Sandals and rescue diving
Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. (James 4:14 ESV) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have beenContinue Reading
Burning surprises
They said to one another, “Were our hearts not burning within us when He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32 NASB) Last Saturday, during our family reunion, the plan was to take a relaxing pontoon boat ride along theContinue Reading
Dramatic surprises
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV) Last weekend at the family reunion I heard aContinue Reading
“What you tune in to you will turn in to.”
“May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14 NIV) It is a popular thing to encourage someone to “follow their heart.” In theory, this sounds great: be true to yourself, make yourself happy, etc. But in practice, following our heartContinue Reading
Leaves, trees, and forests
As for God, His way is blameless; The word of the Lord is refined; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him. (Psalm 18:30 NASB) Your word is a lamp to my feetAnd a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105 NASB) Imagine taking a tree leaf and examining it with a magnifying glass –Continue Reading
Reunion
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15 NKJV) I spent this past weekend at my mom’s mother’s family reunion at a state park near St. Louis, Missouri. My grandmother was the second of six children born to a poor farm family in East-Central Illinois in the veryContinue Reading
Noise, melodies, silence, Voice
[The demon Screwtape writes:] Music and silence—how I detest them both! How thankful we should be that ever since our Father entered Hell—though longer ago than humans, reckoning in light years, could express—no square inch of infernal space and no moment of infernal time has been surrendered to eitherContinue Reading
Pray for Us, Lord Jesus
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 2:5 ESV) God of grace and God of glory, From your people hear your praise For the evil hosts surround us Wicked plots and traps are laid Grant us wisdom,Continue Reading
Jonah
I will bow down [in worship] toward Your holy templeAnd give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth;For You have magnified Your word together with Your name. (Psalm 138:2 AMP) I recently reread the story of Jonah. As a kid, I only knew the basics: Jonah wasContinue Reading
The choice
Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! (Deuteronomy 30:19 NLT) Have you ever thought aboutContinue Reading