How do we respond when we know Jesus wants us to take a break?
Everyone knows rest is essential for productivity. But what do we do when the demands before us just don’t allow opportunity for a break?
Comfortable in the crowds, but so often focused on just one person
Look at the life of Jesus, and you see him surrounded by crowds. But the unique thing about our Lord was his penchant for noticing and meeting the needs of just one person among the press of the people.
One life showing how steps of faith lead to certainty for service
The truth is that our steps of faith have impact on others that we seldom imagine. The things you do in faith today may be the very things God uses to bring life, hope, and salvation to someone you know, even many you don’t know.
When the job was taken from me, I discovered unforeseen opportunity
In moments like this, it is easy to turn to our friends or family and get their agreement about how we have been wronged. It is wonderful to have that kind of support. But they may sympathize with us and simultaneously allow our pride to grow. And once established, pride and envy can change behavior.
I wonder what the disciples did—and what we’ll do—the day after Easter
For followers of Christ, any day is a day to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. So go ahead and celebrate today and every day what the Lord has granted us on this side.
Holy week: When you are done with Jesus, he is not done with you
For some, it may seem shocking for one ever to be done with Jesus. Yet I suspect we could all name examples of someone we know who once followed Jesus but due to wounds inflicted by the world, by family, and even by other believers, chose to be done with Jesus.
Holy week: So often God had spoken, but this day he was eerily silent
Jesus, the Light of the World, was crucified on a day shrouded in darkness. God, who had verbally affirmed Jesus before, on this day was eerily silent.
Holy Week: Another garden, another person exposed and afraid
A curious detail in Mark’s Gospel reminds us of another garden where some hid because they were naked and afraid.
Holy week: Advance notice wasn’t enough, because facts are not enough
Jesus told them what was coming, but maybe they didn’t believe it because they were in denial. Looking back, we realize we need to know more than just the facts of Holy Week.
Holy Week: Pilate’s question and the decision we, too, must make
There is much to think about this Holy Week. Today I am struck by the conversation of Jesus with Pilate.
In a complicated world, Jesus offers a message actually quite simple
It’s easy to miss how simple is the message of Jesus, even for a complicated day like our own. Paul calls us to clarity with what we consider in this devotion.
Do you fit one, two, or three of the ‘strikes’ in 1 Corinthians 1?
You might think these three strikes would disqualify a person from being called by God. But not for the apostle Paul. And not for me.
The song you write might not be good for dancing. Write it anyway
I started writing these devotionals to leave something behind so my grandchildren would know the convictions central in my life, convictions I wished for them, too.
The gospel demands demolishing walls to build a unified church
The work of Christ can and must heal our divisions. John Stott points out that a “homogeneous church is a defective church.” He concludes that we must work “penitently and perseveringly towards heterogeneity.”
Why the strong have an obligation to be patient with the weak
Paul’s admonition in Romans 15: “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not please ourselves.”
Want to see that God is good for whatever you’re facing? Read Psalms
Even when we’re struggling in deep waters, God is there. The book of Psalms reminds and reassures us that this is true.
How to cope when the game gets tough: remember the fundamentals
In the moment of glory we tend to forget the suffering. When the outcomes are unknown and the stress is high, we may be in a situation that requires getting back to the fundamentals of our faith.
When loving my neighbor meant returning his horse from my front lawn
It was the middle of the night, and my oldest daughter, a teenager at the time, woke me up distressed and confused. “Dad, I think there is a horse outside my window,” she said.
Why our calling includes much more than simply avoiding the ‘big’ sins
Paul lists several “big sins,” and most of us do pretty well avoiding them. But we may miss the positive command he adds to his instruction.
The rising and the setting sun testify that God is still with us
“Silence is praise to you, Zion-dwelling God,” the psalmist prays. And nothing inspires silence like the dependable awe of a sunset or sunrise.