John 11:45-57 As a little girl in Sunday School, this particular story always rubbed me the wrong way because the gospel writer went out of the way to state that some of those who watched the miracle of Lazarus being raised from the dead ran to the Pharisees and tattled. Children learn early that tattling... Continue Reading →
Isaiah 43:8-15 "I announced, I saved, I proclaimed, not some stranger among you."Isaiah 43:12a It's a story as old as time: Humanity finds itself in a jam and starts looking for someone who can lead the way out. When Moses went up the mountain to commune with God, the people turned to Aaron who, in... Continue Reading →
Psalm 126 What a sigh of relief! Here we are, a little more than half way through Lent and I've fallen behind on my daily discipline (writing a devotion based on my studies). Me being me, I start beating myself up over these sorts of failures. And then it just becomes so much more difficult... Continue Reading →
2 Kings 4:1-7 "Tell me what you still have left in your house?" Elisha asks a poor widow. Her husband has died. She has sold everything, but still his debts remain. One of his creditors assumes that all she has of any value is her children and he vows to take them. But Elisha thinks... Continue Reading →
Revelation 19:9-10 When I began seminary, one of my professors said that we should be a "prophetic people" and that one of our goals should be to "preach prophetically" with every sermon. I won't lie to you, that terrified me. Maybe it's because I was born and raised in Appalachia. When people speak of prophets... Continue Reading →
Exodus 32:7-14 "Your people are ruining everything!" God doesn't mince words as he sends Moses back down the mountain to set the rescued Israelites straight. They had witnessed God doing amazing things in Egypt, so powerful that a hard-hearted and bull-headed Pharaoh had let them go. They had been the recipients of miracle after miracle... Continue Reading →
2 Corinthians 5:6-15 Paul spent a portion of his life actively persecuting the Church because he felt they were polluting the singular truth of God he understood as a faithful Jew. Then he saw the light. Literally. After that, Paul would spend the rest of his life being persecuted for the Church. Always, in the... Continue Reading →
2 Corinthians 4:16-5:5 "Why does God allow people to have to live like this?" The question caught me off guard. We were sitting in a bible study class and one of the women began to speak about an elderly relative whose quality of life had long since been depleted. An empty, broken shell remained in... Continue Reading →
Luke 3:18-21 It's funny how a great slogan will stand the test of time. Long before I was born, even before my parents were born, Brylcreem wrote a snappy jingle for their men's hair care products featuring the line, "A little dab will do ya." To this day, people are still spitting out that lyric,... Continue Reading →
Romans 2:12-16 When I was a teenager, my home church threw a Christmas party for area children. The youth group spent the year raising funds and preparing for the event. It was a major event in our year and in our spiritual development. Helen, an elderly member of the congregation who had worked many years... Continue Reading →
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