Thought for the Day 2026
10th March 2026
Matthew 22:39 Love your neighbour as yourself.
How are you with loving your neighbour? Many have what they call problem neighbours but we are reminded that as we care for ourselves so we must care for others. We must not in all conscience do anything to hurt them. Even with our selfish human nature we still know how to do good. If someone is in need we tend to want to help. Something within us prompts us to help others be it through practical things, through charitable giving, through compassionate action or by just being there to hold a hand or offer a shoulder to cry on. Our neighbour is not just the person who lives next to us but any human we come into contact with and as all God’s children we need to look after one another.
9th March 2026
Matthew 7:12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Recently I spoke at an interfaith IFTAR. The theme this year was empathy and we examined together the importance of walking in another’s shoes, of sitting with another in their grief, of trying to understand what someone else is going through. I used this verse in my talk about doing unto others what we would have done to us. That realisation that if we do not want to be shouted at then we should not shout at others, if we desire sympathy and understanding then we need to be showing that to others. This idea is often referred to as The Golden Rule and it exists across all religions: not doing what is hateful to you to another, wishing for others what you wish for yourself. Not treating others in ways you find hurtful. We often look for the things which are common to all religions, this is one of them.
8th March 2026
Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
With any Religious festival there are reasons behind them and preparations to be made for them. Lent is preparation for Easter, a time of self-reflection, evaluating our lives and making changes where necessary. Ramadan is a time for introspection, moral accountability, and spiritual renewal. Both are about deepening the relationship with God. The giving up of something, the fasting, is to enable us to cast our minds away from everyday life and focus on God. We are called to think, to challenge, to promote change both within ourselves but also around us. To see our fellow humans in need and help them. To not look at race, religion, gender or colour but to look at need and show God’s love to everyone by our actions.
7th March 2026
Galatians 5:13 Through love and care serve one another.
This weekend we have International women’s Day, I love the fact that we raise the profile of women and celebrate their success and tell their stories but I struggle with the fact that we still need an International Women’s Day because Women are still so poorly treated across our world. Treating each other well applies to all people, no matter their gender, culture, religion or background. Doing the right thing towards others has nothing to do with gender, race, religion or culture, we should look after each other no matter what. It means treating people with the same kindness, respect, and fairness we want for ourself. It is a universal principle of empathy and mutual benefit, prompting people to consider others' feelings before acting.
6th March 2026
John 3:4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
Do you know the story of the Very Hungry Caterpillar? It was a firm favourite with our boys. The story begins with a tiny egg on a leaf in the light of the moon. The warm sun came up and--pop!--out of the egg came a very small and very hungry caterpillar. He began to eat and eat and eat, but he was still hungry. After a while he built a small house called a cocoon around himself and stayed in there for more than two weeks. He nibbled a hole in the cocoon and pushed his way out. He wasn't a caterpillar anymore; he was now a beautiful butterfly. He literally was born again. Nicodemus reminds me of the very hungry caterpillar. He came to Jesus because he was hungry, hungry for spiritual food. When the caterpillar came out of his cocoon, he was a new creation. A butterfly! That's the way it is when we are born again and let Jesus come into our hearts. He makes us a new creation! We are born again.
5th March 2026
Galatians 3:27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
We all like to put on new clothes, to look our best. St Paul reminds us that we need to clothe ourselves with Christ. Wrap Him around us, let Him become part of our being. We are to be clothed with the mind and heart of Jesus revealed to us in His ministry of forgiveness, reconciliation and peace. It is Jesus who through His death and resurrection makes us right with God. We are challenged to face our most vulnerable selves in Lent. We ask ourselves what temptation is pulling me down at this time in my life? What can I do to address this temptation and strengthen my will to listen and respond to God. How do I need to respond as a Christian to His children who are hungry, marginalized, powerless and in despair. We need to find again, in this season of Lent, our voices and use them on behalf of the most vulnerable in our society and to act and challenge on their behalf.
4th March 2026
Isaiah 58:10 Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.
