Prayer is hard to understand. It only works because a merciful God wills it to work. How can God be sovereign and yet open to our suggestions? But God invites (commands?) his people to pray. He is hurt by our distance and preoccupation with other things. He wants us to ask things of him. Few […]
Excellent customer service seems rare today. Businesses that offer prompt, friendly, and efficient customer care stand out in a culture where sloppy service has become commonplace. I opened a new bank account recently, and the manager promised to send a debit card and checks in the mail within seven to 10 business days. Five weeks […]
It was a life-changing event in my childhood. On our way home from a family vacation in Wisconsin, our family was in a serious car accident. A severe skull fracture, vomiting, and hemorrhaging accompanied my Mom’s condition as she fought for her life. It was a big grow-up experience for me as an 8-year-old. Awaiting […]
“Let’s get my son a wife,” said 140-year-old Abraham to Eleazar, his chief servant. God promised Abraham his heirs would be given the land of Canaan (present-day Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Israel) and Isaac was not yet married. So Eleazar made an oath to return to Abraham’s homeland and seek a wife for Isaac (Genesis […]
Chapters 4 and 5 of Genesis contrast. Genesis 4 is filled with ugly things (murder, pride, and regret). Genesis 5 is filled with good things (long life, faithfulness, prayer, and comfort). Years ago Wilbur Smith and Wilbur Fields marked these two chapters out as the two great lines of humanity (Old Testament History). Those lines, […]
