“Honor your father and your mother.” (Exodus 20:12) Sunday is a big day in the life of mothers. In fact, our country has celebrated Mothers Day on the second Sunday in May ever since President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed it as a national holiday in 1914. But that’s just part of the story about how one of our nation’s most coveted days began. Strangely, the rest of the story has been forgotten, given way I guess to all the commercialism that Mothers Day now carries with it. Its founder […]

“But you, O Sovereign Lord, deal well with me for your name’s sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me.” (Psalms 109:21) I have a friend who had a near-fatal accident several years ago. She was returning home from a church outing in moderate rain when her mini-van began to hydroplane. The vehicle plummeted down a steep embankment, turning over several times. She, and the teenagers who were with her, escaped serious injury in spite of the circumstances. She knew she was more than lucky and […]

“And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love, with him I am well pleased’.” (Matthew 3:17) If you’re a parent or a grandparent, you’ve probably been out this spring watching your child or grandchild play soccer, baseball, or some other spring sport. It’s a real joy to watch them, isn’t it? Have you ever noticed how much we live through our children? Take a good look at how all those parents and grandparents behave when you go to your next ballgame. And while […]

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16) Several years ago, a former pastor of mine lamented from the pulpit that prayer was losing its appeal among Christians. It’s a sad commentary, but I agree with him. In fact, my own Christian experience has convinced me that a lot of us don’t take full advantage of the power and privilege of prayer. Stop and think about […]