PERFECT WORLD 

REVELATION 21:1-5 Jane wrote an essay titled “My Perfect World” in which she imagined a world where ice cream is free, food is in abundance, and the sky is blue with interesting shapes. She also emphasised that no one would come home to bad news and no one would have to deliver it. Is that not … [Read more…]

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

NEHEMIAH 6:1-15 Despite difficulties in obtaining materials and finding time for her demanding job and toddler’s needs, Mary was able to complete the project in just two hours of committed work. Nehemiah was tasked by God to restore Jerusalem after 150 years of ruin (Nehemiah 2:3–5, 12). Despite facing mockery, attacks, distraction, and temptation, he led the … [Read more…]

SINNERS LIKE OURSELVES

LUKE 15:1–7 Dave, a friend of mine, told me about the day he made the decision to follow Jesus. Dave had no interest in religion. However, he entered a nearby church one Sunday morning in search of something to cheer up his unhappy spirit.The pastor read Luke 15:1–2 from the King James Version that day: … [Read more…]

WARM WELCOME 

1 PETER 4:9 After receiving news of his critical illness and deciding to be away from church, our friend Joel asked who would hug everyone. Joel, a man who makes everyone feel welcome, greets them with a friendly greeting, warm handshake, and even what he calls a “holy hug” based on Romans 16:16, which encourages greetings … [Read more…]

ADDRESSED BY NAME

JOHN 20:16 The most attention-grabbing word that viewers react to, according to advertisers, is their own name. Thus, most companies now go for personalised advertisements. Even though we may like seeing or hearing our name, it is meaningless without the intimacy that comes from our name being spoken by someone we love. Mary Magdalene’s focus was captured … [Read more…]

OUR FACES

GALATIANS 5:22–26; 2 CORINTHIANS 3:18 “Only your face goes to heaven, not your body,” the girl told her grandfather when she was very little about what happens when you die. You keep your face, but you get a new body. Naturally, her conception of our everlasting state was childish, but she did recognise a fundamental reality. Our … [Read more…]

POOR JUDGEMENT

MATTHEW 7:1-5 I have been quick to pass judgement on everyone I see gazing at a phone while strolling along the street. How could they have been so blind to the cars that were going to crash into them? Are they not concerned about their own security? However, I was so focused on a text … [Read more…]

SYNCRETISM

ZEPHANIAH 1:1–6; 2:1–3; 3:17 I went to a wedding a few years ago where two people from different countries were married. While it can be lovely when cultures blend together, this ceremony combined Christian customs with some other worship rites. Zephaniah the prophet criticised syncretism, a practice where other religions are combined with faith in the one … [Read more…]

EVERY SECOND COUNTS

PHILIPPIANS 1:21 Grace, living in a nursing home, was a widow who had outlived her friends and family. When he first met her, he asked her about her time and what captivated her attention. Grace cited Paul’s quote in Philippians 1:21, stating that to her, living is Christ and to die is gain. She shared … [Read more…]

WORKING SIDE BY SIDE

NEHEMIAH 3:1–12; ECCLESIASTES 4:9 In the past, a city with fallen walls showed a defeated people, left vulnerable and humiliated. The Jews constructed Jerusalem’s walls for this reason. In what way? The phrase “by working side by side” perfectly captures Nehemiah 3. Nehemiah chapter 3 highlights the collaborative efforts of various individuals in the reconstruction process, including … [Read more…]