During The Reign Of…

I have long viewed Herod as an ugly exaggeration of our worst selves: egocentric, paranoid, destructive – an unchecked narcissist at full steam. But today I noted how Herod struggled with the same surrender we all battle. When Jesus is born into our lives, the right response is abdication of our throne. Anything less is a coup and counterproductive to the Kingdom.

Coming In From the Cold

The thing about living in a land with winter is that you really get an appreciation for coming in from the cold. There is nothing snugger then being out in the blustery snow and ice one moment and then in the next being welcomed into a cozy home with warm radiators and steaming cups of coffee or cocoa. In the winter we step inside our friend’s cocoon of warmth, shed our boots and coats by the door and are immediately enveloped in the warmth and love of relationship.

Guarding Against Spiritual Drift

I can remember playing with our children in the surf on the Gulf of Mexico. We’d get lost in the waves and laughter and then look up and realize we had unintentionally drifted a long way from our towels and cooler. We didn’t have to think about moving our feet, the current of the water had lulled us along. Spiritual drift is much the same; the constant wash of the world against our frame pushes us into the the abyss of culture.