'Racism' Tagged Posts
Daily Devotions
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness — on them light has shined.” vs. 2 Isaiah 9:2-5 This little verse from Isaiah is familiar to folks who worship on Christmas and is often used as an introduction to the liturgy. Yet in recent years there are some who maintain that the light/darkness metaphor has contributed to the continuing problem of racism. They say that when light represents…
Daily Devotions
For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” vs. 12 Ephesians 6:10-15 Even in the face of regular persecutions the early followers of Jesus knew that their greatest enemy was not the Roman emperor. They had a sense that beyond this world there were cosmic powers and spiritual forces battling every day…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 21:33-41 … “They said to him, ‘He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.’” vs. 41 The religious leaders were quick to give Jesus the right answer when he asked them about the parable of the vineyard. The tenants had acted in such a despicable way that they deserved the wrath of the landowner. What the Pharisees didn’t get was that…
Daily Devotions
Isaiah 5:1-4 … “He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; he expected it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes.” vs. 2 Isaiah’s little love song describes God as a lover, one who lavished care and attention on his vineyard, clearing away stones, planting choice vines, and even hewing out a wine vat in it. The…
Daily Devotions: June 9, 2020
June 9, 2020 Exodus 19:5-8 … “The people all answered as one: ‘Everything that the Lord has spoken we will do.’ Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord.” vs. 8 According to Exodus, the people were eager to do what the Lord had required of them and willingly vowed their obedience. Of course, we know the rest of the story. Those same people quickly forgot their promise and followed the instincts of their hearts instead. Such has…
Daily Devotions: January 9, 2020
January 9, 2020 For full passage click: Acts 10:34-38 … “Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” vss. 34-35 In Peter’s world, it had been unlawful for a Jew to associate with Gentiles, and he had scrupulously avoided them for all of his life. And then everything changed! First there had been a vision of…
Daily Devotions: September 6, 2019
September 6, 2019 For full passage click: Philemon 8-25 … “Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for ever, no longer as a slave but as more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.” vss. 15-16 Slavery was commonplace in the Roman Empire. It had an institutional presence and was unquestioned by…
Daily Devotions: May 13, 2019
May 13, 2019 For full passage click: Acts 11:1-10 …“But a second time the voice answered from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, you must not call profane.’” vs. 9 After the resurrection the disciples considered themselves to still be Jews. It likely wasn’t even a question for them. Jesus was their Messiah, but all the laws of Moses were still in effect. To be sure, in the course of his ministry, Jesus had exhibited a relaxed attitude about…