Across Church Street
The Good News penetrates bad news
However bad the bad news may be, the Gospel is greater.
Speaker 1: All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Speaker 2: But are justified by God's grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Speaker 1: The wages of sin is death.
Speaker 2: But the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Speaker 1: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
Speaker 2: But if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Speaker 1: Whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.
Speaker 2: But the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
On bubbles and idols
Anything can become an idol. Well, Jesus can’t!
According to Wikipedia, an economic bubble is "trade in an asset at a price or price range that strongly exceeds the asset's intrinsic value. It could also be described as a situation in which asset prices appear to be based on implausible or inconsistent views about the future."
Assets have real value but we can imagine they're more valuable than they actually are. And we can misread an asset's future stability. The same is true of other things in life. Popularity, relationships, possessions, comfort, health, career—all of these can become idols. They have real value to us but we can overstate that value. And every one of them is fragile.
Asset bubbles burst and idols topple. If we depend on them for our happiness and security our world will crumble right along with them. Be cautious—always on guard.
Except for one place.
I have learned—and am still learning—that I can pour everything into my relationship with Jesus, unconcerned that my commitments will ever approach His true worth. He is infinitely valuable and eternally dependable. The full weight of my life is secure in Him.
I hear you
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.”
Normally I would tell you a beautiful chicken is the one sizzling on my plate. But recently I saw a Blue-laced Red Wyandotte. A stunningly beautiful bird.
Why is there so much variety and beauty? Is it not God speaking to us of Himself?
- love
- Holy Spirit
- humility
- church
- poverty & mercy
- politics & society
- mission & witness
- holiness
- parable & metaphor
- identity
- eternal life
- doubt & deconstruction
- leadership
- grace
- justice
- scripture
- spiritual life
- advent & christmas
- imagination & creativity
- technology & AI
- knowing God
- human dignity
- faith & trust
- incarnation & cross
- kingdom of God
- community
- reconciliation
- spiritual formation
- epistemology
- prayer
- gratitude
- culture
- creation & nature
- discipleship
I practice the spiritual discipline of rescuing earthworms on paved surfaces. It's a reminder to me that I can pause what I'm doing, get a little dirty, and help. Also, that I've been given the responsibility to care.