So, the question before us on Dec. 26 (or on any other day) is, “What does Immanuel (God with us) mean today?”
All tagged Christian calendar
When God Shows up for Christmas
The story of Jesus entering into the world is a story of God disrupting the lives and plans of those God chose.
A Light in the Darkness
All of them need a little light in the midst of the darkness. I want nothing more than to bring a little light into the darkness.
A Tale of Two Trees
Christmas is when we recall that the King was born, and reigns forever more, and that the arrival of Christ signaled the expiration date on all other kingdoms.
How Are You and Your Dreams Getting Along this Advent?
Jesus needs people who are willing to imagine a different future, and step out on faith. Jesus needs dreamers in his life. Always has.
The Way of Salvation: An Advent Reflection
Salvation is a way; along that path the very character of God is sprouting up—love, faithfulness, righteousness, and peace.
Advent: A Season of Vulnerability
The season of Advent culminates in the arrival of God in the form of a very vulnerable Jesus.
The Crossroads of Life and Death
The nearness of death fills the room, yet somewhere there is the joy and promise of a new beginning.
Do Not Let Baby Jesus Become Jesus Lite
If baby Jesus is all we present, we are showing a “lite” version of Jesus, and babies do not demand that you deny yourself, take up a cross, and follow them.
Going to Church on Christmas
Christmas on Sunday puts church leaders in a Solomon-type predicament where we fear our only option is to make people decide between Christmas at home or keeping their commitment to church worship.
Between the Porch and the Altar
When I say we are under attack, I mean that we—the beloved and global people of God who long for restoration, who long to live in everlasting shalom—are up against the ropes.
So That You Will Be a Blessing
When a stranger meets us on an airplane or in a grocery store, may they see in us love, joy, and peace. May they hear in our voices patience, kindness, and goodness.
From Itchy Dresses to Funeral Homes: Growing up with Easter
I learned about Easter as I watched people emerge from the shadows of the darkest nights of their lives, into another day.
He Is Risen!
Raised in a traditional Church of Christ, with all the benefits I gained with that heritage, I had a long journey to make from discrediting the Christian calendar to embracing it.
But Who Will Pick Up the Pieces?
May we recognize that our futures are in God’s hands, being reminded that God has been there in the past, is here now, and will be there in the future.
A Lenten Prayer
Lord, we want to hear: “Peace, prosperity, security.”
Standing in your spotlight: “Favored, chosen, beloved.”
A Revelation of Atonement
This is the story of Jesus offering himself as a sacrifice to overthrow evil, and we would be wise to remember that the passion of the Christ was the dénouement of a cosmic battle.
Can These Bones Live?
As God breathed the breath of life into the man in Genesis 2, God puts the ruach into these lifeless human forms and they come to life.
A Prayer for Ash Wednesday (2017)
Lord, on this day, we gather as a people broken,
bleeding from self-inflicted wounds.
The War on Advent
Advent is a reminder that we still wait for the Messiah. As a people who live in the “now and not yet” of the kingdom of God, we await the return of Christ.