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In time of war bridges take on strategic importance. Whoever controls them may take the upper hand and ultimately win the victory. So, no wonder the Russians have turned their attention to the bridges that connect the two halves of Kyiv that sit either side of the Dnipro River. While these recent attacks are seemingly of little strategic military importance and more about disrupting daily life, the aim is the same – control the bridge and dictate who can get across. Do that and you’re a step nearer victory. There are currently eight bridges over the Dnipro. Imagine the chaos that could be caused if all were to fall. While few of us will ever fight for control of a physical bridge. But all of us must fight to control the information that crosses into our minds and dictates how we think about ourselves and shapes our identity. This is why St Paul urged Christians not to be conformed to the world but to be ‘transformed by the renewing of your mind’. It is all too easy to fill our minds with negative thoughts

‘God does amazing things through tragedy’. There are many for whom this statement would seem a contradiction in terms. The thinking might be that since tragedies occur there cannot be a God worth believing in. For such a God would surely be either uncaring or impotent. But these are the words spoken by Paul Carris one of the last people to walk out of the North Tower of the World Trade Centre before it collapsed on 11 September 2001. Obeying an order to evacuate from the 71stfloor he was heading for the stairs when something made him stop and offer to help a stranger in difficulty. This decision delayed his own escape as they struggled down endless flights of stairs. But part way down she started to read Psalm 23 The Lord is my Shepherd. This small interaction started a journey that ended with Paul finding a new relationship with Jesus that changed his life forever. She was forever grateful that he had saved her life. But he would say the same of her. We live in a world of miracle and mystery. Paul’s te

How do you know you are loved? This week the famous footballer Michael Owen has sparked a lively debate by saying that he never tells his children that he loves them. This despite the fact that they are the most precious people in the world to him for whom he would do anything. His argument is that actions are more important than words. He assumes that his children know they are loved because of how he is with them and what he does for them.  He surely makes a valid point. Too many children have been wounded by fathers who said the words ‘I love you’ but then were cruel, uncaring or absent. But let’s not through the baby out with the bathwater. Words and actions are both important, and God the Father sets us the example. We read in the Gospels that when Jesus was baptised his Father spoke from heaven and said, ‘You are my son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased*’.  Those few words rooted Jesus in his identity and gave him the security and affirmation he needed to begin a public life that

Sometimes things just don’t make sense. After months of preparation 40,000 people gather for a weekend of music, worship and celebration. But then a gust of wind blows a sign. The sign falls and tragically a beloved pastor, husband and father is killed and others seriously injured. Within hours the organisers, devasted by what has happened, cancel the whole event. How does any of it makes sense? Where was God and why did he allow it? These are not new questions. The writer of Psalm 77 faces a devastating situation and asks not just these questions but many more, ‘Will the Lord reject forever? Has his unfailing love vanished? Has God forgotten to be merciful?’ His questions remain unanswered. So, in his distress he returns to what he does know for certain, ‘I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago’. The psalmist looks to the deliverance of his people from slavery in Egypt to freedom in a promised land. We may look to the cross and a God who doesn’t stand aloof fr

Over the last few years football fans have watched in disbelief as the Video Assistant Referee has disrupted the flow of games and then made some strange and controversial decisions. This season, however, things may be different. Football officials have decided to try and go back to the original vision for VAR summed up in the phrase ‘minimum interference, maximum benefit’. How well that goes only time will tell. As with football so with life. We would all like to live our lives with minimum interference from others giving us the freedom to enjoy life the way we want. The Bible says that’s how it was in the beginning. Adam and Eve with just one prohibition and freedom to do whatever they chose – minimum interference, maximum benefit. Sadly, they blew it and now life is filled with endless rules and regulations which govern and control our behaviour. These days it can feel more like maximum interference, minimum benefit. The good news is that as with VAR the possibility of resetting our lives is open

