Bing Crosby’s rendition of “White Christmas” isn’t merely one of my seasonal favorites, it is in fact the best-selling single of all time. There’s something about snow on Christmas that resonates with nearly everyone.
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Many of us are familiar with the Palm Sunday account when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. According to Matthew 21:1, Jesus began his ride in Bethphage, a town directly to the east of Jerusalem on the other side of the Mount of Olives.
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In Bath, England there are hot springs that, 2000 years ago, provided not only physical relief but emotional release. Scores of prayers have been excavated from the ruins that visitors paid to have written down and offered at the site.
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Christmas. It’s many things: familiar carols, bright lights, seasonal decorations, family gatherings, great food, and special worship services. It’s also the time when we can give gifts to those we love – with the hope that we’ll hear the words, “It’s just what I needed.”
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In the gospel of Luke a story is recorded that most of us are familiar with. But just recently I saw a line in it that struck me hard. Here’s the story.
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The stationery was cheap. The handwriting was shaky. The ink was black. The tone was desperate. The note was addressed to the United States Govt, Washington D.C. It read. “I am sending $10 for the blankets I stole while in World War II. My mind could not rest. I want to be ready to meet God.” It was signed, “an ex-G.I.”
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To my way of thinking, some of the most outrageous words in all the world are these: God forgives your sins. You may have heard those words years ago and rested in them for a long time. Or perhaps such an amazing reality is new to you and you’re still staggered by the possibility of a clean slate and fresh start.
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Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time… (Jonah 3:1) To my way of thinking, this is arguably the most remarkable verse in the entire book of Jonah. That phrase, of course, alludes to the fact that there had been “a first time.”
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Doctor Jim Clark was fighting for his patient’s life. Little Liz had a rare disease and urgently needed a blood transfusion in order to survive. The only hope for the five-year-old was to receive a blood donation from her twin brother
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I read a phrase recently that stopped me in my tracks. “We have a tendency to freeze people in time.”
The context of the phrase was a discussion about the challenge of forgiveness and the difficulty reconciliation. The point being that, when someone fails, disappoints, or hurts us we let that memory of what they did then define who they are now.
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Most of us are familiar with the gospel accounts of the crucifixion on that gray Good Friday afternoon: the brutal nails pounded into Jesus’ hands and feet, the cruel mocking of the onlookers, the callous gambling of the soldiers, and the last words spoken by the dying Savior.
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