Poor Goliath. When he challenged the Israelite army to send a warrior to do battle with him the great giant never had a chance. As soon as they saw the young shepherd boy armed with his sling and five smooth stones they should have fled immediately into the hills to regroup. David Read More...
Simon Senek’s latest book, Leaders Eat Last, noted that the desire to belong to a group is one of the most powerful forces at work in the human community. He quotes a leader who shouts to his group of new recruits: “From this day on words like ‘I,’ ‘me,’ ‘my’ will no Read More...
The desire for spiritual growth comes from a deep yearning within to go to a place we call home. The main character in Pat Conroy’s novel, Beach Music, says, “I could not quiet that pearly ache in my heart that I diagnosed as the cry of home.” That pearly ache is the Read More...
According to the lectionary, a three-year cycle of readings for preaching and worship, the scripture for New Year’s Day is Luke 2: 15-21. If you were in worship on Christmas Eve, you know doubt heard this text read. It is the shepherds’ response to the angelic message that the messiah is born Read More...
An angel appears before a young woman named Mary and declares, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” The angel goes on to tell her that she will bear a son, that she will partner with God to change the world. She asks, “How can this be?” Read More...
Christmas is the season when I dare to dream that everything will be made right, when glory to God in the highest and peace on earth for all will finally come true. On Christmas day I may be hoping for a sweater and some books but I’ll trade everything on my wish Read More...
One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” There was much going on in their lives and his, too. For all we know, Jesus may have been saying those words to them just so he could hear them out loud himself. They were living in troubling Read More...
Many years ago a friend asked me, “Where is God? Everything in my life is falling apart; my marriage, my family, my career, everything. I’ve done all that I should, too. I’ve worshipped every week, tithed every year, served whenever I could and more. Now, in my time of need it feels Read More...
Someone asked me the other day, “Do you believe in miracles?” I said, “I remember when the USA Olympic Hockey team beat the Soviets at Lake Placid and the ABC announcer, Al Michaels, asked and answered his own question: ‘Do you believe in miracles? YES!’ ”“Is that the kind of miracle you Read More...
The last best word is the one that God wants the whole world to hear and know. The Last Best Word is the one that Jesus came to proclaim to all with ears to hear.You’ve heard it before. Jesus said, “For God so loved…” Paul’s life was changed by this idea. He Read More...
What are you hungry for in this one life we have to live? Is there something out there that you are desperately yearning for, longing for, desiring? Do you remember the days after 9/11? The malls were empty. Churches were packed. A 16-year-old kid in the youth group at the church Read More...
Fifty years ago, at the end of the march on Washington, Martin Luther King proclaimed with passion and hope, “I have a dream…” That march, empowered by King’s sermon, helped to turn back the tide of racism in our country. Racism continues to be a terrible thing but five decades later we Read More...
When we proclaim a word of grace to a world dying for love, dying for hope, dying to be received for who they are, we are following in the footsteps of Jesus. When we allow grace to become the driving force in our congregation, we are becoming more like the church Read More...
When our lives are under pressure it can feel like we have been abandoned by God. St. John of the Cross calls this the “dark night of the soul.” I have been asked many times by parishioners, by neighbors, even by strangers on airplanes: How can I avoid this dark night? Read More...
I hope to see you this Sunday for Part 2 in my sermon series “Overwhelmed.” This week’s focus is “Hurt and Hope.” Have you ever been unfairly criticized, misunderstood or wrongly attacked? If so you’ll resonate with this week’s reading from Psalm 69. There we will hear the cry of one who Read More...
