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The Marriage of Your Dreams
The Marriage of Your Dreams The night before a weekend away with my husband Troy, I set my alarm for 4:10am. Moments later, Troy mentions to me, “I’ve set my alarm for 5:10am in the morning.” He’s got to be kidding! Right? The plane leaves at 6:20am; we need to be at the airport by at least 5:00am. You know, in case there is traffic on the road, or a change to the boarding gate, or if I slip on a banana peel! OK, maybe I’m a little over the top when it comes to my on-time-anxiety. But as they say, better to be safe than sorry. I agreed that 4:10am was a little early, so I changed my alarm to be a little later. But, lo and behold,
Are You Thirsty?
Are You Thirsty?I’ve been spending a lot of time in the Old Testament lately, and I can’t help but notice how often wells are referred to in the narrative. From my reading, it seems that in those days, wells were of great importance. Almost every aspect of daily life in ancient Israel involved water: farming, animal husbandry, cooking, hygiene, and of course, drinking.Digging a well meant you were planning to stay for some time. Owning a well meant your family possessed the surrounding land. Wells were both landmarks and gathering places. A well was essential to life.Our salvation in Christ is like a well. It is not only our eternal life to come, but also our abundant life now while we live on earth. Christ is the living water, refreshing
The Monotony of Evil and the Marvel of Good
The Monotony of Evil and the Marvel of Good “Imaginary evil is romantic and varied; real evil is gloomy, monotonous, barren, boring. Imaginary good is boring; real good is always new, marvellous, intoxicating.” – Simone Weil I read this quote while reading a commentary on Isaiah (of all places!) and it captured my imagination. It feels like Christians (myself included) are too easily deceived by imaginary versions of good and evil. Do you know what I mean by imaginary versions? We hear about them in conversations with colleagues, and on radio talk shows and on TV. The imaginary good often looks like an obnoxious Ned Flanders and the imaginary evil looks like harmless fun, like some of the hilarious gambling ads we see on TV. In reality though, real
What COVID Can Teach Us About Leviticus
What COVID Can Teach Us About Leviticus Many well-intentioned Bible readers and Bible reading plans have shipwrecked on the sharp and unfamiliar rocks of Leviticus. The third book of the Bible lacks the momentous events and vivid story-telling found in Genesis and Exodus. Instead, Leviticus is marked by strange commands, long lists, and ancient rituals, all of which are foreign to our modern ears. This is especially true when we turn to the long list of laws relating to cleanness and uncleanness in chapters 11 to 15. These chapters give commands about such matters as childbirth (12:1-8), skin diseases (13:1–14:32), mouldy houses (14:33-57), and even bodily discharges (15:1-33). If you’ve ever read these chapters, I’m sure, like me, you’ve wondered: Why are these strange laws in the Bible? What
A Compelling Vision for the Future
A Compelling Vision for the Future An urgent need to raise up gospel workers, the importance of good management in our overseas missions, a desire to see our churches grow, and a strong value in well-grounded theology. These were repeated discussion themes during our denomination’s national gathering. Last week I got to watch on as delegates from around the country gathered in Launceston for the Synod of our denomination, the Christian Reformed Churches of Australia (CRCA). These Synods run every three years, and are the place to make decisions on a range of issues and opportunities facing our denomination. I was encouraged by what I saw, and by the direction which our churches are going in, because I saw: Meaningful Decisions On most issues, delegates came well prepared and
Celebrating Mother’s Day
Every year as Mother’s Day approaches, I’m always very conscious of what this day means for everyone. I know for many this day is treasured. Especially for Mum’s of young children who will receive hand made gifts and have lots of sticky cuddles and kisses throughout the day. Many Mum’s look forward to having their adult children come home for the day to enjoy a meal together. But not everyone, some adult children can’t or won’t be able to see their Mum’s. I also know that there are Mum’s who ache on this day because of fractured relationships with their children or children who are perhaps wayward. Some find this day difficult because they’ve lost their Mum or they never had the opportunity to become a mother. Some Mum’s
Seasons of Waiting
Seasons of Waiting I’m sure you’ve noticed in the last few days (as I have) that the temperature is finally starting to drop. I love Autumn! The shorter days, the changing colours in my garden, the amazing sunsets. Autumn won’t be with us for long, though, before the cold of winter sets in. In my garden, winter seems to be a season of quiet, a season of waiting. The colour and fun of summer is over. The plant growth slows down. There’s less sunlight. Nature seems to be dormant, sleeping. All is still. You could be forgiven for thinking nothing is happening. But of course, as any gardener will tell you, this is not the case. Under the ground, root growth is in full swing, preparing to take up
The Bible and SOAP
The Bible and SOAP This Sunday we begin a new sermon series titled ‘The Bible: A Story that Makes Sense of Life’. Throughout Term 2, we will explore the big story of the Bible and how it all fits together to form the true story of the whole world. It should be a helpful and illuminating look at the plotline of the world’s bestseller. But of course, the Bible is much more than just the story of God’s interaction with the people he made and the world he loves. It is also the ongoing way that God continues to speak to us! This series, then, is a great opportunity for each of us to be encouraged and to build up the habit of reading God’s Word regularly. There are
