Reflection

We plan for regular times of reflection or find that account in arrears.  Without this habit, we lose the freshness of impressions and experiences needed for tomorrow, perhaps as help to another.  What are we reflecting, what are others seeing, us being reflectors?

Christ Jesus didn’t think so much of Himself that He had to cling to the advantages of His deity.  “When the time came, He set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human!  It wa

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Aggressive Agendas

Many issues need addressing.  Has there ever been a time whereby there was no agenda?  Laws are passed and sicknesses are cured; but is there not more that needs to be done?

And then we read, “All that passing laws against sin did was produce more lawbreakers.  But sin didn’t, and doesn’t, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace.  When it’s sin versus grace, grace wins hands down.  All sin can do is threaten us with death, and that’s the e

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Invitations

“Jesus responded by telling more stories.  “God’s kingdom,” He said, “is like a king who threw a wedding banquet for his son.  He sent out servants to call in all the invited guests.  And they wouldn’t come.””  In the end, all were invited.  Not all came.

Through the years, we’ve been invited to many functions.  Some were “mandatory formations.”  Many of the others we chose to attend.  Jesus was making many points through His story, but one point is clear.  All were invited

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Babbling

We hear it all the time, constantly; babbling.  Empty, repetitive words and phrases.  News, weather, and sports come to mind, as well as youngsters learning to mimic us, babbling.  For many, it becomes a life habit, always something to say.

Imagine the contrast.  “While he was going on like this, babbling, a light-radiant cloud enveloped them, and sounding from deep in the cloud a voice:  “This is My Son, marked by My love, focus of My delight. Listen to Him.””

Father, thank

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Horsepower

Since the early days of railway, we have measured output by horsepower, a transference of animal power to exemplify machine power.  You wouldn’t be surprised to learn the motive was competitive sales.

Therein, you should not be surprised by God’s own revealings.  “No king succeeds with a big army alone, no warrior wins by brute strength.  Horsepower is not the answer; no one gets by on muscle alone.”  We would like to think we can, get things done by ourselves alone, but “W

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Baiting

Baiting is not only a step in fishing, but is also trickery, normally with the intent of prejudice and conviction, legal or illegal.  The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were no exception, baiting.

“When Jesus left the field, He entered their meeting place.  There was a man there with a crippled hand.  They said to Jesus, “Is it legal to heal on the Sabbath?” They were baiting Him.”  This was not His first encounter with them, replying, “Is there a person here who, finding

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Time and Times

Time and Times

“There’s an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth:  A right time for birth and another for death, A right time to plant and another to reap.”  The list goes on and is geared, tailored for us all and the times, different for each.  Some early, some late.  “A right time to cry and another to laugh,  A right time to lament and another to cheer,”  a right time to stay and another to move, to travel or not, “to hold on and another t

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Hop On, Hop Off

Hop On, Hop Off

Many years ago we were introduced to a new way of seeing a city, being, by bus: hop on, hop off.  This was perfect! being able to pick and choose, focus on the micro but see the macro.  But travel can be the same by any conveyance, no different by boat, as most cruises have the same model.  Trains and planes?

“Back in the boat,” simply meaning they had hopped off and it was time to hop back on, “Jesus and the disciples recrossed the sea (of Galilee) to Jesus’

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Stargazing

Stargazing

Tough to do in the inner cities across the globe, but go a space away and class begins.  The wonderment of the sky begins the lecture for one’s watching.  “God’s glory is on tour in the skies, God-craft on exhibit across the horizon.  The words aren’t heard, the voices aren’t recorded, But their silence fills the earth:  unspoken truth is spoken everywhere.”

Father, Your creation, Your creative “revelation, revealing, is whole and pulls our lives together.  Your s

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Grow Up

Grow Up

It does make sense; to say, “Grow up,” and expect folks to do just that.  After all, is that not what we do, physically grow up, but also doing the right things, learning the right stuff, things that teach us beyond acting, non-grownup.

In a word, Jesus was saying, “Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects.  Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity.  Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.”  Include learning the One who will te

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Safety First

Safety First

From firewalls to fences, we learn to think of the importance of safety, even to the point of safety being a core value.  Oh, the sadness we’ve heard or experienced without such alertness.  In my early days, we had a safety briefing every Friday afternoon and before holidays and travel.  Safety before projects, even metal shoes before mowing.  “Be careful out there,” was at the end of each briefing.

But what we often don’t consider is the truth of this ancien

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TDY

TDY

Don’t stop now!  We have a new year before us!  Yes, temporary duty yonder, where yonder can be anywhere but where you are!  TDY.

Haggai was called out from wherever God had him to deliver a series of like-minded messages over a period of performance of only 112 days.  That’s it!  We know nothing more.  He probably returned to doing what he had been doing,  but does it matter?  His role was significant.  The people had returned from their captivity.  Free!  But bound in

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Recipes and Writings

Recipes and Writings

 Just the other day the loved one pulled out a recipe that was hand-written, this being more than an instruction of chemistry and physics (think ingredients and heat, energy).  What came with was a touch, a sense of presence from years past; a voice and the sound of laughter, accompanied by a smile.  

One after another wrote (as instructed, “Then the LORD said to me,” ),  “Write My answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message

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My People

I really appreciate hearing the expression,  “My people.”  There’s identity, passion, ownership, endearment, execution (of a plan), all together seeming wind, fire, lightning, resolve and resolution; adoption.  “My people.”  But before we claim others in our own jobs, family, club or group, God Himself said to Moses, “I will claim you as my own people, and I will be your God.  Then you will know that I am the LORD your God who has freed you from your oppression in Egypt.” 

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Now and Then

Now and then, often or occasionally, we think of this and that, times together and apart, you being where you are and us being where we are.  Now and then we have to revisit insurance policies to library cards, even times now of electric cars, modern windmills providing electricity for a town of 10,000, and personal devices that allow us to communicate instantly.  One might think there would be little correlation between now and then.  But aren’t we all still people being

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