Jesus did not reveal everything to his disciples on day one. He waited until they were ready to hear certain truths before expounding upon them. In Mark 8:31 we read, “And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests …
Intentional Rivers
Rivers have always both attracted and rebuffed humans. Rivers can be majestic and awe inspiring. At the same time, they can be foreboding and dangerous. Consider the mighty Mississippi River. It is 2,340 miles long from its headwaters in northern Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. It takes 90 days for a drop of water …
Severe Identity Malfunction
Ahithophel was a counselor to King David. But when David’s son, Absalom, rose up in rebellion to stage a coup and drive David from the throne, Ahithophel sided with Absalom and became his counselor. The first counsel he gave to Absalom, who had now entered Jerusalem, was to set up a tent on the rooftop …
The Sears Effect
For the past number of years now, I’ve been tracking through the media the decline of the once largest retailer in the United States, Sears. For generations, the name “Sears” meant quality merchandise and service. I can remember as a boy in the sixties how we anticipated the arrival of the Sears Christmas catalog. As …
Who’s on First?
The title of the news article caught my attention: “Put yourself first, then give others your time.” It was found in the Dear Amy advice column that runs daily in the Detroit News. I often read these columns because they give me a window into the world’s thinking on any number of issues from child …
Counsel from the Lord
Joshua chapter nine stands as an instructive cautionary tale for any of God’s people who determine their lives without counsel from the Lord. Here is the context: The Israelites have come into the Promised land and defeated the walled city of Jericho and the smaller city of Ai. God through Moses had ordered Israel to …
Chopping with a Sharp Ax
What do you think is the most dangerous occupation in the world? Soldier? Test pilot? Police officer? Fire fighter? Bomb squad? In terms of fatalities per number of labors employed, some have said it is crab ship fisherman (go figure). Well, Solomon is addressing that subject in Ecc. 10:9-10; where he is speaking of occupational …
Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow
In 1 Samuel 1, Hannah was barren in a day that looked upon barrenness as a judgment from God. Her husband, Elkanah, loved her. But he had another wife (another aberration of that day) named Peninnah, who vexed Hannah for having no children. Hannah went up with her husband to their annual pilgrimage to the …
Between Insight and Obtuseness
Have you ever been indicted for being obtuse? To be obtuse is to be thick-headed, unaware, imperceptive, or slow on the uptake. Husbands are often this way when their wife is dropping hints about an upcoming anniversary or special event… or some home repair that needs attention. Wives can be this way when the husband …
Generational Drift
Psalm 78:1-7 says, “Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from …
