Monday meditations are brief, practical reflections on a scripture. They’re meant to help you start your week on a thoughtful, positive note.
MONDAY MEDITATION: Light Wins (December 16)
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. On those living in a pitch-dark land, light has dawned. — Isaiah 9:2 In Scotland, beauty comes in sudden, unexpected ways, such as when you glance out the tour bus and see this panorama. Two layers of gray/blue-gray clouds separated magnificently by rays of persistent sunlight breaking through and…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Spiritual Integrity (December 9)
My brothers and sisters, what good is it if people say they have faith but do nothing to show it? — James 2:14 The room in this picture is from Dunnottar castle, a ruined medieval fortress on the northeastern shoreline of Scotland. It played a part in the miscellaneous struggles going on between England and…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Flying (November 25)
I know the experience of being in need and of having more than enough; I have learned the secret to being content in any and every circumstance, whether full or hungry or whether having plenty or being poor. — Philippians 4:12 In the picture above, Barb and I are about to fly the Atlantic, 8+ hours, and…
MONDAY MEDITATION: That’s Worship (November 18)
God saw everything he had made: it was supremely good. There was evening and there was morning: the sixth day. — Genesis 1:31 One evening my wife opened a box and found a long-ago picture of our kids. Our son was around 7 and our daughter, 2. Their smiles are boundless in that photo. They’re beaming,…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Fear, Love, and Angels (November 11)
There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear. — 1 John 4:18 While half the country rejoiced when Donald Trump was reelected, the other half felt the opposite. I was in the latter group, and the predominant emotion for me was fear. Based on what I heard our president-elect say on the campaign trail, questions easily kept…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Election Day Eve (November 4)
Since we belong to the day, let’s stay sober, wearing faithfulness and love as a piece of armor that protects our body and the hope of salvation as a helmet. — 1 Thessalonians 5:8 Tomorrow promises to be one of the most contentious, nerve-wracking elections ever. It’s helpful to put things in perspective from a…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Living in the Light (October 28)
The night is almost over, and the day is near. So let’s get rid of the actions that belong to the darkness and put on the weapons of light. — Romans 13:12 Did you know that Missouri is the cave state? We have over 7000 of them. If you ever want to experience total darkness,…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Christian “Soldiers” (October 21)
Therefore, pick up the full armor of God so that you can stand your ground on the evil day and after you have done everything possible to still stand. — Ephesians 6:13 Once upon a time, church folk sang, “Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war.” It’s not sung as much today, maybe not at…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: When My Sister Visited (October 14)
Teach us to number our days so we can have a wise heart. — Psalm 90:12 My sister and I, both in our 70’s, have made a pact. Each year we’re going to get together, somewhere, sometime. She’s in Florida and I’m in Missouri. Recently she visited me here in St. Louis. On one day, we journeyed to…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: The Generosity of Death (October 7)
“I assure you that unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it can only be a single seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.” — John 12:24 There’s a generosity behind death that we’re seldom aware of. When you die, you are allowing others to live. The food you would have eaten…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: What if There Were No Liberals or Conservatives? (September 30)
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 Sometimes you can tell how inspired a biblical text is by how people resist believing or following it. Paul’s famous verse from Galatians is pretty and idealistic. And church…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Trust Jesus and Live Today (September 23)
Human beings and animals share the same fate. One dies just like the other—both have the same life-breath. Humans are no better off than animals because everything is pointless. — Ecclesiastes 3:19 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away. –…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: The Secret to a Nice Lawn (September 16)
Other seed fell on rocky ground where the soil was shallow. They sprouted immediately because the soil wasn’t deep. But when the sun came up, it scorched the plants, and they dried up because they had no roots. — Matthew 13:5-6 When Jesus gave his parable of the sower, he must have just walked past my front…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Why Love IS the Greatest (September 9)
