WAIT… THAT’S IN THE BIBLE? — DAY 10

A lighthearted look at some of the wonderfully unexpected things you discover when you actually read your Bible, context still matters!

“How beautiful you are, my darling!
Oh, how beautiful!
Your eyes behind your veil are doves.
Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from the hills of Gilead.”
Song of Songs 4:1

Ahhh… romance.

Flowers.

Candlelight.

Beautiful poetry.

And apparently…

GOATS.

Imagine your wife or girlfriend coming home from the hairdresser.

She turns around and asks:

“Well… what do you think?”

This is your moment.

You look deeply into her eyes and say:

“My darling…

your hair reminds me of…

A FLOCK OF GOATS DESCENDING A MOUNTAIN.”

Gentlemen…

I cannot guarantee how the rest of your evening will go.

“Report back. We’re praying for you”

Ancient romance poetry definitely hits a little differently.

Of course, context still matters! Song of Songs is beautiful Hebrew love poetry, filled with imagery that would have communicated beauty, abundance and admiration to its original audience.

A flock of dark goats flowing down the slopes of Gilead would have created a striking visual picture, the movement of the flock resembling long, flowing hair.

So yes

IT WAS A COMPLIMENT.

A very romantic one.

At the time.

But some biblical expressions of affection probably shouldn’t be copied word for word into your modern relationship.

So today’s biblical relationship advice:

Tell her she’s beautiful.

Tell her you love her.

Admire her hair.

But perhaps…

LEAVE THE GOATS OUT OF IT.

WAIT… THAT’S IN THE BIBLE? — DAY 10

A lighthearted look at some of the wonderfully unexpected things you discover when you actually read your Bible, context still matters!

“How beautiful you are, my darling!
Oh, how beautiful!
Your eyes behind your veil are doves.
Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from the hills of Gilead.”
Song of Songs 4:1

Ahhh… romance.

Flowers.

Candlelight.

Beautiful poetry.

And apparently…

GOATS.

Imagine your wife or girlfriend coming home from the hairdresser.

She turns around and asks:

“Well… what do you think?”

This is your moment.

You look deeply into her eyes and say:

“My darling…

your hair reminds me of…

A FLOCK OF GOATS DESCENDING A MOUNTAIN.”

Gentlemen…

I cannot guarantee how the rest of your evening will go.

“Report back. We’re praying for you”

Ancient romance poetry definitely hits a little differently.

Of course, context still matters! Song of Songs is beautiful Hebrew love poetry, filled with imagery that would have communicated beauty, abundance and admiration to its original audience.

A flock of dark goats flowing down the slopes of Gilead would have created a striking visual picture, the movement of the flock resembling long, flowing hair.

So yes

IT WAS A COMPLIMENT.

A very romantic one.

At the time.

But some biblical expressions of affection probably shouldn’t be copied word for word into your modern relationship.

So today’s biblical relationship advice:

Tell her she’s beautiful.

Tell her you love her.

Admire her hair.

But perhaps…

LEAVE THE GOATS OUT OF IT.

WAIT… THAT’S IN THE BIBLE? — DAY 9

A lighthearted look at some of the wonderfully unexpected things you discover when you actually read your Bible, context still matters!

“The lookout reported, ‘He has reached them, but he isn’t coming back either. The driving is like that of Jehu son of Nimshi, he drives like a maniac.’”
2 Kings 9:20

Apparently reckless driving was recognisable LONG before cars were invented.

Picture the lookout standing on the city wall, watching a chariot approaching in the distance.

Someone asks:

“Who is it?”

And apparently the answer is basically:

“Can’t see his face yet…

…but judging by the driving…

THAT’S JEHU.”

Jehu apparently had such a distinctive driving style that people could recognise him FROM A DISTANCE.

No licence plate.

No number plate recognition.

No GPS.

Just:

“Yep. Look at that bloke drive.

Definitely Jehu.”

Suddenly the next time someone cuts you off in traffic, changes lanes without indicating, or flies past you like they’re competing in the Chariot Grand Prix…

you have a biblical name for them.

“Calm down, Jehu.”

Of course, context still matters! This isn’t really a Bible verse about bad driving. Jehu had been anointed king and was racing toward Jezreel as part of a very serious moment of judgment against the house of Ahab. His furious driving helped the watchman identify who was approaching before Jehu even reached the city.

But still…

Imagine being known so well for the way you drive that people can identify you before they can even see your face.

Some people have a signature.

Jehu apparently had a driving style.

BIBLICAL TRAFFIC REPORT:

Chariot approaching at high speed.

Driver appears slightly unhinged.

Almost certainly Jehu.

WAIT… THAT’S IN THE BIBLE? — DAY 8

A lighthearted look at some of the wonderfully unexpected things you discover when you actually read your Bible, context still matters!

“Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.”
John 20:4

Picture it.

John is recording one of the most pivotal moments in human history.

The tomb is empty.

Jesus has risen.

Everything is about to change.

But apparently there was one tiny historical detail that simply could not be left out of the record…

JOHN BEAT PETER IN THE FOOTRACE.

John could have written:

“We ran to the tomb.”

Perfectly adequate.

But no.

“We both ran…

…but just so everyone knows…

I GOT THERE FIRST.”

And if you keep reading, John mentions AGAIN that “the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first…” entered afterward.

John.

Mate.

We heard you the first time.

