In case you haven’t guessed yet, I love Advent and Christmas. This is, in fact, my favorite time of the year. The anticipation; the growing darkness and the warmth of our lights intended not only to hold the darkness at bay but to illumine its secrets; the planning and preparation; and all...

Dear God, Remember not our faults and failures but your faithfulness. Remember not how we broke your commands and covenants but the love with which you made and gave them. Remember not our disappointments and downfalls but your delight in your children. Remember not our sin and shortcomings...

It is so easy for my “Lenten discipline” – the quotations are to indicate how little “Lent” there is sometimes in the discipline – to devolve into a chance to drop a few points, quit an annoying habit, or spend a little less money. I never mean for that to...

Dear Lord, As Peter made bold to confess your name and place faith in you, make us bold to witness to you in word and deed. As Peter misunderstood your nature and mission and sought to prevent you from embracing your destiny, make us aware of when we misunderstand your will and forgive us when...

What I appreciate about Robert Frost’s poetry is the “rhythmic logic” that always seems to yield a kind of desperately honest beauty. Here is comes especially in two places. “And lonely as it is that loneliness / Will be more lonely ere it will be less” and...

We give you thanks, O God, for all things: For the Spirit that names and affirms, the Spirit that leads and drives, we give you thanks. May we ever heed its call. For the wilderness periods of our lives that help us grow strong while teaching us not to rely on our strength but on your mercy,...

Lent is the season of repentance and self-denial. But to what end? Is it to nurture greater self-discipline or virtue? Is it to identify with Jesus? Is it to train us in the way of discipleship? What do you think? Along these lines, I found the following quotation by C.S. Lewis helpful: If you...

You’re probably familiar with the original “scary story” beginning: “It was a dark and stormy night…” Mark doesn’t begin his story of Jesus’ Passion with those exact words, but he nevertheless strikes the same ominous, foreboding note: It was two days before the Passover and...