On reading 4: Reading Classics
By Gerry Straker, 26 Apr 2020In our first article in our series on reading, we saw that the place to start is always the Word of God and it’s been great to hear of some of our people reading the Word more. In our second article, we saw how in...
On reading 3: We need help
By Gerry Straker, 24 Apr 2020In our first article in our series on reading, we saw that the place to start is always the Word of God and it’s been great to hear of some of our people reading the Word more. In our second article, we saw how in...
Reading Creation 2 - Thanking God for sunshine, our teacher
By Gerry Straker, 22 Apr 2020Yesterday we thought about how to read creation. As new creations ourselves (2 Corinthians 5:17), we can now see with new eyes the glory of God glowing in the world around us. The Word teaches us to read the world aright and the world sends...
Reading Creation
By Gerry Straker, 21 Apr 2020It has been a gorgeous few weeks weather wise, don’t you think? We want to thank God for the sunshine. But the sunshine is not only an opportunity to thank God, the sunshine teaches us. We’ve been thinking recently about reading books, and there’s more...
On Reading 2: Reading Changes Lives
By Gerry Straker, 20 Apr 2020Reading is very powerful, it changes lives. ‘An ungodly Welsh clergyman, shopping at a fair in the eighteenth century, bought an article which happened to be wrapped in a page torn from an old Puritan portfolio [a form of book]. The reading of that one page...
On Reading 1: Under lockdown or not, Bible first
By Gerry Straker, 17 Apr 2020Psalm 19: ‘The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.’...
Resurrection Hope
By Gerry Straker, 13 Apr 2020Everyone’s hopes have been dashed in all sorts of ways whether that’s going away, enjoying the sunshine, or eating lunch with friends. This coronavirus seems to know no boundaries and no borders. Country, class, colour, clan, culture or creed make no difference. And some people’s hopes...
Serving during Coronavirus
By Gerry Straker, 10 Apr 2020On Good Friday, we think about Jesus the Servant King (Mark 10:45). Jesus’ whole life is serving his death is serving and his rule is serving as he blesses his subjects. And we are to be servants, slaves of all. That is true greatness. So: ‘Do...
God’s gift of technology
By Gerry Straker, 06 Apr 2020Technology is everywhere; it is utterly inescapable. I am writing this on my desktop computer with a bluetooth keyboard on a desk I put together made by Ikea, under electric light, in a house with a roof, and I am suspended 2 and a half...
Mark 15:29-39 Reflection
By Gerry Straker, 05 Apr 2020Right now, it can feel like the world is against us, but Jesus really did have the world against him – even those crucified with him, mock him (32)! Mark’s recorded some of what was said to teach us. The insults are ironic (with irony, the...
