reading Scripture, missing God
Some years ago, I had a sobering epiphany regarding my faith. After a decade of ministry, I realized that I didn’t really know God very well. Yes, I knew there was a God and that He was good and holy. I knew that Jesus had died for my sins. But did I really know God’s character well? His personality? Not very deeply.
judgment of justice
An acquaintance of mine, who is highly intelligent and has a philosophical bent, also carries antipathy toward God and religion. He enjoys being provocative, recently quoting the second-century philosopher Epicurus who said: “There is no such thing as justice in the abstract; it is merely a compact between men.”
dig in
Determined to grow a vegetable garden, I dragged my shovel to a sunny patch of land and pitched it into the soil. The ground was as hard as cement, but I kept digging. Eventually, a hunk of sod came loose. I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand. It was rewarding to finally “dig in”—to get beyond the…
principled
Teaching in a Christian preparatory school, I am accustomed to including an “honor code” on each quiz and test that my students take. Because they live in a world of moral relativism, some students are accustomed to signing on the line even when they’ve cheated. Recently I had to turn a student in for cheating, and as I watched the…