As we give up a little or fast a little for Lent, we need to remember that going without is a major issue for a quarter of the world’s population. Many of these people have no option but to go without food or housing and running water. For many today’s decision will not be about what to give up for Lent, or about fasting, it will be about survival. Will there be any food or water to enable them or their children to survive. Famine and drought are major killers in our world. This is a time to reflect on that, to pray for change and to challenge those with the power to help to do so. Maybe something we can do for Lent is write to our MP, our councillors and those in big business and challenge them into action.
3rd March 2026
Philippians 2:7 Jesus made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
There will be many around us in our streets, shops, clubs, places of meeting, in these next few weeks who are fasting, giving things up, changing things in their lives and we will know nothing about it. Christians will be preparing for Easter, Muslims will be preparing for Eid, and Jews preparing for Passover as best they can. Over the next few weeks many from different faiths will come together for interfaith IFTARs and share our common humanity together. As we do this, whatever faith we are from, we need to get on and do what we are called to do without a fuss, just as Jesus did. To make necessary preparations, to be aware of others, to celebrate our differences and encourage each other to keep on going when it gets a little hard. To seek support and help when it is needed and to know others struggle as we do and are there to help if and when it is needed
2nd March 2026
Matthew 17:1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
In our lives we can have what we call a mountain top experience. A place or event where we meet God in a special way. Something that transfigures or changes us. Where God speaks to us and our relationship with Him is deepened. These experiences stay with us, encourage us and bless us. I wonder if you can think of such a times in your life? Personally, I recall literally being at the top of The Struggle looking out over Lake Windermere. It is what I would call a thin place, where God seems nearer. It is one of the only times I sketched something rather than wrote it down. I am no artist! Often people will talk of their Baptism or confirmation in this way. Why not try to recall these moments in your life and let them bless you.
1st March 2026
1 Samuel 15:22 But Samuel replied: Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
We are now in the Christian season of Lent. The word Lent has its etymology in Lengthen, as the days lengthen in Spring. We are also in the Holy month of Ramadan, an Islamic festival. Both these festivals have links to self-evaluation, self-discipline, fasting, prayer, charity, giving up bad habits, devoting oneself to our faith. They are times of preparation. As we prepare there are two ways we can react. Being loud and proud about what we are doing, or just getting on with it quietly, without a fuss. Some want to tell you how much they have given up for Lent, or how hard it is too fast, but others quietly do what their faith demands of them only speaking up in a general fashion about what faith requires when they are asked. We need to look at ourself and decide which are we?
28th February 2026
Ephesians 6:14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place.
Protection for ourselves is one thing, then there is protection for those in the armed forces, police, fire ambulance crews, Lifeboats, mountain rescue, protection on building sites. What we wear can very much reflect who we are and what we do. The green paramedic uniform. The scrubs of doctors, Army, Navy or Airforce uniforms, the priests collar, pilots, nurses, concierge, chefs and so on. Ephesians 6 speaks of armour, the covering used to protect the body from physical injury in a harmful situation. From leather and wadding to today’s Kevlar, It is all about protection. Believing in God means we are open to attack, open to insult, lies, condemnation and criticism and sometimes physical attack. We stand in God’s truth, in God’s righteousness and we stand protected.
27th February 2026
Isaiah 40:3 A voice of one calling: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.`
Every Lent the Spirit of God that led Jesus into the wilderness leads us into the desert areas of our hearts, into the wilderness that lies within us. The desert of our hearts is the deep silent place where God needs to break through, speak to us and reveal what is the right way forward for each of us in our lives. We need to pray for the grace and strength to choose the right way, God’s way. To become Jesus’ love, mercy and justice in our world today. In that place of stillness may we hear God’s invitation to re-commit to our calling, our faith, with new hope and a renewed vision as we journey towards Easter.
26th February 2026
Psalm 5:3 In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.
How do you start your day? Breakfast? A cuppa? Prayer? A brother in a monastery was known for starting each day saying, “O God of new beginnings and second chances, here I am again.” Here we are again in Lent with our God of new beginnings and second chances. We again face the challenge of recommitting ourselves to growing as disciples of Jesus Christ. Traditionally, the gospel for the first Sunday of Lent is the account of Jesus being led by the Spirit into the desert where he experienced temptation after His baptism as He began His ministry. Just as He went into the wilderness so will we. We will experience times when we seem to be alone, challenged, struggling, but God is with us! Our God of new beginnings and second chances is right by our side.
