In June of 2005, U.S. Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell and SEAL Team 10 were assigned to a mission to kill or capture Ahmad Shah a high-ranking Taliban leader responsible for killings in eastern Afghanistan and the Hindu-Kush mountains. Local sheepherders stumbled upon the team and ended up betraying the SEALS to local Taliban militia, and a horrific gun-battle ensued. Marcus was the only survivor. Badly wounded, he managed to walk and crawl seven miles to evade capture. He was miraculously given...

The past, present and future God of reversals. This is who we worship on Easter. And this is whom Psalm 118 identifies as the transforming power who delivers what our world craves. Thank the good Lord! God’s love never runs out! Let this be the broken-record’s refrain: God’s love endures forever! The essence of God’s character is brightly visible on Easter, the day on which the Lord has acted, the day we shout out-loud that God’s steadfast love endures forever, the day we sing in victory...

Jesus’ last words sputtered while hanging on the device of roman capital punishment, the cross, reveal the depths of God’s love: “Father forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (verse 34) “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” (verse 43). Those words must have shifted something inside the criminals hanging next to him, as they do us today. One responded in doubtful bitterness, the other in humble repentance. The Word Incarnate’s final utterance, according...