When people share what they believe, sometimes we don’t fully listen because we assume that they’re just repeating what they’ve been told. We think people just follow whatever religion they’re born into, and that assumption keeps us from considering whether what they believe might be true.

After all, if you were born in Saudi Arabia, isn’t it likely that you’d be a Muslim? If you were born in India, there’s a great chance that you’d be Hindu. If your parents are Jewish, you’re probably going to be Jewish too.

Is that how we should understand religion? When Christians say they’ve found “the truth,” are they just affirming what their family, geography, or upbringing conditioned them to believe?

Are beliefs conditioned rather than chosen? I think for many people we’d say yes. For some Catholics, attending midnight mass on Christmas Eve is similar to a Japanese person visiting a Shinto Shrine on New Year’s Day or a Jewish parent circumcising their son. It’s a religious tradition that’s deeply ingrained in their family, their culture, and their psyche. But faith in the Bible is more than that.

1. People have left their religion for Christ since the beginning

It’s hard to deny that our culture shapes us. We inherit assumptions and are raised in traditions. But people change their minds and adopt new beliefs all the time. In areas of faith, we call this conversion, and it’s surprisingly common.

Abraham originally worshipped a collection of gods, just as his father and his grandfather had done before him (Joshua 24:2), but he came to believe that there was only one true God who was worthy of worship. Rahab was in a life of prostitution and was committed to Canaanite religion when she turned to the God of Israel (James 2:25; Joshua 2:8-9). Ruth was raised in Moabite religion but put her trust in the God of the Bible even though it came at a great cost. And the apostle Paul was a devout Jew who converted to the Christian faith he had tried to wipe out (Philippians 3:4-8).

Conversion is a reality throughout the Bible.

2. We’re shaped by our culture—but not trapped by it

Not only do we see conversions in the Bible, but conversions across ethnic and religious lines have been a powerful feature of history for the last two thousand years. Christianity began in Jerusalem and was almost exclusively Jewish. But it quickly spread to Greeks and Romans. Rome and Alexandria became the new centres of Christianity, but it continued to spread. In the 20th century, Africa and South America became the new centres of Christian faith. People who had previously known various indigenous religions became convinced that Jesus is the Saviour of the world and gave their lives to Him. More recently, Christianity has witnessed the greatest growth in Asia, and it may not be long before there are more Christians in China than in any other country in the world—and that despite tight government measures to control its spread and prevent its growth.

3. God is still calling people to Himself today

Nobody accuses atheists who have been raised in atheist homes of not thinking for themselves. And yet that same claim is levelled against Christians. The truth is, most of us can point to ways that we’ve sifted through what we were taught, embracing some things and rejecting others.

According to the Bible, however, our home has more of an impact than we might think, and God has a hand in that. Acts 17:26-27 says:

And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him.

God has placed you where you are so that you might seek Him and find Him. Amidst all of the conflicting views of what’s true and what God’s like, there’s a personal and all-powerful God working in your circumstances to draw you to Himself. Knowing your personality and your tendencies, He’s placed you in the country and family and relationships that would give you the best opportunity to know Him. In love, He stacked the deck to help you find Him.

You didn’t choose your birthplace, your family, or the traditions you grew up with. But you can choose what to believe now. Faith in Christ is never just a cultural inheritance—it’s an act of personal trust. If the God of the Bible is real, He’s not waiting for you to stumble across Him by chance. He’s already been at work—placing you, preparing you, and inviting you to Himself.

In awe of Him,

Paul

We long for harmony but end up in conflict. We try to stay on track but fall behind. We have great intentions but seldom realize them. We tell ourselves that a little more discipline and effort will solve the problem. But even when we try harder, we’re disappointed with the results. It feels like something’s broken, and according to the Bible, it is.

We were born with a flawed operating system: Adam 1.0

An operating system is like the unseen brain of a computer or phone—it supports everything else the device does. A faulty operating system slows everything down, freezes your screen, and causes programs to crash.

