Thanksgiving Day as embraced in the United States wonderfully asserts the place and power of love and gratitude within families—a wholesome national celebration that other nations may regard as exceptional. Ties...

In reading this psalm, we may feel angry or overcome that the reality of Jerusalem’s history is so very far from peaceful. We may pray, “When, O Lord, will you do...

God faithfully and consistently desires that the chosen people join him in bringing peace and good government to the world. The whole of history seems to show God’s plan being frustrated,...

Many of us demand to live in a “perfect” environment: free from fear of harm, and nice and quiet. Some people who spend time in Africa working on contract are glad...

Jesus ushers in a different kind of reign than the world has seen before. He doesn’t rely on flashy entourages but leads a band of fishermen. He doesn’t use powerful weapons...

Colossians 1 provides a magnificent conclusion to the church calendar and to our reflections on Christ’s reign. Now that we have walked through the story in detail, Paul takes a step...

Few who witness Jesus’ crucifixion understand that despite his ignoble death Jesus is in fact the true king. The disciples themselves, though they have heard Jesus say multiple times that he...

The Messiah did indeed come, fulfilling God’s promises; but he proved to be different from what people had expected. As in the time of Samuel, they think that having a king...

Centuries after the time of Jeremiah, the people still await the shepherd king God had promised. They have returned from exile to their homeland but still feel displaced, for God has...

By the time of Jeremiah, the people of Israel and Judah have seen more than their fair share of bad kings, who have ranged from the merely lousy to the downright...