Faith, Hope, and Love on the Path of Devotion #1
Links to previous “Path of Devotion” posts: Short Story: The Path of Devotion. Excuses and the Path of Devotion. How-To: The Path of Devotion. The wise man in the story told the angel that the Path of Devotion must always…
VIDEO: Friend of God
Last week’s Ancient Bible video was about the promises in Abraham — the unconditional side of things. This week I wanted to present the other part of the message: the personal, specific love between God and the faithful. Recipients of…
Loving Lawkeeping under the Royal Law
How can religious people take the instructions of God and turn them into death-dealing narrow-mindedness? Quite easily. How can lazy pretenders to God-devotion keep up appearances while excusing lovelessness and inaction? No skill is required. There was a teacher in…
Hesed in the Bible
It’s one of the Bible’s most important concepts. Hesed should be a word on your lips, whether you know Hebrew or not. For Jews it should be as easy as saying Shabbat or shalom. For Christians it should be as…
Yom Kippur Sermon: Eternal Love
The love the Holy One has for us is amazing. As the wisdom poet says, “May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth” (Songs 1:1). The sages of Israel and also the classic devotional writers of Christianity interpreted…
Rosh Hashanah Sermon: Awe and Love of God
One of the reasons I usually teach you — with dialogue, discussion, the opportunity to challenge and give point and counterpoint — is that respect your intelligence. You are thinking people. You question what you are told. You ask if…
The Divine Secret
“See that you say nothing to any one; but go, show yourself to the priest,” said Messiah to the leper in Mark 1:43. Scholars have long dubbed this theme in Mark the “Messianic secret.” For a different reason, though actually…
LIVE Elul Discussion, Week 2
The task is large, unending, but we are not free to ignore it. This is not a labor to be accomplished in one great effort or in occasional exertions. The task is the conforming of our minds and spirits to…
Life of Loving Deeds #2
As part of my belief that the life and message of Yeshua is relevant for people today, and that he came to make disciples to join in kingdom work, I am blogging each week on loving deeds. In “Life of…
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Tikvah: The Cord of Hope
The JPS Commentary on Ruth is a delightful blend of scholarship and inspiration. Tikva Frymer-Kensky, who began the commentary and died before its completion, certainly has an investment in the word תִקְוָה tikvah, the basic meaning of which is hope….