Grains of Sand

I can’t say that John the Baptist was exactly the most welcoming of preachers. He was your “fire-and-brimstone” kind of guy. Imagine him standing by the shores of the Jordan, fiery, penetrating glance scanning the crowd that gathered. Many were curious. Who wouldn’t be? This crazy-looking self-proclaimed prophet appears from the desert regions dressed in camel hair. Weird enough, but then they find out about his diet…well, that would have sent a few people running! Apparently there were enough among the people who came to hear him that responded to his message to attract the notice of the authorities, both political and religious. The message? “ …a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins ” writes Luke in his Gospel (3:3). There were tax collectors and pious Jews, soldiers and the common folk, who came to hear what he had to say—and John had plenty to share! When asked, he informed each segment of his immediate society exactly what was required of them (Luke 3:10-14). But he w...

Reading: 2 Corinthians 1-4 When Paul writes his second letter to the Corinthians, the resurrection theme we saw in the first letter appears again. The apostle gently reminds his readers that someday they, like him, will be presented before God. Those who accept the message of reconciliation because of their labor of love will bring great glory to God on that day… “ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For the light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes no on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal ” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18, NIV). Paul has described some of what he has gone through as a messenger of the Gospel (4:8-11). He had been beaten, left for dead, shipwrecked, persecuted, imprisoned, misrepresented, hungry, cold, and frustrated by a physical limitation that held him ...

Considering some of the weird and wonderful things Ezekiel was commanded by the Lord to do, he probably couldn't be blamed if he had been a little peeved at his assignment. After all, Ezekiel was a priest, a dignified member of his community and it just didn't seem right to ask him to lie around on his right side in a public view for 390 days and then on his left side for another 40. Not to mention how offensive it was for the poor man to have to cook his meals, in public, over a campfire fueled by human excrement. Happily the Lord allowed him a reprieve on this last one and let him cook his bread over cow manure. But, still…! Then he had to shave his head and his beard—a definite nasty for a Jew. What was all this about? Why such "in-your-face" illustrations? Israel has been taken into captivity to Babylon. Judah is about to suffer the same fate at the hand of the Assyrians. God's people have behaved so badly for so long that God has come to the end of the di...

It comes back like a boomerang, or the incessant buzzing of a mosquito in my ear. Over these months of adjusting to my new role, getting to know people, and observing ministries, I've forgotten to count how many times those in leadership have mentioned how difficult it is to get workers. Last night was no exception. I sat with the gal in charge of children's ministries and heard the dreaded words: "we need more workers" once more. Actually it was more than once since much of what should be happening with the kids' program can't happen because there are not workers to help make it happen. If you ask, reasons as multiple. Some refuse to jump through all the legal hoops now required of people who work with children and youth. Others don't want to miss the church service during the month they are on duty with the kids. Some have health or family issues. Many say they don't have the "gift." A few claim "prior commitments" which take ...