Tag: jesus
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We had Hoped
Luke 24:21 NIV: “but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel…” I’m reading a very compelling book right now by N.T. Wright’s called “Surprised by Hope”. As he sets the context for his insights about the resurrection, he reminds us that at no point did the disciples have…
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Jesus Wept
John 11:35 NIV: “Jesus wept.” Known in many trivia questions as the shortest verse in the Bible, this verse is paradoxically rich in meaning. The context is everything to understanding this simple statement recorded by John in his gospel writing. Chapter 11 tells us that Jesus’s close friend Lazarus is very sick. Jesus is at…
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Forgiveness
Luke 13:8 ESV: “And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure.” When you looked at my artwork this week and saw the title, I hope you scratched your head and thought,’ Huh? ‘Let me explain. This verse is part of a parable that…
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His Yoke
Matthew 11:29-30 NIV: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” I’m doing part 2 this week of an earlier post several months ago titled “Weary.” In that piece,…
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Desperation
Mark 5:28 KJV: “For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.” When you hear the word desperation, what comes to mind? The definition was stronger than I realized. The Oxford Dictionary defines desperation as “a state of despair, typically one which results in rash or extreme behavior.” When were you last…
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Do Not Worry
Matthew 6:34 NIV: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Fret, brood, agonize, dwell on, worry, panic, and perseverate- these are just a tiny batch of words related to being anxious. What words can you add? As I worked on this art…
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My Shepherd
Psalm 23:4 NIV: Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. My grandmother had me memorize the 23rd Psalm as a child for the incentive of one dollar, so it holds a special place in my heart.…
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Murderous Words
Matthew 5:22 NIV: “But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.” I’ve been thinking a lot this week about the power of words and especially the harm of verbal attacks. Thankfully, our society now acknowledges that verbal abuse exists. We also understand that the…
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Needle’s Eye
Mark 10:25 NIV: “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” The metaphor Jesus uses in this scripture is one of his more well-known illustrations, probably because of its shock value. Everyone knows a camel can’t shrink…
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Cornerstone
Ephesians 2:21-22 NIV: “In him, the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” Thousands of years before Jesus walked on earth, Egyptians not only used large foundational cornerstones…
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City on a Hill
Matthew 5:14,16 NIV: “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden…in the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Have you ever noticed how scrutinized people are in the limelight? The media records…
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All Who Are Thirsty
Isaiah 55:1-2 NIV: “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?” Using thirst as a metaphor in the…