When the Kingdom Is Hard to See

The Calling of the Apostles Peter and Andrew (from the Maestà), c. 1308-1311, Duccio di Buoninsegna. The Yorck Project: 10.000 Meisterwerke der Malerei. DVD-ROM, 2002. ISBN 3936122202. Distributed by DIRECTMEDIA Publishing GmbH.
The Calling of the Apostles Peter and Andrew (from the Maestà), c. 1308-1311, Duccio di Buoninsegna. The Yorck Project: 10.000 Meisterwerke der Malerei. DVD-ROM, 2002. ISBN 3936122202. Distributed by DIRECTMEDIA Publishing GmbH.

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”

As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”  At once they left their nets and followed him.

When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets.  Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

~ Mark 1:14—20

Jesus’ response

“After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.”  Strange that these two things are together: John being put into prison and Jesus preaching the good news.  John, Jesus’ cousin, came out of the desert wearing clothing made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist. Continue reading When the Kingdom Is Hard to See

Rest: an Essential Spiritual Discipline

Photo via Unsplash via VisualHunt.com
Photo via Unsplash via VisualHunt.com

Our world runs at a breakneck speed! Busyness seems to be both the universal complaint and the modern badge of honor.  Our jobs demand huge chunks of our lives and many other admirable pursuits clamor for our time.  Even children seem to careen from one activity to the next.  Plus, as Christians we know we should be involved with our church!  So we try to fit it all in, and our calendars become full, and we get less and less sleep. We hope that our constant activity will achieve success, honor, security—maybe even God’s glory—but as we scurry to the next appointment we think, “How can I get off this treadmill!  Is this the way God wants me to live?”

Continue reading Rest: an Essential Spiritual Discipline