Posted on June 8, 2015
I am not a person (by nature 1) who enjoys repetition. In fact, I thrive on changing circumstances. This has slowly shifted the older I get, but when I had a ‘sit-down-at-a-desk’ type job, I had to fill out the same reports first thing every morning. It was the worst part of my day.
Winter has just begun in South Africa, we are experiencing cold for the fist time in a house we moved into in the middle of summer. Every morning I am pushing myself through the cold air in the house and I do the same thing every morning. Run into the lounge and start a fire 2, and then turn on the kettle for some coffee.
Over 4 or so winters in South Africa, Do you know what I am pretty good at?
Making Fires and cups of coffee.
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Posted on May 31, 2015
Trinity Sunday Prayer
Father,
You sent your Word to bring us truth
and your Spirit to make us holy.
Through them we come to know the mystery of your life.
Help us to worship you, one God in three persons,
You reveal yourself in the depths of our being,
by proclaiming and living our faith in you.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever. Amen
Posted on May 29, 2015
Links for Friday | 29th May 2015
Every Friday I’m posting links to things I’ve read this week that I think you might find interesting too,
So, its been a quiet week on this blog, partly due to this
We’ve been travelling back from India, and on our first flight I was carted off by paramedics with some pretty dramatic food poisoning! All is well now though, and after a night at home we are back on the road, hence the slow down with blogging.
Posted on May 25, 2015
Practising the Presence at the Table | Isaac Aho
Over the past two years Isaac has been one of my favourite people to eat, drink, think and pray alongside. His family have intentionally developed their meal table as a space to recognise the worth of Jesus, one another and the many guests they have. I asked him to write a little on what he is learning about spiritual formation and the deep connection to meal times. – Liam
I was recently listening to an audio recording of John Ortburg and Dallas Willard at a “Knowing Christ Today” conference in Santa Barbara, California. This recording is, in my opinion, one of the best teachings on discipleship I have ever heard in one compilation. Willard is a man who has given his life to the study and application of spiritual formation. Toward the end of the conference, Ortburg asks Willard a question. I can hear a certain desperation in his voice as he is a pastor and author who has also devoted his life to the idea that real discipleship can and should be happening in the church. We should look different as kingdom people.
Posted on May 22, 2015
Links for Friday | 21st May 2015
Every Friday I’m posting links to things I’ve read this week that I think you might find interesting too,
Theology
- In recent months, I’ve been pushed back to realy re-examine how we use the word ‘Gospel’ and what it means to share the gospel. Here Scot McKnight alludes to a couple of ways in which we might be sharing a narrower gospel than the biblical text proclaims;
- An old prof of mine who I am forever indebted to for discovering the beautiful intersections of theology, mental health care and chaplaincy, John Swinton writes about his nominating of Jean vanier founder of L’arche communities
“Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing frighten you. All things pass away; God never changes. Patience obtains all things. Those who have God find they lack nothing; God alone suffices.” Teresa of Avila (1515-82)
Posted on May 19, 2015
Journeying through ‘With’ by Skye Jethani | Part 2
I’m working through an overview of ‘With” (US | UK | Anywhere else by Skye Jethani, read the previous posts here (Part 1)
The next few chapters in the book relate to deepening the understanding of the postures towards God that Skye introduces in the 1st.
The first posture is;
Life under God
Life under God is a posture that comes close to fatalism, the idea that what will be, will be, apart from that our adherence to God’s will induces his blessing, and conversely, our lack of blessedness is because of our displeasing God.
Skye explains how this view emerges from people attempting to explain the causes for evil or lack of fortune. It can be presented as some form of *primitive” view of God, such as ancient cultures explaining why crops fail, but Skye explains how in a modern society we still can hold the understanding that our business is failling, our children are sick, our country is collapsing all because of our lack of adherence to God’s rules.
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Posted on May 18, 2015
“Oh Death where is your sting”, Oh, there it is!
Just over a week ago a close friend of ours died far too suddenly. We cried out in prayer, and were sure God joined us in our desire for his life to be prolonged, but yet, he died.
Honestly victorious phrases like “Death where is your sting, grave where is your victory”1 seem like callous belittling of the very real pain experienced in the loss of life. Is my reaction to those phrases a worrying litmus test for the extent of my ‘eternal perspective’? I’ve wondered.
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Posted on May 15, 2015
Links for Friday | 15th May 2015
Every Friday I’m posting links to things I’ve read this week that I think you might find interesting too,
Travel
In the next week I’ll hopefully post my full review of the Tom Bihn Bag I wrote about a few weeks back, but for now feel free to check out some pictures of our current trip to India here, my photoblog is http://LIAMBYRN.ES.
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Posted on May 14, 2015
Ascension Day 2015
Today the church celebrate the ascension of Christ, I was sent this great sonnet by Malcolm Guite and his great explanation for the significance of the ascension which seems deeply under appreciated within the evaneglical community;
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