Many people are familiar with the story of Adam and Eve in the garden. Adam was the one who listened to the serpent instead of His Creator. He wasn’t content with a world filled with only goodness—he wanted to taste a bit of evil as well. When he ignored God and followed his heart, he experienced shame, fear, and conflict.

Adam’s story matters because, as the first human God created, he had a unique responsibility. He’s our oldest ancestor, and we inherited his DNA. Like a faulty operating system, we’ve also inherited his values, thinking, and beliefs. We keep going off course, and things keep “crashing” because his influence still shapes our lives today.

Jesus came to offer an upgrade: Adam 2.0

One of the names given to Jesus in the Bible is “the last Adam.” 1 Corinthians 15:45 says, “‘The first man Adam became a living being’; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” Jesus is like a reboot for humanity. God came into this world to provide a new start. He was born of a virgin so that He wouldn’t be corrupted by Adam’s DNA. As a result, He’s the upgrade with the perfect operating system.

I use the term Adam 2.0 because that’s how we typically name operating systems, but it’s significant that Jesus is called “the last Adam.” That means He is the final and definitive upgrade. There is no Adam 3.0.

Don’t stay stuck with the broken version

The new operating system that Jesus provides is made possible through faith in Him. That’s why John 1:12 says, “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” By receiving Jesus and putting our trust in Him, we become part of the new humanity He came to make possible. It’s as if we receive His uncorrupted DNA by faith. While it takes time to break ingrained habits, real change is possible because we are made new inside.

When a new operating system comes out, some people stick with the old one because it’s all they know. Others don’t realize an update has been released. Some delay the download because it doesn’t feel urgent. That may be inconvenient with your phone, but with your life, it’s far more serious.

If you haven’t yet trusted Jesus for the new operating system He offers, turn to Him today. And if you have, share the news of His release with someone who needs it.

In awe of Him,

Paul

We’ve all had times when we’ve lain awake, overwhelmed by life’s pressures. Life is harder than we’d like it to be. And sometimes, the usual ways we seek comfort in God fall flat. In Psalm 77, a worship leader named Asaph is honest in addressing that reality and describing what we can do to push through the challenges.

1. Seek God even when help doesn’t come easily

Asaph was experiencing what he calls “the day of [his] trouble.” We don’t know whether this involved relational conflict, personal grief, or an illness that was plaguing him, but he cried out to God and sought Him in prayer (Psalm 77:2). Even still, his soul refused to be comforted—nothing brought him relief or peace. He moaned in desperation and felt spiritually worn out by it all (Psalm 77:3).

If the psalm was written by someone of a lesser stature than Asaph, we might just assume that he was doing it wrong. But his struggles normalize the challenges of prayer and invite us to follow his example by continuing to seek God in the darkness. Help doesn’t always come easily—or instantly—even to the people of God. That’s why Jesus urges us to continue to ask, seek, and knock for the door to be opened (Matthew 7:7).

2. Be honest with your questions and keep looking to His Word for answers

When we’re confronted with a crisis, it can easily become a crisis of faith. Easy answers are tested, and superficial beliefs need to be clarified. Fearing hard questions only adds to their power.

Asaph’s stress is so great that he can’t speak, and it feels like the Lord is holding his eyelids open, keeping him from sleep (Psalm 77:4). He says, “Let me remember my song in the night” and tries to reflect on worship songs that once brought him comfort—but this time, they don’t (Psalm 77:6).

He starts asking the kinds of questions that we often feel in those times: Will this ever end? Has God’s love run out? Are His promises over? Is He so angry that He can’t show mercy anymore? (Psalm 77:7-9)

Asking questions like these helps us to wrestle through our doubts until we come to a deeper understanding of the nuances in God’s promises, the complexity in His character, and the limitations in our own trust.

