I have some sympathy for Esau. He found himself wrestling with his brother Jacob while still in the womb. Sold his birthright to him for some soup and conspired to murder him later on. His descendants, the Edomites, attempted to thwart the Israelites' journey across the … [Read more...] about The Sin of Edom
Mercy
The High Cost of Mercy
Judgement is easy. Mercy is a nightmare. Hating those who offend us comes naturally, but acquitting the guilty feels like torture. The reason for this is that mercy always comes at the cost of the one granting it. Forgiving those who are guilty of offending you, while … [Read more...] about The High Cost of Mercy
Ezra #9 – Trouble in Covenant City
For perhaps the first four months of his return to Jerusalem, rather than hang in the city, Ezra visits all of the neighbouring towns, issuing the king's decree. So it's not until he returns to Jerusalem that he discovers that there are some serious problems that are compromising … [Read more...] about Ezra #9 – Trouble in Covenant City
Breakfast and Worship
In John 21:1-17 we have the account of Jesus preparing and sharing breakfast with the disciples on the beach. Jesus is now alive from the dead and has come to restore fellowship between Himself and the disciples. As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals … [Read more...] about Breakfast and Worship
A City of Refuge
Sunahan and Kahalek, two of the 35,000 Yali people of Central New Guinea, stopped their search for sweet potatoes, dropped their digging sticks and ran. An arrow whizzed past them. The target? A meal of human flesh for Heluk River cannibals. Rather than head for the safety of … [Read more...] about A City of Refuge