Freedom flows through all the readings the readings below. Moses reminds us in Deuteronomy 30:15-20 that the people of Israel have the freedom to choose between life and prosperity or death and adversity. Ironically, this freedom to choose life comes through the freedom to choose obedience to the commands of God. In other words, Moses tells theContinue reading “Freedom”
Tag Archives: god
Dying To Be Rich
“All is vanity and a chasing after the wind,” says Ecclesiastes (1:2, 12-14 & 2:18-23), yet we chase wealth like it will last forever, forgetting that we ourselves will one day die and that everything we have stored up here will be useless to us. Into the tragedy of our human drive to be richContinue reading “Dying To Be Rich”
Our Persistent, Negotiating Prayer Life
Yesterday’s readings (Genesis 18:20-32; Colossians 2:6-19; Luke 11:1-13) incorporated several themes: negotiation, commands, persistence, and expectation. And surrounding all these themes is a bigger theme: boldness. Abraham is bold in speaking with God, so bold in fact that he not only negotiates with the Almighty, the Almighty willingly grants his request. Abraham had no fearContinue reading “Our Persistent, Negotiating Prayer Life”
Showing Up
Close your eyes and picture Jesus and his followers together. Most likely people either picture Jesus sitting around with the twelve disciples or standing in the midst of thousands preaching and teaching. Yet in yesterday’s gospel Jesus has seventy followers close enough that he trusts them to be sent out in pairs to heal theContinue reading “Showing Up”
The Authority of Jesus
We feel powerless when life’s storms rage about us. Despite our best efforts, we cannot navigate those dangers without the hand of God to guide and free us. In the gospel (Luke 8:26-39), the man with demons was unable to help himself. His affliction had caused him to be chained and shackled by his community.Continue reading “The Authority of Jesus”
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