Reflections

When we preach the love of God there is a danger of forgetting that the Bible reveals not first the love of God but the intense, blazing holiness of God, with His love at the center of that holiness.
~ Oswald Chambers, 1874-1917, Evangelist

Paul would not only be astonished by our lackadaisical attitude towards holiness, but he would be horrified that mostly we just don’t care – unity and holiness to Paul, is the greatest thing. Unity is easy if you don’t care about holiness. Holiness is easy if you don’t care about unity. … Paul was trying to hold these two things together throughout his ministry.
~ N.T. Wright, Research Fellow, Oxford

Deep in our timid hearts is a desire to be loved mildly, nothing more. That way, we retain control, we set the terms, we avoid risk. Our loving God, in His ferocious intensity, will have none of it.
~Ray Ortlund, contemporary pastor and author

My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.
~ Job 42:5-6

The Resurrecting power of God is at the Christian’s fingertips, yet they never access it because they are afraid to tell the truth about themselves.
~ Scott Sauls, Pastor, Christ Presbyterian Church

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”
~ Luke 5:8

This Sunday’s readings: Isaiah 6:1-10