Mary Magdalene—A Narrative Meditation In an earlier time, the anguish and grief that she had endured on that Friday and Saturday would have unhinged her. Yet in the midst of this agony, she discovered that the Teacher had so healed and restored her that even this crushing sorrow could not undo his work. photo by … Continue reading Bible Note #47: Mary Magdalene–A Holy Week Meditation
Author: gachorpenning
I am a pastor, a husband, and father. A small, town about twenty miles west of Pittsburgh is home currently, though several other places have served that purpose before this. I do some carving in wood and small stones. I like taking photographs and use a lot of them in my blog posts. I've recently taken up fishing for the first time since I was a kid. I'm blessed in that regard to have a very nice trout stream flowing right past my church.
Quote of Note #117: Raising Dead People
Cemetery scenes; photo by GAC "Christ was sent not to mend wounded people or wake sleepy people or advise confused people or inspire bored people but to raise dead people." Dane Ortlund, Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2020, page 175.
Bible Note #46: Simon of Cyrene–A Lenten Meditation
The old man stood among the group of worshipers, a part of the church at Rome. He had moved to the imperial city years earlier, raised his family there. He had joined others there in sharing the news of Jesus the Christ. His two grown sons stood beside him, Alexander and Rufus, both now leaders … Continue reading Bible Note #46: Simon of Cyrene–A Lenten Meditation
Pastor Note #109: Living as Hopeful People in Fearful Times
Are these hopeful times or are they fearful times? I write these words on a warm day, after a hard winter of snow and ice. The daffodils are poking up through the leaf litter in my flowerbeds. The crocuses have already begun to bloom. In fact, there are several dandelions in their yellow perkiness smiling … Continue reading Pastor Note #109: Living as Hopeful People in Fearful Times
Bible Note #45: Nicodemus & Joseph of Arimathea at the Cross–A Lenten Meditation
His old bones ached under the weight of his burden. Still, he thought, his pain was nothing compared to the pain of dragging a cross through the streets especially in that appalling condition. The weight of that rough wood grinding on the shredded flesh of the man’s back must have been near unbearable. Stained Glass … Continue reading Bible Note #45: Nicodemus & Joseph of Arimathea at the Cross–A Lenten Meditation
Bible Note #44: The Centurion at the Cross–A Lenten Meditation
The Centurion at the Cross--A Lenten MeditationRead Mark 15, especially verse 39 photo by GAC. The centurion had been summoned by the garrison commander. There was nothing particularly unusual about that. The centurion was one of the senior officers in the cohort that was stationed at the fortress in Jerusalem. Of course, all the centurions … Continue reading Bible Note #44: The Centurion at the Cross–A Lenten Meditation
Bible Note #43: Peter’s Denial & Following Jesus–A Lenten Meditation
Peter’s Denial and Following JesusDrawn from Mark 14 Peter was standing by a fire in the middle of the courtyard of the high priest’s compound. He was standing among a group of men. He was trying to be inconspicuous, trying to sort of blend in. He was chilled to the core, so that the … Continue reading Bible Note #43: Peter’s Denial & Following Jesus–A Lenten Meditation
Bible Note #42: Studies in James #1–James 1:1-4
In Matthew 7, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells the story of two houses. One was built on solid rock. The rains fell, the wind blew, the floods of life came, but that built on solid rock house stood firm. The other house was built on sand. The rains fell, the wind blew, … Continue reading Bible Note #42: Studies in James #1–James 1:1-4
Pastor Note #108: Busyness, Rights, Responsibilities, & Church Life in 2020
Over the past two millennia, the Church of Jesus has survived brutal persecutions, the chaos of invasions and wars, plagues, famines, revolutions, and, perhaps the most dangerous of all social conditions, the church has even survived economic prosperity. Nothing that has happened in America or the world in 2020 will prove to be a deadly … Continue reading Pastor Note #108: Busyness, Rights, Responsibilities, & Church Life in 2020
Quote of Note #116: Running to God with our Darkest Miseries
Flagstaff, AZ; photo by GAC "[God] isn't like you. Even the most intense of human love is but the faintest echo of heaven's cascading abundance. His heartful thoughts of you outstrip what you can conceive. He intends to restore you into the radiant resplendence for which you were created. And that is dependent not on … Continue reading Quote of Note #116: Running to God with our Darkest Miseries
