Many of us have complicated relationships with our father's. The first week of July will mark almost exactly one year since my father passed away. I mourn the loss of the many years I wanted to spend getting to know him. This Father's Day, I am holding everyone who has lost a parent in prayer. When my heart is heavy, I often find solace in the Psalms. This week, I have found particular comfort in Psalm 93.
When people look at me, they can see the face of my mother and my grandmother. The family resemblance is clear. In many ways, I am reflection of her. I hope that I am also a reflection of my Heavenly Father. I pray that by the way I live my life and by the actions that I take, people will also be able to see the love of God reflected in me.
The trinity is like a dance— the flames of the Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer are perpetually in motion. In this dark world, we especially need flames of hope dancing in the darkness.
this same vision of Jesus’s appearance on the road to Emmaus speaks to our lives as well. It’s been a long journey to get to this Easter season. This past Lent was the longest Lent that I’ve ever experienced. However, now that Easter Sunday has come and gone, it appears that there is still a very long road ahead for all of us.
The story of Lazarus offers comfort to all of those who mourn. We are all mourning something right now, but we will all get through this together. Although we cannot physically gather, I encourage you to lift your hearts with me every day in prayer for five minutes at five in the afternoon. The church is not a building, it is a people. Let us be a people united in prayer.
Jesus told the disciples not to be afraid. Jesus is Lord of Heaven and Earth. Even the wind and the waves obey him (Matthew 8:27, NIV). I know that he will calm this storm as well.
Receiving the new birth completely changes the way we see the world. It's the difference between being stuck inside a dark egg or being alive outside in the world. This Lent, we are reminded that if we trust in God, Christ will help us to break out of our shells int to the glorious resurrection of an Easter morning.
The most dangerous snake is the one that you don’t see. The snake that you don’t see is the one that bites you. We fall into sin when we do not realize that we are being tempted. The most dangerous temptations are the ones we don’t even see coming.
Something about cats and Lent just seem together! My husband says he has never seen any cat who was every sorry for anything. Cats don't need to repent, but humans do! During Lent, we make time for repentance and lamentation.
No one laments louder or longer than my cat when he is hungry! During the season of Lent, we make time for lament. In our culture, we have grown uncomfortable with the signs of intense morning. But in Biblical times, especially during the time of the Old Testament, it was common for people to loudly lament their grief for the Lord to hear.
