A friend of mine was clearly upset. We were classmates. He was no stranger to life’s troubles, and was also very insightful. It was as if he could perceive the meaning of things on multiple levels at the same time. He was sitting in a study carol in the library reading his Bible. I came … Continue reading Fighting forgetfulness: God’s power then and now
Celebrating resurrection! (when you don’t feel like it)
Last week my wife, Laura, was talking to a man in the grocery story about Easter. At the end of their conversation she said, “Happy Easter!” He replied, “I doubt it.”
You are in good hands
I was talking with someone who was feeling uncertain before a big operation. Fair enough. But then they met the doctor. He took extra time, explained what was going to happen in understandable terms, said he had performed this operation many times, showed that he cared, and even offered to pray!
The cost of rushing
What was the fastest thing in the world when Jesus walked the earth? It couldn’t have been a jet or car because they weren’t invented yet. So it was probably an animal or a ship. Of all the things life would surely have been, it would definitely have been… slower. Difficult? Yes. Meaningful? Yes. But … Continue reading The cost of rushing
Are others as messed up as you?
Being aware of your own sin can improve your relationships. I realize that might sound counter-intuitive. When we think of sin we tend to think about how it makes things worse, not better. Yes, I understand that. But those who appreciate the gravity of their own brokenness tend to be less judgmental and superior. They … Continue reading Are others as messed up as you?
True greatness
Servant-hood lies at the heart of true greatness. What? Hold on a second. Didn’t you mean to say bravado, courage or super-sized intelligence lie at the heart of true greatness? As good as those things can be, no. Jesus’ disciples were jockeying for positions of prestige. Seeing what was going on, he gave them a … Continue reading True greatness
The last day
Let me share a sobering thought. Time will run out. In Mark 13, Jesus was speaking about his return at the end of human history. He will come as Judge and Saviour and will usher in what the Bible calls the new heavens and the new earth. He says it will happen in an instant. … Continue reading The last day
Good kinds of hurt?
This might sound strange, but there are good kinds of hurt. Obviously, not all hurt is good, but some of it can be. Here’s what I mean. What I’ve just said is very counter-cultural. A case could be made that our society is highly hedonistic. That’s where the pursuit of pleasure and happiness is the … Continue reading Good kinds of hurt?
If your faith demands nothing…
What is “faith” to you? The reason I ask is because we need to guard against a troubling trend. Since we live in a highly individualistic society, “faith” can degrade into a series of fuzzy beliefs that are all about us. When that happens, we discard beliefs we don’t like and only adopt those that … Continue reading If your faith demands nothing…
With a fire hydrant, not an eye dropper
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God…” (Ephesians 2:8). Grace is one of those words we use so much we can forget what it means. A well-known definition of grace is that it is God’s unmerited favour. In other words, … Continue reading With a fire hydrant, not an eye dropper
