The Challenge of Endurance

The Challenge of Endurance

What image does the word ‘endurance’ conjure up for you? ‘Endurance’ was the name of the ship that took Ernest Shackleton and his crew to Antarctica. The ship, however, got stuck in the ice. Sealed in and unable to move, the ship sank on 21 November 1915. It was...
The Challenge of Endurance

The Crisis of Powerlessness

Poverty is perceived as a great evil in the world which Christians and people of goodwill must respond to. Certainly, the material deprivation that is the tragic feature of so much of our world, signals our lack of compassion for fellow humans, the paltry reach of...
The Challenge of Endurance

Kingdom-omics

“It’s the economy, stupid.” This was the message that it is claimed, won Bill Clinton the 1992 US presidential election. The phrase was intended to keep the campaign focused on the cost of living crisis faced by American working people. The point, apparently, was not...
Are we there yet?

Are we there yet?

When our kids were young, we would sometimes play a Veggie Tales sing-a-long CD when on a long car trip. One particular tune would stick in my head as an earworm. You can listen to it here if you so wish: VeggieTales Sing-Alongs: Are We There Yet? The chorus goes: Are...
The Challenge of Endurance

Crux probat omnia!

I have on dozens of occasions crossed over the Atlantic Ocean without either flying or sailing! Some of you may have taken the same route over the Atlantic as me, as you leave mainland Scotland and cycle, walk, or drive across the humpback Clachan bridge onto the...
The Challenge of Endurance

Happy New Year?

Yes, you have read the title of this blog right and yes, the question mark is playing a very important role in this title! This Monday, 21st March, is نوروز , Nowruz, the Persian new year, when our brothers and sisters from Iran traditionally say goodbye to winter and...
The Challenge of Endurance

Grace or grudge – you choose.

Payback culture, it’s the way the world works. You scratch my back and I scratch yours. You hurt me and I expect compensation. You let me down and I demand you make it up to me. It’s the law of Karma where our misdemeanours must be atoned for by our good deeds lest we...
The Challenge of Endurance

Faithful

Is God faithful? A few weeks back, via some glitch with our song presentation software we found ourselves singing, “Is God faithful?”   The answer is, of course, a resounding “yes, God is faithful” as a multitude of songs proclaim. Yet the question mark chimes with...
The Challenge of Endurance

On the frontlines

On 24th February 2022 Russian tanks crossed the Northern Ukrainian border signalling the “special military operation” which planned to take Kyiv and decapitate the government of Volodymyr Zelenskyy within hours. That did not happen. Instead, a protracted and brutal...
The Challenge of Endurance

Good news

When it comes to bad news, we must be near saturation point. So, in a world of relentless and unmitigated tragedy let me tell a good news story. Hatay, Turkey lies close to biblical Antioch from where Paul and Barnabas were commissioned to go and preach the gospel....