To keep from becoming mentally atrophied, I use a free language learning program. The app reports that I've been successful in completing the lessons for 730 days in a row. Maintaining a really long streak actually becomes high motivation to login every day. So, I am really focused daily to succeed, yet I am not truly the successful doer of 730 consecutive days of lessons.

One of the program's concessions is to make an allowance for missing a day by using what it calls a streak-freeze — a kind of cheat. When a day's input is missed, to avoid the streak being set to zero, you automatically use a streak-freeze, if you have saved them up. Initially, they are limited to only three in about three months: not many. I have needed several streak-freeze days to keep the streak going over the previous two years.

Why is my desire to keep a streak going greater than my desire to read my Bible every day? Have I been sucked into the challenge of learning a language on consecutive days because of my desire not to atrophy, over and above my priority to read the Bible? As it is, I spend enough time in front of the computer. Is it too much for me to sit still any longer and read? Surely the Bible should come first and not be supplanted by a mere program.

For sixty years, through school, multiple decades of church, Bible college, and finally, university religious studies training and teaching, I like to think I am familiar with the Word of God. So I do know my Bible by repetition of exposure, unlike the language I am daily absorbing, because I have not yet acquired the conceit of familiarity. Sadly, my mind, if not yours, wanders away from God in the absence of a daily read of His Word.

Woe is me, as this foolishness may deny me an encounter with what Jesus is saying in particular today! Prayer is good to ask questions and seek help and advice, but unless we become still before God, waiting, wanting to hear His voice, how can we come face-to-face with our God found in Scripture?

Does it matter if we miss a day? Can we get a streak-freeze to get by until tomorrow without reading? Yes, but there are no cheats to hearing from God, only lessons to learn and prayers for grace for the interim as He waits for our return. The Bible is often God's unpretentious way of guiding our thoughts, speaking truth for today!

Prayer: Lord, I am embarrassed to be here, before the throne of grace again, knowing that I have not sought You or Your will for me, with all my being. Fan into flame those embers of longing for reading and hearing Your Word to feed my soul for today, for I need You. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

I sit here with incredulity, having read the latest world news. I could say "with disbelief", but currently, the news is totally believable. On the world stage today, there is a move by some to let the aggressor win. The weak have no answer to contest the outcomes because might is right, purely by its outcomes rather than by any morality. It seems to me there is no longer much appetite to pay the price in lives or money for justice. That tendency has been growing since the turn of this century. Back in the 1980s, I forecast this to some of my then youth group members. As time passes, we forget or demote the outcomes and trauma of World War II. In time of need, we have become feckless. The United Nations has been shown to be found wanting, as previous history showed its predecessor, The League of Nations, to be. History repeats itself.

Back in Jesus' time, Rome followed Greece in conquering and taking over the Mediterranean world. Life was lived under the constant threat of violent rule. People in Judea looked to anyone, including Jesus, who could rise up and save them, to bring them out from under brutal oppression and corruption, but were disappointed when He died — and for some, their hope died with Him.

It seems nothing has changed or evolved for the better in the way humanity has acted over the preceding two millennia. In dark times, might has become right, and financial expediency has become more important than moral obligation and justice.

However, in the retrospective of several decades, the improvement in my personal circumstances has taught me that even when we think that God is absent or silent, He is still steadily working. We may not see what God is doing with us, but Jesus' oversight has eternal vision!

At that time, I was bitterly upset with my circumstances, and through that lens, it was hard to see how Jesus could be working. Yet for me, 25 years later, I know Jesus was moving to heal and restore my trust in myself and in His total commitment to accept me and not to give up on our relationship. It is always true for those who have the ears to hear: Jesus saves.

The road ahead may not be easy for our world. It was the same two thousand years ago: the promise of Jesus has always been to be with us continually, facilitated by the presence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus calls us to trust in His unfailing love, no matter how things appear.

Matthew 8:26 – And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. (ESV)

We have an amazing God. Keep the faith!

Prayer: Father, in times of weakness and oppression, strengthen us so that we may be more willing to follow You. In our days ahead, grant us wisdom to see the need in those who travel alongside us, and Your grace to stand up as we walk in step with them. Amen.

Today, when Caroline renewed her driving licence online, it reminded me of the time 51 years ago when I received my provisional driving licence. I learnt how to drive, and then I passed my test on October 3rd, 1973.

Today's event also reminded me of the 52 years since I became a Christian, saved by grace through asking Jesus into my life.

