Psalm 2:1-12

Submit to God’s royal son, or he will become angry,

and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities—

for his anger flares up in an instant.

But what joy for all who take refuge in him!

[Psalm 2:11]

Psalm 2 celebrates the authority of God and the granting of this authority to one who is identified as God's son (2:7). In its original context, the son of God is the king of Israel. He was God's son in that he was anointed,…

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[Ephesians 1:8-10] With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. I have spent the last three reflections focusing on the "mystery" of God's will, his plan "to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ" (1:10). Before I move on in Ephesians, I thought it…

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When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. Romans 12:9-13

Like most people, I enjoy hosting my friends. When people I know well come over for dinner, I feel relaxed and happy, glad to share my home with them. But as one who is not naturally extroverted, I find it harder to welcome people who are unfamiliar to me. Thus the exhortation of Romans 12:13, “Always be eager to practice hospitality,” is a challenging one for me.…

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If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct.



[Galatians 6:3-6]



So often we get tired or bored or frustrated with our work situation, thinking that there is supposed to be a better life for us somewhere else.… Continue