by Liesl Spitz | Feb 17, 2022 | Devotions
Sometimes I find that the more familiar a part of scripture is to me, the more puzzling it becomes. This is true of Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain in Luke, which we continue hearing from this week in chapter 6, verses 27-38.“Do to others as you would have them do to you,”...
by Liesl Spitz | Feb 11, 2022 | Devotions
Jeremiah 17:7: “Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.”I remember the realization in the first years of grieving the loss of my cousin, that perhaps faith is not longing for God, but that God is longing itself. God shifted from the object of...
by Liesl Spitz | Feb 4, 2022 | Devotions
This Sunday we hear the call story of Isaiah, who has a vision of God on the throne. The experience is of total overwhelm: six-winged seraphim, smoke in the air, chants of holiness shaking the earth… When Isaiah responds in self-effacement, he is met with still...
by Hans Jorgensen | Jan 28, 2022 | Devotions
In Luke 4, Jesus says, “There were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” Jesus seems to be clear that his message will upset those who are nativist or nationalistic. Oftentimes I need to put...
by Hans Jorgensen | Jan 21, 2022 | Devotions
In Luke 4, Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor… release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind…” Jesus begins his public ministry by saying this is what guides him. It...
by Hans Jorgensen | Jan 14, 2022 | Devotions
Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit…” (1 Corinthians 12).This is part of a beautiful passage where Paul says that — together — we are the body of Christ, with many different gifts, abilities, and services through which...
