One of the best ways to understand our position in God and how we approach him is to look to upraised hands. Worship tells us a lot about our relationship to God, where we fit in, and how. You don’t praise what’s not present, and you can’t give thanks for what has not been given. There was a Greek monk named Symeon (he’s called “the New Theologian” even though he lived a thousand years ago) who wrote a collection of... Read more
I had a conversation with a friend yesterday about books you come back to, books you re-read, books that become as familiar as old jeans. For him it was Annie Dillard’s Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. You could hear the joy in his voice as he talked. He said I should read it and offered to buy the copy from me if I didn’t like it — sort of a money-back guarantee. (more…) Read more
What can Paul Gauguin and Paul the Apostle teach us about our identity in Christ? Born in France and raised partially in Peru, Paul Gauguin’s early years were marked by the death of his father, domestic upheaval, and sweeping cultural shifts. After returning to France to live with his grandfather, he joined the merchant marines, served a stint in the navy, took work as a stockbroker, married, and had several kids. His tumultuous life could have settled into middle-class ease,... Read more
If you’re looking to get off on the wrong foot this week, start with ingratitude. It’s easy, really. Everything we have is a gift from God. The trick to ingratitude is to be unthankful for it. The job, the spouse, the bills, the house, the kids, the coworkers, the car—all you have to do is grumble and complain about them. If you’re new to this little trick, don’t overdo it. Start with little gripes about small disturbances. But if you’re... Read more
A smile when you step through the door A hug when you head back out Mercy when you don’t deserve it An embrace when you really need it Someone who will pray for you Someone who will tell you no A friend to share the better moments A partner to ride out the lesser ones Laughter, affection, home Warmth, surprise, support Kind words, wise words, funny words Hard words, soft words, sweet words Welcome indulgence Necessary resistance Encouragement Astounding intelligence... Read more
A friend recently told me about an acquaintance who’s convinced that God is angry with her. She’s in a rough patch right now and believes that he’s punishing her. I’m not equipped to plumb the mind of God, but I wonder about that. Some people seem quick to assume the anger of God. Perhaps there are personal reasons they feel distance from him, and that distance feels like God’s displeasure toward them. If you read the Psalms, you’re familiar with... Read more
I run into people from time to time who are very skeptical of religious ritual, things like liturgy or hourly prayers, practices like fasting or crossing yourself. If we discuss it, they usually tell me that they think it’s deadening, that their spirituality is vital and free and that ritual would stifle things. I think I understand the resistance. Some come from families that just seemed to cycle through the motions at church. Some of those families were very serious... Read more
The Scripture commands husbands to love their wives, wives to respect their husbands, children to honor their parents, citizens to obey the authorities, employees to follow their employers, and believers to subject themselves to the elders of the Church. None of this has anything to do with how much or well the other party deserves it. There are plenty of unlovable wives, disreputable husbands, dishonorable parents, unworthy governments, ill-willed employers, and untrustworthy church leaders out there. I’m sure any one... Read more
What does the perfect Christian life look like? When asked the question by a friend, Gregory of Nyssa said it looked like perpetual progress toward God, a thought stemming from Christ’s statement that Christians are to be perfect like God is perfect. This is tricky business. Perfection is easy if we’re talking about the length of a yard or the number ten, things that have attainable, comprehensible limits. But what if there is no spatial or conceptual boundary? Exactly how... Read more
North American evangelical leaders are reporting a decline in influence, according to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life. Pew conducted the poll, released June 22, at the Third Lausanne Congress of World Evangelization in Cape Town, South Africa, in October of last year. Started by Billy Graham in 1974, the Lausanne gathering represents evangelical leaders from all over the globe. Significantly for us, those from the U.S. seem especially dour: Evangelical leaders... Read more
Joel J. Miller
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