From Theodicy to Theophany
Ok, I admit the title of this post is not exactly catchy! But you are still reading, so let me quickly say why I think it is important. You probably know people who have suffered greatly – perhaps you are one of them. All suffering is hard to watch, but it is especially devastating when it seems to be senseless and unfair. There are a thousand different scenarios I could paint, but in your heart you already know your “why, why, why” questions. How do we come to terms with life’s most devastating heartaches without shaking the fist at God and questioning how we could...
Read MoreWhen our GPS Flounders: Genesis 12:2-3 as a Correcting Lens
A few months ago I was on my way to speak at a meeting on the other side of Perth (north of the river for those who are locals) and because it was unfamiliar territory, I trusted my phone GPS to guide me. Usually this works beautifully, but for some obscure reason (probably the endless roadworks in Perth), this time it didn’t. My estimated arrival time suddenly changed from 18:46 (giving a nice buffer for my 19:15 start) to 20:47 and instead of a journey of 47 km, I was apparently now due to arrive after covering 134km. I was less than impressed, and managed to pull over and work out a...
Read MoreWhen in a City under Siege: Ps 31 then and now
I came across Ps 31 in my devotions this week. Given its original context, it is a surprisingly hopeful psalm, and verse 21 seems especially apt for the complex times we are living through: Praise be to the `Lord, for he showed his wonderful love to me when I was in a city under siege. Written when David was physically and emotionally drained, deserted by his friends and anticipating that everything he had stood for would be lost, he prays in words that Jesus chose to repeat while on the Cross: “Into your hands I commit my spirit” (v5). It is a resignation prayer – all has...
Read MoreBlending Amish and 21st Century…
OK, so I accept some will think this is one of my sillier blog posts, but I recently wondered if it might be possible to navigate life part Amish, part 21st century. Of course a whole lot of qualifiers need to be thrown in, and I realise the thesis would never stand up to serious scrutiny, and those in the know will want to correct me on endless aspects of Amish life. But I am a big picture person and I really just want to explore if its possible to opt out of our overly complicated 21st century lives periodically and travel back to a simpler time – and in doing so to find sufficient...
Read MoreBecause Our Habits Form Us…
Though I no longer remember her name, I remember the enthusiastic student teacher in my primary school teaching us about habits, and how important it is to form good ones. “A habit sticks with you,” she proclaimed. She wrote the word HABIT on the chalk board, systematically then rubbing out one letter at a time – creatively turning the lesson into an exercise in both spelling and ethics. You take out the H, and it is still there A BIT. Work harder, and remove the A, but BIT is still left. Yet more effort, and the B disappears – but IT is still left. “And so children,” she finished, “That’s...
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