When the people of Israel re-entered the land after the exile, God had expectations, and so did they. Both sides were disappointed.
Recently, I met with a good friend at a coffee shop. I noticed he would grimace at times, so I asked if he was in pain.
My family and I anxiously watched the second match of the Seattle Sounders playoff game versus Houston. The match was during worship, so we recorded it.
Most of us have fairly positive view of shepherds. That was not the case in the time of Jesus. Shepherds tended to have a bad reputation.
When I look at this passage, I am struck by the description of a great leader, a great King.
Hope. Trust. Assurance. These three words are woven all through this Old Testament scripture.
We have lived in both the US and Canada, and there are a few words that are uniquely pronounced in each country.
It can be easy in our fast-paced, modern culture to fall into the trap of operating via soundbites.