Creative Space for Wanderers
Read: Have you ever been exhausted from sorrow? In this passage, Luke provides a brief glimpse into the garden where Jesus often prayed. Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. For Jesus to go out an pray was not unusual. For His disciples to follow Him was …
Read: The first part of the Last Supper in today’s reading includes preparation for the meal and the serving of the bread and wine. The gospel writers each give us a different perspective on events during this significant evening and there is much to consider. I hope you find some time and space to linger …
Read: Mark and Luke both provide two brief stories to contrast pride and arrogance versus humble obedience. The former will be severely punished while the latter is honored far above the proud. The Proud Jesus holds no punches in revealing the proud and arrogant Pharisees, the teachers of the law, that go about in flashy …
Read: I ordered a new set of reading glasses this morning, something I need, pretty common for people my age. My distance vision is great, but when I read, it’s a strain. This is quite a switch from when I was very young and couldn’t see the board at school. Eye doctors quickly figured out …
Read: A few days ago we read about the shrewd manager, a nice way of referring to the guy who was about to get fired so he reduced the debt of his master’s clients to gain favor. Today we read a story where Jesus refers to a worldly character, in this case, an unjust judge, …
Continue reading “Luke: The Persistent Widow and the Power of Prayer”
Read: One of the most familiar stories in the Bible, otherwise known as the prodigal son. This is every parent’s nightmare as well as every parent’s fantasy. Not that our children would squander whatever we give them, but that they would one day realize just how much we love them and the extent to which …
Read: Jesus is teaching on the way to Jerusalem when someone asks: Lord, are only a few people going to be saved? It’s a reasonable question for those who’ve been paying attention to His teaching. While Jesus shows great compassion for the least, the lame, and the forgotten, He also teaches tough lessons about leaving …
Read: A beatitude, a warning, and a parable. Three sections carefully designed to emphasize the call to consistent, faithful service. Beware! The narrative comes with warnings of judgment and dire consequences for disobedience. The warning is clear and the parable is often used to convict those in vocational service within the church, but don’t miss …
One of the hazards of any profession is the inability to take significant breaks. This is especially true in ministry. Many churches offer an extended sabbatical for staff after serving seven years–an absolutely wonderful concept! This notion comes from the Old Testament concept of a sabbatical year, but that’s a whole different story for another …
Read: The parable of the rich fool was setup by someone in the crowd that wanted Jesus to get in the middle of a sibling battle over inheritance. It’s interesting that Luke captured the moment that prompted the parable. Here we have Jesus preaching and teaching on matters of eternal importance and someone in the …