I’ve heard faith described as, “Hope in things unseen,” which suggests that hope is faith’s active agent. It makes sense. Hope is the expectation of possibility. To be hopeful is to surround yourself with improbable anticipation. In Advent we light the candle of hope to remember Christ’s improbable birth and to worship a God whose… Read more »
Posts Tagged: hope
The Twin–Second Sunday of Easter
Dr. Lindsey Pherigo, professor at St. Paul’s School of Theology, once described the Gospel of John as a beautiful string of pearls. Each story is beautiful in and of itself, but when they are strung together, they become a beautiful work of art. Good art is much more than brush strokes on a canvas. Good… Read more »
An Idle Tale?
Many years ago my Father and I were walking along the beach and I asked him, “How do you know God exists?” He thought for a moment. Then he said, “Do you see that flock of seagulls hovering over the water there? I know that there is a school of fish just below the surface. … Read more »
The Will of God
[wpvideo c7Uk2v8N] What is God’s will for me? It is a question which resonates deep within our soul. It is the central question of faith both for those who have spent a life time within the body of Christ and for those who are for the first time brave enough to enter a church to… Read more »
Pastoral Prayer, Sunday, August 14, 2011
Gracious God, full of mystery and wonder, open our ears so that we might hear your story. Open our eyes so that we might see your glory. Open our hearts so that we might love what you love. Fill us with a holy curiosity to indulge in the mystery of your grace, and surrounded by… Read more »
The Royal Wedding, The NFL Draft . . . I’m Watching Neither
With the Royal Wedding, the NFL Draft, and the NBA and NHL playoffs, how does anyone have time to do anything else? Being the father of two toddlers, I haven’t found time to watch any of these events, and I haven’t regretted a minute. The other night the family gathered to play the Wii, which… Read more »
The Royal Wedding, The NFL Draft . . . I'm Watching Neither
With the Royal Wedding, the NFL Draft, and the NBA and NHL playoffs, how does anyone have time to do anything else? Being the father of two toddlers, I haven’t found time to watch any of these events, and I haven’t regretted a minute. The other night the family gathered to play the Wii, which… Read more »
Judgment and Hell Part II: Judging Others
Talking about judgment is difficult for some. It’s far too easy for others. On one end of the spectrum, the plank in our eye is so large that people dismiss judgment all together, claiming that holding each other accountable reeks of self righteous exclusivity and pious bullying. On the other end of the pendulum… Read more »
From Suffering to Hope–Romans 5:1-11, Lent 3 A
Several years ago I joined a team to provide Katrina relief in New Orleans. We were charged with gutting out Ms. Helena’s home, which suffered an 8 ft. storm surge and a three week drowning of 4 ft. of stagnant water. We pulled out dry wall and base boards, we moved pictures and… Read more »