"I'll follow you, but..."
lection reflection for 3 June 2019 / reading the bible daily with the church
Today's gospel reading (Luke 9.51-62) tells of three would-be disciples who all state their eagerness to follow Jesus but whom all also couch that willingness with apparently more pressing needs. Over and over and over, we read their responses to Jesus' call on them. "I'll follow you, but..." And over and over and over, . . .
Posted in: reflections
"Pray, hope, and don't worry..."
from Padre Pio
review: Confronting Old Testament Controversies by Tremper Longman III
Pressing Questions about Evolution, Sexuality, History, and Violence
Dr. Tremper Longman III is a well-known name among Evangelicals with an interest in Old Testament studies. He taught Old Testament for nearly 40 years before his retirement from the classroom in 2017. He co-authored a venerable Old Testament introduction used in many universities and seminaries. He has written a host of commentaries from the . . .
Posted in: review
on anxiety and faith
lection reflection for 29 May 2019 / reading the bible daily with the church
Then he said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, don’t worry about your life, what you will eat; or about the body, what you will wear. For life is more than food and the body more than clothing.Consider the ravens: They don’t sow or reap; they don’t have a storeroom or a barn; yet God feeds them. Aren’t you worth much more than the . . .
Posted in: reflections
trusting in ourselves when things go well
lection reflection for 28 May 2019 / reading the bible daily with the church
Before crossing into the Promised Land, Moses prophetically warned the children of Israel (again!) not to think too highly of themselves or to trust in their own abilities and strength when things ended up going smoothly after decades wandering the desert. For then, as now, when times are tough, it is easy to turn to God in hope and trust, . . .
Posted in: reflections
on being led astray by idols
lection reflection for 23 May 2019 / reading the bible daily with the church
For the worship of idols not to be names is the beginning and cause and end of every evil.
--Wisdom 14.27
In our contemporary world, idol worship is not something we consider very much. We are far too 'sophisticated' and modern for idolatry to be a threat to our faith. Or are we?
Luther reminds us . . .
Posted in: reflections
for the last time, church, it's cool to not be cool
lection reflection for 15 May 2019 / reading the bible daily with the church
This is the last time I'm going to rant on this, I promise. At least for a while...
Hey, church, yeah you--American Evangelicalism--the ones trying to be relevant, hip, cool, trendy, and (most importantly) liked by everybody around you...give up.
It's cool to not be cool. I promise.
Let's face a few . . .
Posted in: reflections
