothers. Sky kingdom.

Today, with a brother or sister, we join with workers in the truth of Jesus to put the name of Jesus before a lost world. And, together, we offer thanks that God received us, strangers, into his kingdom.

Real

"Whoever continues to follow the teaching of Christ has both the Father and the Son," 2 John 9.

What's the teaching of Christ? It's this command (command? does he command? yes, he does): Love one another. Do it, and you have access to God. Pretty straightforward, isn't it? Don't do it, you don't have God. Pretty sobering, isn't it? But wait a minute! Does the phrase "follow the teaching of Christ" refer to something Jesus taught, or does it refer to some teachings about Jesus? Yes, indeed. Got that right. It does. What he taught: Love one another. What is taught about him: Jesus Christ came in the flesh. Anyone who advances teaching beyond this is the antichrist. Is a worker of wicked works. Whoa! that's pretty harsh, isn't it? But that's what it says.

We find a brother or sister today and serve them in the love of Christ. Jesus, the very real man, helped very real people in this very real world, and we do, too. And, together, we give thanks to the one who loved us, for real.

Trailblazer

"Whoever dwells in the support of the Most High, will spend the night in the shelter of the God of skies," Psalm 91:1.

You, O God, are my shelter, my fortress! I trust you to cover me with your wings. Spending the night with your presence, I will fear no night terrors, no pandemic. And no dangers at noon. A thousand harms may fall all around me, but your watchful eyes keep me secure. You are the highest of all: your refuge the safest anywhere. I marvel that at your command your mighty angels guard me! At your command they lift me up! I hold fast to you in love; I know your name, O God. I call to you alone. And you deliver me.

With a brother or sister, today, we urge each other to hang on more tightly in love to the Most High God. And, together, we give thanks for Jesus, the trailblazer of our faith.

Millennium

"You came near when I called on you; you said, 'Do not fear'," Lamentations 3:57.

God had promised a forever kingdom to the house of David. That earthly throne held David's direct descendants in Jerusalem for about half a millennium. Now, the weeping prophet heralds and witnesses its horrific end: Jerusalem, throne, and temple turned to dust. And its people ... slaughtered. The left-overs, taken into slavery. But even now, a descendant of David, King Jehoiachin, lives, deported to Babylon. Seventy years later, another descendant of David, Zerubbabel, captive born, returns to rebuild the temple. A descendant of his, born about half a millennium later, finds a manger as his crib. A thousand years from David to Jesus. No earthly kingdom. Forever kingdom of the skies.

With a brother or sister today, we do not fear. God has transferred us from the dominion of darkness into the kingdom of his beloved son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. And, together, we give thanks. Sky kingdom.

Hand

"We should love one another," 1 John 3:11.

Yes. We've heard that from the very start of it all. Why should we love one another? because that's what children of God do. They're lovers, like God. Compared to what? compared to children of the devil who do not love. They hate. And whoever hates his brother is a murderer. That's what it says. (Wait - I don't hate anybody! just some folks I don't like a whole lot.) So, instead, we love one another. And what does that look like? Like Jesus. He laid down his life for us. So that's what we do for each other. To a brother in need, we give a hand up. We love for real. Like Jesus. Not just endless debates about who the brother worthy of our help might really be. We love like that Samaritan over there.

We visit with a brother or sister today, transformed once again by God's powerful love demonstration in Jesus. And together we determine to love like him. And we give thanks.

Parcels

"His mercies never come to an end," Lamentations 3:22.

Whose mercies? God's mercies. Jehovah God's mercies. What about them? They never end. His compassions do not fail. They do not exhaust. The Lord's steadfast love never ends. Never? Never. Does God's love, do his mercies, wear out, lose the oomph? No, never - in fact, renewed in the morning, every single morning. It's just like God's faithfulness. Which is great. Really great! (God is faithful though every man be false.) What if we're in the middle of bad stuff brought on by God? The bad stuff he parcels out, well, then he's the very one who can change it. And he does: The Lord is our portion. He is our inheritance! O soul bowed down with sorrow, hope against hope! Soul, you'll be vindicated in hope. Believe it!

As we visit with a brother or sister today, we remind of God's never ending mercies. We strengthen trust in the power of Jesus' goodness. And we give thanks, together.

Lament

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases," Lamentations 3:22.

Lamentations is a very hard read for me. Five chapters. The prophet's broken heart details the crushing of a naked people meeting raw justice. And he, the prophet, over and again, blames God. Not for the people's choosing to do evil. Agrees justice in the consequences. Blames God for the terror, the unrelenting horror of an unstoppable holocaust. That song we love to sing, in the first line above, sits right smack dab in the middle of the account of God's raging armies. Atrocities sit to one side of the song, despair on the other. And in the middle of lament: Hope. Unimaginable. Hope. Beyond the pale. Hope. Where? Hope that God will change rage to compassion. God did it, where else to find another outcome? Hope! that mercy triumph over judgment.

With a brother or sister today, we hope and wait confidently for God's salvation. In the middle of this world's despair, we trust God to have received Jesus, and us with him, into the sky kingdom. And, together, we give thanks for Jesus' love victory!

None

"The evil of Israel shall be sought, and there shall be none," Jeremiah 50:20.

Really? Jeremiah's prophecies fill page after page detailing sin, wickedness of Judah's and Israel's heinous evils, and the just destruction due them. And, now, they come out squeaky clean? Says who? Well, Jehovah God says so. So, here a few nobodies, captives, bedraggled left-overs from the once mighty people of Israel, thrashed soundly by the great, definitely unrighteous, powers of the day (aka, armies of the Lord). How, now, pray tell, do these scraps get righteous? Here's how, now: God forgives. Nobody rots for ever in their just deserts with God. I mean, nobody. (Unless that's what they really want - their choice.) This Lover forgives anybody who wants to change. That's what he does.

With a brother or sister today, we retell the happy news of this God who wiped our slates clean as a whistle. So, in this sky kingdom, for him who loved us so, we too extend total pardon to others. And we, together, give thanks.

Up-lifter

"To you, O Lord, do I lift up my life," Psalm 86:4.

