All of This Is Already More Than Enough for Me, Lord!
Dear Brothers, Don’t be too hard on Philip for his impudent, albeit confused, demand in next Sunday’s gospel (John 14:1-12). Isn’t it true that from all our hearts – if not from our lips – ...
See, Your King Comes…to You!
Dear Brothers, Because Jerusalem is surrounded on every side by hills higher than the city itself, it remains a hidden jewel to approaching Passover pilgrims. But very near their journey’s end, weary pilgrims are refreshed ...
Thirst-Quenching Grace for Each Day
Dear Brothers, The essence of our public ministry vocation is offering the water of life that alone satisfies perfectly and forever thirsty human hearts. Logic would suggest that those who dispense the water of life ...
A Painfully Beautiful Ongoing Lesson!
Dear Brothers, My life has been a painful and at the same time beautiful 57-year journey into the depths of the depravity of my sinful heart and into the still more astounding depth of God’s ...
The Reason I Came Here Was…
Dear Brothers, Even though John the Baptizer intentionally pointed two of his disciples away from himself and to the Lamb of God, might it still have hurt just a bit as John and Andrew walked ...
Finding Blessing in Dungeons and Under Broom Trees
Dear Brothers, I’ve never visited the ruins of Herod’s stronghold Machaerus and peered into the depths of the dungeon that may have held John the Baptist. Yet in Sunday’s gospel (Matthew 11:2-11), that dungeon’s contours ...
A God of the Living
I’ve never voted a straight party Sadducee ticket. I’m not a rationalistic skeptic who denies the reality of the resurrection. But I understand the doubt that undergirds a key plank in their party platform. Sadducee-like ...
Are You Giving God a Black Eye?
Dear Brothers, Are you giving God a black eye? Sorry, you cannot answer “no.” One way or another, every child of God does it. The only question is: which way will you administer it? We ...
This Jesus Welcomes Sinners and Eats with…Me!
(This is the chapel devotion at the seminary for Monday, September 12, 2016.) Dear Brothers, Are we in danger of chasing from Jesus those he rejoices to reach? It’s a sobering question that next Sunday’s ...
Let the Fire Begin!
Dear Brothers I have a love/hate relationship with the Olympics. As a child I ate it up. I dreamt of being an Olympic swimmer or runner or biker - or whatever competition I had just ...