Not just once, but twice, Psalm 42 asks the question, “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?” It also says, “My tears have been my food day and night. Why have you forgotten me?” These emotions and questions are real, part of the human experience. Most of us have been there: […]
The much-beloved hymn Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee was written in 1907 by Henry van Dyke. He had been speaking at Williams College in Massachusetts and was inspired by the beauty of the Berkshire Mountains. He later said of the hymn, “These verses are simple expressions of common Christian feelings… hymns of today may be […]
Today, I am deeply grateful for those of you who have supported the Dial Hope Foundation with a financial donation. Hope reaches others because of you. Thank you! Not too long ago, someone shared with me prayers children had written to God. Some of them made me laugh out loud. Others carry an insightful edge. […]
The word Grace comes from the Greek word Charis. In one of his Wednesday night classes on the Parables, our Parish Associate Pastor Bob Smith defined grace as God’s unmerited, un-discourageable love. I like that. Other scholars tell us the word can be translated: joy, gift, pleasure, acceptance, favor, or favor done without any expectation […]
Author Hans-Ruedi Weber tells a popular East African story about a simple woman who always walked around with her big bulky Bible. No matter where she went, she toted it around with her. It got to the point where the other villagers began to tease her about, “Why always the Bible? There are so many […]
On the wall of my church study is a beautiful cross that my sister made for me one year for my birthday. It’s artistic – a collage of breaking waves and deep forests. It is inspired by the brightly colored crosses you see all over Latin America – which are painted with scenes of villages […]
The Ancient Greeks told the story of Pandora as a way of explaining evil in the world. In the myth, Pandora was endowed with every charm…the gift of all the gods. She was sent to earth with a little jar or box which she had been forbidden to open, but curiosity finally got the better […]
In the Talmud it is written, “A person’s words should always be few when speaking to God.” Jesus said in the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 6, “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others… […]
There is a great story in the book of 2 Kings (chapter 5) in which Naaman, a commander of an enemy army gets leprosy. He hears that there is a prophet named Elisha in Israel who may be able to heal him. In all humility, Naaman seeks out the prophet and asks for help. I […]
There is an old Hi and Luis comic strip that shows the little girl Trixie, looking out her window. She is waving to an elderly gentleman and thinks to herself, “There’s old Mr. Wavering. He always waves and smiles!” Then, in the next frame, she thinks, “I guess by the time you get to be […]
