The texts for January 1, 2012: Numbers 6:22–27; Psalm 8; Galatians 4:4–7; and Luke 2:21-38. … It is also maybe why we get sentimentally sappy as the clock strikes midnight and we break out in “Auld lang sine”: “We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet for old time’s sake!” Essentially we are saying good byeContinueContinue reading “Cradling an Unknown Future”
Tag Archives: hope
Mary: The Child Bride
The texts for Sunday, December 18, 2011: 2 Samuel 7:1–11, 16; Psalm 89:1–4, 19–26; Romans 16:25–27; and Luke 1:26–38. She might have been 12 or 13 or maybe 15 at the oldest. I think it is interesting that we have all these wonderings about Mary about the state of her virginity about the truth ofContinueContinue reading “Mary: The Child Bride”
Hoping in consistency and inconsistency
Text: Malachi 3:16-4:6 “Who can endure the day of [the Lord’s] coming, and who can stand when he appears?” Malachi preaches. The day of the Lord for Malachi is about judgement about how all of the people have failed to do justice to do what is right to love God and love neighbor. The peopleContinueContinue reading “Hoping in consistency and inconsistency”
Out, out damned spot
Text: Isaiah 4: 2-6 Let me give you a couple of scenes that flash in my mind as I read this text. The first I imagine is a soldier—of ancient times— standing in the midst of the carnage after a battle covered in blood—his own and so many others cries of those not quite dead—his ownContinueContinue reading “Out, out damned spot”
Waiting
The texts for Sunday, December 4, 2011: Isaiah 40:1–11; Psalm 85:1–2, 8–13; 2 Peter 3:8–15a; and Mark 1:1–8 As a person who has, in all honesty, stood by the microwave and pleaded with it to hurry up— I am probably not the one to speak with the wise experienced words of a patient waiter. Waiting is not myContinueContinue reading “Waiting”
Hope in the hopeless
Text: Micah 5:1-5a Hope. I think it’s human nature to hope. In fact, I was just looking around online and came across a quote in Latin from Cicero: “Dum spiro, spero.” While I breathe, I hope. We don’t live without hope … at least not for long. But, it is easier to hope at sometimes than at other times. It is easier toContinueContinue reading “Hope in the hopeless”
Context is Everything
The texts for Sunday, November 13, 2011: Zephaniah 1:7, 12–18; Psalm 90:1–12; 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11; and Matthew 25:14–30 “The great day of the LORD is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter, the warrior cries aloud there.” – Zephaniah 1:14 It is hard to hear these textsContinueContinue reading “Context is Everything”
Sunrise is coming…
The texts for Sunday, September 18, 2011 were: Jonah 3:10—4:11; Psalm 145:1–8; Philippians 1:21–30; and Matthew 20:1–16. “Sunrise is coming,” she said. That was the only response I got when I asked if it was worth it. If it was worth working through the night. If it was worth waiting in the long, painful hours—waitingContinueContinue reading “Sunrise is coming…”
Posing Questions
The texts for Sunday, September 11, 2011 (at least the ones that we’re using) were: Jonah 3:1-4:11; Psalm 140; Ephesians 2:1-7 [8-10]; and Luke 10:25-37 This Sunday, we had a picnic, jointly held, between Immanuel, Salem, and Zion Lutheran. Pastor Joshua Rinas (the pastor at Zion) and I planned a service called: “Rising up: Remembering, Healing,ContinueContinue reading “Posing Questions”
Jabbok Dawn 