Tag: servant
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Joy in the Questions
“Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.”—Luke 1:38 (NRSV) When it comes time for the Advent season and thinking about the story of Christmas—Jesus coming to earth for all humankind…I often think of Mary and Joseph.…
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Incomplete Armor
Psalm 27; Zechariah 10:12; Ephesians 6:10–18 This passage from Ephesians is one of those common favorites. Building and putting on the armor of God is still a popular activity for children. As a formation tool, it was and remains powerful. From the point of the Ephesians, they were very familiar with the attire of the…
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Force or Choice
Matthew 20:20–28; Matthew 22:15–22 The author Robert Heinlein once wrote, “When you vote, you are exercising political authority, you’re using force. And force, my friends, is violence. The supreme authority from which all other authorities are derived.” There has been a transformation in our society where this seems to be truer now than when Heinlein…
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I Said, You Say
Exodus 4:10–17; Matthew 25:14–30 Moses is highly regarded in Jewish circles. As the bringer of the Law, his place in their history is unassailable. The first 5 books of the Bible also being attributed to him also helps. Moses was (and is) viewed as the greatest prophet from a Jewish perspective. Yet, Moses was human.…
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Substantial Character
Daniel 6:1–24; Philippians 2:3–16 Adventure! Drama! Let’s see the big scene! Daniel and the Lion’s Den is a dramatic story. No question about that. It’s a great one for kids. Daniel, himself, is a great character. Daniel has great character. If you read the story carefully, you’ll notice something interesting. Daniel only has spoken words…
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Pour
Matthew 25:14–30; Luke 19:12–27 (read online ⧉) If you’re like most people in the US, you have a retirement account. If you’ve retired, the stock market swings may not affect you very much, except for secondary investments. If you are not retired or have other significant investments in the stock market, your stock funds—your financial…
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Flawed and Honored Vessels
Psalm 107:1–16; Exodus 15:22–27; Hebrews 3:1–6 (read online ⧉) Water is essential to survival. Not having water was a death sentence. What made the waters of Marah too bitter to drink can only be guessed. It would have been horrible to be thirsty (3 days in the desert) and find the saving source of water…
