Tuesday, September 8, 2020 | Reflections
Paul and Barnabas have just healed a man, lame from birth, in the name of Jesus. The people are amazed and attribute the act to the men before them, not the God they serve. We only see what we know how to look for.By putting Edison’s face on the light...
Monday, September 7, 2020 | Reflections
In large-group discussions, I often experience a great deal of anxiety before I contribute. A thought will hit me, and I quickly bat it away. I try to listen even harder to what others are saying, but the incessant buzzing of that thought grows in intensity until I...
Sunday, September 6, 2020 | Reflections
Many of my relationships are challenged by the scarcity of time. We want to give our best and most fully present selves to each other, but we fall short of our own hopes, intentions, and expectations. Paul encourages us to pay our debts so that we owe no...
Saturday, September 5, 2020 | Reflections
God calls us into many kinds of relationships: with God’s heart, with God’s creation, with the people around us, and with ourselves. These relationships can give life and joy—and they can take it away. The thief can sound like the shepherd, especially in a world where...
Friday, September 4, 2020 | Reflections
I have become unsurprised by bad news: another political mess, another milestone of ecological unraveling, another conflict on the global stage. It is often the good news that can be hard for me to accept and digest, especially when it comes from somewhere...
Thursday, September 3, 2020 | Reflections
From the Archives: August 23, 1952There were thousands of martyrs in the early days, people who were not ashamed to confess the Lord Jesus with their mouths. They confessed, even though it meant they were to be stoned, beheaded, crucified, t….(View this reading...
Wednesday, September 2, 2020 | Reflections
In my work, I sometimes feel very important. The leaders of the organizations I counsel make space in their calendars for our meetings. They review the materials I send in advance of our meetings and express gratitude as we tie up loose ends.These meetings...
Tuesday, September 1, 2020 | Reflections
How often have I sought to speak for God? Nearly always this inclination comes from a place of compassion, offering the hope I find in scripture as salve to a hurting heart or as a candle guiding another away from a road I perceive to lead to pain and heartache. I...
Monday, August 31, 2020 | Reflections
I have been reading Forward Day by Day since I was in high school, as has my mother. Reflections from these pages have shown up for me in big ways on crucial days. I often marvel at the synchronicity this publication supports in my life and in so many others. The...
Sunday, August 30, 2020 | Reflections
How do we overcome evil with good? First, we have to understand that simple understandings of good and evil don’t hold up well in the real world. We catch “good guys” in “bad” acts and “bad guys” in “good” ones. Once we understand this complexity, the label of “evil”...
Saturday, August 29, 2020 | Reflections
We are such hypocrites. The wrath of God sounds terrible until we have an enemy in our crosshairs. God, I confess my sins to you. Please show me grace. See my enemies? Please kick them in the face.Jesus says let your light shine before others. Jesus says be...
Friday, August 28, 2020 | Reflections
Job’s understanding of what was happening in his life was painfully limited. I imagine Job’s spirit groaned through many, many prayers.When we fall on difficult times, it can be a comfort to believe there is someone with the power to exact justice—an umpire to make...
Thursday, August 27, 2020 | Reflections
From the Archives: August 27, 1950It seems to be humankind’s characteristic to seek the causes our failures outside of ourselves. Adam blamed Eve.Even in religious practice it is common to charge God with our mi….(View this reading and more resources for prayer...
Wednesday, August 26, 2020 | Reflections
Many of us live surrounded by stuff. Our shelves are lined with trophies, photos, books, and treasures. They remind us of lessons, accomplishments, and relationships. We call them keepsakes.My best friend has experienced burglary several times. He doesn’t...
Tuesday, August 25, 2020 | Reflections
My favorite patchwork quilt is made of my Aunt Maureen’s clothes. This quilt is cherished not because of the craftsmanship or materials but because I feel close to her—reconnected—when I wrap it around me and snuggle into its warmth.When a loved one dies, we are left...
