Labor pains

After Micah 5:2-5 

These are the labor pains,

the days of oppression

and cruelty, the days

of war and unrest,

the days of violence.

We are living through

the labor pains, as

the birth is imminent,

the birth foretold

from the ancient days,

the one who would

rule, who will

end the oppression,

end the cruelty and

war, will end unrest

and the violence.

The day is coming.

 

Photograph by Maria Luisa Queiroz via Unsplash. Used with permission.

Some Friday Readings

 

“Citizen of the World,” poem by Joyce Kilmer – D.S. Martin at Kingdom Poets.

 

“Blessed Be the Tie that Binds,” hymn by John Fawsett – Anthony Esolen at Word & Song.

 

There is Almost Always a Need Behind the Need – Michael Kelley at Forward Progress.

 

Religion and Magic – Dwight Longenecker at The Imaginative Conservative.

The greatest from the least

After Micah 5:2-5 

A backwater, a place

so small as to be

melded into another,

a place no one would

expect a king to be born.

 

Yet.

 

It is the birthplace

of David, and it is

from the line of David

that the king will come,

the one to rule,

the one to be great

to the ends of the earth.

 

The flock will return, and

he will shepherd them,

his flock, and they

shall dwell secure

as he rules in the name

of the Lord, as he rules

in the strength of the Lord,

as he rules in the majesty

of the Lord.

 

He is the greatest,

raised up from the least.

 

Photograph by Carlos N. Cuatzo Meza via Unsplash. Used with permission.

Some Sunday Readings

 

Fear That Sings and Dances: Basking in the Majesty of God – David Mathis at Desiring God.

 

The Porn Buster – Barry York at Gentle Reformation.

 

Love God with All Your Imagination: A Call for Christian Storytelling – Kahryn Butler at Desiring God.

 

Bells & Pomegranates: An Early Warning System – Andrew Kerr at Gentle Reformation.

The fuller's soap

After Malachi 3:1-4

 

He’s coming, both

as a fire and as 

a cleansing, a washing

like the fuller’s soap

used to clean and

cleanse linen, taking

the soiled garment

and making it white

as snow, cleansed

of all impurities,

making us acceptable

and righteous to the Lord,

making us an acceptable

dwelling place of the Lord.

 

Photograph by Sincerely Media via Unsplash. Used with permission. 

Some Sunday Readings

 

Six Ways to Shepherd Kids Through Loss – Kirsten Black at Gospel-Centered Discipleship.

 

It’s Hard to Grow Up – Melissa Edgington at Your Mom Has a Blog. 

The Words We Need to Speak – Glenn McCarty at Story Warren.

A refiner's fire

After Malachi 3:1-4 

The one foretold

is coming,

coming like a fire,

a purifier’s fire,

a refiner’s fire

sifting like a refiner

of silver and gold,

purifying and whittling

away of impurities.

The purified will bring

offerings, offerings

pleasing to the Lord

as they did in days

of old.

The fire of righteousness

purifies and cleanses,

making the offerings

making us, pleasing

and acceptable to the Lord.

 

Photograph by Yasin Hemmati via Unsplash. Used with permission.

Some Friday Readings

 

“Eschatology,” poem by Jose Tolentino Mendonca – D.S. Martin at Kingdom Poets.

 

How to Wait for Cultural Reckoning – Joe Carter at The Gospel Coalition.

 

“Away With Our Sorrow and Fear,” hymn by Charles Wesley – Anthony Esolen at Word & Song.

 

Poetry Helps You Open Your Heart to God – Catherine Lawton at Glimpses of Glory in the Unfolding Story. 

 

The Skill That Unlocks Other Skills – Seth Lewis.

 

An Ear for the Outsider, Part 2 – poem by Andrew Roycroft at New Grub Street.

In this place of waste

After Jeremiah 33:10-16 

In this place of waste,

this place so depopulated

even the beasts are gone,

in this place will be

laughter and sounds of mirth,

in this place will be

shepherds guarding flocks,

in this place will be

sounds of rejoicing and

gladness, in this place

will be the voice of

the bridegroom,

the voice of the bride,

in this place will be

the voice singing praise,

in this place will be

choruses of thanksgiving

and offerings made

in the house of the Lord.

 

It is not over.

The day is coming.

 

Photograph by Wolfgang Hasselmann via Unsplash. Used with permission.

Some Sunday Readings

 

Cultivating Fatherhood: Stories from Scripture – “Help My Unbelief” – Adm Nettesheim at Cultivating Oaks Press.

 

Gen Z Churchgoers Attend More but Often Lag in Application – Aaron Earls at Lifeway Research.

 

Rest Is Not a Thing to be Bought, but Received – Sarah Reardon at Mere Orthodoxy.