Category Archives: Attitudes & Behavior

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March 19, 2026

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Attitudes & Behavior, Church & Worship, Faith & Hope, Holidays & Holy Days, Prayer, Trusting God

THE LORICA

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. [Psalm 5:11 (NIV)]

armorA Latin word, lorica originally meant armor or breastplate. Because of an ancient practice of inscribing a prayer on the armor or shields of knights who then recited the prayer before combat, lorica came to mean a prayer of protection.

Although there are many such prayers, the most famous is the Lorica of St. Patrick (also known as St. Patrick’s Breastplate). Legend has it that around 433 AD, St. Patrick wrote this prayer for protection. As the story goes, on Easter morning, Patrick led his fellow missionaries in a procession to the court of the pagan King Laoghhaire. Suspecting that they would be ambushed by the army of his pagan adversary, Patrick took his men through the woods while chanting this prayer/lorica. Rather than seeing the missionaries amid the trees, their enemies saw a mother deer followed by twenty fawns and let them pass. Having been brought safely through the ambush by God, Patrick and his companions marched into the king’s presence while chanting: “Let them that will, trust in chariots and horses, but we walk in the name of the Lord.”

Whether the story is fact, legend or, as I suspect, somewhere in-between, this beautiful hymn (also known as The Deer’s Cry) appears to be the first one ever written in Gaelic and quite likely by the beloved Patrick. In 1889, Cecil Alexander produced a metrical version of the prayer from an earlier English translation and the resulting hymn was set to traditional Irish tunes. Called “I Bind Unto Myself Today,” this beautiful old lorica can be found in the hymnals of many denominations and heard on You Tube.

Prayers for protection and deliverance are found throughout Scripture. Moses, David, Ezra, and Nehemiah all prayed for protection for themselves and others and Jesus prayed for the protection of His followers. We may not be facing Druids in the woods, but we enter into battle against evil every day. While we don’t wear armor or carry shields, we can proceed as did Patrick and his men: by wearing the armor of God, binding ourselves to Him in prayer, and walking in the name of the Lord.

I bind unto myself today
The strong name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same
The Three in One and One in Three. …
I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward,
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard. …
Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
I bind unto myself the name,
The strong name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.
By whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.
[St. Patrick’s Breastplate (Attributed to St. Patrick)] 

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. [Ephesians 6:13-15 (NIV)]

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March 16, 2026

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Attitudes & Behavior, Family, Friends & Fellowship, God's Grace & Love, God's Plan, Holidays & Holy Days, Sharing Our Faith, Thanks & Praise

THE LUCK OF THE IRISH

How happy is the one who does not walk in the advice of the wicked or stand in the pathway with sinners or sit in the company of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams that bears its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. [Psalm 1:1-3 (CSB]

lucky IrishWhen we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow, I suspect the revered bishop who brought Christianity to Ireland in the 5th century wouldn’t recognize this day in his honor. Originally a religious feast, it’s now a day for parades, sales, “Kiss Me I’m Irish” t-shirts, corned beef and cabbage, music, dancing, and lots of green (including hair, cookies, the Chicago River, milk shakes, and kegs of beer). St. Patrick, however, would recognize the common symbol of the day: the shamrock. Of course, to Patrick, the shamrock, with its three leaflets bound by a common stem, was a metaphor for the Holy Trinity. The shamrock’s three leaflets also came to symbolize faith, hope, and love.

“The luck of the Irish” may trace back to the thousands of superstitions in Irish folklore. (Getting married in May is bad luck but seeing a white horse in the morning is good!) The “lucky” four-leaf clover has its origins in ancient Celtic folklore. Irish and Celtic myths and legends also tell of fairies (Aes Sídhe) and pesky goblins (Púca) who were known to hand out both good and bad luck to humans. Nevertheless, it’s hard to see how a people who were invaded by Vikings, suppressed at the hand of England, suffered mass starvation during the Irish Potato Famine, failed at every revolution, and were treated like third class citizens upon their arrival in the U.S. could be called “lucky.”

According to Edwin T. O’Donnell of Holy Cross College, “the luck of the Irish” originally was a derogatory phrase here in the United States. During the silver and gold rush days of the 19th century, some of the most successful miners were Irish or Irish/American. Saying a miner’s success was “just the luck of the Irish” meant that it was mere happenstance and had nothing to do with the hours of drudgery the miner endured, the danger he faced, the sacrifices he made, the loneliness he suffered, or his skill with a pick and shovel.

