Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it saved Israel. As he unwittingly proto-typed Jesus, the Good Shepherd, Moses was distracted by a curious phenomenon: “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” (Ex. 3:3) Read the rest of the story here. Why is the bush not burned? Moses’ question is not answered, but Israel is set free from slavery. — Even more curious is the mystery of...
Ten years ago this month (September) I first became a Calvinist. I’ve never discussed here at The Two Cities how I became a Calvinist so I thought I’d use this anniversary of sorts as an opportunity to reflect on that. It all happened at the beginning of my Sophomore year at BIOLA University. During my first year of college I was undeclared without any clear passion for any particular subject of study. The only thing I was...
Four weeks ago, I was one of four people standing in front of Biola’s Heritage Cafe, laughing in the low sun of late morning. Before taking a brief walk, Jessica and I had stopped to enjoy some time with Stewart and Erin, two good friends who had met to mull over C.S. Lewis’ essay, Education in Wartime, before leading a freshman seminar discussion. We had just a moment ago seen my good friend Andrew and...
Reading scripture has deadly implications. “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:12-13 When we bear witness to truth and justice,...
We all have at least one desire in our life. We may desire something as tangible as a job, a degree, or community. It may be a desire for something lost, like a loved one who has passed. Many times, our desires are motivational drives that help us reach the next goal in life. Whether it’s a plethora of things to accomplish or just that small glimmer of hope in the darkness of life, our...
As part of my nostalgic reflections on the completion of my PhD, and the formal celebration of that a few weeks ago at my graduation, I’ve been thinking about the various trends and themes that characterized my time in Scotland. In particular, I was thinking about the bookends of my studies: how the beginning and end of my time had some clear parallels. Last time I wrote about a stressful travel story at the start...
Two weeks ago today I graduated with my PhD from the University of St Andrews. Being back in St Andrews was a wonderful experience. It was great to be able to show my parents around for the first time. As I was retracing my steps and hitting up all of my favorite places around town I was quite nostalgic and reflective about my time at St Andrews. Every other time that I left St Andrews...
This past week has been tough. Orlando, Paris, Tel Aviv, and many others have been a constant source of tears, heartache and mourning for the global community I know for me, death has hit home in a different way. Last week, my Grandma passed away at 89 years old. She was an amazing woman who was first and foremost, a Christian. She loved Jesus in so many ways, and in every way she embodied a older...
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery (Galatians 5:1). This past weekend, I went on a church retreat with Bethel English Church at Oak Glen Christian Conference Center. While I really enjoyed being away from the city, and out in nature, the messages during this retreat were also quite impactful to me. Our speaker talked about...
The Spirit prays for us. We do not know what to pray, nor necessarily to pray for that which we do not know what to pray for. Neither did we know how to pray, nor even how to pray for what we do not know to pray for, but our Lord has taught us. He did not merely teach us how to pray, but he has trained us in his own Spirit. It is the...
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