3. Reflect on what God has done, not what He hasn’t

Asaph’s turning point comes when he chooses to reflect on God’s past acts of deliverance (Psalm 77:11–12). When stress is high, we can obsess over our problems and complain about what God hasn’t done, but reviewing the history of God’s working anchors us in His faithfulness.

Asaph reflected on God’s holiness, greatness, and the many ways He had delivered God’s people (Psalm 77:13–15). As he did, he remembered the exodus and how the people were trapped by the Red Sea on one hand and Pharaoh’s army on the other (Psalm 77:19–20). It was when things seemed at their worst that God rescued them—right through the sea that threatened their destruction.

As Christians, we similarly look back to the cross where God worked salvation in what looked like it might be the ultimate defeat. God’s past faithfulness gives us confidence to trust His future faithfulness and wait on Him when help doesn’t come quickly.

When your prayers don’t feel like they’re getting through, don’t give up. Faith doesn’t walk by sight. Keep seeking the Lord. Be honest with your questions, but bring them to Scripture and look to God for answers. Remember what God has done in the past to give you hope as you wait on Him to act. Feelings will change, but God hasn’t.

In awe of Him,

Paul

Many people think that it’s the leader who makes or breaks a small group. But a great small group is usually the result of one or two group members who make the difference. The Bible’s one another commands lay out practical steps that can help you turn your group into the community it’s designed to be.

1. Open the door to hospitality

Fellowship with people you barely know can feel awkward. Inviting one or two others for coffee can build connections in a group that might otherwise feel distant. 1 Peter 4:9 says, “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling,” and it gives not only a charge to invite others in but also a recognition of the work that it requires—why else would he need to add “without grumbling”? Take the initiative to get to know others outside the group.

2. Break the ice with vulnerability

We’ve all been a part of groups that felt superficial and impersonal. That happens when no one is willing to share what’s really happening in their lives. You can change that dynamic by being the first to open up yourself. James 5:16 says “confess your sins to one another.” It requires discernment to decide what should be shared in a group rather than with an individual, but honesty bonds and blesses people.

3. Encourage people in the battle

Everyone in the group you’re a part of shares something in common—they’re all struggling in some way in the battle with sin. It’s hard to daily face the world, the flesh, and the devil, so the Bible calls us to “encourage one another and build one another up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). Similarly, Hebrews 3:13 says, “Exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Your words might be the very thing God uses to help someone keep going.

4. Stir the group’s vision for something more

The groups I’ve been a part of have been made wonderful by the great ideas and initiatives put forward by their members. Hebrews 10:24 says, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works …” and it’s a reminder that nudging Christians to be and do all that they’re called to requires thought. Is there a project you could take on? An event you could participate in? A way that you could help people in their faith?

5. Carry prayers through the week

Prayer is one thing that can knit a group closer to each other and to God. While prayer takes place in most groups, continuing to pray for the group throughout the week turns a group from an event into a community. James 5:16 says, “pray for one another, that you may be healed.” Offer to start a WhatsApp group so that people can pray for each other’s needs. Remember the requests that people make when you meet and pray for them during the week. When you carry people to God in prayer, you carry the group toward deeper faith and healing.

6. Demonstrate what it means to really care

Do you ever feel that people don’t seem to be interested in what’s happening in your life? The apostle Paul found that most people were caught up in their own stuff (Philippians 2:20-21), so he pointed to the humility of Jesus and the example of Timothy and charged them, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4). Your interest in other people’s needs can be contagious and impact the whole mood of a group. Set an example of selflessness.

7. Be gracious when it’s messy

Our tendencies toward fight or flight need to be resisted when tensions rise in Christian fellowship. Small groups bring us closer to other people, so irritation and conflict are inevitable. It’s in those times that we’re called to forgive each other (Colossians 3:13) and bear with one another in love (Ephesians 4:2). When you bring grace to difficult situations, it has the power to transform people and draw you together.

