Chaos, Order & Unanswered Prayer

To ask God persistently for things appears virtuous according to Luke 11: “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” (Luke 11:12) Now, that’s a little abstract—what does the “gift…

God’s Kingdom built from exclusion

The Kingdom of God is not an entry prize for the elite – rather, it is built upon those who are feeling most excluded and most unqualified. In fact, whenever we are confident of our superior virtue over others, we automatically exclude ourselves from the Kingdom. Why? Because if the Kingdom is founded upon Christ,…

The end of dead ends

“Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing, now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Is 43:18-19 God is always doing a new thing. And not because he…

Luke 5:8: Away from me Lord, I am a sinful man!

When we hear the testimonies of young people’s first encounter with Jesus, it is very often one of overwhelming love, of feeling unconditionally accepted, of being found. And rightfully so, for our God is a God of tenderness and mercy, who seeks out the lost and brings them home. How then do we explain the…

“Asking, knocking, seeking…” & silence

Why is God sometimes silent in prayer? Especially when we seem to be praying for good things (and not snakes)? Aren’t we told that God always answers prayer? ‘O Yes, God always answers prayer, we are told, but we have to first make the right kind of request.’ Or, ‘Yes he always answers prayer, but…