Advent Luke 15-18 Jesus was about 30 when He began His short ministry. He chooses the 12 in Chapter 6 so I’m guessing these chapters, from ‘The Lost Coin’ to the ‘Blind Man at Jericho’, to be about 2/3 through His ministry. Does Jesus feel His time winding down or does it read like a…
The Kingdom of God
For advent I have been reading through Luke. It is so rich – and you do not need a retelling but here are a few things I’ve noticed in Chapters 9-14. I’ve also been watching a few Christmas films and visiting with friends. This will be scattered but you can read it at your own…
Go and Report
Luke 7 and 8 Advent (meaning ‘Arrival’) This is a simple call to evangelism from Luke 7. Our call does not require extensive knowledge of the Bible or training. Tell someone what you know about Jesus. The rest is up to God. As we read the last verse of Chapter 6 and then Luke 7:1,…
Anchoring Arrogance
Every time I drive through Brier, I feel sad. I feel like a failure because I remember my mistakes and those of others. It is an adorable community that makes Seattle feel friendly. My very first Washington State listing was in Brier and I got lost on the way. It is very windy (not the…
Unlimited
Sometimes I think we picture God as just a bigger and stronger version of us. No wonder we have difficulty believing, trusting, praying, and expecting miracles. The examples, during advent, of examining the scriptures concerning the incarnation point to what the meaning of “overshadowed” might entail. For Mary the incarnation excluded a man and the…
Returning From Baltimore
Luke 5 Sometimes we need to just set out from the shore. In Luke 5 (again, reading for advent) Jesus sees crowds of people. Because all things were created through him (John Chapter 1), I don’t think he was avoiding people. Jesus wanted to position Himself to be as useful as possible in the moment….
Order and Method
It was going to be an 8.5 hour flight so I purchased a collection of Agatha Christie’s Poirot’s Early Cases. I realize that one of my fav tv detectives, Monk, is a bit of a Poirot model. In both I see myself. I like order and I develop methods. For example, Last night, with my…
With Whom Are You Touring?
In reading the Gospel of Luke for December, I found a remarkable passage about the temptation of Jesus. Because I have spent the last few months following others more familiar with Prague, I realize a person needs someone who knows the way. Firstly, I don’t believe that Jesus invited the devil to join Him on…
In the Middle, Toward the End, Part 2
This is really what I wanted to write yesterday but then got caught in the details of winding down my time in Prague. I’ll return to the library tomorrow morning, next, pack up the flat, and fly to Baltimore about cousin Susie on Wednesday morning. Home on Saturday evening! So we are in the Middle…
In the Middle, Toward the End
Her name is Joann and she is a retired banker from Malaysia. Today we met at the International Church of Prague. She and two friends had trained/bussed for two hours from where they spent the last few days ministering to children in Poland, and are now doing a little touring before returning home on Friday….