[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during September 2025]
Just as in the murky emptiness of pre-creation, there was nothing there, no concept, no discernable form, a vacant void. A blank screen waited in vain for some signal from the keyboard that would trigger a message to be shared. Then, in the silence of the night, God spoke:
‘Nothing!’
[This reflection by David Makanjuola was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 07/Sep/2025]
We were due to have a few people over for a barbecue and as the date got closer, like most people do, we started getting things in order so that the house would look presentable. It involved buying a couple of flowerpots for the front porch, and although it definitely looked much better that it had been, to someone who had never been to visit us, the extent of the transformation would be lost on them. For people who had been to visit us before though, on the day of the barbecue, they commented on the difference, and how good those flowerpots looked. It made me realise that there are times when change happens in us, but it is only evident to those who now us really well.
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[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during May 2025]
Did you notice a particular buzz today? The 20th May each year has been designated as World Bee Day; the purpose of the day is to help recognise and promote the importance of bees and other pollinators in the production of crops and maintaining the natural environment. The date has been chosen as it is the anniversary of the baptism of Anton Jansa who pioneered the keeping of bees. Was your baptism a memorable occasion?
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[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during May 2025]
Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.
Psalm 119 v49 [NKJV]
This extract from the psalmist’s prayer encourages us to refer back to God’s promises when we pray; that in turn requires us to know what God has promised. The NIV identifies over 200 references to God’s promises; to individuals in particular circumstances, to the nations of Israel and Judah or to those who follow him in faith. How many can you recall?
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[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during April 2025]
In this manner, therefore, pray: “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name”.
Matthew 6 v9 [NKJV]
This is the opening phrase of the template prayer that Jesus used to demonstrate to his disciples how they should pray. It is a regular component of worship services in more traditional denominations and many of us have learnt the prayer verbatim. But does the familiarity of the words mean that their significance is diminished?
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[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during February 2025]
Speak, Lord, in the stillness whilst I wait on Thee;
hushed my heart to listen in expectancy.
Emily May Crawford, (1920)[1]
How often do we get to experience stillness? In our age of perpetual motion, can our hearts really be hushed? Are stillness, quiet and silence all the same state? More importantly, are those conditions prerequisites for us to hear the Lord speaking?
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