As human beings we don’t always do a great job at helping ourselves. Whether that’s battling sin, organizing our priorities, taking the exercise we need to stay healthy or keeping our finances under control, all too often we make our lives harder than they need to be.
In an idle moment (or, if I’m honest, a moment in which I was avoiding doing something far more important) I logged on to Twitter and typed in #ownworstenemy. And it seems I’m not the only person to have noticed this trend! Whether it’s a rant about a favourite football team failing to defend and haemorrhaging goals; a student’s plaintive cry that they’ve left reading War and Peace until the night before the seminar or a diet gone astray after the latest trip to the doughnut shop, there’s a whole world of people out there who seem to be shooting themselves in the foot on a regular basis.... continue reading
Cert: 12A
Out now
In the near future, Frank, a retired burglar, is becoming increasingly forgetful. His family, worried that he's going senile, buy Frank a robot helper. At first, Frank is very resistant to any technological assistance... until he realises that a conscience-free robot could help resurrect his unlawful career in burglary.
This is a very unusual movie. It's a science-fiction film yet the world is very similar to ours, with a few notable advances in technology. It's a film about family relationships and yet they mostly don't seem to care very much for each other. It's a film about an ex-con and yet he doesn't seem to regret or repent of his unlawful past. Most of all it's a film that heart-breakingly details a man struggling with the onset of old age and a failing mind.... continue reading
A great 5-minute video on the importance, the privilege and the challenges of rural ministry.
I got up early this morning keen to get out of the house, on the road and into the office to start work.
Tea made, lunches prepared for daughters, dog fed, Bible read. So far so good.
Then it started to go wrong.
The delivery man with the weeks' shop was late. I would normally set my watch by him at 7am on the dot. But today no explosion of barking from dog at the expected moment. Just silence. When he arrives with apologies, it all takes too long to sort out.... continue reading
This weekend a magazine insert caught my eye. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a leaflet widely distributed before. It was a leaflet from an organization which offers assisted-suicide services at their premises in Switzerland.
It is not news that some diseases in this fallen world bring terrible suffering. Nor is it a surprise that human beings wish to escape the pain that can come with terminal illness. Few of us relish the thought of long-term agony. And as I read the featured story, I did have some empathy for the British woman planning to end her own life. I have sat with relatives at the end of their lives and a peaceful death is certainly easier to cope with – for both patients and relatives – than a traumatic one. But as I read the leaflet (and subsequently browsed the website) I was repeatedly struck by just how the much the literature differs from a biblical view of life.... continue reading
How often do you find yourself saying that you’re just too busy? How many evenings do you wish you could stay in but don’t? Do you ever get that feeling that life is ever so slightly out of control, maybe especially when you look at your diary or inbox? How often do you say, “yes” to taking on a new role or responsibility, when you know full well your answer really ought to have been “no”? When was the last time you could honestly say you weren’t tired?
As Christians we proclaim a gospel of freedom (Luke 4:18); we talk of a Saviour whose burden is light (Matthew 11:30) and encourage others to find rest in God (Psalm 62). But all too frequently we model lives of manic activity, packed diaries, overflowing to-do lists and burdened hearts. We listen to sermons about Mary and Martha and nod sagely as the preacher says that Mary’s way of sitting at Jesus’ feet is better and then leave the church to live lives so frenetic, even Martha herself may be exhausted at the thought of the pace!... continue reading
It's a subject that's taboo. A reality that many find shocking. A fact that some would prefer to deny. But the truth is out there: women use porn too.
Accurate statistics are difficult to source but a quick trawl of the web seems to suggest that about a quarter of those who visit internet pornography sites are female. Some pages suggest that up to 60% of women have used porn at some point in their lives. And while we might prefer to think otherwise, it's fairly safe to assume that some of those surfing such sites will be Christians who are confused, ashamed, addicted or desperate. Indeed over the last decade I've had quite a few Christian sisters confide in me - each convinced that they are the only one. Far from being a solely male pastoral issue, porn is something that affects women too and those involved in women's ministry need to be addressing the subject proactively.... continue reading
One of the constant nagging worries that people in ministry and Christian work of all kinds have is about money.
At it's worst, money obsession is about just keeping myself and what I have going, and ensuring my comfort. At it's best it is a desire for financial resources to move forward the work of the gospel in ambitious and exciting ways.
Direct appeals on giving often fall on deaf ears. Christians are not immune to the "Donor fatigue" syndrome that many charities are experiencing - particularly in difficult financial times as household budgets are squeezed tighter in the recession. When a preacher comes to the lectern and announces a text like Malachi 3: 10 – "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse" we mentally stiffen and prepare to resist...... continue reading
Jesus in the garden was much on my mind on Sunday.
First because I heard a terrific sermon at church - twice in fact - because I stayed for the second sitting to play in the band. What struck me most forcefully was this verse:
And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Luke 22:44
I've often wondered about why the Gospels speak so neutrally about the death of the Lord Jesus. The details of his scourging, mockery and death on the cross are told with almost the minimum of detail. My temptation as a writer would have been to paint in detail the cruelty, pain and injustice of this execution of an innocent man. The gospel writers do not. They simply say: "and they crucified him." It's one of the things I had against the film The Passion of the Christ. It shows details that, while true, are not part of the the way the Gospels are written.... continue reading
“I want my children to experience another culture”. “As a family, we think it’s important to see the great wonders of our planet – the barrier reef, the Grand Canyon, the pyramids…”. “I want a full life, a fun life, and that means grabbing every opportunity with both hands”. “I’ve made my bucket-list and I’m not going to quit until every item is ticked off”.
Human beings in the West love trying something fresh. Positive new experience is actively sought. And why not?... continue reading
