Have you ever experienced an initial burst of enthusiasm about a project, gotten a good start, and then stopped along the way and wanted to give up? Sometimes we find ourselves...

The apostle Paul begins this chapter by talking about the Macedonian offering for the poor in Jerusalem. The Macedonian churches of Philippi and Thessalonica have eagerly responded to the invitation to...

We do not always wait with hope. Often we wait for something, but our unbelief does not allow for hope. The psalmist hopes, since the word of God does not fail....

Psalms 120–134 are known as Songs of Ascents, psalms sung by pilgrims on the way to the Temple in Jerusalem. Along the way, people sing their pain and praise. From the...

We are always preparing for something in this life. We prepare for the arrival of a baby. We prepare for the end of college. We prepare to move to a new...

We would think that the presence of the new covenant in Jesus might draw Christian communities back toward God and away from their wandering pattern. Looking at the church of Corinth,...

Our time together closes in the port of Corinth with an ETA on the sabbath. We are beginning to identify with the Corinthians much the same as we viewed the Israelites:...

I  grew up in Miami, Florida, on Biscayne Bay. Water became an integral part of life. Pier fishing after school became Saturday surfing, turning into full-moon catwalk shrimping. The influence of...

Mark’s few verses are consistent with the theme of contrasts this week. Perhaps we need these opposites to remind us of life’s ebb and flow. Today is the summer solstice, the...

Today’s scripture provides a striking contrast in tone. We are lifted up with affirmative praise and reminded of the reward for those who seek God (vv. 9-12). Then just as quickly...