The leaders of Oman and South Korea must be scratching their heads in disbelief as long-time friend and ally, the USA, threatens to bomb one and withdraw support from the other. It just goes to show that fickle friends are not friends at all. I learned this after being bullied for most of my boarding school career. People who were kind to my face were cruel in a crowd. It was all very unsettling and much of the time I was desperately unhappy. As human beings we seek security in the opinion of those around us and when it is uncertain or constantly changing the foundations of our identity can be shaky indeed. Encouraging to know, therefore, that one of the earliest promises God makes to the people of Israel in the Old Testament is this, ‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.’ My life began to change on the day that I discovered that this God had made himself known in the person of Jesus and this p

As most of Britain endures the hottest day of the fifth heatwave of the summer, alarm bells about of our mismanagement of God’s creation are ringing louder. In his book A Short History of Nearly Everything, written more than twenty years ago, Bill Bryson made the following rather sad observation, ‘if you were designing an organism to look after life… you wouldn’t choose human beings for the job’.  By contrast in the Biblical account of creation God says: “Let us make humankind in our image, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” God’s intention was that we should be good stewards of what he had made. Something has gone very badly wrong. But what? Our ability to reflect God’s image is tied to being in right relationship with him. Once that relationship was rejected, the image started to fade and rather than act as stewards we assumed we were owners who could do what we liked. The good news is that w

The natural world has some troubling aspects to it. Take for example the life cycle of the parasitic wasp. As the name implies the wasp lays its eggs inside a caterpillar which it then consumes and kills to ensure its own survival. Charles Darwin was deeply concerned by this. How, he wondered, could a beneficent God create something so cruel. Surely natural selection divorced from the idea of a Creator made more sense. His wife Emma was concerned about where this might all lead and not without good cause. Within a few short years his ideas of a purely material existence would be used to justify to slaughter of millions for the ‘greater good’ of others. Fortunately (and while most of us don’t like to admit it) the Bible’s view that every human is created in the image of God and therefore has intrinsic value has prevailed. For Christians this means seeing each person not only as Jesus would see them, but also with eyes that see the Jesus within them. To a greater or lesser extent, we all reflect something of

As much of the UK bakes in yet another heatwave, I’m reminded of the story of an Indian water bearer. Every day he walked several miles to collect water for his home in two clay pots hung on a pole across his shoulders. One of the pots was cracked and by the time he got home it was always half empty.  Eventually the pot felt so ashamed of its failure to carry a full load that it apologized. The carrier, however, responded by saying, “Have you not noticed that there are only flowers on your side of the path? I’ve always known about your flaw, so I planted seeds on the side of the path where I knew you would water them. The flowers that you have grown have brought beauty to my table.” Like the clay pot we are all flawed in some way, and it is easy to despair and only see the things we get wrong. Jesus, however, sees things differently. Like the water bearer he celebrates the good that we bring despite our failures. But then he goes even further by offering redemption and life in all its fulness. No w

Howls of protest this week as Trump intervened over the red card awarded to Falorin Balogan the USA’s top goal scorer. Sent off in the game against Bosnia-Herzegovina everyone assumed that that was that. The rules are clear – get a red card and you miss the next game, and FIFA’s rules don’t allow teams to appeal. But then came the phone call from Trump and mysteriously the one match suspension was postponed for a year. Near universal condemnation has followed. It’s just not fair. Similarly howls of protest surrounded some of Jesus’s last words from the cross. Either side of him two criminals were also crucified. Their guilt was not in question, and they were getting what they deserved. But then one made an appeal for clemency and just like that Jesus offered him a place in Paradise. It’s just not fair. The rules are clear – if you sin, you’ll get what you deserve. But that’s the beauty of the gospel and the gift of grace made possible by Jesus. We’ve all been issued a red card but on the cross Jesus too

