Star for the Journey

jesus

  • Retired… or Reassigned?

    I once read a quote often attributed to Benjamin Franklin that has lingered in my mind for years: “Many people die at twenty-five and aren’t buried until they are seventy-five.” Whether he actually said it or not, the thought is sobering. It made me wonder if something similar can happen spiritually among Christians. I’ve noticed…

  • The Poverty of Plenty

    “He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.” -Ecclesiastes 5:10 Have you ever noticed how quickly “just a little more” quietly becomes “still not enough”? Solomon certainly did. Few people have ever possessed more wealth, influence, opportunities, or accomplishments than he did.…

  • Still Under Construction

    “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” — Philippians 1:6 Most of us like to think we’re making good progress in our Christian walk. We learn to be patient, extend grace, and speak kindly. Then someone cuts…

  • The Fragrance of Our Influence

    “Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour…” — Ecclesiastes 10:1 I have always found this to be one of the most vivid illustrations in Scripture. An apothecary would carefully blend fragrant oils and costly spices into a beautiful perfume. Every ingredient was chosen with care, yet it only…

  • The Wind in the Branches

    There are some things in life we know are real, even though we’ve never actually seen them. I’ve never seen the wind. I’ve watched towering trees bow beneath its strength, curtains billow through an open window, leaves skitter across the driveway as though they suddenly remembered an appointment somewhere else, and clouds drift across the…

  • Roots by the River

    Scripture Focus: “For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.” – Jeremiah 17:8 I…

  • The Sound of a Praying Father

    Scripture Focus: “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” — James 5:16 When I think of my father, many memories come to mind, but one rises above most of the others. The sound of him praying. While my dad was still living, I didn’t always fully appreciate what I was hearing. It…

  • The View from a Grateful Heart

    Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about just how much I have to be thankful for. The more I think about it, the more I realize how many blessings I’ve simply grown accustomed to. Like Israel gathering manna each morning, it’s easy to become so familiar with God’s gifts that we stop…

  • The First Concern

    A few days ago, I witnessed a scene in a grocery store that has stayed with me. A young mother was standing in the checkout line with three small children. The youngest, perhaps four years old, was helping place items on the conveyor belt. It made me smile. I thought to myself, Boy, you don’t…

  • The Illusion of Independence

    For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. (Acts 17:28) We spend much of our lives making plans, solving problems, and managing responsibilities. It’s easy to begin thinking we’re carrying more of life than we actually are.…