Field notes on life and mission with God in post-Christendom
Recently I read through the Old Testament books of Ezra and Nehemiah. I was especially struck by Ezra's repentance in chapter 9. He finds out that other Israelites have sinned. He hasn't committed this particular sin. Others have. And yet, when he … [Continue reading] about Repenting For Others
In years past, when I went on vacation, I wanted to receive some big revelation from God about my calling. I noticed others would go away on retreats and come back with the next 10 years all mapped out because God spoke to them. That sounds pretty … [Continue reading] about How God Guides Us
Imagine that you suddenly became a millionaire somehow. You've got $20 million in the bank, and you bought a big house with an abundance of unused bedrooms. Imagine further that as you are settling into your new house, you look out your window and … [Continue reading] about The Immorality of Hoarding Wealth
I've been using a new lectionary for morning and evening prayer this year, and today Acts 2:1-21 was the morning reading. I was struck by Peter's conclusion to his sermon: "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." It's easy to … [Continue reading] about The Simple Helpfulness of Jesus
Poet Mary Oliver said, "Attention is the beginning of devotion." You cannot love something you do not (really) see. One of the most devastating casualties in our age of carefully constructed distraction is our diminishing capacity to pay … [Continue reading] about Attention is the Beginning of Devotion