O Lord, my God, you are so good, ready to forgive, you overflow with mercy to anybody who calls on you. I'm calling on you in the day of my trouble because no one does what you do. No one is like you. You're not hot-tempered, but soft-hearted. You are great, you alone are God, you are full of compassion, you're gracious, you overflow with truth. Teach me your way, Jehovah God! I want to walk in your truth! Please, I need your strength. And, yes!, thank you, God! I thank you with my whole heart: you saved me from sure despair! I will glorify your name for ever. You have comforted me. I worship you, you alone. Your grace has overwhelmed me.

We connect with a brother or sister today to tell of God's wonder. And, together, we give thanks for his son Jesus, the up-lifter our lives.

Awe-ful

"Leave the orphans, and I will take care of them. Your widows also can trust in me," Jeremiah 49:11.

Who speaks? Jehovah God, Lord of armies! Finally! God's justice prevails! Against all the inhumanities of varied peoples it marches forth! Northern aggressors from Babylon would sweep throughout Canaan land. (This they did in the early 6th century before Jesus.) God details specific nations, individual cities, to bear the rage of his destroyers. So, what's with the quote above? Two things. Thing One: a lot of fathers and husbands died. The wrongs and inequities they visited upon each other ended in the terror of God's justice. Thing Two: But don't worry about the orphans and the widows. The Mighty Warrior, God himself, would nurture them gently.

Sobered, we join a brother or sister today in respectful worship of our just God. And we marvel at Jesus, who fully received the justice due us. And, together, we give awe-ful thanks for God's grace, greater than all our sin.

Quiet

"Fear not, for I will save you," Jeremiah 46:27.

If God spoke earlier to a small, left-over, remainder people, he now speaks to an even smaller, left-over-er, remainder-er people. These are those scattered abroad after the Babylonian holocaust of their land and cities. And why should God save such obstinate people? Why does God promise a return home? Why does God pledge quiet, ease for them and their children? Why should God be with them at all? Why will God not make a full end of them? Because, the prophets must continually remind, God is God, and not human. God's plans and purposes, except that he should reveal them, fly higher in the skies than human reckoning. So, why? because God is the Lover of contrite human hearts lately turned from arrogance. But, Why?! Because. God. Is. Holy.

Stunned once again by this unimaginable God, we join with a brother or sister in a quiet moment of reflection. Together, humbled, we give thanks for his grace. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God All Powerful, who was and is and is to come.

Guaranteed

"I will build you up and not pull you down; I will plant you, and not pluck you up," Jeremiah 42:10.

Jehovah God speaks. Again. But to whom? To a small, left-over, remainder people. They must decide whether to trust God, and obey, or to follow their fears. God's promise, as always, remains conditional. Conditional on living faith. God, this God, Creator of the universe and all in it, Lover of all peoples great and small, this God says, trust me. Follow my love for you. If you do, I'll take good care of you. Guaranteed! But if you don't trust me, and obey your fear, you'll be destroyed by that fear, torn down, plucked up (trust me in this, guaranteed). So these beloved people have a choice to make. What did they choose? Spoiler alert: It ended badly.

Today, we renew trust in Jesus, lover of our souls, worthy king of heaven's kingdom, to obey him. Together, with a brother or sister, we affirm God, great king of the ages, worthy of living trust. And we give deep thanks for security of his sky kingdom.

Cup

"I will save you ... you will find your life because you trusted in me," Jeremiah 39:18.

Jehovah God speaks to Ebed-melech, that famous Bible hero of yore. Well, not so famous, I suppose, among humans. But known very well to God. Who was this guy? He was Ethiopian. He was a eunuch. He lived in the royal palace. Sounds like the fellow that deacon Philip met up with in a chariot, doesn't it? (except that was six centuries later - not even a descendant.) What demonstrates his trust in God? At great risk to himself, against powerful authorities, he saves Jeremiah from the depths of a muddy pit. So, what shall we, ourselves, do to live out faith? The sky kingdom is big. Really. Big. God's paying attention to every lost detail.

Expressing kindness in small and in big ways, we touch bases today with a brother or sister. We check in with each other. We share faith in Jesus who rescued us. And we give thanks to God who rewards even a cup of water.

New

"So says Jehovah God creating the earth, Jehovah God, working to keep it right-side-up, Jehovah God, his name," Jeremiah 33:2.

Just in case we missed it, God's name, Jehovah (YHWH), arises three times in the one verse. The Creator of all things, this same God spoke to the prophet. And where was the prophet? in jail. Not to despair, says this God. This God (he takes complete and utter responsibility for its ruin), destroyer of Jerusalem for its evil, will heal it. He will rebuild the lost people. He will forgive their guilt. He will forgive their sheer rebellion against him. The place will become a name of joy, place of praise, a brilliance to all other peoples hearing about this God's rich work. The wind-swept ruins become a place where people will say, Jehovah is good, his steadfast love endures forever! Sky kingdom.

We find a brother or sister today, and we speak of God's riches in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus our Lord. And, together, we give thanks to the God who makes all things new.

Pantheon

"I said, 'You are gods,'" Psalm 82:6.

Who said? God said. To whom said? To those set up as god(s): Greek, Roman, Teutonic, whatever, pantheon; (even, one's own self) judges all. God, the Most Holy God, the only eternal God, in whom alone rests immortality, Creator of the cosmos, this God judges any other so-called god. And God, this God, blessed be he for ever, says to the divine council gathered before him: How long will you (O, gods!) show partiality to the wicked? You should rescue the weak and needy, instead! Therefore, you gods shall die and fall like mortals! ...Jesus, whom mortals accused of blasphemy for claim as son of God, quotes the above scripture (which cannot be broken). God (to whom alone all glory and honor and power and dominion!) designates Jesus as his son by resurrecting the slain Lamb from the dead. Now Jesus sits at the right hand of Majesty in the sky!

With a brother or sister today, we marvel of things beyond our ken, in awe of this God who receives One of us in his holiness. And, receiving One of us, receives us. Together, with all creation, we bow and worship: To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and power for ever!

Stony

"I will be their God, and they shall be my people," Jeremiah 31:33.

God promises a new covenant with his people: but it sounds like the former covenant, doesn't it? What's new? The people had already covenanted to be true to God and he to be their true protection, the terms written on stone tablets. But then they betrayed. Sought protection in kings after their own likeness. In other gods. In their own might. Own technologies. Own skill. Own wisdom. Own alliances. Own revolutions. Own stony hearts. So. What's new? Covenant terms are now written on human hearts. (No stone hearts or tablets.) They shall all know me, says Jehovah: I will remember their sins no more.

