Being Christian Without Losing Your Mind
It feels as if we’re living in the shadow of a bad-news tsunami, doesn’t it? The poster boy for these times is Putin, with his blatant disregard for life while spewing nuclear threats. But throw in a populist movement fueled by an ex-President living in his own reality; a racial tension provoking violent school board …
Give thanks in every situation because this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. – 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Really? I can think of a million situations where giving thanks is the last thing I want to do. Pandemics. Invasions. Accidents. Death. Prejudice. Discrimination…And we’re just getting warmed up. Yet, Paul is speaking from his …
She put [her baby son Moses] in the basket and set the basket among the reeds at the riverbank. The baby’s older sister stood watch nearby to see what would happen to him. – Exodus 2:3b-4 History shows how evil seems to be genetic in humanity. Just look at Pharaoh, who ordered the killing of male …
Jesus himself stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” They were terrified and afraid. They thought they were seeing a ghost. – Luke 24:36-37 What an interesting description of how the disciples felt when the risen Jesus suddenly appeared to them in a room: “terrified and afraid.” I’d never thought much about why Luke put …
“In the world you have distress. But be encouraged! I have conquered the world.” – John 16:33 The church I retired from has a magnificent organ. Whenever I looked at its console, I felt I was looking at the cockpit of a 747. It was daunting to a musically inept person such as myself. But our organist had no such qualms. …
Good Friday is an enigma. “Good”, describing the day an innocent man died horribly, is a weird tag. But maybe it’s good when seen within the context of three other words that begin with “G.” Gently. Fear is the residue of imagining we can control things and then realizing we can’t. Instead of scrubbing every …
While they were discussing these things, Jesus himself arrived and joined them on their journey. They were prevented from recognizing him. – Luke 24:15 The story of the encounter with Jesus on the Emmaus Road describes clearly the excitement that lies at the heart of discipleship. We start by welcoming the stranger. Two grieving disciples encounter …
After Jesus said these things, as they were watching, he was lifted up and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going away and as they were staring toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood next to them. They said, “Galileans, why are you standing here, looking toward heaven?…” (Acts 1:9-11a) …
As Jesus continued down the road, a man ran up, knelt before him, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to obtain eternal life?” – Mark 10:17 This famous passage of a rich man asking Jesus about eternal life is found in Matthew and Luke as well. Mark’s version, though, adds a couple of …
And there was a voice from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I dearly love; in you I find happiness.” – Luke 3:22 When the Father blessed Jesus at his baptism with these words, I knew I’d heard them before. It was when my little boy, while we were walking, put his small hand in …