Category: Devotions
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A Prayer from Babel
From the start I will admit that this devotion has been shaped by this past Sunday’s Crosspoints adult education class, which tackled the topic of “Exile” using the lens of a short video from The Bible Project. (A plug for this delightful site where two guys, some deep faith, and lots of adept keyboard strikes…
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The Thin Blue Line
Editor’s note … our guest devotioneer this week, Brendan Armitage, sent me this devotion a couple of months ago, suggesting that it could be used “anytime”. It was not connected to a particular church season or holiday. He said I could use it when I needed a week off. I instead, wanted to find the…
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Crown of Thorns
And they clothed him in a purple cloak; and after twistingsome thorns into a crown, they put it on him. Mark 15:17 (NRSV) It is just a few metal rods … an unadorned base … and what looks to me like a piston ring housing for a small motor, that has been cut into pieces. …
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Baked; Not Broiled
We extend our thanks to Brendan Armitage for offering this week’s devotion. “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” 1 John 4:18 It was a recipe for a Sicilian-style pizza. It had come out…
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Words from the Cyber-Wilderness
I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the…
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A Brave New World
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. For while we live, we are always being given up to…
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Oh, Those Kiddos
The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. Isaiah 11:6 So … I get a crazy idea as I’m writing a puppet show script for the preschool this week. (Admittedly, the fact…
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Desk Detritus
Last week, the computer mouse on my desk mysteriously fell between the desk and the wall in my office. By “mysteriously”, I mean “was thrown against the wall in frustration over an uncooperative website form I was trying to fill out.” My desk weighs the equivalent of a mid-sized rhinoceros, so usually things go there…
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Not-so-Dirty Ground
We extend our thanks to Brendan Armitage for offering this week’s devotion. “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” ~~ Genesis 3:19 (KJV) I can usually tell who I’m parked next to in…
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Angels Unawares
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. (Hebrews 13:2, KJV) Most Sundays after church services are over and before heading for home, I walk through all the pews in the church sanctuary, so as to collect the attendance sheets from the 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. services. (And allow me…
