For not being named, this woman from Shunem stars in three different stories in Scripture. In the first story, she performed an act of generosity for a Man of God, the prophet Elisha. She was not asked to do this, at least not by Elisha who only stopped by occasionally for a meal. Instead, her spiritual instincts were well developed. She was faithful to God’s sense of hospitality, so she was moved to do more. She provided a furnished room as a place for Elisha to rest during

You can speak, you can give your witness about what God has done for you, you might even preach…but the issue is not only the bold proclamation that you may make but whether or not the people listening can understand what you are saying. I can sincerely say, “Bwe kin an Anij yokwe lol, E ar letok juon wot Nejin.“ However, if I am visiting Dismal Springs United Methodist Church in the midwest where people are not likely to understand a Pacific Islands language, then what good

Is it a sign of weak faith if something bad happens to good people? Ask Job about that. No reason was ever given for the disasters that hit him. There was a conversation between God and Satan, but that is only a discussion of his faithfulness. His erstwhile friends pressed him to admit some sin that caused the death of his children (among other losses). However, Job defeats their easy theology claiming that it is more complex than that. And it is. What is the purpose of a t

The Book of Jeremiah is a collection of prophetic sermons arranged by Jeremiah’s scribe, Baruch. Jeremiah began preaching in 627 BC, then disappeared as a captive in Egypt around 580 BC. So, these sermons represent over 40 years of prophecy. It looks like Baruch grouped them together chronologically into various eras of Jeremiah’s life. Thus, one should expect some repetition and overlap; cycles of God’s accusations against Judah, declarations of judgments, and offers to fore