Philippians 4:6 reads, “Do not be anxious about anything…” There is an old saying that bubbles up from the islands that has a little better wording for our context, “Don’t worry…” Amen. Read more
Philippians 4:6 reads, “Do not be anxious about anything…” There is an old saying that bubbles up from the islands that has a little better wording for our context, “Don’t worry…” Amen. Read more
“I got this.” In Jeremiah 29:11, God declares, “For I know the plans I have for you…” I don’t need all of that big language. I just need to know that God’s got this. Amen. Read more
“Give your life.” In John 15:13, Jesus tells the disciples that love doesn’t get any greater than sacrificing your life for your friends. We can’t have a future worth living in without making the marginalized and oppressed our friends. The message of Jesus is clear. Give your life. Amen. Read more
“Love must be sincere. End Racism.” Racism pervades every part of our lives. To deny the systemic nature of racial inequality is to deny love. We must not forget that love must be sincere. In order for love to be sincere we must end racism. In Romans 12:9, Paul tells us to hate what is evil. What could be more evil than racism? You can’t follow God and not end racism. Amen. Read more
“Why don’t you hypocrites take your stones and shove them up your asses?” Jesus placing his body in the dirt between the adulterous woman and her accusers is one of the most powerful moments in all of scripture. John relays another powerful moment in 8:7. Jesus looks up from the dirt and says, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” The Pharisees walk away. I’ve often wondered if... Read more
“Jesus screamed.” Upon the death of Lazarus in John 11, “Jesus wept.” Often when you lose someone you love, you do more than weep. When I lost my grandmother last year, I screamed. I think Jesus screamed too. Amen. Read more
“God comes to die with us.” In the original version of Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” When I engage the Gospels, I read something different. Jesus comes to be with us so that he might die with us. I think such knowledge makes this verse read very differently. Amen. Read more
“There was not a beginning…” In Genesis 1:1, we are told that there was a beginning. If we are made in the image of God and God is eternal, then our image was always there somewhere. I think the message of scripture points to a lack of a beginning far more than it points to a beginning. We were made in the image of love. Love has always been. Amen. Read more
“Surely I never left.” Right at the end of the Bible, Revelation 22:20 is an apocalyptic text. Jesus describes the speed of his return. Verses like this have consistently been used by Christians to channel all of their focus on the impending return of Jesus. I think we need to focus on the fact that Jesus never left. Amen. Read more
“There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in LOVE.” I’ve read Romans 8:1 thousands of times. Over and over, the name “Christ Jesus” cut into my flesh like a sword. I think it was because the verse was always used to condemn. If God is love and Jesus is the incarnation of God, then certainly love is a fitting substitute for the name Christ Jesus. Now, I think the verse can reach out to us in... Read more
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