Monday, August 31, 2026
Luke 17:34–37
Luke 17:34-37
I remember the Peanuts cartoon where Snoopy is perched in a tree, waiting for a victim to come by... when Linus comes by and tells him that he's looking the wrong way. Snoopy didn't make a great vulture.
When you see a group of vultures circling in the sky, you can conclude that something has died. It's not a lovely visual, and I wish Jesus would've picked something happier as well, but this is what we have. We all know what a group of vultures mean.
In the same way, Jesus is telling us that when the end times come, it will be very obvious. We won't miss it. There aren't going to be signs that are unclear or ambiguous about whether Jesus has returned. It'll be clear.
Since we don't have to worry about that, we can instead focus on how to live in the here-and-now. I think that's why Jesus is telling us that the end times will be clear -- once we stop worrying about that, we're free to focus on living faithfully today.
So what does it mean for you to be faithful to God this morning? Maybe even leave the afternoon and evening for later. What can you do now to serve Christ, to be a faithful disciple, to invite Christ into this day, into this moment? Perhaps it is to stop and pray now, or to pick up a book and read, or to make that call you've been putting off. There's something that could wait if you get distracted... but you can also take the next step now. Glorify God this morning.
Sunday, August 30, 2026
Thursday, August 27, 2026
Luke 17:31–33
Luke 17:31-33
There's so much to try and hold onto!!! There are often so many good things, and we want to hold them tightly in our hands, never letting go.
Do we trust God enough to put everything into his hands? What we place there is ultimately preserved in a way that it cannot be if we hold onto it on our own. Life is safe in God's hands.
It's a constant choice. Everything we have is a gift from God. We can offer it back to God, or we can try and keep it on our own.
How can we make each day, and whatever is in it, an offering to God? How do we set out hearts on that mindset, so that we're aware of what a gift the good things are? May we pray for an open mind and open heart and open hands, so that we treasure God's gifts while offering all of life back to God.
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Luke 17:28–30
Luke 17:28-30
What occupied most of your time 10 years ago? What about 20? Jesus is being incredibly serious here -- he's challenging people to think about all the substitutes we use in life that grant us security, and he wants us to think about what grants us our deepest sense of security. We use all sorts of things in different phases of life, but we ultimately learn that the things we often hold onto in life aren't ultimate things. They can be good, even great, but we have to look at them, appreciate them, and then look beyond them to the One who is the giver of every good thing. If you look to your job for affirmation that you're a smart and successful person, then what happens when you lose it? Or you can look to your job as a gift and an opportunity to use the gifts that God gave you, and if the job goes away, you still have the gifts and can find other opportunities. Which approach prepares us for change?
God alone is able to be an ultimate thing for us. Only God will not fail us if we define our lives based on him. May we choose wisely what the most important thing in our life is.
Tuesday, August 25, 2026
Luke 17:26–27
Luke 17:26-27
What were you doing before your life changed? Many of us remember what life was like before 9-11, a turning point in our country and our world. I remember getting up that morning and living an ordinary day, not thinking that everything was about to change. What about other monumental days?
Jesus is talking about the days of the Son of Man, and he points people back to Noah. When Noah was building the ark, no one thought everything would change. They thought Noah was nuts, and they lived their ordinary lives, ignoring whatever God might be doing or calling them to do. They didn't have the time or patience for paying attention to God -- everything was fine.
We often busy ourselves to the point that there's no extra room, sometimes even leaving God out. We are eating and drinking and running around... are we missing the larger point, paying attention to how God is at work in the world and our lives? Do not neglect to make time to listen to God. God is calling, each and every one of us, whether we're listening or not.
Monday, August 24, 2026
Luke 17:22–25
Luke 17:22-25
The disciples must have been uncertain about the day of the Lord -- they were afraid they were going to miss it. Here is Jesus, assuring them that it will be like lightning racing across the sky, something unmistakable that they cannot miss.
But rather than stare into the sky and wait, there is much for the disciples to deal with in these present times, because there is much suffering in front of them. I don't think this message ever resonated well with the disciples, no better than it resonates with us. We don't like suffering, or really even the idea of suffering. We want victory in Christ and we want it now!
Unfortunately, that's not how the Kingdom of God works. It's not on our timing, and our minds cannot wrap themselves around the ways that God is at work. God is infinite and eternal, and there's an element of trust that comes into play. If we are to remain faithful, then we are called to trust God, even in the midst of our suffering.
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
Luke 17:20–21
Luke 17:20-21
We were driving home the other night from Cincinnati and saw a massive storm ahead of us, with lightning and some rather imposing clouds. We stopped for dinner, and by the time we were done, there was a huge rainbow going clear across the sky. It was all very dramatic.
That's what we expect when we think about the coming Kingdom of God. The Pharisees were waiting for the same.
Jesus tells us that the Kingdom often comes in quiet ways, and it's already in our midst, for in the coming of Jesus, the Kingdom has come. There is much still in the future, but it's already breaking in, and we're invited to live into it in the here and now, to join with Christ in forgiving and loving and serving. The Kingdom has come, and the transformation Christ offers us is available now, through the often quiet work of the Holy Spirit, calling us in our midst to live as disciples.
