John 11:21-22 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Even now…. She had lost her brother, Lazarus, four days earlier. All hope for his recovery had vanished as the mournful reality Continue Reading…
John 11:28-29 “…she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. As many have noted, troubles either make us bitter or better. How we handle the inevitable disappointments that come Continue Reading…
Psalm 7:17 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High. My husband and I recently flew from Pennsylvania to Nashville for a quick visit to see our son and his family. (Have to admit that our14-month old Continue Reading…
Psalm 137:1 “By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.” Educational facilities from my grandsons’ daycare to the college where I teach are taking a hit from the coronavirus quarantine. Online learning helps fulfill requirements, but hopes of graduations, internships and athletic events lay in the Continue Reading…
Jeremiah 17:5 “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord.” Has someone let you down? Rejected you? Falsely accused you? Unless you’ve opted for living in an isolated cave in Crete, you know what it’s like to be disappointed Continue Reading…
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” Up Continue Reading…
1 John 5:21 “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” Have you ever noticed how disappointments can take on a life of their own? I think of young women I’ve counseled who have had bad breakups with their boyfriends. Their disappointment pushes them into a kind of fantasy land. The more Continue Reading…
2 Corinthians 6:1 “As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.” How could we forget to access something so powerful? Why do we struggle far longer than we need to? Where did we get the idea that our need for grace stopped at the cross? Continue Reading…
Psalm 73:25 “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.” “Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me…” You’re probably familiar with St. Patrick’s famously quoted prayer. But did you know Continue Reading…
Psalm 8:4 “what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? [ESV] The exact same words. The exact opposite meaning. The question…why me? can be asked in one of two ways. The two ways stand miles apart. In fact, you might Continue Reading…