If I speak in tongues of human beings and of angels but I don’t have love, I’m a clanging gong or a clashing cymbal. — 1 Corinthians 13:1 The heart of the famous “love chapter” of the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13, starts at verse 4, with “Love is patient, love is kind…” and if you’ve…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Look for Little Joys (September 2)
I know the plans I have in mind for you, declares the Lord; they are plans for peace, not disaster, to give you a future filled with hope. — Jeremiah 29:11 This is one of the most hope-filled verses in the Bible. It speaks to all who see only dark and feel only fear. It’s…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Living Large (August 26)
“Not everybody who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will get into the kingdom of heaven. Only those who do the will of my Father who is in heaven will enter.” — Matthew 7:21 Many Christians don’t take Jesus seriously enough. If we did, we wouldn’t live as if he never preached the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: “Thoughts and Prayers” (August 19)
We mention you constantly in our prayers. –1 Thessalonians 1:2b Sometimes hearing, “You’re in my thoughts and prayers,” sounds pretty feeble. It conveys that, while you say you care for the other person, you don’t care so much as to get directly involved. You’re thinking nice thoughts while standing on the sidelines. But in a…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: The Bible Tells Me So (August 12)
Every scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing mistakes, for correcting, and for training character, so that the person who belongs to God can be equipped to do everything that is good. — 2 Timothy 3:16-17 The absolute worst understanding of the above Scripture is thinking that it says the Bible…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Spiritual Illusion (August 5)
Doom to those who call evil good and good evil, who present darkness as light and light as darkness, who make bitterness sweet and sweetness bitter. — Isaiah 5:20 Optical illusions are fascinating. They make you believe that what you’re seeing is real, while it’s really just a trick your eyes are playing on you.…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: What Do You Want Jesus to Do For You? (July 29)
“In the same way, when you have done everything required of you, you should say, ‘We servants deserve no special praise. We have only done our duty.’” — Luke 17:10 People were always asking things from Jesus. Heal. Raise the dead. Settle family disputes. Feed. Give compliments. And we, too, ask things from Jesus. After…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: EQ People (July 22)
Many people saw them leaving and recognized them, so they ran ahead from all the cities and arrived before them. When Jesus arrived and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. — Mark 6:33-34 One of the theories about why Neaderthals went extinct was that they had…
MONDAY MEDITATION: In Such Times, It Begins With Us (July 15)
Be happy with those who are happy, and cry with those who are crying. Consider everyone as equal, and don’t think you’re better than anyone else…Don’t think that you’re so smart. — Romans 13:15-16 I’m writing this the day after the attempted assassination on former President Trump. That horrific event seemed to epitomize the reality…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: A Prayer for Our Leaders (July 1)
Some people trust in chariots, others in horses; but we praise the Lord’s name. — Psalm 20:7 With July 4th this week, I thought it might make sense to offer a prayer for those who govern. David, who was as political as they came, also had the spiritual insight to know that in the end,…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Two Prepositional Phrases (June 24)
Words spoken at the right time are like gold apples in a silver setting. Wise correction to an ear that listens is like a gold earring or jewelry of fine gold. — Proverbs 25:11-12 I think a good writing guideline is to use prepositional phrases judiciously. The writer of Proverbs (some think Solomon wrote many…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: More Mice (June 17)
Stay awake, stand firm in your faith, be brave, be strong. –1 Corinthians 16:13 The 8 a.m. worship service was always interesting. I liked it as a warmup for the other services, and also because you knew the people there were committed. Trade in extra sleep for a chance to sit in a pew? Dedication. At…
Modern Commandments (June 10)
Jesus replied, “The most important one is ‘Israel, listen! Our God is the one Lord, and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You will love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”– Mark…
MONDAY MEDITATION: So, Stop It (June 3)
So stop judging each other. Instead, this is what you should decide: never put a stumbling block or obstacle in the way of your brother or sister. — Romans 14:13 Paul wrote these words to a church where people disagreed with each other over what was correct or not regarding food. There were some who…
MONDAY MEDITATION: Who Doesn’t Like Some Ice Cream? (May 27)
