Toward the end of the Opening Ceremony, as representatives from each nation brought their flags together, I couldn’t help but feel emotional. When Jesus returns, he will gather all those he has saved, from every tribe and language and people and nation, free of division, in complete unity.
“Joy to the World” is probably one of the most sung Christmas Carols of all time. It is one of the Christmas biggies when it comes to carols—up there with “Away in a Manger” and “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” and the one about the reindeer with the nose problem. Often it is the closing number in those big public carol events: it finishes the night with such a high note of joy. The theme is terrific. All will be right with the world. A king is coming. And the theme is terrific. The song and musical score promise what...
See part one of this two-part series on fighting sin here. My alarm went off. I squinted at the time: 6:25am. It was cold and dark and my body was being uncooperative. It screamed at me to roll over and get some more sleep. I was seriously tempted. There was another voice though, albeit a quieter one. It simply said you need to do it. I felt the internal struggle, amazed at how quickly the war had begun once again. Then—though my body reeled at the betrayal—the covers were off and my feet were on the ground. The hardest part...
See part two of this two-part series on fighting sin here. I just committed a sin. It doesn’t matter what it was. It does matter that I knew it was wicked; tried not to do it, and did it anyway. What was wrong with me that I couldn’t stop myself from doing evil? And how did I get from a place of enjoying God and obeying him, to doing the very thing he hates? It wasn’t the first time I’ve sinned and asked those two questions, and it sure won’t be the last. Perhaps you have asked them too. But...
In May, the temperature in Brisbane was wonderful. You know that sort of weather where the days are warm, bright and you can enjoy the sunshine on your back. The evenings are cool as soon as the sun has gone and you can enjoy snuggling into the doona that’s been sitting at the back of your cupboard over summer. In my experience, living in Brisbane, this gradual temperature change downwards usually becomes noticeable in April. In May, things get a bit cooler and then we reach June, when it is actually cold (yes, I am acclimatised to Brisbane and am not going...
