Learning to love others the way Jesus loves us
Romans 5:1 We are justified by faith; Jesus did the work. What a beautiful reminder that we can rest in knowing our salvation is already worked out for us. In this ever changing world we can have peace with God, not by our own doing, but because Jesus did. Today is Labor Day. It is… Continue reading Justified
Psalm 119:169-176 Psalm 119:175 This final section is a synthesis of what has gone on before. In it we read about what God does, what we do, what we desire, and how God responds to us. The whole of Psalm 119 is this: Let my soul live and praise You, and let your rules help… Continue reading TAW
Psalm 119:161-168 Psalm 119:164 We are a people of checklists and boxes, aren't we? There's nothing like the feeling of striking through some task on paper. Even phone app lists give us that glorious feeling of accomplishment when we finish something. So, does the checklist life include our praise? I mean, the psalmist says "seven… Continue reading SIN and SHIN
Psalm 119:145-152 Psalm 119:145-152 Pandemic life keeps getting harder. What should be open? Do we send kids to school? Is this nagging cough allergies or Coronavirus? How long is this going to go on? It's hard enough it the daytime with incessant news and social media panic posting, but at least during the day there… Continue reading Qoph
Psalm 119:113-120 Psalm 119:114 The Lord is our shield, and our faith is how we hold it up as protection against the "flaming darts of the evil one" (Ephesians 6:16). Without God, we have no hope. Hope in His word is not a wish, but a sure conviction and assurance that it means what it… Continue reading SAMEKH
Psalm 119:105-112 The old illustration about how lamps light the way seems especially relevant these days. Lamps (or candles or flashlights) don't make the whole path clear, but they provide just enough illumination to safely take the next step. In these uncertain days, we can't plan very far into the future. Plans people made for… Continue reading NUN
Lamentations 3 When times are hard, even the faithful suffer. As long as we are in this world, whatever disasters strike, from pandemics to wars to natural catastrophes, we can expect to endure along with all of humanity. The prophet in Lamentations (presumably Jeremiah) described his own suffering with the people under the Lord's judgement.… Continue reading This I call to mind
I have been broken by the events of 2020, and I feel like I need to take a short break from Psalm 119 to examine the most profound lament of the Old Testament in light of the current Church and culture in the US. Illuminated Scripture Journal cover. Crossway, 2001 I did some background reading… Continue reading Lamentations
Psalm 119:49-56 For many of us COVID19 quarantines are beginning to lift. More people are out and about, some businesses are reopening, and churches are making plans to start modified gatherings for worship. For some people the reopening of society is a relief; for others it represents a new kind of uncertainty. The cultural narrative… Continue reading ZAYIN
Psalm 119:41-48 There is a clear and distinct connection between God's love and God's law; they co-exist. Our testimony as believers is rooted in how we both reconcile and live out both love and law. It's recursive: the law shows us our utter helplessness to be holy, His love provided our salvation, and our appropriate… Continue reading WAW
Defaulting to Grace 