Reflecting on and living out the one another commands of Scripture gives you a roadmap for making your small group all that it was intended to be. God can use your obedience to change not only the group but the lives within it.

In awe of Him,

Paul

Have you ever been in a small group discussion that was more awkward than awesome? You look around and see silence, rambling, confusion, and irritation. Maybe you’ve been the one leading and wondered what went wrong. Consider these pitfalls that can make even the best of Bible studies less than they were intended to be.

1. Neglecting to prepare adequately

Jesus taught that “A disciple is not above his teacher” (Matthew 10:24). Over time, the people in a group sense whether a leader is winging it or has done the work to prepare. Before people arrive, you need to ensure that you understand the questions and can respond to them yourself. You also need to anticipate which questions may cause problems or need to be rephrased. Don’t wait until the discussion to figure this out.

2. Lecturing instead of listening

People who make the time for a small group have already heard a sermon—and they don’t usually want to hear another one in the group. A good leader prepares well but then listens to hear others articulate the truths of Scripture. Some responses will need to be followed up for clarity while others may need to be reshaped by saying, “I think what you’re getting at is …” Often the truth of God’s Word will surface as you seek multiple responses. Listening well means being curious, asking follow-up questions, and expressing affirmation, delight, or surprise at what you hear.

3. Avoiding your own vulnerability

The group will usually only be as vulnerable as the leader. If you are cool and impersonal, others will learn that’s what’s expected. While you don’t want to dominate the conversation, look for opportunities to share how the Scripture intersects with your life. As you share your struggles and joys, it gives room for others in the group to do the same.

4. Being too rigid with the plan

Having a plan for your small group discussion is critical. And if you regularly abandon the plan for tangents that the whole group isn’t excited about, you’ll soon begin to lose them. But the questions you prepare are a guide, not a checklist. Allow some flexibility as you lead and give yourself permission to respond to questions that arise. And if it’s a discussion that you’re seeking, don’t sound like you’re reading out exam questions.

5. Failing to address problems

Every group has issues that come up—group members are looking to the leader to address them graciously and wisely. It could be a disruptive member or a person who talks too much. People can be rude or dismissive of others’ opinions. For instance, if someone interrupts repeatedly, address it privately. Even if the problems don’t bother you personally, if they affect the group, they’re your responsibility.

6. Under-committing to the role

Commitment in a group is energizing. When people prioritize their fellowship with one another, it sends the message that the group is important—and that people matter to one another. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true. Nobody wants to feel like an afterthought. Nothing stirs commitment in a group more than a leader’s own passion. When a leader arrives late, leaves early, cancels frequently, and allows other things to take priority over the thriving of the small group, the lack of commitment spreads throughout the group. If you’re going to be in, go all in!

There are things in every group that are beyond your control. But by focusing on the problems that you can change, you can turn your group into the best version of itself. Consider these six pitfalls in your own leadership—better yet, ask someone else what you need to work on—and ask God to give you grace to grow into the leader your group needs.

In awe of Him,

Paul

Starting a small group is fun, but what started as a great thing can easily become a tired thing. Over time, the people who started with you might move on. And others join with different needs and expectations. Or people don’t join, and it starts to feel stagnant. While God is the one who builds community, there are practical steps you can take to keep your small group thriving over the long term. Consider these four.

1. Clarify what you’re trying to do

Everybody who joins a group does so with a purpose in mind. They want to build relationships, deepen their accountability, or grow in Bible study. I’ve been a part of groups where months in, I realized that my expectations and the group’s goals were out of sync. It dawned on me that I wouldn’t get what I wanted from the group, and my interest and involvement began to fade.

When it’s thriving, people often express appreciation for the group and signal what it is about the group that they truly value. When that’s not happening, it’s worth asking group members why they’re there.

Our life groups set out to emphasize fellowship, discipleship, prayer, and mission, but groups can struggle with one or more of those priorities. And sometimes, people are looking for something different. Take some time as a group to ask:

• What do you most want from this group?

