RESCUED

1 CORINTHIANS 15:1-4 Manuel Gonzalez was the first rescuer to reach the 33 miners who had been trapped for 69 days after a mine explosion in Chile in 2010. He walked underground more than 2,000 feet to bring the stranded men back to the surface, putting his own life on the line. The world watched in … [Read more…]

AN AWARD FOR PEACE

EPHESIANS 2:11-18 The creation of dynamite, which revolutionised the course of warfare, brought Alfred Nobel enormous fortune. He made a provision in his will for a prize to be granted annually to people who try to promote peace, possibly because of the horrors that wars inflicted with the use of dynamite. This is now known as … [Read more…]

A FITTING CROWN

MATTHEW 27:28-29 The Romans were the masters of political theater. Rome did not miss a chance to demonstrate her imperial authority and domination, from triumphal arches built to commemorate the conquest of walled cities to the worship of emperors. Not even when a prisoner is sentenced to death for sedition. On good Friday, an execution was certain. … [Read more…]

THE GARDEN AND THE GOSPEL

MATTHEW 26:36-46 Today is Maundy Thursday in the traditional church calendar, the day of Holy Week that commemorates Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper on the night he was betrayed. The phrase mandatum novum (“a new commandment”) from the Latin version of John 13:34 inspired the name “Maundy Thursday.” Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Gethsemane is … [Read more…]

THE SPY

MATTHEW 26:14-16 In Christianity, Holy Wednesday marks the Negotiations of Judas, a secret spy among the disciples. It is also known as Spy Wednesday, or Good Wednesday (in Western Christianity), and Great and Holy Wednesday (in Eastern Christianity). We may well not understand Judas until we pay careful attention to the small ways in which we betray … [Read more…]

CONSUME PLENTY OF WATER

JOHN 4:7-14 Visitors to hot areas often get dehydrated without noticing it. The dry climate and intense sunlight, particularly in the mountain regions, can quickly deplete the body’s fluids. That is why it is strongly advised that people drink a lot of water. Water is often used in the Bible as a symbol of Jesus as the … [Read more…]

RISKS AND ASSISTANCE

ROMANS 16:1-7 Grace Darling, the daughter of an English lighthouse keeper, spotted a shipwreck and survivors offshore on September 7, 1838. She and her father rowed their boat for a mile through rough waters to save several people. Grace became a legend for her compassionate heart and light touch in putting her life in danger to … [Read more…]

THE DIFFICULT PATH TO STRENGTH

2 CORINTHIANS 12:1-10; PSALM 22:14 Diamonds are lovely and precious gemstones, but they are made from common carbon, which is black, dirty, and combustible. They become pure and strong after years of intense heat and high pressure. As a result, they are a good metaphor for spiritual strength; God uses intense outside pressures to cleanse us … [Read more…]

MIND YOUR LANGUAGE

PSALM 19 Perhaps you are conversant with the famous saying, “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” Some individuals disagree with this statement, which is widely credited to social activist and former United States First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. This statement, on the other hand, emphasises our terrible experiences. We are constantly … [Read more…]

READING FROM THE BACK

REVELATION 21:1-7 I must admit that I occasionally read the end of a book before beginning it. This allows me to determine which characters are alive and which are not. I am able to relax and fully appreciate and enjoy the story and the characters when I know how it will end. Reading the final book … [Read more…]