Viewing entries tagged
gospel
You don't have to be perfect parents to be perfect foster parents. Inherent in the role is the pressure to be amazing because you are doing something amazing - an expectation no human can live up to, nor should ever have to. Foster parents are not saints or heroes or spiritual rock stars. We are humans. Real moms and dads that struggle, stumble and mess up. We get annoyed, frustrated and exhausted. We don't have all the answers and don't even know the right questions to ask most of the time.
Sometimes my kids' artwork is really bad. It's nothing but scribbles on a page, their misspelled names, mismatched colors or an abysmal failure to stay within any semblance of a line. But I love it all, every time, no matter what. Not because it is artistically brilliant but because it is deeply thoughtful.
We mean well, don't we? But sometimes our attempts to say something spiritual actually come out unbiblical, or at a minimum, not very helpful. Here's the 5 I hear the most...
The story of creation, fall and redemption is the most compelling human story. It’s a storyline woven throughout the fabric of all of life, from nature to art to film to relationships. The rhythm of scripture itself flows along the creation, fall and redemption current, orchestrating a captivating telling of the course of human history...
The people of God have historically thrived in oppressive, resistant and hostile societies. The Israelites lived under the cruelty of an abusive Egyptian king, yet "...the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread..." (Exodus 1:12). Despite the systematic attempts of indoctrination into an Egyptian worldview, Daniel refused to compromise his allegiance to God and in the end "...the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom..." (Daniel 6:3).
We recently sat with friends over dinner who shared with us that God was calling them to adopt. They said they always had a sense this would be in store for them, but were hesitant on timing - life had become comfortable for them again with good jobs, two children and an overall healthy rhythm for their family. However, while the benefits of comfort had settled in they began to question to what end. Where would a comfortable life ultimately lead them?
There are certain things in churches we can create that people will participate in - i.e. worship services, pot-luck dinners, small groups, children's ministries and basketball leagues. Whether God is in those activities or not is irrelevant to our ability to implement them and expect participation. Of course, the hope is that God is in them, and that lives are changed as a result of them.
Jesus came into this world immaculately, lived extraordinarily, died excruciatingly, rose victoriously and ascended gloriously back into Heaven, promising to one day return and take us home. All for the explicit purpose of rescuing sinners and reconciling them back to God.
Throughout Scripture the marriage relationship is used as a picture of God's relationship with His people. The bride and groom imagery highlights not only the covenantal love of God for His people but also their position within that relationship as the beneficiaries of His redemptive pursuit.
Several months ago a newborn baby girl entered our lives and changed us forever. She was born the victim of heinous abuse, the defenseless recipient of an agregious crime. On what would have normally been just another Wednesday night, we now sat at the kitchen table signing papers with child protective services...
