In the first half of Psalm 141 David has sought God’s help for the corruption within him. In the second half he seeks God’s help with the corruption around him: But my prayer is ever against the evil actions of men. David is anything but aloof to the evil of this world; here is no disinterested “tolerance,” no […]
Read More A Psalm for the New Year (part 2)Psalm 141 was not written for the New Year. Yet it is a psalm of resolve. Of sober resolve. It does have several resolutions, but primarily requests. Humble, heartfelt requests. Listen to David: (What follows is my own translation of a notoriously difficult psalm.) Vv. 1-2: A Psalm. Of David. LORD, I have called out to […]
Read More A Psalm for the New Year (part 1)We’ve gone from fantasy dramedy to romcom and arrive now at brainlessly entertaining action movie. While Die Hard 2 is not the best in the Die Hard series, its sheer improbability is overtaken by its fabulous unpredictability, and the following is the quintessential 1990s action movie scene. Bruce Willis as old school, rough around the […]
Read More Classic scenes from Christmas movies (#3)(Alexander Ivanov’s “Archangel Gabriel Striking Zechariah with Muteness”) One of the things I regularly encounter in ministry is the unanswered questions of both saints and skeptics. Non-Christians sometimes perceive Christians as those who don’t wrestle with their faith. Let me tell you: they do. Sure, there are those who never really pause to reflect, who have an unreasoned, […]
Read More But I still have questions about Christianity (An Advent meditation)Okay, so if you don’t like romcoms, then ignore this one. However, While You Were Sleeping has Sandra Bullock at her best. The brilliant scene below captures Christmas dinner conversation with extended (multi-generational) family–several conversations going on at the same time, filled with non-sequiturs, with no one really listening to each other. The “beef and […]
Read More Classic scenes from Christmas movies (#2)Here’s a fantastic clip, with fabulous acting by the little girl (Makenzie Vega), from the 2000 film The Family Man. It displays the “sky’s the limit” creativity of little kids as well as their “arms wide open” acceptance of the “other.” The Family Man belongs to the “What if I had led a different life?”, […]
Read More Classic scenes from Christmas movies (#1)Like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, God never seems that interested in showing himself. God’s invisibility–or, more properly, his nonphysicality–can be, for skeptic or for saint, at the very least an impediment to faith: all that is visible (or, at least, sensory), all that is truly concrete–a tenderloin steak, a Colorado sunset, the caress of a […]
Read More Why is God invisible? (An Advent meditation)It wouldn’t be too hard to imagine a televangelist or popular preacher declaring: “Jesus wants you to be secure, and he promises that, if you give up your house, your investments, and your family ties in order to follow him, he will give you back 100 times as much. Just give up what you’ve got now, and soon you’ll […]
Read More Jesus preaches a prosperity gospelThis clip from The Incredibles captures a recent dinner in the Clark household well:
Read More Dinner in the Clark householdThanksgiving has come and gone, but giving thanks is to be a year-round affair–indeed, an “unceasing” activity. Paul exhorts the new Thessalonian Christians: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” But I haven’t been very thankful lately. Actually, strike out the word very […]
Read More Random things I’m thankful for
Hope Unbroken 