Tag: favor
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Fairly Cruci-Formed
Psalm 30; Lamentations 3:22–33; Mark 5:21–43; 2 Corinthians 8:7–15 Grace. Unmerited favor. Overwhelming love. Not words that would usually be associated with Lamentations. With the content of Lamentations being a result of the fall of Israel (and in particular, Jerusalem), it is peculiar to think of grace. Lamentations is poetry, lament, and theology all wrapped…
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Natural Freedom
Psalm 29; Isaiah 1:1–4, 16–20; Romans 8:1–8 Psalm 29, without question, is a praise of God. It observes God’s power, strength, and presence. Almost the entire Psalm is about who God is. The last verse, though, is different. It is more of a plea to God about the people of Israel. A cynical person could…
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Throne Encirclement
Psalm 95; 1 Chronicles 11:1–9; Revelation 7:13–17 Thrones are attractive. The concept of a throne involves power, wealth, and influence. Depending on “the throne”, it might also have religious and cultural ramifications as well. Thrones, or their facsimiles, often draw those who are weak, yet seek strength. Thrones also draw those who crave power and…
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Unplanned Joy
“The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you will name him Jesus.”—Luke 1:30-31 (NRSV) I was thinking about Mary as I read this passage and her journey after she found out she…
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Clothed in Rags
Psalm 94; Luke 6:27–36; 1 Corinthians 4:9–13 Bless your enemies. Except “bless” means something more than just be nice or even help them. “Bless” means to ask for God’s divine favor to come on them. We all want blessings, but we are being called to ask for God’s blessings for those who make our lives…
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The Universal Call
Matthew 4:18–22; Matthew 9:35–10:1 (read online ⧉) Are you working for Jesus? Yes. As a Christian, you are called to. The real question is, how well are you working for Jesus? The calling of the fishermen to be disciples is a great example of how to respond to Jesus’ call on our lives. You, however,…
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Shear Time
The year of the Lord’s favor is probably not this year. The ever-changing nature of this year, and all the odd and bad things that are going on would in no way seem to be the harbinger of the Lord’s favor.
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6 January 2020 — Epiphany
1 Kings 10:23–24, Isaiah 60:1–6, Micah 4:1–5, Matthew 2:1–12, Revelation 21:22–24 (read online ⧉) People approaching another country’s king with respect, almost as a pilgrimage, was not uncommon. We read the passages and often are lacking the context that kingdoms would often send delegations to a new leader, just to set a good basis for…