Our planet’s shorelines, canyons, and deserts bear the marks of gradual destruction from wind, water, and ice. Most days the small creek near my house minds its own business, but in the spring, heavy rains turn it into a small river. Over time, soil erosion has changed the course of the creek. A different kind […]
Week 53 Mission | Love, Legalism, and Little League
Hi, my name is Love and I’m a recovering Pharisee. I was conceived in the parsonage. My father was the minister and my mother was the minister of music. We lived at church and were there every time the doors were open. The only time I was allowed to miss church was when I was […]
Week 53 Character | Grace and Truth
When my first grandchild, a beautiful little girl, was born, I was surprised to learn that grandchildren are born with an integrated GPS. The Grandpa Positioning System can be initiated with a simple smile aimed at the old guy, a pudgy little finger pointing PawPaw in a specific direction, or a cute giggle triggering Granddaddy […]
Week 52 Study | Faithful Seekers of the King
The Christ of Christmas is a ruler who would shepherd Israel (see Isaiah 40:11). But he would also appeal to faithful seekers from all over the world. The Bible cites many reasons why Jesus came—to save the lost (Luke 19:10), to serve and die as a ransom (Mark 10:45), to destroy the works of the […]
Week 52 Application | What Made the Wise Men Wise?
We call them Magi, but they weren’t magicians. We associate them with the first noel, but they weren’t the first to see the baby Jesus. Carolers sing “We Three Kings of Orient Are,” but the Bible doesn’t call them kings and “the east” probably doesn’t mean the Orient as we know it. We call them […]