• What do you most appreciate?

• Where would you like to see our group grow?

As you discuss those questions, you may find that a person’s unmet expectations may energize your group’s growth and development.

2. Work on the relationships

The thing about small groups is that they’re small. And because they’re small, the quality of the relationships impacts almost everything that happens. If relationships are that important, they’re worth observing. Ask yourself questions like:

• Are people getting along?

• Are people connecting outside of the group?

• Is anyone left out?

• How do people respond to newcomers?

Address tension where you see it. Be a peacemaker and a bridge builder. Help people deal with conflict. Encourage connections and create socials and events that will draw people together and deepen the fellowship. If you’re meeting online, this is all the more important.

3. Shepherd people’s growth graciously

Nobody joins a small group at church because they don’t want to grow. People sacrifice their time for relationships, support, and Bible study, but a small group has the potential to deliver more. As you get to know people in a small group, you can see areas where maturity is lacking. There can be gaps in understanding and holes in trust and obedience. A group thrives when it can help fill those holes. But doing so requires wisdom and grace.

Ask yourself questions like:

• What’s the spiritual condition of the people in my group?

• Am I confident that they truly know Jesus? Do they understand the gospel?

• Are there areas of immaturity that are impacting others?

• What’s the next step this person needs to take?

Once you’ve assessed the needs, you look for the most gracious way to address them. Maybe it’s a group assignment. Sometimes a testimony will help. Often, it will involve some one-on-one time. Bring grace and truth to the spiritual needs of your group members.

4. Get out and do something

There’s nothing like mixing things up to inject life into your life group. If all that you do happens in the same weekly format and time slot, it’s easy for it to become stale. There are things that you can do as a group that you’d never be able to accomplish as individuals. So, talk about opportunities and work at mission as a group.

• Hold a social event you can invite others to

• Plan an outing as a group to deepen your connections

• Look for ways you can minister to your neighbourhood

Thriving small groups don’t happen by accident. They need work and fine-tuning to keep meeting their purpose and the needs of the group members. If you’re sensing drift, don’t panic. Start by clarifying your purpose, strengthen your connections, shepherd people with grace, and get moving on mission. Keep your group focused on what matters most and ask God to breathe new life into it.

In awe of Him,

Paul

They say that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step—but that first step is one of the hardest. People who have been a part of a small group for years can’t imagine the Christian life without it. For others, joining a group can feel like a daunting move. Preparing for what happens on the other side of the door can give you the confidence to walk through it. Here’s what you need to know before your first small group.

What to expect

Almost all small groups involve Bible study and prayer. In our groups, we use the discussion questions from the handouts which accompany that week’s message. Expect to read the Bible as a group and discuss what the passage means and how it applies to your life. After the study, group members typically pray for each other. And because small groups are a place to grow in fellowship, if you’re meeting in person, expect there to be time to hang out and get to know other people while you enjoy some snacks.

How to prepare

Getting ready for your first small group shouldn’t be a chore, but there are a number of things you can do to make the experience more rewarding.

If the discussion will centre on the sermon, then make sure you’ve listened to the sermon online if you weren’t there that Sunday—and by all means bring a Bible. Reading through the questions in advance will help you feel more confident contributing to the discussion.

In the prayer time, you’ll probably be asked how the group can pray for you. This is an opportunity for people to support you, so give thought to areas of your life and faith where you most want God to act. Maybe you have a work challenge, a family situation, or a struggle with Bible reading that the group could pray for.

Dealing with nerves

It’s completely normal for people to feel nervous about their first small group meeting. Don’t worry—everyone else has felt the same thing.

While small groups are meant to be interactive, there’s no expectation for you to contribute when you’re first settling in. It’s completely fine to just quietly listen to the discussion.