We contact a brother or sister today and remind that Jesus paid it all. All to him we owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, he washed it white as snow. And we, God's own people, give heart-moved thanks to our Lord.

Displaced

"I know the plans I have for you, declares Jehovah, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope," Jeremiah 29:11.

Context: Jeremiah writes a letter from God to a broken, beaten, displaced people, captives in a foreign land. God gives hope in the promise to restore their homeland, to bring prosperity. God says to live out their lives with sure expectation of that return. He says restoration will happen in 70 years. (And, of course, it did. God said, and God did!) Think: Twenty-year olds newly married in captivity, become liberated ninety-year olds. Their seventy-year old children, yes, their 20-year old great-grandchildren (!), of whom they did not then dream became the included inheritors of the promise. God's ever at work creating better than we imagined. Kingdom of heaven.

We stop looking at current affairs for hope; with a brother or sister, today, we live out God's sure promise of wholeness. And, in this present hopeless world, we testify hopefully, together, to the real love of Christ Jesus, our Lord. And we give thanks.

Uprooted

"I will build them up. I will not pull them down. I will plant them. I will not uproot them," Jeremiah 24:6.

Says Jehovah, the God of Israel, promises spoken to a people whose culture has been uprooted. To a people now enslaved in a foreign land. To a people whose country still smolders from the devastation. To a people who will not see the promises come true for yet another lifetime. Faith, hope, and love all balance against time, don't they? The longer a promise seems stalled the more challenging keeping faith, holding hope, loving annoyers becomes. Yet, to trust God means exactly that: to press on even when the call to abandon hope shouts loudest. God holds promises unfilled as he works unseen on something better for you (yes, better for you!). Sky kingdom.

We seek out a brother or sister today and we remind each other of heaven. Jesus is coming soon. We invite any and all to enter the gate to the sky kingdom. And, together, we give thanks to the One planting seeds now.

Fixed

"Jehovah says, I will raise up a good descendant in David's family...he will be called: Jehovah Our Righteousness," Jeremiah 23:5-6.

Jeremiah sees nothing but destruction ahead for his people. Through their multiplied injustices, they betrayed the trust God placed in them. Armies have devastated the land; armies now surround the city for its end. No stay of execution. It's over. Suddenly, in the midst of hopeless disaster, God speaks again. Hope for a secure future in a descendant of the king after God's own heart. Now, hope that is seen is hope no longer. So, in the present, a fixed disaster awaits. Yet hope remains where God's work cannot be seen: Sky kingdom.

Today, we remind each other, brothers and sisters all, of hope that does not disappoint as God's love has been poured into our hearts through his Holy Spirit. We trust Jesus, our righteousness, will appear glorious, in the skies. And we give thanks in the now, ahead of time.

Pots

"So the potter reworked the clay into another vessel, as seemed good to him to make it," Jeremiah 18:4.

Have thine own way, Lord, thou art the potter, I am the clay; mold me and make me after thy will, while I am waiting, yielded and still. Words from the hymn point to Jeremiah's experience watching a potter forming clay pots. Jehovah God spoke to the prophet through the potter's hands. The potter molds the clay according to the potter's desire, not the clay's. But if the clay doesn't shape to the potter's design, then the potter reworks the clay per a new potter design. Honorable use or dishonorable use. Potter's choice. Not clay's. Yielding to the Potter does not always bring ease. Consider Jesus, Not my will but thine be done.

With a brother or sister today, we encourage each other to conform to the Potter's hands. Honorable use or dishonorable use, we trust God's judgment. And, together, we give thanks for Jesus' yielding to whatever God deemed good to make.

Watered

"Blessed is the man who trusts in Jehovah God," Jeremiah 17:7.

Blessed, compared to what? Cursed is the man who makes flesh his strength. Blessed or cursed. Trust God or trust man. Begins with the object of trust and ends with, well, the end: bountiful or parched. When God blesses it's not merely a matter of luck. When God curses it's not merely a matter of momentary annoyance. It's the difference between Creator and creature. Between overflowing Spirit and deserted self. Between immortal and perishable. Between hoping in God and hoping in the next president. Watered great tree, deep life roots, strong leafy branches versus dried, twiggy, desert shrub.

With a brother or sister, today, we give thanks to Jesus who trusted in God, rather than to align for political favor. And in him, for that reason, we hope in God, blessed in his sky kingdom.

Abandoned

"I have given the dearly beloved of my soul to the hand of her enemies," Jeremiah 12:7.

Who's talking here? God. Who's God's lover here? His people. What's God done with her? Released her to her enemies. Why? because she wanted them, and repudiated him. One way God rages against our stony-hearted spurning of his lavish love is to let us go. (You know, like, let her go and if she loves you, she'll come back. Not!) Releasing us from protective love, he abandons us. Abandoned to the consequences of the very deceptions we romanced. That's what it means when it says, The sword of Jehovah God devours from one end of the land to the other. That sword is us getting to do what we wanted to do, all the way. When God gives up on us ... well, nobody wants that. Not really. Really. Not anybody wants that.

Repenting, we receive God's gracious love. With a brother or sister today, we return to the bosom of the lover of our souls; we find protection and healing. And we give thanks for his salvation. Sky kingdom.

Copier

"The lying pen of the scribes has made it worthless," Jeremiah 8:8.

Now there's an arresting thought. It's talking about God's law. The people who copy the scriptures (the scribes) used a lying pen (they did not copy faithfully) rendering the law into a lie. That's like you can't trust a copy machine to image exact copies of the original. What a mess! But before we get too worked up, we note the rest of the passage. It's about repentance and obedience to God's will. Birds follow God's migration patterns for them, but God's people won't follow him. They claim wisdom for having the law, but they reject obedience to it. The prophet concludes what's written is lies for all the difference it makes. So, the false wise men will fall in God's visitation.

We repent. With a brother or sister, today, we return to follow our Lord with renewed integrity, ready for the visitation. And, together, we give thanks for the faithful image of God in Jesus.

Obscenity

"You have played the whore with many lovers; and you want to return to me?" Jeremiah 3:1.

