Wayfarer

In the quiet this morning I find myself taking Jesus up on His encouragement to the Laodiceans. I have an annual physical examination, what about a regular spiritual examination? A chapter-a-day podcast from Revelation 3. The text version can be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

Along my spiritual journey, I have observed that it's easy to seek out the secret mysteries beneath the text to the point that I ignore the simple truth that's staring me right in the face. A chapter-a-day podcast from Revelation 2. The text version may be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

To be honest, I have a love-hate relationship with Revelation. I love the mystery and the metaphor. It's fascinating and I find important spiritual truths within. My hate is rooted in the rabbit hole that it becomes for people who fall in and become endlessly obsessed. A chapter-a-day podcast from Revelation 1. The text version may be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

"People of the lie" have always been a part of the mix in this world. This is a reality that I must always consider as I look around me and try to interpret the signs of the times. A chapter-a-day podcast from Jude 1. The text version may be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

The tagline "a series of unfortunate events" popped into my mind as I sat in the quiet this morning pondering not only the tumultuous events that are unpacked by the author of Judges in his three-chapter epilogue but also the tumultuous events that we've been living through in the past two years. A chapter-a-day podcast from Judges 21. The text version can be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

Despite all of the advancements we enjoy in our civilized society with the rule of law, our human "tribal instincts" remain very strong. A chapter-a-day podcast from Judges 20. The text version may be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

I don't have to look very hard to find acts of violence not that much different than the ones in today's chapter. And, in the Levite's call to action, I hear echoes of what our society is proclaiming right now: "We have to do something!" A chapter-a-day podcast from Judges 19. The text version can be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

Like the Prodigal Son, I had to find myself spiritually starving in the muck in order to realize my need. A chapter-a-day podcast from Judges 18. The text version may be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

Over the past several years, I have observed my world becoming increasingly disordered. There is no question that the pandemic affected the ordering of our personal lives in ways we're still trying to understand and grapple with. On top of that, a daily perusal of the news has shown me increased political disorder, social disorder, cultural disorder, and economic disorder. A chapter-a-day podcast from Judges 17. The text version may be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

In the quiet this morning, Samson's story leads me back to my own life, and my own story. I, like every other human being who has ever lived, have my own sins, flaws, and weaknesses. Left unchecked, my story would be far more tragic than it's already been. A chapter-a-day podcast from Judges 16. The text version may be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.