The Journey

Tick, tick, tick, tick.... Have you ever heard the story of the Clockwork Heart ? No? It's the story of a couple who were very much in love, so much so that their favorite past time was to dance the hours away, gazing into one another's eyes. One day, a tragedy struck, taking the wife. The husband because of his grief over the loss of his "heart", decided to remake her out of cogs and springs. For months, maybe even years, he worked, trying to bring her back. In the end, there she stood before him, a nearly perfect copy. But all he could see was a creation of his own hands: a clockwork heart. Tick, tick, tick, tick.... For the past few months I've been studying the life of Moses. He had it rough. I mean, if anyone deserved a vacation, he did. What a fickle people he led! How childish they were! How exhausting was their complaining. It seemed like no matter what happened, how faithful and selfless he was and how merciful God was, they always rebelled. ...

Jesus: Savior, Brother, Redeemer, Friend…. Angry toward those who set themselves against God, yet gentle toward the broken. Steadfast as a Rock, loving as a Shepherd, powerful as a King, and humble as a Child. All of these, and more, embody the complexity and beauty of our Messiah. Over and over in the Gospels Christ put who He is on display for His disciples to see. They started out seeing Him as their society did, wanting Him to be a Conquering King. He was someone who would give them what they wanted: freedom from the Romans and glory at His right hand during His reign. It wasn’t until later, when they felt abandoned by Him, that they began to understand. He hadn't come to free them from the Romans. He came to free them from their sins. His kingdom wasn’t an earthly one where they would be showered with power and wealth, but a spiritual one whose rewards wouldn’t be seen in this life. But did He openly contradict their misconceptions, beating them brutally with t...

Father-God, Today I pray for all of the abused and broken souls of this world. So many more people than we know have been hurt by others to almost beyond repair. I see them, hear their stories, and feel their pain until... I just want to cry and plead to You to save them. Just save them. Save them from the memories, issues, their abusers, and wrap them in Your loving arms. Most people don't just wake up one morning and decide they want to be gay or abuse others or commit suicide. There's always a reason and it is because they have no hope that they eventually resort to these things. So many broken people.... It's overwhelming. I know it is nothing You have done and instead it is because we live in a fallen world that has been given over to its passions. I wish that You would protect all of these innocents, but no one is truly innocent- all are sinful beings rolling around in a mess of sin in a broken world. It is a miracle that anyone is saved from it. Thank You, F...

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.” (Matthew 13:1-9 ESV)  I've read this passage so many times and heard sermon after sermon on the subject. But today it got me thinking about the last couple of years and all the things that have happened- the thorns, birds...