“The grace of God is awful to us, because the proper response to evil is to fear it and desire its destruction not to love it and desire its redemption.” This is my review of David Benjamin Blower’s book “Sympathy for Jonah: Reflections on Humiliation, Terror and the Politics of Enemy-Love,” which has a set of sea-shanty…
We face profound challenges to the way of life we are used to – as a result of globalisation and technology in particular. And we are reacting the way human-beings always react in this kind of situation: by trying to hold on to what we have got. With valiant determination, we retreat, batten down the…
I found this podcast from Rob Bell really helpful. Here’s my summary: Psalm 8:4-5 “what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honour.” You are crammed full of greatness so don’t be surprised…
The Bible is the most read book in human history by far. It (at least parts of it) is considered “sacred” by Christianity, Islam and Judaism – the 3 religions that trace their human origins back to Abraham, and are humanity’s most popular religions – to which nearly 50% of people today ascribe, even if…
This is my outline and summary of Geoff Shattock’s book from WorkTalk (see www.racingrat.gs) Convinced that the death of Jesus Christ on the cross was the culmination of his life’s work, Geoff Shattock explores what we might learn about our frenetic world of work from the seven recorded sayings from the cross of the one man who has changed the world more than…
Luke 23:32-34 Forgiveness is hard. It is a little easier when the other person is ‘caught;’ or sorry; or we feel strong; or have been vindicated; are confident they will get their comeuppance. Jesus is being executed as one of the basest criminals by the legal authorities; He is physically exhausted and in excruciating pain;…
Luke 18:9-14 There is a theme in this chapter. It begins with a story about a widow who obtained justice from a hard-hearted judge not because she had power and influence but just because she was persistent. After today’s story of two men going to pray with very different attitudes, Jesus blesses children who were…
Joshua 7:6-9 After 40 years of wandering in the desert, the people of God stood on the hills on the east of the Jordan River looking at the land God had promised to them. Joshua led the people across the river and God miraculously brought down the walls of the city of Jericho. The people…
88% of human beings believe in ‘god.’ Jews believe that “the LORD is one.” Muslims believe that “there is no God but Allah.” The Bible says “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” (James 2:19) So what do Christians believe? Do all Christians believe the same thing? Does…
Psalm 134:1-3 The songs of ascents (Psalms 120-134) were sung during the Feast of Tabernacles, when Jewish people would come to Jerusalem from all over and ‘ascend’ Mount Zion to the Temple, remembering the 40 years their ancestors spent in the wilderness before entering the Promised Land. The Feast is a reminder that this world…