Some of us seem so anxious about avoiding hell that we forget to celebrate our journey toward heaven.

The things, good Lord, that we pray for, give us the grace to labour for', as Sir Thomas More expressed it. The inner voice of prayer expresses itself naturally in action, just as the inner voice of my brain guides all my bodily actions.

Jesus tended to honor the losers of this world, not the winners. Our modern culture extravagantly rewards beauty, athletic skill, wealth, and artistic achievement, qualities which seemed to impress Jesus not at all.

Jesus reserved his hardest words for the hidden sins of hypocrisy, pride, greed and legalism.

We do well to remember that the Bible has far more to say about how to live during the journey than about the ultimate destination.

If your church conveys that spirit of condescension or judgment, it's likely not a place where grace is on tap.

Whatever else we may say about it, the atonement fulfills the Jewish principle that only one who has been hurt can forgive. At Calvary, God chose to be hurt.