Shocking, but not Surprising

“Christ is for the world; the world needs Christ.”
~ Eric Liddell

Considerable criticism has emerged from the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France. Artistic director Thomas Jolly sparked controversy when he used dancers and drag queens in what appeared to be a reenactment of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.” Christians worldwide were appalled to witness such flagrant mockery of Christianity on one of the world’s most prominent stages – the Olympic games. Jolly, however, defended the provocative scene by saying that a pagan festival associated with the gods of Olympus was his inspiration for the performance and not Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece.

Tune My Heart

"On the twenty-third day of the seventh month [the king] sent the
people away to their homes, joyful and glad of heart for the prosperity that
the Lord had granted to David and to Solomon and to Israel His people."
~ 2 Chronicles 7:10 ESV

In May 2004, Helen Berhane was taken into custody by Eritrean authorities after refusing to sign a document asserting that she would not practise her Christian faith. Helen understood that imprisonment, solitary confinement and torture awaited her if she did not comply with the governing officials' demands. The pressure to recant her faith did not cease when Helen ended up in a prison camp; it only intensified.

Simple-Hearted Praise

“Out of the mouths of babies and infants,
You have established strength because of Your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger.”
~ Psalm 8:2 ESV

The name of the Lord is majestic all over the earth. His splendour, which is not contingent on people’s confessions – nor their acceptance of who He is – testifies of His omnipotence. God’s glory, displayed above in the heavens, is not a fleeting phenomenon either. Rather, it has been established from everlasting to everlasting, inspiring awe and reverence in the lives of all those who even attempt to comprehend it.

A Matter of the Heart

On April 29^th, 2007, Pastor Walter Masih was attacked and beaten in front of his wife and daughter. Two men who led the attack by punching Pastor Walter in the face were joined by four others who started beating him with wooden rods. During his recovery, Pastor Walter stated: “I will never quit! I will continue the ministry I have been doing these past 17 years.”

The Advantages of an Open Heart

"O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to Thee.
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
and feel the promise is not vain,
that morn shall tearless be."
~ Dr. George Matheson (1842-1906)

The story of how Dr. Matheson came to write the hymn, O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go, is worth reading. While penning the lyrics, this blind Scottish minister felt divinely inspired:

Heart Murmur

“O Holy Spirit, descend plentifully into my heart. Enlighten the dark corners
of this neglected dwelling and scatter there Thy cheerful beams.”
~ Augustine of Hippo

I was in my late teens when our family physician discovered that I had developed a heart murmur. He did not seem concerned and explained that many healthy children can develop this condition, which often tends to occur after a rapid growth spurt. Still, the doctor assured me that most children eventually outgrow it as they reach adulthood. Therefore, the term “innocent” is medically used to describe these murmurs since no long-term heart conditions nor any other serious medical concerns are associated with them.