Of course, context still matters. John isn’t writing a sports commentary. These details help give us an eyewitness account of what happened that morning, including how Peter and John responded differently when they arrived at the empty tomb.

But still…

Two thousand years later, billions of people have read the Gospel of John

and thanks to John 20:4, we also know:

JOHN — 1
PETER — 0

Some records apparently deserve to be preserved for eternity.

WAIT… THAT’S IN THE BIBLE? — DAY 7

A lighthearted look at some of the wonderfully unexpected things you discover when you actually read your Bible, context still matters!

“The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.”
Proverbs 26:15

If you have ever been so comfortable on the couch that reaching into the chip bag felt like a massive workout…

congratulations.

The book of Proverbs officially called you out thousands of years before the invention of television or the smartphone.

Apparently this bloke managed to complete:

STEP 1: Put hand in food.
STEP 2: Bring food to mouth.

And just decided…

“Nah. Too much effort.”

Context still matters! Proverbs 26 uses deliberately ridiculous pictures to expose the foolishness of habitual laziness. The point isn’t that resting is wrong, Scripture values rest, but that laziness can become so ingrained that even the simplest responsibility feels like too much effort.

But still

If your hand is already IN THE CHIP BAG and eating them feels like too much work

Proverbs would like a word with you.

WAIT… THAT’S IN THE BIBLE? — DAY 6

A lighthearted look at some of the wonderfully unexpected things you discover when you actually read your Bible, context still matters!

“And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?”
Numbers 22:28 KJV

Imagine being in an argument so intense that your own donkey turns around and uses human words to tell you that you are being unreasonable.

Even wilder?

Instead of running away in terror, Balaam just argues right back with the donkey.

The funny talking donkey moment actually carries a serious message:

Sometimes the person who thinks he can see clearly is the one who is blind, and God can use the most unexpected messenger to get our attention.

But still

If an animal starts talking to you

perhaps stop arguing long enough to ask WHY.

WAIT… THAT’S IN THE BIBLE? — DAY 5

“A lighthearted look at some of the wonderfully unexpected things you discover when you actually read your Bible, context still matters!”

“Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house, too much of you, and they will hate you Proverbs 25:17.

Apparently the Bible has instructions for THE VISITOR WHO DOESN’T KNOW WHEN TO GO HOME.

You came over for coffee at 10am.

It’s now 6pm.

They’ve washed the cups.

They’ve started preparing dinner.

They’ve yawned seventeen times.

They’ve put their pyjamas on…

And you’re still saying:

“Anyway, before I go, there’s just ONE more thing…”

Long before the invention of the awkwardly looking at your watch to signal the end of a party, King Solomon dropped this absolute gem. It is a timeless, polite, biblical reminder to your guests that it is officially time to pack up and head home.

BIBLICAL SOCIAL ETIQUETTE

When your host says,
“Well… it’s getting late…”

Proverbs 25:17 would like you to know:
THAT’S YOUR CUE.

WAIT… THAT’S IN THE BIBLE? — DAY 4

“A lighthearted look at some of the wonderfully unexpected things you discover when you actually read your Bible, context still matters!”

“It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.” Proverbs 21:9 KJV

In other words, Solomon gives us the wonderfully vivid picture of a man apparently deciding, “You know what? The roof is looking pretty comfortable right now.”

The genuine context is wisdom about the misery caused by constant quarrelling in a household. Proverbs uses deliberately memorable comparisons to teach that peace in a humble place is better than comfort and plenty surrounded by continual conflict. It isn’t teaching husbands to climb onto the roof whenever their wives annoy them but:

Considering Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines, when he says:

“It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop…”

you can’t help wondering whether this particular proverb came with a little personal experience.

Maybe Solomon wasn’t just giving wisdom.

Maybe he was giving directions to his favourite quiet spot.

With Solomon’s household

I’m thinking he probably knew where all the good rooftop spots were.

When the Wilderness Becomes a Garden

“For the Lord comforts Zion; he comforts all her waste places and makes her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song.”
Isaiah 51:3

This is such a beautiful promise of hope.

God looks at the broken, empty and wasted places and says, I can restore that.

He can take the dry wilderness and make it like Eden. He can take the desert and turn it into the garden of the Lord. The place that once held sadness can become a place filled with joy, thanksgiving and songs of praise.

Just before this promise, God reminds His people to look back at Abraham and Sarah. Abraham was only one man when God called him, yet God blessed him and multiplied him.

What looked small was not too small for God.

What looked impossible was not impossible for God.

Sometimes we find ourselves in wilderness seasons where we feel weak, dry, alone or even forgotten. We look around and see very little evidence that anything is changing.

But God sees beyond what we can see.

He sees the garden while we are still looking at the desert.

He sees new growth where we only see dry ground.

He sees restoration where we see ruins.

And He reminds us of what He has done before so that we can trust Him with what He is doing now.

If you are walking through a wilderness today, don’t mistake the dryness of this season for the absence of God.

You have not been forgotten.

You are still on His mind.

The wilderness is not necessarily the end of your story.

God can make gardens grow in places you thought would always remain barren.

Joy is on the way.

And one day, the place that heard your tears may hear your song.

The wilderness doesn’t merely become fruitful; it gets its song back.

WAIT… THAT’S IN THE BIBLE? — DAY 3

“A lighthearted look at some of the wonderfully unexpected things you discover when you actually read your Bible, context still matters!”

