I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David . . . —Hebrews 11:32 Hebrews 11:4–31 chronicles the names and stories of people of faith. Then the author says he doesn’t have time to tell about others—but chisels the names of a few of them […]
Flawed but Faithful Read More »
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. —Hebrews 13:8 Generations come and go: “Moses my servant is dead” (Jo 1:2); “When David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep” (Acts 13:36). Those we know and love have their day, fill their place, serve
I am with you always. —Matthew 28:20 “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen,” runs the old spiritual. There’s some truth in that: no one can get inside your head and heart and know your pain. Maybe some of the misery was your own fault: maybe you chose the wrong road . . . or the
Your Compassionate Companion Read More »
It was a beautifully manicured patch of green in Llano Cemetery, where the county buried its unknown dead. Who was “Infant Lara” I wondered, and why did she die alone? And why did he whose bones were beneath the stone that said “Unknown” die alone? I had been called to say words over another unknown.
Noah did everything just as God commanded him. —Genesis 6:22 You won’t turn many pages in your Bible until you hear the voice of God telling you to move in a certain direction; to obey a certain command. And when you hear that voice you have to make a decision. God told
I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. —Jeremiah 31:34 The old mystic told him that she and Jesus talked one-on-one every night, and that he told her about the shenanigans of people who thought their sins were secret. He was skeptical, but
A Story about Forgetting that’s Worth Remembering Read More »
Stop judging by mere appearances. —John 7:24 Sometimes I spout words that hurt. And sometimes I judge people in thought, even if not in word: loser; irrelevant; stupid. As if my opinion is worth beans. It isn’t. As if my assessment makes me superior.
Father, Make Me Like You Read More »
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence. —Hebrews 4:16 The writer of Hebrews holds Jesus up and asks us to have a good look: “Fix your thoughts on Jesus” (Heb 3:1); “Keep your eyes on Jesus” (Heb 12:2, TLB). Jesus is not out to get
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Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? —Isaiah 6:8 You’re being pulled in a dozen directions by people and projects wanting—sometimes demanding—your time and attention. Life is zipping by more rapidly than you ever imagined. You alone
Faith is being sure of what we hope for. —Hebrews 11:1 Hedonists take the short view of life: eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die. Christians take the long view: weighing present decisions on future scales. Present pleasure may bring pain in the
Focusing on the Future Read More »
