"No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved." -- Matthew 9:16-17

The world is changing fast.  Babies born today may very well live to see a world we would hardly recognize.  Because of the changes in technology (especially in the areas of genetics, nanotechnology, and  robotics), the way we experience everyday life is about to shift parabolically.  As I write this, computing is undergoing a "shrinking" evolution.  We are moving from our experience of carrying computing devices to having computer chips embedded in our bodies.  Once computers reach the size of human cells, we will come to a point where we will have to ask the question, "what is human?"  The human has been relatively the same for thousands and thousands of years, but is about to take a dramatic turn.  With industrialization in the early 20th century came a new way of experiencing life.  Computers and biotechnology are taking us to yet another way of experiencing life.  Certainly new wineskins are being produced.  In some ways, we are participants in the production of these new skins.  Now, maybe more than ever, we must be vigilant in transmitting not just the information of our faith to the next generations, but perhaps more importantly, the values of it... not to fit the new into the old, but to work to make sure that the dna of the old is embedded in the fabric of the new.  Buckle up, because we're in for quite a ride!

Readings:  Genesis 26:17-27:46; Matthew 9:1-17; Psalm 10:16-18; Proverbs 3:9-10

"Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. He said to Jacob, 'Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished!' (That is why he was also called Edom.) Jacob replied, 'First sell me your birthright.'...'Look, I am about to die,' Esaus said. 'What good is the birthright to me?' But Jacob said, 'Swear to me first.' So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob." -- Genesis 25:29-33

Here we have Jacob, later to become father to the 12 tribes of Israel (he will literally become "Israel" himself), showing us his true personality.  Shrewd and manipulative, Jacob sees opportunity for gain in his brother's state, and so he capitalizes on it.  I read this and ask, "what would Jesus do?"  And the answer I come up with is "certainly not this."  Mahatma Ghandi once said "There are people in the world so hungry that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread."  Two things I take from this reading:  1.  Maslow was probably right in laying out his "hierarchy of needs".  Without having basic physical needs met, it's hard to think above or beyond them.  Esau in his hunger realized that a birthright did him no good if he were to starve to death and never enjoy it anyway.  He was so hungry he couldn't think straight.  Note to self:  don't agree to a long-term payment plan for something that satisfies the moment.  2.  As Christians, we're not called upon to celebrate or follow Jacob's example.  When those around us lack basic needs such as food and shelter and the means to obtain them, it's not the time or place to be enterprising and seek gain through securing indebtedness from them.  Nor is it the time to be preachy.  Instead, it's the time to feed, clothe, and shelter them, and assist them in finding ways to sustain themselves so as to be hungry no more.  

Readings:  Genesis 24:52-26:16; Matthew 8:18-34; Psalm 10:1-15; Proverbs 3:7-8

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." -- Proverbs 3:5-6

We have come to be such a science-driven, fact-extracting, knowledge-based culture, that it's easy to see how more and more people come to reject the stories of the faith (and ultimately the faith itself) because the writings don't sift freely through the filters we've conditioned ourselves to have as we process information.  This proverb is apt for our time because we seem to be leaning more and more upon our understanding.  But even if we were to uncover all the secrets of creation, do we think we can uncover the secrets of the Creator?  And if we do come to understand something to be a certain way, does that mean it necessarily is as we understand it?  Do you have people in your life who presume to understand you, and yet you feel misunderstood?  How much more so with God I wonder?  We only have five senses, and there are even realities of creation we can't comprehend, so let's be slow to assume we know everything and maintain a respect for the mysteries of Creator as well.

Readings:  Genesis 23:1-24:51; Matthew 8:1-17; Psalm 9:13-20; Proverbs 3:1-6

"The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you." -- Psalm 9:9-10

Our readings today include one of the most disturbing accounts in all of Scripture:  Abraham preparing to sacrifice his son Isaac as an offering to God.  It's inconceivable that God would ask this of a person, and I do not understand the demand in the story.  But in the end, God stops Abraham from going through with it, and provides a substitute ram for the offering instead.  Because of that experience, Abraham called the place "The Lord Will Provide".  The Psalm echoes the sentiment, reminding the reader that the Lord has never forsaken those who seek him.  Abraham was truly one who sought to follow the will of God.

Sometimes following God seems to make little sense.  But when you seek him with your whole heart and your whole being, you will be surprised at how God finds you.  Seeking and following the will of God makes no sense only to the one who does not seek and does not follow.  May you always be a seeker!

Readings:  Genesis 20:1-22:24; Matthew 7:15-29; Psalm 9:1-12a; Proverbs 2:16-22

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." -- Matthew 6:12

Here we have the classic "Golden Rule".  It is the one shared by almost every religion in the world.  It is the ethic that even atheists it seems can get behind.  C.S. Lewis illustrates it beautifully in his book Mere Christianity, when he argues against moral relativism.  He says basically (I'm paraphrasing here)  that moral relativism works for one until someone's morality works against them.  In other words, I may be okay with the act of stealing and don't feel as though I should be labeled a criminal for it-- until someone steals from me-- then I find the whole thing outrageously wrong.  You could use any number of examples to illustrate it, but the point remains: if you wouldn't want it done to you, don't do it-- it's wrong.  There are absolutes in this world.  It's not all relative.

Readings:  Genesis 18:20-19:38; Matthew 6:25-7:14; Psalm 8:1-9; Proverbs 2:6-15

"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven." -- Matthew 6:1

Some read this and think we are not to be seen or known for good things we do.  I believe that to be a misreading of the text.  What it comes down to is the motivation for your 'acts of righteousness'.  Matthew tells us not to do them before others in order to be seen by them.  In other words, check the motive.  Are you doing good so that others can see how good you are, or are you doing good regardless of whether others see you or not?  Modeling righteousness can be instructive and inspiring.  But if it's motivated by human pride-- hoping for, or expecting accolades, then how righteous is it?

Readings:  Genesis 16:1-18:19; Matthew 6:1-24; Psalm 7:1-17; Proverbs 2:1-5

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven." -- Matthew 5:43-45

This is a tough one.  To love an enemy-- say some random person from a country that is an "enemy" of your country-- could be fairly easy because you don't know the person and they don't know you.  Rather it's the idea of a person some distance away.  If we were enemies with Antarcticans, we could say, "while our countries or continents are at war, I love the Antarctican people."  But to love someone closer to home who hates you, wishes harm to you and your family-- how do you love them?  Fighting hate with hate doesn't work.  Fighting hate with love can change the world.  Does someone have an example of this kind of love in action?  Please share.

Readings:  Genesis 13:5-15:21; Matthew 5:27-48; Psalm 6:1-10; Proverbs 1:29-33