Musings

This morning, I listened to a lovely song called 'Stand By Me' by the Christian group Selah (link below). It is not a rendition of the famous song of the same name, but a prayer in the form of an old hymn from 1905: "When the storms of life are raging, Stand by me, (x2) When the world is tossing me like a ship upon the sea, Thou who rulest wind and water, Stand by me. In the midst of tribulation, Stand by me, (x2) When the hosts of hell assail and my strength begins to fail, Thou who never lost a battle, Stand by me." Some of you reading this post either have the virus or have friends and loved ones who have been infected. Others among you are risking your lives each day as you go to work. Many of you are feeling anxious about the future and how this crisis will affect life as we know it, or should I say, knew it! May you take refuge in our God. He will stand by you in the storm! He will take you through! And remember, every storm has an end! God...

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.  John 14:27   Take courage in these words from the Lord. They are not empty, meaningless sentiments because the One who spoke them is the Giver of peace. His peace is something beyond this world, a peace from Heaven, a peace which we desperately need in this time of crisis.  His peace makes our hearts untroub led and  unafraid   because it replaces worry and fear.  Draw near to Him and accept His peace today ! Ви   оставам   мир ,  ви   го   давам   Мојот   мир .  Не   ви   го   давам   како   што   го   дава   светот .  Нека   не   се   вознемирува   вашето   срце  и  нека   не   се   бои .  Јован 14:27 Охрабри  се со овие зборови од Господ. ...

As we witness the destructive force of the coronavirus, it is not hard to recognize it's source. Whether it came from bats or a laboratory, as some have suggested, ultimately its origin is Satan whose aim is to "steal and kill and destroy" (John 10:10). Christians rejoice in the knowledge that death has been defeated through Christ, who came to "destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil." Hebrews 2:14. Let us therefore be "STRONG in the Lord and in the power of His might" so the devil cannot rob us of our inner peace and joy. Let us come to the Source of LIFE, who spoke this world into being and who holds all things in His hand. It is imperative to follow the advice of hand washing and social distancing. You may also have bought gloves and masks as a way of dealing with the threat.  But what of your soul ?  Have you prepared to meet your God?  One thing is certain, we will all die at some point, but then what? Th...

The Apostle Paul was stuck in Rome under house arrest, in chains, awaiting trial before Nero on charges of sedition and heresy. This side of history we know his imprisonment lasted for 2 years, but at the time of writing Paul neither knew how long he would be confined or what the outcome of the trial would be. This is what he writes under those trying circumstances: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7 May you know God's peace during these days of uncertainty. If you are under self-isolation, use the time to pray and meditate on God's Word. Perhaps this is a time for an assessment of our Christian walk. When life as we know it changes and people around us are filled with fear, we have the calm assurance that all is in God's control. Even if we ge...

Honeyland did not win any Oscars, but then they don't give Oscars for integrity, humility and benevolence of human spirit, all of which are found in the delightful, unpretentious Hatidze Murtova. This beguiling Macedonian documentary film made history with its nomination both for best documentary and best international feature. It is not difficult to understand why. Having lived in Macedonia for fourteen years, I watched with emotional and nostalgic interest as scenes of majestic beauty and tranquility appeared. As details of Hatidze's meager existence were revealed, I was moved by the beauty and simplicity of a life lived against the backdrop of harshness and injustice. Yet the gentle Hatidze displays an outward calm and humility which is rarely seen these days. Her motto with the honey "take half, leave half" is one we need to adopt in many aspects of life. In her own words, she sums it up: "I want the audience to learn only one message from the fil...

Picture from United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Yesterday I watched BBC's 'Songs of Praise' and was intrigued by the story surrounding The National Holocaust Centre in Nottinghamshire. Established by the Smith brothers in 1995 in their family home after a visit to Israel, it is both a museum and educational centre for the upcoming generations who need to be taught about the atrocities of the Holocaust more than ever. I was shocked by the admission of Dr James Smith: "We couldn't understand how we'd gone through the British education system and not learned about this..." As the world remembers the liberation of Auschwitz seventy-five years ago on this day in 1945, it is essential to continue to highlight the depravity of the Holocaust due to the alarming surge in anti-Semitic behaviour in the world today. France reported a 27% increase in anti-Semitic acts last year and we have witnessed vicious attacks against Jewish communities in America and ...