Lord, teach me. . . .

The book to read is not the one which thinks for you, but the one which makes you think. No book in the world equals the Bible for that. –Harper Lee There’s a trend lately trying to get folks back into Bible reading, church going and such. And many times, church leaders will remind us: You just need to read the Bible and do what it tells you to do . Sounds so simple, doesn’t it? But I wonder, really, what they mean by “read the Bible and do what it tells you to do.” If you land in Leviticus, does it mean the part about only wearing clothing made of single fibers, or only growing a single crop in the garden ( Leviticus 19 )? If you’re reading Psalms and truly believe God answers prayers, are you hoping the L ORD will slay those whom you deem wicked—maybe just because you disagree ( Psalm 139 )? Sometimes, I’m afraid, these are exactly the parts of Scripture folks would choose to uphold, while ignoring the Love that abounds, even in our Old Testament. Do Justi...

Patience is not simply the ability to wait—it’s how we behave while we’re waiting. –Joyce Meyer It’s been quite the month, not only here in the States, but in other nations, as well. Hurricanes and forest fires in the US; floods and famine in Indonesia. Modern-day genocide in Myanmar. Locally, break-ins and other crimes seem to loom ever closer, threatening our sense of security. Turning on the evening news can leave one anxious and wondering: What does it all mean? Are we living in the end times? I’m certainly not qualified to answer those questions; however, Jesus himself reminds us that no one knows the day and hour, except the Father ( Matthew 24:36 ). Let me offer another question: What practical difference does it make in the way we live our lives? Throughout the New Testament, Jesus tells parables reminding us what the Kingdom of God will be like, and how we are called to participate in that Kingdom. Whether we are like leaven working goodness through the...

When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you cannot hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn. –Harriet Beecher Stowe September 10 was World Suicide Prevention Day . Take a moment and reflect: Every year, over 800,000 people die by suicide; up to twenty-five times that many attempt to end their lives. While that statistic is staggering, each one of those people is more than a statistic. Each one of them is someone’s child, someone’s parent, someone’s lover, someone’s friend. And many of their deaths might have been preventable. For many people, one of the hardest things to do can be to ask for help. Starting that conversation with someone considering suicide is really, really tough. Even harder is listening. Listening to someone try to explain the pain. Listening for honest answers to tough questions. Listening and saying nothing—just listening. Openly ...

A blessing is a circle of light drawn around a person to protect, heal and strengthen them.”  –John O’Donohue Sometimes we use a word freely and often, and may not have really stopped to think about what it means. For me, blessing is one of those words. The “dictionary definition” makes blessing something God does, and to bless something is to ask God’s favor on someone or something. But in Paul’s letter to the church at Rome, he turns this idea around a little. Drawing from God’s calling of Abram (Genesis 12), Paul charges the church not simply to ask God’s blessing, but to be God’s blessing. As we work, as we play—as we love, Paul reminds us to step down and step back. It’s not about us. It is about who God created us to be. As the Body of Christ, we each have a role to play: some are teachers; some, preachers; some offer abundant hospitality. We are not all called to serve or love in the same way. As Paul puts it (via Eugene Peterson’s The Message ): Love fro...