If you’re not ready to pray out loud yet, it’s okay to pass. But don’t be intimidated if others pray long, eloquent prayers. Jesus commended people for short, simple prayers (Matthew 6:7; Luke 18:13), and so there’s no need to use special words or fancy language.

And don’t feel obligated to stay until the very end, either. If you’re meeting in person, people will hang out and chat afterwards, but it’s not a problem if you have to leave as soon as the formal part of the group meeting is done.

Take things at your own pace—anything that helps you make that first step is worth it.

Take the leap

Starting something new can be uncomfortable—but God often works through the unfamiliar to grow our faith. You don’t have to have all the answers or know everyone in the room. Just showing up is a step of faith, and that’s something God always honours.

In awe of Him,

Paul

When people think of church, they usually think of the place where you sit, listen, and sing on a Sunday morning, but church was intended to be much more. Church can be a lonely place if you never get past the crowd. You need relationships with other Christians you can invest in and be supported by. You need people to pray for and who will pray for you. You need a place where you can experience the family of God, not just a meeting with God. Small groups, or what we call life groups, are where those things happen.

Four things happen in a life group that you miss out on if you’re never a part of one: fellowship, discipleship, prayer, and mission.

1. In fellowship, we get to know the family we’re called to love

When people think of small groups, they usually think of Bible study—and studying the Bible is essential. But if we’re not growing closer to others in small groups, we’re not following the biblical pattern. The early church “devoted themselves to … fellowship” (Acts 2:42), meeting in homes—not just the temple—in order to love one another as Jesus commanded (Matthew 22:37-39).

In our life groups, we begin every week by sharing the highs and lows of our week, so we can get to know one another better, bear one another’s burdens, and celebrate one another’s joys. That’s why most groups either begin or end with snacks to provide a time when people can informally connect. It’s also why our groups do socials every few months and work at deeper relationships with one another.

You can’t love people you don’t know. Life groups are where you get to know the family you’re called to love.

2. In discipleship, we lean into the teaching until the penny drops

Hearing a sermon is important, but it’s as you try to reflect on what you’ve learned and hear others do the same that real transformation can take place. We use the discussion questions from the sermon handout to dig into the meaning of the passage that was preached that Sunday and discuss how it applies to us personally.

While Jesus preached some amazing sermons, where would His disciples be had it not been for questions like, “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15), “Why are you afraid, have you still no faith?” (Mark 4:40), “Do you understand what I have done to you?” (John 13:12), or “Do you love me?” (John 21:15-17). Questions help us to connect the dots from understanding to application. And just as Peter’s answers often helped the disciples to reflect on their own, hearing other people’s perspectives helps us to grow ourselves.

3. In prayer, we call on God for one another

The end of our formal small group time is spent in prayer. Some groups divide into men’s and women’s subgroups to pray while others are small enough to pray all together. While most Christians pray, it’s difficult to grow in prayer without hearing other Christians pray.

Look how the disciples learned to pray. We’re told that “one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples’” (Luke 11:1). The result was the Lord’s Prayer.

It’s perfectly fine to just listen to other people pray when you first start attending a life group, but it’s in groups like these that most Christians begin to pray out loud for the first time.

4. In mission, we do together what we can’t do on our own

You can love your neighbour and share your faith with a coworker, but there are so many other opportunities that require the response of a team of believers. In groups I’ve been a part of we’ve organized clean-ups for a neighbour’s yard, handed out gospel tracts in a local festival, been a part of an art exhibition, went carolling at Christmas, and brought Christmas gifts to homebound church members. Seeing the faces of those impacted and feeling the satisfaction of serving together made those experiences precious and unforgettable.

Each group will be able to respond to different needs, but if there’s a common commitment to do mission together, you’ll experience the joy of impact and service. Ask God to give you eyes to see the opportunities around you.

If you’re not already, make time to be a part of a life group. If your nerves make you feel reluctant, know how welcoming the more intimate setting can be. There’s a whole dimension to the Christian life that you can’t experience without it.

