This was the title of a hit song from about fifty years ago. Sung by a British singer with a cockney accent, it was the lament of a young Australian Aborigine who couldn't get his boomerang to come back to him. It was the type of politically incorrect, culturally insensitive song that would never be … Continue reading My boomerang won’t come back!
Faith and life
And lean not unto thine own understanding
"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding" -Proverbs 3:5. I've been wondering of late if I really understand this verse. God has given us a mind with the capacity of understanding vast and complex subjects, and surely He wants us to use it. The Bible certainly assumes … Continue reading And lean not unto thine own understanding
Youth and the church
Since the days of the youth movement, church youth work has often lacked that element of Christian sobriety that alone might enable it to recognize that the spirit of youth is not the Holy Spirit and that the future of the church is not youth itself but rather the Lord Jesus Christ alone. It is … Continue reading Youth and the church
Why is the door locked?
Karen Mains, in her book Open Heart, Open Home, included a chapter entitled The Nicest House in Town. It describes a beautiful home, in a beautiful yard, and through the windows people can be seen happily visiting together and feasting on sumptuous food. Sounds of beautiful singing can be heard coming from those inside. Huddled … Continue reading Why is the door locked?
Words easy to be understood
As Christians we tend to speak in Christian jargon. Aren't we aware that other people don't talk like that? Or do we think it's neat to have our own lingo that other people don't understand? The apostle Paul didn't think that was a good idea: "So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words … Continue reading Words easy to be understood
Confusion of tongues
For about a year now our congregation, in addition to our old hymnal, has been using a supplementary collection of gospel songs. Sunday evening we sang one of those songs for perhaps the second time. The English words were not familiar to me, but the melody was. I realized it belonged to a familiar French … Continue reading Confusion of tongues
The battles of life
Ah, simple boy! - well had it been for thee Had thy ambitious longing been confined To objects wisely placed beyond thy grasp. But years stole on – thy ardent spirit broke Its childish trammels, and with eager joy Explored the warlike annals of the past, And called up spirits of the mighty dead, To … Continue reading The battles of life
God with us
If the resurrected Christ is not a living reality for us, we are proclaiming a false gospel, for the Good News that we proclaim is not dead news, nor tired news, nor even old news. It is living news (God-with-us news), the exciting personal news that the Jesus who came as a babe to Bethlehem … Continue reading God with us
The song of Mary Magdalene
This well-known hymn was written in March of 1912 by C. Austin Miles after a scene appeared in his mind of Mary Magdalene coming to the garden early on the first day of the week. She had seen the open tomb and now she thought she was seeking His body. Then His familiar voice spoke … Continue reading The song of Mary Magdalene
Memories of future bliss
“In speaking of this desire for our own far off country, which we find in ourselves even now, I feel a certain shyness. I am almost committing an indecency. I am trying to rip open the inconsolable secret in each one of you—the secret which hurts so much that you take your revenge on it … Continue reading Memories of future bliss
