What did Paul mean when he wrote to the Romans “Love each other like the members of your family.” Loving the members of your immediate family can be a challenge sometimes. The grievances against our brothers or sisters may be traced to sibling rivalry, or they may run much deeper
The phrase that jumps out to me immediately as I reflect on “Courage” is “Be Strong!” (vs.2:4). Haggai is the tenth book in the minor prophets and isn’t preached on very often so I’m pleased to look more deeply into it for today’s devotional. Haggai’s prophetic words were given to the Judean community returning from the diaspora
Be Brave! Be Strong! Bon Courage!
The setting for this statement is the bank of the river Jordan at the end of the journey for the children of Israel. Moses has led them up to this point but now Joshua will take over as their leader. Tradition and scripture tell us that Moses first said this to the entire entourage
As we draw Compassion Camp to a close for this week, I hope you have had a good journey exploring compassion in a more focused way. Compassion is not just about donating money to a cause, or delivering food to a neighbor, or driving a friend to the emergency room, or sitting with a family member as he or she goes through one of life’s challenges,
We do not really know anything about this man who was being carried on a mat and lowered through the roof other than his physical paralysis. And we know very little about the people who were bringing him to Jesus for healing. What we can surmise is that the people carrying the paralyzed man would go to any lengths to have their friend healed.
Compassion for Family brought to mind an experience that hit very close to home. An elderly relative, whom we shall call X. Smith, needed on-site supervision and, as luck would have it, there were two residences located on the property. One of the grandchildren whom we will call Z. Smith,
The Psalmist begins his cry for help with acknowledging his guilt. Psalm 51 is attributed to King David by some and alludes to the story of David and Bathsheba, in which David broke at least half of the Ten Commandments. The anonymous writer of Psalm 51 was well-acquainted with God’s compassion as he confessed his own guilt and shortcomings. Humanity is filled with people who have done things they are not proud of and yet we keep finding new ways to do harm to others and to God’s creation. I am proud to be a United Methodist who tries very hard to live by Three Simple Rules: Do no harm. Do good. Stay in love with God.
It’s summertime and this week we will be going (virtually) to compassion Camp VBS! The church I attend used Compassion Camp curriculum with a different focus on the act of compassion each day. Compassion is an emotion that calls for action on our part. The call to “Be compassionate as God is “compassionate” will be explored as Compassion for Myself,
Compassion for Family, Compassion for Neighbors, and Compassion with, in, and for the World.
Paul was a great letter writer. He used his communications to teach and guide his fledgling churches as they wrestled with the challenges they faced. He wrote letters that included inviting himself to come for a visit in his travels. His letters were requests for money to fund his travels
Success does not always look like what we imagined it would. One of the paths we took probably looked like a failure to some folks and yet in my heart I can see that the hand of God guided us safely into the future.
As you have journeyed through life Success does not always look like what we imagined it would. One of the paths we took probably looked like a failure to some folks and yet in my heart I can see that the hand of God guided us safely into the future.
As you have journeyed through life
It would be very difficult to work for peace if you are judging others for their actions and/or beliefs (convictions). Not just difficult but it seems utterly impossible. Having an alcoholic father I really connected with Paul’s admonition in verse 14:20 “Don’t destroy what God has done because of good.
I am very familiar with rapidly changing communities and cultural diversity, but I am
also aware that not everyone welcomes change. Nor does everyone choose to welcome people of cultures other than their own. It is not easy to comprehend the traditions, the foods, the spiritual practices, etc. of a culture other than our own
