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As we start into our new series, "The Tree and the Vine," drawn from Psalm 1 and John 15, I wanted to share some thoughts I've share in other places about the value of the psalms for spiritual growth. When people ask me about a good place to start reading the Bible I often refer …
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Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;Lord, hear my voice.Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. (Psalm 130:1-2) The word translated in Psalm 130:1 as ‘depths’ refers literally to the deep places of the sea. In Isaiah 51:10, for example, the prophet asks the Lord: “Was it not you who dried up the …
Continue reading "Crying to God from the Depths: learning to pray with Psalm 130"
An article I wrote for Preaching Today on preaching the Psalms of Ascent came out last week. This article came to life through my own journey of preaching the Psalms of Ascent at Eastbrook Church in late 2017 through a series entitled "Ascend: The Psalms of Ascent." Thanks to Andrew Finch and Matt Woodley at PT, who …
Continue reading "Preaching the Psalms of Ascent: A Soundtrack for the Pilgrimage of Faith"
An old spiritual describes our life as Christians this way: I am a pilgrim and a stranger, traveling through this wearisome land, I've got a home in that yonder city, good Lord, and it's not...not made by hands. It is an overused description to say that life is a journey. The reason this idea is …
There are times when God feels distant. There are moments, particularly in times of suffering, when God seems silent. To enter into the stillness of God and to attend to the silence of God requires patience. God is not a Labrador retriever who comes when we call. God is sometimes like the rain that comes …
Continue reading "Why Does God Seem Distant?: The Holy Pursuit of the Hidden God"
Matthew Erickson 