25th February 2026
Luke 22:28 Simeon took the baby Jesus in his arms and praised God.
A current big mission push in churches is growing our children and young people. A realisation that they are the future has prompted this. But no longer do children come to church with parents, so few Sunday schools now and children don’t want to be pushed aside, they want to be involved. There is this age-old issue of children being a distraction, interrupting, noisy etc and yet they are more tuned into God in their innocence than we are. They recognise spirituality, see God where we can’t, they don’t have all the barriers we have created for ourselves over the years. We need to recognise Jesus in all Babies, toddlers, children, teens, young adults, middle aged, older and those near the end of life. We need to welcome the young, recognise Jesus in them and let them be a blessing, let them grow in worship, sing loudly, dance around, squeal in delight because God is working there just as much as He is in the quiet, contemplative ways we may have developed.
24th February 2026
2 Corinthians 3:18 And we who contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
We have been taught to enter the Lent season with a sense of humility and contrition. Saint Augustine said “Through loving humility we find our way back to you, O God.” We ponder and reflect upon the multiple chances that we’ve been given and the many missed opportunities to grow in likeness to Christ. We examine ourselves, our faults and failings, not a pleasant experience, and we seek forgiveness and reconciliation with God and one another. However, there is a danger that we can become too introspective and too absorbed by our own imperfections. We can become less aware of the hope and the possibility of transformation that Lent offers us as a new beginning, a new start. During Lent we can experience again God’s love for sinners and God’s Grace freely available to everyone as we seek to be transformed into His image.
23rd February 2026
Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness where He was tempted by the devil.
As we begin Lent we remember that Jesus went into the wilderness, what is our Wilderness? Where are we lost, alone, annoyed, afraid? What makes us question our calling our faith? Sometimes when life is hard, we ask, is God here? Does God really care? If we look back in the Bible, in our lives, we can see that God speaks and works even in the wilderness. Remember Moses and Elijah. They met God profoundly in the wilderness. Moses at the Burning Bush, as he received the 10 commandments, leading the people. Elijah in fear of His life is provided for by God and experiences the still small voice. We all experience wilderness times. It’s not failure, it’s life. Our credible, loving, caring God is at work everywhere, in every situation, even in the wilderness. We do not face these wilderness times alone. God is right there, still working, loving, providing, forgiving and where necessary, carrying us.
22nd February 2026
Matthew 17:3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.
When we read the Bible, we try to understand what it was like for the characters involved. In life we try to do the same but in fact, none of us can ever know exactly what others are going though, how they feel. We can have a good idea; we can sympathise but we cannot know exactly. What was it like to accompany Jesus on a walk up a mountain and suddenly have a vision of Elijah and Moses talking with him? We have the historical record in front of us, they are right in the thick of it. Faced with a transfigured Jesus, Moses and Elijah, Peter thinks there are three important people who need a tent to meet under. Here is Moses, the lawgiver, and the prophet Elijah presenting Jesus as the one to whom they had pointed. God then points very clearly to Jesus and says, ‘This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!’
21st February 2026
Matthew 6:29 But I tell you that not even King Solomon with all his wealth had clothes as beautiful as one of these flowers.
I am not a great follower of fashion; I have never been bothered about designer clothes or shoes. I tend to dress for comfort not style. So many of our young people struggle with being accepted and that acceptance can be based on clothes brands. How sad! How wrong! A lesson from Jesus on this comes from nature. Flowers are transient. Here today, gone tomorrow. And yet, God clothes each of those flowers with the most exquisite beauty. If He does that, how much more will He make sure His dear children are clothed well. In the end we have to decide to trust God and that means sorting out today, and leaving tomorrow for Him.
20th February 2026
Isaiah 41:13 For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, Fear not, I am the one who helps you.
