reflections on American politics
still looking for God in all the wrong places
Since the horrific events of last Wednesday played out, I have wrestled with how to make sense of them and what to write about them. Instead of writing in the heat of the moment, which would've been anything but thoughtful, I wanted to heed the biblical command to 'be swift to hear [and] slow to speak' (James 1.19). Though I am . . .
why I don't stand when veterans are recognized
some thoughts on vocation
This post will make some of you upset. It's okay. Despite how most of our society handles itself online, we're able to disagree about things.
Last week, my family and I were at two separate events where veterans were asked to stand and be recognized. Neither of these events was associated with the military or any . . .
Lincoln's Thanksgiving proclamation (1863)
In 1863, to a nation deeply divided along cultural and political lines, to a country wracked by hundreds of thousands of casualties from an endless civil war, to a people who must've wondered if their beloved United States was on the very brink of collapse, Abraham Lincoln called the American public to a day of thanksgiving and . . .
a prayer for our nation and world
In light of the events of these past days and nights, let us pray for our nation and our world, that justice might reign, order be restored, and righteousness be the aim of all.
O God, the King of righteousness, lead us, we pray thee, in the ways of justice and of peace; inspire us to break down all oppression and . . .
happiness, fear, and faith in Christ
thoughts on pandemic from The Jagged Word
My apologies for linking to this late, it was posted while we were recently on family vacation and blissfully disconnected from the internet.
Not long ago, the folks at The Jagged Word posted a synopsis of one of their recent podcasts where they discussed the topics of happiness and fear in a COVID-ridden world. The quotes . . .
a prayer in time of storms
be they on the sea or in our lives
O Thou who dwellest in the light that is unapproachable, while clouds and darkness are round about Thee, we thank Thee that the day is thine, the night also is thine. When deep calleth unto deep, and all thy waves and billows are around us, we recognize the voice of the Lord our God. We know that the sea is his, and that he . . .
"Worship Goes Viral" by Ben Witherington
Dr. Ben Witherington, New Testament scholar at Asbury Theological Seminary, wrote a poignant piece about online or virtual worship. He challenges us to be faithful in the midst of pandemic and fear. He calls us to be mindful of what worship is and does in a culture that is self-absorbed and twisted by radical consumerism. Here's a tease:
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