Conversations with God

"Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume" (Jn. 12:3). Most of us are familiar with the story of Mary anointing Jesus; we also remember how Judas protested. He says he thinks the perfume should have been sold so money could be given to the poor; but John informs us he's just greedy. What struck me as I read it again this morning was that many would protest today, too, but for a different reason. Remember, this perfume wasn't just one of the pricey ones on the locked shelf at Walgreens. This small jar was worth an entire year's wages. And as I read it, I "heard" preachers today saying, "No, don't do that, Mary - you don't have to spend that much. Keep it for yourself. Jesus would want you to." Of course Jesus wants us to have nice things. But rather than focus on what Mary...

Being "face-to-face" with God is a popular concept in certain Christian circles. We sing songs and post trendy memes about it on Facebook. But in a culture inundated with things meant to keep us from being face-to-face with anyone , I wonder if we really even know what that means. You know what I'm talking about - meeting in person is becoming more and more rare. Phone calls are obsolete; countless messaging apps have apparently eliminated any need to see or even hear one another. Even when we do find time to get together, we spend more time looking at our phones than at each other. Then we go to church and expect to be able to lock eyes with God? Probably not. The same habits that keep us from connecting with people will keep us distanced from God, as well. So what do we do? I've discovered 4 simple things that will help us re-connect. Intentionality In a world of instantaneous communication and calendar-driven schedules, it takes desire and purpose t...