Providence: The hidden hand of God (Gen 37:18-36)
Gen 37:18-36 A week after I agreed to take on the job lecturing in Auckland, I discovered a job opening in the UK that I missed out on. For years afterwards, as I was struggling with the adjustment to New…
God’s providence can overcome human failure (Gen 37:1-17)
Gen 37:1-17 Bridegrooms are sometimes told to look at their prospective bride’s mother to know how their beloved will turn out; advice that my husband – quick as a flash – replied to, ‘Oooh, I’ll have lots of delicious cake…
Is God involved in human affairs? (Ps 33:10-22)
Ps 33:10-22 The first part of this psalm was focused on God’s character and His work of creation (see my post Why should we praise God?), the second treats His involvement in human affairs. But is God really in charge…
Why should we praise God? (Psalm 33:1-9)
Psalm 33:1-9 When I moved to the UK, I wondered how people could smile and joke even when their life was falling apart. They seemed more together than Hungarians who often responded to the how-are-you question with a string of…
Reaping the fruit of others’ sacrifice (Jeremiah 45)
Jer 45:1-5 Growing up in Communist Hungary, whenever I saw a plane flying overhead, I wished that one day it might be me. As I reflect on those hopes today, it strikes me how our lives have changed. Many of…
The tragedy of those who destroy themselves (Jeremiah 44)
Jer 44:1-30 Many today say that they cannot believe in a God who sends people to hell. This view conjures up the picture of people who awaken to the truth after they die and plead with God for mercy, but…
The trap of self-deception (Jeremiah 43)
Jer 43:1-13 Have you ever wondered why we often attribute the best intentions to ourselves, but assume the worst about others we don’t like so much? We do not just pretend, but often genuinely believe that our motives are pure.…
God’s way and our understanding (Jeremiah 42)
Jeremiah 42:1-22 Shortly after we moved from the UK to Auckland, I was sitting in a Sunday service listening to a sermon on the well-known passage, ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your…
A new beginning needs a new heart (Jer 40:13-41:18)
Jer 40:13-41:18 Growing up in Communist Hungary as a child, my parents hammered into me never to sign my name on any petition, as the regime used such lists to weed out those it thought of as enemies of the…
God’s offer of a second chance (Jer 40:1-12)
Jer 40:1-12 One of the common impressions that I heard my students voice over the years is that ‘the God of the Old Testament’ is an impatient tyrant who smashes resistance to His will within an instant. Even the term,…