Here I stand...

Tomorrow is Valentines Day, the day when we’re told that receiving a dozen red roses, a cuddly toy and a card with an annonamous sentimental message is a meaningful expression of ‘true love’ and not the worrying actions of an unstable stalker. It’s possible that my cynical tone has more to do with the bitterness I feel at never having recieved a valentines card, than it is about my deep unease over shameless marketeers profiting from our deep longing for love.

Since the start of the year we’ve been studying the New Testament letter - 1 st Peter. I’ve really enjoyed getting stuck into the book and delving into some of the Old Testament imagery that Peter draws on. We’ve seen how Peter is eager for his readers to understand that there should be a world of difference between they way they live and the way unbelievers choose to live. On Sunday we saw that we don’t live for the rulers & authorities of this world, but we should seek to submit to them as they discharge their God given duties in praising good conduct and punishing wicked acts. When our Faith is on trial, we should know Hope in submission and show Love in action.   On Sunday I shared the story of Pastor Sohn Yang-Won. You can read the whole story here . There is a powerful moment in Pastor Sohn’s life after his two sons have been murdered during a communist up-rising. The responsible boy, a friend of theirs, is caught and convicted. Pastor Sohn writes to the court to...