God has never asked anyone else to make the kind of sacrifice he asked of Abraham. So why should I? An elder at my church years ago prayed the same prayer every time he presided at the Lord’s Table. “Dear God, I can’t imagine giving up my daughter, watching her suffer and die, all for […]
As I write this article the daily news is filled with updates on the fires in Southern California. I have relatives and good friends living there and for more than 25 years it was my home too. Today I’m staying tuned in to the latest developments, focused on my loved ones and praying they are […]
MONDAY Reading for Today: Matthew 20:17-34 Acts 27:27-44 Psalm 45 Leviticus 21–23 Matthew 20:17-34 When the mother of James and John came to Jesus with her request, she was behaving like any good parent would. She wanted her sons to succeed. What parent doesn’t want that for his or her children? What parent doesn’t want […]
The Apostle Paul used several metaphors to describe the rigor of the Christian life. He likened it to a boxing match (1 Corinthians 9:26), a race (1 Corinthians 9:24; 2 Timothy 4:7), a wrestling match (Colossians 1:29–2:1), a soldier who pleases his commander (2 Timothy 2:3, 4), an athlete who plays by the rules (v. […]
“Fight” sounds like a strange command for Christians. Didn’t Jesus say, “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9)? Didn’t he tell us to love our enemies? But some fights need to happen. Some causes are too important to ignore. The same Jesus who pronounced blessings on peacemakers also stated that love makes us lay down our […]
