A DEVOTIONAL REFLECTION ON 2 CHRONICLES 3:17 Then he set up the pillars at the entrance to the temple: He set up the pillar on the right and named it Jakin; and he set up the pillar on the left and named it Boaz. - 2 Chronicles 3:17 NIV 2 Chronicles 3:17 mentions the two pillars at the entrance of the temple: Jakin, meaning “He will establish,” and Boaz, meaning “In Him is strength.” As I’ve been reading about Solomon building the temple, I’m reminded that building the house of God takes...

“Daddy, I have an idea for your song… Hallelujah to the King of kings, hallelujah to the Lord of lords.” Those simple words, spoken by our 10-year-old son, Ethan, at our kitchen table, became the cornerstone of our latest song. But more than that, they became a reminder of something deeper about the nature of biblical worship. In our family, I’m known as “the songwriter.” I’ve been writing the longest, and it’s been part of my calling as a worship leader for years. What many people don’t...

“And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.’” Luke 2:10, 12 (ESV) Jesus came into darkness. And while we celebrate the light and hope that came with His birth, we must also recognize that at the end of that first Christmas night, the Light—the hope of the world—was still only a baby. Though the hearts of the...