Looking over the development of Scripture, we see that from Genesis 4 until the middle of Exodus, the theme of God’s people in God’s place recedes to the background. Why? Because before Moses gets to tell that story, he has to tell us how God’s people Israel came to be a nation in the first place. In the story of Israel, we see the great lengths God went to in order to draw his people back to...
Sarah is a high school senior who is passionate about Christ but wonders if she’ll lose her faith by studying science in college. Graham is a college student who loves Jesus and is struggling to discern how to love his gay friends with compassion and integrity. Madison’s grandfather was recently diagnosed with dementia and she’s struggling to make sense of “losing him” already, even while he’s...
Counselors have a high calling to love and care for people who are struggling in a fallen world. A wise biblical counselor draws out the deep attitudes of the heart and encourages their counselees toward growth into the image of Christ. Learning about specific problems, sharing Scripture, and sitting with suffering people are all important parts of counseling. While all of these elements are...
Summer is coming to an end, and I find myself struggling to feel anchored. Is it the lack of structure? Is it the beautiful, sunny weather in San Diego that’s been lulling me into inactivity? Could be. Is it the news of floods and fires? Plane tragedies and ongoing wars? Is it the wheels beginning to spin and accelerate with the start of the busy fall season that will soon be upon us? On a recent...
The afflicted man’s journey from the darkness of despair to the light of hope in Lamentations 3 is of significance for every Christian. As sinful people living in a fallen world that is under the power of the devil, we may suffer for our own sin, like this representative Judahite man did; or we may suffer for some providential reason, like Job did. Or we may suffer for what others have done to...
