[ All scripture references are from the New Living Translation — NLT ]
The New Testament uses a striking metaphor when it instructs Christians to “clothe” themselves with kindness. Clothing is not incidental or hidden; it is worn daily, it is felt by the one who wears it, and is immediately visible to others. In the same way, kindness is ...
In a recent column I wrote about the importance of waiting for God’s perfect timing and the unintended consequences of rushing into action according to our own understanding or frustration. But the question arises, “what should we do with the time while we are waiting for God’s purposes to unfold?” Scripture gives reliable examples of the difference ...
In a recent conversation with a friend whose husband is making frustratingly slow progress in ICU, I quoted a line from the blind Christian poet John Milton, who frustratingly lost his sight later in life, “They also serve who only stand and wait.” Milton’s insight aligns closely with biblical witness that not all obedience is active, visible, ...
One of the great paradoxes of my early family life was when my father would correct or punish some behavior he thought would be detrimental to my character or contrary to our family values. Inevitably he would say, “this will hurt me more than it will hurt you” — a statement I certainly didn’t understand and almost never believed at the time!
What ...
No one is attracted to a grumpy christian! Whether it is the “Church Lady” on Saturday Night Live, or the Reverend I. M. Jolly on Scottish Television (who ironically was always on the brink of despair), the secular world only perceives them as objects of humor at best or cause for scorn at worst. We need to be reminded that humanity was created not ...
Among the more challenging passages in the Old Testament is the account of King Saul, where Scripture states that “the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him” (1 Samuel 16:14, NLT). For thoughtful readers, this raises a serious theological concern: how can a good and holy God be associated ...
Our human experience teaches us how fragile promises can be. Especially with children, a single broken promise can give rise to doubt that will linger long after an apology is offered. Because of this, we often mistakenly project our uncertainty onto God, assuming that His promises are likely to falter in the same way ours do.
Scripture, ...