Baby boy wrapped in cloths Lowly in a manger laid God the Son in human form Born to give his life away See him lying weak and tender Needy in his mother’s care The infinite come fixed and fragile Son of God now Son of Man Holy! Holy! Lord Almighty! Lowly in a manger laidContinue reading “A Christmas Hymn”
Category Archives: Devotional Thoughts
Majesty for the Unworthy
The sky is dark. The land is silent. For the shepherds it is like any other night. They watch their flocks as they always do, expecting nothing out of the ordinary. But tonight is not an ordinary night. No, something cosmic is underfoot. God himself in human flesh; the Son of God become son ofContinue reading “Majesty for the Unworthy”
Affirming the Sunrise
“Sun’s awake?” This is a question that we used to hear often in the Smith household. For a while, my daughter would wake up well before dawn and assume that the day had begun. After all, if she was awake then everyone else should be awake, too! As it happened, this phase of my daughter’sContinue reading “Affirming the Sunrise”
A Christmas Meditation
The scene is more lowly than idyllic. A child has been born and wrapped in cloth. He lies in a manger because no guest room can be found. We’ve heard the story so many times that we can miss the stark backwardness of it all. The Son of God should have come in trappings ofContinue reading “A Christmas Meditation”
Give Thanks
Thanksgiving is a discipline. It doesn’t come naturally. We have to teach our children to say thank you in acknowledgment of the contributions of others. Even then, a verbal acknowledgment is no guarantee of heartfelt thanks. And this is not an issue only for the young among us. In a culture that drives us toContinue reading “Give Thanks”
Rest
The New Year is upon us, prompting many of us to assess our current places in life. Sometimes we are pleased with what we see. Often we are not. For many, the New Year provides a unique moment when we allow the problems that we have been ignoring to come to the fore. We haveContinue reading “Rest”
Majesty for the Unworthy
The sky is dark. The land is silent. For the shepherds it is like any other night. They watch their flocks as they always do, expecting nothing out of the ordinary. But tonight is not an ordinary night. No, something cosmic is underfoot. God himself in human flesh; the Son of God become son ofContinue reading “Majesty for the Unworthy”
Be Still
Several years ago, my wife, Emily, and I spent a few days at The Cove (near Asheville, NC). The Cove is a beautiful place where time seems to slow down. We stayed in a suite with no TV. With no schedule other than mealtimes, we moved at our own leisure. Without responsibilities, we “wasted time”Continue reading “Be Still”
Take Your Place
If you compare different translations of Ephesians 4:11-13, you’ll find an interesting disagreement. The passage speaks of Christ giving apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors and teachers to the church. This is a point of unity among translations. Disunity, however, comes in the reason for this gift. The King James Version reads: “For the perfecting ofContinue reading “Take Your Place”
Discerning Opportunities
Early in the Gospel of Mark, we find Jesus faced with an interesting dilemma. His ministry has been met with acclaim in a town called Capernaum. The people there have been awed by his teaching, and he has performed many healings and exorcisms. In the early morning after a full evening of ministry, we areContinue reading “Discerning Opportunities”
Welcome the Kingdom 