Hope For Today

Dear Friends, I've been meditating this week on one particular verse which has both encouraged and challenged me. King David had it in his heart to build a temple for God. However, God told him that this was not for him to do, but his son, Solomon would be the one to build it instead. David spent time preparing and planning for the temple. In 1 Chronicles 28:20 he says this to Solomon: “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see to it that all the work related to the Temple of the Lord is finished correctly." (NLT) David was Solomon's encourager. He wasn't bitter that someone else was getting to do what he had dreamed of. Instead he demonstrated his support of Solomon. 1. Be strong and courageous  This was not so much about physical strength, but rather about staying power, persevering, not giving up. I wonder if Solomon felt...

Dear Friends, Do you ever find yourself wrestling over a verse or passage of Scripture? Perhaps because it's hard to understand or grasp. Or perhaps it doesn't fit with your experience. For some months, possiby years, there has been one verse which I've wrestled with. It's this one from John 10:10b Where Jesus says, "My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life." (NLT). Other translations use words such as an abundant life, life in all it's fullness, enjoy life to the full, everything they need. What is this kind of life that Jesus is talking about? Is it really possible to experience it ourselves? I want to share with you the place I'm at right now in my journey of understanding. We will never fully understand all that the Bible has to teach us and sometimes we (I) will get it wrong. You may very well disagree with how I am interpreting what I read. But if it causes any of us to go back to the Bible and ask the Holy S...

Dear Friends, Last week, my friend shared with me an amusing conversation she had recently had with her two-year-old daughter: Daughter: (Pointing to her own neck) "Is this my neck?" Mummy: "Yes, it is." Daughter: "Who glued it there?" Whilst we may laugh at her wording. This two year old is asking a very good question. After all, we believe that we have each been uniquely created by God.  He has "glued" us together in remarkable ways.  We read in Psalm 139:13-16 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body      and knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14  Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!      Your workmanship is marvellous—how well I know it. 15  You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,      as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. 16  You saw me before I was born.      Every day of my life was record...