Seasonal
The gift of security – ‘unto us a son is given’ (Isa 9:6-7)
Isa 9:6-7 One of the most disconcerting aspects of this year has been a sense that we do not have full control over our lives. We planned to travel or go out for coffee or to church and suddenly found…
Practising joy, living at peace (Isa 9:3-5)
Isa 9:3-5 There is no doubt that our circumstances affect how we feel. Someone says nasty words to us and we feel down, we have a hectic day at work and are stressed, we lose our wallet on the train…
Light out of darkness (Isa 9:2; John 8:12)
Isa 9:2; John 8:12 There is a background post to today’s reflection for those who enjoy a more in-depth Bible study on Light and God’s salvation plan in Isaiah (see post here). When I was a child, on Advent Sunday…
Hope at a time of hopelessness – Galilee of the Gentiles (Isa 9:1)
Isa 8:10-22; 9:1 In the next few weeks leading up to Christmas, I shall reflect on two messianic prophecies (Isa 9:1-7 and Isa 11:1-5) to build up a picture of God’s chosen King contrasting with the portrait of the human…
The Suffering Servant III. (Isaiah 53)
Between Good Friday and Easter Monday, we have had ample opportunity to reflect on what Jesus had achieved for us in His suffering, death and resurrection. As we move into the post-Easter period, the question remains what the implications of…
The Suffering Servant II. (Isa 52:13-15; Isa 53:10-12)
Isa 52:13-15; Isa 53:10-12 As we celebrate Easter and remember that Jesus has overcome death and rose again, I want to continue our reflections on the Suffering Servant, which sets out the pattern fulfilled by Jesus. As we look at…
The Suffering Servant I. (Isaiah 53:1-9)
Isa 53:1-9 I am always intrigued by people’s different perceptions of the same reality. Some look at a set of facts and conclude that they are facing disaster. Others see in the same set of facts an opportunity. I remember…
Looking forward (Psalm 37)
Ps 37:1-40 Some missionary friends who had applied for permanent residency in the country they were serving in, found themselves expelled instead with a month’s notice to clear out. The experience was traumatic. They started there as a young married…
Looking back on the year (Psalm 105)
Ps 105:1-45 The end of a year is often a time of stocktaking, of looking back. What was the year like for you? Much the same as the year before? Lots of change and transition? And where was God in…
‘His own arm brought salvation’ (Isa 59:16; Matthew 1-2)
Having explored different aspects of Matthew’s Gospel on Jesus’s birth, I now draw together his portrayal of the events into an overall picture. A friend of mine once told me how saddened she was that she messed up God’s plans…