We Cannot Put It Off: Putin Must Be Engaged
My thoughts on what we need to do regarding Ukraine:
As Vladimir Putin continues his best attempt to impersonate a schoolyard bully albeit with unimaginably horrible weapons at his disposal, the reason for staying back and watching is clear enough. Clear, but wrong. The time has come: we cannot be spectators or a mere supply chain: we must use the weight of NATO to stop by force the humanitarian disaster that is Russia’s unnecessary war.
Ash Wednesday on the Doorstep of War
An Ash Wednesday reflection in the shadow of war:
It’s 3 a.m. and I’m on Twitter impatiently refreshing, looking for news from Ukraine. I check over on Ukrainian President Zelensky’s account, too, looking for signs he’s still alive and Russia hasn’t managed to find him yet. Probably a lot of you reading this are doing the same. Death looms large this Ash Wednesday, situated amidst the first global-level conflict of the Internet era.
Expires Soon (February 28, 2022)
How do we understand God saying His Word will harden hearts? What does that mean for us?
Songs for Our Temple (Week 9: Psalms 25-27)
Join me on this uncertain week in our world, we turn to the next three Psalms, which remind of us God’s faithfulness to His people.
On the Battle Front (February 21, 2022)
Are we called by God? Do we understand our calling any more clearly by way of Isaiah’s?
Songs for Our Temple (Week 8: Psalms 22-24)
Jim Krenning shares from Psalms 22-24 — some of the most familiar words in the Psalms — this week as we continue our exploration of the Psalms this year.
Filibuster or Bust
I’m a fan of the filibuster. Here are my thoughts on it:
Joe Manchin and Krystin Sinema are due a heap of gratitude by all of us. Personally, I prefer a government that is stable and seeks to represent the whole of the country and not a specific subset and it is those two, and not figures I’d probably have been more inclined to elect, that are holding to the esoteric parliamentary rule — the filibuster — that offers us such stability.
We Need Icing (February 14, 2022)
How do we understand ourselves in relationship to God? Isaiah 6 challenges us to think about that.
Songs for Our Temple (Week 7: Psalms 19-21)
Melanie leads us into Psalms 19-21 tonight as we continue exploring the Psalms and what they tell us about our God.
Self-Sacrificial Love
To love someone, and to have those feelings returned — romantically or platonically — is a beautiful thing. And there is much joy to be found in it. But the everyday level of actually loving differs greatly from what has come to be the airy concept of love. Cupid’s bows and love without obstacles make for pleasant fairytales, but real love requires work and self-sacrifice.
A beautiful essay on love, reflecting on one of the best episodes in all of Trek. It nails the powerful picture of love and friendship in “Measure of a Man,” where Cmdr. Riker must take up the role of prosecutor against his friend Data in a place that lacks one or Data will receive a devastating summary judgment in lieu of a trial. Riker has to choose between the comfortable, but self-preserving path versus a deeply personally painful route that offers Data hope:
It’s also about how we love when we are stuck between difficult choices. How we love when that loving gives us back precious little but pain.
We as humans are called to do this, but it is mighty hard. Yet, we learn how to do it more as we follow the Savior who perfectly demonstrates what we can only achieve through Him in this life.
