Psalm 124 I have specific memories of particularly difficult times in my life. I have never experienced the horrors of war or famine or natural disasters, but nevertheless, the emotional stress I have experienced in certain times of my life has been intense. I remember a time in seminary when I was completely overwhelmed. I…
Psalm 123 Some of you may be familiar with the British television show, Downton Abbey. It centers on the aristocratic Crawley family who rule Downton Abbey as the Earl and Countess of Grantham. The show takes place in the years 1912 up to the early 1920s. A country home like the one in the show…
Psalm 121 On Christmas morning in 2005, when the church used to meet in Centre Ville, Annie and I were walking to the Christmas Day service when we were mugged. This was when Eid Al-Kabir, the big feast when everyone sacrifices a lamb, was celebrated on January 10, so the feast was two weeks away….
Psalm 120 I have a friend who has been battling brain cancer for the past year. He has had two operations to remove cancerous growths and is undergoing radiation and chemotherapy. He is surrounded by a wife, children, and friends who love him and he is a witness for Jesus to all who come into…
Various texts “War is hell.” William Tecumseh Sherman, a Union general in the American Civil War, is credited with this line and he knew first hand what he was talking about. He saw the death and destruction of thousands of young men and he himself created much of the destruction as he created a “scorched…