Prayer

Twice in the New Testament Jesus told us what to say when we pray: So pray this way[1] (οὕτως οὖν προσεύχεσθε ὑμεῖς; literally, “in this manner then pray you”) and When you pray, say[2] (ὅταν προσεύχησθε λέγετε).  I compared them this morning thinking about the...

My Reasons and My Reason, Part 4

My first dates were all about driving—driving and not killing us, and talking to a girl when I wasn’t driving (and while I was for that matter). Then I met A. I’ll call her A. Girlfriend has a meaning I don’t want to imply, more like wife, or concubine I suppose. (In...

Cult Prostitutes

In another essay[1] I wrote, “This form of religious worship [idolatrous worship (including its drunken sexual practices)] was still practiced openly in Corinth.”  But I failed to footnote it.  Though the idea was new to my conservative upbringing,[2] I thought I was...

Torture, Part 5

I don’t want to leave the impression that I am so perfected in love that I never fear punishment.[1]  I’m a creature of habit.  The possibility that God is punishing me for something is the first thing that comes to mind whenever it seems that things aren’t going my...

Fear – Numbers, Part 3

Now Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, who were Reubenites, took men and rebelled against Moses, along with some of the Israelites, 250 leaders of the community, chosen from the...