The 60-Second Sabbath

faith

  • Attraction

    It's never been the fear of hellthat draws our hearts to God.Imagine not fear functions so–how hazardous! how odd! Useless is the threat of painwhen hearts are hardened stone.What thaws our frozen hearts toward Godis love and love alone. Text… Continue reading

  • How to Build Hell

    Erect lots of barriers.Shut people out.Convince ourselves it's us vs. them.Imagine we are under attack.Inflame our mutual paranoia.Entertain no viewpoint but our own. Hey,not quite the kingdom Jesus imagined for us,but our fearful superioritywill just have to substitute. Text and… Continue reading

  • Conviction

    Let your doubts be known,    embrace them,    articulate them,but find your convictions as well,    embrace them,    articulate them. The paradoxical beauty of the holy lifeis having permission to stand firmwhile losing the need to be right. Text and… Continue reading

  • Growing

    What a mess the world is in,filled with sorrow, death and sin,so much suffering, greed and hate,wrathful nature, cruel fate.Why would God allow it so? "Even God has room to grow." Text and image © 2014 by Dirk deVries. All… Continue reading

  • Fault Lines

    We all have fault lines–    hidden veins of weakness,    those places where,    when stressed,    we are most likely to crack. Patch them with holy spackle:    bread and wine,    exchanged embraces,    stillness. Text and… Continue reading

  • Fear Not

    The angel appeared."Fear not," he said. "You always say that," I said."Whenever you pop in,you always start with,'Fear not.'What's up with that?" He sighed."Because no one listenswhen they're afraid–not to spouses, neighbors, friends,family members, store clerks–they just don't listen.It's so… Continue reading

  • Sophia Again

    She stepped from the broom closetlike a dinner guest exiting the powder room."Missed me?" she asked. "Like gas pain," I answered. "You know I'm here to relieve the pain?" "Yes, I know that." She eyed the box of Russel Stovers… Continue reading

  • Another Serenity Prayer

    God, just for today,grant me freedomfrom the desire to beanywhere or anyone else. Amen. Text and image © 2014 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading

  • If It Comes to That

    If it comes to thatI shall travel aloneto that far shore;I shall worshipand know rapture. Praise is never a lonely pursuit;union defines adoration.Who can separate the Loverfrom the Beloved? Text and image © 2014 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.… Continue reading

  • What If?

    What iflocked inside of methere is an individualso brilliantly creative,so astonishingly original,that, if liberated,he would revolutionize    medicine or literature or technology    or psychology or peace-making or religion? What if fear has kept him hiddenall these decades? What if… Continue reading