My grandfather was 5 feet & 135 inches tall. Actually he was well under 6 feet but he was a giant, legendary figure. I grew up during my preschool days in Los Angeles. As a knee-high kid, my brother and I would fly for a number of weeks to live in Dry Prong Louisiana. Dry…
Month: March 2016
I Am in a Hurry
I have more days behind me than I do in front of me so I am in a hurry. I can’t afford to be cynical, satisfied or slow. I don’t want to do anything halfway for You. I don’t want to be pulled away by self interest, pride, or opposition. I don’t have the time to live…
It’s Sunday!
It’s Sunday. And Jesus is with us! His obituary is in the paper and, for goodness sakes alive, He is sitting at our breakfast table! He is supposed to be behind a stone, flanked by Rome’s finest. Dead, dead, dead… But instead He’s hungry and wants fish this morning! And where has he been since…
It’s Saturday
It’s Saturday. The tomb is sealed. The guards are in position. The sheep are scattered. The light is gone. There is nothing more than silence on the other end. These are the times when we look back and replay all our errors and missed opportunities. The words we should have said… The swords we should…
It is Friday
Jesus remains on the cross, suffering unimaginable traumas. He is deserted by fearful disciples, surrounded by tormentors, thieves, murderers, and religious provocateurs. Soldiers gaming over the final scant possessions of the Master of creation, ignore the darkening sky. Jesus cries out: “My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?” On this holy day, God’s…
It’s Thursday
It’s Thursday evening. Darkness falls on a Middle Eastern city and a group of men gather around a table. Some men want answers, others want power, others conceal their furtive motives and plans, and still others resign to die. Tonight is different. In the past, their times of feasting were filled with so much laughter…
It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time
Fresh ideas energize a church. I’m no church historian but somewhere along the line someone said: “Hey! Why don’t we meet on Wednesday night?” “For what?” “To kind of give ourselves a midweek shot in the arm.” “We could pray for the sick, discuss church business and have youth worship with fog machines in the…
Some Candidates Remind Me of Church Members
This has been a difficult political season for America to say the least. Campaign presentations are louder, angrier and crazier than this country has ever experienced. However, I hear a faint whisper in my head that says “I’ve seen these people before.” Most pastors have. Who would these candidates resemble if they joined the church?…
He Needs No One’s Permission
God’s standard of acceptance and love is not based on… weight, gender, race, history, genealogy, past achievements, financial status, nationality, location, IQ, mental health, preexisting conditions, athleticism, success in parenting, career, how high you can jump, how far you can run, your speaking ability, your creativity, your mileage, your grace and charm, your ability to…
He Forgives Them All
The tone of religion, more often than not, rings as a dirge of condemnation. We see the old crooked finger of legalism and malicious apologetics steadily pointing into the mass of stumbling sinners, almost relishing the chance to find a scapegoat for the brokenness of the world. But as we look at the cross and…