Weekday Word w/ Eric

Tag: jesus

  • The Injury Caused By Holding On Too Tight

    Scripture (Luke):“When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy.” (Luke 18:23)“How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” (Luke 18:24) Luke brings a rich ruler into the conversation—an insider with everything going for him: moral seriousness, social standing, resources, respectability. He wants eternal life. He…

  • Mercy is Outsider Language

    Scripture:“The Pharisee… prayed… ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people…’” (Luke 18:11)“But the tax collector… said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’” (Luke 18:13) Luke contrasts two prayers—one polished, one bare. The Pharisee’s prayer sounds religious, but it’s really a speech about himself. It’s a prayer that builds a wall:…

  • The Connection Between Persistence & Justice

    Scripture: Luke 18:1-8One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute…

  • Jesus Says, “I Want to…”

    Scripture:“A man with leprosy… begged him, ‘Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be clean!’” (Luke 5:12–13)“And the news about him spread all the more…” (Luke 5:15) There’s a question hiding inside the leper’s request: Can I hope…

  • When God Chooses Someone No One Else Would

    Scripture:“The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary… you have found favor with God.’” (Luke 1:30)“I am the Lord’s servant… May your word to me be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:38) Luke doesn’t introduce Mary like a celebrity or a spiritual superhero. He introduces her like a human being—young, ordinary, living a life that probably…

  • Ashes on the Edges

    Scripture“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” (Luke 6:20)“He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.” (Luke 1:52) Ash Wednesday is the day we tell the truth out loud: we are dust, and to dust we return. It’s not a threat—it’s a mercy.…

  • The Peace That Shows Up When It Shouldn’t

    Scripture: “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 4:7 There’s a paradox at the very heart of Christian peace: God doesn’t wait for silence to speak calm into our spirits. In fact, Scripture suggests the opposite. God’s peace shows up precisely while the storm is…

  • Hope Begins Before We See It

    Scripture:“But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” — Romans 8:25 There’s a sacred truth embedded in this verse that we often forget: hope starts working long before the answer arrives. Hope is not the celebration that comes once everything falls into place. Hope begins in the…

  • Guest Post from Tom Berlin

    This week, we are talking about the paradoxes of gratitude. Today, we have a guest post from my Bishop, Tom Berlin, as he reaffirms much of what I said yesterday.   Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Karen and I will gather with our daughters and their husbands at the Outer Banks of North Carolina, along…

  • Disciples’ Path Week 6: Our UMC Vows

    Vows 1 & 2: Renouncing Sin + Resisting Evil Scripture:“For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” — Ephesians 5:8 We begin our journey with honesty. The first two vows ask us to renounce the powers of darkness and resist evil, injustice, and…