Reflections on the loving kindness of the Triune God
Isaiah asked, “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?” (Is. 55:2) His question is still lively today. How many of us spend time chasing ambitions that neither nourish nor satisfy? If, at the end of the day, we ask “So what?” …
Read More Effective AmbitionsA while ago I attended an Air Force open house where a team of PJs—rescue specialists—showed off their wares. As part of the event I wore a night-vision device in a dark—virtually black—room. It was amazing: I could see everything! The goggles offer a nice analogy for life. Let me explain. At times life can …
Read More Night VisionThis morning I had a rich experience. I enjoyed a walk with God. Can I tell you about it? But first a “truth in writing” warning: you may be disappointed by my claim. The walk—what God offers me every morning—can be seen as an ordinary “quiet time.” But it’s much more than that. It’s an …
Read More Walking with GodThis morning the verse jumped off the page once again: “And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground” (1 Sam. 3:19). Every time I reach this part of the Bible I know it’s coming. Here’s the problem: my words keep hitting the ground. Sometimes …
Read More Dropping wordsHave you ever lost sleep because your mind is still racing in the middle of the night? And your heart has a dull ache that won’t quit? When a rough conversation with your spouse, a friend, or a colleague is on constant replay. And you’re recycling an endless set of “I-should-haves” at 3 AM? Then …
Read More Peace!“Joy to the world”—the title and refrain of a favorite Christmas carol—because “the Lord has come” is a profound invitation. Those who know Jesus celebrate him and call on others to receive the king! Yet this isn’t a late-summer push for a premature holiday celebration—rather it’s a reflection on the fruit of the Spirit. The …
Read More Joy!Jesus was very direct. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your …
Read More Not EveryonePeople enjoy being with their own kind. Beautiful people gravitate to beautiful people. Bright people like to be with bright people. The wealthy find others with wealth. Artists enjoy other artists. Like attracts like: it’s a fact of life. But it not always a good fact of life. Especially if elitism forms and only the …
Read More Like attracts likeBible reading has remarkable power for some. But for most people it’s a serious put-off. On the positive side of things I met with a new Bible reading partner yesterday. Even after just one week of reading he was gushing—honestly delighted with the venture. His wife has also picked up on it and now shares …
Read More Reconstructing GodIsaiah 40:3, as cited in Matthew 3, was fulfilled by the ministry of John the Baptist. Isaiah promised a bulldozer of a man to build a proper road for the Messiah, “crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’” In John’s day the imagery of carving a proper road …
Read More Winnowing