After the large crowd was miraculously fed and leftovers were still spilling from baskets, the scripture tells us the people “wanted to force [Jesus] to be their king.” Jesus had fed...

In this chapter of the fourth Gospel, Jesus reveals just how far the generosity of God extends. When Jesus and the disciples encounter a large crowd, Jesus sees an opportunity to...

The story of David and Bathsheba is a quintessential example of human desire superseding compassion and self-control. David commits adultery with the wife of one of his soldiers. Instead of fessing...

While lament can be cathartic, it is important not to remain in a state of “everything is horrible” all the time. Lament is the release that opens the door to hope....

Psalm 14 is a lament, a passionate expression of deep and heartfelt emotion. The psalmist says their feelings out loud. There is something special about that. It is not sugar-coated or...

This text brims with edges and boundaries. Christ calls the faith ambassadors to a deserted place, presumably the outer edges of society, to rest. Christ then crosses over the shoreline, only...

Spiritual abandonment feels particularly pervasive these days. I don’t have to go far to hear stories of wounds and aches from folks who feel outcast by the church community and have...

God’s home can be in our very bodies. Regardless of the body, God can dwell there. Moreover, God chooses more often than not to make a home in those bodies often...

Years ago for my Lenten prayer practice, I chose to paint abstract art. I had seen the work of a synesthetic abstract artist who saw colors when she heard music and...

My daughter in all her toddlerhood often experiments with the world around her. It is how she learns best. This also means that countless times a day I hear, “Uh-oh!” When...