Good morning: At one time or another you have probably heard the expression: “The elephant in the room.” It’s used to describe a major issue which everyone is aware of, but no one wants to talk about. A husband and wife who can’t agree on priorities for the family budget may skirt the issue by…
Good morning: “I’ll forgive, but I won’t forget!” “I’ve forgiven them, but I’ll never speak to them again for as long as I live!” “I’ll forgive as long as they don’t do it again.” Forgiveness from our human perspective is limited. It’s just not in us by nature to forgive completely and unconditionally, no matter…
Good morning: Tomorrow is designated on the church calendar as Trinity Sunday, and in many of our CLC churches the Apostles’ Creed will be replaced with the much longer Athanasian Creed. It is fitting since the Athanasian Creed delves into the mystery of how God is one God and yet, at the same time, three…
Good morning: Run through a list of all the people you know. Do you envy someone because they seem to “have it all together”? Do you wonder how they manage to have all the answers, be so sure of things, and keep all the aspects of their lives going smoothly? The truth is, no one…
Good morning: Tomorrow is Confirmation Sunday. We look forward to hearing four young men confess their Christian faith in preparation for receiving the strengthening and comforting blessing of Jesus’ body and blood in Holy Communion. It’s easy to think of the confirmands standing in front of the congregation as the center of attention. Yet that…
Good morning: “I don’t want to go to school!” Sooner or later nearly every child says that to Mom and Dad. There may be tears and tantrums as the parents try to convince the son or daughter that school is good and learning is important. In our complicated, technology-driven world, education is essential. Learning to…
Good morning: Did you wake up this morning with a favorite melody playing in your head? Did you take advantage of bathroom acoustics and sing in the shower? We like to sing. Even if our voices and sense of pitch are less than ideal, there’s nothing quite like expressing ourselves in song. Joy, sadness, and…
Good morning: Job uncertainty, family stress, political controversy, violence, technological overload—Just signs of the times, many would say. But Jesus points to another sign which is even more troubling. In Matt. 24:12 He says, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.” When a person dies, the body grows cold….
Good morning: “Too scared to move” is more than just a figure of speech. It’s a reality. A sudden crash somewhere in the house in the middle of the night may be so startling that even though you know you should crawl out of bed and investigate, you don’t really want to. Fear of making…
Good morning: In one way, the events of Good Friday were not that unusual. The Roman government regularly crucified those convicted of heinous crimes. Passersby might stop and gape for a while, but then go on their way. After Jesus’ hasty burial in Joseph’s tomb, the Sabbath day rest began as usual. Life went on….