Relating, Creating, Transforming
Zephaniah 3:16-17; 19-20a You know it must be Advent if on the in later December we’re reading from another minor Hebrew prophet, in this case Zephaniah. It would be a stretch to say that many people know the book of Zephaniah well [Jewish or Christian alike]. Though, come on–I mean, he was the son of […]
Read MoreBaruch 5:1; 7-9 The Inclusive Bible Take off the garment of your sorrow and affliction, Jerusalem, and put on forever the beauty of the glory from God. For God has ordered that every mountain and the ancient hills be made low and the valleys lifted up, to make level ground, so that Israel may walk […]
Read MoreJeremiah 33:14-16 During this time of year for Christians, called Advent, Hebrew prophetic literature is what is often read leading up to Christmas Eve. I wonder, though, do most Christians know what they are reading? Do they know that these prophets were telling the story of the Jewish people? Do they know that none of […]
Read More
Luke 1:39-41; 46-49; 52,53 Let’s get this out of the way from the start. I know that for many, the stories about the birth of Jesus of Nazareth carry with them some pretty strong emotions and nostalgia. For some, this story can be confusing, maddening, and perhaps oppressive—depending on how religion [and your family] treated […]
Read More
In the brilliant sci-fi/fantasy Netflix series Stranger Things the main characters all go through trauma: Joyce loses her son, Will. Jonathan loses his little brother. Eleven/Jane is experimented on, deprived of parental care, tortured, and manipulated psychologically. Dustin, Mike, and Lucas lose their friend and think he’s dead. Will is taken by a creature to […]
Read More
If you haven’t seen the Netflix original show Stranger Things, I highly recommend it. I won’t give a full synopsis here, but even if you are not familiar with it, I think what follows will still be relevant and hopefully meaningful. Let’s talk about friendship. In Stranger Things, friendship takes center stage. It is set […]
Read More
Isaiah 64:4-6; 8, 9b Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Go. You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways. But when we continued to sin against […]
Read More
Isaiah 11:1-4a It is December. It’s colder. The leaves are on the ground. Winter has come. Animals know it. They sense it—they go about their business getting ready for colder nights, gathering food and making more stable shelters. There is so much movement in nature at this time of year if you pay attention to […]
Read MoreLuke 3:7-18 I have mentioned before that the word faith is nuanced in the Bible. So what should the Koine Greek Word in the New Testament that is often translated into the English noun faith really be? How about faithing? What is faithing? Well, according to the Urban Dictionary: The act of walking quickly to […]
Read More
Zephaniah 3:17-20a Inclusive Bible For YHWH your God is in your midst, a warrior to keep you safe; who will rejoice over you and be glad with it; who will show you love once more, and exult with songs of joy and soothe those who are grieving. At the appointed time I will take […]
Read More