Tag Archives: Faith

Year in Review, 2025 Edition

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Photo by Vadim Velichko on Unsplash
1 For everything there is a season,
    a time for every activity under heaven.
4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.
    A time to grieve and a time to dance.
5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
    A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
(Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4–5, NLT)

This past year has been a wild ride. More transitions, another move, and four major losses that brought four significant chapters of my life to a close. Honestly, it’s been unexpectedly difficult and I’m looking forward to putting 2025 behind me.

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God’s Heart in Worship

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Photo by Pedro Lima on Unsplash
9  Give to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
     Give to the Lord glory and strength.
10 Give to the Lord the glory due His name;
     Bring an offering, and come into His courts.
11 Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!
     Tremble before Him, all the earth.
(Psalm 96:7–9, NKJV)

Psalm 96 has been a favorite of mine for several years. Recently, as I was prayerfully reflecting on it, verses 7–9 really stood out to me. What I noticed was that, quite literally in the heart of the Psalm (this middle of five stanzas), the Psalmist has poetically captured a sense of God’s heart in our worship. Here, I’d like to mention three details the Lord has impressed upon my heart from these three verses.

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Jesus Himself Drew Near

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Painting by Altobello Melone on Wikimedia Commons
Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. (Luke 24:13–15, NKJV)

The early morning sun crested over the horizon on the first day of the week. It was now the third day since Jesus was crucified, killed, and buried. A small group of faithful women, followers of Jesus, brought spices they had prepared to the tomb (Luke 24:2).

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As He Who Serves

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Painting by Simon Ushakov on Wikimedia Commons
And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves. (Luke 22:25–27)

Luke 22 brings us to the Day of Unleavened Bread, “when the Passover [Lamb] must be killed” (Luke 22:7). Sometime during the few days leading up to this one, two important, parallel events happened involving two of Jesus’ closest followers.

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Possess Your Souls

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Engraving by Adriaen Collaert on Harvard Art Museums
Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. … you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But not a hair of your head shall be lost. By your patience possess your souls. (Luke 21:14–19; NKJV)

Luke 21 brings us to one of the many challenging passages in the Gospels. This is Luke’s account of the Olivet Discourse, where He answers the disciples’ questions about the future destruction of Jerusalem and His Second Coming.

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Goals for the New Year, 2025 Edition

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Photo by Tim Northup
9  The hands of Zerubbabel
   Have laid the foundation of this temple;
   His hands shall also finish it.
   Then you will know
   That the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you.
10 For who has despised the day of small things?
   For these seven rejoice to see
   The plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.
   They are the eyes of the Lord,
   Which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth.”
(Zechariah 4:9–10; NKJV)

It’s that time again. Another new year. Another season of anticipation for what God has in store for us individually, our communities, and our world. Last year was the first year I published my New Year’s goals. In this post I will continue that habit for 2025.

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Sons of the Resurrection

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Painting in the Hagia Sophia on World History Encyclopedia
Jesus answered and said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. (Luke 20:34–36)

Luke chapter 20 summarizes Jesus’ testing by the religious leaders after His arrival in Jerusalem and leading up to Passover. One of the many details I find interesting in this chapter is how these events connect to Passover.

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Year in Review, 2024 Edition

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Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash
9  Remember the former things of old,
   For I am God, and there is no other;
   I am God, and there is none like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
   And from ancient times things that are not yet done,
   Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
   And I will do all My pleasure,’
11 Calling a bird of prey from the east,
   The man who executes My counsel, from a far country.
   Indeed I have spoken it;
   I will also bring it to pass.
   I have purposed it;
   I will also do it.
(Isa 46:9–11; NKJV)

Over and over again, Scripture calls us to remember what God has said and done. Remembering gives us a chance to reflect deeply about God and His work in our lives. It calls to mind the evidence of God’s faithfulness to His promises and His people, which gives us wisdom for the present and hope for the future.

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To Seek and Save the Lost

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Painting in St. Mark’s Cathedral on Wikicommons
Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:8–10; NKJV)

Chapter 19 in the Gospel of Luke is a transition between two major sections of Luke’s narrative. The first half of the chapter (verses 1–27) closes out the large central division focusing on the Gospel of the Kingdom of God with a brief review of Jesus’ Kingdom priorities. The second half of the chapter (vv. 28–48) begins the next major division, which narrates the presentation of Israel’s Messiah, beginning with the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem.

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Have Mercy on Me!

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Print by Lucas and Joannes van Doetecum on Harvard Art Museums
The tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:13–14, NKJV)

As Jesus traveled toward Jerusalem, many people gathered around Him, asking Him questions and listening to His teaching. Chapter 18 narrates some of Jesus’ encounters as He journeyed toward the Cross. The chapter opens with two parables about the kind of persistent, humble faith that God desires of us. These parables are followed by Jesus’ encounter with the little children, whose persistent, humble faith He instructs us to emulate.

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