Joni Mitchell sang, "We've got to get ourselves back to the garden." We are all haunted by the dream of paradise. What does it mean to "get back to the garden"? Genesis 2 offers a glimpse. In the Garden we discover humankind in a peaceful relationship with God, others, and the environment. Tragically, paradise will soon become a prison through human sin. »more
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Joni Mitchell sang, "We've got to get ourselves back to the garden." We are all haunted by the dream of paradise. What does it mean to "get back to the garden"? Genesis 2 offers a glimpse. In the Garden we discover humankind in a peaceful relationship with God, others, and the environment. Tragically, paradise will soon become a prison through human sin. »more
The church is a forgiven and forgiving community. We must never separate these two. Our experience of the first (divine forgiveness) should quite naturally lead to the second (forgiving others). Having been graced by God, we must be gracious to one another. For this reason, we daily pray as our Lord Jesus taught: “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” »more
When the wife says, “Honey, we need to talk,” the husband hears “that he is not meeting her expectations—he’s failing her—which sends him into the pain of his own inadequacy.” His lackluster response causes his wife to feel that he doesn’t care for her needs which plays on her fears of isolation and abandonment. »more
In conservative circles, the story of Jesus turning the water into wine never fails to raise eyebrows. They cannot quite grasp why Jesus would actually keep the party going – especially by bringing more wine… lots of it! You can almost hear their conscience pleading, “Jesus, please turn it back to water before someone gets hurt. Or, even worse… drunk!” »more
Can one love when the object of one’s love is only capable of limited response – at best, a brief moment of recognition immediately followed by forgetfulness? Is love only real in the context of a remembered past and hopeful future, or can love be just as real when it only exists in the present moment? »more
Results tagged “Marriage”
Joni Mitchell sang, "We've got to get ourselves back to the garden." We are all haunted by the dream of paradise. What does it mean to "get back to the garden"? Genesis 2 offers a glimpse. In the Garden we discover humankind in a peaceful relationship with God, others, and the environment. Tragically, paradise will soon become a prison through human sin. »more
One month after the Woodstock Music and Art Festival in 1969, Joni Mitchell wrote and performed the song, "Woodstock," based on what her then-boyfriend Graham Nash told her about the festival. The song repeatedly declares, "We've got to get ourselves back to the garden." We are all haunted by the dream of paradise. What does it mean to "get back to the garden"? Genesis 2 offers a glimpse. In the Garden we discover humankind in a peaceful relationship with God, others, and the environment. Tragically, paradise will soon become a prison through human sin. The remainder of the biblical story will have to do with the regaining of paradise.
[Mp3] | [Manuscript]
Woman was taken out of man; not out of his head to rule him, nor out of his feet to be trampled underfoot; but out of his side to be equal to him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be loved. - Matthew Henry »more
[Mp3] | [Manuscript]
Woman was taken out of man; not out of his head to rule him, nor out of his feet to be trampled underfoot; but out of his side to be equal to him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be loved. - Matthew Henry »more
The church is a forgiven and forgiving community. We must never separate these two. Our experience of the first (divine forgiveness) should quite naturally lead to the second (forgiving others). Having been graced by God, we must be gracious to one another. For this reason, we daily pray as our Lord Jesus taught: “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” »more
When the wife says, “Honey, we need to talk,” the husband hears “that he is not meeting her expectations—he’s failing her—which sends him into the pain of his own inadequacy.” His lackluster response causes his wife to feel that he doesn’t care for her needs which plays on her fears of isolation and abandonment. »more
In conservative circles, the story of Jesus turning the water into wine never fails to raise eyebrows. They cannot quite grasp why Jesus would actually keep the party going – especially by bringing more wine… lots of it! You can almost hear their conscience pleading, “Jesus, please turn it back to water before someone gets hurt. Or, even worse… drunk!” »more
Can one love when the object of one’s love is only capable of limited response – at best, a brief moment of recognition immediately followed by forgetfulness? Is love only real in the context of a remembered past and hopeful future, or can love be just as real when it only exists in the present moment? »more
If we listen uncritically to the self-help machine, we will always feel that we are not living the good life. Sadly, in our frantic search for the good life we may miss out on a good life - the life we presently possess in the muddied mess of our current situation. »more
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