• Where Peace Resides

    Psalm 94, 2 Kings 11:6-23, 1 Peter 5:6-10

    “When I am filled with cares, your brings me .”
    Psalm 94:19

    “Don’t be afraid, for those who are with us outnumber those who are with them.”
    2 Kings 6:16

    “…casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.”
    1 Peter 5:7

    While when we discuss or think of , we often look to the outside. Really, true peace starts on the inside, specifically the inside that is being transformed by the and grace of Christ. Often when we do not feel at peace, it is because we are allowing something to shake us up. I know I find that hard to accept that I am allowing something to upset me. It may be hard for you to accept, too. However, when we look at the peace promised by Jesus Christ, versus the worries we try to bear on our own, it seems that we often don’t chose Christ’s peace.

    True peace begins with a surrendered will. Not a surrendered will to politicians or , but to Jesus. The King Sennacheribs of the world (see yesterday’s reading) what is already ours, or act as if it is generous to let us live, and that it is their continued generosity for us to continue . Jesus takes our surrendered , gives us a greater one on this earth then gives us an eternal one.

    1) Why do you think we have to our will to have peace?

    2) Does surrendering our will mean that we are no longer ourselves? Are we no longer an individual?

    3) How does being surrendered to Christ and still be yourself work? How does it conflict?

    KD) Put your hands up! Give it up! How is that feeling different than it should be when we surrender to Jesus?

  • How to Come Back

    How to Come Back

    1 Corinthians 11:17–33 It’s almost over it seems. The time of being masked and constrained nears its end. On the other hand, already another strain of COVID is showing up, but the reality is that we, as an entire world, are at our limits. It seems great that we’re almost there, except that we really…

  • Future Tensely

    Future Tensely

    Psalm 126; Isaiah 40:1-11; Romans 8:22-25 Have you realized that Advent is weird? I love Advent, don’t get me wrong. However, the world has done a successful job of retraining us on what Advent is all about. Partially, I think, this is because of the image of an unthreatening baby Jesus with lambs, other baby…

  • Seeing Christ In The Lives of Others

    Romans 12:16–21 As part of our college ministry many years ago, we asked our college students to come up with their mission statement. It was coached in a business/organization language; it should have been better phrased as a Rule of Life. Mine was: Seeing Christ in the Lives of Others. Yes, the title was my…

  • A Movement: Of Priest and Temple

    A Movement: Of Priest and Temple

    …if we…focus too much on the outside, the temple comes crumbling down, for the internal structure cannot hold up the facade shown to the world, and we then dishonor God by our fallen temple.