Cute little bunnies are more part and parcel of Easter than they are of Christmas. But “The Runaway Bunny,” a children’s story of a young rabbit with a stubborn wanderlust, seems tailormade for understanding why the birth of Jesus is such a big deal. The story is relatable on a couple different levels. For starters,Continue reading “The Runaway Bunny”
Tag Archives: forgiveness
A Pink Cowboy
Pretend for a moment that a cold winter’s night finds you snuggled into your living-room recliner under a comfy blanket. And as you surf through the channels on TV, you stumble into the middle of movie. Two cowboys are standing about 30 yards apart in the middle of a dusty street. The men’s hands hangContinue reading “A Pink Cowboy”
Do You Reject Sin and Evil?
A group of our members will be confirming their faith in worship on October 3, and during that celebration, each of them will be asked to respond “yes” to reaffirm the three questions of baptism. In baptism and confirmation, we first say “yes” to turning away from sin, then “yes” to the lordship and salvationContinue reading “Do You Reject Sin and Evil?”
Thirsty for God
Last week found me living the bachelor life. My wife and sons were out at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake to attend Synod School, the annual educational and fellowship gathering of Midwest Presbyterians. Alone at home, I felt no need to prepare any meals from scratch. The refrigerator held scads of leftovers, so IContinue reading “Thirsty for God”
Hockey Hassles
“William dreaded arguments, and there always seemed to be arguments in hockey games. A common cause was the lack of a net. For goal posts, two oak poles had been driven into the ground before flooding the rink, but without a net it was often difficult to tell which side of the post the puck had gone.
Mercy Within Mercy
Not long ago, a nationwide study surveyed people’s attitudes about forgiveness. The study found 75 percent of Americans feeling “very confident” that God has forgiven them of their sins and trespasses. But that rosy outlook turned muddy for interpersonal relationships. Only about half of the people surveyed felt certain that they’d forgiven others. While theContinue reading “Mercy Within Mercy”
Dear Diary
Suffice it to say that preachers over the years have not been kind to the woman who takes centerstage in this morning’s lesson. All we know from the Gospel of John is that she’s had five husbands, and in the setting of this story, the man with whom she’s now living is not her husband.Continue reading “Dear Diary”