Jesus’ words and actions in this passage demonstrate God’s carefully planned and orchestrated agenda concerning revealing the mystery of Jesus’ sacrificial ministry. We observe a contrast between mystery and secrecy and open disclosure. Jesus revealed this great mystery literally one step at a time throughout his earthly life. Paul explained…
God’s Word always has appropriate timing. Some translations head this section, “Testimonies About Jesus.” We’re reading this the week after Easter, when certainly testimonies about Jesus, especially his resurrection, flew among his followers. Let’s read what people said before the last week leading up to the crucifixion. John wrote one…
What a feast we have in God’s Word this week! John included several names to introduce who Jesus is. In her book, Walking on Water, Madeleine L’Engle wrote, “To name is to love. To be Named is to be loved.”1 Earlier, on the same topic of names, a character in…
This week I attended a Christian writers conference. I emphasized “Christian” because this conference is like summer camp for writers. The people who attend all bring their experiences with God and his Word to the conversation. God’s Word informs our writing, and the conference included worship and devotion times. I…
The Sovereign Lord is also a God of restoration and reconciliation. He calls His people back to Himself over and over again. He does all this for His glory, to uphold the power and essence of His holy Name. We observed in Ezekiel 19 how God remained true to His…
We don’t really have snow–yet. And I could count on less than ten fingers the number of sunrises I’ve seen this year (although there have been a few). Photos like this remind us God is faithful through it all. Ezekiel’s writing invites us to read slowly, study, pause, savor, and…
The week before Thanksgiving, the women’s Bible study I attend studied Titus chapter 2, which includes words to help us reflect on the first Advent candle, hope. The hope of Christmas spans past, present, and future. For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It…