A Devotional Life

Jonah 1:1-16. I hope you had an enjoyable Christmas break. Happy New Year! Have you ever had one of those sat-nav moments where no matter how far off course you go, it keeps rerouting and repeating “make a u-turn.” That’s the story of Jonah. God sends him north-east to Nineveh, but Jonah heads west to Joppa instead. And the book shows us something remarkable: God’s response to people on the wrong route isn’t abandonment, but mercy. Like a sat-nav, He keeps rerouting and calling us back to Himself. Jonah takes us on a journey into the nature of God’s mercy. In today’s passage, as we see the striking stubbornness of Jonah toward God, we begin to see the saving sovereignty of God’s mercy. In spite of Jonah’s refusal of God’s directive, God is still in control. He commands and can change all things (Ps 148:5, Jer 32:17). ...

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 th...

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 wor...

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. Although quite direct and sometimes uncomfortable, that simple question challenges one to plan today for the life they hope for tomorrow. And this is what Jesus does in today’s parables. In today’s parables, Jesus speaks about a 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 ...

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, us...

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 ...

Luke 15. (The Parables of the Lost…Sheep, Coin and Son). The three parables were Jesus’ response to a criticism from the Pharisees. They saw that tax collectors and sinners gathered around Jesus, and that He welcomed and ate with them (v1-2). And Jesus likened the tax collectors and sinners who had gathered around Him to something important that was lost (v3-32). Can you recall a time you lost something important? I once arrived at the airport and realised my passport wasn’t in my jacket. I thought, could I have forgotten it? In the middle of the check-in area, with everyone stirring, I emptied my hand luggage; my clothes, bank cards, documents, laptop, and everything else were scattered all over the place. I finally found my passport, which I had hurriedly packed with my clothes. Out of excitement, I yelled, “Yes, found it!” A few people began ...