Anne, a woman in my Bible study, mentioned her daughter’s recent school assignment. The girl and her parents were to paste pictures of the things that made them lucky on a large green construction paper shamrock. A woman of faith, Anne didn’t want to be one of those parents who make a mountain out of every molehill encountered in public school. Nevertheless, she credits God (not luck) with her family’s blessings, so she and her daughter pondered how to proceed with the assignment in a way that honors God. They pasted photos of their family on their “Lucky Family” shamrock and then wrote these words: “No luck involved! We are blessed by the grace of God to be a happy family!”

Attributing their happy family to luck would be as insulting to God as saying the success of a miner who’d struggled in difficult circumstances to stake his claim was just “the luck of the Irish.” Nevertheless, that construction paper shamrock with its three leaves also symbolizes what enables Anne’s family to live with joy, peace, forgiveness, and confidence: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit who govern and fill their lives. Moreover, the happiness of her family has to do with their faith, hope, and love (both for God and for one another). There was no “lucky” fourth leaflet on their shamrock because luck has nothing to do with it; God, however, does!

Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. [James 1:16-17 (CSB)]

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March 12, 2026

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Attitudes & Behavior, Forgiveness, Fruit of the Spirit, Temptation & Sin

LITTLE SINS

If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. [1 John 1:8-10 (CSB)]

Flawed people that we are, we want to play down our culpability before God by minimizing sin and thinking of some sins as less significant than others. We’d like to think if we avoid the “big ten” Moses brought down from Mt. Sinai that we’re good and righteous people. God didn’t stop telling us how to behave with those two tablets! What about the hundreds of commands we find in the New Testament? Can we truthfully say we do nothing “out of selfish ambition or conceit” while we do everything “without grumbling and arguing?” [Phil 2:3,14] Are we ever conceited, boastful, or envious? [Gal 5:26] Do we show favoritism or partiality? [James 2:3-4] How are we doing in the loving our enemies and praying for them, forgiveness, and self-denial departments? [Matt 5:22,44;16:24] Are we truly free of “malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander”? [1 Pet 2:1] Those sins are no less an affront to God than worshipping an idol or murdering a spouse. Every sin we commit damages our relationship with God.

Nevertheless, we tend to consider certain sins (like murder or having an extramarital affair) as “felonies” while a little cheating on our taxes or lusting after the blond at work are mere “misdemeanors.” In spite of Jesus’ words about anger and lust in Matthew 5, we more readily ignore and excuse our road rage or wandering eye than we would the “big” sins of murder or adultery. What we forget when we define sins as being big or small, major or minor, mortal or venial, is that any sin offends God. Regardless of its “size,” every sin defies Him and His authority and gives lie to our witness.

Granted, the consequences of our sins vary. Merely coveting Mary’s diamond tennis bracelet is of little consequence to her but my stealing that bracelet means she’s out several thousand dollars! I can hate my ex-husband without his ever knowing it but, if I kill him, his life is over! The worldly consequences to me would change with these sins, as well. While coveting and hate can sour my disposition and ruin relationships, theft and murder could land me in prison! Nevertheless, while the real-life consequences vary with the offense, the spiritual consequences are the same. Regardless of the transgression, every sin is rebellion against God and His plan for our world. While Christ paid the penalty for our sins, one day, we will give an accounting of our behavior (both good and bad) to God.

Scripture tells us to confess our sins but, when we minimize them, we fail to see them for what they are. Confession, however, is just the beginning—the next step is repentance. By minimizing those sins, we fail to understand the need for change or even the need for a savior! It’s only when we truly see and admit what sinful fallen creatures we are that we finally see our need and turn to Jesus!

And indeed, there is no little sin, because there is no little God to sin against. In general, what to (humans) seems a small offense, to Him who knows the heart may appear a heinous crime. [John Wesley]

Repentance is as much a mark of a Christian, as faith is. A very little sin, as the world calls it, is a very great sin to a true Christian. [Charles Spurgeon]

But you, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God. So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. [Romans 14:10-12 (CSB)]

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March 9, 2026

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Attitudes & Behavior, Bible Stories, Church & Worship, Fruit of the Spirit, Love & Works, Sharing Our Faith

A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD

The Lord spoke to Moses: “See, I have taken the Levites from the Israelites in place of every firstborn Israelite from the womb. The Levites belong to me, because every firstborn belongs to me. At the time I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated every firstborn in Israel to myself, both man and animal. They are mine; I am the Lord.” [Numbers 3:11-13 (CSB)]

cabbage white butterflyHaving spared Israel’s first-born males during the final plague on Egypt, God called for every first-born Israelite male, whether man or beast, to be consecrated to Him. The entire male population of the tribe of Levi was 22,000 (about the same number of first-born Israelite men) and God substituted the Levites for the other first-born males. Substituting the Levites for the first-born male in every tribe centralized the sacred duties to one tribe without disrupting the other tribes’ families.

