In our world, we are small, and likewise, in the universe our world is infinitesimal. Many people have difficulty believing that people on such a small part of the universe could actually matter to God. For some this is where they have a departure from the idea of God at all. But today, perhaps we…
God's love
Learning about God is a Joy
When people are afraid they won’t be accepted they avoid contact. This especially happens when people consider getting to know God. Avoiding God can range from keeping a static view that was handed to them from someone else (a person or an institution) all the way down the spectrum to simply believing there is no…
Candle of Love 2016
Our thoughts today are of the love God has shown us in sending His Son, Jesus. God’s love in human form. This kind of love has certain characteristics… unlike all other types of love. In scriptures from both the Old and New Testaments we see it’s caring and self sacrificing actions: “For the Lord your…
Rahab and Ruth, Thankful for Inclusion
Our inclusion in a family is one of the most basic needs for mankind. All our group ideas stem from that basic unit. Tribe, nation, creed are all forms of belonging. Rahab was included through gratefulness of the Israelite spies, and Ruth was included through love; they became woven into the destiny not only of…
God’s Love Shines through a Mother
The Christmas Story gives us glimpses into God’s heart. His choice to bring his son into the world through Mary highlights how God values humility, precious faith, and sacrifice. We aren’t told of Mary’s beautiful face or fashionable clothing. Braids and well kept appearance aren’t mentioned. It doesn’t mean these weren’t attributes , but that…
Thankful for Second Chances
A Promise with Many Colors God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the…
Stable Love (A Play On Words)
Stable means steadfast and steady, but it also is the word for a place people keep the animals in a barn. What kind of love must face all circumstances? A stable kind of love, one that doesn’t require good feelings to stay true. Such a love is a shelter, and its safety does not consist…
Love Reaches Down Before It Lifts Up
The Greeks were smart people. Their precise language is the language used to record the Gospel and New Testament writings. That is a particular benefit when we want to consider the topic of love. Our views about love get all tangled up because we use it to describe so many types of attachments, emotions, and…
The Candle of Love
The final Sunday before Christmas, the last week of preparations, and our destination of Christmas night will have arrived. It is shaping up to be a hectic week, with many last minute errands and festivities. There can be schedule conflicts, a feeling that not everything or everyone can be fitted into a timeframe suddenly grown…
Red Ribbon
One of the Jesse tree ornaments is a simple, tied, red string or ribbon. It stands for the sign that Rahab was to signal to the Israelites that her household should be spared when they attacked Jericho. Not only was she spared, but she became one of the ancestors of the Royal house of David…
