Reflections on the loving kindness of the Triune God
I crossed the lawn going to the kibbutz office in Dovrat, Israel. My Hebrew studies would begin there the next day. On the way I watched a child chasing an Israeli soldier from the bus I was on. A ceasefire in the October 1973 war released soldiers to come home. “Abba, Abba!” the boy called, …
Read More God as FatherThe Spirit is God’s bond of love. It’s who he is and what he does. Yet he’s fully personal, with feelings, intentions, and actions. He prefers transparency in his role of elevating others, in forming union, and sustaining unity. So the Father loves the Son, and the Son in turn loves the Father, with the …
Read More You & me togetherWe’ve looked at Deuteronomy 6:4-5—the “shema”—that Jesus called the greatest commandment in Mark 12:30. So we’ve listened and see it as the pathway for life. It started with the “eyes of our hearts” being opened. So faith isn’t our moral self-improvement. Or our endorsement of doctrines. Or our working to achieve marks of orthodoxy. Instead …
Read More A Vision for Life: ConclusionLet’s reflect on the Spirit. As Jesus told Nicodemus, the Spirit is life—he awakens souls to God. He also offers the Son’s love, joy, peace and more—all that Jesus offered in person to his followers centuries ago. So, when Jesus returned to the Father after his time on earth he left the Spirit to share …
Read More A quiet presenceAdam’s fall reset our human identity. The forbidden fruit consumed Adam and Eve. And we still live with the bitter aftertaste of their choice with so many today missing what we were made for. Let’s reflect on that day. Adam and Eve were created as the singular male and female “man.” They were, together, a …
Read More Bonding to JesusI first ran into debates between Calvinists and Arminians as a young Christian. Here’s a brief overview. The Calvinists insisted that God’s sovereign rule is behind the doctrine of election. God alone choses the “elect”—those selected, unconditionally, for salvation—and all others face eternal damnation. The Arminians, on the other hand, thought this made God into …
Read More An Affective, Compatible FaithWhat do we make of unity? Unity is celebrated in the Bible. As in the unity of marriage. Or in the broader call to the unity of “one faith.” Brotherly unity is elevated in Psalm 133. Yet the impulse for unity is more than a Bible theme. We love to be part of something bigger …
Read More UnityWith family, friends, and neighbors it doesn’t take long for our failings and fantasies to show up. We’re regularly exposed despite our efforts to inflate strengths and hide weaknesses. And as constant performers who stumble on steps, miss lines, or say things out of order, others notice. So we cover with a quip, “Just being …
Read More The most human humanHere’s the first question an editor asks a writer: “Who’s your audience?” It’s like asking a soldier before he shoots his rifle, “What’s your target?” Readers already know the rule. If a first sentence starts, “Use this document to see if your SSI benefits are taxable” we know where it’s going. So, too, if a …
Read More AudienceOur title needs some context. It comes in a question. Does faith work in a fast paced world? In other words is there such a thing as “fast” faith? Let me pose a real life scenario. In my work I’ve often visited Turin, Italy, where I adopted a coffee shop. Over time I noticed a …
Read More Slow Faith