It rules and structures our lives. It is familiar and comforting to us. And it feels like we never have enough of it. Time can be a tyrant or a friend. “Time is an illusion, time is a curse; time is all these things and worse,” sings Amy Grant. That’s true if we live bound by time-consciousness, unable to enjoy the presence of God in the present moment because we are mentally checking over our to-do list. On the other hand, I’ve heard it said, “Time is your friend.” If we are comfortable with letting time go by, refusing to anxiously micro-manage every minute, time really can be our Continue Reading
Why You Can’t Let the Little Things Slide
Have you heard the story of the frog that was put in a cooking pot and happily stayed put while he gradually boiled to death? He just didn’t notice that the water was getting hot. I feel bad for the frog, but he illustrates a point. It’s the subtle changes that can catch us unaware. A couple of summers ago, we put a vinyl roll-up shade on the outside of our dining room window to cut the heat of the morning sun. It was pure white when we hung it, and let in plenty of light. We could enjoy a cool breakfast without feeling trapped in a dark cave. Nice. Last fall, I opted not to wash and Continue Reading
What the Bible Is For
Ever had one of those mornings when you woke up just not quite ready to face life? That was me recently. It had been a hectic week with too quick of a pace and too many challenges, and I was on the verge of a melt-down --- maybe not Three Mile Island, but still. So I grabbed my trusty Bible, hoping for some inspiring words and a tasty personal tidbit to get me through the day. Perhaps a lovely promise, or comforting verse to soothe and uplift me. I got wrath and woes. I started in Psalms, often a great place to find solace, and landed on Psalm 78. That particular one happens to be a Continue Reading
How Are You Hiding From God? — Part 2
We were talking about how God knows your ways intricately, and that is nothing to fear. Let’s look at the other side of this coin, though. It is possible to exasperate and even anger God. Know how? By refusing to know his ways. Talking about the ancient Israelites, the writer of Hebrews quotes additional Scriptures about how they rebelled against God and tested him to the point of provoking him. They had seen all the ways he had taken care of them. He led them, fed them, and saved them from their enemies, yet they continually questioned and grumbled against him. In his Continue Reading