MONDAY MEDITATION: Questioning (April 14)

At about three Jesus cried out with a loud shout, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani,” which means, “My God, my God, why have you left me?”…Again Jesus cried out with a loud shout. Then he died. — Matthew 27:46, 50 I don’t know where it comes from, but there seems to be a prevailing attitude that doubting is bad. The corollary to …

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MONDAY MEDITATION: Fear or Hope? (April 7)

Brothers and sisters, I myself don’t think I’ve reached it, but I do this one thing: I forget about the things behind me and reach out for the things ahead of me. The goal I pursue is the prize of God’s upward call in Christ Jesus. — Philippians 3:13-14 When I had shoulder replacement last December, it wasn’t a matter of calling up the surgeon and saying, …

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MONDAY MEDITATION: The Deeper Enjoyment (March 31)

You make grass grow for cattle; you make plants for human farming in order to get food from the ground, and wine, which cheers people’s hearts, along with oil, which makes the face shine, and bread, which sustains the human heart. — Psalm 104:14-15 My family looks forward to an annual tradition. Once a year …

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MONDAY MEDITATION: Conspiracy Theories (March 24)

Truth examines the heart and hears what is said. — Wisdom of Solomon 1:6* Conspiracy theories have always been popular. Religious authorities thought Jesus wanted to overthrow them. Political authorities have been quick to cast blame on perceived conspirators, such as what Hitler did with the Jews. In a contemporary context, conspiracy theories explain why …

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Paul or Demetrius?

[Demetrius said,] “You can see and hear that this Paul has convinced and misled a lot of people, not only in Ephesus but also throughout most of the province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands aren’t really gods.”…Once they heard this, they were beside themselves with anger and began to shout, …

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Monday Meditation: The Future Church (February 24)

Look! I’m doing a new thing; now it sprouts up; don’t you recognize it? I’m making a way in the desert, paths in the wilderness. — Isaiah 43:19 On our trip to Scotland last fall, I saw a trend that was a bit shocking at first. It seemed that if you saw a big, old church somewhere, …

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