Imaginatively Inhabit

8190 of 180 items

UrgentSearching

by Tyler Dirks

[Matthew 11] John’s starting to have second-thoughts about Jesus of Nazareth. John asks, “Are you THE ONE who is to come, OR SHALL WE LOOK FOR ANOTHER?” *Imagine your boss comes up to you & asks, “Should I look for another person to do your job?” That stings! Jesus says, “Tell John that I’ve befriended […]

That Happened! [excerpts from the life of Samson continued]

by Tyler Dirks

Warning, excerpts from Samson’s life contain large quantities of inappropriocity. Proceed with caution. So you remember how Samson had the hots for a lady in Timnah, and they got hitched; and then Samson stormed off during the wedding reception because he was angry with some fellas over a gambling fiasco? Well, after Samson cooled-off a […]

Attending Church(es): The Screwtape Letters [Chapter XVI]

by Tyler Dirks

I was listening to The Screwtape Letters on Hoopla while driving to climb with Will this morning. I found the 16th letter to be particularly constructive, so now I share it with you: My dear Wormwood, You mentioned casually in your last letter that the patient has continued to attend one church, and one only, […]

That Happened! [excerpts from the life of Samson]

by Tyler Dirks

The angel of the Lord appeared to Samson’s mom and said to her, “Behold, you are barren and have not borne children, but you shall conceive and bear a son.” Samson’s dad said to the angel of the Lord, “What is your name, so that, when your words come true, we may honor you?” And […]

Making The Familiar Strange

by Tyler Dirks

Don’t be LAZY when it comes to imaginatively immersing yourself in the chronicles of Christmas. Imaginatively inhabit these real-life scenarios – – – > Genesis 3:8-15; Genesis 22:15-17; Isaiah 9:2, 6-7; Isaiah 11:1-4, 6-9; Luke 2:8-16; Matthew 2:1-12; Revelation 12:1-6, 13-17; & John 1:1-14. Receive and relish what you’ve allowed to become ‘prosaically familiar’ and […]

Be Like Birds

by Tyler Dirks

G.K. Chesterton said, “People have fallen into a foolish habit of speaking of orthodoxy as something heavy, humdrum, and safe. But the fact is, there never was anything so perilous or so exciting as orthodoxy.”   We are infatuated with “the praise & attention of man.” We anchor our identity and our sense of meaning […]

The Next Series

by Tyler Dirks

G.K. Chesterton said, “People have fallen into a foolish habit of speaking of orthodoxy as something heavy, humdrum, and safe. But the fact is, there never was anything so perilous or so exciting as orthodoxy.” The same could be said for the church. In 1 & 2 Thessalonians we are assailed with perilous and electrifying […]

E8

by Tyler Dirks

The king texts his scribes. The scribes show up lickety-split. The Queen of Persia’s cousin dictates a new edict to the royal scribes. The edict is addressed to the satraps, the governors, and the officials of all the provinces of Persia (spanning from India to Ethiopia …127 provinces). And each province is addressed in its […]

No Escaping Neediness

by Tyler Dirks

I guess you could say we were experiencing “tough times.” I longed to be back home, and I couldn’t look at Haddie without tearing up. Haddie’s mannerisms reminded me of my uncle, and the way she laughed sounded just like my aunt. I felt a strange mixture of happiness and helplessness; I was thankful for […]

Protest

by Tyler Dirks

Picture a man who has just been forced to venerate his enemy in the presence of an entire city. Subsequently, this man sulks home (scorning the shame of honoring the man he hates), only to be told by his wife and his friends that he is inescapably cursed, and will soon fall at the hands […]