Weekly Sanctuary
Psalm 6
Downloadable Version 1 O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath. 2Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled. 3My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O Lord—how long? 4Turn, O Lord, deliver my life; save me…
Psalm 3
Downloadable PDF Version Psalm 3 O LORD, how many are my foes! Many are rising up against me; Many are saying of my soul, “There is no salvation for him in God.” But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, My glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the…
The Sovereignty of God
1 Kings 19:1-18 – Run and Hide When I’m confused, unclear, bone tired; when wrong seems to be winning the day, and the world seems to have collectively lost its mind; when disappointment and sadness settle in like unwelcome houseguests; when hope seems in short supply and when I feel overwhelmed and helpless to know…
God’s Sovereignty: Divine Creator
Mark 4:35-41 Jesus Calms a Storm 35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose,…
Practicing Your Faith
John 15:9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” It’s impossible to grow without putting in some kind of effort. Growing in…
Pruned by the Father’s Hands
John 15:1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” A friend recently told me about a fascinating conversation he had had with a…
Restoration
A beautiful part of resurrection is and will be restoration. Resurrection is the restoring of life; the restoring of relationship. I feel a deep, almost desperate need for restoration, for this “bringing something back to its original condition, returning something to its original owner, returning something to an unimpaired or improved condition.” From…
Resurrection reality
Resurrection. That word is very attractive to me, especially now. I’m hungry for Resurrection. There’s been so much difficulty over the last year, so much Death and Burial. I’m so very ready for some new life. Resurrection is a radical word and an even crazier reality. Throughout my life, in church and in…
Transition and Transformation
My three-year-old daughter’s favorite activity during our daily commute is “I Spy.” During the guessing game, the “spy” chooses an object within sight, and the other person has to guess what the object is, with only the color as a clue. Over the last few months, “I spy…something green” has led to some interesting…
Acceptance and Surrender
In the undercurrents of our narratives and clichés is a cultural conspiracy designed to convince us that we are in control of our lives. That if we work hard enough, we can guarantee our success. That if we dream big enough, anything is possible. That if we serve God and play by the rules,…