tenderness

A Compassionate Touch

“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.” – Mark 6:34 While there are many words we can use to describe how healing happens in the church, if I were to pick one, it would be compassion. Nearly every time Jesus restored, touched, or taught in the Bible, it says that He had compassion for the people He was helping. In fact, this familiar word literally means to “suffer alongside.” The term passion, which is often used to describe the cross, comes from the french word for suffering, which is pati, and when you add the prefix co, it means to “suffer with.” Truth is, there’s great healing power in offering sympathy and tenderness to an emotionally-wounded neighbor, and since we live in a world that can’t seem to stop

July 30, 2021 No Comments

Surrender the Fight

“God again set a certain day, calling it ‘Today.’ This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.’” – Hebrews 4:7 I’ve heard stories about soldiers who’ve gone to war, and though they depart from home full of life, vitality, and hope, they return bitter and disillusioned. Fighting for so long — often on the front lines and in the face of death itself — leaves them wounded and unable to let their guard down again. And while most of us haven’t been in this kind of physical combat, the fatigue of fighting is something that we all can relate to. So today, I’m writing to the warriors who are battle-scarred and weary. Life has dealt you a hard blow, and it’s been one thing after another. Maybe it’s losing

April 21, 2021 2 Comments

Live and Love Like Jesus

“Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.” – Matthew 21:12 Though there’s a lot to learn from the stories of Paul and Joseph where it comes to being stubborn in faith, no one exemplifies adamant conviction more than Jesus. He threw convention aside on many occasions, because He was doggedly determined to bring His Father’s heart to the world. He passionately turned over the money changer’s tables at the temple, repeatedly touched those who were considered unclean, and faced the scorn and mockery of His accusers in total silence. Though it must have taken every ounce of restraint He could muster, He stonewalled in the face of injustice and refused to react emotionally to the charges brought against Him. Yet while our Lord was tough and gritty

April 16, 2021 No Comments

The Tenacity of Paul

“Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.” – Acts 19:8 The life of the Apostle Paul always amazes me. When I think about a stubborn and gritty guy, he is at the top of my list. Before meeting Jesus, he was so zealous for religion and the law that he dragged hundreds of Christians from their homes and had them killed. He was passionate for Judaism and sold out for “righteousness,” but it never occurred to him that the Jesus he was persecuting was actually the Messiah…until He appeared to him. Blinded by the light of the Son and humbled before the Lord of All on the road to Damascus, his prideful heart was brought low, and he received a new call. God saw fit to change his course and invited him to use his brilliant mind to reason

April 14, 2021 No Comments

Love is Favor

“Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.” – Psalm 5:12 There’s nothing like the love of a grandparent. While parents get to deal with all the tough parts of raising kids, grandma and grandpa get to do the fun stuff. Though not true across the board, most grandparents take joy in spoiling their grandchildren, whether it means buying them gifts, taking them on outings, getting their favorite food, or sharing a hobby or craft with them. Since they are typically older and less busy than mom and dad, they can give the kids their undivided attention and spend focused time with them (often to the delight of their parents). If you’re wondering where I’m going with this, the fact is that I believe envisioning the lavish and unconditional love of a grandparent better equips us to understand the role of God’s

February 6, 2021 2 Comments

A Compassionate Touch

Surrender the Fight

Live and Love Like Jesus

The Tenacity of Paul

Love is Favor

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