The other day I was driving down the canyon to Salt Lake City, enjoying the view of the snow covered mountains and a few minutes to myself. As I drove, I was listening to an audio book and heard the narrator read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8: 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, … Continue reading God Is . . .
5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;his faithfulness continues through all generations.Psalm100:5 Most Holy God, Some days I come before You with great joy. Some days I worship You with gladness. Some days I sing with a heart bursting with gratitude for who You are and the way that Your are working … Continue reading Praying Scripture – 2/12/2020
Last weekend I asked what motivates us, which brings to mind this verse from the Psalms: Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.Psalm 37:4 NIV Father, You tell us that when we delight in You, You will give us the desires of our hearts. Transform us, Lord, … Continue reading Praying Scripture – 1/29/2020
When we get up in the morning, what is motivating our choices? Jamie Smith suggests that our vision of “the good life” is a key driver. But how do we envision “the good life”? What do we think will make us happy? Fulfilled? Our culture provides all kinds of answers: being young; being skinny; having … Continue reading What Really Drives Our Poor Choices?
Last year I spent about a month immersed in the poetry of Psalm 8, but no matter how many times I read them, verses 3 and 4 always strike me to the core: When I consider your heavens,the work of your fingers,the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,what is [humankind] that … Continue reading Praying Scripture – 1/22/2020
While Psalm 1:1-2 describes the things that the "happy" or "blessed" person does and doesn't do, verse 3 offers a beautiful metaphor for this person: That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,which yields its fruit in seasonand whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.Psalm 1:3 NIV Father, Your word teaches … Continue reading Praying Scripture – 1/15/2020
Recently we’ve been talking about the spiritual discipline of confession. (Speaking of confession, I love this song!) We've looked at the Scriptural call to confess our sins—to God and to one another. We've considered what confession is, including self-examination, acknowledgement of our sin, accepting God’s forgiveness, and changed lives. At one point I suggested that … Continue reading How Can Confession Actually Change Things?
Psalm 1 paints the portrait of two paths that we can choose from: to delight in God's instruction or to walk in the way of the wicked. The "law of the Lord" can also be translated as the "instruction of YHWH," which I prefer for two reasons. First, culturally we bring certain expectations to the … Continue reading Praying Scripture – 1/8/2020
When the New Year knocks at the door, many people adopt New Year’s resolutions. Others choose theme words, theme verses, or even 30-day challenges to start the year, hoping to kick start a new habit. Two years ago I started journaling in January. (No, I’m not about to insist that you start!) It wasn’t so … Continue reading When Did You Last Take a Good, Hard Look?
As we start this New Year I can think of no prayer that I would rather pray than the high priestly blessing. Not only does it serve as my prayer for each of you today, but in her book Bearing God's Name: Why Sinai Still Matters Carmen Imes has talked about the fact that this … Continue reading Praying Scripture – 1/1/2020
Life Beyond #Blessed 