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Month: January 2022

Of Reluctance And Glory

Of Reluctance And Glory

For several years (I don’t know how many, exactly) I belonged to an organization that distributes Bibles at schools, hospitals, military bases, correctional facilities, transport hubs, hotels, and so on, as well as individually, through personal sharing.  It is a large and well-known organization, with international operations and a good reputation.  Its workforce is composed almost entirely of volunteers. When a friend at church, a longtime student of my adult Bible classes, suggested that I join, I didn’t seriously consider it, at…

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Comfortless Fiction And The Comforting Facts

Comfortless Fiction And The Comforting Facts

The phrase “a comforting fiction” is a particularly interesting one.  It is commonly used in situations in which a fairytale seems preferable to reality.  When, for example, a triggering event like the tragic loss of a loved one occurs, the fact of the death is impossible to deny.  Yet, that fact may feel too cold, too stark, too heavy to bear. There is fear that its mere acknowledgement may—and more than likely would—overwhelm the bereaved’s defenses.  The resulting ground rush of grief and pain…

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An Emergency Without Urgency?

An Emergency Without Urgency?

The words “urgency” and “emergency” would seem to have much in common.  They’re both nouns.  They sound so very similar, and no wonder—their last two syllables are identical. But that’s just the beginning. Situations repeatedly arise, in which both words are applicable in the same place, at the same time and for the same reason.  It would be a challenge to name many other words more closely related in terms of proximity, causation, duration, and proportion.  Both urgency and emergency can trigger powerful emotions and great…

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Mourning The Messiah

Mourning The Messiah

Believe it or don’t, Jesus Christ is coming again.  Let that sink in.  Like it or not, He is returning.  Regardless of whether you expect it to happen, it will.  It’s a fact, not a fantasy—a truism, not a belief or a wish or even a fear.  It’s just reality. Oh, you can argue, you can protest, you can swaddle yourself in great swirling clouds of self-delusion and denial—but only until His arrival.  This date with destiny is on its way.  It is on schedule.  It is roaring toward us…

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