“Silence is praise to you, Zion-dwelling God,” the psalmist prays. And nothing inspires silence like the dependable awe of a sunset or sunrise.

God told Moses to provide for those who killed someone accidentally. Does this speak to our own tendency to rush to judgment whenever someone is accused of wrong?

The guy crammed in the middle seat beside me was fully tattooed, looked like he could have picked me up and thrown me down the aisle, and wanted to talk.

Among men we wouldn’t want to imitate, possibly two women stand out in Matthew’s account of this Passover celebration.

In all the noise surrounding us, we hear many offering solutions to the problems of our hearts and situations. But there is only one source. And there is one sure way to find it.

Moses chronicled each stop and start on the journey of the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land. Likewise, we do well to mark where we began and where we’re going.

As he neared his crucifixion, Jesus told how his believers should respond after his resurrection. Since he prevailed against death, let us serve him with our life.

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” The sentence is both comforting and strangely sobering.

We may think the Jews in the wilderness had a right to complain. But a closer look may leave us less convinced about ourselves.

Everyone makes lists. Making lists gets things done! But in today’s brief passage, the apostle presents lists that can make all the difference no matter what other tasks we’re planning.

‘The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.’

These were the religious leaders of their day, but they couldn’t see the truth standing before them. Could it be that I sometimes miss something crucial, too?

Some remember long talks with their father. Other fathers were distant with few words. Scripture reminds fathers of their spiritual responsibility to their children.

As I think today about these questions in Matthew, I wonder if sometimes we read past some questions Jesus asked for the same reason the Pharisees did. We don’t want to think or act differently.

Find common ground, show love, be persistent. We see all of this in Paul; we need all of this today.

I’ve been in all kinds of storms, some of them more difficult than the first hurricane I experienced. Today’s story and psalm remind me how to get through them.

We don’t always want to hear what Jesus is saying. We don’t always want to go where he is leading. To make sure we’re really following, we must pursue a simple strategy.

If they weren’t ready to feed the hungry crowd, at least they should have anticipated how Jesus would do it. But he came through for them, in spite of their shortsightedness. Just as he does today.

The fountain of life in St. Augustine proved to be little more than a tourist trap. But the living water Jesus offers is real.

It will become clear what else we must do in this season of war, but for now I am confident we must pray.