NextGenKent

Exodus 2:11 One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. 12 He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, “Why do you strike your companion?” 14 He answered, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, and thought, “Surely the thing is known.” 15 When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well. "One day, when Moses had grown up;" whatever that means, he came to point where he was different; he was his own man now, he saw things differently, FELT THINGS DIFFERENTL...

My 5 year old did something a couple of years ago that still has me wondering, but I might have figured it out today. Funny how itty-bitty kiddos can do that to educated adults! Our friend and neighbor Tom came over and walked into our house. Jonathan was SO excited when he saw Tom that he screamed, "TOM!" and then, while at top scream, head stretched to the ceiling, and looking like he wanted to fly, tried! But obviously failed. The realization that he didn't fly came across his face with confusion--and it is that act and look that has stuck with me. HOW could this kid think he could fly? I have moved on (a little) to thinking more about the belief leading to fearless action, however trial it was and however leading to error it became. What would I do if I believed in some things THAT much? Sure, I could have some bruises, cuts, scrapes, and such; but what else might I gain? I actually might succeed and do the proverbial walk on water! After all, Peter did. On...

Have we merely exchanged one place for another, one attitude transported from the Temple of old to our Church today? Have we denied access to people and issued invisible passes for entry? Have we sinned by marking off the territory between people and God and made it much bigger, much more difficult than it really is? Do we surround our churches (and our hearts) with "courts" limiting admittance to people? Do we wear looks on our faces that betray our sinful hearts which speak to people, “You may come THIS far but no farther!” The court of the Gentiles is where we marginalize our children and our youth. We have sent them out of our adult worship communicating to them that access is for adults only. We have told people who work on Sundays they are to be in church but then feast at their tables and in our hypocrisy banish them to the outer courts. We must repent and tear down the gates of our attitudes. The court of the women has become the boundaries of where the age...