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...

I see this often in the church. We, as beloved community, are full of good folk who wish to give of themselves. Sometimes, though, we get so caught up in what...

I do not remember the first time I heard, “Home is where the heart is.” It is one of those colloquialisms that was embedded deep and early. In this text we...

Herod was bound in the tension between doing what was right—refusing to behead John the Baptist—and upholding the social norms and standards around keeping one’s word. Both options had their own...

Those in power in today’s passage had very different opinions of John the Baptist. Herodias had preconceived notions against him, while her husband, King Herod, feared him yet “liked to listen...

This scripture moves from the cosmic infinite to the very personal, truly relational connection God has with humanity. We have insight into God’s selection of humanity through Jesus Christ and through...

Today’s scripture reads very much like a liturgy that would be well known by a community. The narration reminds us of the infinite and powerful presence of God. When we consider...

Psalm 24 is seen as a nod to the return of the ark and a naming of God’s almighty power and authority over the entire universe. This text centers God and...

Ritual has power, as we saw in yesterday’s text. The parade and procession of the ark to its final resting place most likely took hours, if not days. In addition, the...

This entire narrative is one of power and celebration. We have a giant crowd that has been waiting for this meaningful event for generations. There is a symbolic ordering of the...