Hebrews 13:5 “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” You would think, especially in these days of partisanship and polarization, the Right and Left have nothing in common. But I Continue Reading…
Matthew 20:26 “Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” Jesus turned the definition of greatness on its head when he said the greatest would be the servant. Not the person with the top position, not the highest skilled athlete, not the Continue Reading…
Micah 7:18 “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives…?” “Easter is my favorite time of the year” echoes through my mind during Passion Week. My dad often spoke those endearing words the last few years of his life. It’s no wonder. After sixty-five years of rebellion and regret, Continue Reading…
Daniel 1:8 “But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine….” To compromise or not to compromise…. It’s a question faced continually by politicians, parents and just about anyone facing a tough decision. To what length do we go in standing up for our principles? When is Continue Reading…
Philippians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving present your requests to God.” Talking points. We hear them on the news all the time. Surrogates of politicians saturate the media with carefully crafted statements in order to sway people to their Continue Reading…
Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” What occupies the streets of your mind? The iconic protest against financial inequality a few years ago made Occupy Wall Street a household term. But how about your Wall Street? Continue Reading…
1 Thessalonians 3:3 “so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them.” The college where I teach recently presented Meredith Wilson’s The Music Man. One of the songs, “Ya Got Trouble” and the cast’s splendid performance of it keeps Continue Reading…
Hosea 9:10 “…they consecrated themselves to that shameful idol and became as vile as the thing they loved.” Be careful what you love…. I remember a song we used to sing in Sunday School. Oh be careful little ears what you hear….oh be careful little eyes what you see…oh be Continue Reading…
Psalm 103:2 “Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” Sometimes life gets in the way of life… Have you ever experienced this? You’re moving along, full of faith, then you hit a pothole of disappointment. Your prayers get punctured by betrayal and loss, your joy runs headlong into a Continue Reading…
Zechariah 4:10 “Who dares despise the day of small things….” From the trenches of war, upon receiving a supply of smokeables, CS Lewis wrote: “such little attentions are infinitely cheering when one is dull, lonely and disappointed.” In an environment with few pleasures Lewis appreciated the smallest act of kindness. Little Continue Reading…