The Time Machine of Love (Gen. 29)
20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. (Gen. 29:20 ESV) Jacob has fallen in love. (This is… The Time Machine of Love (Gen. 29)
God Came Near: Thanksgiving Between the Advents (1 Cor. 1:3-9) Chris Altrock – 12/3/17
Living Between Advents
My daughter Jordan, and more than 400,000 other people, follow an account on Twitter that claims to belong to a dog. The account gives posts from the perspective of a dog. For example, here is the post from Thanksgiving Day:
It would be fascinating, wouldn’t it, to have access to the thoughts of an actual dog?
One thing we don’t have to guess at when it comes to what a dog is thinking is the thinking of our dog Dasher when we when arrive home. It seems like our coming home, our arrival, is the highpoint of Dasher’s life. Whether it’s our son Jacob coming home in the afternoon from school, or Kendra or me coming home in the evening from work, Dasher turns circles, does little dances, licks our hands, and acts like he hasn’t seen us forever. He lives for our arrival. We know exactly what he’s thinking: “I’m so glad you’re here! I’m so glad you’ve arrived!”
This is the perspective Paul gives to our lives in our text:God Came Near: Thanksgiving Between the Advents (1 Cor. 1:3-9) Chris Altrock – 12/3/17
Jesus, Joy and Thanksgiving
On this Thanksgiving Day, I hope you enjoy this chapter from my book Ten Minute Transformation. It reminds us of the importance of that simple quality of joy. My wish for you today and this week is that you find many reasons for joy.
Delight Disparity
In moments of honesty, when I compare myself with Jesus I observe a “delight disparity.” On the one hand there’s Jesus. He’s delighted. Smiling. Laughing. Taking pleasure in people and places. On the other hand there’s me. I’m detached. Unimpressed. Dispassionate. Sometimes finding flaws in people and places. The gaiety which Jesus is so quick to express I am often quick to repress.
Perhaps I’m not the only one guilty of this offense. Richard Foster proposes that multitudes share the blame:[i] “Jesus rejoiced so fully in life that he was accused of being a winebibber and a glutton. Many of us lead such sour lives that we cannot possibly be accused of such things.” There’s a glaring gap between the vibrant revelry of Jesus and the monotony or misery of his followers. The sour frowns on our faces stand in such stark contrast to the satisfied grin on his.Jesus, Joy and Thanksgiving
God is Near (Gen. 28)
10 Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11 And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he… God is Near (Gen. 28)