Today’s scripture reads very much like a liturgy that would be well known by a community. The narration reminds us of the infinite and powerful presence of God. When we consider...

Psalm 24 is seen as a nod to the return of the ark and a naming of God’s almighty power and authority over the entire universe. This text centers God and...

Ritual has power, as we saw in yesterday’s text. The parade and procession of the ark to its final resting place most likely took hours, if not days. In addition, the...

This entire narrative is one of power and celebration. We have a giant crowd that has been waiting for this meaningful event for generations. There is a symbolic ordering of the...

When an elder or a deacon is ordained in the United Methodist Church, the resident bishop lays hands on the clergy person and says, “Take thou authority” (and I’m paraphrasing) to...

Rejection is, unfortunately, a universal human experience. I certainly wish it weren’t, but I bet you can think of multiple times that you’ve experienced rejection. Maybe it was from a romantic...

If you have read much about the church community in Corinth, you know it wasn’t an easy one. Some of Paul’s firmest words and most famous teachings are in his epistles...

On the most recent election day, we took very seriously introducing our four-year-old to our civic duty of voting. She came with me before school and went with my spouse after...

Last fall, my family and I visited Rapid City, South Dakota, on a bit of a whim. The plan was to see Mt. Rushmore, hike in the Badlands National Park, and...

Tennessee, my home state, released a new state license plate in 2022. The old plate showcased the rolling hills that meet the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern part of the state....