“And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven…” Ezekiel 8:3 KJV

EZEKIEL’S TRANSPORTATION ARRANGEMENTS WERE… UNUSUAL.

There Ezekiel was, minding his own business, when his next prophetic assignment began with:

GRAB HAIR.
LIFT PROPHET.
COMMENCE JOURNEY.

No chariot.

No donkey.

No “Please fasten your seatbelt.”

Just…

“I’ve got you by the hair. We’re going to Jerusalem.”

Suddenly being asked to walk somewhere doesn’t sound so bad.

Now, context still matters! Ezekiel is describing a serious prophetic vision in which God takes him, by the Spirit, to Jerusalem and shows him the idolatry taking place there.

But you have to admit…

If someone asked Ezekiel:

“How was your trip?”

I’m imagining him rubbing his head and saying:

“Enlightening… but next time I’m asking for a chariot.”

Sometimes Bible study gives you profound revelation…

and sometimes you discover that Ezekiel’s prophetic travel insurance probably needed to cover hair loss.

WAIT… THAT’S IN THE BIBLE? DAY 2

“A lighthearted look at some of the wonderfully unexpected things you discover when you actually read your Bible, context still matters!”

“He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.” Proverbs 27:14

Apparently even the Bible understands that some people are just NOT morning people.

Imagine it…

You’ve barely opened your eyes.

You haven’t had your coffee.

And someone walks in:

“GOOD MORNING!!! WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY! GOD BLESS YOU!!!”

And Proverbs basically says:

At that hour…
even the blessing might sound like a curse.

Of course, the proverb isn’t really commanding us to drink coffee or banning cheerful people before breakfast.

It’s wisdom about timing and consideration.

Even something good, like blessing someone, can become irritating when it’s delivered loudly, thoughtlessly, or at the wrong time.

So today’s biblical wisdom:

Bless your friends.

Love your neighbours.

But perhaps… let them have their coffee first.

Sometimes Bible study gives you deep revelation…

and sometimes it tells you NOT TO SHOUT AT PEOPLE EARLY IN THE MORNING.

WAIT… THAT’S IN THE BIBLE? DAY 1

“A lighthearted look at some of the wonderfully unexpected things you discover when you actually read your Bible, context still matters!”

Proof that you never know what you’re going to find when you read your Bible

“As a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down.”
2 Kings 21:13 KJV

Now, before anyone tells me this verse is about God’s judgment on Jerusalem, yes, I know! Context matters!

BUT…

If your husband ever tells you that doing the dishes is “woman’s work,” you can always smile sweetly, open your Bible to
2 Kings 21:13 and say:

“Well… interestingly enough, when the Bible describes someone wiping the dishes, it says it’s a MAN!”

I’m not saying that’s what the verse means…

I’m just saying it’s there.

Sometimes Bible study gives you deep revelation.

And sometimes it gives you ammunition for the kitchen.

We Have Been Transferred

“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.” Colossians 1:13

“Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”
Ephesians 2:12–13

What actually changed when we received Jesus?

It was not simply a spiritual transaction that secured us a place in heaven. Something happened in the here and now.

We were transferred.

Before Jesus, a whole set of things were true of us. We were separated from Christ, far from God, without hope and living under what Paul calls the “domain of darkness.”

But then came those wonderful words:

“But now in Christ Jesus”

Everything changed.

We were far away; now we have been brought near.

We were separated; now we belong.

We were without hope; now we have hope.

We were under the domain of darkness; now we belong to the kingdom of His beloved Son.

Our identity changed.
Our citizenship changed.
Our allegiance changed.
The authority under which we live changed.

But that doesn’t mean every old pattern disappears overnight.

Our struggles don’t make us any less a part of His kingdom.

We may still wrestle with ways of thinking that were formed over many years. We may still find ourselves responding from old wounds, habits and behaviours. God has made us new, but learning to live from that new identity is a process.

Some things that took years to become established in our lives may take time to unlearn.

That is why consistency matters.

Sometimes we begin walking with Jesus expecting everything to change immediately. Then after a few days, weeks or months, we look at ourselves and think, Nothing is happening. I’m still struggling with the same things.

So we become discouraged.

But don’t mistake slow transformation for no transformation.

A tree can be growing long before you see fruit hanging from its branches.

Keep praying.
Keep opening His Word.
Keep listening.
Keep obeying.
Keep allowing the Holy Spirit to challenge old ways of thinking.
Keep getting up when you stumble.

Don’t quit simply because transformation is taking longer than you expected.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says:

“He has made everything beautiful in its time.”

His time, not ours.

Imagine someone who has lived their entire life under one government and then becomes a citizen of another country. Their citizenship changes immediately, but it may take time for them to learn the customs, language and ways of their new home.

Spiritually, something similar happens to us.

We don’t fight the old life in order to become citizens of God’s kingdom.

We learn to live differently because we already belong to His kingdom.

That is the difference.

You aren’t trying to earn your place.
You aren’t trying to convince God to accept you.
You aren’t struggling your way into His kingdom.

Christ has already brought you near.

Now, day by day, the Holy Spirit teaches you how to live like someone who belongs there.

So when the old voice says, “Nothing has changed. This is who you’ve always been,” remember:

That may be where I came from, but it is no longer where I live.

I have been delivered.
I have been brought near.
I have been made new.
I belong to Christ.