Tuesday, August 18, 2026
Luke 17:15–19
Luke 17:15-19
You've likely given and received lots of gifts in your life. We can debate which is better, but regardless of where you land, a gift between people who know each other very well is something wonderful -- the gift is special, but it's special because it's wrapped up in the midst of a relationship.
That's what Jesus is getting at here. The gift of healing is a wonderful thing, and Jesus doesn't take the gift away from any of those who were healed.
But one of the former lepers realizes that there is more than just a gift. There is an opportunity to have a relationship with the one who gives every good gift. His life has been transformed in more ways than just one -- he wants to enjoy God.
It's a fine thing to enjoy God's gifts, whatever those may be.
But may we never lose sight of the reality that the gifts are meant to encourage us to dive deeply into a relationship with God, to immerse ourselves in the love and grace of the one who gives.
Monday, August 17, 2026
Luke 17:11–14
Luke 17:11-14
Lepers stayed at a physical distance -- they were separated in so many ways from the community. Jesus, at a distance, tells them to go show themselves to the priests, and they are healed.
Notice when they're healed. It's as they are going. It wasn't as soon as Jesus spoke. They started to go before they were healed, and it was in the process of obeying Jesus that they were healed.
Sometimes, we need to move before we see results. So often, we do the reverse -- we wait for God to show us something dramatic or move in some way, telling ourselves that we'll move once God does.
But Jesus sometimes sends us with a command, and then results happen along the way. So let us focus on obedience, and trust Jesus to be at work as we live.
Friday, August 14, 2026
Luke 17:7-8
Luke 17:7-10
Here, I believe Jesus is trying to ensure we don't develop a sense of entitlement, where we start thinking that God is the vending machine in the sky, where we deposit an act of faithfulness and get a reward. The expectation is that we ought to be faithful in response to the grace that God showers upon us. We have not earned it, and yet salvation and hope are given to us.
So we're encouraged to live and interact with humility. All that we have is gift, and we should live with that in mind. Our Christian duty is a response to God's initiating love. We love and serve because we have been loved and served.
Thursday, August 13, 2026
Luke 17:5–6
Luke 17:5-6
This reminds me a little of the idea that we'd be more generous once we have more money, or that we'll do something differently once we have more time. It's easy to imagine how things might be different once we have more of something... but the reality is that we often don't change like that. We like to imagine that we'd live differently if we had more faith, or stronger faith, which is what the apostles said to Jesus. They hear about so many amazing things, but they don't think they have enough faith.
Jesus tells them that it isn't about the size of their faith, but rather about who they are placing their faith in.
The reality of our lives is that we often place our faith in ourselves, and we think of relying on God as a backup plan.
Jesus wants us to flip those things, and to rely on God completely. God is strong enough and faithful enough to support us. Start your day, Jesus encourages us, by casting ourselves upon Christ, and depending completely upon God. Place our faith in God first, who cares for us, and we'll discover that our faith is strong enough as long as it is in God.
Wednesday, August 12, 2026
Luke 17:1–4
Luke 17:1-4
What does it mean to forgive someone? Let's say I let you borrow my car, and it comes back with french fries spilled everywhere, two unpaid parking tickets shoved into the glovebox, and three new dents. I would be somewhat unhappy with this development. Would I lend you my car again? Absolutely not. Would I expect you to provide financial compensation for the damages incurred? Absolutely. Could I approach you without a desire for vengeance in my heart, with grace in our conversation and a willingness not to allow my anger to define our relationship? I would hope so. This is the important part. Forgiveness doesn't mean there cannot be repercussions for actions. Forgiveness means that we do not keep score, that grace defines the relationship, that we seek what is best for the other, rather than allowing our desire for punishment to be the most important thing.
Jesus was open and honest about the reality that we will fail. We will sin, and others will sin, and we'll be frustrated and upset. That can pass. What matters is that we're striving to help one another grow and that we're practicing extending the same grace we receive from Christ to one another.
Tuesday, August 11, 2026
Luke 16:25–31
Luke 16:25-31
If you decide to do the rim-to-rim hike in the Grand Canyon, linking the North Rim to the South Rim, you'll hike about 24 miles and deal with over 10,000 feet of elevation change. Serious preparations are advised.
In this story from Luke, a rich man is in torment in hell and asking for comfort. Abraham replies that there is a great chasm fixed between heaven and hell, and there is no passing over.
It's easy to think of this chasm as the Grand Canyon -- something that might be challenging, but ultimately overcome-able through a great effort.
But we cannot atone for our own sin. We keep sinning, and are unable to make the perfect sacrifice. Only Jesus can do this, and thanks be to God that he has done just this -- he has stood in our place and done what we could not do. Because of Christ, we have hope.
So give thanks that the chasm is not our destiny, because of what God has done.
Monday, August 10, 2026
Luke 16:19–24
Luke 16:19-24
The rich man and poor man in this story live very, very different lives, and yet they both die. Death is the great equalizer -- and here we discover these suffer very different fates. The poor man, who is given a name, is taken to heaven, and the rich man, who has no name, ends up in torment.
