THE CURVED ROAD

PSALM 121 Life is not a straight path from one blessing to the next, with the target of achieving heaven at the end. Life is a tumultuous and twisted journey. God is not just going to simply mop up the mess after it has been made. For our benefit and the glory of Jesus Christ, He … [Read more…]

OBSESSIVE COLLECTORS

LUKE 12:13-21 Many people enjoy shopping. They simply can not stop themselves from buying, buying, buying. The quest for the best deal is a global trend. Japan, Saudi Arabia, France, the Uk, the United States, and other countries have big shopping malls. The surge in in-store and online sales demonstrates that buying is an universal phenomenon. Shopping … [Read more…]

IT SINGS B FLAT

JOB 38:1-7 The supermassive black hole at the center of the Perseus cluster of galaxies is known to produce a lot of heat and light, but NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory discovered soundwaves from it in 2003. Scientists determined that the sound the black hole was generating was a B flat, despite the fact that it was far, … [Read more…]

ROAD CONSTRUCTION

JEREMIAH 31:31-34 Michigan residents sometimes joke that they have two seasons: winter and road construction. Because harsh winters wreak havoc on road surfaces, crews get to work as soon as the ice melts and the ground warms up. Despite the fact that they call their job “construction,” much of it appears to be “destruction.” Simply patching … [Read more…]

I AM LOVED BY JESUS

ROMANS 8:31-39 Triumph, our old dog, wandered around the yard before she died, finding a sunny spot to stretch out on the grass to keep herself warm on cold days. This reminds me that we all must keep ourselves in God’s love. That does not really mean we have to do anything extraordinary to earn His love … [Read more…]

TOO BLESSED TO GRUMBLE

PSALM 107:1-8   I have plenty of time to read bumper stickers on vehicles when driving on the road. Some are funny, some are clever, and still others are simply distasteful. However, a bumper sticker I recently saw gently challenged my heart about how I often engage life. “Too blessed to grumble,” the sticker plainly stated. … [Read more…]

EVERYONE IS WELCOME!

ISAIAH 55:1-9 A church edifice was regrettably demolished as part of a beautification project. The doors of the empty church remained in place for several days after the windows were removed, even while bulldozers began knocking down walls. KEEP OUT! was written in giant, fluorescent-orange block letters on each set of doors around the church building. Unfortunately, … [Read more…]

THE WISDOM OF CROWDS

PROVERBS 11:14 On a website, James Surowiecki’s “The Wisdom of Crowds” is described as follows: “In this book, James Surowiecki explores a deceptively simple idea: Large groups of people are smarter than an elite few, no matter how brilliant.” According to the book’s synopsis on the website, they are also, “Better at solving problems, fostering innovation, … [Read more…]

STAY HYDRATED – AVOID DEHYDRATION

JOHN 7:37-39 I have been dehydrated several times before, and it is not something I want to experience again. It was accompanied by dizziness, disorientation, blurred vision, among other symptoms. I discovered the importance of water for my health the hard way. My dehydration experience has given me a new perspective on Jesus’ call in John 7:37. … [Read more…]

WHAT IS LOVE?

PSALM 103:1-14; 1 JOHN 4:10 “What is love?” Children had some excellent ideas. Noel, a seven year old, said, “Love is when you tell a person you like his shirt and he wears it every day.” Agnes, who is eight, replied, “Since my grandmother got arthritis, she can no longer bend over and paint her toenails, … [Read more…]