tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87733610282158939612009-10-17T16:35:55.679-07:00New and Old TreasuresPhil Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03527670456237383862philliphenry1@gmail.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773361028215893961.post-15401132972954457282008-04-03T07:04:00.004-07:002008-04-03T07:26:39.858-07:00Body and SoulRecently I asked some friends a theological riddle: "What does God value more, the body or the soul?"This provocative question arose amid a discussion about cannibalism, of all things. Some in the group said that if someone dies, eating their flesh, if all other means of survival have been tried, posed no moral quandry.Inherent in this discussion was something of a utilitarian mindset--that Phil Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03527670456237383862philliphenry1@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773361028215893961.post-48388146932955212072008-03-28T21:56:00.002-07:002008-03-28T21:59:43.236-07:00Isaiah's HopeSomeone recently sent this quote along to me: "It is not essential that our self-made plans be brought to pass; it is essential that our hearts be kept in the embrace of of God...all-wise and never failing." So often when we don't get what we want, we feel abandoned, neglected, isolated, and, in an exaggerated sense, alienated from others and even God.Scripture addresses us in such circumstancesPhil Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03527670456237383862philliphenry1@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773361028215893961.post-35610536288366563642008-03-03T18:24:00.006-07:002008-03-03T19:18:37.552-07:00The Hope of HeavenI have friends who love World of Warcraft. It is a massive, online, multi-player game in which you battle monsters and creatures of every imaginable variety. Starting out in the game, you go to carefully screened areas where the monsters are not going to overwhelm you. If you venture out of these "safe zones," you quickly become overpowered and your online character dies.Being overwhelmed is partPhil Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03527670456237383862philliphenry1@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773361028215893961.post-21773328884211397782008-03-01T20:58:00.004-07:002008-12-09T03:35:28.918-07:00Graves of CravingThe Old Testament book of Numbers takes its name from the two censuses that figure prominently in the book. But, in Hebrew, what we call "Numbers" is called "In the Wilderness." Based on all the complaining, rebellion, and sin that the book recounts, it might be appropriate to suggest that "what happens in the wilderness stays in the wilderness."(Image to the left courtesy of the Yale Library)Phil Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03527670456237383862philliphenry1@gmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773361028215893961.post-43863886669549280592008-02-26T06:00:00.002-07:002008-12-09T03:35:29.102-07:00Egypt's gods and the Plagues of GodThe Book of Exodus tells the story of how God delivers His ancient people from slavery in Egypt. Moses takes center stage in this book: a Hebrew baby boy who narrowly escapes death and instead is given up for adoption to the Egyptian queen. In her house, he is raised as the son of Pharaoh.But, in a classic “riches to rags story,” God calls Moses out of Pharaoh’s house to become the deliverer of Phil Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03527670456237383862philliphenry1@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773361028215893961.post-87975428508991028902008-02-23T12:00:00.000-07:002008-12-09T03:35:29.296-07:00God's Parable, God's StoryMatthew, in his Gospel, reports that Jesus only spoke in parables: "All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable." (Matthew 13:34).(To the left is Murillo's The Return of the Prodigal Son.)Granting the rabbinic and ancient near eastern story-telling practice of exaggeration, we can at least conclude that the most important foundationalPhil Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03527670456237383862philliphenry1@gmail.com0