LOOKALIKES

2 CORINTHIANS 3:17–4:2 We all possess a Doppelganger, also known as Lookalikes, who are unrelated individuals who appear very much like us. I was once mistaken for another person whom a fellow said looked exactly like me, even though I have never seen this lookalike. Reflecting on 2 Corinthians 3:18, Paul emphasises that we are being transformed into … [Read more…]

THE MINISTRY OF MEMORY

JEREMIAH 29:4–14 Loss and disappointment can cause anger, guilt, and confusion. Whether choices have closed doors or tragedy invades our lives, it often leads to unfathomable sadness. We may suppress painful memories, but they remain. Oswald Chambers emphasises the active role of the Lord in our lives, encouraging us not to fear the reminder of the … [Read more…]

DYSFUNCTIONAL

ROMANS 3:10–26 A lot of people, including families, marriages, organisations, and even countries, are described as dysfunctional. Functionality denotes that a thing is in good operating order, whereas dysfunctionality denotes that something is damaged, improperly operating, or unable to accomplish its intended purpose. Paul’s letter to the Romans describes a spiritually dysfunctional humanity where everyone has … [Read more…]

THE FIVE-MINUTE RULE

PSALM 102:1–17 I came upon an article about a mother’s five-minute rule for her children. Every day, they had to get ready for school and assemble together five minutes before departure. She would pray for each of them individually, requesting the Lord’s favour for their day. She would then kiss them and send them running. … [Read more…]

NOT ONE SPARROW, EVEN WHEN DEATH COMES

MATTHEW 10:28–33; PSALM 116:15 The reality of saying goodbye is too harsh for any amount of emotional preparation in the world to fully prepare us for. How cruel death is! It embarrasses us from time to time. Jesus taught His disciples that we are worth more than sparrows; as He said, not a single sparrow can fall … [Read more…]

ALONE

GENESIS 28:10–17 Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden experienced the sensation of being on the far side of the moon for three days in 1971, while two crewmates worked thousands of miles below on the surface of the moon and his only companions were thick stars. On his first night away from home, Jacob was alone due … [Read more…]

OBSERVING BIRTHDAYS

PSALM 71:5-18 Growing up, most of us enjoyed birthdays. We were happy to be older and enjoyed the balloons, gifts, and cake. As we got older and took on more responsibilities, birthdays became less exciting. The older we became, the more responsible we got.  In Psalm 71, the psalmist expresses gratitude for God’s presence throughout his life. … [Read more…]

ANTICIPATE AND SHOW MERCY

LUKE 18:9–14 The man I often prayed with put his hand over mine when I voiced my displeasure about a friend’s decisions that were pushing him farther into sin and how I was affected by them, and he said, “Let us pray for all of us.” I frowned. I admitted that it hurt a little, but … [Read more…]

ONLY A TOUCH

MATTHEW 8:1–4 Joy, despite lacking medical experience, eagerly accepted the opportunity to assist a medical mission in a remote region. She met a woman there who had a terrible illness that was curable. Joy was disgusted by the woman’s deformed leg, but she knew she had to do something. Her patient started crying as she was … [Read more…]

THE BEAUTY OF BROKENNESS

PSALM 51 Ceramic repair, known as kintsugi, has been used for generations in Japan. Reinforcing fractures or filling in gaps with a mixture of gold dust and resin creates a visually arresting link. The artist uses brokenness to create something beautiful, rather than trying to hide the repair. The Bible emphasises the importance of remorse for sins, … [Read more…]