Reflections on the loving kindness of the Triune God
God will welcome many to his glory in eternity. Yet this good news touches a sensitive issue: it’s clear from the Bible that God draws some—but not all—to join him. So how does he make his choices? Does he measure the quality of human conduct, as in a naughty versus nice equation? Or before creation …
Read More How God DecidesThe other day Terry asked me about evil. He’s a regular at the coffee shop where I do my morning reading and writing. His question had a sharp edge. Most of us began adult life with hopes for a successful career, a happy marriage, and a satisfying retirement. But who promised us this hoped-for stability? …
Read More DisruptedThink of a time you were surprised when a person you’ve just met turns out to be close to one of your very dear friends who lives in a distant place. A pair of responses usually follows. First you both compare notes about the shared friend and these validate the connection. And next the new …
Read More Instant RecognitionAre you ever hungry for a good conversation? For a meal of rich ideas and strong values? If you answer yes I’m with you! And if you find yourself turning to books, crossword puzzles, or stacking pennies for lack of good dialog then you’ll catch the point of the question. But first let’s acknowledge the …
Read More A good conversationThis entry repeats an entry already offered at the Cor Deo site – please offer any responses there: thanks! The Bible is an epic story: a true and transcendent portrayal of reality. It invites us to live in light of God’s purposes and in line with his truth. In this story God—the Father, Son, and …
Read More Living TruthJob, an epic sufferer in the Bible, was both confronted and affirmed by God. God confronted him as a “faultfinder” (40:1) but he also affirmed Job for having “spoken of me what is right” (42:7) in contrast to Job’s moralistic friends. God’s contrasting references to Job invite attention. First, what in Job pleased God? A …
Read More Job’s TreasureIn the Bible—1 Samuel 5—we read of Dagon, the Philistine God of Samuel’s era. For a brief time Yahweh, the God of Israel, shared a room with Dagon. And it wasn’t a happy time for Dagon’s team. Let me summarize the events. At this stage of Bible history Israel was only superficially devoted to Yahweh—“the …
Read More Toppling Dagon“Thank you” is a bonding phrase. When our service or kindness receives a smile and a “thanks” a satisfying relational loop is completed. The other person’s words recognize our action not as a duty but as an expression of care. But thanksgiving is not as common as it could be. I know a man, for …
Read More Thanks!On my office wall I have a decades-old photo of a sunrise in Alaska. I took it from the bow of our fishing boat, Northern Light II, as we sailed to Steamboat Bay on Noyes Island. We were passing south of Prince of Wales Island at the time and it was my turn at the …
Read More A Sunrise in AlaskaMost travelers share confidence in worldwide franchises. Tourists, for instance, can be sure a Starbucks in London will offer the features and format of counterparts in Portland or Miami. Familiarity and reliability invite customer loyalty. Here’s a question: can we also use reliability as a sign of authentic Christianity? When we visit a new Christian …
Read More Gaining Confidence