Resurrection and Life
Read: John 11:1-7; 17-27 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.” (v. 25) Ten years ago, a friend was diagnosed with cancer and given months to live. But the end didn’t come. Doctors were amazed by the way she defied all odds, continuing to live for a full decade longer than […]
Good Shepherd
Read: John 10:10-18 I am the good shepherd. (v. 14) Every year, our church puts on a Christmas pageant. We cast the children of the congregation in familiar Nativity roles, from a couple of young girls as angels to a trio of elementary-aged boys as wise men. And every year, maybe because of the size […]
Door
Read: John 10:1-9 Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. (v. 7) Our dog barks anytime a stranger approaches our house. From her perch looking out the upstairs window, if she sees a delivery person outside, she runs down the stairs and barks until they leave. Thankfully, our mail […]
Light of the World
Read: John 8:1-12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world.” (v. 12) While we were staying together at a retreat center on the Oregon Coast, my friend went walking on the beach at sunset and stayed too long. Wandering up and down in the dark, she could not find […]
Bread of Life
Read: John 6:25-40 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life.” (v. 35) What are you hungry for? When we miss a meal, we feel the physical sensation of a rumbling tummy. But other things can gnaw at us as well: a stack of unpaid bills, a sense of loneliness, a fear of […]
Prince of Peace
Read: Matthew 2:1-18 His name shall be called . . . Prince of Peace. (Isa. 9:6) The picture on social media caught my breath: an image of a child being pulled from rubble in a war-torn land. My heart broke as I realized the child was dead. It’s sometimes easy for me to forget, in […]
Everlasting Father
Read: John 10:22-30 His name shall be called . . . Everlasting Father. (Isa. 9:6) One of the most rewarding—or potentially unsettling—things about being a parent is seeing the ways your children take after you. Similarly, one of the more startling things about being an adult child is recognizing the ways you’re becoming like your […]
Mighty God
Read: Mark 4:35-41 His name shall be called . . . Mighty God. (Isa. 9:6) If you’ve ever held a newborn baby in your arms, you know there are many words to describe those little bundles: Tiny. Fragile. Precious. When I first held my oldest child, born eight weeks premature, the words that unexpectedly came […]
Counselor
Read: Isaiah 30:15-21 His name shall be called . . . Counselor. (Isa. 9:6) When a long-held plan recently fell apart, I didn’t know where to turn. Who could help me decide what to do next? While counselor can refer to modern professions like therapists and lawyers, on the most basic level, a counselor is […]