THE STORY OF JESUS: Matthew 19:13-15 “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them.” (Matthew 19:14) I have a huge soft spot in my heart for kids. In a family gathering, I will often want to spend time playing with the little ones. Often the world with them seems so simple, and they…
What am I choosing for You?
THE STORY OF JESUS: Matthew 19:10-12 “Those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:12) The word ‘eunuch’ literally means ‘to have the bed to yourself’. It was primarily used for those who were castrated (for different reasons). But it also came to mean singleness, to be unmarried. I…
The leap of trust!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Psalm 25 “In you, Lord my God, I put my trust.” (Psalm 25:1) David is pleading for God’s help BECAUSE He trusts God. He is reaching out to God over the gap, jumping into His arms. He’s taking a chance, will God catch him, will God help him? “No one who hopes in…
Always with us, wherever we go!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Deuteronomy 4-6 “For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you.” (Deuteronomy 4:31) Moses is giving final instructions to this younger generation of Israelites, before they part. He reminds them of God’s ’10 Lifeskills’ (commandments) for success in their new venture. He also reminds them they…
The view from up here!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Deuteronomy 1-3 “Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan.” (3:27) Though Moses has been a part of their story, he will not enter this next chapter. He gets to see it, but he does not get to experience it. To some extent,…
Grace from beginning to end!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Matthew 19:1-9 “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.” (Matthew 19:8) The Pharisees were students of the book (John 5:39-40). They knew exactly what Moses said, but they did not know the heart of God. Jesus explains that what Moses…
Walking the bridge of forgiveness
THE STORY OF JESUS: Matthew 18:28-35 “Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” (Matthew 18:33) Jesus reminds us of the connection between forgiving, and being forgiven (Matthew 6:12). We are on the bridge of forgiveness with God. If we hack it down to keep others from crossing, we go down…
Keep counting, His mercy never ends!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Matthew 18:21-27 “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” (Matthew 18:22) Whether 70×7, or 77 times, its a whole lot of times. In other words, stop counting, just forgive! Jesus is not suggesting a mathematical formula for how long to show mercy. He is magnifying Peter’s attempt at being extra-gracious… ‘you’ve…
The power of WE!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Matthew 18:15-20 “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:20) Here Jesus explains how disciples ought to unite together against division. Make every attempt to restore broken relations, involve the church if needed. As God’s children, we together share the authority over creation (Genesis 1:26-28). Together…
Open your heart and let Him in!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Psalm 24 “Lift up your heads, you gates, that the King of glory may come in.” (Psalm 24:7) When God is at the center of our life, all of life and creation fit together wonderfully. Our problem, then, is that we have evicted God from our lives, and we are now homeless. God…