During Lent things can feel negative, we might get despondent or discouraged so what can we do to help ourselves a little? If you have some time in the next few weeks, why not think about a pilgrimage, or visiting a religious site. A place to just be for a day. A round here the Cathedral at Rochester, Canterbury, Westminster Abbey. St Pauls. There are also places like West Malling Abbey, the Friars at Aylesford. Maybe take a day during Lent to just be quiet, contemplative, to seek God. Wherever we are there will be places we can visit and find blessing. Why not take some time. We cannot live in these places but we can visit sometimes, remembering to encourage ourselves and remind ourselves of God’s love for us.
19th February 2026
Matthew 6:8b your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
We live in the real world; we cannot be so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good. God knows we need encouragements and blessings to help us grow and be more effective as Christians and so He gives them to us. What you need is different from the people around you, what you need is different from me and I from each of you. I want to encourage you to take from your positive experiences, your blessings, to be encouraged by them but not to live for them all the time. Have a picture, write a poem, draw or paint, use the experience to bless you, especially as we journey through the difficult and sad season of Lent.
18th February 2026
Ephesians 6:13 Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
What do we do to keep safe? We try not to put ourselves in vulnerable situations, we try to learn lessons from ours and others experiences, we try to enact those things provided for our safety. In winter weather we wear appropriate clothing, hats, scarves and gloves. We have raincoats and boots. For those who work in certain professions they may well have uniforms and clothing which offers protection in difficult or violent situations. As Christians how do we protect ourselves from the evil one, those who would try to deny our faith and persecute us with lies and hurt? Paul offers us Christian Armour. Instead of stab proof vests he offers us truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation and the sword of the Spirit. God knows we will face danger on a daily basis so surrounding ourself with His protection, His truth, His word, we can stand strong in the face of danger.
17th February 2026
Proverbs 27:1 Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.
I really struggle with people who boast, who constant tell you how wonderful they are or their child is. I wonder if boasting is often used to cover for insecurities. The trouble with boasting is we do not know what is going to happen next and whether our boasting will make a situation worse or be found out. Although boasting is not good, having ambition is good. Aiming for improvement, working towards getting better, learning more, becoming a better person. As with most things it is about finding the balance, being proud of what we do well but seeing where we can improve. Admitting when we need help and encouraging others to find their ambition and the lessons they need to learn.
16th February 2026
Philippians 3:14 press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me.
When you have development reviews with line managers you have to set goals or targets for the coming year. Often at the beginning of a new year we can set goals for ourselves. I wonder do you have any goals? Do you have them written down so you don’t forget them. Why don’t you think of a goal or target for yourself to achieve in the coming months. Something as a person or as a Christian that you would like to achieve. If you note it down somewhere it will serve to encourage you forward, encourage you in what you can achieve. If you have a specific role or calling as a Christian what are your targets? What is God calling you to do for Him? If you were sitting down with God for your development review, what would you tell Him?
15th February 2026
Luke 2:38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
Anna was a prophetess who was also in the Temple alongside Simeon. She was always at the Temple worshiping and praying. Her tragic life reminds us that hope is not the preserve of the powerful or the young, but is often carried by those who have learned simply how to wait. She praised God and told everyone that Jesus was the Saviour that God had promised. God is faithful to his promises, 100%! At the beginning of the new year, many of us made promises to God about things that we would do in the new year. So many of those promises have already been broken. So many promises we make but never keep. If God is faithful to keep His promises to us, don't you think that it is important and right for us to keep our promises to him?
14th February 2026
Ephesians 6:16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
We need the courage to stand firm when things happen to us and those we care about. The courage to stand firm because we know we have protection from God and from each other. I have incredible admiration for Bomb disposal and land mine removal officers, they have limited protection, but they believe in the protection of others, in doing good, and they have a courage far beyond most of us. That courage to protect and serve others should be part of all of us. We can use the armour we have, to protect ourselves with truth, honesty and right, to protect ourselves with peace, faith and salvation and to add to that protection by having the courage to get help when we need it, to stand with others when they need it, together, making us stronger and even better protected.
