Faith – Apprentice 2 Jesus

Two forgotten heroes in the early Jesus narrative

Two people I am fascinated with in the early narrative of Jesus: Simeon and Anna. Both waiting. Both longing. Both rewarded after decades of waiting.

Faith… I just KNOW

I’ve spent this morning contemplating Hebrews 11… and faith… and I find myself overwhelmed by the presence of the Spirit. It has sustained me for hours.

The reminder of gratitude and service

Luke 17:1-10 is a challenge to my pride. Verse 5, the disciples are so challenged they call out: “Increase our faith!” (This is something we think we need in our day… more faith.) Jesus’s response lets them (and us) know the true power of the Kingdom: we don’t need “more faith.” We need faith inContinue reading “The reminder of gratitude and service”

The Memorial Stones

And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before youContinue reading “The Memorial Stones”

Won’t He Do It?

Our Old Testament Scripture reading for this Sunday (2nd Sunday of Lent) is from Genesis 15. Abram was doubting the promises of God. He didn’t have a son. He wasn’t getting any younger. How would it happen? God shows up. I thought of this song reading this text:

A beautiful articulation of faith and life

The interview is longer, but if you start at around 3:20, the guest, Dua Lipa, asks the host, Stephen Colbert, a question like she is interviewing him rather than him interviewing her. What I deeply admire about Colbert is his ability to articulate a deep answer on the spot. He even quotes literature on theContinue reading “A beautiful articulation of faith and life”

More thoughts on deconstruction and reconstruction

Scot McKnight has been walking through some structure of what it may mean to reconstruct faith after the battle to deconstruct as someone walks through the minefield of our current religious landscape. He writes behind a paywall, so I will list some things here.

Deconstructing and Reconstructing

To be fair, I haven’t had the kind of crisis of faith I’ve watched so many others undergo. But I’ve certainly had to step back and examine honestly where I’ve been complacent — or even complicit — in enabling others who have abused their power in the name of the Lord. It’s a process inContinue reading “Deconstructing and Reconstructing”

Things to chew on

I came across this quote a few days ago and it still rattles around in my head: The opposite of faith is not doubt, it is certainty. — Anne Lamott

To Glimpse Heaven and All Its Power

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruitContinue reading “To Glimpse Heaven and All Its Power”