An evangelical pastor friend of mine once told me the story of how, a number of years before, he had wanted to do something special for his wife. Life in the church isn’t easy, for spouses as much as for pastors themselves, and through it all, she had stuck with it and with him with … Continue reading Love’s Lavish Gift (A Reflection on John 12.1-8)
“We know that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to God’s purpose.” “If God is for us, who can be against us?” “Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? … … Continue reading For Good? (A reflection on Romans 8.28ff)
Honesty may be the best policy, but as we all know, it’s also really, really hard. It’s so easy to tell a little white lie to spare someone’s feelings or to deflect responsibility. And maybe when the stakes are low, this isn’t so bad. But at what point do the little lies add up to … Continue reading Honesty
Today’s Gospel reading (Mk 12.28-34) contains one of Jesus’ most famous teachings: his summary of the Law: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your mind and all your strength; and love your neighbour as yourself.” It’s a good and helpful teaching that provides the lens through which Christians have interpreted … Continue reading Not far from the Kingdom
There’s a popular misconception out there that the “Old Testament God” was mean and scary and that the “New Testament God” is kindly and loving. Considering this misconception, it’s ironic that throughout Christianity’s history, Christians have tended to be quite a bit more timid when it comes to prayer than our Jewish cousins in faith. … Continue reading Honesty, with God and Self
Matthew Root 