Anchored

  How to Train an Elephant Have you ever ridden an elephant? I once had a chance to ride an elephant while I was an exchange student in Thailand. I was amazed at how such a huge animal could be so submissive to its trainer. After the tour, I heard how elephants are trained. It was very simple. First, the trainer ties an elephant to a stake. At first, the elephant tries hard to escape. But after trying again and again, they eventually give up. It simply stand beside the stake. Then, one day, the trainer unties the rope. The amazing thing is that the elephant still does not run away, even though it is no longer physically trapped. The Man at Bethesda In today’s scripture we meet a man who had been ill for 38 years. Around the pool called Bethesda, a crowd of sick people had gathered. The blind, the lame, and the paralyzed were waiting for healing. And Jesus came to this place. Among all those people, Jesus saw one particular man lying there. Jesus knew that he had been there for a lo...

The Heart of Worship Matt Redman is a world-renowned worship leader and songwriter. Many people came to his church, Soul Survivor in Watford, England, simply to hear his music. But the pastor and congregation realized something was missing. They had lost the heart of worship. So the pastor made a bold decision. For a season, they put away the sound system and the band. They worshiped with just their voices. At first, it was awkward. Uncomfortable. Some people stopped coming. But slowly, something changed. The congregation began to sing and pray from the heart. They encountered God in a fresh way. Out of that experience came Matt Redman’s song, The Heart of Worship: When the music fades, all is stripped away, and I simply come... I’m coming back to the heart of worship, and it’s all about You, Jesus. It’s all about You, Jesus. The Samaritan Woman In today’s Scripture, we meet a woman whose soul is lonely and restless. She is thirsty. She longs for something more. She is a Samarit...