Life's Inanities and Ironies

In the hustle of modern life, it's easy to overlook the quieter stories in Scripture—the ones that don't scream with dramatic falls and redemptions but whisper warnings to the faithful. Today, let's dive into Luke 15:25-32 , the often-overlooked tail end of the Parable of the Prodigal Son . Here, Jesus doesn't just celebrate the return of the wayward younger brother; He exposes the heart of the older one, the "good" son who's been there all along. This isn't just a tale of one lost child—it's about two. And if we're honest, many of us who cling to the Bible as our inerrant guide might see ourselves in this dutiful, yet distant, sibling. Picture the scene: The older son is out in the fields, toiling faithfully as he always has. He's the epitome of obedience, the one who never strayed. But when he hears the sounds of jubilation—music, dancing, the fattened calf being slaughtered—he's puzzled, then furious. His brother, the squanderer, th...

 The scene in Bethany is one of profound grief. Jesus, arriving four days after the death of his friend Lazarus , stands before a tomb where the air is heavy with sorrow and the scent of decay. A crowd of mourners, having come to comfort Martha and Mary , stands by as a poignant question hangs in the air: "Could not He who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?". Then, in a moment of stunning paradox, the Son of God, the "resurrection and the life," gives us the shortest verse in the Bible: "Jesus wept".  This familiar story, found in the eleventh chapter of the Gospel of John , is far more than a simple act of miraculous power. It is a multi-layered narrative that reveals the divine and human nature of Jesus, subverts first-century Jewish expectations of life and death, and provides a powerful analogy for spiritual salvation and the ongoing work of the Christian community. By examining the historical context, the theologica...

The final words of a man often reveal the deepest convictions of his heart. For Joseph , a patriarch who navigated betrayal, slavery, imprisonment, and eventually, the highest seat of power in Egypt , his dying declaration in Genesis 50:22-26 is a powerful testament to an unwavering faith. It's a passage that, when we truly dig into it, illuminates three foundational truths for every believer: the unyielding faithfulness of God, the unstoppable power of His promises, and the glorious hope of the resurrection . Let's unpack these vital truths. I. The Unwavering Faithfulness of God Joseph’s life was a masterclass in divine sovereignty . Remember his story: sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, falsely accused and imprisoned. Any ordinary man would have crumbled, perhaps grown bitter and resentful. Yet, Joseph, in a moment of profound grace and understanding, tells his brothers, "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, a...

In the pages of Scripture, we find stories that are not just historical accounts but living words that speak to our hearts today. Genesis 21:9-21 , the story of Hagar and Ishmael ’s expulsion into the wilderness, is one such passage. It reveals the unchanging truth of God’s sovereignty , compassion, and faithfulness, even in the midst of human conflict and despair. As believers who hold fast to the inerrancy of God’s Word , let us dive into this text to uncover its timeless lessons for our lives. A Family Divided: The Context of Genesis 21 The story begins in the household of Abraham , the father of our faith, whose obedience to God is a model for us all ( Heb. 11:8 ). Yet, even Abraham’s family was not immune to the effects of sin. Sarah , seeing Ishmael , the son of Hagar, mocking Isaac , the child of God’s promise, demands their expulsion: “Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac” ( Gen. 21:10 ). This is a heart-wre...