Just Play the Hits

We all bring expectations with us into relationships, and not having them met can be a source of real pain and conflict. Palm Sunday illustrates how Jesus refused to meet the expectations of anyone – not Rome, not the leaders in Jerusalem, not the pilgrims with whom he traveled. In fact, it was their refusal to see Jesus for who he is – and not who they wanted him to be – that led all these groups to conspire to crucify him. How can we learn from their failure to be very careful to align ourselves with Jesus’ agenda, and not the other way around?

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When God Fails Us

In our most honest moments, we recall times God has let us down. Prayers unanswered, illnesses unhealed, relationships not mended. We wonder, in those times, what the point of faith is. Why follow God if God does not (cannot?) keep us from harm, from grief. Jesus’ approach to Lazarus’ tomb reveals much about the God who does not leave us in our grief – even as we hope for something better.

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God Goggles

What makes a good leader? A good boss? A good partner? A good Christian? In a world with so many competing ideas of what’s worth imitating, it can be hard to know what God’s way is. The stories of King David’s anointing and Jesus’ healing of a man born blind remind us that God’s values are upside down from the culture around us. So how can we be sure we’re seeing things God’s way?

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Afraid to Ask

How often do you ask God for what you want? For a lot of us, even the idea sounds wrong – as though we’re annoying the greatest being in the universe, making ourselves a burden to the one who has far more important things on their plate. But Jesus reminds us that God cares deeply about our needs and is aware of them even before we voice them. So… what are we afraid of? What’s holding us back for asking for good gifts from our creator?

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Reflections

God created us to reflect God’s love to the world around us. What keeps us from faithfully reflecting God’s love? And how can we reconnect to God so we can once again show the world the same love we receive from God?

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