Some verses from Psalm 115 Our God is in the heavens; he does whatever he pleases. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. Those who make them are like them; so are all who trust in them. (v. 3, 4, 8) The heavens are the Lord’s… Continue reading
23rd Sunday after Pentecost Luke 21:5-19, Malachi 4:1-2a, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 What is it about end-of-the-world stories that is so captivating to us? Whether it is the children’s story, Chicken Little, where a chicken runs through the kingdom yelling “the sky is falling, the sky is falling!” or the more… Continue reading
Ephesians 1:17-19 (as part of the Epistle Reading for 11/3/2019) 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, 18 so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know… Continue reading
For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us… In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are… Continue reading
Nineteenth Sunday After Pentecost, Year C (Oct. 20, 2019) 2 Timothy 3:14-15 — But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation… Continue reading
Then turning toward the woman, [Jesus] said to Simon, “Do you see this woman?” (Luke 7:44a) Jesus sees the woman. He sees her desperation. He sees her tears. He sees her effort and heart. He sees her. When he speaks TO Simon, he TURNS to the woman. He sees her… Continue reading
Thus you shall keep the people of Israel separate from their uncleanness, so that they do not die in their uncleanness by defiling my tabernacle that is in their midst. (Lev. 15:31) Six chapters of rules about what to do with different kinds of uncleanness. Six chapters. Of rules. That’s… Continue reading
Reading Exodus 30-32 is interesting. Specifically the contrast between Ex. 30-31 and Ex. 32 is intriguing. Ex. 30-31 (and maybe the chapter/s before) are all about setting apart STUFF and PEOPLE as holy and consecrated. The stuff the priests wore was consecrated and holy. The oil used for anointing was… Continue reading
“But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.” Then he lay down under the… Continue reading
In Season 1, episode 9 of the show “This is Us,” the siblings are at a family cabin. There is all sorts of conflict swirling, but in the midst of it they’re trying to re-connect with one another as siblings and family. At one point, a brother is looking at an old… Continue reading