In reading Psalm 51 recently, I was reminded of David’s remorse for what he had done. He had disobeyed God by committing sin with Bathsheba and trying to cover it up by having her husband, Uriah, killed. He then proceeded to take Bathsheba as his wife. Second Samuel 11 ends with these words, “But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord” (2 Sam. 11:27). We all remember how God sent Nathan to David to tell him that he was the man with whom God was displeased. The account tells us of all the things that God had given David (2 Sam. 12:7-8). The chapter continues with all the…

I just tried a little experiment. I wanted to see if I could trick my spellchecker. What I typed was “The Untied States of America.” Immediately, a suggested correction showed up. The suggestion was for me to change what I had typed to “The United States of America.” Some might argue that our nation is becoming increasingly “untied” and that I am thinking of some political or social point that needs to be made. While I am reasonably sure that some points along those lines could be made and could have some validity, that was not the purpose of my “experiment.” I was thinking about the importance and desirability of unity. I have…

It has been about two months since I sat in a chapel session during the annual lectureship at Freed-Hardeman University and listened to a presentation. This particular presentation is, by no means, the first or only “chapel talk” I’ve heard. It was not even the only one I heard that week. It may be the first one, however, that I’ve thought about for as long as I have or as deeply as I have this one.   Since I heard the presentation, I’ve also read some of the “background information” about what I heard. Both the presentation and the information I’ve learned since then has caused me to do a lot of thinking, reflecting, and…

It is a wonderful week! No matter when it falls, lots of students and teachers are happy when spring break occurs. Plans are made. Trips are taken. Rest is recouped. Spring break is great. But have you ever considered that there are some things that don’t stop for spring break? A person who is sick isn’t magically cured just because it is spring break. A person serving a jail sentence doesn’t get a week off. Your bills aren’t postponed for a week. Dust keeps forming in the house; grass keeps growing; clothes get dirty. And then there are things from which you never take a break. Some in the earlier…

The congregation where I serve as an elder is privileged to support various mission works. Some of those works are “stateside” and some are overseas. It is always encouraging to hear how the Lord’s work is progressing in various places. Not long ago, one of the men we support preached for us and told us about his work. I was impressed by the work that is being done and by how he presented the information. One picture he showed us really made an impression on me. Maybe it would be more accurate to say that what he said about the picture was what made the greatest impact. The picture was…