The prophet Jeremiah had a most difficult calling—to speak God’s truth in a time when God’s people rejected the truth.
Peace to the Storm
At least the disciples knew whom to call, and who had the power to save them from the storm.
Can We Talk?
Long-time editor, Jane K. Swanson-Nystrom says good-bye
Pain to Peace
Every Wednesday I work with students of Carl Sandburg College to plant an InterVarsity Christian Fellowship chapter on campus.
Making Sense of Senseless Loss
Making Sense of Senseless Loss July 31 Read: ROMANS 9:19-26 Early on in my life of faith, I lost a friend in a tragic, senseless car accident. I wanted answers. I wanted to make sense of his death. I went [...]
What Brings You Sorrow?
What Brings You Sorrow? July 30 Read: ROMANS 9:1-8 Many of Paul’s fellow Israelites do not believe that Jesus is indeed God’s Messiah sent to reconcile them and all of creation to God. Paul presents a theological puzzle in which [...]
The Surprising Value of God’s Kingdom
The Surprising Value of God’s Kingdom July 29 Read: MATTHEW 13:44-46 Small. Gentle. Quiet. Hidden. Yesterday, we looked at Jesus comparing God’s kingdom to a mustard seed. Here again we read a parable about God’s kingdom, and again this kingdom [...]
The Surprising, Invisible, Growing Kingdom
The Surprising, Invisible, Growing Kingdom July 28 Read: MATTHEW 13:31-33 Violence and disease spreading across the globe. Declining church attendance across Europe and the United States. Materialism, sexual promiscuity, and injustice. It is easy to think that God is absent. [...]
Becoming a Child before God
Becoming a Child before God July 27 Read: 1 KINGS 3:5-12 King Solomon is a man of power and prestige. Earlier in this passage, we learn that he has taken the throne, gotten married, and built a temple. He is [...]
Playing the Game of Life
Playing the Game of Life July 26 Read: PSALM 119:129-136 I’ve never been someone who watches a lot of professional sports. Recently, however, our kids have started playing soccer, baseball, and basketball, so I’ve needed to learn the rules of [...]
Reversals and Inversions
Reversals and Inversions July 25 Read: ISAIAH 55:10-13 Today’s reading portrays the joy and fullness of life centered on the word of God. God’s purposes infuse Scripture with an unstoppable force. The force of grace is visible as inversions and [...]
Clocks and Calendars
Clocks and Calendars July 24 Read: MATTHEW 13:1-9, 18-23 As Covenanters we affirm the centrality of the word of God. To follow Jesus’s explanation of the Parable of the Sower, we seek to hear and understand the word. It propagates [...]