"Moses' hands, however, grew tired; so they put a rock in place for him to sit on. Meanwhile Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other." (Exodus 17.12) C.S. Lewis made the argument in his book, "Screwtape Letters," that the physical posture we take when we pray makes… Continue reading Orans

"Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine?" (Luke 17.17) Ingratitude has an ugly face and no amount of makeup can turn it pretty. I remember an attorney friend telling me a story about the ugly face of ingratitude that he had seen. He explained to me that he had served as… Continue reading Thank You, Jesus!

"So, you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants. We have only done our duty.'" Luke 17.10 My uncle wore an apron every Sunday morning. Whenever I think of him, my first memory goes to the long white apron that he looped over his neck… Continue reading “Put On Your Apron”

"Between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours." (Luke 16.26) A rabbi remembers the moment he found his calling. It happened the summer he volunteered to help on a building project in Ghana.… Continue reading “Walling In and Walling Out”

"You cannot serve both God and mammon." (Luke 16.13) When the Roman city of Pompeii was layered with lava from the explosion of the volcano Vesuvius in the year 79 A.D., the residents had minutes to escape. Most were buried under the molten ash. Their lives were cemented at the moment of the eruption of… Continue reading Either/Or

"Your brother was lost and has been found." (Luke 15.32) A handful of years have gone by since the man died, leaving behind two sons. And however long the discord between the sons and whatever the first cause of the distance between them, it did not end with the death of their dad. The younger… Continue reading He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother

"Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14.27) Some years ago, a particularly rough storm passed through the area. People here are accustomed to high winds, but the winds that evening were not the usual ones. When morning came and we looked around to see what… Continue reading The Cost of Discipleship

"When you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind." (Luke 14.13) Texas and BBQ go together like Cheech and Chong or Simon and Garfunkel. You'll always find BBQ in Texas. One of my favorite BBQ places is a renovated Dairy Queen in the next town over--DQs also so ubiquitous they… Continue reading Sit Wherever You Like

"Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, many will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough." (Luke 13.24) Crybabies need not apply. The Galilean Teacher scribbled those words on a piece of paper that he slid across the desk to the young marketing agent opposite him. A frown… Continue reading True Grit

"From now on a household of five will be divided." (Luke 12.52) It is something I wish I had not seen. In a world too often heartless, it seemed especially heartless. I once saw a woman refuse to enter the church for her mother's funeral. Instead, she sat outside in a car during the service.… Continue reading The Kindness of Strangers