Thought for Friday November 1

Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

Matthew 5: 1 – 12  Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.

For whom do I mourn?  Do I find comfort in the feast of All Saints (and Halloween and All Souls)?

Action:  Do something fun this weekend that you used to do with someone you have lost and let it bring you comfort.

Thought for Thursday October 31

Save me, O Lord, in your mercy.

I will speak my thanks earnestly to the LORD,

and in the midst of the throng I will praise him,

For he stood at the right hand of the poor man,

to save him from those who would condemn his soul.

Save me, O Lord, in your mercy.

Luke 13: 31 – 35  Yet I must continue on my way today, tomorrow, and the following day, for it is impossible that a prophet should die outside of Jerusalem.

Do I have the perseverance to continue doing what I know I should even when I know it will be hard?  Where do I look for the strength to keep going?

Action:  If there is something you have given up on doing even though you know you should, take one step toward doing it again.  If you are perfect and never give up, go to dinner and celebrate.

Thought for Wednesday October 30

My hope, O Lord, is in your mercy.

Look, answer me, O LORD, my God!

Give light to my eyes that I may not sleep in death

lest my enemy say, "I have overcome him";

lest my foes rejoice at my downfall.

My hope, O Lord, is in your mercy.

Luke 13: 22 – 30  Someone asked Jesus, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?”

What do I want the answer to this question to be?  Do I want everyone to be saved, or do I prefer to think of heaven as a very exclusive club?

  

Action:  Think of someone (contemporary, historical or even fictional) that you believe is not going to heaven, and find a way to work against whatever sin he or she was/is committing.

Thought for Tuesday October 29

The Lord has done marvels for us.
Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
The Lord has done marvels for us.

  

Luke 13: 18 – 21  Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like?  It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden.  When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.”

What strikes me most about this description of the Kingdom of God?  Do I have a role/place in this kingdom?

Action:   Do something to make someone’s day.

Thought for Friday October 25

Lord, teach me your statutes.
Teach me wisdom and knowledge,
for in your commands I trust.
Lord, teach me your statutes.

 Luke 12: 54 – 59  “Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?”

How often have I judged something to be wrong even though there was no rule, law or authority telling me it was wrong?  What did I do about it?

Action:  Bring an injustice you see to the attention of authority, but expect to have to do something about it yourself.

Thought for Thursday October 24

Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

Luke 12: 49 – 53 Jesus said,  “Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth?  No, I tell you, but rather division.”

So is Jesus happy that there is such division in the world?   Is he expressing a wish or a prediction or …?

  

Action:  Find some common ground with everyone you encounter today.

Thought for Wednesday October 23

Our help is in the name of the Lord.
We were rescued like a bird
from the fowlers’ snare;
Broken was the snare,
and we were freed.
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
Our help is in the name of the Lord.

Luke 12: 39 – 48  And the Lord replied, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute the food allowance at the proper time?  Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so.”

What am I in charge of?  If the master checks on me today would he find me doing what I am supposed to be doing?

  

Action:  Do your job.  If you don’t know what it is, you need to schedule time for serious reflection to figure it out.

Thought for Tuesday October 22

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
May all who seek you
exult and be glad in you,
And may those who love your salvation
say ever, “The LORD be glorified.”
Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

Luke 12: 35 – 38  Jesus said to his disciples:  “Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.”

What am I waiting for?  Do I stand ready to do the Father’s will?

Action:  Stay up 15 minutes later tonight and ask God if there is anything he wants you to do.

Thought for Thursday October 17

 With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.

I trust in the LORD;

my soul trusts in his word.

My soul waits for the LORD

more than sentinels wait for the dawn.

With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.

Luke 11: 47 – 54  Woe to you, scholars of the law!  You have taken away the key of knowledge.  You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter.

Do I believe I am getting the keys to understanding important issues in our society?  Does God offer me the key of knowledge?

Action:  Look for the keys of knowledge, and don’t be satisfied with rumors.

