I’ve always been struck by the repetition of the angel’s message, “Do not be afraid.” In the Gospels, they words are first spoken to Zechariah, then to Mary, and finally to shepherds. They are words that tie together the whole of the Christmas story.  This week we turn to Mary’s story, to her encounter with an angel that left her perplexed (which is the same root word, tarasso, used to describe Zechariah’s fear). If we’re honest, how could Mary not be afraid? Let’s be fair, t

It’s not a typo, for a week of Advent we move out of the larger birth narrative and fast-forward some thirty plus years. By the time we get to Matthew 11, John, who had born to Zechariah and Elizabeth, is an adult. He’s already been on the banks of the Jordan River crying out “Prepare the way of the Lord” (Luke 3:4). He’s already baptized Jesus, and pointed his own disciples to him saying, “Here is the Lamb of God” (John 1:29).   And now, he is a prisoner – held under Herod’s

“In the time of Herod.” The opening words of Luke’s gospel might seem unimportant, but they paint a picture of the world Jesus was born into. A world filled with rampant oppression, economic disparity, uncertainty, and instability. A world in which there was plenty to fear.   And yet, when we read the rest of the story, we hear the angels repeat another phrase, “Do not fear.” “Do not fear” the angel says to Mary, then to Joseph. “Do not fear,” the angels say to the shepherds

Sunday is Christ the King Sunday. It’s not a day that typically gets a lot of attention; in fact, it’s easy to overlook or skip over in the midst of all the other events of this season.   But Christ the King Sunday marks the end of the church year (unlike our regular calendars, the church year begins with the 1 st Sunday of Advent). So, Christ the King Sunday is something like the church’s New Year’s Eve. It’s a day when we look back, remembering everything that has come bef

It’s near the end of Deuteronomy, as God’s people prepare to enter the Promised Land, that Moses stands on Mount Nebo gazing into the land that would soon belong to the nation of Israel.   It’s been a long journey to reach this point. A journey filled with joy and triumph, heartache and loss, challenges and struggle. But finally, that journey is about to end; the people are at last ready to enter the land that was once promised to their ancestor Abraham.   Except Moses, who h

In the middle of Exodus there’s a story about a battle between Israel and Amalek. It’s one of those stories we are sometimes quick to pass over. It’s doesn’t necessarily contribute to the larger narrative, and it’s just a few verses in the middle of grander, more memorable stories. But there’s something unique about this particular story.   Before the battle Moses says to Joshua, “ Choose some men for us and go out; fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the h

It’s near the end of Deuteronomy, as God’s people prepare to enter the Promised Land, that Moses stands on Mount Nebo gazing into the land that would become the nation of Israel. He himself will never enter it, but in that moment on Mount Nebo Moses gets to see what God promised. I’ve found myself reflecting on what Moses might have felt in that moment. Regret that he wouldn’t be entering the land himself? Joy that the people’s wilderness journey would soon be over? Gratitude

Watchman Nee, best remembered for his leadership of an indigenous church movement in China, once wrote a book on Ephesians called Sit, Walk Stand . Though brief, it offers a compelling argument that the letter to the church in Ephesus contains three basic principles for the Christian life. Even more, each can be summarized with a verb.   Sit. Walk. Stand.   Nee writes, “the life of the believer always presents these three aspects.” The Christian life, therefore, is incomplete

Singing, and music in general, has long been a central part of worship. We sing when people are born. We sing when people die. We sing when people are baptized, when they are married, when they are ordained, when they are sad and happy and everything in between.    When he writes to the church in Ephesus, Paul instructs them saying, “Be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to one another, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts

Each month, when I invite us to the Communion Table, I begin with the simple word “Come.” Come to the Table.   It is, perhaps, one of the...

If you’ve ever read or seen the Harry Potter story, you might recall that following the death of his parents Harry is taken to live with...

Mending Walls by Robert Frost Something there is that doesn’t love a wall, That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it, And spills the...

In his book Eat This Book , Eugene Peterson reminds readers that scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, is a narrative; it’s a story. The...

A blessing is “a distinctive constellation of words designed to call upon and convey God’s deepest desire for our wholeness and...

Pain is an inevitable part of life. The American Medical Association defines pain as “an unpleasant sensation related to tissue damage.”...

Often when we think of the creation narrative and garden of Eden, we think of the poetic words that open the book of Genesis. “In the...

As the base of Mount Sinai God s ays to the people, “ You shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole...

There was a time in my life when I was certain that there was one thing I was supposed to do with my life. And it was my job to discover...

When I first travelled to Egypt, I had this idea that my presence would be an encouragement to the Christians there. And it was. But...

When I lived in Atlanta the seven mile-drive between home and work could take anywhere from fifteen minutes to thirty minutes depending...