Friday, December 13, 2019
There is an old story about a henhouse that burns to the ground. In the ashes, the farmer discovers the charred body of a mother hen. When he lifts her remains, he is surprised to discover the chicks still underneath her, warm but unscathed. This is what a mother hen...
Thursday, December 12, 2019
Do you have the keys? My husband and I always doublecheck that we have keys before we leave the apartment. It’s no fun being locked out of your own home, especially if there’s no one else with keys to let you in. We rent our apartment, so you can imagine how...
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Does this sound familiar? You’re 110 percent enthusiastic about an idea, research it thoroughly, and start with gusto. Maybe it’s a new workout regimen, a crafting hobby, or a small side business. You dive in, but the energy fizzles. Faith can be like this....
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Who says you need an education, credentials, and a respectable backstory to speak for God? Certainly the Holy One of Israel never says this. If anything, the story of scripture proves the exact opposite.Amos is not a prophet. He’s not even the son or grandson or...
Saturday, December 7, 2019
Centuries after Amos proclaimed those words, Martin Luther King Jr. used them to fuel the Civil Rights Movement, calling America to repent and pursue God’s dream. Every January, we hear these words in recordings of his “I Have a Dream” speech. Amos, through King,...
Thursday, December 5, 2019
Maybe you’ve seen or read or heard about the series of novels that depict life before and after the Rapture. This series and other books and media like it capitalize on our shared preoccupation with what is waiting on the other side.The Second Epistle of Peter helps...
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Oh, the cows of Bashan. Amos’s harsh words are classic in the canon of prophetic proclamation. Advent may be just the season to pause and notice what inspires his ire—and what it says about our own lives. Bashan is dense, rich pasture land east of the Jordan, between...
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
During this time of year, the world enjoys images of a meek and mild baby smiling at his mother. That is not the Jesus we encounter in today’s gospel. What are we to do with this angry young man? To start, we ought to listen to him. Jesus isn’t just angry—he is...
