ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS November 2, 2019 Scripture: Philippians 1:21-22 Because for me, living serves Christ and dying is even better. If I continue to live in this world, I get results from my work. Thought for the Day: “…dying is even better”? Really? I don’t know if I can echo those words with the same confidence that I sense in reading this chapter from Paul. I might say, “If
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS November 1, 2019 Scripture: Esther 2:7 Mordecai had brought up Hadassah, that is Esther, his cousin, for she had neither father nor mother; the girl was fair and beautiful, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai adopted her as his own daughter. Thought for the Day: Today is All Hallow’s Day, not All Hallow’s Eve. That was last night. Today (as we will on
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS October 31, 2019 Scripture: Ezekiel 37:1 The LORD’s power overcame me, and while I was in the LORD’s spirit, he led me out and set me down in the middle of a certain valley. It was full of bones. Thought For the Day: This passage could be the beginning of a good book in the genre of horror. I recognize that there are many different opinions
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS October 30, 2019 Scripture: Psalm 33:22 Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you. Thought For the Day: Yesterday, I wrote about mercy. In the above Psalm the language of “steadfast love” is a translation of the Hebrew word Checed, often translated as mercy or merciful kindness. This Psalm is intriguing as it suggests something radical for that time
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS October 29, 2019 Scripture: Deuteronomy 25:11-12 If two men are fighting with each other—a man and his fellow Israelite—and the wife of one of them gets into the fight, trying to save her husband from his attacker and does so by reaching out and grabbing his genitals, you must cut off her hand. Show no mercy. Thought For the Day: If there was any question on
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS October 28, 2019 Prayer for the Week: Sticks and stones will often break bones, but the names and insults and demeaning remarks hurled our way can leave a lasting mark upon our souls. In a world where so many seek to build themselves up by tearing down others, we come together in a community of love to encounter your love that wants nothing less than for
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS October 27, 2019 Scripture: Esther 4:12-14 When they told Mordecai Esther’s words, he had them respond to Esther: “Don’t think for one minute that, unlike all the other Jews, you’ll come out of this alive simply because you are in the palace. In fact, if you don’t speak up at this very important time, relief and rescue will appear for the Jews from another place, but
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS October 26, 2019 Scripture: Proverbs 28:13 Those who hide their sins won’t succeed, but those who confess and give them up will receive mercy. Thought for the Day: I don’t do a thorough cleaning of the bathrooms as often as I should, but I regularly scrub the toilet and wipe it down. Last Monday, I got out the old toothbrush and got on my stomach and
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS October 25, 2019 Scripture: Luke 24:10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles. Thought for the Day: N.T. Wright is an interesting Christian scholar, and though I disagree with him on a few topics, I find him to be an exceptional conversation partner (as I read his books). Wright would
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS October 24, 2019 Scripture: Isaiah 43:19 Look! I’m doing a new thing; now it sprouts up; don’t you recognize it? I’m making a way in the desert, paths in the wilderness. A Thursday Prayer: If a city can come around a sports team… if people who might usually be at odds with one another are able to find friendship because of a game… if what usually