As a licence fee funded service the BBC is not allowed to advertise. This means that whenever a brand name is referenced, for example Heinz Tomato Ketchup, the presenter must always add ‘other ketchups are available’. It’s become so familiar and so regular that adding this disclaimer has entered common usage. Many of us referencing a particular brand will add the disclaimer without thinking. It’s all become very amusing. But there are times when it doesn’t apply. When he was still a prince King Charles declared that he wanted to be defender of faith, rather than defender of the Christian faith which his coronation oath required. His actions, statements and intentions as King have made this desire explicit. Sadly, this decision to unilaterally rewrite a coronation oath is not in his nor any other monarch’s gift. It’s a truth to pass on rather than adapt in a changing world. It was Jesus who lived in a pluralist multi-faith society who declared, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one com

If you are cooling off in the latest heatwave with an ice-cold drink, you might want to raise a glass to Frederick Tudor. Tudor lived in New England in the early 19th century and one day hit upon the idea of selling ice to people in countries where it was hot. Everyone thought he was mad. Firstly, there was no demand and secondly, all the ice was sure to melt before it reached its destination. But he didn’t give up and gradually persuaded people that cold drinks were a good idea. He also worked out how to insulate the ice in transit, using sawdust and wood shavings. One shipment left Boston carrying 180 tons of ice and arrived months later in Calcutta with 100 tons left. It turned out that he was genius and not a fool. Someone else who was considered a fool but to whom we should be similarly grateful is Noah. One day he hit upon the idea of building a boat. But he lived in a desert where it hadn’t rained for years. Like Tudor, everyone laughed. But he was convinced he was right and no matter how much

Steven Spielberg’s famous film Saving Private Ryan begins with a graphic portrayal of the D-Day landings on Omaha beach. Thousands lose their lives during the assault. But then comes news that Private Ryan’s three brothers have all been killed in quick succession and to spare his mother further grief the order is given to find him and bring him home.  Captain Miller is tasked with the rescue and sets off into enemy occupied Normandy to find Ryan. Along the way most of his team are killed, and in a final scene Miller himself is mortally wounded. With his last breath he whispers to Ryan, ‘Earn this, earn it.’ The film closes with Ryan as an old man weeping by Miller’s grave. He turns to his wife and asks, ‘Tell me I’ve lived a good life. Am I a good man?’ Miller’s last words left a legacy of doubt and uncertainty that have haunted Ryan. What a contrast to the dying words of Jesus on the cross who said, ‘It is finished’. Not a cry of defeat b

The list of goods purchased by Peter Murrell using embezzled SNP funds reads like the items on the Generation Game conveyer belt: a Nintendo Switch, a selection of video games, a necklace, a Miele coffee machine, a luxury Bremont watch, a selection of DVDs, a GoPro camera, a onesie. The list goes on and on. Sadly, Murrell wasn’t a finalist on a game show but abusing his position as treasurer to steal. He wasn’t the first and he won’t be the last. No wonder the Bible warns against the love of money as a root of all kinds of evil and urges us to be content with what we have. In the Old Testament Book of Proverbs, the writer prays that God would give him ‘neither poverty nor riches…but only my daily bread’. Why? Because poverty might lead him to steal and riches to a life not dependent on God. Jesus once cautioned a rich young man that his love of wealth was preventing him from entering the Kingdom of Heaven. He told his followers that they couldn’t serve God and money. They had to choose one or the other.

In a world in which political leaders are prone to exalt themselves and cling on to power as if they were indispensable, we might be wise to take a lesson from the Romans. A victorious general returning from war would be given quite the homecoming. Their triumphal procession through the city would last all day or sometimes even two. Carried in a horse-drawn chariot the general would be preceded by prisoners and other spoils of war and followed by his troops. Dressed in a red toga to imitate Mars the god of war, he would make his way to the temple of Jupiter. For the adoring crowds the general would take on a god-like status. Such adulation might easily go to his head. He might begin to think more of himself than he ought. For that reason, he had company in the chariot as he rode around the city. A slave stood behind him the whole way whispering in his ear ‘Remember you are mortal’. These are wise words to bear in mind when any of us are tempted to assume an importance that we do not merit.  Not for

