XLV. LIVING AFFIRMATIVELY (4/29) Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8) These days, I am limiting my news intake. Not because I am in denial, but because in a time of conflict, I believe that bad news can be addictive. Like passersby on the freeway, we don’t want... Read more
XIV. GRANT US YOUR PEACE (4/28) The peace that passes all understanding will guard your minds in Jesus Christ. (Philippians 4:7) We need God’s peace. Our world has been turned upside. We are concerned about the future for ourselves and our nation. Nearly every day, we weep over the death tolls and the lives taken by this pandemic. We are confused about the spread of disease and troubled by the conflict between economics and human life. We need God’s peace.... Read more
XLIII. THE FUTURE BELONGS TO THE INTERCESSORS (4/27) Do not worry about anything, but with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. (Philippians 4:6) Theologian and biblical scholar Walter Wink asserts that the future belongs to the intercessors, “those who believe and pray the future into being.” At this time of pandemic, we need to pray. We need to pray for the wellbeing of our planet. Prayer, at its best, widens our concern beyond self-interest... Read more
XLII. ON BEING GENTLE UNDER STRESS (4/26) Let your gentleness be known to everyone. God is near. (Philippians 4:5) It goes without saying that the pandemic has turned our world upside down, especially among our children and persons living with disabilities and poverty. Many of us are more impatient than usual. We may yell at the television, a slow computer, or a spouse or child. Even our companion animals may bear the brunt of our impatience. The philosopher Nietzshe asserted... Read more
XLI. JOYFUL THANKS Rejoice in God always; again I will say, rejoice! (Philippians 4:4) As we continue our journey through Philippians, Paul’s counsel to rejoice seems counter intuitive. In this time of pandemic, what do we have to rejoice about? Sheltered in place, wearing face masks and gloves, thinking our neighbors a threat, what do we have to celebrate? Recognizing the death tolls, isn’t rejoicing calloused and unfeeling, a form of denial? The answer is “yes” and “no,” isn’t it?... Read more
XL. PRESSING TOWARD THE GOAL ON ARBOR DAY “I press on toward the goal of the prize of the heavenly call in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14) Perhaps some in our generation will mark time by the pandemic. It is a defining event, like the Great Depression, Pearl Harbor, 9/11, that challenged our way of life and assumptions and forces us to look at our lives and our nation in new ways. The rift created by the pandemic calls into question... Read more
The Adventurous Lectionary – The Fourth Sunday of Easter – May 4, 2020 Acts 2:42-47, Psalm 23, I Peter 2:19-25, John 10:1-10 Each weekday morning and afternoon, a small group of church members and friends gathers for prayer on Zoom. Our anchor passage each day is Psalm 23 during this time of pandemic. Psalm 23 recognizes the threat, the enemy that threatens us, and the valley of the shadow of death, but more importantly recognizes that God is with us... Read more
XXXIX. SHINING LIKE STARS IN THE UNIVERSE (4/23) “You shine like stars in the world.” (Philippians 2:15) You shine like a star. That’s a big affirmation, isn’t it? Perhaps Paul is remembering Jesus affirmation, “you are the light of the world…let your light shine.” Paul is reminding the Philippians and us that we can be lights in our world. We don’t have to succumb to fear and negativity, but having looked clearly at the challenges we face, we can be... Read more
XXXVIII. AWE AND EXCITEMENT ON EARTH DAY (4/22) “Work out your own salvation with awe and excitement; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you to both will and to work for God’s good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13-14, Bruce’s translation) Many translations say: “fear and trembling” rather than “awe and excitement,” these are as good as mine. But I have a reason for my alternative. First, “fear and trembling” suggest that God is judging us in a... Read more
XXXVII. HAVING THE MIND OF CHRIST (4/21) “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:5) We must remember that Paul’s Letters were addressed to people just like us and congregations just like our own, mostly small, struggling, aware of their limits, and (also) hopeful in the new life of Jesus Christ. Paul challenges us to have the mind of Christ. He leaves the contours of the mind of Christ vague, inviting us to embody... Read more
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