Ordinary Grace Blog
The Latest Posts
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No Time for Words
“While he was still speaking…from the cloud a voice said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved…listen to him!’” –Matthew 17:5 Among the joys of living close to our grandchildren is the ability to be present for the more ordinary occasions. When our children were growing up, we lived hundreds of miles away from both sets
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The Cost of Freedom
“For freedom Christ has set us free.” –Galatians 5:1a “Freedom isn’t free. Freedom isn’t free. You’ve got to pay a price. You’ve got to sacrifice for your liberty.” One day in 6th Grade, my class sang those words as part of a school assembly. I don’t remember the theme of that program, but do recall
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In Need of Translation
“And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each.” –Acts 1:6 During my seminary years, I once had some free time between the end of a semester and the start of a summer job. So before leaving New Jersey for West Virginia
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The Hardest Job
“Train children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray.”–Proverbs 22:6 Last November, I officiated at the wedding of a niece, my youngest brother’s oldest daughter. That event marked the 14th time (including my mother-in-law and our two children), when I was privileged to hold that role for a member of my
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Divine Messages
“‘Has the LORD spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?”–Numbers 12:2 The question above is from a conversation between Moses’ two siblings, Aaron and Miriam. Aaron had been by Moses’ side in ministry since his brother’s encounter with God at the burning bush. Miriam was the older sister who looked out
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The Central Thing
“But Abram said, ‘O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless?” –Genesis 15:2a One day a few years ago, Lori and I were riding the PATH train from Manhattan to New Jersey. One stop before our exit a young woman seated on the opposite side of the car stood up and
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More Important Than Getting Wet
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” –Psalm 119:105 I have a friend from my college days named Elliott who served for a time as a mission co-worker in Port Edward, South Africa. He was an economics major as was I and his work after college was in
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The Blessing of Community
“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them.”–Matthew 18:20 One of the blessings of this blog for me has been its reach over the four months since launching. Counted among subscribers and others who see a post through social media are family members and individuals from each
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The Power of Hymns
“When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.”–Mark 14:26 One Sunday morning, early in my pastoral career, while leading worship I became aware of a commotion in the sanctuary. Looking to my left, I saw that an older woman in the congregation named Frances Wright had slumped over. I
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A Fearless Faith
“So with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.” –Luke 3:18 One day during my North Carolina pastorate, our Clerk of Session invited me to accompany him to a golf tournament called the Masters. It’s held each April in Augusta, Georgia. I had ridden by the course many times as a