When the hunter is hunted
by Stephen Abraham
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And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever (Isaiah 25:7,8a).
Read Isaiah 25:7–9
Spoiler alert! In the final chapter of the classic nail-biting blockbuster film Jurassic Park, our heroes are being hunted by a pair of relentless, intelligent, nine-foot-tall killer dinosaurs: the velociraptors.
Despite all their efforts to escape, the survivors are finally cornered in the park’s main exhibit – and about to be eaten alive by these invincible killing machines. Just as one pounces, the mighty ‘king of lizards’ – the Tyrannosaurus rex (T. rex) – bursts into the room, snatching the leaping velociraptor out of mid-air with its jaws. The T. rex finishes off the second velociraptor, finally letting out a massive, triumphant roar inside the rotunda, letting all know: ‘I am the king of the dinosaurs.’ The End.
In the ancient cultures of Old Testament times, death was often thought of as a great mouth swallowing people whole. We hear it mentioned several times in Scripture, like in the rebellion of Korah in Numbers 16:32, which records that ‘the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up’. Here in Isaiah 25:8, at the end of time, reality is flipped – the King of Heaven swallows up the swallower! (Kind of like the T. rex in Jurassic Park taking out the velociraptors). Paul also mentions this in 1 Corinthians 15:54b when talking about the triumphant resurrection of the dead: ‘… then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”’
What a powerful image – the King of Heaven destroying death itself. It’s no wonder the response is worship in Isaiah 25:9: ‘Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.’
Almighty God, King of the Universe, we look forward with bated breath to this amazing time – the end of death, the end of suffering. As we wait, and as we suffer this side of eternity, Lord Jesus, cry with us and wipe away our tears in readiness for that great day of days: the day of our eternal salvation. Amen.
Stephen Abraham is a retired Lutheran pastor and musician who served as a school pastor and church planter in Mawson Lakes, South Australia. Having to retire due to a spinal injury that leaves him largely housebound with chronic pain, Stephen still preaches, takes chapel and serves his local church and school. He also writes and records personal songs, worship songs and Christian meditations, which he shares on his YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/StephenAbrahamMusic
Leave the weeds to the master
by Stephen Abraham
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‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them’ (Matthew 13:29).
Read Matthew 13:24–30
In Year 8 Agriculture at my high school, we were each given a plot and some cabbage seeds and told to plant the cabbages and keep the plot weed-free. In my report at the end of the semester, my teacher Mr Boerth wrote, ‘Stephen struggled to keep the weeds at bay. He is no gardener!’ (A bad report for the son of a farmer!)
As much as I try, I admit I’m still no gardener. Nowadays, I get help with my garden from an expert. He knows far more than I do. Sometimes I have ideas for dealing with issues in my garden and don’t consult him. I inevitably do the wrong thing, which he then must correct. As much as I want to do things myself, I have to trust his expertise first.
In the Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds, Jesus addresses the human frustration of seeing weeds among the wheat. A farmer’s field is sabotaged by an enemy who sows weeds alongside the good wheat. In first-century Palestine, this weed was likely darnel, a poisonous plant closely resembling wheat in its early stages of growth. When the master’s workers eagerly offer to pull up the weeds, the master stops them with a surprising command: ‘Let both grow together until the harvest.’
We make judgement calls all day long: make this or that for breakfast, check our calendars or messages, sort out this problem or prioritise another. But when it comes to God’s kingdom – who is righteous, who is not, who is heaven-bound and who is not – that is not our call to make. Calling down God’s judgement on people isn’t our responsibility (as much as we might want to).
Do we need to confront poor behaviour respectfully? Yes. Do we need to keep people safe? Absolutely. Do we help those who need help? Of course! Do we point people to Jesus? One hundred per cent. But a person’s salvation or damnation isn’t our call to make – we leave that to the master.
Heavenly Master of the field, we lift our world to you. Focus us on your word and on the tasks set before us. Help us trust you with the final outcome of our world, knowing that we who are in Christ will one day shine like the sun in your kingdom. Amen.
Stephen Abraham is a retired Lutheran pastor and musician who served as a school pastor and church planter in Mawson Lakes, South Australia. Having to retire due to a spinal injury that leaves him largely housebound with chronic pain, Stephen still preaches, takes chapel and serves his local church and school. He also writes and records personal songs, worship songs and Christian meditations, which he shares on his YouTube channel
Seeing the sign
by Colleen Fitzpatrick
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Give me a sign of your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, for you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me (Psalm 86:17).
