God’s place in our mistakes (1 Sam 9:15-27)
1 Sam 9:15-27 Given the question marks around Saul, it is troubling that God deliberately chose him as Israel’s first king (1 Sam 9:16-17). Could He not see the weaknesses in Saul’s character (I would imagine He could and did)…
The anatomy of failure (1 Sam 9:1-14)
1 Sam 9:1-14 A Christian woman I know married in her fifties but a few years after the wedding, she realised that her relationship was in trouble. Talking to a friend of mine she admitted that the warning signs were…
Fellowship with the Lord (Exod 24)
Exod 24:1-18 In today’s world, we are much more mobile and consequently feel less rooted in a particular place. Many relationships are also less stable, families become fragmented and re-blended into new units. All this creates a level of instability…
Our part in God’s plan (Exod 23:20-33)
Exod 23:20-33 One of the hardest things to know as we seek God’s will is what our part in the unfolding of His plan is. Depending on the Christian tradition we come from, some of us are more inclined to…
Working out our salvation II – an undivided heart (Exod 23:10-19)
Exod 23:10-19 Sitting in a restaurant or café, the most common sight one sees is couples or groups scrolling through their phone or typing messages while talking. Our attention is claimed by many things; we are bombarded with messages through…
Working out our salvation I – a generous spirit (Exod 23:10-19)
Exod 23:10-19 A blogger I follow spent several years in foster care and heard the dismal statistics that the overwhelming majority of young people who leave the system at 18 end up on the street, in prostitution, and/or doing drugs.…
In the footsteps of the Lord (Exod 22:21-23:9)
Exod 22:21-31; 23:1-9 A young friend of mine struggled with an older woman in her church, who was sharp-tongued and opinionated, especially when it concerned young people’s manners, morals and dress sense. Perhaps because my friend lost her parents and…
Insatiable appetites, destructive unions (Exod 22:16-20)
Exod 22:16-20 When I was a student, I shared accommodation with four other girls, one of whom lived together with her boyfriend. Despite the obviously happy relationship she found herself in, she was musing one day how she would love…
Make it count! – Theft and damage to property (Exod 22:1-15)
Exod 22:1-15 One of the cheapest words in our vocabulary today is the word ‘sorry’. ‘Sorry for the inconvenience’, says the station announcement when all trains are cancelled, and you are stranded at night trying to find an Uber for…
- An eye for an eye (lex talionis), Bible reading notes, Exodus, Exodus 20-24 (Book of the Covenant), Topical
Protection and justice for all (Exod 21:18-36)
Exod 21:18-36 As a relative newcomer to NZ, I am nevertheless aware of Māori who rightly feel bitter about their historic grievances (loss of ancestral land, destruction of their identities and their way of life) whose impact reaches into the…