Who's talking here? God. The weeping God. Who's he talking to? His wife. To his divorced wife who loves her adulteries. That is, to his people, Israel. The law pronounces it obscenity in the face of Jehovah God for a husband to take back his former wife after they divorced and she married somebody else. And, now, God's divorced, treacherous wife wants reconciliation. Through his tears God says, You cannot be serious; it's an abomination; everybody knows that. And then God says, Sure, I'll take you back; just stop your adulteries; come back to me, truly, and we'll reign together. What?! What kind of God is this?!

We repent. We put away shameful adulteries. With a brother or sister today we remember our God's mercy. We remember his Christ's redeeming price paid, Forgive them. And, humbly, we give thanks for his grace. Sky kingdom.

Daring

"Those who were not looking for me found me," Romans 10:20.

Paul says Isaiah was quite bold in such statement. How, now, does it take a lot of daring to say something so, well, not exactly boring but just so plain? Here's how: The nation God had formed from the world for himself, that God had birthed, God had nursed, God had taught to walk, God had promised the sky to, God had loved to strength and beauty of youth and vigor, God had doted on ... this people said to him, You're not good enough for us. So what did God do? OK, here's the bold part --> Isaiah declares God used the moment to open his heart to every other people, nation, tribe, race, language on the planet. He opened the sky kingdom to you and yours and me and mine, all of us up to that moment ignorant, incompetent, clueless, hopeless. Amazing grace. Sky kingdom.

With a brother or sister today, we declare boldly that God showed up. His son, Jesus, opened heaven's door to God. And we believe this unbelievable God gives us the sky. And we say, Thank You!

Counsel

"Besides You, whom do I have in the sky, who on earth else do I desire?" Psalm 73:25.

This body of mine, yes, even my heart may fail, but, God, you are the strength of my heart, you're my share into the ages ahead. True, I confess, jealousy almost destroyed me. I saw people who had it all. I saw their wealth grow. I saw their beautiful bodies. I saw their arrogance. I saw them cut way ahead in line, mouthing their disdain for God. In my envy, I thought there's no use trying to be good. I even became embittered against you, God! (Ashamed now, but even like an animal against you!) But then, I came into your presence, O God! There's so much more than what I had seen! Your counsel, guides me; your welcome calls me into your eternal glory. I want only You.

With a brother or sister today we declare God is the only god, there is no other. Whether on earth or in sky, we desire only God. And, together, we give thanks to the One who makes all things right.

Clear

"To those not looking for me, I became clear to see; those not asking for me, they found me; to peoples not calling me, I presented: Here I am," Isaiah 65:1.

Who was not looking, not asking, not calling? Every motley crew of unclean peoples. To wit, any one that was not a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. Namely, all gentiles. That is, every people whose god(s) was/were not God. Which is to say, people without God and without hope in the world. I.e., everybody (except for those of us who are/were of Jewish stock.) In other words, you and your ancestors, and me and my ancestors (except as noted). So, who presents, who shows up, clear to see, who introduces himself to these soiled peoples? Jehovah God. Why? because his own people would not have him.

We, the great unwashed, to whom God clearly presents his son, Jesus, find deep cleansing. Brothers and sisters, we see Jesus, for a little while made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor. And he calls us, Jew and gentile alike, family. So, together, we give thanks.

Liberation

"Jehovah God has anointed me to bring good news," Isaiah 61:1.

On a sabbath, centuries after this prophetic word, Jesus stood reading from this line aloud to the Nazareth congregation, through the line including: To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. He stopped there. He sat down. He said: Today, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. Jesus defined his life's mission by that passage to herald good news to the poor, release for the captives, sight recovery for the blind, liberation for the oppressed, God's acceptable year. That sabbath day so long ago, Jesus did not read the next Isaiah line: God's day of vengeance. (But, no worries, that day's still coming, soon.) But Jesus comes now to embody grace and truth, to recruit for the kingdom of heaven.

With a brother or sister we hear Jesus' happy proclamations. We joy in the good news of the sky kingdom. Recruited, we extend grace, too. And, together, we give thanks.

Fasting

"Then you shall call, and Jehovah God will answer, you'll shout and he will say, Here I am," Isaiah 58:9.

Can you imagine God serving tables as a waiter? Well, there it is. The Bible says it. I believe it. That settles it. Except. Yes, well, there's always an exception, isn't there? This prophetic Waiter serves people who've reacted to his earlier call: release the unjustly imprisoned, free the oppressed, share food with the hungry, bring the homeless into their house, clothe the naked. And here we thought going to church, especially on Easter Sunday and Christmas, and Thanksgiving, oh, and fasting during lent, did the trick. The Waiter has just described what he wants in fasting: justice and compassion. The Bible says it. Sky kingdom.

Humbled by Jesus' service to us, we reach out with a brother or sister today. We share from His wealth with others. And, together, we give thanks.

Separate

"My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples," Isaiah 56:7.

Are you a eunuch? No worries, serve the Lord, your posterity will exceed that of offspring. Are you a foreigner? No worries, serve the Lord, you have a seat in God's house. (Oh, before I forget, remember: We're none of us perfect, natural born to the place. We're all of us marred strangers, displaced aliens, suspect foreigners, homeless sojourners. God adopts us anyway.) Are you afraid that the Lord will separate you out from his people? Don't even go there! You have an honorable place within the halls of God's house. God establishes a covenant with you: His house, a house of prayer, for all comers! Not like - not at all like - the kingdoms of this world. Sky kingdom.

In the joy of Home, we join with a brother or sister today. Built as living stones, God's very temple, we're founded on Christ, its cornerstone. And, with the great Spirit, we invite all peoples to come, to give thanks, and, in this house, to pray, together.

Belonger

"Like an abandoned woman, a grieving wife, married in her youth but now thrown away," Isaiah 54:6.

Not that in the 21st century we have much connection with such drivel, where we're all liberated and we're all our own persons, masters of our own fates, captains of unconquerable souls. Man or woman, confronted by gutting circumstance, our faces remain stoic, flinty, resolute. Save our own selves. Yeah. Right. If only. A leading line of our times: the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. Fear? Revolution. Plague. Displaced. Shamed. Lost. Aliens in our own land. Yet. Yet. In the midst, Jehovah God: Fear not, you belong. I have called you. Who called? The Holy One of Israel, your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth. That's who. Covenant of peace. Reclaimed. Belonger. Sky kingdom.