Read Psalm 86:11–17
I remember watching a movie called The Man with Two Brains some years ago. It was a comedy starring actor Steve Martin. In one of the opening scenes, we see his character (recently widowed) standing in front of a painting of his late wife, talking to it about what to do regarding a woman who had taken his fancy. Then he says, ‘Show me a sign, just show me a sign!’ The picture starts spinning on the wall – and he takes it down and puts it away in a cupboard.
Have you seen any signs of God’s goodness lately? I have. I see God’s goodness in the beauty of nature, in the fact that we have food on the table, in the love of family and friends, and every time I go to church and hear the words, ‘Your sins are forgiven’, ‘Take and eat, this is my body’, and ‘Take and drink, this is my blood that was shed for you for the forgiveness of your sins’. And, of course, God’s goodness shines through answered prayers.
Even when we cannot form the words to ask God for help, God knows our needs and what is on our hearts. Think about how God provides help and comfort when you most need it – the person who is prepared to listen; the quiet touch when you feel lost and alone; the friend who checks in to make sure you’re okay – and the knowledge that nothing can separate you from God’s loving care (see Romans 8:26–39).
The psalmist prays that God would teach him to rely on God’s faithfulness. We can pray that, too – and in learning to rely on God’s faithfulness, we can have confidence that God will never leave us or forsake us; God will deliver us from the depths. And in return, let’s give thanks and praise to our generous God – the God who surrendered his only Son for us, to die for us and to make it possible for us to be God’s children for now and for always.
Let’s pray: faithful God, thank you for always being here for us. Thank you for being compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love, faithfulness and mercy. Amen.
Colleen Fitzpatrick is retired and lives in Adelaide. She enjoys reading, writing and drinking coffee with her husband, John, and their friends. Colleen and John enjoy regular fitness classes, particularly when they include opportunities to throw frisbees.
Thorns and thistles
by Colleen Fitzpatrick
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But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned (Hebrews 6:8).
Read Hebrews 6:1–8
This week’s readings have had a strong agricultural theme. We have heard about planting seeds on good land, where crops can grow and flourish. Today’s reading celebrates land that receives rain and produces a useful crop – unlike land that produces thorns and thistles that ‘is worthless and is in danger of being cursed’.
In Monday’s reading of the Parable of the Sower, Jesus refers to the seed falling among thorns as referring to ‘someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful’ (Matthew 13:22).
How long is your worry list? The worries of life are potentially numerous – we can worry about work situations, home and health, family and friends, not to mention all of the things that pop into one’s head at 2.00am when sleep is eluding us.
And then there is the ‘deceitfulness of wealth’. The gap between the poor and the rich continues to grow. The housing shortage is part of our everyday landscape. In the midst of winter, the plight of homeless people is much more challenging. We have heard that the world has its first trillionaire, and that the numbers of millionaires and billionaires is increasing. Is it possible that pursuing wealth can deceive a person into ignoring spiritual wellbeing?
Maybe another factor is busyness. Yesterday, we thought about the Sabbath rest and the activities that seem to take over every day of the week.
There are other distractions in our lives as well. Our phones and other screens are constantly with us, and we now have AI to do our thinking for us. It is possible to be constantly bombarded with messages and information and to lose sight of what is happening in the real world or to the people around us. It can be challenging to separate truth from opinion. The news is filled with stories of violence and anger directed at individuals, families and groups of people.
All of the above deflect us from the one thing needful. May we ignore the thorns and thistles and be the good soil that allows the seeds of God’s word to be planted and to grow into a strong and vibrant faith.
Precious Saviour, help me to listen and to hear your words so that my faith may grow and flourish. Help me to live with and for Jesus and to follow where he is leading me. Amen.
Colleen Fitzpatrick is retired and lives in Adelaide. She enjoys reading, writing and drinking coffee with her husband, John, and their friends. Colleen and John enjoy regular fitness classes, particularly when they include opportunities to throw frisbees.
Ouch!
by Colleen Fitzpatrick
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For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit (Hebrews 4:12a).
Read Hebrews 4:9–13
The concept of a Sabbath rest, in any shape or form, is much less of a reality today than in days gone by. When I was a child, I remember very clearly that no work was undertaken on a Sunday apart from the necessities of preparing food and tending to the needs of the animals on our farm – feeding animals, milking the cows and collecting the eggs.
Sundays were spent going to church in the morning, followed by visiting family or friends or perhaps going for a drive. There may have been time for an afternoon nap or some quiet time for reading or letter writing. Shops were closed on Saturday afternoons and all day Sunday. Team sports were confined to Saturday afternoons. Sundays were a day of rest, which provided a welcome respite from the hard yakka of weekdays.
