When I was a little boy, a girl down the street told me that God the Father was mean and angry, and that only Jesus the Son was merciful.[1] Have you heard this idea? It goes hand-in-hand with the oft-repeated trope that the Old Testament tells the story of a God of vengeance, and theContinue reading “Old Testament Mercy. 2 Chronicles 33:12-13.”
Tag Archives: Psalm 51
ARE YOU ENTITLED? Busy David and Lazy David. 2 Samuel 11:1.
David on the Balcony. Picture generated by A.I. One morning during a series of wars, two military men had an interesting conversation: “Haven’t you been on a long journey? Last night you finally arrived in town. Why didn’t you go home and see your wife?” “The ark, and Israel, and Judah are living in tents.Continue reading “ARE YOU ENTITLED? Busy David and Lazy David. 2 Samuel 11:1.”
Sin Sickens. It Festers.
Cat fights result in bites and scratches filled with germs. But cat skin heals quickly—sometimes faster than the underlying infection—creating an abscess. To heal it, the vet will drain it. In serious cases the vet will stitch a piece of plastic in place to hold the wound open, ensuring the fluid continues to drain. AbscessesContinue reading “Sin Sickens. It Festers.”
How Do You Get Clean?
When a child soils a diaper, who cleans him? Can a baby clean himself? When toddlers cover each other with ink or peanut butter or shaving cream or flour (see YouTube), do the parents tell them to clean it up? No. Children are terrible at cleaning up. Mom and Dad have to do it, orContinue reading “How Do You Get Clean?”
Speak Grace.
God saw everything. Then He sent a prophet to condemn Mr. Sinner. Consequences followed: Mr. Sinner’s child became ill and died. Then a son of Mr. Sinner raped his half-sister who was the daughter of Mr. Sinner. Then another son killed the rapist brother. Mr. Sinner banished the avenging son. Later, Banished Son attacked Mr.Continue reading “Speak Grace.”
Confession is Good for the Soul.
When I was a Boy Scout we took long hikes with loaded, external-framed backpacks. A six-mile walk with a heavy pack is tough—and the hardest part is setting off again after a break. Shouldering a heavy pack the second time is harder than the first. When we sin we carry the weight on our soulContinue reading “Confession is Good for the Soul.”
Household Words: 