Jesus calls us over the tumult of our lives' wild, restless sea. With a brother or sister today we answer his call and find haven. Together we give thanks.

Old

"I will tell about your salvation all day long though it's more than I can tell," Psalm 71:15.

O Jehovah God, you are my hope. You were my trust when I was young. You delivered me from my mother's womb. In fact, I leaned on you even before I was born! And now that I'm old and useless, don't throw me away, God. Help me! If you do, I'll praise you all the more. I'll tell people how good you are. But even if you don't, I'll still tell your marvels in this age of gray hair. The right things you do extends to the highest skies. Let me announce to a new generation your power, the great things you've done. Renew me, O God! I promise to sing praises to you, I'll tell all comers of your righteousness.

With a brother or sister, young and old, we talk of God's mighty salvation through our common history. We witness God's wonders up into the skies as into earth's width and depth. And we give thanks, together.

Spit

"Jehovah God has given me the language of instructing learners," Isaiah 50:4.

Scripture presents Israel personified, all Israel focused into one person, a slave. God taught him to teach. Who are his learners? Weary people, people lost in darkness. And what is the slave's message? Trust in Jehovah God, rely on your God for light. And how did God foster the slave's insight? Well, witness the slave's own testimony: I was not rebellious; to those who beat me, I gave my back; to those who pulled my beard, I gave my cheeks; from those who ridiculed and spit on me, I did not hide my face; but, Jehovah God vindicated me; so I've no disgrace. And now, once again, who is the slave? Christ, the suffering servant, by which suffering he learned the language we understand.

Wow. Wow. Wow. In the presence of holiness beyond our ken, we hear him speak the language of our troubles. Awed, yet again, at our Lord's obedience to God, we kneel with a brother or sister today in obedient worship. And together we give thanks.

Palm

"Even they may forget, but I will not forget you," Isaiah 49:15.

So, who's forgetting whom, here? (And who's not forgetting whom?) Well, the idea is this. Can a mom forget her nursing baby? (Are you kidding?!) Can a mom forget the child she bore? Not likely! Not at all! But, the Scripture says, even if she did forget (how absurd this is!), it's even more absurd to think God has forgotten his own! God will not forget you. God, after all, is God. His people anchor his love. Their name is engraved on the palm of his hand. (Engraved? that's what it says. Tats are pretty hard to ignore). Jehovah God comforts. God will have compassion on his distressed people. Open your eyes! Look! See!

So, we lifted up our eyes, we saw the scars in Jesus' hands. Saw our name written there. Drawn together, by him, with a brother or sister today, we rise above fear and share faith. We give thanks to the God who took pains to write our name down.

Room

"My hand founded the earth and my right hand set the skies; when I call they both stand up," Isaiah 48:13.

Can you imagine that? God calls, and sky and earth arise together in his throne room. Wow! They know their maker. God calls, so mountains and hills stand as his witnesses. God calls, and inanimate rocks shout out their maker's praises. God calls, and living nature, trees, clap their hands to honor their Creator. God calls, unimaginably powerful monstrous beings testify of their God's holiness. (Getting pretty crowded in that throne room ... but, then, it's larger than space itself ...) In the cool of the day God calls on Man (and Woman) ... but where are they?

We believe Jesus, our Man, heard God's call, he showed up, he obeyed the Creator to the end, through the end, and beyond the end. So with a brother or sister today we affirm by faith our standing in that throne room with the rest. And together we join praise to our Maker's grace.

Able

 "Don't you know?! Don't you hear?! Hasn't it been told you from the very start!? Haven't you understood earth's foundations!?" Isaiah 40:21.

Jehovah God is God, the eternal one. This God created the world, built its foundations, and furnished it fully to its tippy top and deepest deep. Don't you get it!? God doesn't get weak. God doesn't get tired. God doesn't need your provisions. No! It's God who gives power to people not able. To disabled people. It's God who gives strength to the powerless. To the impotent. Strong, young men finally wipe out, fall flat on their faces. But, whoever waits on Jehovah God. Whoever waits. On God. Waits on God. Will fly like eagles. Wait. Fly. Able for ever, God.

We know. We heard. We get it. We wait. Together with a brother or sister today, we wait, patient, trusting God, Creator of worlds. And we give thanks.

Wisps

"O my soul wait, quiet for God alone, from him is my hope," Psalm 62:5.

You, O God, and none other, are my grounding, my salvation. You alone become my stronghold. With You alone am I not shaken. My glory centers in you, O God! You're my mighty bulwark. You're my refuge. To depend on people, weak or strong, is to hang on weightless, delusional wisps of air. You, you only, O God, own power. None but You owns steadfast love. I've heard this more than once. I trust in You.

With a brother or sister (how else can it be than in Christ's community?), today, we honor the only God, creator of the sky and earth. There is no other. In God alone find we hope. And we give thanks.

Sworn

"And I say, love your enemies and pray for your persecutors," Matthew 5:44.

Wow! How can you say this, Jesus? Everybody knows you love your own and hate the rest. Sworn enemies. Get even, now. Justice, now. Revolution, now. Vengeance, now. See you in hell, now - whoa! Wait a minute - that's Jesus' point, isn't it? The radical way of the sky kingdom. It's hard. If it were easy everybody'd be doing it. The street to hell is a no-brainer, easy, wide. Destruction awaits greedily. The gate, Jesus says, to true life is narrow and the way to it is hard. Jesus says, Enter the narrow gate, anyway. What means this? Do the good no matter what. Trust God to handle vengeance. (He will repay! and in a way we wouldn't want anyone, not really, to be paid.) 

On our knees with a brother or sister today, we pray for friend and foe alike. We commit anew to life-affirming deeds. Together, we give thanks to God, who loved us, his sworn enemies.

Hunted

"For so they hunted after the prophets who were before you," Matthew 5:12.

