In his little book What Is Biblical Theology, Professor Jim Hamilton says, “What we think and how we live is largely determined by the larger story in which we interpret our lives.” Then he asks, “Does your story enable you to look death in the face? Does your story give you a hope that goes beyond the grave?” The story that creates and sustains this kind of hope is the story of the Bible, where we find the true story about how God defeated death. How this story grows [...]

Longing for God Amidst Tears   There is so much mystery in suffering. What is not mysterious in the Bible is that suffering is where we often see God most clearly. Psalm 42 begins with the psalmist saying, “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God,” and then in the very next verse, “My tears have been my food day and night” (vv. 2-3). Then a couple verses later he talks about his soul being “cast down” and “in turmoil” (v. 5). The psalmist is crying his eyes [...]