Text: Luke 18:9–14 (ESV) There are some stories Jesus told that leave little room for explanation. They shine with such clarity, such simplicity, that the only thing left to do is to listen, repent, and believe. The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector is one of those stories. It is a short story,…
Do You Know If You’re a Leader?
How do you know if you’re a leader?Look to see if anyone is following you. How do you know if you’re a good leader?Look at the character of those who are following you. How do you know if you’re a great leader?Step aside and see if they continue what you started. Leadership is not a…
When Hope Is Lost: How God’s Attributes Anchor Us in Despair
“I had said in my alarm, ‘I am cut off from your sight.’ But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy when I cried to you for help.” —Psalm 31:22 There are times in life when sorrow gives way to something even heavier: despair. A hopelessness that does not just hurt—it hollows. It…
Peace Through Knowing God: How His Attributes Calm Our Anxieties
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” —Isaiah 26:3 Anxiety, for many of us, has become a persistent companion—often unwelcome but quietly present, especially in uncertain times. Sometimes it surges in moments of crisis, other times it hums beneath the surface, wearing down our strength….
Reflection on “I Stretched Out My Hands (Ode 37)”
In moments of weariness, when the soul feels burdened and the path ahead seems uncertain, the hymn “I Stretched Out My Hands (Ode 37)” by Fernando Ortega offers a gentle reminder of the solace found in reaching out to the Divine. This hymn, inspired by the ancient Odes of Solomon, encapsulates the profound simplicity of…
Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates: Opening Our Hearts to the King of Glory
Lift up your heads, O ye gates And be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors And the King of Glory shall come in! Who is this King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle Lift up your heads, O ye gates And be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors And…
Reflecting on “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee”: A Call to Rejoice in God’s Glory
There is a certain power in the hymn “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee.” It’s a song that, for me, stirs a longing to live fully in God’s light and, above all, to praise Him with every breath. Inspired by Beethoven’s Ode to Joy and filled with images of creation’s beauty, this hymn seems to point…
The Graciousness of God in the Life of a Believer
Life has a way of humbling us. The highs and lows of our journey often leave us with more questions than answers, but for those who have tasted the graciousness of God, there’s an unshakeable truth that undergirds every season of life. That truth is the goodness and mercy of God, which carry us far…
Take My Life and Let It Be: A Reflection on Surrendering to God’s Will
I’ve often found myself moved by the hymn “Take My Life and Let It Be,” but it wasn’t until I faced personal trials that its message took root in my heart. This simple yet profound hymn is a prayer of surrender—of giving every part of our lives to the Lord’s service. Yet, how often do…
Come Ye Disconsolate: A Reflection on Christ’s Comfort
1. Come, ye disconsolate, where’er ye languish, Come to the mercy seat, fervently kneel; Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish: Earth has no sorrow that heav’n cannot heal. 2. Joy of the desolate, light of the straying, Hope of the penitent, fadeless and pure! Here speaks the Comforter, tenderly saying, “Earth has…