When we experience powerful tension between living in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ, and struggling against enticements in the world's deceits, Jesus says: Nothing new here. When people seek to shame those obedient to the upward call, Jesus says: No worries. When they do harm to followers of Jesus, Jesus says: Be glad! Such strife between kingdoms of the world and of the sky has a long, long history. Remember Noah, an announcer of righteousness? Or, what about innocent Abel, killed by a jealous brother? Or ... the serpent in Eden's park slandering the Creator and Lover of human souls? Jesus says: Don't worry. Be happy. You've joined all the others in the sky kingdom before you!

With a brother or sister today, we yield our anxieties once again over to Jesus, we renew grateful trust in the Lord of sky and earth. Together we joy in the Lord's promise. We give thanks.

Lost

"Come to me, all you hard at labor and burdened down, and I'll give you rest," Matthew 11:28.

Spiritually devastated? Mourning loss? Frustrated rights? Pursuing justice (hopelessly)? Yielding mercy (but not getting it)? Whole-hearted God-follower (without benefit)? Making peace (but not finding it)? Punished for doing good? The beatitudes welcome all people overwhelmed in life struggles into God's kingdom's blessings. Jesus calls all who worked hard at the game, but lost big time. He invites us to consider carefully his own life, to learn from him. Jesus himself knows the very same sorrows, yet he presses on to finish God's love's call on his life. The values of the sky kingdom really are not of this world, nor are all its blessings. So we press on, too, trusting Jesus' restful promise.

With a brother or sister, we learn Christ. We speak trust in, and submission to, the one whose love has shown true. We find our hearts' rest in his promise. Together we give thanks. Blessed we are.

Come

"I saw the holy city coming down from the sky, from God," Revelation 21:2.

The City. The holy one. God's city. From the sky. Where God rules. Sky kingdom. Entrance ever opens to the City. Both the Spirit and the Bride shout to earthlings, Come! Enter! Are you thirsty? Come, and freely drink priceless life water! To be noted, however, excluded from the City's open door policy are all impure people, doers of shameful deeds, liars, dogs, sorcerers, sexually immoral people, idol worshippers, lovers of lies, people judged guilty by God. But, in exception to all these sinners, inside the City are all people whose dirty linens have been washed clean. And they join the invite to all outsiders, Come! Sky kingdom. Pure. Blessed.

Today, we repent anew from sin that besets us. We enjoin a brother or sister in confession of Jesus, forgiver of souls, as Lord. And, together, we give thanks for his blood sacrifice that renders us pure. Washed clean for ever.

Uncool

"If your righteousness isn't better than the scribes and Pharisees, you won't enter the kingdom of the heavens," Matthew 5:20.

Pretty good news: they wiped out in the early swells. Only a little more effort to best them. Bad news: they were good surfers. And the beach is so, so far away. And massive rollers break way too early on hidden shoals. Bottom line: Ain't nobody cool enough. And sharks moving in. So, when Jesus speaks the beatitudes - what we've been exploring lately, right? - his words concise, his tone urgent, his heart moved - he welcomes broken men and women - there are no other kinds - well, two kinds of broken people - real people recognizing they're not cool, or, deceived people lying they're cool - sky kingdom welcomes the real ones. (Yes, deceived ones, too. If we convert to uncool. C'mon! Means we recognize our brokenness. Get real, already!)

With a brother or sister today, we affirm Jesus' sacrifice makes us whole. We enter the sky kingdom on the wake of his righteousness. And, together, we give thanks to God. The one and only. The good one.

Teardrops

"This I know: that God is for me," Psalm 56:9.

You, O God, keep close watch over me - you even keep my teardrops in a bottle! You watch over my night tossings and turnings. You know my worries. You've written down all my troubles in your book. O God, I trust you! In the day that I am afraid, I will trust in you. I will not fear this world's kingdoms. I praise your word, Jehovah God! I will do what I promised you: I will show you my thanksgivings. You guided my feet from falling. I walk in the living light of your presence - Thank you, thank you!

We connect with a brother or sister today and tell of God's presence among us. Of his care, despite our worries. And, together, we say, Thank you, God!

Stars

"Be happy when you share in Christ's sufferings," 1 Peter 4:13.

Why in the world!? Well, certainly not because of pain in itself! Suffering does not produce joy. No. (We don't get stupid about that.) Joy comes in anticipation of a future overwhelming joy when we see Christ shine in the sky! The kingdom of this world is not the whole story. Its stars will fall hard. Suffering persecution means to share in Jesus' cross. To join with Jesus' own selfless troubles serving lost human beings. To participate with Jesus making the good confession that he is Messiah. With Jesus, we despise the cross' shame, you bet! But the passion will pass, joy's coming. Sky kingdom breaks out right smack dab in the midst of this world. Rejoice!

We confess with a brother or sister today that Jesus is Lord - whatever the cost. We believe that the kingdoms of this world indeed become the kingdom of our God and of his Christ! Together we hitch our wagon to his star. We give thanks. Blessed!

Atmosphere

"God deems it just to pay tribulation back to those who tribulate you," 2 Thessalonians 1:6.

You and I remain keenly aware of injustices, of bad stuff in the world's kingdoms. We experience brief lives. What, 70 or 80 years, or fewer? And then it's over. So we want pay back now. Now. Scripture gives light to unseen vistas, eternity past, eternity future. The one and only God, designer, creator, sustainer, ender, of all our experience says there's more. The kingdom of the heavens, but not limited to the skies, affirms God's eternal rule, justice, and mercy. Though persecuted, you continue with strength and faith. You rock. It's not over, now. God, the Rock, keeps score.

Despite present troubles, we affirm with a brother or sister, today, faith in the now unseen Jesus. We believe he will appear, in earth's atmosphere, where we will join him infinitely! Blessed. Sky kingdom!

Badge

"Censured for Christ's name? You're blessed! - the Spirit of God (of Glory!) rests over you," 1 Peter 4:14.

Jesus gets personal here. He really knows his own. People unashamed to take on his name, who wear his name as a badge of honor - he knows them. We're not at all confused: to wear his name, to be a Christian, is not a label on our clothing; to be a Christian is to live like Jesus lived. To be moved by the Spirit. Are you ridiculed for the good you do? For worshiping God? For serving others? The Word says God's Spirit rests over you. So we be happy! Our validation arises from the work of Christ, not from worldly popularity. Not from the heritage of flesh. Our worth arises from being born anew, born of water and Spirit. Sky kingdom.

