Do you ever refer to someone as a godsend? The term describes a blessing that comes at an opportune moment. The dictionary defines a godsend as “something good that happens unexpectedly and at a time when it is especially needed.” What does a godsend look like? A nurse provides exceptional care during a hospital stay. […]
Week 48 Application | A Meal to Remember
Meals can stick with you in more ways than one. Do you have warm memories of delicious food you enjoyed at a holiday dinner or a birthday celebration? On the farm where I grew up, on Sundays my family enjoyed fried chicken or roast beef accompanied by mounds of mashed potatoes and gravy, homemade rolls, […]
Week 47 Application | The Church’s Surprising Glory
What goes through the minds of our neighbors when we invite them to church? Some probably imagine enduring an hour of puzzling religious ceremonies while sitting stiffly among strangers. Who would want to do that? When my wife and I invited our Muslim neighbors to church and they accepted our invitation, we needed to prepare […]
Week 46 Application | A Handwritten Note from God
I own some baseballs signed by Hall of Famers and a football signed by Super Bowl-winning coach Tony Dungy. Under his name he wrote “Matthew 16:26,” the Scripture where Jesus says it does no good to gain the whole world if we forfeit our souls. My little collection of memorabilia pales in comparison with the […]
Week 46 Study Questions
These questions coordinate with this week’s Study and Application. Use one or both of these questions to introduce the lesson: 1. Someone has wryly observed, “You can’t put toothpaste back in the tube.” What does that mean to you? 2. Think of a time when someone said, “Can we just wipe the slate clean?” or “Can […]