Questions come up for all of us. Sometimes, it’s the piercingly simple and innocent “why” of a child, a curiosity about a well-known Bible story, a wondering about our purpose and our passions. We ask if it’s worth it to pursue justice, to wait on the Lord or to live in the knowledge that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. This week’s Take Five deals with those concerns and gives us inspiration and hope as we tackle the questions in our lives this week. May these resources enrich your faith as they have ours.
Hopefully this post inspires parents and mentors alike to consider how to you answer those endless “why” questions:
“When our kids ask a spiritual question, they deserve a substantive, truthful answer. Too often, though, we insist on feeding them theology we have first cut into bite-sized pieces: a simplified Bible story, a single Scripture verse, a personal testimony of our own experience. But children can, and should, learn large concepts, too—salvation, atonement, sanctification—words they will hear throughout their lives, and the ones for which they may someday have to make a defense.” Continue reading here.
How do you talk to your children about faith?
My Name is Barabbas:
Isn’t it wonderful how Bible passages we’ve read many times conintue to speak to us. Read this bloggers thoughts about a character that we don’t often discuss, but perhaps we should:
“I was reading about the release of Barabbas and how the people of the day demanded that Jesus be crucified. As in the past, when I was reading this passage, I was amused at the fact that the people of the day honestly demanded that a murderer, thief and known criminal be set free so that our precious Lord and Savior Jesus would be crucified.
But… what happened to Barabbas after he was set free?” Keep reading here.
How have you been set free, and how do these thoughts about Barabbas speak to you?
Too often, we beg God for answers now, this minute. However, what would our faith look like if we were willing to have patience in his timing?
“Faith is not enough. We need to compliment it with patience. In fact, our patience often shows the real measure of our faith.” Finish reading here.
In this powerful video, we are challenged to search both our hearts and our actions in a world that is often heartbreakingly unjust. Yes, it is worth it, but it takes faith and God’s supernatural work in us to accomplish.
Is Justice Worth It? feat. Micah Bournes from World Relief on Vimeo.
Writing a Love Letter to Your Body:
In a powerful post for anyone who’s ever wondered about how their appearance affects their self-worth (and who hasn’t?) Elora writes:
“So every day I stretch into yoga and listen for that whisper of a beginning in self-care. I remember the words that started it all, a love letter to this skin I’m in, a declaration of acceptance for the woman He’s made me to embrace.” Finish reading here.
Check out an earlier Take Five post here