Go, eat your food joyfully and drink your wine happily, because God has already accepted what you do. — Ecclesiastes 9:7 The most important rule in studying the Bible is this: Whenever you read a passage, see what comes before and after it. Right before the verse above, the “Teacher” (as the writer of Ecclesiastes…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: The Widening Power of Grace (May 20)
I’ve sinned against you—you alone. I’ve committed evil in your sight…Yes, I was born in guilt, in sin, from the moment my mother conceived me. — Psalm 51:4-5 These are David’s words after he admitted his guilt in his affair with Bathsheba, which entailed having her husband Uriah murdered. Pretty bad, sinful stuff. And he…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Where’s Jesus? (May 13)
“You have heard me tell you, ‘I’m going away and returning to you.’” — John 14:28 The spiritual life, for me, is filled with ups and downs. There are times when everything clicks and you feel Jesus’ closeness, but most of the time he seems far away. It’s like the Transfiguration story. You’re walking along…
MONDAY MEDITATION: Who, Indeed? (May 6)
Who put wisdom in remote places, or who gave understanding to a rooster… –Job 38:36 …or to a mama sparrow? I’m amazed each spring how Mr. and Ms. House Sparrow take up residence on our front porch. They build/mend the nest by the porch light with the meticulousness of a surgeon. Then mama fritters and fusses until three…
MONDAY MEDITATION: Self-Service Is Evil-Service (April 29)
“And don’t lead us into temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.” — Matthew 6:13 In the typical turbulence of teenhood, I remember very well looking ahead in life and imagining what the world would offer. Money, fun, etc. The future was wide open and, in the optimism (or folly) of youth, I could…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Something to Remember, Politically (April 22)
It seemed very bad to Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” so he prayed to the Lord. The Lord answered Samuel, “Comply with the people’s request—everything they ask of you—because they haven’t rejected you. No, they’ve rejected me as king over them.” — 1 Samuel 8:6-7 It’s shaping up to be quite an…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Being Connected and Happy (April 15)
God saw everything he had made: it was supremely good. — Genesis 1:31 A recurring theme in these meditations is that it is impossible be truly spiritual if we lose touch with the physical. In a talk given by Father Richard Rohr, he stressed the absolute importance of connecting to the earth. “One of the…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Fearlessly Listening (April 8)
Let the person who has ears, hear. — Matthew 11:15 I love this phrase “fearlessly listening,” coined by Henri Nouwen. He said it characterized how Jesus related to his Father. Wouldn’t it be transformative if it also characterized how we related to each other? Active listening involves two things: Focusing on what the person is saying instead…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: “Jesus at the Center” (April 1)
When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I didn’t come preaching God’s secrets to you like I was an expert in speech or wisdom. I had made up my mind not to think about anything while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and to preach him as crucified. — 1 Corinthians 2:1-2 Recently I…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: What We Do with Enemies (March 25)
Let those who want me dead be humiliated and put to shame. Let those who intend to hurt me be thoroughly frustrated and disgraced. Let them be like dust on the wind–and let the Lord’s messenger be the one who does the blowing! — Psalm 35:4-6 Probably if we were honest, the above words from…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: The Ingredient That’s Sometimes Missing (March 18)
I praise the Lord–let the suffering listen and rejoice. — Psalm 34:2, CEB My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. — Psalm 34:2, NRSV It’s always struck me that beginning worship with a big song or songs that are upbeat and praisy can disconnect with people. Imagine…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Center of Gravity (March 11)
Instead, desire first and foremost God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. — Matthew 6:33 The concept of center of gravity was brought home to me very early in life. When I was around 20 I was asked to drive the church bus as part of my summer…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Literally? (March 4)
Once the apostles and other believers heard this, they calmed down. They praised God and concluded, “So then God has enabled Gentiles to change their hearts and lives so that they might have new life.” — Acts 11:18 A lot is packed into the above verse. The setting is when the church leaders in Jerusalem…
MONDAY MEDITATION: Holy Sweat (February 26)
He was in anguish and prayed even more earnestly. His sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground. — Luke 22:44 Why did Jesus experience such agony in the Garden of Gethsemane the night of his arrest? That might sound like a silly question. After all, Jesus saw the bigger picture. He’d predicted his…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Anger Danger (February 19)