In awe of Him,

Paul

Philip Gulley shares the story of an argumentative churchgoer who obsessed over end times details but was M.I.A. when there was a call for volunteers to serve in the local food bank. He argues, “We’re so busy preparing for heaven that we forget to make earth a better place.”

Brian McLaren agrees. He says, “The kingdom of God is not a ticket to heaven but a call to transform this world through love and justice.”

Have we got it wrong?  Are Christians too preoccupied with the life to come? If we stop talking about heaven will that make us more useful here on earth? The Bible presents an interesting balance.

1. Jesus’ central call was to repentance, not free soup

Most scholars agree that Mark 1:15 is the statement of Jesus’ core message: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” The way many speak about the kingdom of God today, you might have expected Him to tell people to just roll up their sleeves and join Him in trying to help people—and He did plenty of that—but Jesus’ primary message was about calling people to repent and believe the good news.

There’s an interesting episode where people confront Jesus with a shocking case of injustice. The Roman governor, Pilate, had killed some Galileans while they were offering sacrifices. You might expect Jesus to form a political protest: “Down with Pilate! Away with Rome!” Instead, he says to them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” Jesus was stubbornly focused on people’s spiritual condition and need for repentance.

But didn’t Jesus feed the 5,000? He did, and He showed compassion for all of people’s physical struggles. But even then, He pointed beyond their physical hunger to their spiritual need. Listen to how He addresses those who just wanted more bread in John 6:27: “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life.”

We should care for people’s physical needs, but followers of Jesus should imitate His priorities, and His was a message of eternal life received through repentance and faith.

2. If all we can offer the poor is free soup, we leave them hopeless

The book of James makes it clear that faith without works is useless (James 2:17). We should help those who are “poorly clothed and lacking in daily food” and give “them the things needed for the body” (James 2:16). But if Jesus is reduced to a social worker and all we can offer is charity, then the poor are at the mercy of the privileged, and there is no future hope.

If you haven’t eaten all day, free soup is nice, but it’s never someone’s first choice. Heaven is the promise of a feast to all who turn to Jesus. It’s the hope of relief from this world’s struggles and injustices. That hope was central to the early church’s mission.

In 1 Corinthians 15:19, Paul said, “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” If our religion can be reduced to a little more food, a little better health, and a little more friendship, then we should pack it in. But the reality is that we worship a Saviour who has risen from the dead and offers eternal life to all who turn to Him.

3. Only Jesus’ promise of eternal life can motivate us to serve soup when things get hard

Diana Butler Bass once wrote, “Our faith should focus on healing this planet, not escaping it.” That sounds noble enough. And trying to escape this world feels like an abandonment of the mission Jesus gave us. But aid workers and those involved in areas of justice and compassion are especially prone to burnout.

When you set out to “heal the planet” it’s not long before you realize that your efforts are a drop in the bucket. The Bible tells us that our planet is broken and will one day be destroyed. What’s the point of changing the sheets on the Titanic?

According to the Bible, it’s the very promise of the life to come that motivates us to overcome the setbacks and difficulties that inevitably come when serving the needy. Take the Christians in Hebrews 10:34-35, for example. It says, “For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.” How did they keep going when their support of those who had been imprisoned led to profound loss? They had their eyes focused on their eternal inheritance. We need a strong eternal hope to deal with the challenges involved in serving others. To shortchange one in service of the other is to move backward, not forward.

Jesus never taught us to ignore the pain and injustice around us, but neither would He let us live like this is all that there is. Our mission is to declare the gospel and call people to repent and believe in Him. But when we’ve experienced the love of God, it moves us to love our world. And the people that we love need eternal hope just as much as we do.

In awe of Him,

Paul

Sometimes, it’s hard to understand what God is thinking when we face painful circumstances. Knowing God could have prevented the trial we’re going through makes us question His heart toward us. Is He cold, stern, and uncaring? Does He just stand aloof and watch us suffer?

