God ordered Jeremiah to go stand in The People’s Gate. We are told this in Jeremiah 17 in verse 19, just beyond 17:5-10, the Lectionary Reading for Sunday. The Reading applies the image of trees to us, as individuals. The Psalms portion says people who obey God’s ethical demands are like a flourishing tree (Psalm …
There’s a game I play with my toddler; it’s called ‘shy phone’. It started when she wanted to look at the thing that I constantly held, to see what it was that so absorbed mummy. Like anyone caught in flagrante, I shoved my phone behind me. “Mummy, why you hide your phone?” “Oh, mummy’s not …
Isaiah’s call vision is in the Old Testament readings for tomorrow, Isaiah chapter 6. The English Standard Version supplies the heading “Isaiah’s vision of the Lord” for verses 1-7 and “Isaiah’s commission from the Lord” for verses 8-13. What do these verses teach us about God, the Bible and ourselves? One, the angels in Isaiah’s …
If I were to name my favourite Disney classic movie, it would probably be one of the most difficult questions that I have to answer. But “The Lion King” was the one that was constantly on replay, simply because I saw a part of myself in Simba. When Simba was banished by his treacherous uncle, …
When I say sermons and trembling go together, I speak both as a giver and as a hearer of sermons. When I read verses such as “The words of Jeremiah … to whom the word of the Lord came …” (Jeremiah 1:1), I tremble. I remember how Quakers got their name: ““Quaker” emerged as a …
We want to run to the altarand catch the fireto stand in the gapbetween the living and the deadGive us a heart of compassionFor a world without visionWe will make a differenceBringing hope to our land My eleven year old self desperately sang those words at youth camp. I would later know the drill. Just …
Nehemiah 8 is the Old Testament lectionary reading for tomorrow, Sunday 23 January 2022. This chapter marks a turning point in the history of Israel. It’s “a new beginning” for the nation of Israelites, the descendants of Jacob, whom God renamed Israel. Nehemiah 8 speaks of Jews. Those who identify as Jews today have no …
Busyness is a real obstacle. Lack of time may be a genuine reason. Too many important priorities to arrange can be challenging. Multi-tasking can be an option. Killing two birds with one stone can be the solution. Want to develop your personal faith? But no time? Want your children’s faith to grow as well? But …
Parenting Perspectives 2: Growing in faith together Read More »
Have you ever wondered whether you should change your name? Long ago, I thought names indicate religious faith or upbringing. The first computer I used was made by a Taiwanese company called Multitech. The name of its founder was Stan. I thought he was a Christian. I was wrong. In Thailand and Indonesia, citizens are …
When grandma passed away suddenly, grandpa moved away to live with my aunt. I was just six and couldn’t understand why he had to go. I lost my grandpa, my counsellor, my comforter, my confidante, and my friend all at once.
