Will God Go With Us?
The story of the golden calf and Moses breaking the stone tablets is a reasonably well-known part of the Exodus story, often considered its ‘darkest hour.’ However, the real darkest hour comes shortly after! In Exodus 33:3, God proclaims his final judgement on Israel’s sin: He would no longer go with them to the promised […]
The Ten Commandments
(a poem by Dennis Maloney) I held the distant steps in awe,Those ten commanding steps of law,There seemed the way man went before,Who sought to enter heavenʼs door. But seen there in the purest light,My eyes beheld the humbling sight.Those steps were steeped from rise to treadWith all the sin Iʼd eʼer denied. Committed there […]
What Am I to Do?
In Exodus 17:4, after the Israelites yet again doubt and question God, Moses cries out, “What am I to do with these people?” I’m sure that’s a sentiment all of us have been able to relate to, at one point or another! This is the last of three stories in a short space of time, […]
Enemy Territory
“The Lord Himself will fight for you.” Exodus 14:14 The idea of an actual devil strikes many people as odd and out dated. The popular trend of our day is to blame problems on genetics, governments and environments. Yet the Bible presents a real and present foe of our faith. His name is Satan. Some […]
Be Moses
You actually have a “seat with [Christ] in the heavens” (Ephesians 2:6 NCV). You don’t have a seat at the Supreme Court or in the House of Representatives. You have one far more strategic; you have a seat in the government of God. Like a congressman, you represent a district. You speak on behalf of […]
More Than a Tradition
When I was a child, I always knew what to expect for Christmas lunch, and I looked forward to it nearly as much as presents! It was perfectly normal for Christmas Eve to be disturbed by the electric noises of ham being cut for the feast the next day. When that happy hour came at […]
Plagued!
Living in the post-2020 world, we know all about plagues. The COVID-19 pandemic affected a lot more than people’s physical health: it caused fear, suspicion and division between people and communities. And of course we are still seeing its impacts on the economy, people’s mental health and much more. When we read about the plagues […]
Singed
Youth 3:16 (youth group) recently had a Bonfire & Fireworks night. For dinner the main course was pizza (of course!), followed by toasted marshmallows for dessert. A correctly toasted marshmallow must have the perfect combination of molten sweetness and burnt caramelization. To achieve this, it must be well-singed. One of the most famous Bible stories […]
Salvation in the Small Stuff
Exodus 2:1-10 is a popular tale among Sunday school teachers. After the king of Egypt orders all newborn Hebrew boys to be thrown into the River Nile, the baby Moses’ mother obeys the letter of the law… by leaving Moses in a basket on the riverbank. An Egyptian (the king’s daughter no less!) has pity […]
Back to the Future
It is a joy to celebrate the 159th anniversary of the Golden Grove Uniting Church this year. Really, we are celebrating the work of God the Father, who called our forebears through faith in Jesus Christ, to worship Him and witness to Him. Our forebears went to enormous pain, expense and effort to begin a new […]