Many of us have reason to cry out with the writer of Psalm 13 – how long, Lord? How long do we have to wait? Must we suffer forever? How much longer until our trials are over? The writer of Psalm 13 wrestled with these questions. Psalm 13 The author asks four times in Psalm […]
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Chances are you are familiar with the stereotypical faces of Alzheimer’s – empty gaze, lack of recognition of friends and family, incontinence. But there are so many more faces of Alzheimer’s, each as unique as the person behind the face. Personal Experience with Alzheimer’s In my twelve years as chaplain at a retirement community, I […]
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Sometimes one word says it all, as in the first word of Psalm 12 – help. Why is the writer asking for help? Psalm 12 Psalm 12 – help, begins with a cry to God. The writer is asking for help because no one is faithful anymore. “Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore; those […]
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Have you ever wanted to fly away, escape from all the trials of this world? I know I have. All of us need a refuge at times, a safe place. Where do we find true refuge? We hear in Psalm 11 – in the Lord I take refuge. Psalm 11 The writer of Psalm 11 […]
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This year, Valentines Day and Ash Wednesday fall on the same day, February 14. What do they have in common? Hearts and ashes! Hearts and ashes? Both celebrate love! What greater love is there than the love of God who chose to become a man so that we would have a God who knows what […]
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The psalmist asks God a question that has been asked again and again over the centuries, Psalm 10 – why are you far away? Another question asked in Psalm 10 is why does evil prevail? How does Psalm 10 answer these questions? Psalm 10 Psalm 10 begins by asking why God is far away. “Why, Lord, […]
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Today I join with the psalmist in praying Psalm 9 – I will give thanks! Thank you, God, for blessings bestowed, for your love and mercy, for you. What is the writer of Psalm 9 thanking God for? Psalm 9 The writer of Psalm 9 begins with words of praise and thanksgiving: “I will give […]
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My home of Michigan was a frozen tundra last week. Still, as I saw the sun rise in the morning with glistening pinks across the sky and sparkles on the snow, I found myself saying with the writer of Psalm 8 – how majestic! Psalm 8 Psalm 8 – how majestic, begins and ends with […]
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Psalm 7 – rescue me are the words from the first line of Psalm 7 that have stayed with me this past week. They are not words of a victim, crying and whining, not accepting responsibility for their dilemma, but words of humility and trust, recognizing that sometimes in this life, things happen over which […]
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The recent civil war controversy over Nikki Haley’s response to the question about the cause of the Civil War has brought back memories of Stillwell Junior High School and my history teacher William Nicholas. When Mr. Nicholas asked us what caused the Civil War, our response was “Slavery, duh.” “Are you sure?” he questioned back, […]
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