A curated garden of devotional treasures
More than a holiday: What we usually think of as “Thanksgiving” is a holiday peculiar to the U.S. and Canada. It calls to mind the gratitude of Protestant colonizers for the blessings of the harvest as they forged new lives in a new land. But there is more to the heart of the holiday than a full belly. Thanksgiving acknowledges that we are dependent on the land to yield food. But it further acknowledges that God is sovereign over theRead more
Hiroshima, then and now: If you’re like me and have little first-hand knowledge of Japan, the city of Hiroshima conjures up images of tragedy. As World War II was straining towards its conclusion in the summer of 1945, Hiroshima became the first city to be attacked with a nuclear bomb. The effects of this were disastrous and are well documented. But our purposes today are not to zero in on the devastation that human beings are so adept at causing.Read more
The Eighth Sunday after Trinity: The Collect for Trinity 8 is beautiful, thought-provoking, and a fit prayer for all times: O God, whose never-failing providence ordereth all things both in heaven and earth: We humbly beseech thee to put away from us all hurtful things, and to give us those things which be profitable for us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Contemplating the Collect It’s amazing how much is packed into this brief prayer. I love how it opensRead more
“I Shall Not Want” by Audrey Assad: From the love of my own comfort From the fear of having nothing From a life of worldly passions Deliver me O God From the need to be understood And from a need to be accepted From the fear of being lonely Deliver me O God And I shall not want, no, I shall not want When I taste Your goodness, I shall not want From the fear of serving others Oh, andRead more
God’s heart for the lost and lonely: Throughout all of scripture, God has shown a peculiar interest in caring for those who find themselves stranded, alone, and destitute. We see it in the miraculous conception of Isaac, in the redemption of Ruth, and in the parable of the prodigal son. We see it in the law that makes special provision for widows, orphans, aliens and slaves. I especially love the stories of God blessing infertile women with children. Each timeRead more