who’s seeking whom?
Zach was a lonely guy. If there was a party, he wasn’t invited. In fact, when he walked down the city streets, he could feel the hostile glares boring into his back. But his life took a turn one special day. Clement of Alexandria, one of the church fathers, says that Zach became a very prominent Christian leader and ended up a pastor of the church in Caesarea. Yes, we are talking about Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector who once famously climbed a sycamore tree.
imagine
In 1971, John Lennon wrote a song about heaven and hell. The British public voted ”Imagine” their nation’s favorite song in 1999, and it earned Lennon a Grammy Hall of Fame Award that same year. The song also ranked number 3 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (2004). Lennon wrote: “Imagine there’s no heaven. It’s easy if you try. No hell below us. Above us only sky. Imagine all the people. Living for today . . .”
three wishes
If you were granted three wishes, for what would you wish? Would you wish for the eradication of global poverty? Would you wish for financial security? Would you wish for good looks, good health, and long life? The question itself isn’t as important as how we answer the question; for our answers reveal our character and what’s important to us.
sculpting a stump
One morning, I noticed a man with a chainsaw cutting down a large tree in front of some local farm buildings. He was still there in the afternoon, working on the tree stump with his power tool set at an unusual angle. Days later, I passed the place again and noticed the stump had been transformed into a replica of a corncob. The man hadn’t been merely toppling a tree; he had sculpted vertical rows of corn kernels framed by a husk—the agricultural icon of the Midwestern United States.
stop trying
Alcoholics Anonymous, also known as “AA,” is a worldwide movement that attempts to help alcoholics break free from their addiction to drinking. One of the first things AA leaders tell those who “can’t lay off the sauce” is that they have to come to the end of themselves. In order to break free from their addiction, they have to admit that they are powerless to stop—no matter how hard they try.
unpopular
Chick-fil-A is a popular American fast food chain whose president, Dan Cathy, also happens to be a Christian. Biblical values permeate its 1,600+ restaurants which are always closed on Sunday. Chick-fil-A also started the WinShape Foundation, which provides college scholarships, foster care programs, and marriage enrichment ministries.
you choose Q: what's the significance of the number 153?
Q: What’s the significance of the number 153, the number of fish that the disciples caught? —Safy
A: John 21 tells us that the resurrected Christ appeared to several of his disciples beside the Sea of Galilee—showing them that he was alive and then restoring Peter to ministry. The disciples had gone back to their fishing trade, but throughout the night,…
June 24. 2013
What are some ways that you worship God each day?
a baby’s cry
Recently, one state in the US instituted a law requiring each pregnant woman considering an abortion to watch a sonogram of her unborn child, receive medically accurate explanations of what she views, and listen to her baby’s heartbeat. Following the law’s passage, a blogger who supports abortion raised money and bought iPods for abortion clinics. Her purpose? To provide each patient with a way to drown out the sound of her baby’s heartbeat. By cranking up the volume, she can stifle the sounds of life within her.
a lot by a lot
The first 4 years my adopted Ugandan son was with me, I experienced no fears about the future or my ability to support him. Recently, however, as I’ve struggled to pay bills and survive on a small ministry salary that provides us with no buffer, I’ve entered into a worrisome state. My fleshly desires have tilted toward greater financial security rather than the need to trust God’s provision on a seemingly day-to-day basis.
drowned by love
One of my deep joys as a pastor has been to baptize both of my sons. I have a picture taken just before I went into the baptismal pool with one of my boys. I’m crouched down, eye-to-eye. I don’t remember what I was saying, but I remember the tears. God was pouring grace on my son, and my church was welcoming him into its fold.
we are family
We often say in the church that we’re a family, and we address each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. But what does that really mean? What implications does the word family hold?
walls
Walls are designed to keep people safe. But walls also divide, keeping people apart. The 96-mile (155 km) Berlin Wall kept the East Germans in. The Great Wall of China, which was believed to be 5,500 miles long (8,850 km) and is now estimated to be 13,170 miles long (21,196 km), kept enemies out.
watching
Watch me, Mom!” On any given day, these words resonate through our house as our kids seek to entertain us or attempt a new skill. Sharing moments of accomplishment with those who believe in us and stand ready to encourage our next endeavor is a beautiful thing. Lately, as my husband and I are going through a test of faith in our ministry lives, I have become aware that God is calling me to act in such a way that I can say to my children, “Watch me.”
June 18, 2013
What favorite Bible verse have you committed to memory and why is it your favorite?
