ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS July 27, 2026 Prayer for the Week: When something comes out of nothing When hope appears in a barren desert When healing shows up unexpectedly When a friend arrives without a call When joy surprises us When love embraces us without warning We know who is behind it O God who has never been limited By our expectations Thank you! Amen
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS July 26, 2026 I’ve noticed many people sharing images on social media of various billboards displayed by Christian groups. This has reminded me of a time early in my marriage when Donna and I would visit her parents in Arkansas. During our trip, there was a place where we approached a rather steep incline on the highway, and we couldn’t see what lay beyond the ridge.
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS July 25, 2026 Have you ever heard someone say, “Remember, God is in control.” Maybe you’ve said those words yourself. The question I ask is what does someone mean when they speak of God being in control? Does that mean there is no such thing as free will? If you say God is in control of all things, then it is hard to argue for free
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS July 24, 2026 Building on yesterday’s Etching, forgiveness — genuine and intentional forgiveness — seeks to reveal an alternative world; a world driven, not by revenge, but by a hope that reconciliation and transformation are possible. Again, there is nothing naive about this alternative view of reality. Forgiveness doesn’t happen with a snap of the fingers. It requires many steps, including realization, a contrite heart, repentance,
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS July 23, 2026 What does it mean to be fully forgiven? We’ve all known the experience when a person says that we have been forgiven, yet there is an underlying concern that at any given moment, our past actions will be brought up as a weapon of sorts. In such cases, that is not forgiveness. Forgiveness does not mean that a person forgets, yet it usually
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS July 22, 2026 I learned something this past Sunday about my preaching. As many of you know, Paula was to preach this past Sunday, but because of her son’s death, I stepped back in to preach. This gave me 2 1/2 days to prepare the sermon, though I was not feeling well for part of those 60 hours. That’s all to say that I have a
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS July 21, 2026 In my life, there have been moments when using lofty language to describe Jesus, such as referring to him as the incarnation of love, has truly resonated with me. On the other hand, there have been instances when I have used more intimate language, such as calling Jesus my friend. In John’s Gospel, we find a variety of metaphors to describe Jesus, including
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS July 20, 2026 A prayer from my friend Rev. Michelle Beech A PRAYER FOR TODAY My human mind cannot comprehend Your constancy, O God. My emotions flicker and falter in the face of varying circumstances; so I don’t benefit fully from Your unfailing Love. Lord, help me look beyond the ebb and flow of circumstances to Your reliable rhythms that gaze lovingly back at me. Thank
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS July 19, 2026 What helps us bring more focus upon God? In daily life, what could we be doing to bring God alongside us when it comes to important decisions? I’m not suggesting that a practice or two will have answers from God suddenly appearing like answers from a Magic 8 Ball. But in the same way an electrician brings both knowledge and life experience to
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS July 18, 2026 There are idols, such as the those to whom we look up. And then there are idols, like the finite items that are given ultimate value. We have the TV show American Idol, while at the same time, we have created some pretty scary idols in America. I tend to think it is okay to have idols if we are talking about people