At about three Jesus cried out with a loud shout, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani," which means, "My God, my God, why have you left me?" After hearing him, some standing there said, "He's calling Elijah." (Mat 27:46-47 CEB) I don’t know how many times I’ve read these words, but, usually I skim over the part... Continue Reading →
Holy Week: From Burlap to Cashmere
Last week I was asked to put together a message on the famous words of Jesus “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46) for a community Good Friday service. As nerdy as it might sound to many, my mind went straight to the Greek text which opens (in English letters) “Thee mou”... Continue Reading →
Wealth and the Sacred
Monetary wealth leading to material comfort, this is the hallmark of our age. I just watched President Trump’s inaugural address, coincidentally after finishing chapter 11 in N.T. Wright’s book Simply Jesus. If you have read Tom Wright and have heard Mr. Trump, then I do not have to explain that my head is running circles... Continue Reading →
The Prince’s Struggle
There is no time during the year when the image of gentle Jesus meek and mild is as strong in our imaginations as on Christmas day. We love the sweet, tender image of the virgin holding her new born child as he softly coos and animals, shepherds and angels stare dreamily at the scene. Softly... Continue Reading →
Christmas Worship or Family? The Great Dilemma.
Christmas is about family, celebrating the birth of Jesus with family, living in God’s joy with family. This year is one of those odd years where our normal family celebrations of Christmas come into conflict with our weekly worship celebrations (i.e. Christmas falls on Sunday). Families are debating how to handle this dilemma, “Do we... Continue Reading →
A Pinpoint of Light
Though originally used to describe Thanksgiving I think Lydia Maria Child’s words apply equally well to Advent: Over the river, and through the wood—and straight through the barnyard gate, We seem to go extremely slow, it is so hard to wait! For almost two-thousand years now the Church has been waiting, waiting for the appearance... Continue Reading →
Thankful in the Thorns
One thing I have been focused on (and struggling with) lately is recognizing today’s blessings and trying not to focus on wanting tomorrow’s blessings today. I find this difficult because today’s blessings come with so much baggage and difficulty, while tomorrow’s blessings shine with the promise of smooth sailing. I look for little moments... Continue Reading →
Using Logic and Morality
I usually do not write articles as responses to those of others, however, this post is meant as a direct response to Dr. Wayne Grudem’s recent post If You Don’t Like Either Candidate, Then Vote for Trump’s Policies. I will readily admit 1. Dr. Grudem far outweighs me in theological training, and years of experience... Continue Reading →
Why it’s so tempting to build walls and shut people out (and what to do instead) — ideas.ted.com
Why do humans often want to create a world of “us” vs. “them”? And what can we do about this unhelpful, often damaging, yet somehow reassuring instinct? Psychiatrist Robert Waldinger has some useful advice. Remember the thrill of building walls as a kid? Forts made from snow, or a giant cardboard box. Burying ourselves in... Continue Reading →
Land of the Free?
This month we celebrate the fifteenth anniversary of the horrendous terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. As I have been reflecting on what happened and how it impacted me, I cannot help but think about some of the famous lines connected to our country: “Land of the free and home of the brave.”, “One nation... Continue Reading →
Squinting in the Light 