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Easter Hope through Restrictions
Easter Hope through Restrictions I’m feeling some strong déjà vu as we prepare to celebrate a second Easter in the midst of COVID outbreak! While I’m glad that the lockdown ended on time, it is disappointing that we need to scale back our Easter celebrations again. But if we pause to reflect on this situation, it can help us to really appreciate what Easter is all about. Because when we look at the great news of Easter against the backdrop of our broken world, God’s love for us in Jesus shines even brighter. Here ae some ways that the current COVID situation can help us to appreciate what Jesus did for us that first Easter weekend: Easter enabled God’s constant presence with us. Lockdown is just one of many
The Work/Rest Balance
The Work/Rest Balance “As toil can be all-consuming, so idleness is self-cannibalising.” – William Brown I don’t know if it’s just me but I’ve often wondered about where the ideal work/rest balance lies. When I was a teenager, I used to think it was my right to do whatever I wanted the entire weekend, and I would always feel a twinge of resentment when I had to spend half my Saturday working around the house. I thought I should have gotten two days for rest… but I now question where that idea actually came from? It’s certainly not from the Bible as far as I can see. Later on, during busy periods of my life, I’d find myself studying or working entire weekends… and again, I wondered about the
Reading the Bible Reflectively
Reading the Bible Reflectively I received an email this week with these verses from Psalm 139:23-24 at the top: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting”. It went on to offer different ways we can spend intentional time reflecting on God’s faithfulness while reading His Word. I’d love to share them with you. Before reading a Bible verse or passage, pray. Ask God to show you what He wants you to learn from His Word today. Then read through the verses slowly, paying attention to any words that stand out to you. Then when you’re finished reading ask yourself 3 questions – what does this passage
How We Can Support Our Chaplains
How We Can Support Our Chaplains Last Sunday we highlighted the ministry of Scripture Union Chaplains, specifically Kirsty and Bri from Bray Park State High School. If you made it along or joined online, I hope that you were as encouraged as I was by all that God is doing through our local ‘chappies’. We’ve actually been partnering with Scripture Union chaplaincy at Bray Park State High School for many years, along with our ongoing partnership with Genesis Christian College and their chaplaincy team. Chaplaincy is an important ministry for us because school chaplains provide a much-needed space for young people to unpack the challenges they are going through, and to be supported emotionally, spiritually, and socially. School chaplains have a unique opportunity to show the light and love
A Harvest-Sized Vision
A Harvest-Sized Vision Occasionally when I am in a large group of people in public (which happens less often these days), whether in a football stadium, at a shopping centre, or on a plane (remember those?), I will think to myself: ‘I wonder how many of these people know Jesus?’ I don’t mean those who would tick the ‘Christian’ box on the census, but those who are genuine, whole-hearted followers of Jesus. In these moments of reflection, I am usually reminded of Jesus’ words in Luke 10, when he sent out a large band of disciples to proclaim the message of the kingdom (v.11), by saying to them: “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into
Less Phone, More Jesus
Less Phone, More Jesus Let me make a confession: During the sermon last Sunday, I got distracted on my phone. In my defence, I was distracted by applying something from the sermon, so I think I should be excused! If you missed it, last Sunday we heard from Adam on ‘Cultivating Healthy Emotions’—how we can establish spiritual habits which lead to a healthy emotional life. The habit which stood out to me was the second one: “Go Outside”. Or more specifically, a statistic that Adam mentioned related to that habit, namely, that on average we spend 6 hours and 42 minutes online every day, half of that on our phones. I’ve linked the article below if you want to have a read. As Adam mentioned, this is significant because
Helping Our Kids with Their Hearts
Helping Our Kids with Their Hearts “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Proverbs 4:23) I’m sure you’ve heard the saying: ‘Like father, like son’ or ‘Like mother, like daughter’. This maxim is meant to communicate the reality that children usually come to reflect their parents, for good or for ill. I’m sure at some point in your life you’ve either recognised yourself in your child or your parents in yourself. And of course, this is true not just physically, but spiritually and emotionally as well. As Andy Stanley says: “Home environments mirror the hearts of those who head the home.” You may need to re-read that statement to truly feel its impact. In his book, ‘Enemies of the Heart’, which I’ve been
Time with God
Time with God The kids are back at school and guitar lessons and soccer practice and (insert your child’s extra-curricular activities here) and it doesn’t take long for life to get crazy busy again. Our calendar is full of reminders about school meetings, cello lesson times, orthodontist appointments…and the list goes on. And I don’t know about you but if I don’t write it down, it gets forgotten and doesn’t happen. We tend to naturally prioritize those things in life we see as important. We’ll rearrange the schedule and find time for those things we value. So, what about our relationship with God? Do we prioritize time spent with Him reading the Bible, praying, listening for His voice and His leading? Do we invest in those things that encourage
