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
hardship
Preparing who you are (for the future)
In 2 Peter 3:18, the apostle says to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” The reasons why this kind of growth is a good idea are beyond quantification. But here’s one of them. You never know what challenges you’ll face in the future. But what you DO know … Continue reading Preparing who you are (for the future)
Hope is a… pillow?
I realize that equating hope to a pillow sounds a bit too cutesy, so just hear me out. William Gurnall lived in the 1600’s and wrote about the relationship between hope and patience. If we have reasons to hope we are more likely to be patient: “patience is the back where the Christian carries his … Continue reading Hope is a… pillow?
The grip of his righteous right hand
In the 1996 Olympics Derek Redmond was in the 400-metre race. During his heat he was out in front. But then his Achilles tendon snapped! He fell to the track. The crowd gasped. He got up, slowly. Limping. He was trying to move forward while dragging his leg behind him. The crowd started to cheer … Continue reading The grip of his righteous right hand
Look to the example of others
We’ve been talking about perseverance. In the Bible, James gave some very down-to-earth counsel to those enduring hardship: “Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered” (James 5:10-11). … Continue reading Look to the example of others
Soul cleats
In James 5:8 we read: “You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” Let’s zero-in on the phrase “stand firm.” The oldest manuscripts we have of this passage are in Greek. “Stand firm” is an imperative verb. In other words, it’s a command that James expects to be followed. But … Continue reading Soul cleats
Patience follows hope
It’s good to be patient. My Louw-Nida Greek dictionary defines patience like this: “a state of emotional calm in the face of provocation or misfortune and without complaint or irritation.” In James 5:7-8, we learn WHY we can be patient. As his readers face hardship, he says this: “Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until … Continue reading Patience follows hope
Undermining your own goldmine
Do you want to persevere through this challenging chapter of life? If so, James 5 provides some powerful and down-to-earth How-To’s. Amongst other things he says, “Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged” (verse 9). Perhaps his first-century audience was in the habit of moaning and groaning against each … Continue reading Undermining your own goldmine
The size of the fight in the dog
Welcome to today. It’s going to be a bit different than yesterday. And probably different than tomorrow. Hopefully you’ll experience some good things today. A laugh, a favourite meal, or something meaningful to do in God’s service. But you’ll probably also experience something difficult, won’t you? A tear, a tough decision, a pain that won’t … Continue reading The size of the fight in the dog
How you respond
Chuck Swindoll has been known to say, “Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond.”* I don’t think he was quoting a scientific study. My sense is that he was making a general observation: Your life isn’t all about what happens to you, but how you respond to what … Continue reading How you respond
