The Weary World Rejoices
When God enters into the story of Mary and Joseph and the shepherds and the whole world, I can’t help but think of the words of John Sullivan Dwight in 1855 who wrote the English version of O Holy Night. When God enters in, when love comes local and Christ is born… “the weary world rejoices.”
Seeking Sanctuary
What would this world look like were we to make of ourselves and our communities a home where strivings cease, where posturing is paused — and instead there is space for stillness and rest, space to simply be — to find rest in the God whose door is always open?
Laying the Foundation
In a world in which there are so many competing voices telling us who and whose we are... the words of blessing and encouragement and love and promise that we offer now over those we love — those who, like us, are just trying to make it in this weary world, lay a foundation for God to build on.
Homesick
Jesus is saying that when you start to feel that homesickness, don’t give in to despair. Don’t lose hope. Keep your head up and you’ll discover those glimpses of home all around you. You’ll find that the kingdom is closer than you realized. You’ll find how God comes near.
Two Different Conversations
When Jesus talks about a kingdom, he’s talking about a way of living. He’s talking about a way of seeing the world and being in it. He’s talking about a new reality, a certain realm of existence, a new creation bursting forth — if only we’d have eyes to see it.
A Splash of Cold Water
Because in a world driven by scarcity and market forces, by competition and consumption, a blessing is completely disruptive. It turns the world right-side up. Because it can’t be earned or taken. It can only be received.
Where are you, God?
In many ways, the earth has become a tomb of its own, and the stench of death is strong. And it’s highly likely that more than one person — a widow, a grieving parent, a friend left behind, a child without a mother — has asked, “Where were you, God? Where are you?”
One Star
I woke up on Sunday morning to an email from Google alerting me to a brand new review for The Local Church.
One star out of five.
Awesome. Heck of a way to start a Sunday.
Then I read the comment attached to the review: “Pastor is awful.”
Even better. Can I just go back to sleep?
“Knowledge is Power” is a lie.
“Knowledge is power,” he said, before waiting a beat and continuing. “…is a lie.” “It’s false. And anyone who tells you that knowledge is power doesn’t know what they’re talking about.” Whatever I was expecting on the first day of driver’s ed was not this.
"Keep watch..."
Like many of you, I have spent much of the morning reflecting on the twentieth
anniversary of 9/11.
I
