MONDAY MEDITATION: What Makes Us Human? (September 18)

“I give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you also must love each other. This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other.” — John 13:34-35 I just watched a fascinating documentary on Netflix titled, “Unknown: Cave of Bones” (you can watch the trailer here). Archaeologists explore …

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Racism and Self-Delusion

I would really like to believe that the suffering invested in the civil rights movement has paid dividends in putting racism behind us. That is delusional, of course, yet it’s curious that some of the racist stuff we see comes from those who claim it’s not a problem anymore. Instead, racism has evolved into a …

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MONDAY MEDITATION: Wake-Up Calls (September 11)

“But what goes out of the mouth comes from the heart. And that’s what contaminates a person in God’s sight.” — Matthew 15:18 Have you ever said something that revealed, unintentionally, what was in your heart? I will confess that one time, decades ago, I told a gay joke among fellow pastors. It was a joke …

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MONDAY MEDITATION: Jail Time (September 4)

Most of the brothers and sisters have had more confidence through the Lord to speak the word boldly and bravely because of my jail time. — Philippians 1:14 The older we get, the easier it becomes to have self-pity. Bad things happen and we respond with the eternal, “Why me?” Paul, though, had a different …

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MONDAY MEDITATION: “Just Keep Trusting” (August 21)

But Jesus overheard their report and said to the synagogue leader, “Don’t be afraid; just keep trusting.” — Mark 5:36 If you read Mark 5:21-43, you get a clear picture of both Jesus’ compassion as well as faith. The synagogue leader had come to Jesus asking him to heal his daughter. However, word came that …

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MONDAY MEDITATION: The Changing Jesus (August 14)

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples didn’t realize it was Jesus. — John 21:4 One of the strange things about the Resurrection is why people who knew Jesus didn’t recognize him. There was something different about him. I’ve come to realize, though, that the problem might have been that …

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Understanding Our Differences

When something seems clear-cut to me, and a person believes something different, one question comes to my mind: Why don’t they see it as clearly as they should? This question reveals my arrogance and self-righteousness, of course. The person with whom I disagree is thinking the same thing about me. Hence our human dilemma. A …

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MONDAY MEDITATION: Sheer Awe (July 31)

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from heaven! Praise God on the heights! — Psalm 146:1 Psalms 145-150 close the Bible’s songbook on a high note. They are pure praise. One of the underlying foundations for that praise is a reflection on just how awe-inspiring God is because of the awe-inspiring creation all around us. …

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