healing the wounds
Jesus prays on the mountain, His anguish heightened as His death draws near. The disciples, having fallen asleep, are startled as Judas and his angry crowd charge toward their friend. Judas plants his ghastly kiss on Jesus' cheek, the guards step forward, and fear ripples through the disciples' chests.
I wonder what I might've done if I were in the…
July 21, 2009
How have online social networks like facebook and myspace affected your relationship with God? How have they affected you positively? Negatively?
what you ain't got
Harrison Ford's career embodies success. His movies have earned more than $6 billion (US). But in a recent interview, Ford made this profound, albeit ungrammatical comment: "You only want what you ain't got." The interviewer asked him what it was he wanted. Ford gave a one-word reply: "Peace."
How do you define success? Perhaps an elusive goal beckons just around…
now and then
You have to love the creative ways people show God's love to others. Recently, I was impressed as I learned about a friend's compassionate ministry to college students. The teens and 20-somethings come over to her home for meals, for guidance, and to learn from her godly example. With their homes being far away, they now have a "home" and…
time to obey
My wife, Miska, and I like to talk things out with our boys (ages 6 and 4). Often, we ask them what they're feeling or if they understand instructions we are giving them. Even when they evidence a bad attitude, we will talk them through the moment. Not always, however. Sometimes, the time for talk has passed; the time to…
love & hell
On an American ship, navy personnel crowded around their chaplain and asked him, "Do you believe in hell?" He replied, "I do not." The crew members quietly took in his response and fired this shot across the bow: "Well then, will you please resign? If there's no hell, we don't need you . . . and if there's a hell,…
July 17, 2009
What's a must-read Christian book that has encouraged you this summer? What is its message?
life's cliffsnotes
When I taught high school English, my students' use of CliffsNotes was an ever-present reality. I encouraged them to use these study guides along with reading the novel or play. While it's true that the literary interpretations found in the guides could help them understand difficult passages, nothing could replace a firsthand reading of the complete works. To read the CliffsNotes in…
legacy
Most parents want a better life for their children. Often, those who are financially able will leave their children a sizable inheritance—hoping that an extra cushion of cash will help them handle the needs, dangers, and uncertainties of life. This is a noble act, for Proverbs 13:22 declares, "Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren."
But it's not the…
a message to thieves
The entire act was caught on surveillance tape: While three friends and I dined at an outdoor café in East Africa, a man wearing a black jacket entered and sat down at a table located at the opposite side of the restaurant. My friends and I didn't notice him, not even when he swiftly moved to the table next to…
loving enemies
Naaman, the powerful general from Aram, was suddenly powerless. Beneath his glamorous and impenetrable armor, a disease was slowly killing him. He had contracted leprosy (2 Kings 5:1), and now his political might and military abilities couldn't help him. He would soon lose all worldly power and possessions, including even his life. He was helpless and hopeless.
Then a Hebrew…
July 13, 2009
What's God been teaching you this summer? What experiences has He used to help you grow spiritually?
our corner of the world
An episode of the TV show M*A*S*H tells the story of a helicopter pilot who operated a side business selling scrap metal on the black market. He paid Korean children next to nothing to collect the metal from battlefields that were littered with land mines. In doing so, many of the children were injured and maimed.
An army surgeon, who treated…
whatever it takes
A province in Indonesia has asked a few of its residents to add a certain fashion accessory to their wardrobe—a padlock. Let me explain. To curb the prostitution that sometimes occurs in massage parlors, masseuses in East Java were prompted to wear a lock on the waistband of their pants.
While this idea seems a bit medieval, it certainly sends…
hard heart?
The heart is an amazing organ. It continuously pumps oxygen and nutrient-rich blood throughout our bodies to sustain life. This fist-size powerhouse beats 100,000 times per day and moves more than 7,500 liters of blood per day. The spiritual heart is an amazing piece of work as well. It can be soft to the touch of God, and it can…
