the right time
I recently officiated the marriage of a young couple. After the ceremony, the bridal party headed out for some photos prior to the reception. My wife and I were invited to the bride’s home for some sweet fellowship and treats on the family’s backyard patio. Suddenly, the mother of the bride emerged from the house with tears in her eyes. She held up her daughter’s purity ring and with a choked up voice and tender smile, uttered, “She left this on the kitchen counter.” The decision of the young woman to wear a purity ring had been an outward sign that she had vowed to remain sexually pure until marriage. Now, the ring was no longer needed.
the Lord is my Pacesetter
The year 2013 had hardly begun before I felt as if I needed a vacation. A house renovation, a book launch, a trip to Ethiopia, and two speaking trips to Australia had left the year with little free space. In the midst of the busyness, I picked up a book one night and found this delightful paraphrase of Psalm 23:1-6 by Japanese poet Toki Miyashina:
April 28, 2014
What person has shown you what it means to be merciful? What did they do?
faith and diligence
Ever suffered from paralysis of analysis? New graduates stepping into the workforce often experience its symptoms. They hope God will tell them exactly what their job should be. They wish He would show them beyond any shadow of a doubt that they’re making the best choice. So some of them hesitate to send out their resumé to even one company.
ask God first
In my work with radio, I’m always listening for new talent and have at times foolishly chosen to work with people because of their impressive experience or larger-than-life personalities. Previous poor judgments have taught me to stop and listen to that “still small voice.” Now I check in with the Lord before being simply swept away by a person’s charisma and impressive words.
“the”
A panda walked into a café and ordered a sandwich. He ate it and then pulled a gun out and shot the waiter. The panda then plunked a badly punctuated wildlife manual onto the table. “Look me up,” he growled as he walked out the door. The wounded waiter opened the book to the entry for panda. It read, “Panda: Large, black and white bear-like mammal native to China. Eats, shoots & leaves.” This story illustrates the unfortunate consequences of a misplaced comma (the book should have read, “Eats shoots and leaves”).
secure
His soft hair brushing against my chin, the tiny bundle snuggled on my shoulder. Though I’m well past the baby stage with our own children, I so enjoy these tender times with friends’ babies. Even when they’re fussy, I enjoy the opportunity to nestle them close—especially when I can feel the tension leave their little bodies as they relax in slumber. At the same time, these precious moments encourage me to let go of everything that previously seemed foreboding or demanding.
you choose Q: is it sinful to live together after a divorce?
Q: If a man and wife divorce and decide to live together after the divorce, is that still sinful? —Jeannette
A: The question of whether it is sinful in some abstract way for a man and woman to live together outside the bounds of marriage isn’t the main issue.
Marriage is a public covenant that binds a man and woman together…
roots that drink from heaven
A man knocked on my office door and asked me if I would officiate his marriage. I asked him to sit down so we could chat about his plans, timing, and spiritual life. “Oh, I’m not sure you understand,” he said, “I’d like you to marry me today, like in the next hour.” The story is complicated, but his fiancée was from a country in Asia and was living in the US with a short-term visa. For numerous reasons he wanted to marry right away, but he didn’t want a civil authority to perform the ceremony. He wanted a church and a pastor.
finish well
After my grandmother died, my husband and I were quizzed about death by our 5-year-old twins. All I could think of to say was that she’d finished her work and then passed away. It’s a simple idea, but Scripture reveals that we have a certain number of days to finish our work on earth (Psalm 39:4, Psalm 90:10,12).
heart decisions
A young woman wrote: “I’ve fallen in love with an unbeliever, but I know it’s wrong. What should I do?” One of our authors posted her question and his answer on the ODJ website.
April 21, 2014
How do you reach out to family members who are antagonistic towards you and your beliefs?
be patient
If you had the opportunity to handpick the members of your local church or small group, would you choose people who always . . .
