Today's Mark passage is a little bit different to what we are used to and i would encourage you to wait until you have decent reflection time before watching it - don't rush through this one - rather make a time to simply reflect and listen and feel and respond. Join me as i look at Mark 15 from verse 16 to 32: [For the next passage and a look at [...]
Jesus stands before Pontius Pilate and doesn't seem to be particularly interested in defending his case [we could learn a LOT there, right?] and perhaps gives us a glimpse of the idea that following Him may often entail swimming against the current we find ourselves in. Join me as I continue on with Mark 15 from verse 1 to 15: [For the next passage in Mark and a reflection on Jesus' [...]
Continuing our journey with Mark as we head towards the end of Jesus' life as He heads for the garden where He will be arrested and then later tried. i take some time to look at what He does or maybe more importantly what He doesn't do - what He says and what He doesn't say, to see where we can learn how we can and should respond in similiar flavoured circumstances:. Join me [...]
As we continue on with Mark, we have this very interesting passage that might leave us wondering why Jesus kept the disciples around. But then if you're anything like me, you'll probably be super glad that He did. [and does!] Join me as we look at Mark 14. 27-42 and maybe take a moment to thank God that He uses the foolish of the world to confound the wise... [For the [...]
yesterday, tbV and i went to visit our friend Lilly Lewin in Napa for a morning activity of prayer, reflection and listening to God that she calls 'Time in the Vines'. one of the activities was selecting a stone with a random word on it and the word i picked was 'Gratitude' and one of the things i did while reflecting was write this poem: GRATITUDE as i drag my almost lifeless body one more [...]
This is such a short baby of a psalm that it is worth publishing the whole thing here: 1 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us— 2 so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. 3 May the peoples praise you, God; may all the peoples praise you. 4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples with equity [...]
i remember the day my pastor boss from the Vineyard church in Stellenbosch asked me something along the lines of: IF YOU COULD DO ANYTHING IN THE WORLD, WHAT WOULD IT BE? and my answer really seemed to impress something upon him, as he brought it up on many occasions after that, but it was something like: THIS. THIS IS WHAT I WOULD DO. we like the idea of being 'called into something' [us christians [...]
Bruce Collins is one of my best friends in the category of 'people i have hardly spent any time with at all' - our spirits seem to connect strongly when it comes to God and life and relationships and things and i just love his passion and wrestling and honesty... he has a great gift for writing too which is why i am reblogging this post of his which feels like something i could have [...]
DAY 39ish i saw this prayer/poem/reflection? on my friend Conso's Facebook wall and thought it was too good not to share... Task: Mediate and reflect on the following words as they have meaning for you: Until i encountered the CROSS... i knew confession but did not know repentance, i knew ritual but did not know true worship, i knew guilt and shame but did not know redemption, i knew judgement and condemnation but did [...]
This story might be a whole lot more profound than we normally pay attention to. Jesus having a last meal with His disciples who He has grown to know and really love after three years of spending time with them. But during the meal He indicates to them that one of them is going to betray Him. So to put it another way He points out the fact that He has an enemy sitting at the [...]