Cure Time
The new driveway in my neighborhood has been roped off for a week. Concrete doesn't just dry, it cures. A chemical reaction is occurring that can take a month or more to complete. When God reveals something new to me, I need to give it cure time. Think about it, write about it, incorporate it into my life. Then, maybe I'll be ready to talk about it.
Clouds on the Horizon
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. — Matt. 6:34
Standing on the beach, looking inland. It's sunny here, but in the distance, we see dark clouds and lightning. Do we run to the car or stay? Today, we stay, and the storm never arrives. In life, many storms could strike. I can easily imagine they will. Lots never do, and all the worry is wasted.
Now, With Feeling
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⏤ 2 Cor. 9:7
In High School band, we would sight-read a new piece, and it would sound mechanical. Eventually, our band director would say, "Now, with feeling!" Sometimes, we would write that on our music score as a reminder.
Giving the gift of myself (what love is) can be mechanical, too. What might it take to be the kind of person who gives cheerfully, with feeling?
- love
- Holy Spirit
- humility
- church
- politics & society
- mission & witness
- holiness
- parable & metaphor
- identity
- eternal life
- doubt & deconstruction
- leadership
- grace
- justice
- scripture
- spiritual life
- advent & christmas
- poverty & compassion
- 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
The God of the Bible looks like Jesus, the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being. It would be just like him to go to the cross.