Ponderings

I was confused by the book of Esther until I began to read it the same way I read a Shakespearean play like Macbeth or Hamlet … except, because it’s Scripture, I look and listen for God’s voice. This short book gives us palace intrigue,

Every preacher worries about his or her weekly sermon. How will it be received? Is it the right word for the right time? Does it have less of me and more of God? And, yes, many of us also worry about preaching too long. But

There are times when I’m reading my Bible and I’m struck by the human nature of biblical figures that I too often assume aren’t “really” human, at least not human like me. Take Moses, for example. Raised as an Egyptian prince. Gave up his rich,

Do you ever feel stuck in a rut when it comes to food choices? For me, it’s chicken. I like chicken, don’t get me wrong. But last night I stared into my refrigerator and all I saw was chicken. General Tso’s chicken. Fajita chicken. Deli-style

I was listening to music yesterday at the church while working on various projects. I have playlists on YouTube, Amazon Music, and my iPod. Yes, I still have an iPod and a classic version, no less. My playlists reflect my varied musical tastes; from gospel

Can you imagine how you might feel if you were off on some rant and God interrupted you? Embarrassed? Guilty? Thankful? I’m sure my feelings would depend on the circumstances, but in addition to everything else, I’d certainly feel intimidated. When someone speaks over me,

James concludes his letter with a focus on two words that we don’t often want to put together: patience and prayer. Just “coincidentally,” we’re in James 5 this morning, and yesterday I was given a little reminder gift that says, “Pray. Wait. Trust.” Was that

James wrote a short letter with a powerful punch. In chapter three, he turns his attention to the words we say. He begins with a warning for teachers: “Not many of you should become teachers … because we who teach will be held to a

We’re continuing our meditation in the Letter of James, and he doesn’t mince words in this short letter. His words challenge and push us: “Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one