John van de Laar

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK A word that is often associated in the Bible with God’s salvation is “mercy.” Writer and poet Calvin Miller once defined mercy as “giving a [...]

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK This week the Lectionary readings are all about God’s salvation. Whether it’s Joseph bringing God’s salvation to Egypt, or Elijah receiving God’s visitation and the [...]

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK Meals have always been important in God’s activity in the world. The Exodus was remembered through a special Passover meal, the people of Israel were [...]

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK The word ‘obedience’ carries a lot of baggage for many of us. We may remember harsh teachers, parents or ministers who threatened us with pain [...]

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK Where do you place your hope? If we view the world through the lens of our society’s values and goals, we probably hope for quick [...]

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK Sometimes it feels like God has gone silent. We may feel, at times, that we don’t know how to hear what God is saying to [...]

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK It is always tempting to frame God’s invitation in the terms of human systems of power, comfort, and knowledge. But, when we do this, we [...]

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK Hospitality is described in the New Testament as a spiritual gift. This may lead us to believe that it is only required of those to [...]

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK We all face moments of decision when we have to choose whether to preserve our lives through silence and compliance, or to endure ridicule, persecution [...]

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK Everyone likes to feel special. Many people seek to have that need met through their faith. This is why people of faith so often think [...]