Meat for the Hungry

Photo by  Robert Linder  on  Unsplash   In our 10:30 am small group class on Sunday mornings, we have been studying the book of Colossians. Last October, when I began preparing Colossians, the first thing that caught my attention was a phrase in Colossians 1:13 – “ the Son of His love .” . The NKJV renders verse thirteen as “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love .”   Other Bible versions translate the phrase differently, saying, “his dear Son; beloved Son; or the Son he loves.” And truly, the Father does love the Son, for He said many times, “This is  My   beloved   Son , in whom I am well pleased.” [1] Nevertheless, the wording of NKJV intrigued me—stopped me in my tracks, so to speak—and my mind flooded with questions. “What exactly does “the Son of His love” mean? Is it only that God the Father loves God the Son? Or does it go much deeper?”   I was positive there was more to this seemingly simple phrase, an

      www.sewingdivine.com Jealousy, like poison, ruled their hearts. Although these chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things He did and heard the joyful squeals of children crying out, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” the blackness in their souls kept them from believing. Envy mixed with rage hurled words like daggers. “We must kill this heretic,” they said.   Satan stood in their midst, snickering. His plan to destroy the Son of God was nearing consummation. Slaying the Son would expel the Almighty, and Satan would be freed from his temporary prison to fully rule earth, its inhabitants, and soon, heaven.   Passover was at hand, and Satan saw his chance when Judas pocketed donated coins. Entering this disciple, he compelled him to strike a deal with the chief priests. For thirty pieces of silver, Judas would betray his Messiah.   Madness tormented as he led the soldiers to Jesus and identified the Holy One with a kiss. Throughout the night, during one sham tr

     https://sewingdivine.com I n the past weeks and months, we’ve said goodbye to some very precious loved ones, and our hearts are grieved. Although we know it’s part of life and none of us are guaranteed tomorrow, the seeming finality, loss, and loneliness are overwhelming. The hurt of watching the consequence of Adam’s sin ravish the mind and body, bring disease, and its ultimate penalty—death—crushes us. And we’re left with an ache in our soul that just won’t go away.   Some deal with their looming last day by performing death-defying acts to “cheat” death like it’s a person seeking to drag them to the grave. Others strive to thwart it in different ways, and now, even the elite super-minds have joined the game.   Transhumanism and A.I. (artificial intelligence) are progressing at alarming rates. In fact, Elon Musk and others have called for a six-month moratorium on A.I. development because of the unknown dangers. But transhumanism, “…the merging of tech and human biology,

openclipart.org We just returned from a quick, two-day trip to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I say quick, but in reality, it was an eight-hour drive each way. We were there for my granddaughter’s ballet audition, yet this would not have been possible without technological advancements that allow automobiles to travel at speeds of 70 miles per hour and more. Cars with all the creature comforts like soft seats, heat or AC, music, GPS direction, etc., make the eight hours quite enjoyable.   Returning home, I had time to study for my weekly Bible study, and the lesson book mentioned a Deuteronomy 8 cross-reference. Reading the chapter, I witnessed God using Moses as His mouthpiece to speak to the Israelites at the end of their forty-year wilderness journey—right before they entered the Promised Land.   Reading about this dry, barren wilderness with no water or food for miles got me thinking. How amazing it is to travel 500 miles in eight hours, whereas it would have taken the Israelite

Have you ever planned and carried out that plan just to feel differently about it afterward? Goodness, everything was riding on that one big moment, yet it fell flat. What happened? Did we misunderstand? It seemed perfect, but where do we go from here?   Thinker - Rodin - images.fineartamerica.com During the holidays, we plan changes we’d like to make in the new year and contemplate our future. We’re excited about fresh prospects and making the most of every opportunity. However, as our plans come to fruition, sometimes they aren’t what we expected, and we’re dumbfounded.   That’s when we must take a step back and remember, as Jeremiah did, “…the way of man is not in himself—it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.” [1]   How did Jeremiah know this truth?   Jeremiah was the son of the priest, Hilkiah. He was too young to be a priest himself since thirty was the age for entering the priesthood. Yet, Jeremiah studied and believed God’s Word. In it, he saw tha