Salvation didn’t simply give me somewhere new to go when I die.

Jesus gave me a whole new Kingdom to live in today.

Enough Light for the Next Step

“For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.”
Psalm 36:9

God is the source of all life. Everything begins with Him, and it is in His light that we begin to see clearly, truth, goodness, ourselves, and the world around us.

But God doesn’t always illuminate the entire journey.

Sometimes He simply lights the ground beneath our feet.

We often want God to show us the whole plan. We want to know where we are going, what we will be doing when we arrive, and how everything is going to work out. Yet God often asks us to walk before we can see the entire road.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
Psalm 119:105

A lamp doesn’t necessarily illuminate the whole road ahead. It gives enough light for the next step.

Faith isn’t knowing where every step will lead; it is trusting the One who gives us enough light to take the next one.

Sometimes we find ourselves on a journey without knowing exactly where God is taking us. The destination may not be clear. The direction may seem uncertain. We may not understand the purpose of everything He is asking us to do.

But perhaps we don’t need to.

We only need enough light for today.

Take the step He has shown you.

Then take the next one.

As we continue walking in His light, the direction becomes clearer. The plan begins to unfold. The tasks He has placed before us start to make sense. What once looked like disconnected steps gradually becomes part of a much bigger picture.

Abraham was told to leave his country and go “to the land that I will show you” Genesis 12:1. God didn’t give him the entire map before he left. Abraham had to begin walking while trusting that God would reveal the destination along the way.

Sometimes God works the same way with us.

We want the map.

God gives us the lamp.

We want to see the destination.

God says, “Trust Me with the next step.”

And perhaps one day, when we look back at the road behind us, we will realise that every small step of obedience was leading somewhere all along.

We don’t have to understand everything at once.

We simply have to keep walking in His light.

The God who lights the next step already knows where the path leads.

My Mess, God’s Masterpiece

When I view the Master’s paintings,
hanging for the world to see,
I think a masterpiece
could never become me.

My faults and all my failures
seem displayed for all to see,
yet You whisper gently,
“The masterpiece I’m creating is thee.”

Each brushstroke has a purpose,
each touch is placed with care.
The colours on Your palette
are beyond all compare.

Your love becomes so evident,
so deep I can’t comprehend,
that my life is the paintbrush
held safely in Your hand.

Though You’re creating a masterpiece,
I know I may not see
the finished work You’re painting
this side of eternity.

Until that day, I’ll trust You,
though the canvas seems unclear,
for every stroke of mercy
is drawing You more near.

My mess is not the ending;
it’s where Your grace begins.
The Master sees a masterpiece
where the world still sees my sin.

Follow His Voice

Once I was lost in a maze,
every path leading
to a dead end.

The breadcrumbs I had left
to mark my way home
were eaten by scavenger birds,
picking over every crumb.

So many times
I tried to escape
the tangled walls
that held me captive,
but every attempt
ended in failure.

Lostness covered me over
until I believed
I would simply become
another part of the maze.

I drifted here and there,
unable to find my way.
Every effort
left me more lost
than before.

At last I reached
what I thought
must surely be
the way of escape,
only to find
a door standing before me,
firmly locked,
with no key in sight.

I cried out for help,
but the thick undergrowth
muffled my voice,
and my cries
fell upon deaf ears.

All my striving,
all my strength,
came to nothing.
I was trapped
within my own maze of pain.

Then I heard a voice,
crying in the wilderness,

“This is the way;
walk in it.”

Was it another deception,
another trick
of the maze
that had held me captive
for so long?

Slowly,
my hands tracing
the walls beside me,
I followed
the sound of that voice.

Trusting
not what I could see,
but the One
I could hear.

With every step,
the darkness loosened
its grip,
and I found myself
drawing closer
to freedom.

No longer relying
on my own strength,
I surrendered
to the still, small voice
that gently called
my name.

Trusting
what I could not see,
He faithfully
led me home.

There,
I found
Your light.

Your words
brought peace
to my troubled soul.

And as I placed
my trust in You,

You led me out.

Free

at last.

Be Still Doesn’t Mean What We Often Think It Does

One of the most quoted verses in Scripture is:

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10

Most of us hear those words and picture a quiet morning, sitting alone with a coffee and Bible, listening for God’s voice. While spending quiet time with God is important, that isn’t what Psalm 46 is primarily talking about.

When you read the whole psalm, the setting is one of chaos, war, and upheaval. Mountains are shaking, kingdoms are raging, and nations are at war. In the middle of that battlefield, God speaks.

The Hebrew word translated “be still” is raphah. It carries the idea of letting go, ceasing, relaxing your grip, or stopping your striving. Within the military imagery of Psalm 46, it paints a powerful picture: God is commanding the raging nations to stop fighting because He alone is sovereign. It is as though He is saying, “Enough. Drop your weapons. Cease your striving. Know that I am God.”

The battle was never going to be won by human strength.

It would be won because God is God.

“I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Knowing God isn’t simply knowing facts about Him. It is recognising who He truly is, the sovereign Lord over every nation, every battle, every circumstance, and every enemy. The God we call Father is also our Defender.

David understood this.

When he stood before Goliath, he didn’t place his confidence in his sling or in the smooth stones he had gathered. His confidence rested in the Lord of Hosts.