Be angry without sinning. Don’t let the sun set on your anger. — Ephesians 4:26 I highly recommend the daily wisdom of Father Richard Rohr; you can sign up for these meditations HERE. I was particularly struck by what he wrote recently regarding anger: We need the wisdom of a “full prophet,” one who can love and yet criticize,…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: The Spirituality of Travel (February 12)
“You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” –Acts 1:8 I’ve written before about how traveling is not my strong suit. All the preparations, arrangements, worries, unknowns…Why not just stay home and stream the world on TV? Well, that’s not a very Christian attitude.…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: The Mosaic Bible (February 5)
I know the plans I have in mind for you, declares the Lord; they are plans for peace, not disaster, to give you a future filled with hope. — Jeremiah 29:11 This verse from Jeremiah is one of the most inspirational in the Bible. I remember stumbling upon it while in a dark period of…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Claiming Your Verse-Voice (January 29)
This I know, that God is for me. — Psalm 56:9 I subscribe to a weekly meditation offered by Pastor Debbie Bronkema on her connect.faith website. In a midweek meditation she recalled a seminary professor, in one of her classes, pulling out a wrinkled piece of paper upon which he had written the above verse from…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: “He Loves Immigrants” (January 22)
He enacts justice for orphans and widows, and he loves immigrants, giving them food and clothing. — Deuteronomy 10:18 An interesting undercurrent in the Bible is the presence and place of immigrants. The tone is set in Genesis 12, with Abraham leaving home to seek God’s promise of establishing a new nation through him. Scripture details…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: About Sin (January 15)
Wash! Be clean! Remove your ugly deeds from my sight. Put an end to such evil; learn to do good. Seek justice: help the oppressed; defend the orphan; plead for the widow. — Isaiah 1:16-17 What we sometimes take for sin is unbiblical. A popular conception is that sin involves a list of iron-clad do’s…
MONDAY MEDITATION: “Let Me Love You” (January 8)
“Don’t be like them, because your Father knows what you need before you ask.” — Matthew 6:8 I’m a planner. Always have been, always will be. I look ahead, anticipate things, and strategize to either make good things happen or keep bad things from happening. Planners, by definition, have difficulty relinquishing control. That’s not exactly…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Hidden Sacrifice (January 1)
For God so loved the world that [She] gave her only son. — John 3:16 Recently I returned to Columbia, Missouri, where I had served as campus pastor in the 80’s and 90’s. I was amazed at how young the students looked. [It couldn’t have been because I’m much older now.] That youthfulness reflected the…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Where Do You Start? (December 25)
“Glory to God in heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” — Luke 2:14 It’s pretty clear that if we want peace in the world, we need to enter into the lives of others as God did. There were no savior-from-on-high theatrics. No confrontation between sword-wielding angels and the Roman legions. Indeed,…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: St. Keven’s Cross (December 18)
Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is—what is good and pleasing and mature. — Romans 12:2 My wife and I got back from Ireland a few weeks ago, which means you’ll see Ireland popping up occasionally in…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Bumper Sticker Shock (December 11)
Be compassionate just as your Father is compassionate. — Luke 6:36 You can learn a lot about a person by the bumper sticker they may choose to stick on their vehicle. I was behind a large white pickup at a stoplight. Its bumper sticker caught my eye: “Trump 2024” and underneath is was “*@#! Your Feelings.” Of…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Crazy Christians (December 4)
If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. However, I have chosen you out of the world, and you don’t belong to the world. This is why the world hates you. — John 15:19 The first 300 years of the church saw explosive growth. From a few thousand in the middle 1st century, it grew to between 5-6 million by 300 AD. It didn’t get…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: A Needed Vaccine (November 27)
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? — Psalm 8:3-4 Barb and I got Covid, for the second time, back in August. We had mild symptoms,…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Why We Were Created (November 20)
God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over…every living thing that moves on the earth.” – Genesis 1:27 Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. – Genesis 2:15 Have you ever noticed how…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Preparing for Transitions (November 13)
Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. — 1 Corinthians 13:4 There’s a reason that 1 Corinthians 13 is the passage-of-choice for many couples when they get married. It contains a concrete, practical description of how love is expressed. Paul wrote it to give guidance for…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: The Disruptive Church (November 6)
“I [Peter] really am learning that God doesn’t show partiality to one group of people over another.” — Acts 10:34 When Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him. They accused him, “You went into the home of the uncircumcised and ate with them!” — Acts 11:2-3 One of the key roles of…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Immortal Illusions (October 30)
Even in my old age with gray hair, don’t abandon me, God! Not until I tell generations about your mighty arm, tell all who are yet to come about your strength, and about your ultimate righteousness, God, because you’ve done awesome things! — Psalm 71:18-19 I’ve mentioned before how much I appreciate the daily meditations…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: He Couldn’t Help Himself (October 23)
As soon as she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she didn’t know it was Jesus. — John 20:14 If I had to choose a favorite Gospel right now, it would be John. That’s because it is, frankly, quite weird compared to the other ones. In your free time…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Two Ways to Approach Jesus (October 16)
Simon Peter answered, “Lord, where would we go? You have the words of eternal life.” — John 6:68 Here are two quotes that summarize two different ways to approach Jesus. Quote One: The belief that some cosmic Jewish Zombie can make you live forever if you symbolically eat his flesh and telepathically tell him that you accept him as your…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Applauding Michigan Sunsets (October 9)
Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name throughout the earth! — Psalm 8:9 This picture was taken on a beach in St. Joseph, Michigan. It was at sunset. The boats you see aren’t there by accident. An armada of them go out every late afternoon to witness this beauty. Afterward they form a line down a nearby…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: The Lesson Peter Learned (October 2)
When they finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” Simon replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” — John 21:15 There was a competition underlying the relationship between Peter and the unnamed “beloved disciple” in John’s Gospel. Peter envied his…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Cave Vision (September 25)
I have come as a light into the world so that everyone who believes in me won’t live in darkness. — John 12:46 Kate Bowler is a professor at Duke University and wrote a book titled, EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON: And Other Lies I’ve Loved. She described being in stage four colon cancer and facing…
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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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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…
MONDAY MEDITATION: If Only He Had Asked Questions (August 28)
Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” When they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. — Genesis 4:8 The famous story of Cain being upset that his offering wasn’t accepted by God but his brother’s was sets the tone for the strife we see throughout…
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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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MONDAY MEDITATION: The Discipline of Gratitude (August 7)
Give thanks in every situation because this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. — 1 Thessalonians 5:18 We’d all be happier people if we could “give thanks in every situation.” When Paul wrote this, he had a lot not to give thanks for. He was rejected by society because of his beliefs. He had 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.…
MONDAY MEDITATION: “We” Not “Me” (July 24)
Jesus died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with him. So continue encouraging each other and building each other up, just like you are doing already. — 1 Thessalonians 5:10-11 I ran across a story that helps keep our priorities aligned with those of Jesus. Remember the old…
MONDAY MEDITATION: The Best Hearing (July 17)
Lord, listen closely to me and answer me, because I am poor and in need. (Psalm 86:1) Listen closely to my prayer, Lord; pay close attention to the sound of my requests for mercy. (Psalm 86:6) When our children were babies, I was astounded at my wife’s acute hearing. Deep into the night she could…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: You’ll See Him When You Love Him (July 10)
Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabbouni.” (John 20:16) The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” (John 21:7) John’s Gospel is dotted with weird, mysterious details. Here’s one that we see in the Resurrection. Mary Magdalene lingers at the empty tomb on Easter morning,…
