pastor || writer || speaker
William Blake, The Angel Appearing to Zacharias, pen and black ink, tempera, and glue size on canvas; 1799-1800. an angel at the altarheaven's glory shatters earth's sanctitya voice indescribable yet understandablea promise of hope unimaginableconfusion for old Zechariah"our age – my wife – a baby – God – now?"his call and God's responseno utterance or …
Continue reading "An Angel at the Altar: Zechariah’s Encounter with Gabriel"
"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." (John 15:13) Your presence breaks over the hills like a rising sun.Zechariah's words echo through the atmosphere,mingled with the rustle of feet and whisperof palm branches laid down before You. Thenthe first voice rings out, "Hosanna!", and thenanother replies, "Blessed …
Continue reading "The Chaos of Joy: Remembering Jesus’ Triumphal Entry"
Thou Eternal God, out of whose absolute power and infinite intelligence the whole universe has come into being, we humbly confess that we have not loved thee with our hearts, souls and minds, and we have not loved our neighbors as Christ loved us. We have all too often lived by our own selfish impulses …
I dream a world where manNo other man will scorn,Where love will bless the earthAnd peace its paths adornI dream a world where allWill know sweet freedom's way,Where greed no longer saps the soulNor avarice blights our day.A world I dream where black or white,Whatever race you be,Will share the bounties of the earthAnd every …
Open unto me, light for my darknessOpen unto me, courage for my fearOpen unto me, hope for my despairOpen unto me, peace for my turmoilOpen unto me, joy for my sorrowOpen unto me, strength for my weaknessOpen unto me, wisdom for my confusionOpen unto me, forgiveness for my sinsOpen unto me, tenderness for my toughnessOpen …
Continue reading "Howard Thurman – “Lord, Lord, Open Unto Me”"
Matthew Erickson 