rozandmarkarnold

Lent 2022: The Servant of Yahweh

I have at times past blogged each day of Lent. I’m not sure if this is achievable this year. But I want to start today in Isaiah, with the first of the so called ‘servant’ songs – about a mysterious figure who sometimes seems to be Israel, sometimes someone a bit like a prophet, andContinue reading “Lent 2022: The Servant of Yahweh”

Lent begins

Lent like Advent is a time of preparation, of moving toward the fulfillment of the waiting and longing. We might mark it with pancakes yesterday for Shrove Tuesday. Those within certain faith communities may receive ash today. For many though its just another day with a nagging guilt that we should give something up forContinue reading “Lent begins”

A book to read

After a number of years of reading for study and then reading to children and about parenting, life has come back around and I have books for myself on my bedside table. None though have given me a language that makes sense of my inner battles. None ever mirrored myself back to me, I wasContinue reading “A book to read”

God our Helper

In this section of Isaiah 41 I’ve struggled a bit more. I had one blog post almost written before I realised it was my rant at news making headlines in the Christian world. And Isaiah wasn’t written to fuel my rants. My struggle is a bit odd in fact, as these verses are fundamentally reassurance.Continue reading “God our Helper”

Holding Space

Some times it is just about holding space. In the flow of my day, the back and forth of conversation with God as I tend to those in our home I think of those I know ministering, of those preparing God’s word, of those rejigging this Sunday because of positive tests, of those looking outContinue reading “Holding Space”

Heading into the year as one body

There has been plenty of discussion out there around one rule for us, one rule for them. There is real pain behind the stories of those who did as they were asked, made raw once more by revelations of leaders actions. As I have been reading Amos these mornings I am reminded once more thatContinue reading “Heading into the year as one body”

Sometimes praying is simply living each day.

The momentum of Advent, 12 days of Christmas and Epiphany are behind us and its all too easy to want to simply hibernate. Activity feels beyond us, bleary eyes stare back at us in the mirror. Isn’t new year about new starts but nothing feels new, all feels jaded and as if we are walkingContinue reading “Sometimes praying is simply living each day.”

New Year: Do Not Fear

It seems appropriate for the first blog of the new year to be about fear – especially in such turbulent times. Isaiah 41 continues like this: 5 The islands have seen it and fear; the ends of the earth tremble.They approach and come forward;6 they help each other and say to their companions, “Be strong!”7 The metalworker encourages the goldsmith, andContinue reading “New Year: Do Not Fear”

New Year: Surprising salvation

Isaiah 41 is a much less well known passage than its predecessor, but it contains just as much rich theology. Since the days of long ago and far away when I was a student at university reading these chapters (Isaiah 40-55) for the first time and sensing the vastness of this God as I read,Continue reading “New Year: Surprising salvation”

Midnight Mass

As the clock draws close to midnight in the first places around the world churches will open their doors, their live stream to celebrate the Christ Mass, to celebrate the One who comes fully divine and fully human. Who comes to bring a peace. Not man made peace but lasting peace. As our eldest justContinue reading “Midnight Mass”