Luke 13:18-21 -- Have you ever been called a dreamer? Can you imagine a future that far surpasses the dim hopes and expectations that many hold for this world? What would such a world be like? In these two teaching stories, Jesus boldly announces that the future God is bringing into being will be as surprising as that tree with birds in its branches and as abundant as those amazing loaves of freshly baked bread. read more...more >>
Luke 13:6-9 -- In this parable, Jesus describes a gardener who pleads with a landowner for one more year to bring a fig tree to its intended fruitfulness. Have you ever had someone go out on a limb to give you a second or third chance to master a skill or turn your life around? Jesus teaches us that we have a God who cares enough to demand that we live into our full humanity. And then by the example of his own death, Jesus teaches that God is also as patient as this gardener. read more...more >>
Luke 13:1-5 -- So often the front page of the newspaper shows the faces of those who flee car bombings and catastrophic national disasters. We seem to have become a world on the run from danger and imminent disaster. Yet those were images that also stuck in minds of people in first-century Israel. read more...more >>
Isaiah 55:3-5 -- A friend who is a camp counselor taught me the phrase "Listen up!" When she uses these words she is not just getting the attention of her campers. She means, "Listen to God." In a world of noise and distraction, of banter and buzz, Isaiah whispers a profound word for those patient enough to take time to listen for God. What we will hear, the prophet promises, is an extraordinary word of God's nearness and God's faithfulness.
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Isaiah 55:1-2 -- Why do we spend our money and time on things that do not truly nourish and sustain our lives? That's a deeply faithful question to answer in our consumer culture. Isaiah's surprising word in this text is good news for the poor and famished and a challenging word for those of us with too much stuff in our lives. The season of Lent asks us to take stock of the goals we pursue, the benefits we seek. read more...more >>
Psalm 63:5-8 -- The longest days end with a nighttime of sleep. The psalmist speaks of the contentment that comes from trusting that our days and deeds are held securely in God's grace and mercy. Yet in our harried world it can be challenging to let go of worries and anxieties. read more...more >>
Psalm 63:1-4 -- Have you ever been desperate for a sign or word from God? Have you ever felt that you simply could not go on without God? The psalmist understands that depth of longing, and these words remind us that we, too, may discover God when we worship with others. The rhythm of weekly prayer and preaching give us stamina for the times when our lives are weary and strained. We can live with confidence and hope because God is as faithful as the psalmist proclaims. read more...more >>
Jeremiah 30:12-22 -- In the course of his ministry, Jesus talked a lot. During Lent, he focuses on the season's disciplines: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. But as Lent grinds to a close, Jesus becomes quieter. read more...more >>
Luke 13:31 -- When a jailer unlocked a prisoner's cell in the Tower of London, the prisoner refused to move: "I know the terrors of this cell, but the terrors beyond it I know not." He voted to stick with the prison of his familiar, the devil he knew. Change is always traumatic: It offers resolution to some problems only to raise up others. The Pharisees sense that Jesus means change. read more...more >>
Philippians 3:17 -- As Paul addresses his beloved community at Philippi, he talks to them like family, as brothers and sisters in Christ. He's clear how he'll take his answer: inscribed in their lives. Paul doesn't care about talking the talk; he wants Christians to walk the walk. read more...more >>
Psalm 27:7; Luke 13:34 -- Older translations put this more delicately: "Hearken to my cry!" Today's speech is blunter: "Listen up!" When people feel God is away, they call out sharply. God does the same, calling for people's attention when they seem distracted. In Luke 13, Jesus tries to get the attention of an entire city: "Jerusalem, Jerusalem," he calls out. read more...more >>
Psalm 27:1 -- Every Saturday night, my father polished our shoes for Sunday worship. In our junior choir robes, all you could see was the shoes. But they sparkled. read more...more >>
Genesis 15:2 -- In the Bible, quotation marks signal something important is happening. Direct speech grabs the reader's attention. Probably the three most important words in the Hebrew Bible are, "But God said ..." Then something unexpected and mysterious transpires. read more...more >>
