Rescued by Jesus. Rebuilt by the Spirit. Responding to God's grace.
“We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!” (Numbers 11:5-6 NIV) The Israelites, after being rescued from bondage in Egypt, were now free, living on manna that God provided daily. Yet, […]
But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. (Luke 5:16 NIV) Jesus would preach to multitudes and heal the sick, but He also knew when He needed to withdraw from it all to spend time in prayer. To pray to God is not a ritual, but a conversation with our heavenly Father and a […]
But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” (Luke 10:40 NIV) Has your spiritual life been defined by activities? We might justify busy […]
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28–30 NIV) Jesus […]
Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Psalm 62:5–7 NIV Rock. Fortress. Refuge. The imagery is unmistakable: In […]
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10 NIV) King David might have been a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), but he was far from perfect. When the prophet, Nathan, called him out on his sins, David cried out to God, “Create in me […]
Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:25-26 NIV) The psalmist laments over the prosperity of the wicked: they have no struggles (Ps. 73:4), speak with malice (v.8), […]
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? (Psalm 42:1-2 NIV) In the wilderness, under the unrelenting heat of the sun, we thirst. Our very lives depend on quenching this […]
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. (Luke 4:1–2 NIV) The wilderness is where we are stripped of our […]
Why I question one particular prayer in times of grief It’s Good Friday and I’m reflecting on death. Over the past few years, there has been so much loss and grief among members of my community. Children losing parents. Parents losing children. Husbands and wives losing their spouses. Friends who don’t know how much longer […]
Before the resurrection, there is crucifixion. On Easter Sunday, we celebrated the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. On Good Friday, we remembered that Jesus died a horrific death on a cross for us. But what about Saturday? The day when Jesus was dead and buried and his disciples thought that all was lost? I’ve been through […]
In the midst of divisions tearing through the Church, what can we learn about unity through Jesus’ humiliating death on a cross? The most divisive year ever? I haven’t posted in nearly a year, and what a year it has been. Not only did we have to contend with this novel coronavirus, which no one […]
To forgive is a choice we must make daily. “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” – Colossians 3:12–13 […]
For some, Mother’s Day is a day of celebration; for others, a day of lament or hopeful anticipation. God, as we celebrate mothers today, We thank You for your deep love for us. You are the Giver of life. Our divine parent. You model unconditional love and sacrifice. You nurture your children and discipline us […]
A prayer and reflection in light of what God has done for us through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. God, Our Father, who created the earth and everything in it, who made us in Your own image and entrusted Your creation to our care, we come before you this Resurrection Sunday. We celebrate You […]
What is God teaching me through all of this? The last time I posted, I talked about the dangers of isolation. And here we are, living under self-quarantine, isolated from our friends, coworkers, and community. So many thoughts. But rather than try to rationalize what’s happening or assign blame to this or that, I’ll instead […]
Is there such a thing as too much silence and solitude? I’m constantly surrounded by people. At home. At work. At church. Not that I mind. I’m not antisocial. I’m just an introvert. This means that I enjoy the company of others, but I just don’t like talking all the time. So, I often withdraw […]
Did Joseph ever aspire to rule over Egypt? A pastor once asked me what my five-year plan was. Then, I replied that I had learned (the hard way) not to make my own plans, but to remain open to the Holy Spirit’s leading. “In five years, I’ll be wherever God wants me to be.” That […]
The real reason I stopped taking seminary classes. Seminary had been a high priority in my life. This is why, when planning a work trip overseas, I did my best to schedule it for after I’d finish two quarters of Greek classes. I couldn’t let anything interrupt such an important course of study and risk […]
Ever pray for clarity? I have—but maybe we’re not supposed to. In 2005, while I was working in film, video, and graphic design, God called me to serve in full-time ministry instead. A year later, I was on staff at a church. In 2011, when I was a pastor at that church, God called me […]
The answer is not quite that simple. “I have the right to do anything,” you say — but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything” — but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others. (1 Cor. 10:23-24 NIV) Halloween is right around […]
Communion isn’t just between you and God. It’s communion with the worldwide body of Christ. So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread […]
“If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.” (Mark 3:24 NIV) I woke up late that morning. I was out late the night before. At the time, my then-girlfriend-now-wife, Soo, lived in Glendale and I lived 80 miles away in the Inland Empire. A friend of mine had invited me to co-teach […]
You ever hesitate—or fail—to pray because you just didn’t believe that God would answer your prayer? I do. More often than I should. He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it […]
I don’t think He wants to “use” me, anyway. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph. 2:10 NIV) Ah, aging. The loss of hearing. Deteriorating vision. The pain in my back, hips, knees, ankles, and heels when I wake […]
Is taking care of your family idolatrous or biblical? <<Previous episode As I was processing what the roundabout meant for me—was God calling me to exit one specific role at one specific church, or was He calling me to exit full time ministry completely?—an encounter with some old friends rattled me. They had been married […]
Are our failures part of God’s plan, or does God redeem our failures? << Previous episode October, 2016. I agreed to step down from my pastoral role after God spoke to me through a roundabout: “See the direction everyone else is going.” “Yield.” “Navigate your way through without crashing.” “Know when to exit.” After two […]
I wasn’t too crazy about the movie the first time I saw it, but I loved it the second time. Why I flipped after reflecting on disappointment. Warning: spoilers ahead. “It was like a roller coaster ride: there were about five truly exhilarating moments, but it took some tedious climbing to get to them, and […]
<< Previous episode I’ve been avoiding this episode for over five months now. Every time I sat down to write it, I’d choke mentally and walk away from the computer, or I’d write about something else. I suspect that I was subconsciously hoping to avoid reliving one of the most difficult seasons of my spiritual […]
What are you thankful for? There must be something. There is always something to be thankful for, even in the midst of trials and pain. This is not to minimize anyone’s pain or encourage a facade of happiness. I wouldn’t do that, especially not after posting about lament just a few weeks ago. Laments may form […]
