Tag: friendship

  • Happiness and Joy…or Not

    Happiness and Joy…or Not

    Psalm 44; Isaiah 22:8b–14; James 4:4–10 ‌‌🔎 Focus ‌Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? James 4:4 NRSVue ‌…you did not look at the One who did it, nor did you see the One who planned it… Isaiah 22:11 NRSVue We don’t like pain or suffering. We often do…

  • Reconciling Fruit

    Reconciling Fruit

    Psalm 144; Isaiah 27:1–6; 2 Corinthians 5:17–21 (ISV) In times to come, Jacob will take root,   and Israel will blossom, sprout shoots,   and fill the whole world with fruit. Isaiah 27:6 ISV All of this comes from God, who has reconciled us to himself through the Messiah and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 2 Corinthians…

  • Know Justice. Know Peace.

    Know Justice. Know Peace.

    Speaking peace to people often seems to be a lost cause. First, many people don’t want peace. Actually, many people don’t want peace. Oh, they want peace from war (most). That often is the most common form of “peace” we use in everyday language. There is another one that is often used in Christian circles,…

  • Join the Feast

    Join the Feast

    Matthew 22:1–14 When you were a child, perhaps one of your favorite times was when you were invited to a birthday party. For some, an invitation was proof that they were actually “seen”. Even if that person was thought to be a friend, it was a surety that the friendship was true. If your parent(s)…

  • The Now Useful

    Philemon 1-25 Paul’s letter to Philemon is a personal letter. While Paul acknowledges the church that meets in Philemon’s home, this letter is not to them. Just the greeting is political and relational: Philemon, slave and property owner; Apphia, Philemon’s wife; Archippus, a “coworker” of Paul’s from Colossae, and possibly filling the role of pastor.…

  • 7th Wednesday after Easter

    Psalm 25, Jeremiah 7:21–34, John 16:7–15, Ephesians 4:15–16 The wounds of a friend are trustworthy, but the kisses of an enemy are excessive. Proverbs 27:6 Truth can be a painful thing. If delivered in the context of true friendship, the pain of the truth is shared by both. One of the hardest things to do…

  • Comfy Story

    Psalm 72; Isaiah 60:1–6; Micah 5:1–6; Matthew 2:1–12 The richness of the story of the Magi could probably fill volumes. Magi were people who retained, studied, and added to ancient knowledge. In many respects, they were a combination of priest, counselor, academic. They would be the people who advised the rulers but were probably not…

  • The Family Story

    The Family Story

    Psalm 25:1-10, Nehemiah 9:26-31, Luke 21:20-24 “All the Lord’s ways show faithful love and truth to those who keep his covenant and decrees.” (Psalm 25:10) “But they were disobedient and rebelled against you. They flung your law behind their backs and killed your prophets who warned them.” (Nehemiah 9:26) “…Jerusalem will be trampled by the…