In our last post we talked together about how in the 9th century BC, the prophet Elisha counseled the king of Israel not to kill his prisoners of war. As a result, Joram (king of Israel) prepared a feast for the soldiers of Ben-Hadad (king of Aram/Syria) and sent them home. After that, we’re told, that […]
A Christmas weekend marked by unseasonably violent weather and the emotions of caring for the needs of loved ones reflect, as Regina and Steve wrote yesterday, a realism we cannot escape. The embodying of the God of the universe in the flesh of a baby can sound so much like a child’s story—vaguely related to the […]
Dietrich Bonhoeffer is widely remembered as a German author and pastor who was arrested in 1943 for his role in resisting the policies of the Nazi government. While in prison he continued to write and was assisted by sympathetic guards who smuggled his letters to the outside. He was executed on 9 April 1945 as […]
In an unpredictably violent world it’s hard to think straight. This isn’t all bad. In dangerous moments our survival often depends on reactions that enable us to act quickly either in our own behalf or for the sake of others—when we don’t have time to think. Way too often, however, we all end up doing […]
Over the years, I’ve dreamed of being part of a “safe place” where hurting people could feel welcome and feel free to be themselves while trying to make sense out of their lives. In the process I’ve imagined finding a group of like-minded people who could hang out a shingle and an honest invitation that […]
Woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of an unseasonal thunderstorm. It’s unusual but not unheard of to have lightning and thunder with snow on the ground, in the middle of a Midwest winter. The rumbling skies reminded me of how an unseasonal storm was once used as a wake-up call […]
Do you ever wonder how things got “back to normal” in the minds of a generation that had heard the news of a miraculous star, the vision of the shepherds, the mysterious magi from the east, and rumors of a birth that resulted in Herod’s eventual murderous actions in Bethlehem? (Matt 2:16-18) Did anyone wonder […]
Our family’s former pastor, Ed Dobson, was recently interviewed on the Today Show and I thought you might find the conversation interesting. I’d especially like you to see the first short video that this interview is about. Ed on Today Show Along the way Ed and his family have discovered not only the reality of […]
Saul was a big man, good looking, and remembered for a consuming anger that was fed by his fears. David, Saul’s successor, could also be noted for his appearance–as for his adultery, many wives, messed up family, abuse of power, and conspiracy to commit murder. Instead, however, we remember David primarily for his music, a […]
What can we do when we’re out of sorts, not ourselves, and lost in emotions of inexpressible heaviness? What if, on top of it all, we’re feeling guilty for not being able to think or pray ourselves out of whatever is consuming our focus and energy? Spiritual talk that is supposed to help leaves us cold. Imagine meeting […]
