Author Archives: Chris

“And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest,     and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:12-14, ESV) Why this littleContinue reading “Baby Blankets”

1 And after six days Jesus took with Him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And He was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light.  3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. (MatthewContinue reading “Transcendence”

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:6, ESV) Sometimes the exact words of Scripture, the turn of phrase that the writer used, can be startling. I often find some of the mostContinue reading “The Secret Place”

57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, 60 but his mother answered, “No; heContinue reading “Prepare His Ways”

Psalm 41 1 Blessed is the one who considers the poor!     In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him; 2 the Lord protects him and keeps him alive;     he is called blessed in the land;     you do not give him up to the will of his enemies. 3 The Lord sustains him on his sickbed;     in his illness you restore him to fullContinue reading “The Comfort in Pain”

39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you amongContinue reading “Seeing the Story”

Psalm 40 1 I waited patiently for the Lord;     he inclined to me and heard my cry. 2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction,     out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock,     making my steps secure. 3 He put a new song in my mouth,     a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear,     andContinue reading “Personal Promises”

1Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;     for his steadfast love endures forever! 2 Let Israel say,     “His steadfast love endures forever. 3 Let the house of Aaron say,     “His steadfast love endures forever.” 4 Let those who fear the Lord say,     “His steadfast love endures forever.” 5 Out of my distress I called on the Lord;     the Lord answeredContinue reading “Rejected Stones”

Psalm 16 You Will Not Abandon My Soul A Miktam of David. [1] Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. [2] I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.” [3] As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.Continue reading “Resurrection Hope”

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:5) The birth stories of Jesus can come off a bit dry. There’s a plainness to the story, a narrative simplicity that can be quite charming…or quite boring. They are not flowery stories. The virgin birth is announced matter-of-factly. No oneContinue reading “The No Contest Conflict”