I remember clearly the first time God asked me a question. It was ambiguous, puzzling, and frustrating. I was confused. Was there a right answer and a wrong answer? Surely there must be, for God was asking. And clearly, the correct answer was the one that I dreaded? Wasn’t it? The answer that I did not want to give? But how was I to know? What was I supposed to do with this question? And why would God ask me a question in the first place?
Continue reading “The munificence of the God who initiates conversation”In the times when God seems far away
This past week I have thinking about times when God seems far away. How often we hear, and perhaps speak, the language of distance when we are discussing God and our relationship, or lack of relationship, with him. We speak of God as far away. As removed. We talk about prayer going nowhere, of our words reverberating around our room but never reaching the ears of God. God is remote. Disinterested. Busy. Busy with anything, everything.
Continue reading “In the times when God seems far away”Extreme generosity and certain wastefulness in the sowing
In writing this blog, I searched for an online version of the Bible that is both visually appealing and easy to read as I wanted the ability to offer any readers a place where they could go to read the Bible, or at least one of the gospels.
Continue reading “Extreme generosity and certain wastefulness in the sowing”Where is Jesus to be found?
We often talk about seeking God, and of finding him. Of searching for him, and of longing for him. Oh, how I long to find him, to see him, to touch him. I long for the day that I will see him face to face. (See the end of this post for a list of our previous posts that have touched on this topic). Oddly enough, though, in the context of those thoughts, I have not often given much consideration to the following verses. But over the past few days, these are the words I have been pondering. These words of Jesus have echoed in my heart and reverberated in my mind.
Continue reading “Where is Jesus to be found?”To begin to comprehend the incomprehensible
Who is God? How are we even to begin to think about him? Is there somewhere, somehow, to unravel the vastness of the seemingly incomprehensible? God can so easily seem distant, severe, austere and disapproving. But where do we begin if we really have no idea what or who this God, followed by millions for millennia, is?
Continue reading “To begin to comprehend the incomprehensible”Cultivating quiet in the cacophony of life
Our world is a cacophony of noise. From the moment that we wake until we finally drift off to sleep at night, we are bombarded by sound. Furthermore, our lives are filled with demands, requests, deadlines and expectations. We are complicated, self-obsessed, and selfish – so often driven by desire. And the world and culture that we find ourselves in simply pours fuel on the fire. How are we, in the midst of all this, to cultivate a life and an attitude of quiet?
Continue reading “Cultivating quiet in the cacophony of life”The staggering reality of God contending with man
For the past couple of weeks, even while writing my last post ‘Hearing God part 3 – Hope for those who don’t‘, one passage from the Bible has sat in my mind and refused to budge. This has taken me by surprise for this particular passage is not one I have ever given a great deal of thought. I have only ever read it, thought that it was rather strange and then continued on. But as I have pondered upon it, and read about it, I have wondered if there are lessons that we can and should learn from it.
Continue reading “The staggering reality of God contending with man”Hearing God part 3 – Hope for those who don’t
I was in conversation with someone recently, and they spoke to me about how they have never heard from God. They said that they have tried. That they have sought to listen, and they have asked God to speak, but they do not hear anything. They told me how they longed to hear from God in the way so many others seem to, and yet that has not been their experience. And I said that I understood. For I too was once in that place.
Continue reading “Hearing God part 3 – Hope for those who don’t”When God speaks courage in the face of fear
Bravery and courage these are such weighty words. Indeed they are not terms I would use to describe myself. When I think of bravery, I think of knights in armour, clad for battle, unwavering before the storm that assails them. Courage seems to be the trait of those who wander far off lands in search of the lost, wounded and broken.
Continue reading “When God speaks courage in the face of fear”May I never miss when you are speaking
As those of you who have followed this blog for some time will know, I have been making my way, albeit slowly, through the book of John this year. But now I find myself nearing the end. And so as I was reading, John chapter 20, this week the following passage leapt out at me.
Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.”
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher).
John 20: 11-16