The face and name of a one-time date in my single days has faded, but a line she used seared itself into my memory. I mentioned that I wanted to do something, but wasn’t able to. She responded, “My big brother says we all do what we want.” I’ve pondered that, and concluded…
Read MoreWhy Worship Together?
Some lies have more truth than falsehood, which merely increases their danger. Such as, “I love God, but I can worship him just as well at the beach or the mountains.” I tend to agree, mountain trips often provide some of my best worship. Immersed in the transcendent beauty of God’s creation, away from the overpowering touch of man, my ego shrinks as I get lost in God. But if the truth in that quote becomes an excuse for not being in gathered weekly worship, then it becomes a dangerous lie. We eliminate part of what God designed worship to be. We decrease our godliness. Our preferences have more value…
Read MoreChoosing Our Response
Our world seems to be growing in harshness. Language has become more coarse and abusive, just look at much of social media. Road rage is frequently on the local news, and mass shootings have increased from 269 in 2014 to 647 in 2022 (four or more shot or killed, https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/). My mantra in earlier years was “don’t get mad, just get even.” I suspect many others share that. When wounded, we strike back: verbally or physically or economically or socially. Our search for “justice” merely increases bad behavior. And yes, that has
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A pastor friend embarked on preaching through the entire book of Matthew. Usually, he handles a chapter at a time, hinting at over half a year just on this one admittedly fine book of 28 chapters. But one day he examined only six verses of chapter six, covering just one topic in the Sermon on the Mount, composed of chapters five through seven. I hopped on a rabbit trail, wondering…
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I like metaphors, a comparison that helps us understand something we may not yet fully know with something we already know something about. And although I’ve followed God for 52 years, many aspects of him remain hazy, uncertain, even unknowable. But what’s around us can give us some hints, like…
Read MoreSpiritual Anemia--a Fix
A fellow teacher who struggles with anemia posted this on Facebook, “Why am I so exhausted after only teaching two days? Oh boy.” I understand; I taught also. But a more significant anemia is the spiritual one that so infects American Christianity. We lack energy and motivation for the things of God. We care, but not deeply. We serve, but not joyfully. We give, but not sacrificially.
The antidote may be found in a…
Read MoreKeeping Commitments
Anymore, seems like we hesitate to trust others. Crime and road rage rise: can we trust others to be faithful to the laws? Marriages end too often: can we trust our spouses to remain faithful? People break their word: can we trust them to be faithful to their promises? Pastors and members switch…
Read MoreA Balancing Act
Some time back I intentionally opened my Bible to Psalms, and randomly to 86. As a poet (no poems today, sorry!) I appreciated the variety of structures that enhanced the meaning. But verse 11 touched my soul, “Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name,” because it gave three requirements of connecting to God and the result. All touch on…
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