Looking back at 2022; looking forward to 2023

I write this on the last day of 2022.

David and Bathsheba

The two stories most widely known concerning David are firstly his fight with Goliath and secondly his affair with Bathsheba. In the first, he showed courage and, in the second, he showed cowardice.

Pele: Brazil football legend dies aged 82

That was the title of BBC’s online sport headline, which informed me of the death of the great man. I understand Pele had been ill for some time and his death, while peaceful, came as no surprise.

David and Jonathan

Perhaps, the most beautiful sub plot in the long story of David is the friendship David had with Jonathan, the son of King Saul.

“Yes Minister”, a socialist and a socialite; a modernist and a traditionalist

David and Saul

In Part 1 of our “David” series, we established how God chose David to replace Saul as King of Israel as he was a man after God’s own heart, who saw something others failed to see, and in Part 2 we found compelling evidence why this was so when took on the giant, Goliath, who had defied the armies of the living God.

“It’s a Wonderful Life” revisited

I was told a story recently of a Christian friend who attended a “Carols in the Pub” event but felt uncomfortable and left early. Whilst not wanting to make a big deal out of it, appear judgmental, be over pious, lose an opportunity to be a witness or be a party pooper etc., she was grieved due to the irreverence she saw.

The Church, Christian Unity and now that I’m old

England restore joy to all aspects of Test Cricket

That was the headline introducing today’s BBC report of England’s historic win against Pakistan, in Pakistan, following victory in the Third Cricket Test in Karachi (England winning the first two).