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  Acts 15:6-11 In my denomination, being ordained involves a process. Truthfully, it can be long and grueling. There are meetings, evaluations, papers, interviews, projects, and plenty of waiting. My process went pretty smoothly, but there are many stories. One criticism I've heard about the process, one I agree with, isn't really about the requirements. It's about an attitude. Apparently, parts of the process used to be even more difficult. And sometimes people who endured the old system want to ensure the next person has an equally difficult experience. You've probably encountered that attitude. Nobody gave me a break, so why should I give you one? Acts 15 describes a different form of this problem. Some Jewish Christians believed that Gentile believers should take on the requirements and customs that had defined their own religious lives. They essentially said, "If you're going to follow Jesus, you need to carry what we've carried." Peter didn't...

  Matthew 15:32-39 Click here to listen to today’s devotional It surprises some people to learn there's another story about Jesus feeding thousands with a few pieces of bread and fish. In Matthew, it happens only one chapter after the more familiar feeding of the 5,000. Why do we tend to remember the 5,000 and forget the 4,000? Maybe we just like bigger numbers. But I've been wondering if Matthew wants us to connect this second feeding story not only to the first one, but also to the story immediately before it. Jesus encounters a Canaanite woman desperate for her daughter to be healed. Their conversation sounds like a debate about dinner. Jesus tells her, "It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs." Ouch. But she doesn't walk away. "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." Touché. Jesus heals her daughter, a Canaanite daughter. Then Jesus keeps walking and soon thousands of peopl...

  Genesis 35:16-21 Click here to listen to today’s devotional My family used to call me Turkey because my birthday was close to Thanksgiving. Once, I met a man named Texas who was from New York City; his family was traveling in Texas when he was born. Then there was the kid nicknamed Piojo because he once had lice. Slim, Lefty, Lucky, Red, Moose, and so many more are all examples of how we name people based on some feature of who they are. Have you ever met someone named Ben-Oni? Rachel's death is a heartbreaking and agonizing scene in Genesis 35. As she dies giving birth, she names her son Ben-Oni. That name means "son of my sorrow" or "son of my affliction." But Jacob renamed the child Benjamin, which means "son of the right hand." That was a name associated with strength, honor, and favor. Some scholars suggest that Jacob changed the name because he couldn't bear the constant reminder of Rachel's suffering and death. That's certainly pos...

  Genesis 33:4-11 Click here to listen to today’s devotional Jacob saw Esau coming. This scene should begin with an ominous soundtrack. For years, Jacob probably thought about the day he deceived his brother, stole his blessing, and ran away because he was afraid of the consequences. Now, after all that time, Esau was coming toward Jacob with 400 men. And Jacob prepared for the worst. Wouldn't you? But Genesis 33 tells a different story. One of my favorites, actually. The text says that when Esau saw Jacob, he ran to meet him, embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. Jacob saw Esau and expected a fight. Esau saw Jacob and saw his little brother. We're not told how or why Esau changed his mind about what he wanted to do to Jacob all those years ago. But he offers me great hope for what our relationships with each other and with God can be. We're good at carrying our failures and our regrets around. So many of us are shame bearers more than we feel like i...

  Genesis 27:41-45 Click here to listen to today’s devotional Time heals all wounds. At least, that's what we're told. But does it? In the book of Genesis, Jacob steals his older brother Esau's blessing. Siblings know how frustrating it can be when a brother or sister messes with their things. Well, this was much more than that. Esau's rage builds, and he vows to kill his brother. The boys' mother, Rebekah, orchestrated this whole scenario. And when she hears what Esau plans to do, she tells Jacob to run away to an uncle for a while. A literal translation of the text could be to tarry for a few days. Rebekah assumes Esau's fury and anger will cool down in a few days. It almost sounds reasonable to give him time to cool his temper. Except Jacob doesn't stay away for a few days. He stays away for about twenty years. And as far as Genesis tells us, Rebekah never sees her son again. Sometimes, we assume time will do the work that only truth, repentance, forgiven...

  Romans 7:4-6 Listen to today’s devotional I remember the first time I heard a preacher reference Bob Dylan. The preacher mentioned the song, "You're gonna have to serve somebody." If you don't know the lyrics, the song goes on to list all kinds of people. There are rich and poor, famous and unknown, religious and rebellious. But the point is that all of them serve somebody. The apostle Paul would probably like that song. We like to think we're completely free and accountable to no one but ourselves. But Romans 7 reminds us that the question isn't whether we'll serve. No, you’re gonna have to serve somebody. Some people serve success. So, every decision is measured by their accomplishments. Others serve approval, living for likes, compliments, or the opinions of people they'll never even meet. Some of us serve fear and end up letting anxiety make our choices. Even religion can become a master when faith turns into keeping score and trying to earn Go...

  Galatians 5:2-6 Listen to today’s devotional One of our daughters used to ask for a "peanut butter and jelly sandwich," but without the jelly. When I would clarify that she actually just wanted a peanut butter sandwich, she would correct me. She wanted a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, just no jelly. Some things just belong together. Add cheese to the burger and ice cream to the pie, because sometimes more is better. But not with the gospel. In Galatians 5, the apostle Paul addresses a serious addition. Some believers were being told that faith in Christ wasn't enough. They needed Jesus plus circumcision. Jesus plus obedience to certain religious requirements. Paul is clear, though, that Jesus plus something else means that "Christ will be of no benefit to you at all." To be sure, his concern isn't the physical act of circumcision. His concern is where people place their trust. When we start believing that God's acceptance depends on something we ...

  Psalm 116:12-19 Listen to today’s devotional Haven't we all done a little spiritual bargaining before? "God, if you get me through this test, I'll go to church every Sunday." "Lord, if you help me find my keys, I'll be more organized." We laugh because it's true, and it probably always has been. We've all had moments of desperation that turn us into expert negotiators with heaven. Psalm 116 can almost sound like that. The psalmist has been delivered from trouble and now asks, "What shall I return to the Lord for all his goodness to me?" He talks about paying vows, lifting the cup of salvation, and publicly honoring God before the people. But this isn't a bargain. The rescue already happened. The psalmist isn't trying to earn God's favor. He's responding to God's faithfulness. God’s grace came first and the psalmist’s gratitude followed. That's important to remember because God is not looking for promises from u...