Do I believe in miracles? The question is not merely speculative. Heaven and hell are at stake. Jesus forces this question upon me with his pronouncement, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8). This beatitude arouses either pure despair or pure hope. It all depends on whether I believe in miracles. The Beatitudes The Necessity of a Pure Heart The beatitude echoes Psalm twenty-four: Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who… Read More »A Pure Hope
As a child, I struggled to finish my dinner. Not that I was given too much food, I just disliked one or more of the items on my plate. Often my mom would remind me of the starving child in Africa who would love to have my food. Fortunately, international adoptions were not common back then, else I might have foolishly suggested we procure one. That would not have gone over well. The problem was not an inefficient allocation of… Read More »Longing for Righteousness
Human aspiration to greatness and glory is one evidence of the image of God imprinted on our hearts. History tells the story of this universal pursuit of glory. When the gospel informs and directs this pursuit, it generally results in human flourishing. However, a secular, self-absorbed society can seduce us with its own kind of great commission: “Follow your dreams.” The problem with dreams is they can loosen our grip on kingdom reality. Over the Rainbow The entertainment industry bombards… Read More »The Problem with Dreams
Do you keep mementos? I have boxes of cards and letters from my wife and children. In addition, I have items around the house that are expressions of love directed toward me. The apostle John, who referred to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7, 20), filled his gospel with mementos of Jesus’ life and teaching. In an era without cameras, John penned a slide show filled with deeply meaningful pictures of Jesus Christ the… Read More »The Lamb of God and Mystery Bridegroom
Our society is big on self-promotion. We see it not only in sports, entertainment, and the corporate ladder, but also on the factory floor, the cafeteria, and social media. Even those who shun the attention of others still may conceal a laser-like focus on themselves. All this glory seeking for ourselves robs us of the joy we were intended to experience. We will know ultimate joy and fulfillment when we are celebrating God’s glory with all our being. Glory Defined… Read More »Celebrating God’s Glory
My wife is not a squeaky wheel. She is not constantly complaining or demanding my attention. The saying goes, “the squeaky wheel get the grease.” We tend to spend our time and energy on what causes us the most annoyance. Though a natural tendency, it is unwise and shortsighted — not to mention bad husbanding. My wife still has needs that God wants me to provide. Similarly, our prayers can reflect the squeaky wheel pattern when we lose sight of the big… Read More »Big Picture Prayers
As a grandpa, I experience the joys of infant and toddler grandchildren with only a fraction of the mess I had as a parent. Considering their mother, father, aunts, and grandma, there is a multi-level firewall between me and a dirty diaper. In addition, I enjoy seeing the wonder and excitement that is so easily stirred within small children. I often feign those same emotions as I interact with my grandsons, and I envy them for not having to pretend.… Read More »Made to Wonder
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:17-18) As a teenager, I worked in the kitchen of a nursing home. My least favorite job was discarding the unfinished portions of food from the dishes that… Read More »The Great Reveal