She is the ultimate grandmother, the grandmother of God. Most of us know our time will pass, but she became lost in the glare of history the moment she held a baby girl and named her “Mary.” Anne is the model for all of us who have a small role in making a place for greater people.The . . . . Continue Reading »
This is the fourth part in a twelve part devotional commentary on “O Holy Night.” See the introduction here.Fall on your knees! O, hear the angels’ voices!O night divine, O night when Christ was born;O night divine, O night, O night Divine There are two pictures of heavenly worship . . . . Continue Reading »
As I’m writing this fourth part, I’m betting that you’re worn out already — “OK, Frank: wrath of God. I got it. Christ was born to satisfy the wrath of God, and that’s good, and that’s a really sound reason to have joy at Christmas. Amen — I’m . . . . Continue Reading »
Christmas came to old Anna, because Anna was waiting. Anna saw beauty, because God chose her and she said, “Yes.”A weird belief in our culture is that God is pretty lucky if we choose him. “Why should I believe in God?” people will ask me and there are certainly answers to . . . . Continue Reading »
Nobody knew her name, but then she burst into history after a long life. Elizabeth was a failure by the standards of her culture, but God loved her. Just when most friends thought her time had past, Elizabeth found herself at the beginning of Christmas.There is hope in her life for any of us.God . . . . Continue Reading »
This is the third part in a twelve part devotional commentary on “O Holy Night.” See the introduction here.A thrill of hope The weary world rejoices,For yonder breaks A new and glorious morn.As a consequence of sin, God cursed the ground (Gen 3:17). Man has had to toil in pain to provide . . . . Continue Reading »
At Christmas, we think –- we, Americans who say we are Christians –- we deserve a break from the things we do every day. We deserve a rest. We deserve to sleep on the sofa, and to have a big meal, and then to sleep on the sofa again, and watch a parade or some football, or whatever it is . . . . Continue Reading »
Blame this post on Roberts Wesleyan College. There I drank too deeply at the well of John Wesley and so developed what one Calvinist colleague called a case of election envy. . .Some of my best friends are Calvinists and I feel that they are too often stereotyped, judged, and labeled. Most of you, . . . . Continue Reading »
The commercialization of Christmas and the holiday (etymologically associated as holiday derives from Holy Day) associated with gift giving has diluted “real” message of Christmas. This has been discussed and debated over and over and I’m not going to attempt to add anything new to . . . . Continue Reading »
Subscribe
Latest Issue
Support First Things
