Nearly 20 years ago, Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ depicted in graphic detail the horror of the crucifixion, bringing to the big screen a depiction of the most agonizing, painful form of execution ever conceived. In fact, our English word excruciating, literally “out of the cross,” derives its meaning from this Roman punishment. … Continue reading He Was Forsaken That We Might Draw Near
Category: Psalms
Remember to Remember
How many of the seven dwarves can you name? How about kids from the Brady Bunch? States that begin with the letter “M”? Or, if Bible trivia is your thing, can you list all twelve disciples? Or the twelve tribes of Israel?1 What about spiritual disciplines? How many of those could you name? Of course, … Continue reading Remember to Remember
A Better Way: Responding to the Darkness
On any given day, reading the headlines will make you wonder if the darkness has finally won. Whether news of wars, earthquakes, military coups, sexual scandals, gun violence, financial malfeasance, another outbreak of that illness, a godless agenda continuing to gain traction among the masses, or any other of myriad news stories that make our … Continue reading A Better Way: Responding to the Darkness
Feet That Don’t Slip
They had to be helped up to the platform to speak, could not stand for long periods of time, suffered from debilitating illness and injury; from all outward appearances, these women are unsteady on their feet, generally infirmed, and near the end of their lives. However, as I listened to Joni Eareckson Tada, Kay Arthur, … Continue reading Feet That Don’t Slip
The Refuge of Repentance
You are my hiding placeYou always fill my heartWith songs of deliveranceWhenever I am afraid I will trust in YouI will trust in YouLet the weak sayI am strongIn the strength of the Lord1 These lyrics, made famous by the group Selah, are based on Psalm 32:7: You are my hiding place; You preserve me … Continue reading The Refuge of Repentance
How Does Your Mind Instruct You at Night?
You turn off the light, close your eyes, and wait for sleep to take you. Instead, your mind takes off, thinking about the events of the day behind you, your to-do list for the day in front of you, and all your fears for the future. Your body aches with exhaustion, yet you don’t sleep … Continue reading How Does Your Mind Instruct You at Night?
Pleasant Lines
The wealthy old man had finally died, and his sons gathered in the lawyer’s office to hear the reading of his will: one a farmer, one a fisherman, and one a builder. Their father had owned thousands of acres of land, and had decided to divide it equally among his sons, though he had not … Continue reading Pleasant Lines
Where Does My Help Come From?
What do you like to do on long journeys? Listen to music? Play games? Watch movies? Listen to an audiobook? I enjoy all of those things. I wonder if the children of Israel played I Spy as they traversed to Jerusalem twice a year: “I spy with my little eye something…brown.” “Sand?” I doubt they … Continue reading Where Does My Help Come From?
Does Your Worship Affect Your Heart?
Come Thou fount of every blessingTune my heart to sing Thy grace;Streams of mercy never ceasingCall for songs of loudest praise. 1 If I were to ask you to make a Top-10 list of your favorite hymns, “Come, Thou Fount” would probably make the cut. The masterful poetry paired with a singable, beautiful melody comes … Continue reading Does Your Worship Affect Your Heart?
From Dust to Diamonds
My first interaction with mica came when I was about twelve years old. My parents had recently purchased some land on which they planned to build a cabin. Just a few miles from that mountain property lies an abandoned mica mine, so we’d often take the ATVs and check it out. The cabins that once … Continue reading From Dust to Diamonds
Bible Study Nerd 