What about rewards? “What about rewards?” I was immediately asked this question following the sermon in almost all three services last Sunday. For good reason. The sermon, which explored The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard in Matthew 20:1-16, focused on the scandalous nature of God’s grace. The shockingly good news that we all come to God in the same way and we all receive the same grace, whether we have “borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day” or “worked only one hour” (Matthew 20:12). In other words, whether we have served Jesus faithfully and sacrificially our entire lives or whether we have come in with only minutes to spare, like the thief on the cross (Luke 22:42-43). A few, and many others

The Adequacy of God Have you ever tried to make something, or fix something, only to realise that what you’re working with doesn’t quite do the job? Maybe you don’t have enough of something, or maybe you’re just using the wrong tool, full stop. And it’s not just practical projects where this can be frustrating. There is something in each of our lives that drives us to seek meaning and purpose. As a result, we throw ourselves into studies, careers, family, travel, hobbies…so many different things. And yet, it just doesn’t quite seem to fit. Despite our best attempts, things just don’t seem to be working out. Recently, I finished a book that I’ve been reading for the past 3-4 years. It’s really not that long, but the reality

What is Your Calling? Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. (Colossians 3:23-24) What is your calling? Are you living it right now? Are you sure? If you’ve been a Christian for any amount of time, these questions have probably crossed your mind. I know they certainly have for me, and from some of the conversations that I’ve had over the past few months, I can imagine some of you are probably spending quite a bit of time thinking about this too. So, can you know what God has called you to? Recently, I

Seeing the Splendour of God in the Sky: A Reflection on Psalm 148  This brief reflection on Psalm 148 was written while on board a ship travelling through the arctic waters off Norway last September.  Psalm 148 (NIV)  1 Praise the Lord.  It feels like praising God is all I can do as I stand on the upper deck of the ship watching the northern lights dancing across the sky. The stunning beauty of the lights as they glow, their pearly luminescence a stark contrast to the darkness of the sky. Some of them have a green tinge, though not as green as the colour my camera shows as I take photo after photo on night mode.  Praise the Lord from the heavens;     praise him in the heights above. 2 Praise him, all his angels;     praise him, all his heavenly hosts. 3 Praise

A Song for Every Season I love the Psalms. They’ve been my ‘go-to’ many times when I just don’t know what to pray. In times of great rejoicing, when God seems so awesome and mighty and my futile words don’t seem enough, there’s Psalm 145. In turmoil and uncertainty, there’s Psalm 91. When I need strength for life’s journey, there’s Psalm 18. The psalmists understood that life and history have many seasons: strength and weariness, joy and suffering, gain and loss. And in turn, praise takes many forms: repentance, reflection, confidence, thanksgiving, and lament. But through all seasons of life the character of God, the truth of his word, and his commitment to his people remain unchanged. This is the firm foundation for confident faith at all times. Worship

New Year, Same God What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:8) Happy New Year! What a verse to start on right? As we welcome the new year, we celebrate one more year of going around the sun, we’ve made it! We also celebrate the new year by trying to renew ourselves too. New Year, new me. Or so the saying goes. Have you ever tried to make a New Years resolution? How did you go at keeping it? Most likely, you’re in the same boat as me and the rest of the world. That is, whether it’s towards the start of the year or through the year, we either give up or get

My Year in Books  It’s becoming something of a tradition. Every year in December I share with you some of the books that have shaped, stretched and helped me during the year. Below you will find the list for 2025. These are books that I found stimulating, enjoyable, and helpful, and which I commend to you. I’ve also included a list of some fiction and non-fiction books that I enjoyed.   The Life of Martyn Lloyd-Jones – 1899-1981  by Iain H. Murray  At almost 500 pages of small print, this is not for the faint of heart. But I guarantee it will reward your effort and feed your soul. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the Welsh doctor and preacher, was one of the most influential Christian figures in the 20th century. He served for almost 30 years as the minister of Westminster Chapel in London. I was moved by his example of steadfast faithfulness, fervent prayerfulness, and devotion to the Scriptures. A marvellous book about a magnificent man.  Remember Heaven: Meditations

The greatest hope and prayer that most, if not all, Christian parents have for their child/children is that they would grow up knowing Jesus. To be able to share the same faith is a wonderful blessing for families. To know that you will spend eternity together with God brings such peace and hope. And when this does not take place, it brings much heartache and many tears.  While the salvation and faith of our young people are not things we can 100% guarantee or bring about, there are definitely steps we can take to help them understand who God is and what he has done for them, in the hope that they will respond favourably to him.  We can bring kids to church and have them go to Sunday school. We can put them into a Christian