When I was a child I used to enjoy playing with my toys and would soon consume our living room with toy cars, building blocks, and other toys as I fashioned my own world of imagination. However, dominating that room from its place above the fireplace was a large golden sunburst clock. As the time …
Author Archives: desertvessel
God’s Multivitamin
For the longest time, a verse from Paul’s first letter to the church at Thessaloniki has kept coming to mind. It is the verse that reads “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word …
Forgiveness and Absolution
We have all heard the biblical accounts of Judas and his betrayal of Jesus. Some have argued that Judas was fulfilling God’s will, since Jesus had to be sacrificed to atone for our sins. No Judas, no salvation. Although that argument has validity, the same argument could be made for Pharaoh in the time of …
Pride and Prejudice
This is outside my typical area of commentary, and I confess to being less inspired by Holy Spirit than by the seeming irrationality of the situation. A judge once told me that I had a gift for the obvious, so bear with me if I pause to exercise that gift.The world is unraveling and we …
Covid 19 and Systemic Racism
The Covid 19 virus pandemic and the George Floyd murder have one thing in common. There is no immediate solution. With the virus, we are told to hide in our houses with our masks and sanitizers and hope for a modern-day Passover. Yes, there may be a vaccine someday… but maybe not. With the George …
Is there No God in Israel?
In 2 Kings 1:3 Elijah challenges the messengers of King Ahaziah to chastise the king for seeking to inquire of the Baal-Zebub, god of Ekron, whether the king would recover from his injuries. Elijah tells them to ask of the king if it is because there is no God in Israel that he seeks counsel …
Fatherhood
I have three children, all grown. In retrospect, I don’t know that I’ve been a very good or effective father. Living on the spectrum for me has meant that I’ve not always been attuned to social cues, verbal or non-verbal. Similarly, I don’t know that I have ever demonstrated the capacity for a knowing and …
Three Times
There is an old adage that says the English laugh at a joke three times – first when they hear it, the second time when it is explained, and the third time when they understand it. I can’t speak to the accuracy of the adage wherein the British are concerned, but how often we see …
One and Done
What would you say to someone whose faith demanded human sacrifice? Pagan? Deceived? Well we need to be mindful that as Christians our faith is based on human sacrifice, too. Ours, though was the one and done sacrifice of only one Man. There had never been before or since an unblemished person who could pay …
In a dry and thirsty land 