“The battle is the Lord’s.” 1 Samuel 17:47

David certainly acted, but his action flowed from trust rather than panic. While everyone else saw an impossible giant, David saw a God who was infinitely greater.

How often do we respond differently?

When pressure comes, our natural response is fight or flight. We either rush into battle, trying to defend ourselves, or we run away in fear. Yet Scripture invites us to choose another response first.

Seek God’s presence.

Pray.

Trust.

Psalm 22 reminds us of the Father’s heart:

“For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.” Psalm 22:24

Everything changes when prayer becomes our first response instead of our last resort.

Conflict floods our bodies with adrenaline. We feel the urgent need to fix the problem immediately, defend ourselves, prove our point, or control the outcome. But stopping to pray interrupts that cycle. It reminds us that we do not have to solve everything in the next sixty seconds.

Prayer shifts our focus from the size of the giant to the greatness of our God.

The problem that once seemed overwhelming suddenly becomes subject to the One who rules heaven and earth.

Human effort alone often produces manipulation, exhaustion, and deeper conflict. But when we surrender our striving to God, we make room for Him to work in ways we never could have imagined. Just as one smooth stone was all God needed through David, a surrendered heart allows God to accomplish what frantic striving never can.

Conflict also leaves us feeling alone, misunderstood, and unseen.

Yet Psalm 22 gives us this beautiful assurance: God has not hidden His face from those who cry out to Him.

He sees.

He hears.

He responds.

Perhaps “be still” is not an invitation to do nothing.

Perhaps it is an invitation to stop believing that everything depends on us.

Lay down your striving.

Release your grip.

Trust the One who has already declared:

“I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

The battle has never rested on your shoulders.

It has always belonged to Him.

Have you ever watched or read a Bible story you’ve known your whole life, only for it to suddenly hit you in a completely different way?

That happened to me recently while watching a children’s movie about David.

I found myself unexpectedly in tears.

David was just a shepherd boy, faithfully looking after his father’s sheep. He didn’t ask to be king. He didn’t volunteer for years of hiding in caves, running for his life, being betrayed, or living with constant danger. Yet the moment God anointed him, his life changed forever.

It made me stop and ask a difficult question.

If God gives us free will, why was David chosen for a path he never asked for?

As I searched the Scriptures, I was reminded that while we have freedom in our choices, God also has the sovereign right to call people for His purposes. David’s calling wasn’t something he earned or requested. It was God’s plan.

That doesn’t mean it was easy.

David didn’t pretend everything was fine. He poured out his heart before God.

“How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?… How long shall I have sorrow in my heart all the day?” Psalm 13:1–2

Those words remind me that God isn’t afraid of our questions or our tears.

The wilderness wasn’t God’s way of abandoning David. It was where David learned to depend on Him. It was in the caves that David discovered God was his refuge.

“Be merciful to me, O God… in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.” Psalm 57:1

David could have walked away, but his love for God was greater than his desire for comfort. His greatest longing wasn’t a crown. It was God’s presence.

“One thing have I desired of the Lord… that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.” Psalm 27:4

Perhaps that’s why David became a man after God’s own heart.

His story ultimately points us to Jesus, who willingly walked the hardest road of all. The cross looked unfair, yet through it came the greatest rescue the world has ever known.

Maybe you’re in a season you never chose.

Maybe you’re carrying burdens you never asked to bear.

If so, remember David.

It is okay to cry.

It is okay to ask God, “Why?”

Those questions don’t push God away. They often become the place where we discover His presence most deeply.

Sometimes the wilderness isn’t where God leaves us.

It’s where He lovingly shapes us into the people He created us to be.

Dig Deeper

Luke 5:4–6, Ephesians 6:13

As we travel along this journey called life, there are times when we suddenly hit a wall or discover a rock blocking the road ahead.

Our natural response may be to pack up our tools and walk away. We tell ourselves, Perhaps this was never meant to be. We convince ourselves that the resistance must mean God is redirecting us somewhere else.

But what if the rock in the road is not a sign to turn back?

What if the wall is not God telling us to move on, but an invitation to keep digging, keep trusting, and keep going?

Luke 5 tells the story of an unsuccessful, all night fishing expedition. Peter and the other fishermen had worked for hours and caught absolutely nothing. They were exhausted, disappointed, and ready to wash their nets, go home, and forget the whole experience.

Then Jesus arrived.

He did not tell Peter to find another lake.

He did not give him a different boat.

He told him to return to the same water where he had already experienced failure.

“And when He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.’ And Simon answered, ‘Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at Your word I will let down the nets.’ And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.”
Luke 5:4–6

Peter could have responded, I have already tried. I am tired. It did not work. I am an experienced fisherman, and I know there are no fish here.

Perhaps he felt all those things.

But despite his exhaustion and disappointment, Peter said, “At Your word, I will let down the nets.”

He obeyed Jesus in what appeared to be a hopeless situation.

The breakthrough was not waiting in another location. It was waiting deeper in the same place.

Sometimes we believe that changing our surroundings will remove the resistance. We change jobs, churches, cities, or even countries, only to discover that opposition can follow us wherever we go.

Breakthrough is not always about geography.

Sometimes it is about obedience.

When God has called us to remain, the ground beneath our feet can become fertile, even when it once appeared dry and unproductive.

When Peter obeyed Jesus, the result was not merely a small improvement. They caught so many fish that their nets began to break and their boats started to sink. God did more than Peter could have produced through his own experience or effort.