Appointed to minister and serve in the Tabernacle, the Levites didn’t get to choose their careers—that decision was made for them by God. By divine appointment, they were charged maintaining the holiness of the sanctuary, guarding the worship of Jehovah, instructing the people in God’s Word, and warning Israel of idolatry. While only Aaron’s lineage could serve as priests, the other Levite clans were destined to serve the Lord and His priests in supportive roles. Some clans were responsible for preparing sacrifices or washing the hands of the priests, while others guarded the temple and its furnishings, made music, or led worship. Still other families were assigned to make repairs to the Tabernacle/Temple and its equipment or were to act as gatekeepers, secretaries, or scribes.

Like the Israelites, Christ’s followers are a unique nation. However, rather than a nation based on ethnicity, physical characteristics, culture, or language, we are one people united by faith. Prior to Jesus, only the descendants of Levi were dedicated to God; today, all of Christ’s followers are consecrated to Him. Regardless of lineage, we all are “people for His possession.” Although only Aaron’s descendants could be priests, every follower of Jesus belongs to a “royal priesthood.” While the Levites’ various duties were determined by their specific lineage within the tribe of Levi, our duties are determined by the Holy Spirit’s gifts to us. But, like the Levites who didn’t receive an allocation of land as did the other tribes, our inheritance is not found in earthly things like property; it is found in God! Like the Levites of long ago, rather than seeking to be served, we are called to serve the Lord. Just as their responsibility was to work for the Lord and proclaim the goodness of God, we are called to do the same.

As members of Christ’s royal priesthood, our service doesn’t end with the closing hymn on Sunday morning—that’s when it begins! Whether it’s teaching Sunday school, visiting the sick, shopping for shut-ins, sending cards, packing food, writing newsletters, cooking meals, greeting visitors, filling communion cups, ironing paraments, mowing the lawn, singing in the choir, providing transportation, making calls, being a prayer warrior, setting up chairs, running the sound equipment, knitting prayer shawls, folding programs, or running the website, we are called to serve in the household of faith. As humble and mundane as it may seem, our service is glorious work because, like the work of the Levites, it is done to serve the Lord!

The Church has not yet touched the fringe of the possibilities of intercessory prayer. Her largest victories will be witnessed when individual Christians everywhere come to recognize their priesthood unto God and day by day give themselves unto prayer. [John R. Mott]

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. [1 Peter 2:9-10 (CSB)]

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March 5, 2026

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Attitudes & Behavior, Challenges & Difficulty, Church & Worship, Holidays & Holy Days, Knowing Him, Prayer

SEEKING HIM DURING LENT

Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. [Daniel 9:3 (CSB)]

Even now—this is the Lord’s declaration—turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not just your clothes, and return to the Lord your God. For he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in faithful love, and he relents from sending disaster. [Joel 2:12-13 (CSB)]

MOCKINGBIRDWe’re two weeks into the season of Lent. While we typically associate this time before Easter with giving up something, it is more than simply abstaining or fasting from some thing or things. Fasting without prayer is nothing more than a diet and abstaining from some pleasure without prayer is more like dry January than a Lenten discipline! Without prayer, fasting and abstinence are physical acts but not spiritual ones! When we give up something for Lent, we need to deliberately and intentionally seek the Lord in prayer at the same time!

Faith is a living thing, and like all living things, it needs to be nurtured and fed to grow. During Lent, as we abstain from worldly things, we feast on the spiritual so that this season of self-denial becomes one of growth. Lent is the time to feed our faith with extra servings of prayer and Scripture along with Christian fellowship, praise, thanksgiving, and worship.

If we choose to observe Lent, there are a few words of warning. We must be cautious of spiritual pride—thinking we’re better or “more spiritual” than others who may not observe this season or might practice it in a different way. How we keep this season is between us and God and not to be compared to anyone else’s Lenten practice. We shouldn’t be like the proud Pharisee in Jesus’ parable who compared himself to the tax collector while boasting that he fasted twice a week and gave away a tenth of all he received. Spiritual pride means we’re looking at ourselves instead of the Lord. Jesus reminded His listeners that “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” [Luke 18:14]

Just as self-denial is not a way to boost our egos, let us never make the mistake of thinking that giving up something for Lent has any merit as far as our salvation is concerned. Self-denial and fasting are not done to curry favor and earn ”brownie points” with God. Neither fasting nor abstinence give us special standing before God and they won’t make God love us any more than He already does!

