Learning to love others the way Jesus loves us
O come Emmanuel, our glorious hope Veni, veni Emmanuel Gaude! Gaude! Emmanuel, Nascetur pro te, Israel! Music holds listeners in ways that words often cannot. Throughout history, music has continually reflected legacy, loss, longing, love, and lament. Biblical songs appear as early as the Exodus (Exodus 15) and continue through John's revelation (Revelation 15). The… Continue reading Exiles, still
Sometimes the most direct path is not a straight line #inspiredbyasermon Mark 7:31-37 Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him… Continue reading Of circuitous routes and cleansing sighs
John 21:15-18 You have to appreciate Peter. He's an all-or-nothing kind of guy who cannot hide his feelings or control what comes out of his mouth. He makes big claims and even bigger mistakes. And Jesus clearly loves that about him. In that love, Jesus also teaches, disciplines, and molds Peter into the apostle who… Continue reading Lessons from a charcoal fire
The God who worked wonders in the past is faithful to keep His promises still (Psalm 77:14; Psalm 86:15). To say we live in troubling times is an understatement. Every day some new catastrophe floods the news cycles: natural disasters, crime, social issues, education, politics, and uncertainty about the economy threaten our personal well-being and… Continue reading Faithful through the Ages
Sometimes God's answer to prayer is us. remix: Hanna-Barbera/Justice League Wonder Twins (CC BY-NC-SA) My brothers and I grew up in the 1970s. Saturday mornings were for cartoons of fantastical places and magical powers (and the occasional monster-puppet.) Typically, some distraught character would cry out for help and in the blink of an eye, a… Continue reading Activate!
John 6:66-71 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” Jesus… Continue reading What Jesus?
Thoughts about Advent and Incarnation Part one The coming of the Promise. Fulfillment of prophecy in a mystery of yes and not yet. A baby born of a virgin on a not-so-silent night who grew up and changed the world, even to the marking of the calendar days. BC (before Christ) and AD (anno Domini)… Continue reading The Greatest Grace
I heard a song for the first time the other day and was moved by the message and the music. I appreciated the nod to old familiar hymns woven through. Mostly, though, I was struck by the focus on the blood of Jesus as the master key of salvation. We don't sing about the blood… Continue reading Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Tasting: The perfection of the fruit John 15:1-8; Galatians 5:22; 1 John 4:7-17 Taste Just a few days ago, Wine Spectator posted a "wine IQ" blind tasting game on their website. It posted a sommelier's tasting notes and asked players to identify the variety, country/region of origin/appellation, and age based solely on the notes. Tasting… Continue reading Taste and see: Part four
The wine John 15:1-8; Psalm 34:8; Galatians 5:22; 1 John 4:7-17 ; Hosea 9:3-5; Exodus 29:40; Romans 11:11-24 A quick recap The focus of John 15 is the role of the vine to the branches, and thereby to the fruit. The vine grows from the rootstock and is vital to the life of the plant.… Continue reading Taste and see: Part three
Defaulting to Grace 