I’ve been reflecting on Jesus’ tears. John 11:35 is the shortest verse in the Bible: “Jesus wept.” But that’s not all he did. After his friend Lazarus had died, and after seeing Mary and Martha crying, Jesus “was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled” (verse 33). The phrase “deeply moved” could also be … Continue reading Tears of sadness to gladness
hope
The rut of cynicism
I heard about a judge who was hearing the case of a young repeat offender. He was getting sick of seeing his face and was about to be harsh. But something came over him. He started to ask the young man why his life was so hard. What was making things so difficult? Then, in … Continue reading The rut of cynicism
Cast Away – but never hopeless
Do you remember the Tom Hanks movie called Cast Away? He played a FedEx employee named Chuck. His plane crashed into the sea. Chuck was the only survivor and washed up onto a deserted island. Several packages also washed ashore. He opened them hoping that the contents would help him survive. One package contained hockey … Continue reading Cast Away – but never hopeless
Hope is kindled
Today is a new day. Honestly. It is. Yesterday was its own thing. Sure, each new day is influenced by what happened the day before. But there’s nothing you can do about that now, is there? The same goes for last week, last year, or even the last decade. That was then. This is now. … Continue reading Hope is kindled
Illness has an end-date
There are seven miraculous “signs” in John’s Gospel. One is the healing of a boy with a death-threatening fever. “The royal official said, ‘Sir, come down before my child dies.’ ‘Go,’ Jesus replied, ‘your son will live’” (John 4:49-50). But what purpose do these signs serve? They certainly provide compassionate help! But they also confirm … Continue reading Illness has an end-date
The definition of hope
Sunday marked the start of Advent, a Latin word meaning “coming.” It refers to the coming of Christ, either as a baby at Christmas, or as Saviour and Judge at his return. A repeated theme during Advent is hope. But what is hope? My son and I were brainstorming things we hope for. We hope for … Continue reading The definition of hope
Don’t take hope for granted
We can take things for granted. Even hope. William Temple paints a bleak picture of not having any hope, nor any belief in the source of hope, God: “for man’s moral and spiritual life is in this world a baffled and thwarted enterprise; and the scene of our endeavor is slowly becoming uninhabitable, so that … Continue reading Don’t take hope for granted
You have to go out!
In Cape May, New Jersey, a commander of a ship was aboard with his men. They were getting ready to head out onto the open waters. A massive storm was brewing. One of the young men shouted, “But, Captain! If we go out there, we may never come back.” The captain answered, “Son, you don’t … Continue reading You have to go out!
The weekly reminder that the best is yet to come
Rest. We know it’s good. We know we need it. We probably want more of it. Dragging feet, dark bags under our eyes, and deflated hearts testify this to be the case. But it also serves a larger function. Momentary rest is meant to foreshadow eternal rest. By “eternal rest” I mean the Rest-In-Peace variety … Continue reading The weekly reminder that the best is yet to come
I look for the good things
I know someone who seems incapable of seeing anything in a positive way. Cynicism is the air they breathe—both in and out. They even seem to think that their tainted outlook makes them wise. But it doesn’t. If you’re like the rest of humanity, this most recent chapter of life hasn’t been ideal. That’s why … Continue reading I look for the good things
The Up Devotional 