For all of us

After I Peter 3:18-22 

One might, it is said,

die for a righteous

man or woman, but

who among us would

die for an unrighteous one?

 

Would you die for

John Wilkes Booth? 

Adolf Hitler? Joseph

Stalin? Jeffrey Dahmer?

Ted Bundy? Who in

their right minds would

die for any of these?

 

Only one did. Only, one.

He died for the righteous;

He died for the unrighteous.

He died for us all.

He died to conquer death.

 

Photograph by Aaron Burden via Unsplash. Used with permission.

Some Friday Readings

 

England’s Nazareth – Paul Kingsnorth at The Abbey of Misrule..

 

Is God Having a “Cultural Moment”? – John Stonestreet and Shane Morris at Breakpoint / Colson Center.

 

Loving Colloquy – poem by Teresa of Avila at Kingdom Poets (D.S. Martin).

 

Dumb Will Do: Why Satan Doesn’t Need Heresy – Tim Challies.

 

C.S. Lewis on the Danger of Getting Too Much News – Seth Lewis.

Outside the gate

After Hebrews 13:1-19 

As the bodies of the animals

were bound outside the camp,

so, too, was his body sacrificed

outside the gate. So, we go 

outside the gate, go to him,

and we bear the reproach

he bore, the reproach 

he endured. We are with him,

outside the gate;

we are with him,

outside the city.

No city lasts except

the eternal city.

All will pass

into dust, except

the eternal city.

 

Photograph by Nikola Knezevic via Unsplash. Used with permission.

Some Sunday Readings

 

Thank God for ‘Doubting’ Thomas – poem by Malcolm Guite.

 

‘Discipleship’ is Life – T.M. Suffield at Nuakh. 

 

Rest – poem by David Whyte.

 

Snow – poem by Louis MacNeice at Rabbit Room Poetry.

Atonement

After I Samuel 25:19-35 

Insulted by the man,

the man who was a fool,

the anger burned 

and heaved within 

him. The man’s wife

knew the consequences,

knew the family and

all they knew faced

destruction. She

gathered bread and

sheep and wine and

took it all to the man

insulted. He watched

her approach, anger

still burning, until

she threw herself

at his feet and begged

forgiveness. She

transformed insult

into blessing, and

his anger died,

flooded by her wisdom,

her meekness, her

words of contrition.

 

Photograph by Dingzelu Li via Unsplash. Used with permission.

Some Friday Readings

 

Hope – poem by Ruben Dario at Kingdom Poets (D.S. Martin).

 

“The Old Native Chieftain” and “When I First Saw My Baby Boy” – poems by Corey Elizabeth Jackson at Society of Classical Poets.

 

Word of the Year – Megan Willome at Poetry for Life.

 

The Darkened Hill – poem by Adam Wasem at Society of Classical Poets.

 

Five Fears of Old Age – John Piper at Desiring God.

Nothing separates

After Romans 8:31-39

Hearing the call, and

responding to the call,

they gathered together.

And once gathered,

nothing could separate

them from the caller.

A whole litany of foes –

disease, war, famine,

poverty, upheaval – 

stood silent, mute,

unable to divide

and conquer. Nothing

separates the called,

nothing separates

the gathered, from

the Caller. From

the Gatherer. 

Nothing prevails

against them,

because of who

the Caller is.

Photograph by Hannah Valentine via Unsplash. Used with permission.

It's over and done

After Romans 8:31-39

It’s over and done,

this battle, this war,

it’s over and done

before it even begins.

The forces are arrayed 

so unequally:

on one side, God;

on the other,

it doesn’t matter.

And his people 

as well, those he

called and those

he gathered, so, too,

do they stand

undefeated and

unaccused, because

the accusations

and the charges

and the crimes 

have been paid for,

atoned.

Photograph by Nghia Le via Unsplash. Used with permission.

The five Ws

What constitutes sacrifice –

the difference between giving

one thing and giving another?

How is sacrifice measured

with metric scales

or conscience?

Who makes a sacrifice

if not an anointed priest?

When is a sacrifice made,

by calendar date or moment?

Why is sacrifice made,

for recognition or gain

or expiation or desire

or need?

Where is sacrifice accomplished;

is the place sacred or profane;

does it add up to solemnity

or meaning?

None of these.

Not one.

Once was sufficient.

Photograph by George Hodan via Public Domain Pictures. Used with permission.