As a teenager, heaven seemed on a far distant horizon, or at least its entry was an open-ended question. Now, heaven and God have become an ever-approaching reality, rather than a speck in the distance. I ask how we, who are walking the tightrope of linear time, can comprehend an eternity with a God Who is genuine and not a fable. What sort of house will we have? Can we have a pet? Who will mow the lawn? Will there be a lawn with our house in heaven? Will my house just be a shed with the dog?

The more I have walked with Jesus over the years, I find that the answers to these questions about how I will fit in heaven are truly beyond my comprehension and frankly irrelevant. In the Bible, we see that existence with Jesus will be different: free from sin, shame, and sorrow, with an unlimited intimacy in the presence of God.

Then, I had no idea of how to combine thoughts of the Father as a holy, awesome, creator God, with Jesus as my personal Saviour and companion in life. How can the two be combined? But isn't that what Jesus shows us through His incarnation? The Holy Spirit is there with Jesus encouraging us not to settle for less than He is willing to give.

When I passed the driving test 51 years ago, I gained the knowledge of how to become a careful driver, not just as a learner. I would like to say I was a vigilant driver, but that would be stretching the truth a little, now less so.

Fifty-two years ago, I held out my hand to Jesus and gave to Him what I could. In return, He disclosed to me that I passed into membership in the kingdom of God. I would like to say I became a vigilant member of the Christian community, but that would be stretching the truth, too. Despite a shaky start, over time, we learn.

I believe Jesus will take what we can honestly give and then encourage us to get up and follow Him. Let's do that!

John 15:5 – I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (ESV)

Prayer: Lord, apart from You we can do nothing of worth. Teach us that we may learn what it means to be a part of Your kingdom. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

By nature, I am an impetuous person. My body and mind are currently a little slower, but that's okay when writing — or reading. These days, they would say that when I was young, I had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. So, waiting has been my bête noire. Like most of the world, I want it, and I want it now: safety, healing, food, things, sleep, and winning with God.

I have had a fall lately, and it turns out that I have cracked a few ribs into the bargain, so I need to be careful until I heal. To add insult to injury, literally, we have had storm-force winds that blew some fences down. Having retrieved Daisy, the dog, from next door, I knew the repair could not wait. So, I have been out in the garden stringing up the posts that have broken and replacing the fence that was splintered beyond repair, with no small amount of pain in the doing. I was not happy with God. I thought, "Really? I do not need this! Please help me to get it done", which He did.

Other times, I just have to wait. As I write, I am waiting for acrylic paint to cure on a bass guitar neck. Until the paint cures and is silky smooth, I can go no further with my painting project. It has reminded me of the irony of the saying, "I would rather watch paint dry", because that is exactly what I have to do: wait! Occasionally in the past, I have messed things up by being impatient with applying consecutive layers of paint. This required a do-over, stripping down and then starting again from the bare wood or metal. It takes time. So, now I wait.

It is a hard lesson to face when we see what we know could happen, happen right in front of us, when we should have waited. So, too, our lives and relationships can be like that. Sometimes, we just have to wait and say nothing, because to do otherwise would be a mistake.

Our walk with God can be like that, too. Sometimes, we have to be silent before God. God may allow our lives to be stripped back by some event or situation, and we find out where our faith lies. To rail against Him is a mistake. Our commitment can be instant, but faith grows by walking with Him humbly over time. Sometimes, we have to work through the tough stuff before we know the final outcome — heaven. We have to wait.

Keep the faith!

Prayer: Lord, for all of us wondering, "Do You care?" help us to be still. Bring Your peace and solace, in and through Jesus' name. Amen.

Recently, I went for a walk in the park with my wife, Caroline, and I fell over. This left me with significant injury, but not enough to go to hospital where I would be told nothing was broken except my pride! So, my body is not as young and indestructible as it once was, and it seems I have taken that capacity for granted.

Having asked for prayer from our church prayer groups, there was nothing else I could do but sit still in a chair watching the television and praying that I would heal quickly.

Now, I am still in recovery, but better; once more designated to be the children's taxi service, and Caroline has gone off to work to have her thoughts directed elsewhere.

Previous experience tells me that when we have a significant crisis, our thought horizon collapses from the things to do, to just wondering how to get through the day free from pain. Perhaps, as I lay on the ground stunned and surprised, this was a prompt for me to realise just how serious this incident could have been, as I found my body could not jump back up to my feet.

I wondered: had God allowed this accident? Was I guilty of something to deserve this imposition? Probably lots of things! But God is not like that; He is greater than our limited, deterministic vision. He does not deride the foolish but waits for us to come to our senses. The evil one is the being who seeks to harm and ridicule, and to promote and amplify our fear and doubt. He it is who presses in on our own internal sense of inadequacy or human weakness. Life happens in a fallen world.

