I have read the words of Hebrews 12:1-2 many, many times: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, [2] fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right…
It was bound to happen. After last night’s lengthy dinner discussion with a friend regarding the benefits (and moral challenges) of experimenting with Artificial intelligence(AI) tools for recent design and composition projects, I awakened in the middle of the night from a nightmare of epic proportions. In my dream, I was hard at work with AI prompts that would provide for my team a more streamlined workflow when I fell into a slumber. As I began to doze, I prompted…
What is our response when we are overwhelmed by life and our circumstances? Fight or flight? Face the moment or hide? Mitigate risk or “meet them in battle nonetheless”*? There are certainly moments (or seasons) when we have no “reasonable” hope for a good outcome, but God teaches us to expect his help – even in the face of overwhelming odds. In the 11th century B.C., the nation of Israel was facing antihalation from the surrounding people in Canaan, primarily…
This morning, I awoke from the unsettling depths of another dream of being caught in an inescapable quagmire of life’s circumstances. It was, without a doubt, inspired by last night’s viewing of the 2002 version of Charles Dicken’s Nicholas Nickerby. It is inevitable that my wife and I will be drawn by a irresistible force (like the pull of gravity) to immerse ourselves in these types of dramas that torture and entertain us. These are Dickensian lessons where (almost without…
How we lack imagination….. faith is required to imagine what is wonderful beyond our sensory grasp. Our self-focus, encouraged by our pain, keeps us inside of our little dwelling. Stepping outside of ourselves is a gift – from God himself. Outside are the limitless vistas that expand our humanness and give us eternal hope. These are the places we rarely go – since we fear being overwhelmed and losing control. Pray to be overwhelmed! Pray to understand that you…
At Morning and at evening it shines just as bright It changes the room where it scatters its light When troubles unkind make the day longer still And the heart is unswept of its worries and cares It appears unannounced with its soft Summer warmth And commands into bloom what is lovely and fair There are gifts that are given each day of the year Many given for need, many given for love But the gift that I cherish every…
Have you ever wiped away someone’s tears? Have you? You don’t wipe away the tears of someone you don’t care for – very deeply. Thinking back to my childhood, if my tears were ever wiped away, it would have been by my tender-hearted mother. It wasn’t many years before growing up (or embarrassment) moved me away from desiring such comforts. Tears are messengers of our brokenness and pain. Tears are the physical expression of the emotional distress that lives below…
I found myself intrigued and curious as I read in the book of Zechariah the account of his vision that included the appearance of horns and craftsmen. The horns seem easier to interpret as powers or personalities that goad others. No one wants to be on the receiving end of the “horns”. For me (and probably Zechariah), the strange appearance of craftsmen to oppose these horns was the novelty. Why not a warrior, a king or a prophet? Perhaps…
How does life move forward when humanity cannotWhen losses mount and intentions fail – over and over and overLove falters, desire lacks substance,One step forward, 2 steps back Generations fade, each blaming another Each uniquely incapable at turning the tideGlittering flourishes lacking substance to build what is meaningful ,To build what is not torn down by the next We stumble through rubbleInjured and injuringLost and losingBearing God’s image, blooming amid our ruins Our Renaissance followed by our 30 years…
3:45am. There is a predictable voice that reviews my failures from yesterday and the possibilities for failure in the future. It is not an assuring, loving voice. It is a voice that makes me want to sink into the foreboding feeling that “this is not going to end well”. It is an “invitation”. An invitation to parlay with an enemy. “Isn’t it reasonable to talk about what could go wrong with your life?” “Shouldn’t you be concerned?” No amount of…