by Liesl Spitz | Dec 22, 2023 | Devotions
“Flesh” is a funny word. It can bring up connotations of food, or medical procedure, or nakedness — all carnal images we don’t necessarily want to go together. Even the word sounds creepy-crawly if you say it enough times! But that’s how God arrives, John tells...
by Liesl Spitz | Dec 14, 2023 | Devotions
“When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream” sings the psalmist, in a little bit of poetry that lights up my imagination (126:1). We were joyful, filled with laughter, shouting praises, the psalmist goes on. But in “those who dream” I...
by Hans Jorgensen | Nov 24, 2023 | Devotions
Kathleen Norris wrote, “Prayer is not asking for what you think you want, but asking to be changed in ways you can’t imagine.” Jesus keeps giving us new ways to imagine ourselves and our world. The 3rd of Jesus’ powerful parables in Matthew 25 (which we’ll hear this...
by Hans Jorgensen | Nov 17, 2023 | Devotions
One of the hardest tasks in life can be to appreciate your own gifts and talents, and sharing them where you are able. Oftentimes we compare ourselves to others, which robs us of the joy of appreciating our own gifts. Comparison can rob us of joy in one of two ways....
by Hans Jorgensen | Nov 10, 2023 | Devotions
We often want to know what a scripture passage means. Sometimes it is enough to notice how it feels. I find this to be the case with a reading from Matthew’s gospel that we will hear this weekend. Jesus tells the disciples that God’s reign will be like ten bridesmaids...
by Hans Jorgensen | Nov 3, 2023 | Devotions
1 John 3 shares one of the loveliest promises to which I cling. “Beloved, we are God’s children now. What we will be has not yet been revealed.” I cling to the now and not yet promises. We gather this Sunday to remember how we are God’s children in the here and now....
