Job didn’t know why this was happening to him. All his children and all his livestock were suddenly gone, then his body became covered with oozing sores. He used dust and ashes in an attempt to calm the itching. His three closest friends came to commiserate with him and at first had no words to … Continue reading Pray for them which despitefully use you
prayer
Suicide is a spirit
One night, somewhere in Canada, a young indigenous woman found herself battling thoughts of suicide. She was a Christian, she knew that was not what she wanted to do, yet the thought kept coming to her that it would be so easy to escape from her troubles. All she needed to do was walk out … Continue reading Suicide is a spirit
I want to live until I die
Age segregation begins in schools. As schools get bigger and bigger it is more and more difficult for a child to relate to those outside her own age group. At the other end of life, retirement offers freedom, but it is freedom with no purpose. Retirees associate with other retirees and strive to keep themselves … Continue reading I want to live until I die
Principalities and Powers
Immediately after Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, he disappeared into the wilderness and fasted for forty days. Then Satan came to him and offered to let Jesus rule all the kingdoms of the world if he would acknowledge Satan as supreme. “Just bow down and worship me and you can govern the world … Continue reading Principalities and Powers
How did we make it this far?
Nothing has been heard from this corner for ten days. I don’t have a good explanation for that, except that my mind has been elsewhere. Our 50th wedding anniversary is coming up in a few days and I have been contemplating how we got here and where do we go from here. In between all … Continue reading How did we make it this far?
What are we afraid of?
I was afraid of a lot of things as a boy, the two main ones being girls and dogs. Girls were different, mysterious; they didn’t look, talk or act like boys. The thought of actually speaking to one crippled my mind and my tongue. Yet there was always a girl or two that I could … Continue reading What are we afraid of?
Are you a deist or a theist?
If you are a deist, you believe: - that there must be a higher power because this complex world could not just have happened; - that there are moral lessons in the Bible that will help us to find happiness; - that the Bible as a whole is mysterious and confusing and better left alone; … Continue reading Are you a deist or a theist?
Getting from survival to revival
I trust that most of us have coped well during this time of enforced hibernation. Now spring has come, nature is alive once more and we want to be too. What now? Do we go back to the way things were before our hibernation? Is that even possible? What is normal going to look like … Continue reading Getting from survival to revival
Exegesis vs Eisegesis
(First posted six years ago) I know some people will see this title and will already have a pretty good idea of what I am going to say. Others may wonder why I am using such fancy words. I hope you will all bear with me, read the post and feel free to comment. In … Continue reading Exegesis vs Eisegesis
Social distancing – an unfortunate choice of words
Epidemiologists say that to slow the spread, it's important to maintain a physical distance of at least two metres between people. This is physical distancing, not social distancing. In these times, people need social connection, not distancing. And this connection is not made by the so-called social media, like Facebook and Twitter. The connections that … Continue reading Social distancing – an unfortunate choice of words
Flatlander Faith 