Sheep have gotten a bum rap. Sometimes they are called “range maggots.” Or “woolly locusts.” Many consider sheep stupid. Without a shepherd, sheep usually cannot find pasture. They get lost and...

Donegal is the northwestern-most county in Ireland. People from other parts of the country speak of Donegal as the hinterland, the wilds. It is the financially poorest of the twenty-six counties...

The words of Psalm 23 come from the lips of someone who has suffered. When we read Psalm 23 in tandem with Psalm 22, we learn that the psalmist has walked...

In The Gates of Ivory, contemporary British novelist Dame Margaret Drabble tells of a circle of friends searching for one of their number who has mysteriously disappeared. With few clues about...

These travelers are grappling with stories that seem unreal: angelic visitation, Jesus’ empty tomb, rumors that he is alive. When they get to the end of the trip, they ask this...

We know that the name of one of the travelers in this passage is Cleopas. Some think his companion is his wife, Mary, mentioned in John 19:25. Others believe his fellow...

First Peter 1 encourages Christians to remember who and whose they are while facing the stresses of life. Verses 18, 21, and 23 make pronouncements about God’s claim on our lives....

These last eight verses of Psalm 116 continue the theme of gratitude for deliverance. The psalmist’s vows to the Lord and offerings of sacrifice are thankful expressions of joy. The Hebrew...

Psalm 116 is a psalm of thanksgiving. It expresses gratitude to God for deliverance from distress. The word Sheol is used to mean a place after death or a death-like power...

In today’s passage, we read about the response to Peter’s message on the Day of Pentecost. No one in the crowd seems to be denying Peter’s claim that they are responsible...