Mark Chapter 7 is a pivotal scene in Jesus’ ministry.  Exhausted from an intense period of teaching, healing, continuous skepticism from his disciples, and growing opposition from religious leaders, Jesus steps away from the familiar ground of Israel and enters the non-Jewish areas of Tyre and Sidon for rest and reflection…

In Jesus’ day the rabbis of the old covenant had added so much to the law of God that they had bound the people’s conscience. Where God had left men free, the Pharisees had put them in chains. Much of Jesus’ teaching and most of his conflicts with the Pharisees arose over this issue.

While at my son Preston’s football game, I had a moving conversation with another team mom. It was the first time we’d ever connected beyond socially expected niceties…

In the face of difficulty, when we need to lean into our faith, it is helpful to remember why our God can be trusted. How has He shown up in the past? How have we seen evidence of His presence in the world around us, in our own lives, and in the pages of Scripture? What’s in our boat to inspire us to keep rowing through a storm? What might even give us the courage to step out of the boat to walk on water?   

Jesus knows your faith isn’t perfect.  It is for that reason we should expect it to be stretched throughout our lives by way of trials.  Will you embrace those moments as opportunities to grow your trust in Him?  Will you hand Him the keys?

We know him. We know his family. We watched him grow up. He’s just a carpenter from a poor family. He’s nothing special. We even know his shady background. Who does he think he is coming here as if he could teach us? If we didn’t know him, maybe we’d be impressed – but we know better.

Embrace a faith that is willing to confront suffering and death with the hope of the resurrection. 

Do you have scars? Yes, we all have scars - physical and emotional scars – emblems of old pain, some visible but most hidden. Mark Chapter 5:1-20 is a story of an evil demonically possessed man who also had “scars”

A nasty storm had blown through. Lots of thunder and lightning. Buckets of wetness. The Twitter feed from our local fire department alerted us to the dangers of high winds and encouraged the community to hunker down at home until the storm passed.

Follow the Leader is a silly children’s game involving mimicking the movements of the line leader. It’s a game beloved by preschoolers but as we age, following a leader loses its charm. We’re told we should be leaders rather than followers and parents warn children strongly against the dangers of becoming a follower. The classic “if all your friends jumped off a bridge would you jump too?” comes to mind.

If you have been part of any church for long enough, you’ve seen all the messiness that comes with it.  Gossip.  Selfishness.  Pride.  Hypocrisy. And if you’re like me, you ask yourself from time to time, “Why can’t people just… be better?”

If you don’t want people to recognize you, all you need is a baseball cap, sunglasses, and hoodie. Or at least this is what action movies would have us believe as Ethan Hunt, Jason Bourne, Peter Parker, and more have all avoided detection with some variation of this disguise. 

First impressions are everything. In storytelling, a riveting opening scene fascinates audiences from the start and compels them to stay engaged. It sets the stage for the narrative, introduces key characters, establishes the setting, and builds suspense by hinting at the story’s ending. 

Dr James Dobson – founder of Focus on the Family related a story of small boy alone in bed in the dark and trying to sleep. He called out from his room and yelled “Dad I am scared.”  The father said do not be afraid son, close your eyes and go to sleep - you know that God is in there with you.”  Yes, I know, but can He send someone with SKIN ON?”

When my husband Brad was diagnosed with cancer back in 2014, our family got an up close and personal lesson on faith. Now that my younger brother is battling inoperable pancreatic cancer, the faith lessons continue. Trials can lead us to a greater dependency on God and a deeper trust in His sovereignty if we let them. I’ve learned that in every situation I have a choice: I can pout, or I can praise.

When a good person dies young and so seemingly senselessly, it is always tempting to question the omnipresence of God. Where was He?? Why didn’t He intervene?? But if we truly believe the earlier verses of the psalm which speak to His omnipresence, we can conclude something much different.  

Perhaps your own life is similarly chaotic and wearying at this moment. You’re watching things spiral out of control around you.  You’re crying out to God, but being left with more questions than answers.  As you struggle with day-to-day life, you wonder, “Will God ever show up?”

Throughout scripture, we are told repeatedly of God’s many wonderful attributes. The first is that He loves us, cares for us and has a plan of redemption for us.  In addition, He wants us to know Him, represent Him, and even partner with Him.