When you think about God, what comes to mind? The answer is very important. Hopefully, you can say with David, “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!” (Psalm 139:17) as you think about His protection, presence, purpose, penalty,…
“What’s in a name?” Shakespeare’s Juliet, frustrated by the fact that, due to a blood feud, Romeo’s surname of Montague prevents them from being an item, posits that a name is just an insignificant label; it’s the person’s character that…
Flags represent the spirit and identity of countries and serve as national rallying points both in peace and wartime. In the film The Patriot (2000), Mel Gibson’s character hoists a flag in the thick of battle to inspire his fellow…
Siblings have ways of tormenting each other. A boy will position his finger about an inch from his sister’s shoulder and say, “I’m not touching you!” And few things are as creepy as someone staring at you, even if it’s…
The Name In Genesis 17, the covenant community is in crisis. Abram had been called by the Lord out of darkness and into light. He had been given incredible promises, including offspring (Gen. 12:1-3). God had reiterated his promise: “Your…
YHWH, the Tetragrammaton traditionally transliterated as YAHWEH[1] and translated in Scripture as “LORD,” “GOD,” “JEHOVAH,” and “JAH”[2] is the most used name for God and especially sacred. It assumes a developing covenantal significance during redemptive history in Exodus 3:13-15; 6:1-8—there…
It is easy to be overwhelmed in the midst of misery. Whether you’re facing your own sin, that of another’s against you, or suffering of one sort or another, we are tempted to remain downcast. If that describes you today,…
Sometimes, when we are going through suffering, we find ourselves wondering if the Lord has really heard our calls for help, especially when they seem to bring no relief. When a friend betrays us, our singleness seems unbearable, marriage is…
Recently I had the opportunity to comfort another woman who was going through an unexpected trial filled with grief. As sorrow-filled words came tumbling out of her mouth I wondered how I might comfort her, especially since I had not…
Each day you and I awake to a world that is experiencing the effects of sin. Broken relationships abound. Financial hardships occur. Places are wiped out by fires, hurricanes, and tsunamis. People die from sickness and starvation. In light of…
