More Sustainable Energy
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV) As I was searching for an older article, I came across Ali Hormann’s post from 2016, “Sustainable Energy,” in which she talks about the problem of climate change. Truth be told, with police brutality, violent protests and responses to protests, and COVID-19 dominating the headlines, I’d kind-of forgotten about climate...
read moreHello, Caesar
Give the king Your judgments, O God. For he will deliver the needy when he cries for help. The afflicted also, and him who has no helper. He will have compassion on the poor and needy, And the lives of the needy he will save. He will rescue their life from oppression and violence, And their blood will be precious in his sight. Psalm 72:1, 12-14, a psalm of David (NASB) One sister in Christ asked recently, “How do I (a white person) repent of shooting someone when I didn’t do the shooting?” We were having a fresh discussion about racial...
read moreReal Community in a Time of Social Upheaval
“…and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.…” (Revelation 5:9 ESV) In these challenging times, I think most of us would like to be in community with others—except my wife, who is very happy to be at home doing her art and talking on the phone with family and friends. By community I’m referring, of course, to Creekside, our friends of faith, and to gatherings with people of our same culture and world view. These are good and needed, but participation in these is easy and reinforces our...
read moreSilence in a Time Like This
“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14 NIV) Three months or whatever into this pandemic, I have flitted between having times of deep prayer and choosing to sleep in the mornings before my nursing shifts. I think the feelings of dread have lifted, and at work we have somewhat resigned ourselves to the new normal, the new status quo of...
read moreGod of Justice, Lord of Solace
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:17-18 NIV) I’ve witnessed a lot of suffering in the last few weeks, both publicly and personally. The news and social media have been flooded with coverage of people who lost their lives to unjust violence—Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd—and the righteous anger of the protesters who understand that it could have been them. I have also watched my cousin...
read moreThe Lost Backpack
Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31 NASB) On a recent spring day, Kent and I met up with our grandsons in front of their house for an outdoor adventure. We walked down to the ball fields and checked out the sheltered area in the forest...
read moreChrist, the Solid Rock
When I got the reminder that I was up for the FYI post, I almost responded that I just couldn’t do it. When you consider the pandemic, the economy, and societal race tensions, the world is in perhaps one of its lowest points in my lifetime. I don’t have anything to say that would be helpful, and I have much more work to do before I dare compile thoughts to be sent out on the inter webs. But then I remembered, it’s not about me. As a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, it should always, always be about the Gospel. And that is something I...
read moreLament and Act
Mourn with those who mourn. (Romans 12:15b NIV) This week has been highly emotional in the US. From disagreement over how to move forward through the Covid-19 pandemic to the killing of another unarmed Black man by police, from the protests in response to the killing to the chaos and violence of rioters and “peacekeepers.” So much that has happened in the last few years has been described as “unprecedented,” right through the pandemic that had been dominating the news until now. But we the church also have an unmatched opportunity to lament...
read moreIn Sickness and in Health
(This post was originally written in January of 2010, but it applies to this time we’re in now.) “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17b NIV) There’s nothing like being sick to make you appreciate how good it feels to be well! I hope you never find yourself sitting on the toilet and hugging the trash can at the same time, but if you do, know that you have my complete sympathy. After two days of lying on the couch with barely enough energy to drink soda, I was...
read moreRespect and Honor
(I originally wrote this in 2018, but I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately as well.) Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. (Romans 13:7 NIV) In the midst of school, I sometimes—not always—find time to attend my Bible Study Fellowship class on Monday nights, when I get out of clinicals early or they’re canceled. Two weeks ago, we had our lesson on Romans 13:1-7, titled “Submission to Governing Authorities.” If you have chance, read the...
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