In today’s reading, we are encouraged to enter God’s rest, where we rest from our own work and our own efforts. By entering God’s rest, we don’t have to do anything active at all to please God. We just need to believe.
A couple of years ago, I was making some pumpkin soup and reached the stage of using a stick blender to smoosh everything together. The blender was making a peculiar noise, and I lifted it out of the soup and put my finger into the area where the blades are – and absentmindedly started the motor. It may not have been a two-edged sword, but it hurt a lot.
God’s word cuts through everything. It is alive and active, and our thoughts and deeds are uncovered and laid bare. It all sounds very messy and embarrassing, not to mention painful, to me.
But that’s not the end. Through faith and God’s grace, we can enter into God’s rest, where we don’t have to do anything other than believe. We can rest from trying to earn our salvation. The task is complete; God’s Son has done the heavy lifting and has died to remove those sins.
Loving Saviour, help us to enter your Sabbath rest, secure in the knowledge that you have ensured our salvation through your death on the cross. Grant us thankful hearts and joyful spirits as we enjoy the fruit of your actions. Amen.
Colleen Fitzpatrick is retired and lives in Adelaide. She enjoys reading, writing and drinking coffee with her husband, John, and their friends. Colleen and John enjoy regular fitness classes, particularly when they include opportunities to throw frisbees.
Beautiful feet
by Colleen Fitzpatrick
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As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’ (Romans 10:15b)
Read Romans 10:8b–18
In today’s reading, a preacher is sent by God, the message is proclaimed, the message is heard, and the message is believed. And those who believe the good news, those who call on the name of the Lord, are saved. It’s that simple.
In biblical times, news was spread by word of mouth, carried by runners who covered extraordinary distances – sometimes hundreds of kilometres – across rough, sandy, thorny, stony and any other kinds of country. Their footwear wasn’t made by Adidas or Nike. They wore leather sandals.
When the runner approached their destination, their demeanour would have indicated whether they were bringing good news or bad. One can imagine that those receiving the good news would be thankful to the runners – and to the feet that brought the news. Maybe even to the point of seeing the feet as beautiful.
The reference in today’s reading is to those who are bringing the good news – the best news – of the gospel. And let’s celebrate those who preach and teach in our community.
I can’t help but think of others in our community whose feet are worth honouring: those who provide care in aged care and health services; the first responders to emergencies and those who aid in recovery after floods, fires and other natural disasters; police who ensure our safety; farmers and tradies. You might like to add to the list.
There is no hierarchy to whose contribution to society is most important, just as there is no distinction as to who is most welcome into God’s kingdom. Race, ethnicity, income and breeding are all irrelevant. The important thing is that we are part of God’s kingdom and should do what we can to spread the gospel message.
A preacher is sent by God, the message is proclaimed, the message is heard, and the message is believed. And those who believe the good news, those who call on the name of the Lord, are saved. It’s that simple.
God of grace and beauty, thank you for those who bring the good news of your saving grace. Help us to listen to them and to hear and believe the good news that they are bringing to us. Help us to do what we can to spread that good news. Amen.
Colleen Fitzpatrick is retired and lives in Adelaide. She enjoys reading, writing and drinking coffee with her husband, John, and their friends. Colleen and John enjoy regular fitness classes, particularly when they include opportunities to throw frisbees.
Getting it right
by Colleen Fitzpatrick
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For they are well instructed; their God teaches them (Isaiah 28:26).
Read Isaiah 28:23–29
I’m intrigued by the language that the prophet uses in this text. We have crops being sown, scattered and planted. We distinguish between seeds, which are embryonic plants used for reproduction, and grain, which refers specifically to dry, edible seeds harvested from grasses for food. God teaches the farmer the right way to go about their work.
We can see God as the wise and practical farmer who knows what is best to do for each ‘seed’. God determines where the seed is planted, how it is tended, harvested and threshed. There are different methods for threshing and preparing the seeds and grains for use. It is important to use the right implement and process for each seed and grain.
Sometimes I wonder what life would be like if I were someone else, or somewhere else, or better looking, or wealthier, or … The list goes on. But deep down, I know that I need to ‘grow where I am planted’.
God has put us where we are for a purpose. God is wise and knows what is best for us. God has a plan for each of us, and because of God’s wisdom, we will not be tested beyond our endurance. We can put our trust in God, rejoice in the opportunities before us, and in the generous way God provides for us each and every day and the way God prepares us for what life brings us.
As part of God’s plan, each of us has a vocation, a calling – in our family and our friendship groups, in our working life, in our church and community, even into retirement. Why not take some time to reflect on where you are placed, who God is calling you to be and what God is calling you to do? God has planted you and me where we are. Let’s pray that we can be healthy plants in God’s garden, nurturing our faith and bringing God’s love to life.
