Springtime in Nature and Grace
This post includes excerpts from a sermon Charles Spurgeon preached in 1887 reflecting on the beautiful and heartwarming passage from Isaiah 55:10-13 and a video link to the joyful 1st movement of Vivaldi’s Spring. May you in this spring season “go out in joy and be led forth in peace” and may God’s word not return to Him empty but accomplish His purposes for you . . .
What Do I Know of Holy?
In the Bible God commands His people to, “Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy” (Lev 19:2). Later in the Sermon of the Mount Jesus declared, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matt 5:48). How can we reconcile these commands to be holy and perfect with the truth that we’re unable to do so? . . .
From Fear to Faith
For the last few years my dad and I have followed the extraordinary career of Sydney McLaughlin, the current 400 meter hurdle world record holder. Until last week we were not aware that she suffered from crippling fear and anxiety for several years as she believed her value as a person was based on how she performed and what others thought about her . . .
The Lion Is the Lamb
When we think of Jesus one of the images that comes to mind is that of a lamb. John the Baptist, in fact, just before baptizing Jesus, declared Him to be “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.” While Jesus described Himself as “gentle and humble in heart”, there is another title of Jesus in Scripture that is the complete opposite of this . . .
Twelve P’s of Prayer
In 2012, when I was a deacon at church, we were asked at the start of the year to choose a scriptural word or phrase to live into for the year . . .
The Answer Is In the Questioning
“Instead of regarding the Bible as only a “Book of Answers” for our questions, it is worthwhile to think of it as a “Book of Questions” for our answers. As we listen, God questions us so that we can know him by means of a dialog in our hearts . . .
The Lord’s Prayer for Prodigals
Throughout the centuries when Christians have gathered in worship they have traditionally recited the Lord’s prayer. Although most people have memorized the prayer, it has become so familiar to us that we often say it by rote and don't think about its meaning . . .
This Is Water
In 2005, David Foster Wallace stepped onto the podium at Kenyon College and delivered one of the most timeless commencement speeches of all time . . .
Joyas Voladoras
Over the last three years I’ve taken thousands of pictures of hummingbirds in my backyard. These incredible creatures are a wonder to observe, but difficult to capture in photos. In fact, just a handful of the images I’ve taken are good enough to keep. In this post I’ve included a few of these photos, and a moving essay by Brian Doyle, titled Joyas Voladoras . . .
Mystical Murmuration
I remember a few years ago when I saw a video of a murmuration of starlings I was amazed. The beauty, harmony, and grace of tens of thousands of these birds gathering in flight in perfect synchronization left me in absolute awe of the God of creation . . .
A Day In the Life of Jesus
This post includes a day in the life of Jesus from the first chapter of the Gospel of Mark followed by a beautiful meditation on this scripture from Alfred Edersheim’s book, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. Every time I read this mediation I feel like I’ve been transported back to first century . . .
Let Your Light Shine
In John 8:12 Jesus made the astounding claim, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told his followers that they were to be the light of the world, reflecting his love and grace to a world that desperately needs to hear His message of love and forgiveness . . .
Grace upon Grace
On Christmas morning my wife and I visited my father who lives in an assisted living facility. We watched several Christmas carols on Youtube and then listened to a recording of a meaningful sermon preached by Sam Lindamood on Christmas Day 1977. Sam was the pastor at Piedmont Community Church, a non-denominational church where my parents were members. In this sermon, Sam reflects on the profound words from John 1:16, “And from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” . . .
Brand New Day
Do you ever wonder why God in His wisdom divided up time into blocks of days, weeks, months, seasons, and years? Does the repetitive cadence of these divisions give you comfort? Does it ever make you feel like you have been given a fresh start? Do the daily sunrise and sunset, or the seasonal seedtime and harvest, lead you to give thanks to the Creator for His faithfulness? . . .
Resolving to Love Calvin and Hobbes
Three years ago I came across an essay on Calvin and Hobbes that speaks profoundly to both the Law and the Gospel. For those not familiar with Bill Watterson’s comic strip, which ran for only ten years from 1985-1995, it magically explores the life between a young boy and his imaginary tiger . . .
Song of the Stars
This breathtakingly beautiful children’s story imagines all of creation recognizing that the time had finally come for the fulfillment of prophecy, which foretold that at just the right time God would enter the world as a baby in Bethlehem. The story begins, “The world was about to change forever”. And it has . . .
John Henry Faulk’s Christmas Story
This post includes another moving Christmas story recorded in 1974 by the gifted radio broadcaster and storyteller, John Henry Faulk, for the program Voices in the Wind . . .
A Christmas Memory
Many years ago during one Advent season, I discovered an old book in my parent’s home titled “A Christmas Memory” by Truman Capote. I often searched my parents’ book shelves as my mother was an avid collector of old books. To her every one was a treasure. This particular book was a thin, plain, cheaply made book, published in 1956 with the picture above glued to the book cover . . .
The Tale of Barrington Bunny
Nearly 50 years ago I discovered a book in my parent’s home titled “The Way of the Wolf” written by Martin Bell, an author, musician, and Episcopal priest. This book, published in 1970, includes the Christmas classic, “Barrington Bunny”, which I first read to a high school youth group when I was in college. Several decades later, when my granddaughters were older . . .
The Tender Mercy of God
In preparation for Advent, we turn to the first chapter of Luke’s gospel account and encounter the wonderful story of the priest, Zechariah. and his wife Elizabeth, both who were well along in years and had no children for Elizabeth was barren. One day while serving in the temple Zechariah encountered the angel, Gabriel, who promises his wife will bear him a son . . .