Learning to love others the way Jesus loves us
Community Read Hebrews 10: 19-25 and Acts 2, especially verses 42-47 Pray that the Lord will open your mind and heart to hear His voice. How do we love Jesus through community? There's a Greek word, κοινωνία (koinōnia) that brings together multiple aspects of fellowship. While "fellowship" is a delightful word, American English cannot fully… Continue reading Beloved: Reflection 5
Loyalty Read 3 John and Deuteronomy 7:6-10 Pray that the Lord will open your mind and heart to hear His voice. How do we stand with and for our brothers and sisters in the Lord? We step up. The concept of loyalty runs throughout the Bible, from the Hebrew אָמַן ( 'āman), meaning to be… Continue reading Beloved: Reflection 4
Care Read Luke 10:25-37 Pray that the Lord will open your mind and heart to hear His voice. What does it mean to care for one another as an act of love? It's important to consider what had just happened to visualize the setting of this parable fully. A crowd had gathered to hear about… Continue reading Beloved: Reflection 3
Affection Read Romans 12:3-18 Pray that the Lord will open your mind and heart to hear His voice. How can we show affection to one another in a culture that thrives on division? No one will argue that the last three years have made people unified, bonded, and more committed to loving when the contrary… Continue reading Beloved: Reflection 2
What does it mean to be beloved? How do we respond to being beloved? Love Read 1 John 4:7-21 Pray that the Lord will open your mind and heart to hear His voice. What does it mean to be loved by God and how does that love affect the way we treat others? The old… Continue reading Beloved: a five-part reflection, Reflection one
I've been thinking lately about the parable of the Good Samaritan from Luke's Gospel (10:25-37). At the same time, I've been reading the newspapers (usually the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times) and listening to podcasts like Honestly with Bari Weiss and Truth Over Tribe. Can I just say this? The world is… Continue reading American politics, neighbors, and enemies
Christmas day Prayer from Anglican Book of Common Prayer Almighty God, you have given your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born of a pure virgin: Grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit;… Continue reading Advent 2022: Christmas Day
The pathway to peace Prayer from Anglican Book of Common Prayer Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us. As we are sorely hindered by our sins from running the race that is set before us, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us, through Jesus Christ… Continue reading Advent 2022 week 4
Joy of the beginning Prayer from Anglican Book of Common Prayer O Lord Jesus Christ, you sent your messengers, the prophets, to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation. Grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries may likewise make ready your way by turning the hearts of the disobedient toward the… Continue reading Advent 22-Week 3
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
Defaulting to Grace 