“I am who I am.” There are no more important words than these spoken by God. All other words in the Bible are only important because these words are true. In Exodus 3, God manifested Himself to Moses in a burning bush, so He could manifest Himself through Moses as a deliverer for His people. Because Moses’ authority was wrapped up in the God who commissioned him, he asked for His name to capture the essence of God’s character and being. In reply, God said, “‘I am who I am.’ And he said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel: “I…
Unfinished: Thoughts Left Visible was an art exhibition that displayed 197 works from the Renaissance period to present day. The exhibit addressed the question of when a work of art is finished. On display were art pieces in various stages of completion leaving behind traces of the artistic process. The “artwork in progress” reminds us of these three attributes of a masterpiece: A masterpiece takes time. Alice Neel met James Hunter by chance and asked him to sit for a portrait. The young man had just been drafted for the Vietnam War and was scheduled to leave within a week. Following her usual practice, Neel started to outline the body directly on the canvas and then filled in parts of the head and hands. When Hunter did not return for their second sitting, Neel declared the work complete in its unfinished state by signing it on the back. The key to creating a masterpiece is to be committed to the process. Every day we return to sit in the presence of the Master allowing Him access to our imperfections and flaws. Some days are painted with strokes of genius. Others may seem random, insignificant, or terribly wrong. Rather than run…
The greatest obstacle preventing the Israelites from escaping Egypt and entering the Promised Land wasn’t Pharaoh and his vast army. It wasn’t the daunting Red Sea or the fortified Canaanite cities. The greatest obstacle to the fulfillment of God’s promise was the grumbling of God’s people. Grumbling gives voice to our distrust of God’s sovereignty in our lives. God said, “How long shall this wicked congregation grumble against me? I have heard the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against me” (Numbers 14:27, ESV). Like a parent who has reached the end of their patience, God had heard enough complaining, criticizing, and resisting. His response to that generation was forty years of wandering in the wilderness and denied entrance into the Promised Land. God takes grumbling seriously. If entitled thoughts like “It’s not fair,” “I deserve better,” or “Is that all?” have begun to take root in your heart, the cure is closer than you might think. Scripture offers us a better way—one that leads to freedom, contentment, and trust. Here are six practices to help us begin: 1. Surrender Desires. Jesus is the only one who has ever truly been entitled—yet He laid down His rights…
Gratitude is the gateway to the miraculous. We can learn to give thanks before our miracle by applying the lessons in thanksgiving modeled by Jesus. Thank God for Providing “He took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds” (Matthew 15:36, ESV). Jesus and the disciples were confronted with an overwhelming need. Both Matthew and Mark describe two different feedings of the multitude who had followed them for an extended length of time with no access to food. Jesus was conscious of…
Conflict, fighting, division, harsh words—reveal something deeper than personality differences or circumstances. Scripture reminds us that unrest is evidence of a heart out of step with God. A broken world is watching closely, longing to see a different way of living. God calls His people to be that witness to embody harmony, humility, and peace in a divided age. Peacemaking does not come naturally. It is a spiritual discipline, formed as we walk daily with Christ. As we submit our hearts to Him, He trains us to reflect His peace in our homes, churches, workplaces, and communities. Consider these four principles for growing as a peacemaker. Peacemakers Love Like God Am I motivated by love? James offers a searching question: “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?” (James 4:1, ESV) Conflict always begins in the heart. Before we attempt to resolve outward tension, we must first examine our inward posture toward God. Jesus made it unmistakably clear that love is the greatest commandment—and that love for God cannot be separated from love for others (Matthew 22:36–40). Only the love of God, actively shaping our hearts, can…
“Be the light,” a young mother said as she sent her children off to school. “Be what you are! You are light—now walk that way!” It’s a simple charge, yet it reaches into every corner of life. In an age where relative truth and moral confusion pull the world deeper into spiritual darkness, the call to live as children of light has never been more urgent. In Ephesians 5, the apostle Paul shows us what it looks like to walk in a way that reflects who we are in Christ. Walk in Love Read: Ephesians 5:1–2 “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” The Greek word for imitators is mimētēs, where we get the word mime. A mime communicates without words, drawing attention not to themselves, but to the story being told. In the same way, our lives are meant to silently—but powerfully—tell the story of Christ. Jesus said the world would recognize His followers by their love for one another (John 13:34–35). Walking in love means choosing self-sacrifice over self-indulgence. While the world promotes lust and self-gratification,…