The Daily Memo

Our experience of Jesus is limited most often by the limits we put on him! A painful truth, but also a hopeful one. Perhaps we can take down some of those barriers. Most of the limits we put on Jesus happen unconsciously. Sometimes we place the limits intentionally. And of course, a trainload is dumped on us by our context (in which case the parable could begin, “One day a man was boarded up inside his house by his past,” or, “by the leaders of his…

If you want to improve your life, improve your choices. If you want to improve your choices, improve your emotional health. If you want to improve your emotional health, improve the stories you tell yourself. If you want to improve the stories you tell yourself, learn to pay close attention to your thoughts. Ask, 'Why am I having this thought?' It doesn't matter whether you win or not if the game you're playing is the wrong game. Amassing power in your…

Who among us has not suffered betrayal at the hands of a trusted friend? Who among us has not shrunk away in response to being hurt? Which one of us has not been responsible for wounding another? We all have. We all have. We need Jesus. We need mercy. We need healing. We are not meant to live this life alone, and we won’t get very far along on our journey if we try. We don’t have the luxury of insisting we never be hurt again. We don’t get to insist on,…

I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. (John 16:12-13) There's more that Jesus wants to say to you, much more, and now that his Spirit resides in your heart, the conversation can continue. Many good people never hear God speak to them personally for the simple fact that they've never been told that he does. But he does—generously, intimately. "He who belongs…

No matter where you are in life, odds are you’re thinking about your future more than ever. Whether a student getting ready for graduation, a young manager plotting the next career move, or a parent seeking the best for your children, you’re making decisions today that will affect the rest of your life. And with each choice you make, you’re trying to create the best life possible for yourself and those you love. Throughout my life’s journey, there&rsquo…

Scripture presents Jesus of Nazareth as both fully God and fully human and says that Jesus avoided sin entirely. He never misses the goal of loving every human being in the ways of God.He teaches his followers that the most important instruction from God, the one that sums up the whole law and the prophets, is to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:35-40). He’s restating the essential nature and original goal of real human life. The Apostle…

The biblical authors explore more of the relational consequences of sin with the Hebrew word pesha, often translated as “transgression.” Pesha refers to ways that people violate the trust of others, like the betrayal of a relationship.Take for instance a law in the Hebrew Bible about theft (Exodus 22:7-9). If people are away on a trip and somebody sneaks into their house to steal, that’s robbery. But if the thief is your neighbor, that’s pesha. Why?…

The Hebrew word avon is another word for sin, but with a different nuance. We also translate it as “iniquity,” which adds another dimension to our understanding. The biblical authors use avon to describe a twisted or crooked road (e.g., Lamentations 3:9) or a malformed back that’s bent out of shape (as in Psalm 38:6). Isaiah uses avon to mean “dazed and confused” (Isaiah 21:3). Avon is about distorting what was otherwise beautiful and good, and…

The Hebrew word khata’ is most commonly translated as “sin.” Khata’ means “to fail” or “to miss the goal,” and the word is not always about morality.In Judges 20:16, we learn that a slingshot expert who successfully nails the bullseye does not khata’, which means he does not fail or miss the target. Similarly, we read in Proverbs 19:2 that people who act hastily while traveling are likely to khata’—to miss…