Image by Ri Butov from Pixabay The texts for Sunday, September 22, 2013 (Lectionary 25 C): Amos 8:4–7; Psalm 113; 1 Timothy 2:1–7; and Luke 16:1–13 . “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone” – 1 Timothy 2:1 I know this sentence continues in the text to tell us to prayContinueContinue reading “Praying for Everyone?”
Author Archives: jabbokdawn
Reclamation Grace
The texts for Sunday, September 15, 2013 (Lectionary 24C): Exodus 32:7–14; Psalm 51:1–10; 1 Timothy 1:12–17; and Luke 15:1–10. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” – Psalm 51: 10 I’d say that God is a God of second chances; but, besides it sounding a little cliché, it might give the impressionContinueContinue reading “Reclamation Grace”
Free to Move
The texts for Sunday, August 25, 2013 (Lectionary 21C): Isaiah 58:9b–14; Psalm 103:1–8; Hebrews 12:18–29; and Luke 13:10–17 “And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight.” – Luke 13:11 I bet she didn’t expect anything to change thatContinueContinue reading “Free to Move”
The Direction Faith Looks
The texts for Sunday, August 11,2013 (Lectionary 19 C): Genesis 15:1–6; Psalm 33:12–22; Hebrews 11:1–3, 8–16; and Luke 12:32–40 “[God] brought [Abram] outside and said, ‘Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.'” – Genesis 15:5 “But as it is, they desire aContinueContinue reading “The Direction Faith Looks”
Catching Bubbles
The texts Sunday, August 4, 2013: Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12–14; 2:18–23; Psalm 49:1–12; Colossians 3:1–11; and Luke 12:13–21 “And [Jesus] said to them, ‘Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.'”- Luke 12:15 I am not preaching this week. It feels kind of strange, actually,ContinueContinue reading “Catching Bubbles”
Lamed Vavniks
The texts Sunday, July 28, 2013 (lectionary 17): Genesis 18:20-32; Psalm 138; Colossians 2:6-15 [16-19]; and Luke 11:1-13 “Then Abraham came near and said, ‘Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who areContinueContinue reading “Lamed Vavniks”
The Use of Power
The texts for Sunday, June 16,2013 (Lectionary 11C): 2 Samuel 11:26—12:10; 12:13–15; Psalm 32; Galatians 2:15–21; and Luke 7:36—8:3 “Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: I anointed you king over Israel…” – 2 Samuel 12:7 At pericope study on Tuesday, I heard something about this story ofContinueContinue reading “The Use of Power”
The Poetry of Trinity
The texts for Sunday, May 26, 2013 (Trinity Sunday, year C): Proverbs 8:1–4, 22–31, Psalm 8, Romans 5:1–5, and John 16:12–15 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.” – John 16:12 This passage from John reminds me of rather famous advice from the poet Rainer Maria RilkeContinueContinue reading “The Poetry of Trinity”
Tabitha
The texts for Sunday, April 21, 2013: Acts 9:36-43; Psalm 23; Revelation 7:9-17; and John 10:22-30. “The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me” – John 10: 25b I’m really drawn to the story of Tabitha in Acts. There is something about a story, I suppose, that brings faith to life, that puts flesh onContinueContinue reading “Tabitha”
On the Boat
The texts for Sunday, April 14, 2013 (Easter 3C): Acts 9:1–20; Psalm 30; Revelation 5:11–14; and John 21:1–19. “Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing…” – John 21:3 I can see why the disciplesContinueContinue reading “On the Boat”
God’s Peace
The texts for the day are: Acts 5:27–32, Psalm 150, Revelation 1:4–8, and John 20:19–31. “Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, theyContinueContinue reading “God’s Peace”
There is God— (A sermon for Good Friday)
Text: Luke 23: 26-49 (following other reflections on Luke 22:39-71 and Luke 23:1-24) Do you hear that? Do you hear the silence? The stillness? The heaviness? It seems the proper response to this —To tragedy And yet, more than tragedy—as though this happened by accident or by some random act of injustice— No, this isContinueContinue reading “There is God— (A sermon for Good Friday)”
I am the Elder Brother
The texts for Sunday, March 10, 2013: Joshua 5:9–12; Psalm 32; 2 Corinthians 5:16–21; and Luke 15:1–3, 11b–32 I am the elder brother. I remember hearing this text many times as a kid while my own brother seemed to be nothing but difficult —in and out of juvenile detention facilities using drugs failing classes inContinueContinue reading “I am the Elder Brother”
The message of reconciliation
The texts for Sunday, March 10, 2013: Joshua 5:9–12; Psalm 32; 2 Corinthians 5:16–21; and Luke 15:1–3, 11b–32 “that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.” – 2 Corinthians 5:19 Reconciliation. This is the kind of thing thatContinueContinue reading “The message of reconciliation”
“Failing” Lent: Day 18
Breathe. Why is Lent—this time of introspection and growth, this time which is supposed to be about taking time, this time which is supposed to be about stripping away and wandering in the wilderness—so crazy busy?? I am looking at my calendar through the month of March and feeling a tad overwhelmed and stressed aboutContinueContinue reading ““Failing” Lent: Day 18″
God, the Gardener
The texts for Sunday, March 3, 2013 (Lent 3C): Isaiah 55:1–9; Psalm 63:1–8; 1 Corinthians 10:1–13; Luke 13:1–9 Tragedies are (as what we name of them states) Tragic. Sad. Shocking. Horrifying. Disorienting And those of us who find ourselves living on the other side of a tragedy are left first of all to grieve theContinueContinue reading “God, the Gardener”
“Failing” Lent: Day 17
Monday is a good day. It is a day full of small groups. We have one that meets in the morning and one that meets in the evening. We are reading a book together called Body of Work: Meditations on Mortality from the Human Anatomy Lab by Christine Montross. I loved the book when IContinueContinue reading ““Failing” Lent: Day 17″
“Failing” Lent: Day 10/11
I think I’m actually on Day 12 of Lent at this point (and as I finish this, day 13). I have fallen behind in my reflections. I kind of figured I would … it’s really hard to think of something new to write every day that is appropriate to share and vaguely interesting. I’m sureContinueContinue reading ““Failing” Lent: Day 10/11″
Jabbok Dawn 