Blog

You shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:3 In the hospital, on my first real world experience in medical school, I followed my doctor around like a puppy. I had no idea where to go or what I was doing. At least I knew that I knew nothing. In my condition, I relied…
Read more

And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. Exodus 16:19-20 At a youth church conference in high school, I heard a young woman lament her repetitive…
Read more

Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: “Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians”? Exodus 14:12 Most of us know the frustration of trying to change. The enthusiasm at the thought of skinny, at the outset of a diet, fades by day two or three, as the hunger sets in…
Read more

What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us? Exodus 14:5 My wife and I were watching a movie recently, when our discussion turned to an actor in the film who, in real life, died of a heroin overdose. He had apparently been sober for some time before his…
Read more

The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh. Exodus 9:12 I have never liked the thought of destiny. Preferring to believe that I am the master of my own fate, I chafe at the idea that I am not in control. Never mind that I’ve made some pretty disastrous decisions, or, that I felt completely out…
Read more

Plead with the Lord to take away the frogs from me and from my people, and I will let the people go to sacrifice to the Lord. Exodus 8:8 In my drug addiction, whenever I felt the heat of consequences approaching, I began praying desperately, bargaining with God. God, if you get me out of this,…
Read more

Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery. Exodus 6:9 I have another addiction to confess. I love hiking. Vacation, to me, is getting up before dawn and striking out for hours on the trail. On almost every hike though,…
Read more

Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? Exodus 5:22 As it is painful to repent, when we do finally commit to radical obedience, we often expect everything around us to change instantly as well. Though we once dragged…
Read more

But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice? . . .” Exodus 5:2 We often refuse to ask the one question we should: How must I obey you God? We don’t ask the question because we don’t really want to know the answer. We don’t ask God how to get…
Read more

I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do. Exodus 4:15 At our gym, we all go through the same workout of the day together. It is usually timed, and we do keep score. This breeds competition, which I very much enjoy. There are those however,…
Read more