King Herod’s reputation as a man of violence must have preceded him. His stature as a ruthless leader reverberates not only throughout the biblical text, but also among his contemporary writers...

This Servant Song lyrically depicts one who acts with tenderness, compassion, and responsibility toward others—one who cares for others, protecting those who are easily broken, marginalized, and wounded. This is a...

The psalm begins with an affirmation: “How good it is to sing praises to our God, for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting.” What follows is an...

Verse 18 is tempting to skim over, coming as it does at the very end of this passage. Life and light catch our eye along the way. John’s prophetic testimony reaches...

This passage always startles me a little when I come across it in the lectionary, shortly after the beginning of the year. We encountered it only a couple of weeks ago...

I was meeting with a grieving family to choose scriptures for a funeral. One of the family members knew Ecclesiastes 3 and suggested it as a possibility. The family tossed the...

It’s not uncommon at a homecoming or family reunion for someone to stand up and thank God for the opportunity to gather. “We thank you for the blessings and mercies we’ve...

As a young pastor starting out in ministry, it didn’t take me long to realize that I could not “fix” someone’s grief. I had learned this in my pastoral care classes...

My children have been blessed throughout their lives to have people they refer to as “church grandmas.” These cherished friends pay special attention to our children when they’re at church and...

Throughout the ages we have heard the weeping of Rachel for her children. We have also heard the cries of Lupita, Eun-Kyung, and Dionne. Mothers have been calling out to God...