Recently while in Cuba I walked along a beautiful beach and came upon a jellyfish that had washed ashore. It seems high winds and strong currents had pushed hundreds of them toward the shore with many being cast up on the sand to await death. I bent down and, careful so as to not be […]
Read MoreTag Archives: Ephesians
It Takes Grace to Get Along
In Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi, joy is one of the main themes, along with perseverance and hope. These make Philippians one of the best-loved of the New Testament letters. Quarrels don’t readily spring to mind. But chapter four specifically names two women who were at odds. Paul names them, and recruits help […]
Read MoreIn Living Colour
There used to be a cinema by the bridge in Windsor called the ABC Playhouse. It’s long gone now, but it was a special place to me. As a boy I saw Mary Poppins there, the first feature length film I had seen that incorporated cartoon animation with live actors. Penguins for waiters – what […]
Read MoreFaith in the Workplace
You invest more than one-third of your life at work. Punch the clock, turn on the computer, start your engines at 8 a.m., rest a few minutes at noon, but keep your mind and body in gear till the sun has set. Then tomorrow—repeat. Sound familiar? So how can your relationship with God grow in […]
Read MoreMaking Melody
God’s sharp sword stabbed me deeply this week is I was on a scriptural hunt in the Ephesian letter. I was searching for a verse totally unrelated to the one that sliced its way into me. It was another of those verses I feel sorry for (like John 3:17 and 1 John 1:10—look ’em up). […]
Read MoreWhat Does It Mean to Be Made in God’s Image?
What does the phrase “the image of God” mean? Theologians have wrestled long and hard with this question, because the answer impacts how we think about Christ’s saving work, Christian ethics, and other important spiritual matters. Some have argued that image refers to humanity’s capacity to rule, because ruling is mentioned in connection with the […]
Read MoreThe Gift for the Person Who Has Everything
In our pocket of society where pampered affluence is rampant, we are often at a loss to know what kind of gifts to buy our friends and loved ones on special occasions. For some people (especially those who “have everything”), the standard gift won’t cut it. Nothing in the shopping mall catches our fancy. I […]
Read MoreWooing the Wayward: Loving Your Prodigal until He or She Comes Home
Shattered. Your dreams of your children growing up to be godly Christians now lay like splinters of glass on the marble floor. “Mom, I’m gay,” your son announces. Your daughter reveals, “Dad, I’ve moved in with my boyfriend.” These words take your breath away. Your adult child is running not only from God, but from […]
Read MoreIn Their Eyes
The mysteries of this world never cease. My 2-year-old son has a strange habit. When he wakes up in the morning or from his nap, he makes his way from his bed directly to his closed bedroom door, lies down flat on his stomach, and gazes through the crack beneath it. Then he waits. He […]
Read MoreFinding a Middle Way through the Midway
With excitement in her eyes, Sarah kissed her parents goodbye. John and Judy’s decision to let their sixteen-year-old daughter attend the girls’ summer art camp wasn’t difficult. They had heard great things about the program and believed it was an excellent opportunity. Then John and Judy learned the famous art camp was a magnet for […]
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