We joy with a brother or sister today because the Spirit of glory shines over us. Together we give thanks to God that we may wear the name of Christ. Blessed.

Executed

"Are you able to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" Mark 10:38.

Jesus to his followers: Count the cost. Jesus, persecuted, will thereby be baptized bodily to death. Now, Scripture calls people to be baptized into Jesus. I.e., to be dunked in water obediently to him. To believe and confess him as Lord, to die with him, to be buried with him, to be raised with him. To life. But what about those who come to faith, without opportunity to baptismal waters? Example: A convict, now a confessing, unbaptized believer, to be executed tomorrow? First. It's a God thing. (Always has been.) Not a your thing. (Get out of the jury box.) Second. They die bodily now with Christ. Baptism. Blessing.

With a brother or sister today, we remind each other of our baptismal death into Christ. Persecuted together, we endure the offense of the cross. We give thanks for baptismal entrance into life, the not-of-this-world kingdom. Sky kingdom.

Glad

"Should others slander you and hurt you and say all kinds of lies against you, on my account, you are blessed," Matthew 5:11.

On Jesus' account. Make no mistake. Jesus keeps close tabs on this stuff. Whoever upholds Jesus has God's full attention - and whoever abuses whoever follows Jesus, they have God's full attention, too. Who keeps track of the long-gone prophets and their persecutors? God does. He remembers their abusers as easily as we remember ours. Justice comes. The judge stands at the door. But the point here is not that. Here, the point: You are happily blessed because people abused for Jesus know they have great reward in the skies. True Word. Sky kingdom.

Standing by a brother or sister today, we uphold Jesus, our Lord and Savior! We do not fear whose power merely extends to this world. Together, we give thanks to God, the Deliverer over all worlds. Blessed. We be glad.

Unplumbable

"The Mighty One, Jehovah God, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting," Psalm 50:1.

You, O God, call to the earth, you call to the skies, to the vast infinite, and you bring them all to witness in your brilliant presence. All day long, You call the people that worship you by covenant, your faithful. And you remind all who you are: God, the Savior/Judge. We have no resources you will ever need. We see earth's bounty, its treasure stores, and it's all yours. What we don't even know about - that's yours, too! What significant thing could we possibly add to your unplumbable wealth? Here's what: that we be true to our calling; that we call on you in trouble; (and you promise to save us!); that we glorify you. We will. Help us will. We do. Help us do.

With a brother or sister today, we offer thanksgiving as our sacrifice. We remind each other to order our path straight to God. And we trust God's salvation! Together, all day long, we glorify You, our Savior!

Character

"Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness' sake," Matthew 5:10.

Righteousness. Character of the righteous person. Conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, action. Inclusive term for the active duties of the religious life. Divine character originating in God's person. Justice. Goodness. Virtue. Decency. Integrity. Morality. Nobility. Blessed those who do it. Particularly, blessed having been persecuted because of doing it. Faithful to the end. What's the blessing? The sky kingdom belongs to such.

Today, we visit with a brother or a sister and remind each other to keep on keeping on. To share in the divine nature. No worries about the cost. And, together, to give thanks to a righteous and merciful and loving God.

Rules

 "Men loved the darkness rather than the light, because their work was evil," John 3:19.

That's the other part of the story of the famous football stadium verse. God loved the world hugely. But the world really, really does not reciprocate. We have two kingdoms. A kingdom ruled by what sustains and advances life. The sky kingdom. And then, a kingdom ruled by rot. The world kingdom. The sky kingdom in which rule Christ and his light. And then, the world kingdom in which rule devil and decay. Jesus died because men loved evil work more than light. And people who now love working God's will more than they love worldly life find persecution by those that don't. No surprise. But Jesus says, Blessed. Sky kingdom rules!

We see light glowing from Christ within a brother or sister today. So we press on doing the right stuff. And, together, we give thanks to God for light.

Doer

"The doers of the law will be justified before God, not its hearers," Romans 2:13.

The contrast here: hearing or doing? (Not: believing or doing, right?) This is the thing. God's not impressed with how cool we are. Not impressed with how highly our peers regard us. Not impressed with the number of callers asking us for deep wisdom. Not impressed with how much Bible knowledge we have. Opening our mouths to shed light for the blind. No. God's not impressed with how much religion we know. God's keen interest grinds away in what we do. His religion is, like, in bridling our tongues. Like, in keeping untarnished by the world. Like, in being there for orphans and widows in their hardships. Yes, in right doing. Even when persecuted for it. Sky kingdom.

With a brother or sister today, we find occasion to serve someone in hard times. And we follow through. Together, we give thanks to Christ who meets us there.

Dissed

 "They were happy to be deemed worthy of being disrespected," Acts 5:41.

You. Have. Got. To. Be. Kidding. Happy about it? Word's talking about public humiliation. About public beating. Thrashing. About censure right there in front of God and everybody. What in the world had they done? They told about Jesus. That was it. They said that God made Jesus leader and savior. To forgive people. And words like that. Now. We don't get stupid and think that getting martyred is desirable fun and games. Joy is names written in the skies. So says Jesus, anyway. Whatever the cost. Persecution? God knows us. Sky kingdom. Blessed.

We prioritize today a visit with a brother or sister. We remind that God qualified us for his sky kingdom. Do we suffer dishonor for the Name? No matter. Together, we give thanks.

Unpopularized

 "Happy, the persecuted - persecuted because they do what's right - the kingdom of the heavens is theirs," Matthew 5:10.

Want the sky kingdom? Do righteousness. Do good. Be a do-gooder. Wait! nobody likes a do-gooder. Do-gooders when somebody's looking, but mostly they're no-gooders. But let's not kid ourselves. Jesus' people do righteousness. Jesus people have the right stuff. The people who belong to Jesus do like Jesus. Jesus' people are Jesus people. And like Jesus they get persecuted, prosecuted, hounded, chased down, hunted, driven out, un--popular--ized. Doesn't sound like fun at all. But Jesus says, Blessed. Happy. Why!? because the sky kingdom is theirs. Eyes on the prize. Not on popular--ity. Eyes up.

We do right today in being blessed by being with the righteous, un--popular--ized, brother or sister. And we remember, we are the unpopular one that the brother or sister gets to hang out with ... Right-doers, un--popular--ized, together. Thank you, Lord.