There are some walls that hard work alone cannot break.

There are rocks that cannot be moved by human strength.

They require prayer, perseverance, time in God’s presence, and the spiritual strength to keep standing when everything within us wants to give up.

Not every obstacle has been placed in our way to stop us. Some obstacles reveal whether we will trust God enough to continue.

Ephesians 6:13 tells us:

“And having done all, to stand firm.”

Church life may be difficult, keep standing.

Family life may be difficult, keep praying.

The ministry God has placed within your heart may appear no closer than it was yesterday, keep obeying.

Your breakthrough may be waiting beneath one more layer of resistance.

When fossicking for precious stones, you do not simply scrape across the surface and expect to discover treasure. You dig. You sift. You search beneath the ordinary soil because precious things are often hidden deep below the surface.

In the same way, some of the most precious things God develops in our lives are found only when we are willing to dig deeper.

Perseverance must always be joined with discernment. There are times when God redirects us, and there are times when He closes a door. But we should not assume that every difficulty means He has told us to leave.

Before you walk away, listen for His voice.

Perhaps He is not saying, Find another lake.

Perhaps He is saying:

“Launch out into the deep.”

The place where you experienced disappointment may yet become the place where you witness His abundance.

The wall may not be the end of the journey.

The rock may be hiding something precious.

And the breakthrough may be waiting on the other side of one more act of obedience.

Faithful to Your Calling

Matthew 11:1–18
Matthew 3:13–17

As I was reading today, I found myself thinking about the relationship between Jesus and John the Baptist.

They were cousins, and I wonder how close they were growing up. Did John always know Jesus was the promised Messiah, or did that revelation come later?

When John preached in the wilderness, he declared:

“I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
Matthew 3:11

It almost seems as though John knew the Messiah was coming, but not exactly who He was until the day Jesus stepped into the Jordan River. At His baptism, something changed. John immediately recognised Jesus’ authority and humbly replied,

“I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?”

Then God Himself confirmed Jesus’ identity as the Holy Spirit descended like a dove and the Father’s voice declared,

“This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

From that moment, Jesus began His public ministry.

Yet sometime later, everything seemed different.

John was sitting in prison. The man who had boldly proclaimed, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,” now sent his disciples to ask Jesus,

“Are You the One who is to come, or shall we look for another?”
Matthew 11:3

At first glance, it almost seems like John was doubting.

Perhaps prison had become a place of wrestling. John had preached that the Messiah would bring both salvation and judgment, yet while Jesus was healing the sick, preaching the gospel, and showing mercy, Rome still ruled and John remained behind bars. Things were not unfolding the way many expected.

The Jewish people were waiting for a conquering King who would overthrow Rome and restore Israel’s kingdom. Instead, Jesus came first as the suffering Servant, bringing forgiveness, healing, and reconciliation with God.

What amazes me most is Jesus’ response.

He wasn’t offended by John’s question.

He didn’t criticise him or question his calling.

Instead, He pointed to the evidence.

“Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news preached to them.”
Matthew 11:4–5

Jesus didn’t defend Himself with arguments. He simply pointed to the fruit of His ministry. The evidence of God’s hand spoke louder than any accusation or misunderstanding ever could.

Then Jesus turned to the crowd and honoured John, declaring that among those born of women there had arisen no one greater than John the Baptist.

That challenged me.

How often do we feel the need to defend our calling when others question it?

People may look at our lives, our ministry, or the way God is using us and ask, “Are you really called?” Sometimes they don’t ask with words, but with raised eyebrows, criticism, or comparison.

We often think being called should look a certain way.

But God has never worked from a single formula.

John ministered in the wilderness dressed in camel’s hair.

Jesus spent time eating with sinners and tax collectors.

Peter preached boldly to crowds.

Paul reasoned with philosophers.

Each one was called by the same God, yet each served differently.

Even throughout church history we see this. Smith Wigglesworth often ministered in ways that many people found unusual or even outrageous. While not everything someone does should automatically become our pattern, God clearly used him in remarkable ways. His ministry reminds us that God is not limited to our expectations or traditions. He delights in using different personalities, different gifts, and different methods to accomplish His purposes.

God never asks us to imitate someone else’s calling.

He asks us to faithfully fulfil our own.

The proof of our calling is not found in winning arguments or gaining everyone’s approval. It is revealed through obedience, faithfulness, transformed lives, and the fruit God produces over time.

Our responsibility is not to prove people wrong.

Our responsibility is to remain faithful until God proves Himself through us.

Paul’s instruction to Archippus is just as relevant today:

“See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.”
Colossians 4:17

What God has called you to may not look like what He has called someone else to do.

Your personality may be different.

Your gifts may be different.

Your methods may be different.

But different does not mean disqualified.

God is faithful to confirm what He has truly ordained.

So don’t spend your life trying to become someone else.

Simply be faithful to the ministry the Lord has entrusted to you, and allow Him to produce the fruit in His perfect time.

The Cost of Compromise

What Numbers 25 Teaches Us About the Modern Church

The story in Numbers 25 is difficult to read, yet it holds a mirror to the world we are living in today.

While camped at Shittim, the Israelites forgot who they were. After everything God had done, delivering them from Egypt, parting the Red Sea, and faithfully sustaining them in the wilderness, they turned their backs on Him. They gave themselves over to sexual immorality and joined the worship of the gods of Moab.

