Monthly Archives: April 2012

In 2 Samuel 6, David learned an important lesson – a humbling lesson. David was king. He had achieved great success. Israel and Judah were united. Jerusalem was the capitol city. And as the crowning act, the Ark of the … Continue reading →

What message do you find in today’s readings?  Beyond a basic understanding of what is written, what message do you hear for your life? In the Old Testament, we read of the ongoing struggle to bring Israel and Judah together … Continue reading →

Matthew tells us that Jesus went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Meanwhile the disciples went ahead, attempting to cross the lake in a boat when they were caught in a storm. They panicked, overcome with fear. Jesus … Continue reading →

Why doesn’t God do something? It is a question that may never have a totally satisfactory answer in this life. We are not given a direct answer to this question, but the parables in Matthew 13 point us toward the … Continue reading →

There is an expression: “don’t bite the hand that feeds you.” In other words, don’t hurt the one who is helping you. In today’s reading from Matthew, we find this verse spoken by Jesus:anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit … Continue reading →

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. (Psalm 63:1) The note in the TNIV suggests the word … Continue reading →

The word refuge keeps recurring in the Old Testament. To find refuge from Saul who wanted to kill him, David found refuge in a cave. From David’s action in the cave, it became clear that the cave was not his … Continue reading →

Have you ever been in a place beyond your ability to control or even know the outcome and all you could do was lean into your faith? It, of course, presupposes you have a faith to lean on. How terrifying … Continue reading →

This week, I am attending a conference in Los Angeles. In yesterday’s opening presentation, the speaker said something that sounded very much like Jesus’ words from Matthew 6. The speaker said, “ignore the voices.” It is hard to be still … Continue reading →

What are the “demons” that we face? Today’s readings point to many such challenges. Saul faced his demons of anger, jealousy, rage, obsession, and fear. He allowed these demons to overwhelm him, and yet he could be overwhelmed by the … Continue reading →