Scripture Reading — Romans 13:1-7Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. — Romans 13:1Throughout history, most cultures around the world have understood the family
Scripture Reading — Proverbs 23:22-25Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old. — Proverbs 23:22Some years ago, as our nearly adult daughter was on the verge of “leaving the nest,” I mentioned som
Scripture Reading — Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:1-4Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. — Ephesians 6:1Have you ever noticed that most of the Ten Commandments forbid certain behaviors while only some call for positive acti
Scripture Reading — Matthew 11:28-30“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28Often Sunday nights are my least favorite time of the week. Though I enjoy my work, Monday morning means rising earl
Scripture Reading — John 20:1-10Early on the first day of the week… — John 20:1While I was growing up, there were certain things our family did not do on Sundays. We did not eat at restaurants, go shopping, or work in the yard, among other thi
Scripture Reading — Exodus 20:8-11God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. — Genesis 2:3On Friday night, after a long, busy workweek, it’s not unusual for me to fall
Scripture Reading — Genesis 21:22-31Abraham said, “I swear it.” — Genesis 21:24An oath is a solemn promise or declaration of the truth. In Jesus’ day, it was common for people to offer oaths to add weight to their promises or statements. For e
Scripture Reading — Psalm 148:1-14God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” — Exodus 3:14In the third commandment, God teaches his people to revere his holy name, warning that
Scripture Reading — Exodus 20:7; Leviticus 24:10-16“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. . . .” — Matthew 6:9Many years ago I climbed a mountain in Colorado to watch the sun rise. As the sun peeked over the eastern horizon, someone in
Scripture Reading — Exodus 20:4-6“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” — John 4:24Years ago, while visiting in Kolkata, India, I passed through a narrow alley tightly packed with small workshops. These sh
Scripture Reading — Exodus 20:1-3; 1 Chronicles 16:25-30“All the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.” — 1 Chronicles 16:26Some years ago in Cairo, Egypt, I saw an image of Ra, the Egyptian sun god. Ra is portrayed as
Scripture Reading — Psalm 100:1-5So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. — Romans 7:12When I was a boy, the Ten Commandments were read almost every Sunday at church. The reading seemed long and dour. As I gre