The climax of the story is especially sobering.

While Moses and the people were weeping at the entrance to the Tabernacle, pleading for God’s mercy as a plague swept through the camp, a leader named Zimri did something almost unimaginable. He openly brought a Midianite woman into the camp and into his tent in full view of everyone.

His actions were more than private sin. They were public rebellion.

His attitude seemed to say,

“What are you going to do about it?”

There was no reverence.
No repentance.
No fear of the Lord.

Then Phinehas stood up.

Consumed with zeal for God’s holiness and love for His covenant, Phinehas refused to remain passive while God’s name was openly dishonoured. His actions belonged to a unique moment in Israel’s history under the Mosaic covenant, where God had established civil laws for His covenant nation. Through his obedience, the plague was stopped.

The Mirror to Today

When I read this passage, I cannot help but see parallels with our own generation.

The Loss of Awe

We have often exchanged the fear of the Lord for familiarity.

Jesus invites us to call God Father, yet our Father is still the holy God before whom Isaiah cried,

“Woe is me!” Isaiah 6:5

He is loving and gracious, yet He is also holy beyond our imagination.

Just as Israel slowly blended with the culture of Moab, many believers and churches are under constant pressure to reshape biblical truth so it fits the values of the surrounding culture.

When culture becomes our authority instead of Scripture, compromise follows.

Perhaps the most alarming similarity is that sin is no longer simply tolerated, it is often celebrated.

What Scripture calls sin is increasingly defended, applauded, and even expected to be affirmed. Like Zimri, our culture often displays rebellion openly, assuming no one has the courage to stand for God’s truth.

Unlike Phinehas, our battle is not fought with physical weapons.

As Paul reminds us:

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness” Ephesians 6:12

Our weapons are truth, righteousness, prayer, the gospel, faith, and the Word of God.

But we are still called to possess the heart of Phinehas.

A heart that refuses to compromise.

A heart that loves God’s holiness more than human approval.

A heart that grieves over sin instead of becoming comfortable with it.

A heart that begins by examining itself before pointing at others.

Revival has never begun with the world changing.

It has always begun when God’s people humble themselves, repent, and return wholeheartedly to Him.

Perhaps the greatest question Numbers 25 asks us is not, “How compromised is the culture?”

It is,

“How compromised is my own heart?”

May God restore to His Church a holy reverence, a deep love for His truth, and the courage to stand with both grace and conviction in a generation that desperately needs Him.

Numbers 25 is not simply the story of Israel’s failure.

It is God’s loving warning to every generation of believers.

May we never lose our awe of His holiness. May we never exchange His truth for cultural approval. And may we be people who stand with humility, grace, and unwavering conviction for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

“Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction… Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.” 1 Corinthians 10:11–12

The Master Storyteller

“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…”
Hebrews 12:2

As an author, I love a good story.

Every great story has moments of joy, heartbreak, uncertainty, and struggle. There are chapters that leave you smiling and chapters that leave you wondering how everything could possibly work out. Yet the best stories are often the ones that finish well.

While reading Hebrews 12:2 today, I found myself looking at the words author and finisher from a writer’s perspective.

Jesus is called the Author and Finisher of our faith.

He is the One who begins the work of faith within us, and He is faithful to bring it to completion. That made me think about our lives like the pages of a book.

Maybe the story so far hasn’t been what you hoped it would be.

Perhaps you’ve walked through loss, disappointment, failure, or seasons you wish you could erase. Maybe the chapter you’re living in today feels heavy and difficult to read.

But one difficult chapter does not mean the whole book is ruined.

As long as there is breath in our lungs, God is still at work. Every day we have another opportunity to surrender the pen and allow Him to continue shaping us into the people He created us to be.

Jesus endured the cross because He could see beyond the suffering. Hebrews tells us that “for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross.” He saw the finished story long before anyone else could. He saw redeemed lives, restored hearts, and people brought back into relationship with the Father.

Now He is seated at the right hand of God because His work on the cross is complete.

The same Saviour who finished the work of redemption is faithfully finishing the work He began in us.

So if today’s chapter feels painful, don’t lose heart.

A difficult chapter does not mean a disappointing ending.

Trust the Master Storyteller.

He knows how to take broken pages, painful chapters, and unexpected plot twists and weave them into something beautiful.

The Author of your faith never abandons the story before it reaches its perfect conclusion.

“Being confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6

God Doesn’t Need Your Resume

Have you ever looked at what you have to offer and thought, I don’t have the qualifications, the experience, or the resources for this?

While reading through the book of Judges, I came across one seemingly insignificant verse that completely stopped me in my tracks.

Judges 3:31 says:

“After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. He too saved Israel.”

That is his entire biography.

One sentence.

Yet that single sentence carries an incredible message.

When you dig a little deeper, you discover that Shamgar doesn’t fit the profile of someone we would expect God to use. His name is not a typical Hebrew name, and the title “son of Anath” has led many scholars to suggest he may have had connections to a Canaanite or pagan background. We aren’t told that he came from a prominent tribe, a respected family, or a position of influence.

Then there was his weapon.

He didn’t carry a sword or a spear.

He carried an oxgoad, a long wooden staff used by farmers to guide stubborn cattle.

By every human standard, Shamgar had the wrong background, the wrong reputation, and the wrong tools.

Yet when the moment came, God didn’t ask for his résumé.

