Longing for the Divine

  • Is God Earth Friendly?

    The human story began in the beautiful Garden of Eden, which was to be the vision for this earth. The emphasis on vegetarianism in Genesis seems to be generally understood as…

  • Daniel’s Choice: Is It Time for a New Diet?

    Perhaps the suggestion presented in Daniel 1:12 points us beyond fad diets to a meaningful way of eating at the “time of the end”—a dietary choice that manifests the…

  • Graves of Craving

    Could it be that our cravings bury us?

  • Non-Remembrance: No Fishing Allowed

    God is in the business of healing and transforming the world, not merely wiping out past wrongs. May I live every day in ways that allow this wonderful experience to occur in my…

  • Understanding Grace

    God’s grace is so beautiful to me; it’s like a compassionate father running to welcome his prodigal son home and wrapping him in arms of uncondemning love, where willfulness…

  • My Plant-Based Holiday

    What kind of festive merriment can be there without the turkey, ham or any of that lard infused gravy?

  • God: Fearful Executioner or Giver of Overwhelming Care?

    Jesus spoke the truth when He said that not a sparrow falls to the ground without God noticing. He is tenderly watching over you. Our heavenly Father cares more for us than He…

  • God’s Comforting Voice from the Whirlwind

    God proved to be Job’s friend, not the villain who took his money, children, and health.

  • The God of the Still, Small Voice

    God still shows Himself through a thick cloud pulsating with glory and power—but how is God using His power? When wind, earthquake, and fire are stripped away, what is left is…

  • You Gotta Serve Somebody

    The more you observe Jesus, the more you will be attracted to the beauty of His character. It is this attractiveness—this loveliness and beauty—that makes Him so unique.

  • Vegetarian as Evangelism

    Given the traditions of my Jewish and Hindu friends and the sensitivity of my vegan friends who demand compassion for all creatures, they would be highly offended if I consumed…

  • Nadab & Abihu, Alcohol, and Meat – Part 2

    I vividly remember the day my father became a committed Christian. I helped him remove all the bottles of alcohol from the entertainment bar in our basement, and then we dumped…

  • Scrub Bush Theophany

    When God hears the cries of His people, His heart is triggered to rescue and redeem.

  • Attractive Gospel

    When I experience the beauty God’s character, I find that faith is an experience that happens to me, not something I make happen.

  • Hagar’s Discovery about God

    However, God wants us to recognize that He sees, that His peace and joy can alleviate the shadows of pain and distress. We are sought after and kept by the most powerful Lover in…

  • Earthen Vessels Carrying Desirable Treasure

    God’s power strengthens and holds together our fragile jars of clay, so that they can manifest the life of Jesus. Our life’s purpose is to contain and carry this treasure,…

  • The Powerful Hold

    What obstacles, public shaming, and longtime assumptions are we willing to overcome—as did the courageous woman in this story—to touch Jesus and be in His healing presence?

  • Tetelestai—It Is Finished! The Cry That Carries the Future

    to give us eternal life instead of eternal condemnation. American revivalist Johnathan Edwards summed this idea well in his famous sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry…

  • Transformed Faith, Transformed World: God, Judgment, Gospel

    The common theories and methods for describing the process of justification had become a puzzle for me. I was not a terrified sinner plagued by guilt and seeking justification…

  • God’s Dance

    Can you imagine God literally skipping and singing boisterously with joy over you and me? The very idea is astonishing. How breathtaking it must be to see God whirling about,…

  • Going to the Mat: Wrestling the God Who Prevails

    So, where do we stand in our wrestling matches with God? How has God been wrestling with you? Do you feel powerless and alone, enduring a dark night? Are you struggling to face…

  • Don’t Be Afraid: A Fearless Look at the Fear of God

    Perhaps you believe that the antidote to fearing the world is fearing God. Should we be afraid of Him instead? Is the alternative to worldly fear a reality that anticipates dread…

  • My Vegetarian Lament, and Obeying the Creation Mandate

    For centuries, Protestants have championed Martin Luther’s legacy of justification by grace through faith, not works. Habakkuk is the prophetic context from which Paul speaks in…

  • Tent Talk

    In the Bible, the “tent of meeting” is described as a portable tabernacle—a sacred place or sanctuary that visualized God’s desire to dwell in our midst.

    Boasting in Steadfast Love

    Instead of boasting about God’s infinite authority and might, I want to boast more about His love. When you know and experience someone deeply, you are intimately bound to them. The biblical prophet Jeremiah said that this is what God desires.