Continue Reading MONDAY MEDITATION: You’ll See Him When You Love Him (July 10)
MONDAY MEDITATION: A Surprising Up-Side (July 3)
Happy are you when people insult you and harass you and speak all kinds of bad and false things about you, all because of me. — Matthew 5:11 Throughout my years in pastoral ministry, I never cared for the occasional time when I received one of “those” emails, letters, or phone calls. Someone was upset…
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MONDAY MEDITATION: Why Did She Stay? (June 26)
Those who heard him went away, one by one, beginning with the elders. Finally, only Jesus and the woman were left in the middle of the crowd. — John 8:9 One of the ways to let the Bible speak is simply to be curious and ask questions about the things you read. It opens up…
Continue Reading MONDAY MEDITATION: Why Did She Stay? (June 26)
MONDAY MEDITATION: How To Pick Your Politician (June 19)
The Lord God proclaims: Enough, princes of Israel! Turn aside from violence and oppression. Establish justice and righteousness. — Ezekiel 45:15 When Ezekiel prophesied these words, his country had been obliterated by the Babylonians. He looked past the destruction and saw a vision of a redeemed nation. There would be sacred space in the middle…
Continue Reading MONDAY MEDITATION: How To Pick Your Politician (June 19)
MONDAY MEDITATION: Entering the Picture (June 12)
“Happy are people who show mercy, because they will receive mercy.” — Matthew 5:7 Whenever I turn on my laptop, a beautiful nature scene greets me. It can be from any place around the world, such as a waterfall in Africa or a medieval castle in Ireland. Whatever the setting, it elicits my inner voice:…
Continue Reading MONDAY MEDITATION: Entering the Picture (June 12)
MONDAY MEDITATION: When the World Seems Crazy (June 5)
Look at the birds in the sky. — Matthew 6:26a This was one of those days when someone should have said, “Don’t read today’s headlines.” Those days, unfortunately, seem to be coming around more often. Another mass shooting. Dire predictions about the economy. Racist acts of violence. Missiles in Ukraine. And you know additional headlines that…
Continue Reading MONDAY MEDITATION: When the World Seems Crazy (June 5)
MONDAY MEDITATION: Change Is Better Than Perfection (May 29)
God saw everything he had made: it was supremely good. — Genesis 1:31a The first creation story simply ends with God calling everything supremely good. I used to read it from the perspective of the second creation story, with Adam/Eve/The Fall. It’s like things were perfect, then we messed it up. That’s not right. It…
Continue Reading MONDAY MEDITATION: Change Is Better Than Perfection (May 29)
MONDAY MEDITATION: Original Sin? (May 15)
What are human beings that you think about them; what are human beings that you pay attention to them?You’ve made them only slightly less than divine, crowning them with glory and grandeur. — Psalm 8:4-5 The “original sin” idea is found in the mythic tale of Adam and Eve disobeying God and eating the forbidden fruit.…
MONDAY MEDITATION: A Sure Sign of Grace (May 8)
But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. — Romans 5:8 (NRSV) Have you ever had the moment when you look back on something you said or did earlier in life and asked yourself, “What was I thinking?” Unfortunately, I can think of several instances. There were careless words and actions of…
Continue Reading MONDAY MEDITATION: A Sure Sign of Grace (May 8)
MONDAY MEDITATION: Kindness–Your Super Power (May 1)
You know about Jesus of Nazareth, whom God anointed with the Holy Spirit and endowed with power. Jesus traveled around doing good and healing everyone oppressed by the devil because God was with him. — Acts 10:38 Have you ever noticed that, regardless of human hostilities, there’s one thing that transcends and heals? It’s simply being kind to…
Continue Reading MONDAY MEDITATION: Kindness–Your Super Power (May 1)
MONDAY MEDITATION: Three Tips about Reading the Bible (April 24)
Remind them of these things and warn them in the sight of God not to engage in battles over words that aren’t helpful and only destroy those who hear them. – 2 Timothy 2:14 Not only can the Bible be confusing, but it can be used to justify things that are truly cringe-worthy. When you give people a book that’s called…
Continue Reading MONDAY MEDITATION: Three Tips about Reading the Bible (April 24)
MONDAY MEDITATION: Keep Me Out of Your Way (April 17)
John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone throwing demons out in your name, and we tried to stop him because he wasn’t following us.” — Mark 9:38 Why did John say that to Jesus? Did he assume that, because Jesus had chosen him, other people weren’t chosen? Did he think that he had a…
Continue Reading MONDAY MEDITATION: Keep Me Out of Your Way (April 17)
MONDAY MEDITATION: The Unexpected Value of Grace (April 10)
Then the older son was furious and didn’t want to enter in, but his father came out and begged him. — Luke 15:28 The unexpected encounter with grace is life transforming, such as when the young (“prodigal”) son returns home and discovers unconditional acceptance–and a party–when he meets his dad. But grace can also be transforming…