God simply used what was already in his hand.

With nothing more than a farmer’s tool, Shamgar defeated six hundred Philistines and became God’s instrument to save Israel.

Our world tells us we need to build a brand, polish our image, collect qualifications, and have everything perfectly in place before we can make a difference.

We often disqualify ourselves before God ever does.

We think our past is too messy.

Our platform is too small.

Our resources are too limited.

Our mistakes are too great.

But Shamgar’s story reminds us that God isn’t looking for perfect people.

He’s looking for available people.

You don’t need a flawless reputation or a massive stage for God to work through your life.

You simply need to be willing to place what is already in your hands into His.

If God could use a rough outsider armed with nothing more than an oxgoad to change the course of Israel’s history, He can certainly use you.

Stop waiting until you feel qualified.

Offer Him what you already have and trust Him with the outcome.

Because God doesn’t call people based on their résumé.

He calls them based on His purpose.

And when He calls you, He is more than able to supply everything you lack.

“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”
1 Corinthians 1:27

God has always operated differently from the world.

He doesn’t merely call the qualified.

He qualifies those He calls.

Your past does not limit His grace.

Your weakness does not limit His power.

Your ordinary life is not an obstacle to an extraordinary God.

The only question is this:

What’s already in your hand?

Christ Is Enough

One of the most quoted verses in the Bible is Philippians 4:13

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

We often see it printed on gym walls, athletic gear, coffee mugs, and vision boards. It is quoted before sporting events, job interviews, exams, and business ventures as though it were a promise that God will guarantee our success.

But when we read the verse in its proper context, we discover something far deeper and far more comforting.

When the Apostle Paul wrote these words, he was not standing on a winner’s podium. He was imprisoned in Rome, uncertain whether he would live or die. His circumstances were anything but comfortable.

Just before verse 13, Paul explains exactly what he means:

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Philippians 4:11–12

Now verse 13 makes perfect sense:

“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

The “all things” Paul is talking about is not accomplishing every dream or achieving every ambition. It is enduring every circumstance.

Through Christ, Paul could face hunger without losing hope.

He could endure imprisonment without abandoning his faith.

He could experience abundance without becoming proud.

He could suffer loss without becoming bitter.

Whether life brought comfort or hardship, Christ was enough.

That is the secret Paul had learned.

The strength Jesus gives is not simply the power to achieve our goals. It is the grace to remain faithful when life falls apart. It is the peace that steadies us in the valley, the courage that carries us through suffering, and the endurance to continue trusting God when we cannot understand His ways.

True strength is not found by digging deeper into our own determination. It is found by resting completely in Christ’s sufficiency.

Philippians 4:13 is less about Jesus helping us win, and more about Jesus sustaining us when we feel like we are losing.

It is a spiritual anchor that keeps our hearts secure when everything around us is changing.

Whatever season you find yourself in today, whether you have much or little, whether your prayers have been answered or you are still waiting, whether you are celebrating or grieving, you can stand.

Not because you are strong.

But because Christ is.

“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

From the Miry Clay to the Rock

While we were worshipping at church, I found myself reflecting on the words of a song that mentioned miry clay. It stirred a question in my heart: What is miry clay, and how does it translate into my own life?

Miry clay refers to deep, thick, slippery mud. It represents a place of inescapable distress, spiritual bondage, moral failure, and the entanglements of sin.

The most well known reference is found in Psalm 40:2:

“He brought me up out of the horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps.”

When you’re trapped in miry clay, every step is a struggle. The harder you fight to free yourself in your own strength, the deeper you sink. Much like quicksand, every desperate attempt only pulls you further into the mire.

That is what life was like before I found Jesus.

Yes, circumstances played a part in where I ended up, but I was also responsible for the choices I made and the way I responded to the pain in my life. I found myself sinking deeper and deeper, unable to free myself.

Yet God’s grace was greater than my failures.

He loved me when I felt unlovable. He pursued me when I was running from Him. And when I finally stopped striving to rescue myself and surrendered to Him, He reached down into the pit, lifted me out of the mire, and placed my feet upon the Rock.

The Rock is Jesus Christ.

Unlike the shifting mud beneath my feet, He is a firm foundation. On the Rock, I no longer have to fear sinking back into hopelessness because my life is anchored in Someone who never changes.

But although I had been lifted out of the mire, I was still covered with it.

Salvation was immediate, but transformation became a journey.

The mud of old thinking, old habits, old wounds, and old ways of living still clung to me. Day by day, the water of God’s Word began washing away what the mire had left behind. As I remained in His presence, read His Word, and learned to trust Him, He gently cleaned what I could never clean myself.

Paul reminds us:

“Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” Romans 2:4

It wasn’t fear that changed me.

It was His kindness.

His goodness taught me to stay on the Rock instead of returning to the mire. His grace didn’t simply rescue me from where I was, it transformed who I was becoming.

God doesn’t only lift us out of the pit, He establishes our steps. He doesn’t merely forgive our past, He renews our hearts. He doesn’t simply rescue us from the mire; He patiently washes us, heals us, and shapes us into the likeness of Christ.

Perhaps today you feel like you’re sinking, exhausted from trying to pull yourself free.

Stop struggling.

Call out to Jesus.

He still reaches into the deepest mire. He still places weary feet upon the Rock. And He still lovingly washes clean every life that is surrendered to Him.