My central goal in the coming year is to become more like Jesus. That’s the one thing I want to obsess about, the one thing I want to see through, even if only through baby steps. I want to experience the best wine in a new wineskin.
I am struck with the wonder of God’s self-disclosure and incredible abiding grace by which He dwells among His people. Discovering God’s intimate desire to dwell with me and His longing to incorporate humanity into His loving communion touches me at the deepest level of my being.
The Christmas story must respond to the tears and pain of those who have walked through the valley of broken humanity. If God is so peaceful, why does such brutality, war, and murder happen to a child from Bethlehem?
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 in facing God?
Today, we are divided by gender, race, economics, and politics, yet the darkness emphasizes our enduring yearning for light. I am reminded that dark times present opportunities for hope, opportunities for a shining light to make a difference.
The temptations of Jesus are our temptations too. We are tempted to see God not as His true character but as one who meets our every need and softens our every landing. When we ignore the darkness, pretending that the devil is not lurking in the shadows, the tempter drives a wedge between us and our view of God. He tempts us with physical gratifications that bring temporary comfort, with a pride that appeals to our intellect, and with things that can be possessed (1 John 2:16). Jesus lives by listening to the voice of His loving Father over all the other voices competing for His attention. His example shows us how to live.
Thanksgiving is a time to cultivate gratitude. It is a time to celebrate all that we are thankful for. It is a time to remind ourselves to practice love.
Despite their horrible circumstances and the prevailing misinterpretations of Scripture, many slaves clung tenaciously to hope, refusing to let go of a God who loved them. Instead of rejecting Paul because proponents of slavery used the letters of Paul to defend their oppression, they chose to read it well and faithfully.
Paradoxically, the story of Elijah bringing reformation and revival becomes the narrative about Christianity losing its godliness in the apocalyptic vision.
We are often tempted to want Jesus for the wrong reasons, treating Him like a mere team mascot that represents our beliefs and values—what we stand for rather than who He is. If we think that Jesus has no say in the matter, we should remind ourselves that it will be “this same Jesus” who returns.
Theological InTents 