Seasonal
The secret of living life well (Psalm 8)
Ps 8:1-9 The beginning of the year is the time for making New Year’s resolutions but unless we reflect on the deeper causes for what we want to change and why, we are likely to repeat the same mistakes and…
God’s Word will never fail (Luke 1:37)
Luke 1:26-38 I was recently contacted by a former classmate of mine from secondary school who was organising a class reunion and consulting with everyone about possible dates. Given that about a third or more of us live abroad, it…
Preparing for the coming of the Lord
Luke 1:16-17; Isa 40:3-5 I love the Christmas season with its wonderful decorations, music and food and enjoy the different aspects of preparation from putting the Christmas tree up to baking mince pies while singing along to carols. Yet for…
How to understand the sign of Jonah (Matt 12:38-42)
Matt 12:38-42 Knowing that I believed in God, a classmate in school challenged me, ‘Tell God to appear to me and I will believe in Him’. God, however, is not at our beck-and-call to come running, as if we were…
The secret to renewing our walk with God (Psalm 103)
Ps 103:1-22 The New Year is traditionally a time of stocktaking and making resolutions, but so often these peter out within a few weeks. Our determination for a renewed walk with God (more Bible reading, prayer, becoming more loving, humble,…
Christmas: The King whose power can be trusted
Dan 7:13-14; Mk 10:32-45 Western secular culture seems obsessed with the question of power today. Young people are often suspicious of authority and refuse to submit to it and want to make their own way, irrespective of authority figures and…
Advent: Waiting for the King (Dan 7:1-12)
Dan 7:1-12 As Christmas is approaching, the world is in turmoil. Wars and fighting have always been with us, but the war in Ukraine and the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza feel more acute and closer to home to…
The path to life (Psalm 16)
Psalm 16:1-11 This psalm is used both by Peter at Pentecost and Paul later (Acts 2:27-33; 13:34-39) to support the idea that Messiah had to die and be raised to life again, thus it is an appropriate passage to reflect…
How can we face trouble with hope? (Psalm 27)
Ps 27:1-14 The New Year gives us a sense of a new beginning, a chance to re-think our priorities, to break old patterns and establish new ones. If we got stuck in bad habits, or our thinking and emotions move…
The good news that calls for a response (Luke 2:8-20)
Luke 2:8-20 Browsing among Christmas cards recently, I was struck again by how few options exist that have anything to do with the meaning of Christmas. ‘Merry Christmas’ is increasingly replaced by ‘Happy Holidays’ and ‘Seasons’ Greetings’. The odd card…