Mar2020
Lay down the load
Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. (verse 29) Read John 4:5-42 On a hot, dusty Samaritan road, a weary, worn-out traveller encounters Jesus. After meeting him, she leaves her water jar at his feet. What did that water jar represent? It represented a need didn’t it? If there… Read more
Mar2020
Praise, kneel and listen
Let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! … We are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. (verse 6) Read Psalm 95 Worship begins with a rousing shout of recognition and celebration. ‘The Lord is King; ‘The Lord is risen.’ Worship is not a now and then thing but an… Read more
Mar2020
Where is the Lord?
The Lord himself saved them… But they rebelled against him and made his Holy Spirit sad. So the Lord became their enemy and fought against them. (verse 10) Read Isaiah 63:7-14 Isaiah’s portrayal of the relationship of God and Israel is intensely personal and almost shockingly human. It’s a story of love betrayed by unfaithfulness…. Read more
Mar2020
New lands
Stephen answered, ‘Brothers and fathers, listen to me! Before our ancestor Abraham had gone to live in Haran, the God of glory appeared to him in Mesopotamia and said to him, “Leave your family and country and go to the land that I will show you”. And so he left his country and went to… Read more
Mar2020
The Wasteland
The LORD says to his people, ‘When the time comes to save you, I will show you favour and answer your cries for help. I will guard and protect you and through you make a covenant with all peoples. I will let you settle once again in your land that is now laid waste.’ (verse… Read more
Mar2020
Don’t be afraid
‘Do not be afraid — I am with you! I am your God — let nothing terrify you! I will make you strong and help you; I will protect you and save you.’ (verse 10) Read Isaiah 41:8-13 At the age of 81 my mother was dying of cancer. She was in hospital, receiving palliative… Read more
Mar2020
God’s covenant with Abram – circumcision
You will be the father of many nations. (verse 4b) Read Genesis 17:1-7, 15,16 The whole land of Canaan… I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants, I will be their God … Every male among you must be circumcised. It will be the sign of the covenant. Again God makes… Read more
Mar2020
You are of great value
For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life. (verse 16) Read John 3:1-17 Losing something and misplacing something are two different things. Usually, the search for something misplaced is less urgent. You misplace a bobby pin,… Read more
Mar2020
I lift my eyes
I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. (verse 1 ) Read Psalm 121 I once visited a member of my congregation in Calvary Hospital, North Adelaide. She was a resident of the Adelaide Hills but had come… Read more
Mar2020
The brother who understands
[Jesus] had to become like his brothers and sisters in every way, in order to be their faithful and merciful high priest in his service to God, so that the people’s sins would be forgiven. And now he can help those who are tempted, because he himself was tempted and suffered. (verses 17,18) Read Hebrews… Read more
