I am the Bread of life. John 6:48 “I am the bread of life.” You tell us this, offering the gift of your body, your life, your all, broken open, held out for us to receive. Or reject. You wait. Here, standing before us, love broken open, you wait. With unending patience, you wait. Is there a love more vulnerable? A gift more intimate? I catch my breath, and … [Read more...] about Broken Open
Return
In returning to Me and resting you shall be saved; in quietness and confident trust is your strength. But you were not willing. You said, ‘No, we will flee on horses… A thousand of you will flee at the threat of one… Therefore the Lord waits and longs to be gracious to you, He waits on high to have compassion on you. Isaiah 30:15-18 (AMP) “Return,” You call. You invite. You … [Read more...] about Return
The Wonder
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14 Have you ever rested for a moment on some couch or bed and thought about the universe of solar systems moving and singing and carrying on beyond your knowing? Not the universe outside of you. I mean the one you carry around with you— the one that carries you. The suns and moons and stars that exist inside … [Read more...] about The Wonder
Whirling
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life…look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Matthew 6:25-26 I stood at the kitchen counter, grinding coffee to brew a fresh pot for my family— my mind spinning with the grinder. But my whirling thoughts produced nothing … [Read more...] about Whirling
Broken Hearted
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4 I was grieving— alone in prayer when I sensed the Spirit asking me to place my breaking heart into God’s hands. With some hesitation, I responded to this strange request. What I saw next surprised me. I expected that God might mend my broken heart, or at least hold it together. Instead, God took and … [Read more...] about Broken Hearted
Blessed Poverty
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 6:3 When I have known a poverty of health— robbed of ease and certainty— into this stripped down bones of a home rushed moments of hushed and holy wonder at the gift of simply being able to breathe. When I have known a poverty of answers— despoiled for a time of self-righteousness and pride— into this … [Read more...] about Blessed Poverty
Light
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. Isaiah 60:1 Light, You know no containment fill all spaces ascending, diffusing cascading down around us all streaming over rock and field rivering through every crack to bore beyond wall and door pressing hope against our unseeing eyes gently waking our skin waiting to … [Read more...] about Light
Worshipping the Christ Child
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary and they bowed down and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. Matthew 11:2 We come with the wise men to the Christ Child. We quiet ourselves. We bow down. We bow before this child, given to us. Vulnerable. God-with-us. Mystery. We worship the God who pursues us with love. The God who comes … [Read more...] about Worshipping the Christ Child
Extraordinary Wrapped in the Ordinary
For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given. Isaiah 9:6 We wrap this day we call Christmas with ribbon and bright paper. We mark it off in red on our calendars and have high expectations for an extraordinary day. Sometimes in doing this we miss the day all together. The day Jesus was born was not wrapped in ribbon or marked in red on anybody’s calendar. Perhaps the real wonder of … [Read more...] about Extraordinary Wrapped in the Ordinary
Preparing our Hearts
And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children… to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Luke 1:7 We need to be made ready for the coming of Immanuel. This time of waiting is a time of preparation. Our minds and hearts are not in a state of that is receptive to this miracle of love, to this surprise of grace. … [Read more...] about Preparing our Hearts
