Throughout scripture we can see a link between the concepts of love and justice. Justice is the biblical term for the expectations and rights that should govern how we interact with each other, and especially for how we prioritize responding to the diverse needs within our community. Love motivates us to respond to the needs we …
Category Archives: Discipleship
32726 God’s Call to Love Others
Imagine two doctors. The first was trained in a medical school where no one talked, wrote, or read—training only involved the close observation of working doctors. The second’s training was the opposite. It consisted solely of listening to lectures and reading text books. Which doctor would you rather see—the one who knows how procedures are done but …
32725 God’s Call to Reach Out
Jesus is risen from the dead! Sin and death no longer have the final say. This good news fully revived and overflowed from those who first heard it. So much so, that disciples who had been paralyzed with grief and crumbled expectations suddenly didn’t care if the political powers that be killed them! They were preaching in …
32724 God’s Call for Me: Tasks and Responsibilities
Saturday. It’s a beautiful day for playing outside with friends. A young boy dresses hurriedly, swallows his breakfast almost whole, and prepares to burst through the door into the beckoning sunshine. His plans collapse the moment his mother’s voice rings out. “Whoa! You gotta clean your room first.” Talking about vocation is exciting. We are energized at …
Continue reading “32724 God’s Call for Me: Tasks and Responsibilities”
32723 God’s Call for Me: Vocation
“Get a good job, become financially secure, have a nice family, buy what you want, enjoy a few of the finer things in life, avoid the troubles of the world, retire with ease.”[1] Is this a Christian vision of life? Is anything wrong with pursuing comfort, financial security, or personal fulfillment? It’s not so much what that vision …
32722 God’s Call for Everyone
What does a music lover look like? Or a football fan? Or a musical football fan? Well, like, anyone, really. Aside from the people wearing piano-key ties or team jerseys, it wouldn’t be instantly clear. But spend some time listening to what they discuss with the most excitement, or hear how they tend to spend their time, and it …
32721 My Place in the Story
God’s invitation into His work (sometimes referred to as His “call”) operates on three levels: that which applies to all Christians, that which applies uniquely to each of us, and that which applies to the moment in front of us—like our daily tasks and responsibilities.[1] “Jesus said to him, ‘”Love the Lord your God with …
32910 The Story
Advancing—progressing in a direction—implies a past and present, not just a future. What, then, is the broad sweep of God’s story? It began with the very good creation. God created. And He called His creation good. Particles, plants, people, sexuality, community, and work were called good by their creator. But all that was good was twisted when …
32636 Forgive One Another
“Watch yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him. Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to you saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” – Luke 17:3-5 Most of us are probably like the apostles in the Luke passage above. In hearing …
32635 Be Joyful and Demonstrate Sacrificial Love
Joyful, sacrificial love. Love that doesn’t make sense. The verses above are woven together by this thread of humble, selfless, freely given love. In the clip from Les Miserables, the Bishop freely gives away his wealth for the sake of a stranger he calls “brother.” The joy of that sacrifice astounds the stranger, Jean Valjean, who …
Continue reading “32635 Be Joyful and Demonstrate Sacrificial Love”