Reflecting and Doing What am I cut out for? We often use phrases like, “I’m not cut out for this!” when we are in a situation that does not suit us. (Me, trying to make a touch-down in rugby, for example.) This activity helps us to think about how we can adapt our (less-than-perfect) selves … More Cut it Out! Gen 24
Continuing our walk through the seamless story of the Bible, this week we meet Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They journey from Egypt to Canaan and back to Egypt meeting God in unexpected places and growing into God’s promise. But then it looked like God had abandoned his people. Was the story about to end? This … More The Big Story – Week 2
Was it the name that made Jacob the way he was? Or did God see his heart before he was born and match the name to the nature? Perhaps Jacob could have used his name as a spur to become better than the shyster it implied. … More Genesis 25:19-34
The classic story of servant-meets-girl, servant-gets-girl, boy-finally-sees-girl-on-a-camel. Hollywood should buy the rights immediately. … More Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67
So tests are not pleasant, but they are normal and they are helpful. How did Abraham’s test help? It forced him to think seriously about where his faith lay. In the past he had taken matters into his own hands – Pharaoh, Hagar and Ishmael, Abimelch, etc. Now God, the giver of the impossible, had demanded the impossible back. Whom would he trust? … More Genesis 22:1-14
Other times we can find ourselves doing a Sarah – acting out of fear, insecurity and other pretty unflattering motivations, if we are honest. And although God can, and does, redeem our foolish mistakes (and Lord knows I make plenty), the consequences may live on. Sarah didn’t cope well with the consequences of her actions, and Hagar’s distress was the result. … More Genesis 21:8-21
You can really hear the frustration in Abraham’s voice as he points out to God the elephant in the room. ‘It’s all very well you telling me I’m going to have so many children that I’ll have to barcode them to keep track, but in case you hadn’t noticed, the total so far is zero. … More Genesis 15:1-6, Hebrews 11:1-3,8-16
The Reflectionary 