Send us a text

60 Seconds of Hope: Keep On Standing

One of the blessings I have received from my faith tradition is a type of stubborn optimism that is fully grounded in the hard realities of today.

Every life is met with a certain amount of hardship and difficulty. Some lives far more than others. Injustice and inequality are pervasive and deeply rooted. Hard times are not a matter of if, but when.

In the face of these realities, the writer of Ephesians challenges us to “take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” - Ephesians 6:13

Yes, hardship is coming. Difficulties are coming. Trouble is coming. Nevertheless, we are more than well equipped to face them and none of us is facing them alone.

Therefore, we are called to stand and keep on standing.

I’m Horace McMillon. This is 60 Seconds of Hope. Peace be with you.

#60secondsofhope

Support the show

Send us a text

Keep Your Minds on Liberation

A famous passage about the full armor of God reminds us to “take the helmet of salvation.” with us. (Ephesians 6:17)

The concept of salvation in modern popular use has become highly spiritualized. It has lost some of its original meaning.

The Greek word (soteria) is also properly translated as deliverance and liberation. We have to keep the helmet of liberation and deliverance on our heads.

In other words we must remained focused on a creating a world that promotes shalom or wellbeing for everyone.

We must remained focus on combating exploitative systems and processes. We are called to remain focused on delivering folk from despair and hopeless of every kind.

We must not accept the world as it is. We cannot give into that. We must at all times keep our minds on expanding deliverance, liberation and freedom to those who need it most.

I’m Horace McMillon. This is 60 Seconds of Hope. Peace be with you.

#60secondsofhope

Support the show

Send us a text

Don’t Hate the Person In Front of You

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”- Ephesians 6:12

In this world we have some profound differences of perspective, opinion, belief, and conviction. These differences are significant and consequential. In some cases they are matters of life and death.

Because the stakes are so high, it’s natural for us to feel the entire range of emotions from anger and frustration, to grief, to fear and confusion. This is normal and natural.

Nevertheless, we must never hate the people on the other side. We have more things in common with them than not. They are our brothers and sisters, our siblings.

We must fight unjust systems and structures that pit us against each other. We must fight against the toxic divisions and mob mentalities that take on a life or spirit of their own. We fight against those in high places who use their power to benefit themselves.

Stay in the struggle, but don’t fall into the trap of hating the person in front of us on the other side.

I’m Horace McMillon. This is 60 Seconds of Hope. Peace be with you.

#60secondsofhope

Support the show

Send us a text

Let Our Lives Be Our Offering (Advent 2024)

“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me;in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.” - (From Hebrews 10:5-6 itself referencing Psalm 40:6-8)

The Hebrew Scriptures suggest that God doesn’t desire our religious rituals and symbolism. God doesn’t desire our token sacrifices and offerings.

These scriptures suggest that God accepts them when they come from a sincere heart coupled with a real effort and desire to change for the better. In and of themselves, they are meaningless.

I’m not sure why this scripture is included in the Advent readings. It seems more like a Lent reading. Hebrews suggests that Jesus gave himself so completely and fully that God accepted his offering on everyone’s behalf.

Regardless of why this text is included here, we are invited to let our lives of love and service be our offering to God. When we sincerely give our minds , hearts, and bodies to this kind of devotion, God accepts us as God’s own.

I’m Horace McMillon. This is 60 Seconds of Hope. Peace be with you.

#60secondsofhope

Support the show

Send us a text

Deliverance through Belonging, Purpose, and Hope (Advent 2024)

“Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.” - Psalm 80:7

I lived in Mississippi for 18 years. There’s nothing like a summer day there. When you step outside you step into a heat that completely embraces and envelops you. It’s a heat that permeates to the deepest recesses of your inner being.

Stepping into the light of God’s love is like that. There’s a sense of acceptance and belonging that wraps us and seals us, that embraces and envelops us.

That light shows us a pathway that gives meaning and purpose to our footsteps. This light delivers us from what the existential philosopher describes as humanity’s state of alienation, estrangement.

When we are in the abyss, our prayers should echo this ancient song writers prayer. We pray that God’s face would shine on us, that we experience the embrace of God’s permeating love.

I’m Horace McMillon. This is 60 Seconds of Hope. Peace be with you.

#60secondsofhope

Support the show

Send us a text

You Don’t Have to Pretend You’re Ok…(Advent 2024)

“You have fed them with the bread of tears and given them tears to drink in full measure. You make us the scorn of our neighbors; our enemies laugh among themselves.” - Psalm 80:5-6

The scriptural tradition is hopeful, optimistic, and determined. It is also honest and raw.

When the writers feel abandoned and forsaken, they say so. When the writers feel overwhelmed, they say so. When they feel like they’re clutching their last straws, they say so.

They give themselves permission to feel what they feel and they honor those feelings.

That said, after we cry, we get back up, wash our faces, anoint our heads with oil, and move forward into our future. We trust that our footsteps will be led out of the shadows and into the sunshine of God’s love.

You don’t have to pretend you’re ok, but know that you’re going to be ok.

I’m Horace McMillon. This is 60 Seconds of Hope. Peace be with you.

#60secondsofhope

Support the show

Send us a text

Honesty, Gratitude and Trust Equals Peace (Advent 2024)

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” - Philippians 4:6

Paul had a lot to be anxious about. Even though he had some relative privilege as a Roman citizen, he knew everything could be taken away from him.

He was arrested, beaten, and would eventually be tried and executed because of his devotion to a movement, that was highly disruptive of the status quo.

Yet in the face of all this he was able to trade his fears and anxieties for a peace that surpassed all understanding.

He did this first through his practice of prayer and supplication where he named everything that was on his heart and mind, his fears, concerns, hopes, dreams and desires.

He then coupled that with radical gratitude where he named any and every good thing he already had.

Honesty, Gratitude and Trust equaled peace.

I’m Horace McMillon. This is 60 minutes of Hope. Peace be with you.

#60secondsofhope

Support the show

Send us a text

60 Seconds of Hope: What Now? (Advent 2024)

“And the crowds asked him, "What, then, should we do?"

In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none, and whoever has food must do likewise."

Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?"

He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you."

Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what should we do?" He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages." (Luke 3:10-14)

While we wait for the world to become what it should be, we must focus on doing the things we can do to move it in that direction.

I’m Horace McMillon. This is 60 Seconds of Hope. Peace be with you.

#60secondsofhope

Support the show