Jesus at 2AM - A Humorous, Intelligent Look at the Bible, Church History & the Life of Faith

Does God respond to our prayers? For most of us the answer feels to be “no.” Or at least we feel no sense direct communication. We may see a change in circumstances that we attribute to God. Or we may have a sense of subtle direction.  But a clear, direct response? That seems like it never comes. In […]

What do we do when all seems lost? What action remains when our energy has been exhausted, our resources drained and the danger comes from elements far beyond our control? What remains is to pray. To come before the source of all power and goodness and ask for help. Indeed the first demonstration of goodness is […]

Lust, greed, rage, fear, jealousy, scorn…  What do we do when such passions surge (as they inevitably will)? For many people of faith striving to grow in love and compassion, the immediate temptation is suppression: force the thought from our mind and tighten the inner security to make sure they never come back. It’s an […]

Why do we stay on this crazy path of faith? At least some part of me is always asking. And while my theology is of some help (it’s broken world, God is making all things new, faith will be vindicated at the end of the age…yadda, yadda), I sometimes need a more immediate and personal answer. […]

Why do bad things happen to good people? And why do good things happen to bad people? And when such things occur, are they signs that I’ve been a fool to follow the virtuous path??? Temptation in the life of faith has to do with far more than just the momentary impulses to break the rules. […]

Anger is a core human emotion – a healthy response to injustice. But like all primal responses, anger can turn on us in an instant, and what begins as a proper defensive impulse transforms into the desire for retribution, even revenge. And when it does, we transition from victim to perpetrator-in-the-making – a position we cannot […]

What do we say when the beauty and goodness of life takes our breath away? We’ve all had the experience of such awe and wonder that we are reduced to stunned silence. We reach for our cameras to capture it our phones to record it. We may later turn to painting or sculpture or music […]

There is nothing harder for me to bring to God than guilt – real guilt.  Not the shame of a minor offense or trivial wrong-doing. But the guilt of one who has transgressed very badly, who has clearly overstepped the bound of righteousness love. In those times when I know that I am guilty and possess no defense, […]

Often our most desperate hours are marked by a fundamental sense of disorientation. Beyond the direct emotions of fear, sorrow, even anger…is the larger feeling that world as we once knew it has been overturned. We no longer know which way is up or where to find a port in the storm. It is in these moments – perhaps more […]

Doubt is a part of every intimate relationship. No matter how confident we are in the love of another, there are times when we wonder if that love endures (if it was every really there at all). It happens in friendships, families, marriages…and in our relationship with God. We ought not be surprised by this or […]