Is it because he is rich? No, for Abraham was very rich. The rich man never noticed the poor man who lived at his gate. He believed that his wealth was all that he needed, so he lived in comfort, unable to open his eyes to the opportunities that God had placed before him.
What opportunities has God put in your midst? How can we pray for God to open our eyes to what surrounds us, to the people near us who are in need? May we look to serve others first.
Friday, August 7, 2026
Luke 16:18
Luke 16:18
Jesus is in the midst of talking about the Pharisees and money, and suddenly he mentions divorce. What gives?
Remember, the Pharisees' hearts had drifted from God, and they looked to the letter of the law and tried to find loopholes to justify whatever behavior they wanted. For example, in those days, divorce was almost always initiated by the man, in which case he left his wife without income or social standing. There were religious teachers arguing that a man could divorce his wife for almost any reason, such as spoiling dinner. They were trivializing the covenant of marriage and leaving women incredibly vulnerable.
Jesus, as always, is looking out for the vulnerable. Just a chapter ago, we had the parables about how God sought out the lost coin and the lost son. The theme has not suddenly pivoted away from God racing to protect and embrace the vulnerable and those who have erred. Jesus is still welcoming and restoring, but he's also warning those who see people as disposable. He's rebuking religious leaders who are missing the point and using the law as a weapon against others and as a way to bolster their own power. He's pointing to the faithfulness of God, calling us all to reflect on the unfailing love of God and to seek to reflect that in every corner and aspect of our lives.
Thursday, August 6, 2026
Luke 16:14–17
Luke 16:14-17
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Imagine that you're hearing Jesus critique your behavior. How do you respond?
The Pharisees, who were likely defensive, ridiculed Jesus. It must have been terribly uncomfortable for them to hear Jesus speaking directly to them. They loved money, and they wanted to keep loving money. They had wandered into a land where they loved money more than God... but when they heard someone confront this, rather than wrestle with the uncomfortable reality, they simply laughed at the one who was criticizing them.
None of us like criticism. It stings. But Jesus doesn't criticize because he wants to hurt the Pharisees. He wants them to grow into the disciples they were called and created to be. He loves them too much to leave them as they are.
Jesus likely has harsh words for us, too. We are far from perfect. My heart certainly wanders.
Can we find the humility to go to God daily and ask for God to shine a light on where we need to grow and change? God wants you to grow into the disciple you were crafted to be. God loves you too much to leave you where you are, no matter your age. So ask God to show you how to grow, how to change, that we may all be transformed by the work of the Holy Spirit.
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
Luke 16:10-13
Luke 16:10-13
It's easy to be envious of other people's lives. Every day, there are reminders of people who have far more material wealth. In my parking garage, there are countless cars that serve as status symbols and cost more than I make in a year.
Jesus tells us that being faithful isn't about waiting until you've made it big. He says that what you have now matters, regardless of how much or how little it is. If you focus on faithfulness every day, whether it's in little moments or big choices, then we train our hearts to learn how to handle bigger things.
In all of this, we're leading our hearts. If we allow the world to lead them, our appetites will devour us. We'll get caught in an endless cycle of wanting more. Jesus talks directly about the dangers of money... if we allow our hearts to serve wealth, that ends up first in our hearts and we miss serving God. Jesus doesn't say there's anything wrong with possessing wealth, but the moment we stop thinking of it as a tool and we start looking to it as part of our identity, then we crowd out God.
So think of some small moments that are upcoming in your day. How can you pray your way through them? Who will you talk to today, and how can you pray ahead of that for God to lead the conversation in a way that is a blessing?
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
Luke 16:5–9
Luke 16:5-9
It's an odd story to find in the Bible, right? Not everything in the Bible makes sense to me. That doesn't really bother me, as it doesn't all need to make sense to me, but it'd be nice if it all made sense.
Again, the question to ask is what Jesus is trying to teach us. And here, I think he's trying to lift our eyes beyond the monetary importance of today. He wants us to see that money today isn't the most important thing -- what long term relationships are you building? Jesus tells the people to make friends by means of unrighteous wealth, which doesn't fit with a lot of other things Jesus says, but he's pushing our vision beyond today. Money will fade. The rich don't stay rich. But investing in eternity? That is a place where thieves cannot break in and steal, where the moth cannot destroy. Jesus is telling us to put our trust there and invest in what lasts.
So what's that mean for you today? Again, no easy answers there, but it's something we should think about.
Monday, August 3, 2026
Luke 16:1–4
Luke 16:1-4
This parable has always confounded me. Jesus lifts up the tale of a dishonest manager who doesn't seem to be admirable, but he does act decisively. Perhaps this is what Jesus is trying to help us grasp. Perhaps Jesus is trying to help us understand the importance of acting urgently. When we recognize that we are falling short, and that God is calling us to be faithful servants, we should strive to act immediately, to seek to grow in faithfulness. It's easy to put that off, to promise ourselves that we'll focus on discipleship later, but Jesus doesn't want us to wait around until later. Jesus calls us to grow now, to focus now, that we might put the Kingdom of God above all the other urgent things calling out to us now.
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