Present

 "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble," Psalm 46:1.

God, our help. Not far away. Here. Not imaginary. Very present. The earth gives way, mountains sluff off into the sea, tsunamis roar, but God, very present: We will not fear. The peoples rage, kingdoms stagger, but God, in the midst of his city: Morning comes, it's safe and sound. We will not fear. His forces are our help. In the storm, we are still in the presence of the very present God.

With a brother or sister today, we find God, our fortress. Awestruck, together, our quieted souls marvel. We give thanks to the God of Jacob. Lord of powers, Jehovah is God.

Broken

"You may have peace in me; in the world you will have troubles," John 16:33.

Jesus' words work so that people may have peace, though the world guarantees troubles; these blame those for all troubles, then those blame these for the same - this generation fights that generation, then that generation fights this generation; but Jesus' directive has his people pursue peace with everybody (and its associated holiness) so that we can see the Lord; indeed, Christ's peace must control, yes, rule our hearts, seeing that he called us to it when we became one in his body; by doing peace, his people sow peace, which then grows a harvest of very good stuff; right, just like Cornelius, then a man of war, now a follower of Jesus, becomes a man of peace, the very first gentile known to follow Christ. Sky kingdom. Not earth kingdom. Sky values.

Today, with a brother or sister, we do Jesus' peace in this broken, broken world. Together, we pursue holiness. And, together, we become thankful. Blessed.

Terms

 "I've not come to strike peace, but a sword," Matthew 10:34.

And here we thought Jesus was for peace and rainbows and happy feet through flowery meadows and stuff. In fact, Scripture goes on to speak of severe strife within intimate family, of crosses, of losing life. Indeed: Peace-making's context remains pitched battle. Everybody wants peace, but at what price? God strikes peace through Jesus' cross. To receive God's peace terms is to acknowledge Jesus as Lord. Corollary: deny the family's gods and religious traditions. Hence: Man against father, daughter against mother, in-law against in-law. Person against culture. That does not trip lightly off the tongue. Counting the cost. Losing one's life for Jesus' sake. Sky kingdom. Not of earth.

We find a brother or sister, today, to confess truly, Jesus is Lord. Together. We count the cost of that confession. We die. We receive God's unilateral peacemaking terms. We live.

Hero

 "Peacemaking through the blood of his cross, he reconciled all earth things and sky things to himself," Colossians 1:20.

So, God's on this side of the field. And over there on that side, that's us. Opposite the battle field. So what does God, the mighty maker, do? The Maker makes. Peace. How? He sends his son onto the battle field, to make terms of peace with the enemies of God. How? To receive a deadly wound. To provide blood for the covenant. Signature of the peacemaking agreement. Twice in the NT (well, the whole Bible actually) this word: peacemaker, peace-doer. Above is one time, as a verb. God doing the doing. Second time? As a noun: Jesus says, Blessed, the peacemakers. God's children identified. Doers of what the King does. Sky kingdom.

Disarmed, at peace with God, and with each other, we find a brother or sister. With each other, we confess good news of God's peaceful terms. Together we give thanks for Jesus' signature.  Peacemaker. War's over. Our hero.

Soundly

 "I will make a covenant of peace so that they may sleep in the woods," Ezekiel 34:25.

Peaceful sleep, tenting in wilderness, where the bear or mountain lion prowl? Not likely. Fitful, yes. One eye open, you bet. But peaceful? No. Well ... But, well, Yes, when God makes peace. Makes his covenant of peace. We live safe and sound in that peace. God, peacemaker. Calls his children to peace, and to make peace. Jesus, God's only son, first of many yet to come, is himself our peace. Peace on earth among those with whom our God is pleased. Born here, Jesus preached peace. Peace among people, peace with God. Jesus reconciled us, together, to God. Jesus killed the war. By the blood of his cross. Peacemaker. And any who join in that peacemaking are called thereby, children of God. Blessing.

We join today with a brother or sister, and together we cry out, Glory to God! And we give thanks for his peace. We sleep soundly. Sky kingdom.

Supermen

 "Happy, the peace-makers, for they will be called children of God," Matthew 5:9.

Jesus' discussion continues to drill down into the human heart. Everybody knows kingdoms are about power and tactics and strategy and cunning and the like. But in Jesus' listing of qualifiers we keep hearing rumors of losers. No spirit. Mourners. Meek. Hungry. Merciful. Pure. And now, peacemakers! No wonder philosophers get sick and tired of Jesus' wimpy kingdom and call for a race of mighty super-men to take over the place ... who will tremble in poopy drawers at God's Doomsday accounting. His children prep for an eternal sky kingdom. Not for a transient earth kingdom. Peacemakers.

With a brother or sister today, we receive God's peacemaking offer in Jesus' cross. Peace with God, peace with each other. And, together, we give thanks! Blessing.

Song

 "Blessed, the man that makes Jehovah God his trust," Psalm 40:4.

O Lord, my God! You have put a new song in my mouth. I was in despair. In the pit. In the muck. And you, only you, placed my feet on solid rock. Your actions have struck me with awe. And I've told these things to others. And they've come to trust in you, too. It's in your name, and your name alone, that we hope. No other powers. No other gods. No other mysteries. No lies. Your mercy, your truth, your will, your salvation. You saved me, I will do your will. May we all ever say, Jehovah God is the Great One! There is no other! And, he is good!

With a brother or sister today, we share God's work and salvation together. We share our sorrow. We remind about God's work in Jesus. We sing a new song, together. We give thanks.

Foreheads

"They will see his face, his name on their foreheads," Revelation 22:4.

Last book, last chapter. The end of the account. But, no mistake, not the end end. Just the end of revelation. What's not revealed, well, by definition, isn't known yet. By humans. In fact, the end of revealed stuff becomes the beginning of the (presently) unknown stuff. Revelation tells that, for whoever sees Jesus' person at that time, will be like him. Oh, yeah? Yeah, providing they hope in him, now, like that. And whoever hopes in him, now, like that, purifies themself (!) like he is pure. Pure heart, whole heart. Want to see God? Pure in heart will see God. Blessing.

We meet with a brother or sister today. We remind each other of our common hope of (presently) unseen, forever life in Jesus. Never disappointed in that hope! And, together, with God on our minds, we give thanks.