Tomorrow is the day we give thanks—as though we don’t have to give thanks any other day. Tomorrow, our entire nation gathers with family and friends to feast and fellowship—except for those who do not have jobs, who are living on the streets, who have no family, or are otherwise struggling with personal issues they … Continue reading “A truly thanks giving moment…”
Category: hope
The God Who Leaves Room for ‘No’
In Matthew 19, a young man approaches Jesus and asks what he must do to have eternal life (see also Mark 10 and Luke 18). Jesus responds with a list of some of Moses’ commandments from Exodus and Deuteronomy. But the young man persists and tells Jesus he has done all that, and then asks … Continue reading “The God Who Leaves Room for ‘No’”
Can I Have a Witness?
I have had the rare opportunity in the past several weeks to have several conversations with different people about the concept of “witness” within the Christian context, none of which were initiated by me. In the Christian tradition we give witness to the reality of God’s revelation in Jesus Christ, though the language may differ among Christians in … Continue reading “Can I Have a Witness?”
Like-mindedness at What Expense?
I find myself increasingly saddened by this seemingly obsessive focus on “like mindedness” in the Church on what seems to be all sides of most of the debates that have split the Church throughout the ages. In our age we are more aware of different ways of seeing and believing than in any other age … Continue reading “Like-mindedness at What Expense?”
The Kingdom of Heaven
Matthew 13 is all about the parable: the story to tell the story. Matthew has Jesus going through a series of parables about responses to faith and how faith can so easily wilt. He mentions the presence of evil and how difficult it is to sometimes differentiate from truth. Then at verses 31-33 and 44-52 … Continue reading “The Kingdom of Heaven”