Being Christian Without Losing Your Mind
“You ignore God’s commandment while holding on to rules created by humans and handed down to you.” Jesus continued, “Clearly, you are experts at rejecting God’s commandment in order to establish these rules.” — Mark 7:8-9 The Achille’s heal of religious people is following unquestioned rules because it makes them look and feel good. “The Bible says so…” …
There’s a season for everything and a time for every matter under the heavens: a time for giving birth and a time for dying. — Ecclesiastes 3:1-2a It seems to me that there’s a certain rhythm to life, or “seasons” as the writer of Ecclesiastes described it. 1st stage: Accept and Anticipate As children, we receive …
Let all of these praise the Lord’s name because only God’s name is high over all. Only God’s majesty is over earth and heaven. — Psalm 148:13 I look forward to those seasons when cicadas make their mysterious presence known. For 13 to 17 years, they live underground. The larvae look like white, ghostly caterpillars, feeding …
Just as through one human being sin came into the world, and death came through sin, so death has come to everyone, since everyone has sinned. — Romans 5:12 The old concept of original sin, formulated by Augustine, was that the consequences of the first disobedience in the Garden of Eden was passed on to …
There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. — Galatians 3:28 Father Richard Rohr, in one of his daily devotions, made an interesting point about the historic tension between conservatives and liberals. He noted that in the Bible, one of the characteristics of being Jewish was to …
Even the hairs of your head are all counted. — Matthew 10:30 I often begin my daily devotions by recalling/celebrating what I consider calling cards from God: those times when the Spirit interrupts things with the wonderfully mysterious. They are wide-ranging and include weird happenings that sound either sublime or ridiculous, according to your perspective. Nonetheless, I …
Our Father who is in heaven, uphold the holiness of your name. — Matthew 6:9 When I used to travel west and ski (before kids, in other words), the top of the mountain was a holy place. I simply seemed closer to God. Looking up, the sky was bluer and the clouds, whiter. Though I …
Can a woman forget her nursing child, fail to pity the child of her womb? Even these may forget, but I won’t forget you. — Isaiah 49:15 A fear in the petition psalms, where the writer is suffering and calls out to God for help, is that God is distracted and not paying attention. “Don’t hide your face from me!” …
He enacts justice for orphans and widows, and he loves immigrants, giving them food and clothing. — Deuteronomy 10:18 I enjoyed dropping into the English as Second Language classes in my church before retiring. The people in this program, sponsored by the Parkway School District, always inspired me. Journeying from around the world to a strange land, vulnerable and hopeful, they sat together …
“But I say to you that everyone who is angry with their brother or sister will be in danger of judgment. If they say to their brother or sister, ‘You idiot,’ they will be in danger of being condemned by the governing council. And if they say, ‘You fool,’ they will be in danger of fiery …