“Why me? How could you let this happen, God?” (Doesn’t that sound familiar?) In the book of Ruth, there is this story of Naomi and Ruth. Naomi is a Jewess from Bethlehem, Judah. There was a famine in Israel. Naomi, her husband (Elimelech) and her two sons (Mahlon and Kilion) migrated to Moab to escape […]
Naomi/Mara – Blaming God Read More »
An ivory inscription dated to the early 800s BC. The word “Hazael” appears in it. Hazael, King of Syria, a usurper on the throne of Syria, was one of the worst enemies of Israel. Yet, the decision to make Hazael king of Syria was made by YHWH, the God of Israel. How so? By YHWH’s
A command of God which Elijah didn’t obey Read More »
Nature is where I space out and notice that every single breath and step that I take are not my own doing, but God’s grace. (Photo taken during one of my hikes) Emails, deadlines, proposal drafts, briefing pack, a calendar full of appointments and calls. The list simply goes on and on and on. Does
Not forgetting the last to-do of the day Read More »
What would’ve run through my mind if I were reading Romans 5:1-5 during the bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1956? I ask this question for two reasons. First, Romans 5:1-5 is in our lectionary readings for tomorrow. Second, I’ve been reading about a church in Montgomery which was at the centre of the 381-day
Reading Romans 5:1-5 during the bus boycott Read More »
“I can’t breathe”, my mum said. Those are the most frightening three words to hear at 3.30 am. What do you do then? I woke my sister up and both of us agreed that we would admit Mummy into Emergency at University Hospital (UH). We then needed to get ready for emergency admission. First things
Letting Go … and yet I can’t Read More »
The story of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9), is one of the lectionary readings for tomorrow, Pentecost Sunday. It’s a very carefully constructed story. Care in construction is seen in the words used in the nine verses, and in the placement of the story in the book of Genesis. The story is placed after
Babel, the first construction project in the Bible Read More »
In early April, I went back to physical church for the first time in 25 months! It was a strange surreal experience, like travelling back in time. A contrast to those lockdown months of a hundred virtual encounters, of faces lined up in rectangular boxes, muted and unmuted, only to disappear after an hour or
Of Diarrhoea, Detours and Diversions! Read More »
This morning, I read that since March, in Kuala Terengganu and Besut, 15 traders have been fined a total of RM9,000 for over-pricing chickens. They had violated the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act, 2011. I read that after I read Psalm 97, included in the lectionary readings for tomorrow. Justice and righteousness feature in that
Chicken profiteers and the God of the cosmos Read More »
When we were young, we wanted to look for the right person for us, we wanted to find our soulmate (for those who believe there is one perfect person for us out there). We read books, asked friends, went on hunting sprees, in the hope of finding the one who will complement us, fill up
Parenting Perspectives 6: Love your spouse Read More »
Tomorrow’s lectionary reading includes the story of Lydia, the rich trader in purple dye, in the book of the Acts of the Holy Spirit. Why does the story appear where it does, and why does Luke tell it the way he does? First, a little recap of the passage, Luke 16:9-15. Paul, frustrated “by the
Luke’s tale about guidance and about two women Read More »
