Author Archives: NextSunday Reflections

Psalm 119:105-112 At my church, two children lead us into every worship service. One child carries the flame—a lit candle lighter to remind us of God’s presence—and another carries a very large Bible. Before the service, we negotiate who will carry what. Most kids prefer the candle lighter. (When else do they have the chance […]

Psalm 112:1-10 Usually when I’m on Instagram, I can scroll right past the adver- tisements. I’m a proud cynic when it comes to a beauty cream’s promises to make me look twenty-five again, or a newfangled dog brush’s guarantee to keep my golden retriever’s hair from rolling like tumbleweeds across my living room floor. But […]

Mark 7:1-8 Is the tradition of the elders always the same thing as the wisdom of God? (v. 3) When we read this story about Jesus, the Pharisees, and the Scribes, the obvious answer is, “no.” Still, many families choose to keep a matriarch or patriarch happy by following tradition despite the dysfunction it creates. […]

Luke 2:36-40 After encountering two prophets who speak about the great purpose their child will fulfill, Mary and Joseph step out of the temple. I imagine their eyes wide with wonder, amazement, and perhaps a little dread as they take their first steps toward home. They would have to walk at least four days to […]

Luke 2:22-35 Timeless wisdom gets Mary and Joseph out of bed and dressed, packed and out on the road early, walking toward Jerusalem with their newborn. They are traveling to the temple to obey the ancient law of Moses which says that this is the day they are to offer sacrifices to the Lord and […]

James 5:1-6 As I watched Ukranian refugees weeping, wailing, carrying only what they could put on their backs, including their children, my heart felt beat up and flattened. I was sad and angry about what they were going through, horrified by the ways their homes had been destroyed, but I also felt fearful myself. “What […]

Psalm 37:10-17 One of my seven-year-old’s favorite phrases is “That’s not fair!” I always reply, “Life’s not fair,” continuing that ancient call and response heard between almost every child and parent, maybe David and Solomon also. Teaching my son that life is not fair feels like passing on hard but necessary wisdom. I want him […]

Psalm 37:1-9 Outrage gets the best news ratings, creates the most viral social media posts, and sends the most voters to the polls. Yet the psalmist argues that outrage is ineffective in bringing about true solutions. The poet is even more concerned about its effect on our souls, pleading “do not fret” (v. 1). Other […]

1 Corinthians 1:18-31 A series of television commercials a few years ago featured the punchline, “Just say you don’t know!” In each 30-second bit, a man was asked a question, and instead of admitting he didn’t know the answer, he strung together a guess on the fly. For some reason, my wife laughed a little […]

John 13:31-35 If Jesus had simply said, “Love one another,” this passage from John might seem a little easier. Instead he adds as I have loved you to the charge (v. 34). To love as Jesus loves calls us to a radical, countercultural embrace of all who are made in God’s image. Suddenly, loving one […]