Recent Reflection

• All I Need

  One of my favorite Steve Martin movies is The Jerk, in which Martin plays the character Navin Johnson, a white man raised by a black family.  Johnson is also a complete moron, who somehow rises to the top of the world due to a simple invention of his, which makes him a multi-millionaire.  At [...]

  November 21st, 2007

• The Conviction that We Are Right Disease

  In a recent interview in Relevant magazine with writer Anne Lamott, Dean Nelson asked the following question:  Does it seem odd that you worship the same God as people you criticize the most severely, namely people like George W. Bush?
  Lamott answered by saying:
  I try not to follow people who follow Jesus. We’re all screwed up [...]

  November 19th, 2007

• Reflections on Scripture: Isaiah 1:10-18

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  Isaiah 1:10-18Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah! What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; I do not delight [...]

  October 29th, 2007

• The Cost of Not Forgiving

  Robert Farrar Capon is one of my favorite authors, and I am currently using his book Kingdom, Grace and Judgment in my Tuesday morning Bible study class (see link at the end of this post to get more info on the book or to order a copy of it).  If you happen to be in [...]

  August 23rd, 2007

• The Forgiveness of Sin

  The iMonk  (Michael Spencer) has an interesting article on “unconfessed sin,” in which he encourages his readers to download a podcast and reflect upon what they hear.  He writes:
  The August 19th edition of the White Horse Inn contains a large segment of interviews asking people at a Christian conference what happens to a person if they [...]

  August 21st, 2007

• Reflection on the Lectionary: Choosing What Is Best

  The Gospel for this Sunday (July 22, 2007) is Luke 10:38-42:
  Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him as a guest into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat down beside Jesus’ feet and listened to what he was saying.  But [...]

  July 19th, 2007

• Reflections on The Red Wheel Barrow

  The Red Wheel Barrow
  William Carlos Williams
  so much depends
  upon
  a red wheel
  barrow
  glazed with rain
  water
  beside the white
  chickens.
  A few weeks ago, the inestimable Julie of Lone Prairie Blog posted this poem in one of her “Google Gadgets.”  I commented that I loved the poem, and I believe Julie said that it was the word “glazed” that got to her [...]

  April 20th, 2007

• Reflectionary on Mark 10:46-52

  Mark 10:46-52 - My Paraphrase
  46 Jesus and the disciples went to Jericho, and as they departed the city, a large crowd followed them. Blind Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, was sitting on the side of the road, begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout (croak) loudly, saying, “Jesus, [...]

  October 26th, 2006

• A Paraphrase and Reflections Upon Psalm 34:1-8

  Psalm 34:1-8 - My Paraphrase
  1 I will bless the Eternal at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.2 My soul will glory in the Eternal; the humble will hear and be glad.3 O magnify the Eternal with me, and let us exalt his name together.4 I sought the Eternal, and he answered [...]

  October 25th, 2006

• Reflectionary on Job 38, 40, 42

  My Paraphrase of the Passages:
  Job 38:1-11, 34-41; 40:1-14
  1 Then the Eternal answered Job out of the tempest: 2 “Who is this that darkens counsel by words lacking knowledge? 3 Gird up your loins like a man, for I will question you, and you shall teach me.
  4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of [...]

  October 23rd, 2006