born and raised twice in the bay, I preach Jesus and him crucified
Psalm 24 is a majestic psalm inviting us to join a procession honoring God as King. Traditionally associated with David bringing the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, this psalm proclaims God's reign in three powerful movements. “A Psalm of David. The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,... Continue Reading →
Ever wonder why Matthew opens his Gospel with a genealogy? Forty-two names. Centuries of history. Many people skim it. Matthew slows us down. He begins with roots. We live in a world shaped by questions of identity. People search ancestry records and DNA results, hoping to discover who they are and where they belong. First-century... Continue Reading →
Base image generated using artificial intelligence and subsequently edited and adapted. We find ourselves holding opinions we do not remember forming. On justice. On sexuality. On power. On enemies. Ask when the shift happened, and the answer blurs. We do not recall a moment of decision. We recall a drift. What once seemed clear now... Continue Reading →
We all know the feeling of something being out of joint. A love that will not settle. A desire that promises life and delivers restlessness. Most people carry this quietly into the week. We learn to manage it, rename it, or baptize it with softer language. Scripture does not rush past that ache. It pauses... Continue Reading →
My friend Cecelia recently posed a thought-provoking question about the Hebrew words for 'breath' in the creation account. It's worth exploring. Most of us move through our days without noticing our breathing: until anxiety tightens the chest, grief catches the throat, or exhaustion shortens what once felt free. We carry the quiet fear that our... Continue Reading →
Phillip W. Martin 