A Devotional Life

Jonah 1:1-16 NIV. I hope you had an enjoyable Christmas break. Happy New Year! Have you ever had one of those sat-nav situations where, no matter how far you drive in the wrong direction, it keeps rerouting? It will just keep saying, “Make a U-turn, make a U-turn…” That’s the story of Jonah. God tells Jonah to go north-east to Nineveh, but Jonah heads west, to Joppa. And the book of Jonah shows us something remarkable: God’s primary response to people heading the wrong direction is not abandonment, but mercy. Like that sat-nav, God keeps pursuing, rerouting, and calling us back. Jonah takes us on a journey into the nature of God’s mercy. In the passage, Jonah refuses to be sent, so God demonstrates the sovereignty of His mercy by sending the unexpected. God sent a great wind: Jonah ran away from God’s Presence to seek refuge at sea: a Bi...

Luke 2:10-15. (The message of the angel to the shepherds). When a baby is born, people celebrate, send gifts, and travel from all over to see the baby. And it can be pretty expensive for those of us with siblings all over. Often, when we see the baby, we make physical remarks like: “Oh, she’s got a round head like her dad”, or “his eyes are like his mum’s,” or “the baby’s so cute”, or “isn’t it lovely that she sleeps a lot”. All these remarks are not remarks of expectation. We’re not expecting anything from the baby for ourselves, let alone for everyone; that would be odd. But many years ago, a baby was born, and an angel appeared to some shepherds, informing them that this birth had implications for all people (v10). This birth affects everyone, you and me, both in this life and in the next. What did the angel say? That the birth of ...

Matthew 13:44-46, 51-52. (The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Price). It’s easy to overlook, but God calls you a treasure. Do you trust His view of you? In these parables, Jesus describes the kingdom as a treasure discovered by a man, and then as a merchant searching for fine pearls. In both stories, something priceless is found, and everything else becomes worth giving up to have it. From the thread of all parables in the chapter so far the man or owner is the Son of Man, Christ (Matthew 13:37), but in regard to treasures He says the man or owner is also his disciples, us (Matthew 13:51-52; 6:33). Through these parables, Jesus reveals not only that He is our treasure but also that we are His. Christ is our treasure. In the parable, when the man finds the hidden treasure, his discovery fills him with joy (v44) and a sense of infinite worth (v52). He then sells everyth...

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, 47-50. (The Parables of the Weeds and Net). What would your future look like? The first time I was asked that, I knew I had to take my Maths and Science seriously. That simple question inspires one to plan today for the life they hope for tomorrow. In today’s parables, Jesus speaks about another kind of future that affects everyone: the end of the age or God’s judgment. He also addresses a problem that affects everyone: the problem of evil, or the coexistence of good and bad. The purpose of presenting these two realities together (in juxtaposition using the same parables) is to make the point that you cannot believe or experience one without the certainty of the other. In other words, just as real and inescapable as is the problem of evil in our world today, so will be the future judgment. But here's the good news: Jesus used the parables to show how His kingdom offers ...

Luke 13:10-21. (The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast). One time, I was leading a service in our Church in London, and a homeless man walked in and sat at a seat we had reserved for our Senior Pastor. Somehow, he had slipped past the welcome team. One of the trainee pastors stared at me to do something, but I didn’t. Then I stared back at him to do something, but he didn’t. So, to avoid further awkwardness during worship, we let him sit there. What a situation! In today’s passage, a similar situation occurs, but this time the religious leaders respond in a way that prompts a rebuke from Jesus. In the passage today, Jesus heals a woman who was crippled for eighteen years on a Sabbath day. How transformative. She began to praise God, and the people rejoiced, but the religious leaders were upset that it wasn’t done their way (v10-14). So Jesus rebuked them, using parables to illustrate the ...

Matthew 25. (The Parables of the Ten Virgins, the Talents, and the Sheep and the Goats). Before the parables, Jesus in Matthew 24:36-51 describes His return as happening on an ordinary day, while people go about their daily routines. It will be sudden, like a thief in the night. So how can we live wisely? Jesus says by being ready (24:44). Jesus uses three parables to show what being ready looks like... Guarding what you have In Jewish culture, well-oiled lamps were needed to complete nighttime weddings. Losing oil and heading off to buy some is like losing the rings and heading off to buy some during your ceremony. Therefore, readiness, as shown by the wise virgins (v10), looks like guarding what you have. Notice where they are called wise: V4      “The wise took oil” V8-9   “The foolish asked the wise for oil, and they said ‘No’...