Continue Reading MONDAY MEDITATION: The Unexpected Value of Grace (April 10)
MONDAY MEDITATION: The Psychedelic Jesus (April 3)
Their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he disappeared from their sight. — Luke 24:31 This may sound strange, but I’m fascinated by psychedelic drugs. It must be the repressed hippie in me. I’m fascinated by how they alter perceptions of reality in people. When they’ve been administered in medical and therapeutic sessions, patients have often been helped. The…
Continue Reading MONDAY MEDITATION: The Psychedelic Jesus (April 3)
MONDAY MEDITATION: Savior or Superman? (March 27)
The crowds in front of him and behind him shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” — Matthew 21:9 “Hosanna” is a derivation of two words. “Yasha,” meaning “save,” and “na,” meaning now. Put them together, and you hear the crowd on…
Continue Reading MONDAY MEDITATION: Savior or Superman? (March 27)
MONDAY MEDITATION: Shaking Up the Present (March 20)
When they came up out of the water, the Lord’s Spirit suddenly took Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing. Philip found himself in Azotus. He traveled through that area, preaching the good news in all the cities until he reached Caesarea. — Acts 8:39-40 A great deal of…
Continue Reading MONDAY MEDITATION: Shaking Up the Present (March 20)
MONDAY MEDITATION: Letting Jesus Applaud (March 13)
If you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift at the altar and go. First make things right with your brother or sister. — Matthew 5:23-24 “Revenge fantasies” is a genre of movies that features an over-the-top bad guy getting a really…
Continue Reading MONDAY MEDITATION: Letting Jesus Applaud (March 13)
MONDAY MEDITATION: The Companion Church (March 6)
Forget about deciding what’s right for each other. Here’s what you need to be concerned about: that you don’t get in the way of someone else, making life more difficult than it already is. — Romans 14:13 (The Message) When Paul wrote “forget about deciding what’s right for each other,” he was addressing Christians who…
Continue Reading MONDAY MEDITATION: The Companion Church (March 6)
MONDAY MEDITATION: A Humble Role Model (February 27)
“Here’s my recommendation in this case: Distance yourselves from these men. Let them go! If their plan or activity is of human origin, it will end in ruin. If it originates with God, you won’t be able to stop them. Instead, you would actually find yourselves fighting God!” — Acts 5:38-39 These words were spoken by…
Continue Reading MONDAY MEDITATION: A Humble Role Model (February 27)
MONDAY MEDITATION: A Measure of Life (February 20)
You return people to dust, saying, “Go back, humans.” — Psalm 90:3 I was reading an old sermon of mine on the eternal question of why we suffer. In it, I ran across a poem written by Ken Brewer, a man dying of pancreatic cancer. I measure my life in family who speak through tears, who serve me…
Continue Reading MONDAY MEDITATION: A Measure of Life (February 20)
MONDAY MEDITATION: Thee, Thou, Thine (February 13)
As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart. — 2 Samuel 6:13 The God-culture I grew up in didn’t take the divine name too lightly.…
Continue Reading MONDAY MEDITATION: Thee, Thou, Thine (February 13)
MONDAY MEDITATION: The Fifth Dentist (February 6)
Don’t you have eyes? Why can’t you see? Don’t you have ears? Why can’t you hear? Don’t you remember? — Mark 8:18 Scientist and author Paul Wallace once commented on a popular advertisement from a few years ago: “Have you seen that commercial for a sugarless gum, the one where ‘4 out of 5 dentists recommend…
Continue Reading MONDAY MEDITATION: The Fifth Dentist (February 6)
MONDAY MEDITATION: The Bible’s Unsung Hero (January 30)
But Esau ran to meet him, threw his arms around his neck, kissed him, and they wept. — Genesis 33:4 Know anyone named Esau? I don’t. But there are a lot of Jacobs around. This is totally unfair. One of the most dysfunctional families in the Bible is that of parents Isaac/Rebekah and sons Esau/Jacob.…
Continue Reading MONDAY MEDITATION: The Bible’s Unsung Hero (January 30)
MONDAY MEDITATION: A Blonde Virgin Mary (January 23)
Every scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing mistakes, for correcting, and for training character. — 2 Timothy 3:16 My home church in Poplar Bluff was putting on a Christmas pageant. I was asked to narrate it. As a teenager deeply involved in church, and planning on entering the ministry, I was…
Continue Reading MONDAY MEDITATION: A Blonde Virgin Mary (January 23)
MONDAY MEDITATION: Be Sure to Add Justice (January 16)
All will sit underneath their own grapevines, under their own fig trees. There will be no one to terrify them; for the mouth of the Lord of heavenly forces has spoken. — Micah 4:4 I was reading Micah 4 one day and read about beating swords into plows and spears into pruning hooks. Where had I heard that…
Continue Reading MONDAY MEDITATION: Be Sure to Add Justice (January 16)
MONDAY MEDITATION: Chosen Blindness, Chosen Sight (January 9)
“The eye is the lamp of the body. Therefore, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how terrible that darkness will be!” — Matthew 6:22-23 One of the…
Continue Reading MONDAY MEDITATION: Chosen Blindness, Chosen Sight (January 9)