Bible reading notes
What makes for true repentance? (Jer 3:15-4:4)
Jer 3:15-25; 4:1-4 A former colleague was looking forward to a trip with a friend to a two-day festival in another city. It was a special thirtieth birthday treat to hear her favourite band and her friend got her tickets.…
Dealing with presumption (Jer 3:1-14)
Jer 3:1-14 Heinrich Heine, a German poet of the 19th century, allegedly said on his deathbed, ‘God will forgive me. That’s His job.’ The anecdote represents the view of many today who assume that God’s love means indulgence towards His…
The remedy for wilful blindness (Jer 2:20-37)
Jer 2:20-37 Early on in my teaching career I came across a student who was particularly enthusiastic, and it was a joy to see his interaction in class and hear his probing questions. However, mid-way through the course he disappeared…
The damage we do to ourselves (Jer 2:1-19)
Jer 2:1-19 It is common to hear non-Christians say that they cannot believe in a God who would bar them from ‘heaven’ just because they do not acknowledge Him or live up to His expectations. However, this is a serious…
What God’s calling involves (Jeremiah 1)
Jer 1:1-19 A few years after I came to faith, I led some Bible studies in a church camp. During that time my pastor asked me if I had ever thought of training to be a pastor myself. I dismissed…
Introduction to Jeremiah
Jeremiah and Josiah’s reform There is no prophet of whose life and emotions we know as much as Jeremiah’s. Called from a priestly family in the small town of Anathoth (Jer 1:1), 3-4 km north of Jerusalem, he preached to…
What it takes to have fellowship with God (Psalm 15)
Ps 15:1-5 A friend with a burdened past was overwhelmed by God’s presence and love that she felt through the worshippers in a church. The service was simple (no hanging from the chandeliers kind of excitement), but it awakened her…
How best to evaluate biblical characters?
When I was teaching Old Testament in Bible college/seminary, some of my students interpreted biblical characters in a very black-and-white fashion. Either they decided that someone was praiseworthy and played up the good in them while ignoring the shady side…
The path of redemption (Judg 16:23-31)
Judg 16:23-31 During an evening course in my twenties, I met another young woman, and we soon discovered that we were both Christians. As we walked to the underground after class each week, we often had long conversations in front…
The source of our strength (Judg 16:15-22)
Judg 16:15-22 A few years after I came to faith, the Christian life became a heavy burden. My church background emphasised obedience and denying oneself and life with God turned into joyless drudgery. That summer, things came to a head,…