Reminiscent at times of Proverbs, James is a collection of practical admonitions that encourage wise living while using literary techniques along the way for emphasis. Here James focuses specifically on the...

In the first half of this poetic psalm, David calls forth the revelation of God through nature. In the second half, he moves into exalting God’s revelation through scripture. The language...

Psalm 19 is a beloved psalm for many. For C. S. Lewis, it was the “greatest poem in the psalter.”* Structured into three parts, the lyrical psalm focuses on knowing God...

Solomon personifies God’s wisdom as the discerning (and fired-up) female voice of Wisdom. She’s expressing her righteous anger that “fools” haven’t been listening. At first glance, the text is full of...

The best storytellers know that to really get a reader’s attention, it’s smart to create a twist or come from an unexpected angle. Some of the most fun discussions I’ve had...

There is one fact that is easy to miss in this week’s readings: Nothing is required from those who are in need. Judaism has an epochal history of advocating for the...

In the earliest days of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, many churches closed to protect their members and slow the spread of the disease. It was a time of danger and anxiety....

“As coronavirus deepens inequality, inequality worsens its spread,” read the article by Max Fisher and Emma Bubola on the New York Times website on March 16, 2020. James offers a clear-eyed...

The church I attend has a massive presence in the quiet residential neighborhood that surrounds it. Built in 1927, the brown brick building with the bulky Gothic Revival tower occupies almost...

We don’t believe in demons these days—they are so first-century. Nor do we place much stake in contemporary miracles. Modern science and engineering have explained away ancient puzzles and given us...