Every Day with Jesus

The reaction of the leper who returned to thank Jesus is demonstrative; he ‘threw himself at Jesus’ feet’. This suggests a lot of energy, reflecting the scale of his gratitude. Someone, long placed beyond mainstream society, was cleansed and invited to become part of something precious from which he had been excluded.

There are some people who may never know the extent of their part in global mission. Ananias is one of these. We have this brief mention in Scripture, but through his courage and faithfulness, God released the powerful and influential ministry of Paul.

Jonah’s first response was to run! Called east to Nineveh in Iraq, he headed west towards Lebanon. Yet, God interrupted his journey. Now inside a large fish, Jonah takes time to reflect and respond to God.

Nowadays, we are bombarded with words across a variety of platforms. It’s increasingly difficult to hear the Word of God. Not only is God’s Word drowned out in the clamour, but we easily become influenced by these many voices.

The Israelites expressed their terror as they saw Pharaoh and the Egyptians pursuing them (Exod. 14:10–11). They didn’t organise a praise party. A reminder that it is easier giving thanks looking back from a place of safety than when facing an insurmountable problem. God invites us to give thanks from a place of faith, whilst still waiting to experience a practical solution. We must pause, believe...

One thing we know is that ultimately we shall see God face to face. Whatever life serves up to us, nothing can separate us from God (Rom. 8:38–39). The process we must travel through may prove testing, yet every step of the way God’s hand holds us. We may need to find courage and confidence in equal measure, but God is our strong deliverer (Psa. 140:7).

Pilgrims making their way to Lindisfarne, or Holy Island, in Northumbria, Northern England, must cross on a path that only exists at low tide. Halfway across is a refuge, built in case a pilgrim gets caught by the swift incoming tide as they cross.

Faithfulness is one acid test of love. When Katey, my first wife, required the support of external care as multiple sclerosis developed, I well remember being advised by a social worker that it would be quite understandable if I couldn’t cope and chose to walk away from my marriage. I told her that, whilst I had little experience of my capacity as a carer, I’d made commitments before God, family a...

We recognise that a fundamental human need is our desire to be loved. Yet, today there are more stories of failed love and fractured families than at any time in history. Despite this evidence, individuals still risk everything in their search for love.

Not only are we invited to converse with the Lord of Lords, we enjoy access to the source of all wisdom. The very meaning of life is crafted through God’s act of creation, redemption and return. This is the sign of a loving, caring God. One who creates us in His image (Gen. 1:27), comes, finds and rescues us in our sin (Col. 1:13–14), and will return to restore His kingdom in completeness (1 Pet....

It is impossible to exhaust language that describes God’s character and qualities. I find myself speechless as I meditate upon the Lord. Not simply a lord but the Lord of Lords. In other words, there is no power or authority that exceeds that of our God.

Considering the reasons we have to praise and thank God, we do well to pause and consider our life’s source. The Bible says that God formed humanity and breathed life into His creation (Gen. 2:7). The word for ‘breath’ also means ’spirit’ and refers to the life of God that inhabits every believer in the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19).

Gardening is not everyone’s cup of tea. Jesus reminds us what every gardener knows; prune hard and the yield is greatly increased.

Thomas asked a great question, ‘Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’ Throughout history, humanity has tried to control its future. A recent article described church leaders as looking for post-pandemic confidence ‘in data and prediction’.* The future will always remain uncertain; only by following Jesus in faith can we find our way.

We must each personally face and address our death, an unavoidable consequence of life. Jesus invites us to place confidence in His promise of life beyond the grave.

Jesus identifies Himself as a shepherd. His responsibility is to care for His flock, and humanity is that flock. The skill of every shepherd is to ensure sufficient grazing for the whole flock, from the youngest to the oldest. There is no discrimination based on age.

A gate serves a purpose. It keeps things out, or in. So we enter our homes and close the door to keep unwanted strangers from entering uninvited. Yet, a prisoner is locked inside a cell to keep them from going out.

Throughout Scripture, God is associated with light: the burning bush at Moses’ call (Exod. 3:3–4), the pillar of fire in the wilderness (Exod. 13:21). The psalmist spoke of God as light (Psa. 27:1), whilst the prophet promised, ‘The LORD shall be your everlasting light’ (Isa. 60:19) and spoke of the Messiah as light (Isa. 60:1). As a child, Simeon hailed Jesus as ‘a light to reveal God to the nati...

Over the next few days we’ll look at Jesus’ eight ‘I am’ statements. These provide specific indicators to Jesus’ unique qualities. They reveal Jesus as God’s Son and not simply a good teacher.

Learning to live with an open heart before God and others is always a challenge. We are instinctively suspicious of other people. We easily feel vulnerable about sharing honestly our feelings and experiences.

Disobedience is more often a result of neglect than deliberate intention. Life is all consuming, with many legitimate demands on our time and energy. Our heart is for God, but we’re simply overwhelmed.

We are accustomed to the concept of training. From sports to artistic accomplishment, our ability benefits from consistent training; learning specific skills to succeed in a certain activity. No surprise that the same is true in achieving a righteous life.

Behaviour originates within each of us. Knowing how we’re expected to behave, and then behaving in that way, is never guaranteed. It depends on what we allow to initiate our behaviour. Looking back, I can recall behaviour where I’ve disappointed myself. When I’m the centre of my world, then my behaviour is selfish. If I’m fearful, I may fail in my responsibility to love my neighbour.

There are certain unchanging laws in nature. Seeds, once planted, will germinate and produce the fruit that was embedded within them. In the same way, there are unchanging laws that underpin the ways of God. We can push against them, yet eventually the principle of that law will assert itself and we shall experience its consequences.

We are familiar with annual seasons. Writing EDWJ, I’m focused on nature’s rhythm here in the UK. Yet, wonderful news, EDWJ is read around the globe and so my winter is someone else’s summer.