Recently, I’ve been thinking about Esau, Jacob’s older brother. We all know the story: how Esau was older, yet he sold his birthright to Jacob. How Isaac loved Esau and tried to bless him with his birthright even after it…
Want Some Help with Your Backpack?
I’ve never been backpacking. So when I pack up my backpack, I only have to remember everything I’ll need for the day: food, water, sunscreen, maps, so on and so forth. But if I was to pack for an overnight…
Don’t Give Up!
“Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” Galatians 6:9. For some people, it seems we have been pressing on for a very long time. Some parts…
Seeds are not Slow
Seeds are an amazing part of God’s creation. They are formed by a parent plant to carry on the identity, beauty, and/or form of the original plant. Without seeds, the line of plants will die out. So God created a…
Stewarding Power
If you hang out in the circles where people “think green,” you’ll probably hear the phrase, “environmental stewardship.” It refers to careful use of natural resources and the protection of the natural environment. The idea is that we have been…
A Voice Behind You
I recently read the verse Isaiah 30:21: “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”” It was a lightbulb moment for me. …
You’re Not Alone!
One of the tactics of the spirit of the age that I see so often these days is a tendency toward isolation. I see it pop up in many places under many different names: Some believe that if only everyone…
Faith and Authority
We hear a lot about authority as Christians. It seems every Christian organization has its own definition of what Biblical authority is and what being under authority looks like. I’ve been in places where the pastor was the supreme authority;…
The Creativity of Creating the World
I heard a podcast with a famous Christian songwriter a few weeks ago. The interviewer (a musician in his own right) asked the songwriter about how he wrote songs. The songwriter summed up his thoughts with this statement: “To me,…
Comfort is Ours in Abundance
This morning, I was reading 2 Corinthians 1 in the Amplified Bible (because it’s a fun new take on more traditional versions). I especially enjoyed verses 3-7: 3 Blessed [gratefully praised and adored] be the God and Father of our Lord…