On 10th April 1912 Father Robert Browne boarded the RMS Titanic for her maiden voyage. He had been gifted a ticket by his uncle to sail from Southampton to Queenstown* in Ireland, her last stop before the transatlantic crossing. But while at sea he made friends with a wealthy American couple who so enjoyed his company they offered to pay for him to travel all the way to New York. He needed permission from his superior to do so but the reply to his telegraph was unambiguous – ‘Get off that ship’. He did so and his obedience saved his life. The message of Jesus is surprisingly similar. In Mark’s Gospel his first recorded words include a command for us to repent, which might just as well be translated ‘Get off that ship!’ Most of us are living lives our own way and perhaps, like Browne, are tempted to pursue a course that looks to be filled with pleasure and luxury. But Jesus’ invitation to repent is a call to turn our lives around and instead of facing away from God to walk towards him and embrace the f

Clearing up other people’s waste is extremely costly. Across Britain today there are hundreds of sites containing tonnes of waste, and eleven have now been labelled ‘supersites’ with more than 20,000 tonnes each. The cost of the clear up is unknown but will run into millions of pounds with one site alone costing more than £9m. The problem is some people don’t want to have to pay to get rid of their waste. They would rather dump it on others and let them pay the cost. But how fair is that? In life too our selfish hearts accumulate all kinds of waste which we don’t know what to do with. Sometimes we try burying it but generally it spills over and others end up paying the price. How often have we thought, said or done something that we wish we hadn’t? The overflow of waste, the effect of our falling short of God’s standards, the collateral damage caused by sin. If only there were someone who could clear up the mess; someone willing to pay the price. Well, there is. His name is Jesus and 2,000 years ago

The TV series Sort Your Life Out features families overwhelmed by the number of possessions and the amount of clutter that is filling their homes. They simply don’t know where to begin. The first step involves removing everything and laying it all out in a huge warehouse. Next, they are guided through the process of deciding what to keep and what to give up. It’s astonishing to see quite how much one family can accumulate, from thousands of toys to dozens of pairs of shoes and, in one case, 521 odd socks. It strikes me that we might think of Lent as an opportunity to sort our lives out but in a different way. Over the course of time our lives fill up with clutter – bad habits, resentments, grievances, losses, and despair. If we’re not careful we may find ourselves feeling overwhelmed. Used rightly Lent is a season for self-examination, an opportunity to lay everything out before God and seek his help to sort through the clutter. In the TV series Stacey Solomon is the kindest of guides through what can be a

In 1943 Anna Jarvis campaigned to have Mother’s Day cancelled in America. This might not have been anything to note had she not been the person who had done so much to promote it in the first place. On 10thMay 1908 she held a memorial ceremony to celebrate motherhood in her church at Grafton, West Virginia, and by 1914 it had become established as a national holiday.  But over the years it became an opportunity to make money selling cards, flowers and chocolates and it was this that Anna railed against. She complained that ‘a printed card means nothing except that you are too lazy to write to the woman who has done more for you than anyone in the world. And candy! You take a box to mother and then eat most of it yourself’.  Anna wanted children to think deeply about their mother’s sacrificial love. Perhaps in this she was inspired by her Christian faith and her belief in a God who had shown her so much sacrificial love. A God who sent his only son to die on a cross. In her eyes her mother’s lo

On 10th March 1876 Alexander Graham Bell uttered the immortal words, ‘Mr Watson – come here – I want to see you’. It was the first telephone call ever made. This was cutting edge technology that would change the world forever. It was the Victorian age when human progress seemed unstoppable, and people were dreaming dreams about what the future might look like. Hard on the heels of the telephone came dreams of the telectroscope, a device that could send both sound and pictures across vast distances. It would be decades before it became reality, but the dream was there. In a similar way the Bible encourages us to dream dreams about a future world that seems fantastical. In the Old Testament Isaiah prophesies, ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him’. The last book of the Bible fills in some of the blanks, describing this new world as one without death, mourning, crying or pain.  To us, such a future might seem as incredible