I was helped in dealing with some of these questions by Dane Ortlund’s book, “Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers.” Three insights stood out.

1. Jesus’ heart is gentle and lowly

Ortlund shares how his father learned from Charles Spurgeon that there’s only one place in all of the 89 chapters that make up the gospels where Jesus describes His own heart. In Matthew 11:29, Jesus famously says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

The word translated “gentle” is the same word that appears in the Sermon on the Mount when Jesus talks of the blessedness of “the meek” (Matthew 5:5) and in 1 Peter 3:4 where he talks of the beauty of a “gentle” and quiet spirit. Jesus’ heart is the opposite of overbearing, self-serving, and aggressive. He’s meek and gentle.

The word “lowly” describes someone who is “humble” in James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5, but it can also describe someone’s circumstances. In Luke 1:52, it speaks of those in poor conditions or “humble estate.” In 2 Corinthians 7:6, it’s translated as “downcast.” Jesus lowers Himself and comes down to our level. His birth in a manger set the tone for everything that followed.

Ortlund clarifies that when the Bible speaks of the heart, it’s referring to “the central animating center of all we do. It is what gets us out of bed in the morning and what we daydream about as we drift off to sleep.”

Jesus is first and foremost gentle, meek, and down on the ground with us in humble concern.

2. God is all about mercy and grace

Some might think, “That might be how Jesus describes Himself, but God seems a lot angrier than that in the Old Testament.” Ortlund is helpful again in taking us to the foundational description of God in the Hebrew Scriptures. Exodus 34:6-7 is God’s revelation of Himself to Moses, and the Old Testament authors quote it again and again.

God passes in front of Moses, saying:

“The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

God doesn’t reveal Himself as “critical and stern” or “impatient and uncaring.” He always leads with mercy and grace. When there’s anger, it’s been a long time coming; He doesn’t have a short fuse or a quick temper. He’s responsible for justice and warns that our sins will impact us and several generations, but His love and forgiveness will reach “to a thousand generations” (Deuteronomy 7:9). In other words, the impact of His love and forgiveness on those who turn to Him is limitless.

Mercy, grace, and forgiveness are at the centre of God’s heart toward us.

3. God takes no pleasure in your pain

It’s comforting to think of God in these ways. We long for His mercy, grace, and gentleness. But those qualities are hard to reconcile with the painful trials we often go through. Is God powerless to do anything? Or is He usually merciful but turns stern when He has to “teach us a lesson”? Ortlund is helpful in pointing us to Lamentations 3:33 for the answer.

The verse appears in a book that is all about grieving. The people are reeling from the most gruesome disaster in the nation’s history. And it’s clear that God is responsible. After explaining that there is a limit to what God has done (Lamentations 3:31) and offering assurance that “though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love” (Lamentations 3:32), the prophet says, “for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men” (Lamentations 3:33).

Whether for our growth, our discipline, or the collateral damage that results from the judgment that sin has brought on this world, God must at times bring grief and affliction, but He doesn’t do it “from his heart.” He doesn’t enjoy it. He feels the heaviness of our pain.

As He says in Ezekiel 18:32, “I have no pleasure in the death of anyone.” Our pain pains the heart of God. When we hurt, it hurts Him.

By contrast, God delights to bless us. Feel the enthusiasm expressed in a verse like Jeremiah 32:41, “I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul.”

When we’re confronted with suffering, it’s easy to think that God has finally shown His true colours. We allow the pain to define God when the reality is that He’s grieved by it as well. He delights to bless us and is near to us in our trials—always compassionate, always gracious.

If you’re wondering whether God cares, look at Jesus. His gentle and lowly heart finds its deepest expression at the cross where He died for you. God isn’t just watching you suffer. He’s with you in it and doing something deeper than you can ever see in the moment.

In awe of Him,

Paul