The lives of the rich and famous are consistently on display for all of us to see. Every day, we can be surrounded with stories of people we can see are moving towards success, and people who seem to be heading towards disaster. We talk about the path they seem to be on as if we know all of what is happening in their lives. If our lives were on display like those of the “famous,” what would people be able to see about the path we seem to be on?
Read More success, disaster
There is such a thing as disaster. The structure of things collapses, suddenly and without warning. The market crashes and your forty years’ security is erased. A dark spot appears on a routine x-ray. The child is miscarried. The father is killed by the roadside bomb, far away. There is such a thing as disaster, and grief that will not be comforted.
Read More faith, disasterHave you ever embarked on a series of actions that you knew were dangerous and bound to lead to some sort of catastrophe? Or perhaps you’ve done something to offend someone you love and then tried to “make it up” to them – giving a gift to pacify their anger. If the person knows that you are honestly sorry for your actions, that gift might be well received.
Read More integrity, disaster, motives
Read Reflect You can read this psalm as an answer to the plea of last week’s psalm (Psalm 123). Even if the problems of last week have not been solved, you can thank God in advance for what he will do. After all, “if God is on our side, can anyone be against us?” (Romans […]
Read More security, deliverance, disaster
Joel’s message opens with the pressing circumstance of a plague of locusts. It’s an outbreak of apocalyptic and catastrophic proportions. Repeated swarms (v 4) are invading and advancing across the land (vv 4-9). They’re devouring every blade of grass, every stalk of wheat, and every leaf on every tree (vv 7-12).
Read More disaster, locusts, plague, hope, promise