-
Declaring God’s glory
Psalm 96:1–13 is part of the lectionary readings for the twentieth Sunday after Pentecost, which is October 18th. This ode is a royal hymn that celebrates God’s universal reign. The song seems to have been composed for use in public worship, most likely in the Jerusalem temple. The fact that it is quoted almost entirely in 1 Chronicles 16 points to its Davidic character and origin. The Septuagint version of the hymn also links it to him. The historical context included David bringing the ark of the covenant back to Jerusalem to unite the religious and political life of the nation. Specifically, Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, set…
-
God What in the World Are You Up To?
Like many of you, my family had church yesterday in our pajamas. The kids got a kick out of worshiping barefoot, however it was a bit unsettling to think this may be our new normal as we “shelter in place” due to Covid-19. I’ve got about one thousand questions about this new normal: Can I survive my children for 4 weeks in our house? When did I run out of topics to discuss with my husband? How do I keep from eating all of my quarantine supplies in one day? But among the surface-level questions, there is a deeper one brewing. I can’t be alone in asking, “God what in…
-
You have a dream you believe God gave you…and it shatters. Where is God when dreams die?
Just today I heard a terrific businessman say that he tries to set his goals for the following year in mid-November so he can ease off and let them marinate during the holidays, then tweak them and be ready to charge forward come January 1. And immediately I thought of Phil Vischer, aka Bob the Tomato and the creator of VeggieTales. If ever anyone set a big hairy audacious goal it was Phil. Phil believed God wanted him to create a “Christian Disney” company. He even called it “Big Idea.” The company soared. Millions were blessed. Then Big Idea went bankrupt. Phil had to sell Bob and his entire…
-
The Tyranny of the Expected Response… What lies beneath?
A farmer sits on his front porch. Just inside the screen door the phone rings. And rings. His neighbor asks, “Aren’t you going to get that?” The farmer spits and leans back, “I bought that phone for my convenience. And right now…it’s not convenient.” Not so long ago…if someone phoned you and you didn’t answer…they just called you back. Then, If someone emailed you…you responded within a day or two. All was well. Then came instant messenger and Facebook messaging. We see you are logged in on Facebook so we kind of expect you to respond… Then came a river of tweets rushing by…I know you’re always checking…
-
The Lure of the Idol of Beauty
Last night our television was on, but I wasn’t really paying attention to it. I did note my husband flipping through a report featuring an aging television star who has clearly gone through a number of facelifts—common among celebrities and the wealthy. Beauty is a very popular idol. I have to admit that I hate looking in the mirror. Yet I know the beauty culture is the antithesis of God’s view of me. I would never have surgery simply to improve my appearance, but I still wish I could look better! The pull of beauty is so pervasive that it’s almost impossible for any of us to feel good about…
-
Permission Givers
Recently I was shopping in a store clogged with shoppers seeking Grand Opening bargains. I wanted three of an item; as one of the stockers opened a box for me, another lady said, “The limit is six, right? Give me six!” Suddenly I wanted to have six as well. She had given me permission to buy more than I intended. It was like she whipped out a permission slip and handed it to me. And I took it. This lady had no idea what she did! We often function as “permission givers” in each other’s lives. It’s part of living in community. We give each other permission not just for…
