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Charlea Grey
 
Jesus died, and He was the Sacrifice who took away our sins. But Jesus did not take away only our sins. He also took away the sins of all the people in the world.  1 John 2:2, English Bible for the Deaf
 
When you take the time to pause and reflect on what Jesus did for us on the cross, you can’t help but think about forgiveness, right?
 
I remember Easter of 2020 very clearly. I can hardly believe it’s been five years.
 
We were all confined to our homes because people around the world were in lockdown due to Covid-19. I remember watching the church service on our laptop and how we took communion with a piece of bread on the patio of our apartment. I actually can’t remember whether we drank grape juice or water, but I’m pretty sure we were out of wine by then.
 
One thing that really stuck with me from that Easter weekend is how I had the chance to reflect and truly think deeply about things that had been bothering me. I was still angry about something that had happened to me months before. It took me a long time to process the events, but that Easter weekend, I finally reached a point where I felt I could forgive.
 
How did I get there?
 
It wasn’t easy; it was definitely a process. I thought about it a lot and prayed regularly. I also had to accept the apology I had received, even though, honestly, it didn’t feel sufficient. I came to the realisation that my constant rumination and underlying anger were holding me back even more than the actual lockdown at the time.
 
That Easter weekend, stuck in our two-bedroom apartment, I rediscovered the meaning of forgiveness because, for the first time in a long while, I had the time to truly reflect on it. Along with that, I also found a renewed appreciation for freedom, friendships and simply for life itself. It was freeing to be able to forgive 100% and move forward.
 
Easter weekend is almost here again. Reflect on the things that hurt you or make you angry. Think again about forgiveness. Yes, it doesn’t happen overnight, but talk to God, so the process can begin, even if it’s slow but steady.
 
Prayer: Lord, thank you for forgiving our sins. Help me to forgive those I am angry with, just as you forgive us again and again. Amen.
 

Charlea Grey
 
He said: ‘Father, if You want to, You can take away this suffering that is coming to Me. But You must not do what I want. Do what You want to do.’Luke 22:42, English Bible for the Deaf
 
When Easter draws near, I don’t necessarily think of the cross first. For some reason, I think of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. I think of his prayer and how he asked his Father to let the cup of suffering pass from him if it was God’s will.
 
No one enjoys suffering or pain. It’s never pleasant when something challenging lies ahead – that mountain pressing down on your shoulders. And Jesus was also human; he was definitely afraid of what was coming.
 
Life isn’t easy for anyone, and we all face different challenges and worries. We’re also afraid of different things – maybe your faith is being tested, maybe it’s your marriage, perhaps you’re going through a restructuring process at work or facing a health struggle.
 
I know we all want to ask God to remove the suffering or the difficult circumstances. Yes, one could have long debates about suffering in the world. But that’s not the purpose of this piece.
 
What I can say with certainty is that God was with Jesus when he had to walk that difficult road to Golgotha. Jesus was not alone. Of course, God also had a much greater plan for Jesus’ life; unfortunately, the suffering was part of that. In the same way, you, as a child of God, are never alone, no matter how difficult the path you must walk. Remember that God always has a bigger plan.
 
Prayer: Lord, life is not easy. Hold my hand through the suffering, carry me when I feel like giving up. Amen.
 

Xanthe Hancox
 
From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.Acts 17:26-27, NIV
 
The final verses in our series of time and place come from the Apostle Paul’s speech at the Areopagus in Athens, where he addresses a group of Greek philosophers. In his message, Paul speaks about the nature of God, emphasising his sovereignty over creation and his desire for humanity to seek and know him.
 
These verses remind us of a profound truth: God is sovereign over every detail of our lives, including where and when we live. It’s not by chance that you are living in this particular time in history or in the specific place you find yourself today. According to Paul, God has intentionally placed each of us in our unique circumstances with a purpose – to seek him and to find him.
 