So now, I thank God for His grace in my recovery as He answered the prayers prayed for me with healing, as I sit motionless watching television. I know that one day in a future crisis, healing will not happen. It will be a predicament from which I will not get up, and it will be time to go.

Today as I get better, I am thankful that apart from the injury to my pride, I have nothing to fear from Jesus. Even when I have been a long way off, I have been prompted to seek His face. Jesus meets us where we are, at our point of crisis, to bring His love, affirmation, peace, and guidance — a voice to deliver us from the whispers of evil.

Being accepted and a part of the family of Jesus is a wonderful mystery for us to trust.

Prayer: Lord, we give You thanks and praise for Your faithfulness, that in our times of crisis You are waiting. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

I have had athlete's foot, a fungal infection, since I was a child at school. It comes and goes, but never goes far. I used to use a well-known make of antifungal cream, but it was useless to stop the fungus. Then one day, I found a treatment that is amazing in its effectiveness, which for decades I have applied regularly when I see the signs.

I have an ultra-violet torch that shines a blue light. When shone on my feet in the dark, the fungus fluoresces brilliant white, even below the surface of the skin, shining between my toes, which is a giveaway of its presence. So, I apply the cream for a few days until it goes away, but unseen, it waits to come and attack again.

The fungus is a lot like my sins and fears. They hide nearby waiting to re-engage. Originally there was no fear in the Garden of Eden. Then the devil came. He, or his minions, are behind all perverse fears. Jesus is the answer to our unreasonable fears and doubts, something that I have experienced firsthand. It is a gift.

I have seen Jesus' restorative love beat the wiles of the evil one when he evokes destruction, fear, dissipation, and doubt, every time. Every time! We just have to ask, no matter where we are! Simple. Maybe there is only time to say one thing: Help me, Jesus!

I regularly pray for people through the day when God reminds me. Often, He moves in a way more clandestinely than I would appreciate. I have to know my place; God is the One with the perfect timing, and the capacity to heal, to restore, and to deliver us. I am just the courier ringing the bell, knocking on the door.

As I start the day, I talk to God about my fear and doubt and reflect upon my lack of faith and how that has influenced my expectancy in prayers for healing, and so on.

As Christians, we all begin to undertake a process of following by believing and accepting Jesus as the Son of God, Who has authority over everything. What we are able to give over of ourselves to Him, He always accepts, and we have to believe and trust in the efficacy of God's love for ourselves and for those He sends us.

As we come to Him, Jesus is the only One Who has the ability to treat our fallen condition perfectly, to shine a light on our sin, to cleanse us, and to bring us back into the harmony which will one day be perfected in heaven with Jesus. Let us thus come to Him today!

Prayer: Lord, today, we need You with us to make a difference. Shine Your light, cleanse us from our failings, and come with us. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Back in the late autumn, I got fed up with having to pump up a rear tyre on Caroline's car. This particular tyre had been leaking, week in and week out, and I wrongly guessed that the wheel rim seal or valve was faulty.

So, I took it to the tyre refit shop where the mechanic advised me that it was time to change all the tyres, because, as it transpired, all the tyres were at the end of their life's duration. Being a nosy/curious person, I always watch the mechanic when the tyres are being replaced to check the state of the metal wheel rims to make sure nothing is missed when sealing the tyres onto them.

As he removed the leaking tyre, we spotted that the tyre had split on the surface of the inside tyre wall — out of sight. This was why there was a leak: a broken tyre! It was an accident waiting to happen, which was a bit of a shock. I realised this was why I had been given a prompt from above to get the car checked out.

As the rubber hits the road in our daily life, the world presses down upon us as we hit a few bumps in the road. We need the Holy Spirit to call us into God's presence for a checkup.

If we do not come before God regularly, we are heading for unseen trouble. Through trial and temptation, it is easy to lose our hope and faith in a God Who died that we might live eternally. Pierced and bumped by life, we will gradually lose sight of God.

When we talk to Jesus and share His Word with others, we will be fortified, repaired, and pumped up by the presence of the Holy Spirit, to face everything the world has, until finally, we come to the end of the road and take to the air on our journey into heaven.

Jesus is the One Who aids us in our walk, through faith and hope. He waits for us to take our brokenness to Him for repair and replacement of old, damaged thoughts with new. Maybe it is time for us to take ourselves into God's presence once more.

Prayer: Lord, we keep on deflating and getting it wrong, and yet You will always receive us and refit us, no matter where we have been through the day. Forgive us when we fail in life. Lord, as we come to You, fill us again today with Your Holy Spirit to aid us on our journey with You until we reach heaven. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.