God’s surprising involvement in the world
April 1, 2025Hab 1:5-11 One of the most common questions that seekers of truth ask in a Western context is ‘If God is good, why is there so much suffering in the world?’. Suffering and pain are seen as the worst enemy to be avoided at all costs. While no one enjoys such things, traditional cultures tend to recognise that suffering is inevitable and part of life. No one can entirely escape some loss, disappointment, rejection, ill-health or the like. Yet today’s secular West has convinced itself that happiness is the ultimate good that is ours by right and all suffering is…
Our heart’s concerns and what they say about us
Hab 1:1-4 Recently, a pastor friend shared how upset he felt about a new building of a sect and the false teachings about God that the members there are advocating. While a group of us gently teased him about getting…
Habakkuk intro
The person of the prophet Little is known of the prophet Habakkuk. He is not mentioned elsewhere in the Bible, though the reference to his stringed instruments at the end of the book (Hab 3:19) suggests to some scholars that…
Tell everyone the amazing things He does
Ps 96:1-13 My former church recently produced a book of testimonies of God’s grace touching lives. One such describes a young woman at a lonely bus stop in Fiji with a threatening gang of young men approaching. Then a van…
A portrait of David and the heart of God
2 Sam 24:18-25 During my time as a Bible college student, a classmate wrote down each of our names on a separate sheet of paper and suggested that we all anonymously wrote a sentence for each person about what we…
The census and what it reveals of David’s heart
2 Sam 24:1-17 The concluding chapters of Samuel have taken us through some central truths relating to David’s kingship that are also applicable to our Christian lives. The heart of the message in the two songs (chs. 22-23) focused on…
David’s census: Did God tempt him to sin?
2 Sam 24:1-10 Along with the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart, this passage is among the most confusing in the Old Testament. We read that the Lord was angry with Israel and incited David to number the people (2 Sam 24:1)…
David’s mighty men: The challenge of the years of plenty
2 Sam 23:8-39 A Hungarian pastor I know, who (like many) was blacklisted during the Communist years and was banned from preaching in Budapest, pastored a small church in the countryside. He was a charismatic leader and preacher and responded…
David’s last words: The triumph of God’s grace
2 Sam 23:1-7 People sometimes say, ‘I’ll forgive him (or her), but I’ll never forget’. Even if we are not as obvious with our grudge against others, true forgiveness and treating someone as if they had never done anything wrong…
David’s reflections: The hidden source of strength
2 Sam 22:29-51 Recently, my husband and I went on a hike to a waterfall, then further on to the ridge line of some hills and, following a loop track, descended back into the valley. We did this route first…
With the faithful You show yourself faithful: Undeserved grace or merit?
2 Sam 22:21-28 Before I came to faith, studying at school felt easy for me. I did not have to think about it but just got on with the tasks at hand. However, when I became a Christian in my…