The world we live in manages to sling the mud of so-called modern social wisdom and political wrangling at us daily. With an overwhelming variety of information in our hands and readily available in a pocket or handbag, it’s not hard to quickly catch up and know the latest developments. We need a bath—every day—just…
284. Sabbath without end
Let’s begin at the beginning. Truly: in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth – that beginning. It is the beginning of everything, and without it, we cannot know God. People generally know that God made the earth in six days and rested on the seventh. It’s a wonderful story. God spoke Creation into existence…
283. Like never before
New has its own charm. A whole process is wrapped up in the word new. New things come with demands—of time, money, attention, and expectation. New things are beautifully packaged, or in the case of a house, perhaps spruced up a bit so that it at least feels new. There are two Greek words for new. Neosrefers to something recent…
282. Close enough to hear… and see.
It is the Feast of the Cross. A remarkable contradiction in the words we use marks the uniqueness above all else of the events surrounding the death of Jesus. A feast of death? We know of other festivals that celebrate death. In Mexico Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a well-known parade of people in…
281. The sin of fear
Fear is good. Fear warns and helps prevent foolish actions. The symptoms of fear are unmistakable and distinct —a hollow feeling in your stomach, a dry throat, and sweaty hands—those unmistakable signals your body involuntarily sends due to messages from your brain and eyes. Situations like heights and flying can cause fear, words can evoke fear, and…
280. Disgruntled and diseased
The whole world struggles with disease. Medical insurance, government funding for healthcare, and public health plans are high on political agendas. Often, the greatest fear is not death itself, but the suffering and illness before death. Then one hears of someone who passed away in their sleep or was suddenly struck down, and secretly hopes that this will…
279. There is a prophet
The value of a story can never be underestimated. So many of us are the product of words, spoken and written. Shelves full of books and the thoughts of others in sound are the colour and richness of our lives. Good memories of childhood often revolve around storytime—the good ones and the bad ones, the questions that arise…
278. The Scale of God
Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket,And are counted as the small dust on the scales;Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing. All nations before Him are as nothing, And they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless. (Isaiah 40:15,17) The “affairs of the nations” that strike like a blow in the…
277. Pazienza, yes patience.
It is a virtue, right? It is one of the essentials for “right living, not so? The saying about patience that can endure so much comes from a poem by Dante (Paradiso Canto XXI – The Divine Comedy), written in the early 14th century. Without speaking Italian the words are almost comprehensible in the musical rhythm of his…
276. Did you listen well?
[Old year 2024 – welcoming 2025] The echo of Christmas is still fresh in our minds. Christmas decorations are everywhere. The nights are long and the days short and cold. We are all enjoying leftovers and relaxing after the big preparations for a Christmas gathering. What a joy it is to be able to come together! We clean up…
Pebbles of Perpetuity 