This is the text of a recent devotion I wrote for the United Reformed Church*. Click here to visit their site. * Please note that author’s opinion may not represent that of the United Reformed Church in general. It’s possible that some of them even like the stuff! Reflection Come with me to the land … More Marmite Nightmare! Romans 6:12-23
Doing A common New Testament word we translate as ‘sin’ is ἁμαρτία (hamartia), and it’s used for when you throw a spear but miss the target. So sin is missing God’s target. We can play a game to illustrate this. Have a small area for a ‘hit’ and everything else is a ‘miss’. You will … More 2 Samuel 11:26 – 12:13a – On Top of Mount Stupid
Take the piece of cloth (dampened with solvent if using permanent markers) and wipe your picture clean. The cloth now has the stain of sin, just as Jesus took our sins upon himself on the first Good Friday. He became sin for us, to make us clean and restore us in the image of God. … More We Have Marred Your Image in Us
Some ideas for a Maundy Thursday with more of the punch that it had the first time round. … More Maundy Thursday – What really needs cleaning?
Name aloud victims of sin that comes from darkness – those killed or injured in wars and acts of terror; those who mourn them; victims of racial aggression; refugees … dip your fingers in the red water and let it drip onto the paper around the black mark. … More Amos 5:18-24 – A Meditation for Remembrance Day
First – why on earth does Aaron agree to make a calf? Was he taking a loo-break when Moses said the whole ‘don’t worship other gods’ thing? … More Exodus 32:1-14 – Knowing me, Knowing you
Why do we confess our sins anyway? Particularly if, like those nuns, your sins are on the level of “I ate the extra sprout at dinner and didn’t tell Sister Delores, even though I know she really wanted it.” Does it really matter? … More Romans 5:1-11
It’s that unpopular little word with I in the middle – sin.
Today is the first Sunday of Lent, so this is a good time to be thinking about sin. The Bible has some helpful illustrations. It is missing the target, overstepping the boundary, falling short. But there are plenty of misconceptions about sin as well. Our passage today contains a very important text, verse 12, which has shaped the way that many of us think about ourselves and sin … More Romans 5:12-21
Great doctrines spanning centuries have been built upon two tiny words in this verse – ἐφ’ ᾧ – and churches have split over their interpretation. … More Essay on Romans 5:12
All through the Bible we see people very honestly showing God their confusion. Some even shout at God! That’s OK. He can handle it. … More Ps 37, Lam 3:19-26, Hab 1:1-4, 2:1-4
The Reflectionary 