In A.D. 500, Augustine wrote: "How can you draw close to God when you are far from your own self?" In 1530, John Calvin wrote: "Our wisdom . . . consists almost entirely of two parts: knowledge of God and of ourselves." And Teresa of Avila wisely wrote: "Almost all...
01496 – Anger is Within
A monk decides to meditate alone. Away from his monastery, he takes a boat and goes to the middle of the lake, closes his eyes and begins to meditate. After a few hours of unperturbed silence, he suddenly feels the blow of another boat hitting his. With his eyes still...
01298 – Pausing to Wonder
He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand in rapt awe is as good as dead, for his eyes are closed. ------------------------------Pluralized version: Those who can no longer pause to wonder and stand in rapt awe are as good as dead, for their eyes are closed.
01285 – Voting is Public Transport
Time to remember the best voting advice I've ever heard: Voting isn't marriage...it's public transport. You are not waiting for "the one" who is absolutely perfect. You are getting the bus. And if there isn't one going exactly to your destination, you don't stay home...
01280 – God’s Spirit is Dangerous, Not Safe
In the midst of depression I once asked my spiritual director how I could be feeling such despair when not long before the depression hit I had been feeling so close to God? "Simple," she said. "The closer you get to light the closer you get to darkness." The deepest...
00718 – Worship: Seeking an Experience vs. Seeking God
The most common mistake Christians make in worship today is seeking an experience rather than seeking God. They look for a feeling, and if it happens, they conclude that they have worshiped. Wrong. In fact, God often removes our feelings so we won’t depend on them....
00271 – Paralyzing Fear of God: Tragedy
It dawned on me that even my best theological and spiritual formation had not been able to completely free me from a Father God who remained somewhat threatening and somewhat fearsome. All I had learned about the Father’s love had not fully enabled me to let go of an...