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In His Passion—Day 33 Our long look at Jesus’ life through the eyes of those He touched is coming to an end. It’s a story to keep reading for a lifetime—especially the Gospel of John. The disciple John wrote his gospel nearly 60 years after the events, so “that you may believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and believing you may have life in His name.” Mission accomplished? As we read John 21 today, you have to wonder if John remembered this last morning around the

One on One in His Passion — Day 13 Why did I say that? Why didn’t I do something? Be honest, you’ve asked yourself this, too. Like the rest of the team, Peter ran when the soldiers arrested Jesus, but he didn’t go far. He watched everything unfold from the shadows, keeping an eye on Jesus until He disappeared behind the locked doors of the high priest’s palace. Even then, Peter stayed close. He warmed his hands around a small fire in the courtyard. Perhaps when someone poked

One on One in His Passion —Day 1 Jesus finishes what He starts. When we witnessed Jesus’ birth, we met people in Jesus’ backstory. He stepped into time, put on skin, and showed us God’s love, the ultimate Christmas gift. Through His ministry years, we watched Jesus heal and teach and connect with people. We learned how to “ love each other the way I have loved you.”   But never before or since can we see love better personified than in Jesus’ walk to the cross. Those are hard

One on One in His Ministry Years—Day 34 Jesus had as much time as everyone else, yet He was never in a hurry. He took the time to notice people, even the ones others overlooked. His favorite moments were when He caught His own being faithful. And when He did . . .    . . . Jesus rewarded the creative ones.  Mark 2:1-12 After Jesus brushed off the dirt and straw from His hair and shoulders, He likely looked up and laughed. Four young men peeked through the hole in the roof

One on One in His Ministry Years—Day 19 Everyone longs to be loved by somebody—to be someone’s “person.” To many, this desperate search has cost them a world of hurt, compromise, and loss. Too easily, we transfer this rejection to our relationship with God. If you’ve ever wondered if God could really  love you, then meet Jesus at the well. At Jacob’s Well that day in Samaria, Jesus planned a special date with, let’s call her Abby. He wanted a private conversation so He sent H

One on One in His Ministry Years—Day 1 First there was Bethlehem, and now, 30 years have gone by. Turn the page and Jesus is a middle-aged man, working for a living in northern Israel. He’s active in the synagogue, respected by the community, and the patriarch of His family. The Gospels pick up here in Jesus’ life as He begins His ministry as an itinerant teacher on the road—a road that eventually leads to Jerusalem and the reason He came in the first place. To be clear, He

One on One with Him in His Advent--Day 20 The fact that God sent them a personal invitation to the party is a truth we sometimes miss in all the attention on their extravagant gifts. That they came at all, traveling for more than a year across the desert to pay homage to a Jewish king, is reason enough to call them “wise.” Others may call them something else to set out on such a journey with nothing more than a bright star to point the way. When the wise men revealed God had

One on One with Him in His Advent--Day 19 In every generation, madmen walk the earth, scattering terror like seeds. The year Jesus was born, his name was Herod. Let’s call him, Herod, the wish-I-was-great. His 33-year reign over Israel reads like a clinical study in paranoia. Assassinating at whim, his name sent shivers up the spine of a nation. Herod hungered for Jewish respect and tried to bribe them for it. He built them a temple complex that rivaled any wonder of the wor

One on One with Him in His Advent--Day 1 Everyone you meet has a fascinating backstory. Just ask them about it. Where did you grow up? Who most influenced you? What factors shaped your path? What’s important to you? What do you love? In the year before Jesus Christ arrived on earth, His backstory was being written in the lives of a handful of people living in northern Israel at the turn of the calendar. Real people living mostly insignificant lives. All that changed when God

New Testament: Philippians Some people think it’s their job to worry. The plane won’t get off the ground without their help. By the sheer force of their worrying, they keep the tornado from their neighborhood. Worrying keeps things stable. (Ha!) “To worry” means to strangle and that’s what it does to our minds every day. To varying degrees, we all let our fears take over our thought life—which is why the Lord regularly addressed our fretful default. He said: In Matt

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39   It’s a funny question: If you were stranded on a deserted island, and you could only have one page of the Bible, what page would it be? Even with thousands of options, Romans 8 always makes that list.  The book of

Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, He sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”  Matthew 11:2-3   Anyone who has walked with God will tell you—He makes you wait. The Jews had waited a long time for their promised Messiah. They hadn't heard from God, not a word, for more than 400 years. The Gospel of Matthew is a book of transition; we could call it the Jewish Gospel. Good news . . . to

“What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.”  Ecclesiastes 1:3   Most of us think that time is on our side. Ecclesiastes reminds us it isn’t. But time isn’t our enemy either. Time is a gift—God’s gift for us to enjoy life’s big and small joys. We’re usually too busy, or distracted, or driven to notice them. But every so often, something slows time down enough to see life for what it really is. King David

Judges is a good book to read when you are frustrated with yourself for “doing it again”—whatever that sinful or sorry thing is that you said you would never do. Yet, here you are, again. Israel did that for 350 years. From the perspective of history, we can spot a repeating pattern. Seven times they went from a wonderful season of worshipping God, to getting distracted, to drifting away from Him. Soon they turned away from God, to worship other things. Then God stepped in, a

Genesis is where our story begins. Yes, our story. We live in God’s universe, inside His plan, and in His hand. People sometimes talk about God coming into their lives when in reality—we came into His. He who lives outside of time, created the world and put us in it. All that we know of life exists because He welcomes us into His world. When you think of Genesis, think: beginnings .  Whatever begins, begins here.  The beginning of time. The beginning of matter.  The beginning

It happens every June. I attend a wedding—and an old, sad question gets stuck in my heart. “I wonder if I’ll ever marry.” Although I am sincerely happy for the new couple, the melancholy sneaks in around the time they say their vows, “For better or for worse . . . for richer or for poorer . . . in sickness and in health . . . to love and to cherish . . . for as long as we both shall live.” Year after year I heard those promises and pondered how extremely significant they wer

Once a year, everyone should fly into their home airport at sunset.   That’s what I did today and it was amazing. Little did I realize that mile upon mile of red barns and farmland stretch out less than ten minutes flying-time south of downtown Chicago. Freeways edge the city’s outskirts like patterns of lace.  And familiar businesses and homes look downright spectacular washed in the glow of the setting sun.   But all too soon our descent took us into O’Hare and our perspect

I have virtually ignored the Lord’s Prayer most of my life.  In my mind, the familiar “Our Father” belonged in a category of high church liturgy or at best, “nice verses” that lacked power or grandness or personal application.  But in spite of my inattention, The Lord’s Prayer had somehow gotten itself lodged in my memory.   And I’m so glad it did.   This year was a tough one.  On the stress management point scale, I experienced some big numbers and consequently took on some

Don’t lose heart . . . consider Jesus . Hebrews 12:3   Most of life is anticipation.    You look forward to the weekend.  To the completion of a project. Vacation.  The big career break.  Rest at the end of the day. The Lord’s return. The day you meet “the one.”  Or if He should tarry, (the Lord, that is) the day you feel completely content.  “One of these days . . .” you say to yourself.    With varying intensities, the list goes on.  Right now, I bet you could list five thi

Sometimes waiting for an answer from God feels like an ambulance trying to get through heavy traffic. Turn the siren louder if you like, but the cars aren’t moving. You can’t get through.  We’re in a hurry but God is not. We pound heaven’s door pleading for a response and all we get is . . . silence. What is God doing? The delay is a mystery to us.   Not long ago, my life was stuck in traffic. A job had unexpectedly ended—a new job in a new town was waiting for me a thousand