God of wisdom and strength, you know who you want us to be. Help us to have faith in you so that we happily grow where we are planted, living our lives to your glory and to the good of those around us. Amen.
Colleen Fitzpatrick is retired and lives in Adelaide. She enjoys reading, writing and drinking coffee with her husband, John, and their friends. Colleen and John enjoy regular fitness classes, particularly when they include opportunities to throw frisbees.
God’s words – our lives
by Colleen Fitzpatrick
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Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants (Deuteronomy 32:2).
Read Deuteronomy 32:1,2,45–47
Moses is addressing the children of Israel just prior to his death. He stresses the importance of the people’s commitment to the Lord in worship and in obedience to the law. Moses’ teaching is to be like rain, encouraging growth in new grass and young plants.
One of my favourite odours is that of petrichor – the smell that fills the air when rain hits the dry ground. In my mind, the teaching that the writer of Deuteronomy refers to is falling like rain – and like the beautiful odour of petrichor, the aroma of Christ fills the earth. ‘For we are like a sweet-smelling incense offered by Christ to God, which spreads among those who are being saved and those who are being lost’ (2 Corinthians 2:15).
Many of us have experienced the devastation that drought can cause. Devastation that causes heartache and can result in the loss of home and livelihood – sometimes it is the loss of a property that has been part of family history for generations. We know what it is like when there is no rain.
Over the past year, many have also experienced the destruction and challenges that come from too much rain, as floods wash everything away, leaving heartbreak and devastation behind. For some, the floods returned.
Thankfully, Jesus’ death and resurrection have taken away the condemnation of the Old Testament law. That way has been replaced by the importance of faith in God and love towards one another. We don’t have to be frightened of a harsh God who thunders down at us when we offend him. Rather, we have a Comforter who loves us and is with us always.
In the following chapter, we read: ‘The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms’ (Deuteronomy 33:27a). These are the words that fall like gentle rain on one’s soul when things go wrong; the words of a God to whom we can be totally committed in worship and obedience and whose loving and everlasting arms are always there for us.
God, our refuge and our strength, thank you that your loving arms are always there for us. Help us remember this, be committed to you in our worship and obedient to your law of love in our lives each day. Amen.
Colleen Fitzpatrick is retired and lives in Adelaide. She enjoys reading, writing and drinking coffee with her husband, John, and their friends. Colleen and John enjoy regular fitness classes, particularly when they include opportunities to throw frisbees.
Consider the hollyhocks
by Colleen Fitzpatrick
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Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop – a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown (Matthew 13:8).
Read Matthew 13:1–9,18–23
Today’s reading reminds me of a picture that I have seen many times illustrating this story. It is of a man resting a basket on his hip. He is walking along a path and throwing seeds onto the ground. It’s quite a contrast to the large machinery used on farms these days, in which our paddocks are vast and trees are removed. Land is used efficiently, with efforts to ensure plenty of good soil is available for crops to thrive and for machinery to access it as it ploughs, sows and reaps.
I used to admire hollyhocks in other people’s gardens. Then some seeds arrived in our yard, and I welcomed the hollyhocks as they grew and flowered, bringing colour and height into our garden.
Hollyhocks have a very efficient seeding habit – all of those pretty flowers end up as seed pods, and hey presto! We now have hollyhocks popping up and growing throughout our backyard. They are growing in the lawn, in cracks in the cement – wherever they land, they seem to grow. I’ve also seen how they grow taller with the more rain we have.
The hollyhocks spread despite my lack of dedication to gardening. They arrived through no effort on my behalf – maybe through the good graces of a passing bird or a wind over which there is no control.
The seeds grow where they land – even when the environment provides minimal space or food. They adapt to their situation and grow, producing flowers and more seeds. Do you see the connection?
The spread of God’s word does not rely on my efforts. The Holy Spirit moves without any direction from me or you, working in people’s hearts and bringing them closer to God. Maybe our role is to encourage the spread of God’s word and of the good news of the gospel, which is a bit like a gardener preparing soil, fertilising, providing water in the dry season and doing everything to encourage plants to grow – rather than pulling them out of the ground or mowing over them, which may happen in our garden from time to time.
Holy Spirit, help us to do what we can to help – not hinder – the work that you do. Thank you for not being solely reliant on our efforts to bring God’s love to life. Amen.
Colleen Fitzpatrick is retired and lives in Adelaide. She enjoys reading, writing and drinking coffee with her husband, John, and their friends. Colleen and John enjoy regular fitness classes, particularly when they include opportunities to throw frisbees.