In our fast-paced world, it’s easy to overlook the significance of our location and the time in which we live. We might wonder why we’re in a particular place or why certain events happen when they do. But these verses reassure us that God is in control. He has marked out our appointed times and the boundaries of our lands. Our lives are not random; they are part of a divine plan.
 
Reflect on the fact that God has placed you where you are for a reason. Your current circumstances, no matter how challenging or confusing, are part of God’s greater plan. Ask yourself how you can seek God more deeply in your present situation. Are there opportunities to grow closer to him, to reach out to him in prayer, or to discover his presence in new ways? Trust that in every season and in every place, God is at work, drawing you closer to himself.
 
Prayer: Sovereign God, thank you for placing me in this specific time and place according to your plan. Help me to see your purpose in my life and to seek you with all my heart. In every circumstance, may I reach out to you and find comfort in knowing that you are always near. Guide my steps, and help me to trust in your perfect timing and your divine placement. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
 

Ben Fourie

I am descended from the family of David, I am the bright morning star. Revelation 22:16

The book of Revelation was primarily written to comfort the faithful who suffered many hardships and were persecuted by the Roman rulers. When Paul wrote the letter to the Romans in 55-57 AD the persecution had already started and it gained momentum under Emperor Nero in 64 AD. After the temple was destroyed in 70 AD both Christians and Jews were persecuted more severely.

During the rule of Domitianus (81 – 96 AD) it went from bad to worse. The book of Revelation was written during his rule to strengthen the Christians in their faith and give them something to look forward to during the dark times they were experiencing.

Although many Christians came from the Greek-speaking world, a large number of Christians were Jews. For them, our verse for the day would have held great significance. As we can see from the genealogy in Matthew chapter one, it was very important to be able to trace the lineage of Jesus back to King David, probably because of the prophecy in Isaiah 11:1, “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse.” Jesse was the father of King David. John wanted the believers to know that although the emperor had power over life and death here on earth, Jesus was King of heaven and earth.

The metaphor of the bright morning star was used to encourage the believers who might have felt lost in a night of persecution. We all know that when the morning star appears in the sky, the night is almost over. Maybe we should think of the prophecy made by Balaam in Numbers 24:17: “I look into the future, And I see the nation of Israel. A king, like a bright star, will arise in that nation …”

We might not suffer persecution, but we might sometimes feel lost in a very dark night. Remember then that the bright Morning Star is also the sign to us that even the darkest night will pass. Jesus is indeed King over every dark night.

Prayer: We are grateful, Lord, that we are not persecuted because of our faith. Thank you for being with us and holding us very tightly when we sometimes see only darkness around us. Amen

Xanthe Hancox

He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war any more.  Isaiah 2:4

This Scripture reminds me of the Knife Angel – a contemporary sculpture in the UK made from 100 000 blades. The knives were collected during a nation-wide amnesty campaign to reduce violent knife crime and highlight the need for social change. In today’s verse, Isaiah’s prophesy paints a wonderful picture of weapons that have been turned into farming implements because they are no longer needed for war.

Isaiah’s prophetic word makes us long for the day when there will be no more war. Isaiah hoped for that day, and we hope for it with him.

But the headlines of our daily news report that the world we live in is still anything but peaceful, despite the efforts of individuals and communities around the world. Daily we see fresh evidence of our inability to avoid war and embrace peace. With hope in Christ we anticipate the full peace of eternity, but right now we still experience the brokenness of this world. Peace has been created between us and God but we are not yet able to live out that peace fully.

We can give thanks for the hope we hear in Isaiah 2 about God’s peaceful kingdom. Indeed, when the Lord returns there will be no need for weapons and war. There will be no oppression of innocent people and there will be no more national powers plotting against other nations. The world will be at peace.

We all long for peace. And until the time when the Lord returns, may we do all we can to live peaceful lives in the world around us.

Prayer: Prince of Peace, we lament that war is still a reality in our world, and we pray that your peace will reign everywhere soon. Amen.

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