When you reap the harvest, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor and for the alien.” — Leviticus 23:22 You shall not oppress a resident alien; you know the heart of the alien, for you were aliens in…
Sense of Being Where We Belong
Joy of life seems to arise from a sense of being where one belongs. All the discontented people I know are trying sedulously to be something they are not, to do something they cannot do. — David Grayson I have often thought that Lent was a time to reacquaint oneself with oneself.With a healthy dose…
The Command of Giving To the Poor
Where have we any command in the Bible laid down in stronger terms, and in a more preemptory urgent matter, than the command of giving to the poor.” Jonathan Edwards, The Duty of Charity to the Poor. I have been reading a book called Nothing to Envy which is about ordinary lives in North Korea written by Barbara Demick.…
Consider Lent As Spring Practice
Many a college coach or football player will tell you the fall season depends on spring practice. “Champions are made in the spring” adorns many a college football locker room right now. Our lenten discipline is much like spring ball where we practice two disciplines. We dive deeply into prayer, meditation, and reading scripture to…
We Have A Friend In The Quiet
A good part of our lenten discipline includes meditation and prayer, times of silence. Isn’t it interesting how much work it takes to have a few moments of quiet these days. I watch our grandchildren and notice how uncomfortable they are with silence, yet the few times we force children to have “quiet time” they…