Moreover, we must never give up something as a way of manipulating God into doing something for us; there no quid pro quo in God’s Kingdom! Fasting and abstinence won’t sprinkle spiritual vitamins and minerals on our prayers to give them extra power. We don’t adopt a spiritual discipline so God will do what we want—we do it so we’ll do what He wants! Fasting and abstaining change us, not God! They’re like cleaning our glasses so we better see God and cleaning the wax from our ears so that we hear Him more clearly. Rather than getting a better response to our prayers, self-denial leads to better prayers!

Finally, Jesus specifically warned us about the danger of hypocrisy while fasting. Lent’s purpose is not to impress others with our devotion. It’s personal and private—between us and God—it’s a secret commitment rather than a public display. May we always remember that we fast to please the Lord—not to impress others!

Prayer is reaching out after the unseen; fasting is letting go of all that is seen and temporal. Fasting helps express, deepen, confirm the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, even ourselves to attain what we seek for the kingdom of God. [Andrew Murray]

Whenever you fast, don’t be gloomy like the hypocrites. For they disfigure their faces so that their fasting is obvious to people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting isn’t obvious to others but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. [Matthew 6:16-17(CSB)]

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February 26, 2026

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Attitudes & Behavior, Bible Stories, Faith & Hope, Knowing Him, Prayer

APPROACHING OUR KING

I will exalt you, my God and King, and praise your name forever and ever. I will praise you every day; yes, I will praise you forever. … The Lord is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness. The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them.[Psalm 145:1-2,17-19 (NLT)]

lion

After Esther fasted and prayed about approaching the king, she had both courage and a strategy. From the way Xerxes was so easily manipulated by his Persian noble friends and Haman, it’s clear that he was a temperamental, weak, and foolish man; Esther used that knowledge to her advantage. When she dressed in her finest robes and approached the king, I imagine she made sure he was in good spirits and that she looked irresistible. Welcoming Esther and offering her half his kingdom, Xerxes invited his queen to ask for anything, but she knew better than to take the royal offer literally. Graciously, she only asked for his and Haman’s presence at a banquet that evening. Esther’s delay didn’t mean she’d lost her courage. Persian etiquette for making a request typically began with a small unrelated favor, which is what Esther did. After a pleasant evening, she beguiled Xerxes simply by inviting him to dinner again. Gaining one small concession at a time, she eventually worked her way up to the real issue at hand. By waiting to make her appeal, Esther aroused the king’s curiosity.

A banquet was the perfect setting for Esther’s request. According to the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, Persians typically decided important matters when they were drunk; once they’d sobered up, their decisions would be confirmed. That certainly was the case when the drunken Xerxes banished Queen Vashti. On the other hand, any decisions made while sober were suspect and were to be reevaluated when the parties were intoxicated (which may explain why Xerxes and Haman sat down to drink after their apparently sober decision to eliminate the Jews)! Esther understood the importance of alcohol in the king’s decision making and, after two nights of banquets, she finally made her request while they were drinking wine. When Esther asked the king to save her life and the lives of her people, she prudently put the blame for the wicked plot entirely on Haman rather than her easily manipulated husband.

By necessity, Esther made her plea to the king in a calculated and roundabout way. Fortunately, we don’t have to strategize or scheme when we approach our Heavenly King! Because we are His beloved children and know that He loves us, we don’t have to worry that God’s interest in us has waned. There’s no need to dress in our finest attire to entice Him nor must we wait until He extends his golden scepter before approaching His throne. God is far more interested in our hearts than our appearance and our imperfect selves can approach Him any time. We don’t have to pique God’s curiosity or manipulate Him into asking us what we want because God knows what we need even before we do! We don’t have to carefully phrase our words out of fear that He will banish us from His presence if we displease Him. We certainly don’t have to ply God with vintage wine, start with little favors before working up to our big request, or wait until He’s in a good mood before offering our prayers. God is the same today as He was yesterday and will be tomorrow. If we have no words, the Holy Spirit will speak for us.

Let us never approach God with subterfuge and apprehension as Esther did Xerxes. We should come to Him as candidly as did David and the other psalmists. With our Heavenly King, we can honestly sob in sorrow, shout in anger, plead in distress, stammer in confusion, whisper in fear, weep in regret, confess in repentance, shout in praise, sing in thanksgiving, and even dance in joy—all without fear of banishment from His presence!

O Lord, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you. Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. [Psalm 5:1-3 (NLT)]

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