Tag: serve
-
No One Can
Psalm 133; Daniel 2:1–23; Acts 4:23–31 “If ____ can’t do it, then no one can!” I’ve heard that phrase somewhere. The implication within the phrase that whoever goes in the blank is the deciding factor as to whether something can get done. Sometimes I really wish the blank could be filled. “If _______ can’t get…
-
Serve and Sit
Psalm 51:1–12; Habakkuk 3:2–13; John 12:1–11 That household is a problem. That’s pretty much the description for the household of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. One dies, is buried for 3 days, and then lives again (and will die again). Another takes some really expensive stuff and washes feet with it! At least one was normal,…
-
Joy in the Questions
“Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.”—Luke 1:38 (NRSV) When it comes time for the Advent season and thinking about the story of Christmas—Jesus coming to earth for all humankind…I often think of Mary and Joseph.…
-
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…
-
Can God Get A Witness?
Deuteronomy 9:25–9:29; Titus 2:1–15 wit·ness: One who can give a firsthand account of something seen, heard, or experienced. Deuteronomy is, in effect, the “Last Will and Testament of Moses”. Moses provides a contrasting snapshot of the Israelite witness and the Mosaic witness. The Israelite witness was unimpressive at best, worth destroying(?) at worse. What was…
-
A Small Project
2 Samuel 12:13–23; Ezra 8:21–23; Mark 2:18–22 Fasting is an age-old spiritual practice that has mostly lost its place in American Evangelical Christianity. Yes, there are some that practice it. Fasting remains strongly part of the Orthodox church and somewhat the Roman Catholic church. As American Evangelical Christianity has discovered Advent and Lent, fasting has…
-
Discipl…
Psalm 94; Proverbs 13:18; Matthew 18:15–17; 2 Corinthians 13:1–4 Discipleship is a buzzword these days. In church circles, digital and physical, there are regular (and worthwhile) conversations about discipleship. There are fancy names such as “discipleship pathway” or “growth tracks” or any number of others. All of them are one of many ways to think…
-
The End of the Matter
Jonah 4:1–11 How could you save them? Really? Look at them! If you’d left me alone they would have died, just like they should have! Why Jonah is so upset? There is a lot of conjecture, but Jonah’s anger really does seem out of place. Perhaps he had something against the city of Nineveh. That,…