asadmin What are you like with lists? Did you find todays passage a fascinating journey through some exotic names and even more exotic places? Or a dreary trawl through meaningless information? The bible is full of lists; and we’ve already seen several big lists in this little book so far: ch3, ch7, ch10 and even yesterday … Read more
That title got your attention, didn’t it? A reflection on the National Lottery? Well, yes, in fact – the original national lottery: today’s passage describes those families who were chosen to settle in Jerusalem. The method for selection was casting lots, and those included were drawn from across the country – hence national lottery. Imagine … Read more
‘In view of all this…’ And so, we get to the heart of the prayer. After a long and detailed confession of the people’s rebellious ways, their repentance is manifested in a ‘binding agreement’, witnessed by their spiritual leaders (10:1-27). True conviction and confession always ends in commitment. Indeed, the word repentance, which we often … Read more
Someone once said that the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result each time. I don’t know if that’s true, but it’s certainly a decent definition of human nature. We do the same thing over and over, intending to change… only to find the cycle repeating … Read more
Confession is good for the soul. It’s also a practice which has become increasingly unfashionable in modern culture, where the word sin is often seen as an outdated concept. If there is such a thing as sin, it’s something like not being true to yourself – whatever that means! The primary issue, of course, is … Read more
Since we looked at the biblical idea of ‘conviction’ yesterday, today is another reflection from John’s gospel on that theme: July 25th 1982. Just a normal Sunday. I went to church with my family, to (what we then called) the Family Service. My Dad was giving the talk, about Jesus meeting Nicodemus in John chapter … Read more
God’s word has a power all of its own. The bible is full of references to its own efficacy: think of Isaiah 55:11 – ‘my word does not return to me empty’ – or Hebrews 4:12 – ‘the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword… it judges the thoughts and … Read more
What does a society need to thrive? It’s a question we ask ourselves a lot nowadays. Despite rapid advances in technology, medicine and global infrastructure, many cultures seem stuck in a slow but steady downward spiral. It’s a question which also lies at the heart of Nehemiah’s great work. As we have observed, this was … Read more
‘Jesus loves you…. but I’m his favourite.’ I remember a Christian leader sharing in a talk that he would love to wear a T-shirt like that, with ‘Jesus loves you’ on the front, and ‘but I’m his favourite’ on the back! Whatever you think of that, from either a sartorial or an evangelistic point of … Read more
We take another brief break from Nehemiah to enjoy a couple of Psalms (today and tomorrow): ‘Just a small portion for me.’ These are words I utter quite often at our family meals; I do love food, but I don’t have a particularly big appetite, so if there’s a pudding available, my desire to enjoy … Read more