Reflections on the loving kindness of the Triune God
One month ago I visited the abandoned Deerfield Illinois campus of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. I studied there in the early ‘80s with many hundreds of students. Now the central campus pond, where a cheeky sign once warned, “Sem students, do not walk on the water!” is quiet. On this visit two swans and their …
Read More Jesus and the SpiritGood and evil coexist all the time and everywhere. This paradox reveals God’s providence as he swallows evil aims—both demonic and human—with his own good purposes. Evil may be a flood for now, but God confronts it all in Jesus. He who is greater than all turns every evil to good in his purpose to …
Read More God’s Providence IIIThe book, Patriot: A Memoir by Alexei Navalny, displays providence. Navalny’s writings were gathered by his lawyers and published posthumously. His Anti-Corruption Foundation was, and still is, exposing the corruption of Putin’s regime in Russia. It features bold activism in a very tough neighborhood—a primer for confronting broken leadership in a major nation. Navalny’s basic …
Read More God’s Providence IILife is real to anyone reading these lines. It’s the label for our physical animation. Yet Jesus pointed to two aspects of life—to an outer physical aspect and an inner soul. In Matthew 10:28, for instance: “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.” And, in John 3:6, “That …
Read More The LifeDo you do self-endorsements? Or act happy when you’re not? Or try to be more profound than you are? Call it low-level posturing. Wanting weight while living like a pillow. It’s pretty common. How many online identities are efforts in wannabe? Yet as we’re with others the truth emerges. We’re mostly like everybody else. I …
Read More Ordinary yet UltimateTwo questions. First, what do we want from God? And second, what does God want from us? As a courtesy, let’s take the second question first. Because God, as Creator, has honor over his creation. This shows my bias as a Christian. What does God want? To start I’ll chase a variety of options. Each …
Read More What God wantsEarly this morning, at 6:30, I got a call from Rick in Africa. He knew I’d moved to Idaho earlier this year after a trip to the beach to pray about the prospect. So he asked how to encourage Nigerian pastors to go on prayer quests. It’s afternoon by now and he’s waiting for an …
Read More With JesusThe Bible gives readers a repeated alert, “Then you will know that I am the LORD.” Over seventy times. In both the Old and New Testaments. It’s spoken by prophets as from God himself, and it’s meant mainly for self-assured skeptics. Or quietly indifferent agnostics. Should we pay attention? Of course. It’s profoundly important. If …
Read More “Then you will know”Consider Psalm 2:12. “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” We’re surprised to find God’s Son cited in an Old Testament setting. Christians later recognize the Son to be Jesus of Nazareth, as in Acts …
Read More “Kiss the Son”Life is a scramble among competing priorities. The time, energy, and money available for the opportunities and demands that come our way are too limited. And God gets this. Which is why he’s so clear in calling us to what really matters. He is an ultimate “Who” among a myriad of “whats.” We were made …
Read More “What’s important?”