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Shouldn’t it be DIFFERENT?
N T Wright in Simply Jesus leaves me with all kinds of crazy questions. If Jesus IS King… why are in such a mess? What has gone wrong? Or, what IS going wrong? One of the tough questions he poses: What is the use of announcing love and peace if you make angry, violent war to achieve it? The message…
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Following Christ and Surrendering Dreams
N T Wright’s book Simply Jesus is a real challenge to understanding the gospel Think on this quote: He commands his hearers to give up their other dreams and to trust his instead. This, at its simplest, is what Jesus was all about. Help me follow you, Lord.
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The Utilitarian Jesus
N T Wright’s book Simply Jesus is filling my imagination right now. Surprised by Hope was a book that jarred me awake to the realities of the Kingdom of God in the present, and I still need to re-read that one! Wright continues to bring out what I feel about myself and about our culture in general: We want a…
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Maundy Thursday, the Pope washing feet, and the call to the basin and towel
12 After he washed the disciples’ feet, he put on his robes and returned to his place at the table. He said to them, “Do you know what I’ve done for you? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you speak correctly, because I am. 14 If I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you too must wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given…
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Being About the Business of My King
34 “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who will receive good things from my Father. Inherit the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world began. 35 I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. 36 I was naked…
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The Elusive Position of Contentment
12 I know the experience of being in need and of having more than enough; I have learned the secret to being content in any and every circumstance, whether full or hungry or whether having plenty or being poor. 13 I can endure all these things through the power of the one who gives me strength. (Phil. 4:12-13, CEB) In a culture that…
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Rest
In the new year and the new me, I am told when I work out it is best to work hard one day, then rest the next. The muscles need time to rebuild. Spiritually this is just as true. Our lives are always in full tilt and it is hard to find time to stop. We need rest. The sabbath…
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Resistance
In physical training, the only way to get muscles to grow and get the fat off is to push the body. The body has to meet resistance. When resistance happens, growth can occur. In spiritual training, it is the same principle. We don’t get growth by smooth sailing. We get growth through resistance. It is the necessity of growing our…
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Passion
4 But I have this against you: you have let go of the love you had at first. (Rev. 2:4, CEB) Letting go of that first love, that deep passion, can cost us. We drift into life as a rut. We just do things to get by rather than live with renewed passion. In Hebrews the author talks about “not drifting…
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CAN We Live Differently?
In light of the violence of this world, I offered some thoughts yesterday regarding the fact we don’t need to live this way. There is a way that is different. But the question to us, as believers, is this: CAN we? Do we WANT to? I see as many believers posting things about “shooting back” as I do believers who…
Category: Spiritual Formation
