Remember the Cross “Surely this man was the Son of God!” Mark 15:39 Scripture: John 6:51-58 In the local Church, a large cross stands at the front of the sanctuary. It represents the original cross where Jesus died—the place where our sin intersected with His holiness. There God allowed His perfect Son to die for the sake of every wrong … Read More

A Feast of Love I am the living bread that came down from heaven. John 6:51 Scripture: John 6:35, 41-51 In the Danish film Babette’s Feast, a French refugee appears in a coastal village. Two elderly sisters, leaders of the community’s religious life, take her in, and for fourteen years Babette works as their housekeeper. When Babette comes into a … Read More

The Power of Prayer Do not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us. 1 Samuel 7:8 Scripture: 1 Samuel 7:3-11 One day, feeling deeply concerned about the welfare of one close, encouragement was found in part of the Old Testament story of Samuel, a wise leader of the Israelites. As you read … Read More

Where’s the Piccolo? There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many? John 6:9 Scripture: John 6:1-21 At certain times in life we may feel insignificant and useless. Surrounded by people with greater talent than ours, we are tempted in our weak moments just to settle back and … Read More

Running and Rest [Jesus] said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:31 Scripture: Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 The headline caught my eye: “Rest Days Important for Runners.” In Tommy Manning’s article, the former member of the U.S. Mountain Running Team emphasized a principle that dedicated athletes sometimes ignore—the body needs time … Read More

Flawed My strength is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9 Scripture: Mark 6:14-20 A well-known actor commented that he enjoyed playing “flawed” characters in movies because people could relate better to an imperfect character. Most of us would agree that it’s easier for us to understand people who aren’t perfect because we know that we are imperfect. God included … Read More

Lack Nothing God is able to bless you abundantly, so that . . . you will abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8 Scripture: Mark 6:7-13 Imagine going on a trip without luggage. No basic necessities. No change of clothing. No money or credit cards. Sounds both unwise and terrifying, doesn’t it? But that’s exactly what Jesus told His … Read More

Inconvenient Times I desire mercy and not sacrifice. Matthew 12:7 Scripture: Mark 5:21-43 A suicidal woman stood on a bridge in Seattle for 3 hours ready to jump. The situation created such a colossal traffic jam that some motorists, caught in the delay, began to curse the woman and screamed at her to jump. She did—and she survived the 160-foot … Read More

Who is This? “They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” Mark 4:41 Scripture: Mark 4:35-41 “Remove everything from your desks, take out a piece of paper and pencil.” To a student these are dreaded words announcing that “test time” had come. In Mark 4, we read that Jesus’s day, … Read More

Glory to the Grower So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 1 Corinthians 3:7 Scripture: Mark 4:26-34 One day, there was an unexpected splash of yellow to the right of the driveway. Six stalks of daffodils, sandwiched between two large stones, bloomed bright and tall. They hadn’t … Read More