Creative Space for Wanderers
and Over the next few weeks or so we’ll read Isaiah, the first of the major prophets, “the vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.” Isaiah begins by setting the stage: Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth! For the Lord …
The problem is not belief in the resurrection, but whether we live lives that would make no sense if in fact Jesus has not been raised from the dead. ~ Stanley Hauerwas (Matthew) I’m a bit distracted this morning by thoughts of Easter. I did my part in the production of Easter Sunday, but has …
Read: Christ is Risen, He is Risen Indeed! Tradition that reminds us to remind ourselves of this spectacular, pivotal event in history. I was raised with such rich tradition, with Easter Egg hunts and candy treats, with early Son Rise services as we sang hymns on cool Easter Sundays. The Easter Lilies that adorned the sanctuaries bloom …
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Read: Two thousand plus years ago, this was the worst Saturday conceivable. Did the disciples begin to hear dismissive thoughts from those who called them out time and time again: “Didn’t we tell you? He was just a man.” 10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and …
Read: Good Friday. Horrible Friday. Necessary Friday. I’ve always had trouble with the name we labeled for this day as we stop to remember that our savior was brutally tortured on a cross. Last night, Hope Fellowship provided a somber reminder of the process through The Way of the Cross, an expanded version of Stations of …
and As we read through the second half of Song of Songs, we should take a diversion and consider how the poem should be interpreted. Is this a story of two lovers? Or is this a love story of Christ and his church? Or God and Israel? In other words, is this an allegory that …
Today and tomorrow we quickly read through the Song of Songs, the best of all songs — a celebration of true love and intimacy found in marriage, the wonderful union of one man and one woman in the eyes of God. This beautiful poem uses words to describe that which is rather indescribable. The writer wastes …
The last chapter in Ecclesiastes begins with a beautiful poem, an allegory that paints a vivid portrait of growing old and eventually leaving this mortal frame behind. Memories of my mom’s last days return and the mirror doesn’t lie, we all have a limited number of days on earth. Though mixed with sadness, my preference …
This is Holy Week, Palm Sunday to Easter, the week that separates Jesus Christ from all others, Christ-followers from every other religious group. As we share the Gospel with those we love, friends and family that we desperately want to see in the arms of Christ, I pray they will cheat death and enjoy eternity with …
and In many ways it seems that this life on earth is unfair, biased against us. One day, all is fine; the next, not so good. Most of this is likely due to our own experience and our myopic perspective — we are simply too self-absorbed and too concerned about what others think. The words …