Luke 2:15-20 “When the angels had left them . . . . . “ Sometimes in our romanticizing of Christmas we assume that we should be on a spiritual high throughout the month. But we grow more and more tired and weary as the sacred day approaches. We assume that every moment Read More...
Luke 2:8-12 It never fails when we take a group to Israel, we spot shepherds watching their sheep. Not by night, as Luke tells it, because we’re always in bed early, exhausted by the day’s activities. But every group we’ve taken has seen them. Usually it’s Bedouins, nomadic people of Arab descent, Read More...
Luke 2:1-7 Every year as my family unpacks our holiday decorations and we unwrap various nativity sets I recall a conversation from my seminary years. In a class we were talking about the season of Advent and a classmate shared a tradition in her family practiced while she was growing up, that Read More...
Luke 2:13-14 At first, one of the baby angels hid behind her mother. Her older sisters were laughing and admiring one another’s wings, but this particular angel was nervous, brow furrowed; skeptical. A new angel family arrived, bringing more commotion and excitement, dancing and singing; waving of golden star wands and tousling Read More...
John 3:16-19 True story: The other day I was driving down the street and there was a guy on the corner with a hand-lettered sign, “Jesus Loves You John 3:16.” As I drove past him, I realized there was a second guy standing about the middle of the block with a hand-lettered Read More...
Mark 1:1-3 Did you know the traditional Christmas story is only found in two of the four Gospels in the New Testament? The elements that make up the common nativity scene come from Matthew and Luke; Mark and John cut to the chase and begin with Jesus’ ministry. However, Mark’s introduction, its Read More...
Romans 13:11-14 You know what time it is! Right now, as I write, my phone, watch, laptop, and clock on the office phone are displaying the time. At this very moment in Kansas City it is 2:13 p.m. At least, that is what the scientists, astronomers, and engineers of technology have all Read More...
Luke 1:46-49 Words have been the topic of much discussion in my home lately as my high school student has hit a point where they are working on essays that have a targeted number of words. This frustrates him as he either has too many or not enough – and professes (fairly Read More...
Isaiah 60: 19-22 Darkness is part of life as we know it. We are not strangers to violence, hunger, greed, hatred, isolation or fear. Yet, God loves us so much and wants better for us and from us. God has provided a pathway to God's perfect light filled with peace, fullness, contentment, Read More...
Matthew 1:18-25 At the end of this passage, Joseph suddenly seems brave, awaking with resolution. Matthew describes Joseph as righteous and obedient, but we may add afraid. His fiancée, with whom he intended to start a family, is already with child. This will bring social disgrace, even from family and friends, but Joseph plans to Read More...
Luke 1:26-35 “You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.” Recently a young couple confided to me that they were trying to have a baby. Of course, I offered the traditional congratulatory affirmations and thanked them for letting me share in their anticipatory excitement. Read More...
Isaiah 11:6-9 When the prophet Isaiah gets around to describing God’s hopes for the world, the imagery sounds somewhat utopian. The wolf and lamb will lie down together, same for the calf and the lion, children will play where snakes live and somehow won’t be hurt. Woody Allen famously said that if Read More...
You often miss it while traveling through airports in large cities. But you can still glimpse it here at our antiquated airport in Kansas City. Because our airport gates are arranged in a circular pre-9/11 configuration, you still get to witness the moment of arrival. A middle aged couple wearing Kansas City Read More...
