Viewing all items in Resource Category: Looking at God

‘He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.’ (Ecclesiastes 3:11). The 60s hit ‘Turn! Turn! Turn!’ by the Byrds is based on verses in this chapter: ‘There is a time for everything, and...

I’m not a big fan of statues – but my favourite was the life-sized figure of Christ that stood in London’s Trafalgar Square during the Millennium celebrations. It stood on the square’s previously-empty fourth plinth, going almost unnoticed among the surrounding grand statues and with Nelson’s Column towering above it. The statue, called Ecce Homo...

The hymn ‘Just As I Am’ must be one of the most famous in the world. It has been sung by tens of millions of Christians at Billy Graham Crusades the world over, just for starters! Yet it was not written by a professional who was ‘aiming’ at a specific market, as many songs seem...

‘I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.’ (Psalm 40:1). ‘Dear God, I pray for patience, and I want it now!’ Most of us can identify with this prayer, especially as we face an uncertain future. Psalm 40:1-3 describes how David waited patiently on God (lit: ‘I waited, waited...

Have you ever got into trouble while abroad? The true story is told of a group of tourists who went to Israel some years ago and arrived in Jerusalem very eager to see the sites of the old city. Four members of the group were so engrossed in taking pictures of each other by the...

The Frailty of Life  From the Vicar Psalm 46 – a psalm of comfort in anxious times Local is back! Ask Him for ‘pandemic grace’ Why sometimes you need a broken heart One in 20 starts praying since Coronavirus began As fine silver… Do you need a new pain killer? ** Editor:  Canon Paul Hardingham...

According to one survey, during the lockdown, a quarter of adults in the UK have watched or listened to a religious service and one in 20 have started praying. While the majority of people who contract Covid-19 survive, it reminds us that we are much more frail and weak than we like to think. As...

According to one survey, during the lockdown, a quarter of adults in the UK have watched or listened to a religious service and one in 20 have started praying. While majority of people who contract Covid-19 survive, it reminds us that we are much more frail and weak than we like to think. As the...

To say that we are living in uncertain times is an understatement! Psalm 46 speaks into our anxiety and fear, just as it did to Israel originally. At this time, we must focus on God, who alone can deliver us in such times. He is our refuge: ‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present...

Odd things have been happening to my world in these past weeks of lockdown. It’s got bigger. I’ve been speaking regularly via the web with friends in Australia and the United States. Worshippers from Canada and South Africa are taking part in our online church services. Other churches are telling the same stories, with increasing...

There are hardships you and your family might be facing, as you try to respond well to the challenges brought about by this COVID-19 pandemic. At the 2nd Lausanne Congress in 1989 in Manila, a Chinese brother shared the story of his imprisonment in a labour camp in China because of his faith. The authorities...

There is a Hasidic tale which evokes Deuteronomy 11:18, and seems especially apt for now: ‘The pupil comes to the rabbi and asks, “Why does Torah tell us to ‘place these words upon our hearts’? Why does it not tell us to place these holy words in our hearts?” ‘The rabbi answers, “It is because as we are, our...