Encourage the Good

I wonder how I will look back on these days. I do my best to present as happy and resilient but there are certainly frustrations, fears and doubts. How do I lead when I don’t feel up to it? What is my back up plan when things crumble or fail? This whole series of events does not paint David in the best of lights. I like David better when he is trusting God running towards Goliath than when he is i...

In Act 5 of Richard III the king is frustrated and desperate. He has been battling on foot and killed a number of decoys dressed as his enemy but he now badly wants a horse so utters the famous line. “A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse” In a moment of appreciating the enormity of his circumstances he is willing to trade everything for a chance of victory.  Where we put our security can chang...

The central purpose of InterVarsity in Canada is to grow faith and develop leadership in the next generation. Crucial to this is an understanding of the good news of Jesus. The Christian message is not that life can be better, that we can be fulfilled or find purpose. There are many philosophies, ideologies and religions that offer these things. The good news is about the promise of God being fulf...

Reading the psalms it is easy to become frustrated with David. He seems to cycle through faith and confidence mixed with anxiety and uncertainty. That is a reality check to the perfectionism we often pitch or feel pressure to present to the world. Life’s experiences erode our confidence. Trouble and opposition can hollow out our sense of purpose and leave us questioning our worth and value. This i...

This is what is frustrating and encouraging about the psalms. They are born of a lived reality where confusion, pain, doubt and fear are experienced. David calls for mercy, he is unable to resolve his circumstances through strength of character, experience or intellect - he needs God’s help,  Rather than find it depressing that I am listening to someone who is going through this particular trial,...

The presence of anyone without hearing their voice is a worrying thing. “Who’s there?” or “What do you want?” are questions that probe the unknown. What is true of people is even more true of God. The presence of God without the word of God is a deeply troubling and foreboding eventuality. The God of the Bible is a God who speaks. He does not leave us to divine in the dark to discern what our resp...

The epithet “they are my rock” is ascribed to a friend or colleague who is stable, who can always be relied on. Rocks have a permanence about them, they speak of strong foundations and feelings of safety and security. The idea comes from this phrase used in the Bible. But here David is not ascribing this quality to another person. He addresses the Lord directly and says “you are my rock”. There is...

Fear is not a pleasant experience. It is a powerful and primal emotion that heightens our senses and can alert us to danger but can also overwhelm us. There are many things which can cause us to be afraid. We can be afraid of the unknown. Anyone who is not afraid of the dark is somewhat lacking in imagination and has not considered what might be out there. More seriously we can fear outcomes that...

Many experiences and circumstances can erode our foundation. Without a secure platform it is difficult to stay upright. There are people whose influence can destabilise us and who even try to see us fall. In Psalm 26 David is buffeted and looking for vindication and level ground. David starts this Psalm asking that he will be cleared of blame, that charges against him will be shown to be false and...

There are many things people put their trust in. We can trust in our own talents, intelligence or ability. “I back myself”. We can trust another person, their love or professional knowledge or expertise. We can trust in an object, tool or implement to get the job done. We can trust leaders in church, politics, culture or thought. The problem is that we are often let down, either because our expect...

Who can have access to God? Who can stand in his presence? What are the the qualifications for entry. You may have stood at a kiosk in an airport and answered questions to determine your eligibility to enter your destination or been asked a series of questions during Covid to be allowed admission to a restaurant or store. Potential students will consider and weigh the entry qualifications for a pa...

Because we have a good shepherd we are to be shepherds of others. Recognising that they do not belong to us, they are just under our care. We are called to be honest, humble examples who are eager to serve more than to be served. This all happens because we are charged by the chief shepherd who gives out crowns.  Leadership goes wrong when we try to be kings, think we are important and dominate an...

When we are disorientated and feel lost it can easily turn to accusations against God. Why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far away? Why do you not answer me? Our anguish and pain causes us to question the presence of God and the love of God. It is a spiral that can quickly spin out of control. This is the twenty second of a series that began life as a commitment to Counting my Blessings ever...

I have good days and bad days. That is not really the most earth shattering admission but in a leadership culture where weakness can be seen as failure and the tyranny of perfection assumes success it is often harder to be honest about our negative experiences. We have seen David in fear, heard him pleading for help and rescue as he faced mortal danger. Here we see David on a day that he is confid...

It is not easy being in distress. Wear and tear, anxiety, sorrow and pain take a toll. It is hard for us to admit when we need help and support.  It is a blow to our pride and reputation when we have to acknowledge that we are facing challenges beyond our personal resources. Distressed can be a selling point with a piece of furniture or a pair of jeans but is a far less attractive quality when exp...

I wonder what you think about God. I mean quietly. What thoughts circulate in your head? I guess we would like to think that God loves us because if not, then who does? But does that love feel more like a reluctant obligation or an enthusiastic commitment? I believe we want to trust in God’s power and provision.  But is God really up to the job, does the Lord understand the complexity of my life a...

 I find myself wondering again today if it is not time for David to compose a more positive ballad. It feels like we have covered some of this ground already. But some experiences shape us profoundly. Often, especially those where we have been on the receiving end of abuse of power or violence or both. This experience of threat, danger and imminent death has clearly marked David. Even after the fa...

Psalm 17 reminds us that everything that we say matters. Words have an impact to build up or tear down. What we say is one of the clearest indications of who we are. Whatever is inside us tends to come out through our mouths. This is the seventeenth of a series that began life as a commitment to Counting my Blessings every day after ankle surgery on July 2nd 2021. Initially I made a brief post on...

David understands that God’s provision and protection go together. That God supplies all he needs and he can say with confidence that the boundary lines have fallen for him in pleasant places.  Often boundaries cause discontent. The phrase “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence” is rooted in the notion of looking enviously over the boundary line at what our neighbour has.  Thi...

At any major sporting or cultural event access is a big issue. You are issued with a ticket or a pass depending on your role and status that determines where you are allowed to go. An Access All Areas pass opens pretty much every door and gives you the right of entry to areas restricted to the general public. David is asking questions of access in todays Psalm. Who is allowed access to the Lord? I...

I tend to think that when people stop believing the truth - they don’t believe nothing, they believe anything. I understand how we can be misled by different claims and confused by the overwhelming amount of information. I also appreciate that negative personal experience or more engaging current priorities can be a contributing factor in people dismissing God. I am well aware how the echo chamber...

Sometimes we are in situations where what we are experiencing does not fit with what we believe. David feels that God has forgotten him and that God has hidden his face from him. This speaks of a loss of intimacy, an inability to hear God’s voice and a sense of being under censure, unloved and abandoned. These feelings find focus in the opening words of the psalm “How long, Lord?”. We can all endu...

Do you ever feel like an absolute minority. That everything in the world is wrong and that evil seems to have the upper hand? David calls to the Lord and asks for help. He feels alone. Those he thought he could depend on have disappeared. Those who were loyal have vanished. This means there are none to make the world a better place, none who stand for truth. This is the twelth of a series that beg...

David is in a situation where he is in fear of his life. Arrows are aimed at him from the shadows. There is an ambush in place. The bows are bent and are ready to fire. The threat is imminent and the danger is real. The advice he is hearing is to flee to a place. To get away and seek refuge on a mountain. But David speaks of taking refuge in the Lord. David has been called and appointed to a parti...

Arrogance and pride are the markers of lives opposed to God’s plans and purposes Pride is like kryptonite to Godly living and effective leadership If your struggle is pride it may well be worth stepping away from leadership and seeking to reduce your influence over others. Because although your schemes and dreams will find some enthusiasts attracted by the potential of sharing in the rewards.  For...