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by Graham MolOn Sunday 24 May, a few minutes before we started the live stream of the Sunday service my wife told me to smile as she took a picture (which you can see included this blog post). After she took the picture I asked her why she had done that to which she simply replied, "For the memories." I remember being so touched by that. I really appreciated what she had done. As it turned out, this was the last time I preached from my lounge as the lockdown level restrictions on churches would change the following month and we'd be back streaming the services from NHCF again. This part of the adventure, the figuring out how to set this all up and having Candice step in as my "technical team" has ended now but I will always treasure those memories. Never in my life would I have ever thought I'd preach from my own living room!It seems odd to say that I have memories to treasure from this difficult time we as a nation are facing. I'm not saying that it's all good, in fact so much of it is really bad, upsetting and traumatic. The pandemic and the lockdown it necessitated have been heavy burdens to bear and I know that many have struggled far more than I could even imagine. Yet in the midst of all the sadness, fear and turmoil, we all have special moments to treasure. The "silver lining" in the dark clouds that is so often spoken about. It is good that we treasure these small blessings. Maybe for you it has been the extra time you've spent with your family or the opportunity to really dive deeply into God's word, enjoying His presence even in the solitude. Maybe you've found a new sense of peace in having to slow down, only now acknowledging the frantic, unsustainable pace that was ruling your life. In Philippians 4:8 Paul has this to say:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.It is good for us to remember the positive things. To keep hold and treasure those special moments. To look for and appreciate the blessings amidst the storm, the little glowing lights in the gloom. When we humans remember the past, we tend to dwell on the good things and forget the bad. That is why the "old days" always seem to be the "good old days". While we should heed the wisdom of the Teacher in Eccelsiastes as he says, "Do not say, 'Why were the old days better than these?' For it is not wise to ask such questions," (7:10); it is not necessarily a bad thing that we tend to remember the good rather than the bad. The good things, the treasured moments, can be a wonderful reminder of God's faithfulness, goodness and kindness to us. The fact that…

by Calven CelliersIt is with a heavy heart that I write today’s blog post. Very dear friends of mine in Sydney, Australia tragically lost their beautiful daughter in a car accident 5 weeks ago. I have been trying to be present to them in the midst of their grief, and to support them as best I can from afar. But right now I am feeling so completely frustrated at my seeming inability to take away their pain and suffering and it has once again highlighted for me the reality of how in such situations, we stand the risk of saying and doing the wrong things, all because we don’t actually know what to say or do. We sometimes believe it is our job to fix people’s problems by giving them pat answers to painful experiences, or by trying to get them to overcome their pain. And because this is so real to me right now, I thought I might jot down some things that I’ve learnt (and said or done) along the way.The reality of life on this side of eternity is that there is only one thing that you and I can be absolutely certain of, and that is the fact that we are all going to die. We’re part of what they call a dissolving world. Death is part of life, and as such we all have to face up to it and deal with it at various intersections along the way.Wise King Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 3,“1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens … 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance…” (Ecclesiastes 3: 1 & 4NIV). The apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Church at Rome, “15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” (Romans 12:15NIV)I hope the following suggestions might help you to know what to do (or not do) and what to say (or not say) when supporting others who are going through times of personal tragedy. This is not an exhaustive list by any stretch of the imagination, and I know that not all of these suggestions will apply to every person and every situation. But in my own experience these sorts of things are commonly mentioned as being helpful (or unhelpful) for those people who face tragedy, grief, and pain.Don’t intentionally blame God when tragedy strikes. It’s not helpful to tell people that God is responsible for taking their child, their husband, or their parent. We say things like, “This is all in God’s perfect plan. God has something better in store for you. His ways are higher than our ways. It was her time. God needed him more than you do.” When talking with people in their pain, make sure that not a single cliché comes out of your mouth.Along with blaming God, sometimes we utter things that unintentionally come across as if we’re blaming the person who is hurting. The…

by Luke KincaidLast week while reading through a devotion on Psalm 149 I came across a much needed reminder contained in verse 4 which reads as follows: 4 For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.Ross Lester is one of my heroes in the faith and I identify and agree with his following notes on this Psalm which say:“I sometimes feel like God just barely tolerates me. On good days, when I can remember that Christ’s righteousness is gifted to me, I can still think that is a begrudging exchange – like God the Father has to love me because of Jesus, but he doesn’t really like me. In my experience as a pastor, I have learned that I am not the only one who feels this way. People really struggle to imagine that God enjoys us.”This is such a dangerous lie to allow to infiltrate our thought life as it will then negatively affect our relationship with God. The truth is that God takes pleasure in His people. If you are a child of God, God is currently taking pleasure in you in this very moment – what a truth!So regardless of where you are in life right now know that if you are a disciple of Jesus, this is how God feels about you. There is nothing you can do to make Him love you any more or any less because God looks at you, a genuine disciple, He sees His perfect Son – Jesus: 26 ...for through faith you are all sons of God in Christ Jesus. 27 For those of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ. – Galatians 3:26-27 Much love,Luke

by Graham Mol Have you ever experienced an earthquake? I've encountered a few minor tremors in my lifetime but nothing that would classify as a full-blown earthquake. In reading of the experience of those who have lived through quakes on the higher end of the Richter scale, one of the comments that is often made is how terrifying it is when something that you know to be solid and dependable, the ground itself, is now shaking and unstable and dangerous. You don't know where to run. If you think about it, we build our lives, quite literally, on the solidity and dependability of the ground on which we stand. We walk confidently, not cautiously, because we know that the ground will not disappear or move under our feet. We build homes of brick and mortar on ground that we know will support it. All of that comes tumbling down when the earth undergoes upheaval. For many around the world, the earth is shaking. We've experienced great upheaval in our lives and even as we seem to be settling into a "new normal" there is a great deal of uncertainty. Our nation is entering into the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic right now, just as many of us are tiring of the strict regulations and practices that have been put in place to reduce the risk and spread of the virus. There is a tension in the air, before the anticipated storm. This is uneasy ground upon which we tread. Where are we to turn in the midst of such uncertainty? The author of Hebrews writes the following beautiful words as he quotes from Psalm 102:25-27: “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,     and the heavens are the work of your hands; 11 they will perish, but you remain;     they will all wear out like a garment, 12 like a robe you will roll them up,     like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same,     and your years will have no end.”   (Hebrews 1:10-12 ESV) In such times of uncertainty we can find comfort and assurance in the constancy of God. He is more solid and dependable than the earth on which we stand. He is the originator of all creation and He will endure when it all fades away. Through all the changes, the twists and turns of history, He remains the same. Not only is the Lord unchanging and enduring but so too is His word and therefore His promises to us (Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35). I find comfort in this. I find a firm foundation in a time of shifting sand. I don't know what will happen tomorrow, if the virus will spread exponentially, if those I love will be harmed by its dreadful touch. I don't know what will happen to our precious nation. But I do know that God is good, that He loves us and has compassion on us. I do know that He alone holds the future. There is no…