God wants to be with His people. He has given us each other in His wisdom, to live together: the Bible has a lot to say on how we do that. It’s a spiritual practice: not a way to climb to God (who loves us unconditionally) but as a way to position ourselves so that God can more easily meet with us, both individually and together. 

Proverbs 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” 

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labour: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” 

Following the mass conversion at Pentecost, the newly formed community of believers in Jesus as Lord and Saviour begins to live out their faith together in daily life. Acts 2:42–47 describes how this early church grows in unity, devotion, and generosity, laying the foundation for the Christian community's way of life. 

In John 14 v 26, Jesus has been telling His disciples that He is going to go away: but that they would not be left to muddle along, as He would send the Holy Spirit to them: to teach them “all things”, and remind them of what Jesus had said, and to lead them into all truth – both as a community and individually. That is still true !

Hebrew 4 v 12 describes God’s word as “living” (lit. energy) and active. It sees everything, cuts with surgical precision and expertise, and gets through to our deepest parts. God’s desire is to be powerfully at work in us, by word and Spirit, making us to flourish and be fruitful for Him. 

Maybe tea is a good analogy for how we take in Scripture. Do we give it give it a casual glance and expect it to change us? Or do we spend time with God’s word and take on its flavour? What type of tea do we want to be? Memorising scripture is one way we can meditate on it and become saturated by what it says. 

At the end of this episode, Anna walks us through a guided scripture meditation on psalm 130.

 Today is Pentecost: the birthday of the Church! A time to welcome the Holy Spirit, who is right here, today, and here for ever. We need the Holy Spirit to live for Jesus, and to give us eyes and ears to hear God’s voice in this library of 66 books. So every part of who we are can grow as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Tim 3 vs 16-17) The Old Testament is what Jesus knew as the Hebrew Bible: and Psalms was the hymn book of the Church. And it starts as it means to go on: how to delight in the law of God, meditate on it day and night, and be blessed. To live a life of meaning and purpose, resilient in the face of what life brings our way; to be a tree planted by the waters that doesn’t wither, stays evergreen, and produces good fruit. To be secure in God, not just in the love of other people. We live in a world of half-truths and outright lies, where it’s difficult to know what’s true and what’s fake. How do we know what is right and not questionable ? The psalmist says meditating on God’s word will bring delight to our souls, for it is reliable and good. Living with our own and our peers’ judgement and gut feelings could be called “expressive individualism”: and the Psalm says that is such a poor thing compared to God’s holy word to us. 

 Hebrews 4:1–13 highlights how we respond to Christ, drawing from Psalm 95 to warn against the danger of hardening our hearts. The psalm, originally directed at the generation of Israelites who refused to enter the Promised Land, reminds us that the Holy Spirit is still speaking today—not just once in the past. Their failure, rooted in unbelief, serves as a warning for all believers. An unbelieving heart turns away from the living God, and the only safeguard is daily encouragement and a steadfast faith. True participation in Christ is shown by holding firmly to our original confidence all the way to the end; perseverance is the evidence of genuine faith. The passage also unfolds the meaning of God’s rest—not simply entering Canaan, but a deeper spiritual rest marked by trust, peace, and worship, as one fellowships with God. This rest, symbolized by the Sabbath, is both a present reality and a future promise. Those who enter it, cease from their striving, just as God rested from His creative work. Yet this rest must be diligently pursued, and the danger of disobedience remains real. The section closes by pointing to the piercing power of God’s Word, which exposes every thought and motive of the heart. Nothing is hidden from Him, and all must ultimately give account before the One who sees all. 

Rest is a core part of the character and nature of God (Gen 2:1-3, Ex 33:13-14). His desire is for us to live in that rest. In the Old Covenant, God’s way of us experiencing His rest was primarily Sabbath: a time to stop and be with Him (Ex 20:8-11). Stopping is restful (Isa 11:3); being in God’s presence is restful (Ex 33:14). However, Sabbath as a day is a shadow of the true Sabbath, which is Christ (Col 2:16-17) - and this rest is so much greater (2 Cor 3) ! In Him, we get to experience being with Him, in His Presence, always (Matt 28:20) and the refreshing from that Presence (Acts 3:19-20). Furthermore, we “stop”. We cease from our works as God did from His, experiencing the rest of Christ as our righteousness and our sanctification. In this, we also experience physical rest and stopping as Christ leads us. The substance of Sabbath rest is Christ, for He is all in all. 

 Today's theme: God's version of what it means to be a king - which even the best of earthly kings can't deliver. We need Jesus as our king! The period from Saul to Rehoboam marks the rise and fall of Israel’s united monarchy. Saul, from the tribe of Benjamin, was anointed as Israel’s first king (1 Samuel 10), but his disobedience led to his rejection by God (1 Samuel 15). David, a man after God's own heart, succeeded him and united the tribes, established Jerusalem as the capital, and received the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7). His son Solomon inherited the throne, known for his wisdom (1 Kings 3) and for building the First Temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 6–8), but his idolatry later in life provoked God’s judgment (1 Kings 11). Solomon’s son Rehoboam succeeded him, but his harsh response to the people's plea for lighter burdens caused ten northern tribes to break away under Jeroboam, dividing the kingdom into Israel (north) and Judah (south) (1 Kings 12). 

 In 1 Kings 19, the prophet Elijah is fleeing for his life after the confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, where he had called down fire from heaven to prove that the Lord is the true God. Consequently, Jezebel threatens to kill him, leading Elijah to run for his life, overwhelmed with fear and despair. He isolates himself, asks God to take his life, and falls asleep under a broom tree. However, God provides for him through an angel, who gives him food and water, and Elijah journeys to Mount Horeb (Sinai), where he has a profound encounter with God—not in wind, earthquake, or fire, but in a gentle whisper. This passage highlights Elijah’s vulnerability, God's care, and the shift from dramatic displays of power to intimate, personal revelation.