Certainly this man was innocent. — Luke 23:47b. The declaration in Luke, “Certainly this man was innocent,” underscores a timeless recognition of where a wrongful accusation can lead. The verse highlights the need for the fundamental tenet of the U.S. legal system: the presumption of innocence, where every individual is considered innocent until proven guilty. However,…
Finding Our Song on Alien Soil: Reclaiming Joy in Uncomfortable Places
How shall we sing the Lord’s song upon an alien soil? — Psalm 137:4. Sometimes, a familiar Bible verse suddenly hits us with new meaning. This happened to me with Psalm 137:4. Initially, living comfortably in Charlotte, the idea of “alien soil” didn’t seem relevant. But then I realized it’s more than just foreign lands.…
Future With Hope
For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. — Jeremiah 29:11. “For surely I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord in Jeremiah 29:11, “plans for your welfare and not for harm, to…
A Challenge
The threshold of Holy Week draws near. Soon, palms will stir in our hands, a joyful echo before the silence of Good Friday descends. For some, the nearing close of Lent may bring a sigh of relief; for others, a yearning to deepen the disciplines embraced. Each journey, distinct yet sacred, guides us toward its…
Costly Grace
Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s assertion that “Grace is free, but not cheap; the cost is nothing less than everything” remains a piercing critique of a diluted faith. His seminal work, The Cost of Discipleship, masterfully unpacks the nature of “cheap grace”—a grace divorced from the demanding call to follow Christ. As Bonhoeffer eloquently argues, this counterfeit grace…