Thought for Wednesday October 16

Lord, you give back to everyone according to his works.
Only in God is my soul at rest;
from him comes my salvation.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed at all.
Lord, you give back to everyone according to his works.

Luke 11: 42 – 46  “Woe also to you scholars of the law! You impose on people burdens hard to carry, but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.”

Does being right absolve me from my duty to be compassionate?  Do I think God has ever given my a burden and not been there to help?

Action:  The next time you tell someone else what he “should do,”  find a way to help him do it.

Thought for Tuesday October 15

Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.
And I will walk at liberty,
because I seek your precepts.
Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.

Luke 11: 37 – 41  After Jesus had spoken, a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home.

Would I have invited Jesus to dinner after all of the “challenging” things he said over the last week?  Do you think anyone who had just heard Jesus preach envied the Pharisee who invited Jesus?

Action:  Pay attention to the people around you.  If anyone seems intimidated because of your position, size, demeanor, etc., make an effort to be more approachable.   If there is someone who intimidates you, make the effort  to speak up in his or her presence.

Thought for Monday October 14

The Lord has made known his salvation.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
The Lord has made known his salvation.

Luke 11: 29 – 32  At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation  and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.

What have past generations done that we can’t seem to do today?  What would they condemn us for?

Action:  Take the time to study a sin of past generations and how we solved it or grew out of it. 

Thought for Friday October 11

 The Lord will judge the world with justice.

I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart;

I will declare all your wondrous deeds.

I will be glad and exult in you;

I will sing praise to your name, Most High.

 The Lord will judge the world with justice.

Luke 11: 15 – 26  “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house.”

What divisions am I part of?  Would I give up fighting to be “right” if it could heal a division?

Action:  Get involved in healing a division in your family, neighborhood, community or country.  You can start with something simple like inviting the “black sheep” in your family to a get together he would normally be excluded from.

Thought for Thursday October 10

 Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

He is like a tree

planted near running water,

That yields its fruit in due season,

and whose leaves never fade.

Whatever he does, prospers.

 Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

Luke 11: 5 – 13  Jesus said to his disciples: “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread…”

  

Do you have a friend you could do this to?  Is Jesus this kind of a friend for you?

  

Action:  Donate three loaves of bread to a local soup kitchen, food bank, shelter or family in need.

Thought for Wednesday October 9

Lord, you are merciful and gracious.
All the nations you have made shall come
and worship you, O Lord,
and glorify your name.
For you are great, and you do wondrous deeds;
you alone are God.
Lord, you are merciful and gracious.

Luke 11: 1 – 4  “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test.”

Is there a part of this prayer that really strikes me?  Is there anything I wouldn’t dare say unless Jesus told me to?

Action:  Pray the Our Father slowly, pausing to think about what every word means.

Thought for Tuesday October 8

If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD
LORD, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to my voice in supplication.

If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?

Luke 10: 38 – 42  Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.

Have I welcomed Jesus into my life or just tolerated his presence?  What is the difference?

Action:  Do something welcoming for someone you think needs it.

Thought for Friday October 4

For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.

Help us, O God our savior,

because of the glory of your name;

Deliver us and pardon our sins

for your name's sake.

For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.

Luke 10: 13 – 16  Jesus said, “Whoever listens to you listens to me.”

Do I want that responsibility?  Am I conscious of this responsibility when I speak?

Action:  Speak out against and work to change something in your community that is not consistent with Jesus’ teaching.

Thought for Wednesday October 2

Let my tongue be silenced if I ever forget you!

By the streams of Babylon

we sat and wept

when we remembered Zion.

On the aspens of that land

we hung up our harps.

Let my tongue be silenced if I ever forget you!

Matthew 18: 1 – 5, 10  He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.

What’s so great about kids?  What qualities have I lost as I have gotten older?

Action:  Approach a serious problem facing your family or society with the optimism and idealism of youth and see what you can do to make things better when you are not hindered by the cynicism of age.