“Live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.” I love that phrase. It even rhymes. You know where it is from? It is from the biblical book of 1st Peter, chapter 1 verse 17. I’ve been posting all week about being strangers. You can read the previous posts (here, here and here) to seeContinue reading “Why the bizarre Christian teaching to be strangers and fearful actually makes a lot of sense”
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What my sons’ mugshots taught me about citizenship
How about those two cute little mugshots? They are my two oldest sons in September 2000, when they were 3 and 2 years old. Our family of four had just moved to Kingston, Jamaica, and we had to apply for immigration status as legal aliens. That meant we had to get photos taken and useContinue reading “What my sons’ mugshots taught me about citizenship”
The one thing you need (to make it as a stranger in the world)
In a world of partiality and discrimination and bias, where is the one place that still considers everyone impartially? The church? Nope. Martin Luther King Jr. said years ago that Sunday morning is one of the most racially segregated places in America, and it is still true today. I read an article this week thatContinue reading “The one thing you need (to make it as a stranger in the world)”
The day I felt like a stranger and couldn’t find my car
Years ago I was delivering a meal to refugees in the city of Lancaster. They had newly arrived from years of living in a refugee camp in a faraway country, having fled for their lives from their home country. They arrived at the refugee camp with extremely few possessions and hardly any opportunity. Imagine theContinue reading “The day I felt like a stranger and couldn’t find my car”
Reflections on perseverance in difficult times
This week, I’ve been reflecting on suffering and salvation from 1 Peter 1:6-12. In verses 10-12 Peter takes a moment to talk about this salvation. He says that prophets in past spoke of this salvation. The Spirit of God, he said, was at work in these prophets. In verse 11 the Spirit of Christ inContinue reading “Reflections on perseverance in difficult times”
When following Jesus seems to make no sense…think about Oreos
“We’re being saved by someone we cannot and never will see.” In a way, that describes the Christian faith, and I have to admit that at first glance it sounds ridiculous. Being saved? What is “being saved” all about? Christians talk about being saved, but what do we mean? Saved from what? And saved byContinue reading “When following Jesus seems to make no sense…think about Oreos”
4 pieces of advice to those who are suffering
Have you ever suffered specifically because you are a Christian? I don’t know that I have, at least not in ways that would be considered significant suffering, or suffering that led to bodily harm or loss of opportunity or privilege. Yesterday, I related a story from author Scot McKnight who counseled a teenager who didContinue reading “4 pieces of advice to those who are suffering”
Satan did not break my lawn mower
Are any of you suffering? Any of you going through a hard time? How does it feel? Lonely, right? Maybe you feel people just don’t understand. Or your suffering might be ongoing, and you feel you are a burden to the people around you. You worry about that, and your worry only compounds the suffering.Continue reading “Satan did not break my lawn mower”
How to have an inheritance that cannot be squandered
Michelle and I both had grandparents pass away in the last few years, and we have watched our parents and their siblings handle their parents’ estates. Sometimes inheritances are smooth and easy. Sometimes they are a bit complex. One time Faith Church received a bequest from a parishioner who passed away, and it took nearlyContinue reading “How to have an inheritance that cannot be squandered”
How we can know that hope is alive
Last week I did a search on our local website, as I was looking for the word “hope” in the news. You know what I discovered? Hope is a very flexible word, used many ways for many situations. Here are a few of the recent headlines. Maybe you remember some of them! First, here areContinue reading “How we can know that hope is alive”
Engaging Scripture 