Not Alone: Drawing Near to Christ in a Socially Distant World

In our new coronavirus world, being together has become a rare and treasured experience. As the “invisible enemy” named COVID-19 continues its relentless march around our world, we remain apart to curb its spread. “Social distancing” has become a strange, new norm.I realized recently that there’s a major difference between being distant from each other and being absent. Distance keeps […]

Read More

Not Forgotten

God’s presence is not as intriguing as His absence. His voice is not as eloquent as His silence. Who of us has not longed for a word from God, searched for a glimpse of His power, or yearned for the reassurance of His presence?

Read More

The God of Impossibilities

All over this world, around us every day, are people who are looking for the truth to be lived out in the lives of those who claim it. Just as the widow watched Elijah, there are people watching you.

Read More

Timing

In September, Terry Shafer was strolling the shops in Moline, Illinois. She knew exactly what she wanted to get her husband, David, for Christmas. A little shop on Fifth attracted her attention, so she popped inside. Her eyes darted toward the corner display. “That’s it!” she smiled as she nodded with pleasure. “How much?” she asked the shopkeeper.

Read More

God Incomprehensible

Lost in the silent solitude of recent days, I have been impressed anew with the vast handiwork of our incomprehensible God. The psalmist was correct: The heavens do indeed tell of the glory of God . . . their expanse does indeed declare the work of His hands (Ps. 19:1).

Read More

Thanks for the Memories

While jogging early this morning, I found myself humming the tune Bob Hope immortalized during several wars. I can still remember his tailor-made lyrics, fitted to each occasion. He sang them to lonely soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines from steamy jungles to frozen reservoirs . . . from the decks of aircraft carriers to makeshift platforms on windswept sand dunes. As guys and gals in uniform laughed and cried, screamed and sipped Coke, they always anticipated Hope’s finale as he took the mike and crooned, “And thanks for the memories . . . .”

Read More

God Means It for Good

After a lengthy bout with despair, severe depression, and suicide attempts, writer and poet William Cowper (1731–1800) discovered comfort in God’s providence, which led him to write “Shining out of Darkness” . . .

Read More

Providence

I’ve been giving a lot of thought these days to the subject of God’s will. While engaged in a study of that issue recently, I came across a term we rarely use or read these days: providence. The root meaning of providence is “foresight . . . to see in advance” or “to provide for.” But those definitions could leave us with too shallow an understanding. Providence contains far more than a passive reference to God’s foreknowledge.

Read More

God’s Sovereignty

Some people mistakenly use God’s sovereignty as an excuse for complacency, passivity, and uninvolvement. All is of God they say; God does everything. God’s sovereignty does not mean that I am released from responsibility. It does not mean I have no interest in today’s affairs, or that I cannot be bothered about decisions, or that I need not concern myself with the eternal destiny of the lost. It doesn’t mean that at all.

Read More

God Doesn’t Have to Explain Himself

Even in the midst of disappointment, surprise, and mystery, you will discover an amazing thing. You will discover how very reliable and trustworthy God is—and how secure you are in His hands. And oh, how we need that in this day of relativism and vacillation, filled with empty talk and hidden behind a lot of semantic footwork.

Read More