13th February 2026
Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Why do we worry? Often behind our worry there is a bigger question of ambition and desire. What do we see as success, as doing well? None of us just lives life one day at a time with no purpose or direction. We all have things we’re aiming at, chasing after, hoping for. The question is: What are our priorities? Are we worried that we won’t have enough or that we won’t have enough of what we want? Are we worried that we cannot compete with our neighbour? We need to identify what it is we are actually living for? For ourselves, our popularity, our status? Or are we living for God?
12th February 2026
Mark 7:15 There is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.
What is your heart condition? Not medically but thinking of our heart as the centre of who we are, what is the condition of our heart? We can be those, many in Jesus time, who keep the rules for the sake of them but are not centred on God within. Strict rules on food were supposed to mean you were holy, if you ate those forbidden foods, they made you bad. Jesus is clear it is not what you eat but who you are, what your heart is that matters. Humans are off kilter, we celebrate the wrong people, wrong things, we are not inherently good. We despise the poor and love the rich. We support the strong and hurt the weak. Our human nature needs dealing with, not what we eat. What is in our heart matters. How we behave, treat people, what we say and do, what is inside of us, that needs to be challenged and changed. We need to be more like Jesus, support the weak, challenge the strong. Support the poor, challenge the rich.
11th February 2026
Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
Most of us love a practical, visual example of something to help us understand. Jesus is really good at giving us these examples. Jesus gives a practical example from nature about finding our food provision in God. Birds, they don’t sow, or reap, or gather in barns. They don’t worry where their next meal will come from. They are simply looked after by God, their Father. Which is not to say that God just drops the food into their beaks; they have to collect it, and eat it. But what they don’t do, is worry about it. God cares for the birds, so how much more will He take care of us, His created and loved children.
10th February 2026
Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
How many times have we heard, don’t worry, it’ll be alright. We say this to each other so often but in reality, it does not magic away our worries. My mum is a worrier. I have to fight really hard not to be. Worry seems unavoidable because it is part of the human condition. At Creation we brought worry into the world by turning away from Gods complete provision for us. Just as we fight sin on a daily basis so we have to fight the worry that pushes its way into our lives. Worrying doesn’t make things any better. We don’t live longer by worrying. If anything, too much anxiety shortens our life expectancy. It certainly makes us go grey faster. When we worry, we live as though the whole thing, the responsibility, rests on our shoulders alone. But it doesn’t and it shouldn’t.
9th February 2026
Proverbs 16:9 In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.
In the Bible, the idea of choice is deeply intertwined with our God given human free will and God’s overall sovereignty. Every individual has the power to choose, but those choices carry significant consequences, both in this life and for eternity. We have a responsibility to make wise choices, as well as aligning our decisions and choices with God’s will. While we have the freedom to make choices, God ultimately directs our paths. This verse highlights the interplay between human free will and divine sovereignty. Though we seek to make plans, we must also trust that God’s guidance will lead us to the right destination.
8th February 2026
Mark 6:3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
We often think that our home is where we should be most accepted for who we are. Sadly that is not always the case. Here Jesus is rejected by the very people who have known Him growing up. They just cannot cope with the wise, compassionate, honest teacher. They challenge his parentage, his family, they turn against him. People opinions of us can really damage us. People pointing out our background, our mistakes can really make us feel powerless. Rejection is hared to cope with. We doubt ourselves, our calling. We must find that balance of self confidence in who we are in God and humility of knowing we are always learning and never perfect. It’s a lifelong process and some never get it. In our faith we need to be confident in who we are in God, confident of our calling, confident of our place in God’s plan. We will sometimes be made to feel inadequate, so we look for the balance. We look for who we are in God. He will never reject or forsake us and will always support us.
7th February 2026
Luke 2:26 It had been revealed to Simeon by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.
The Bible talks about a very important promise God made to His people. Thankfully, we know God is always faithful in keeping His promises. We learn in the Bible about a man named Simeon. Simeon was a very old man who had waited his whole life to see God’s promise come to himself and to God’s people. God had promised to send a Messiah or saviour to the world, and God promised Simeon that he would not die until he had seen the promised Messiah. Simeon spent years waiting and not giving up. God kept His promise. Are we willing to wait? Are we willing to be patient in the knowledge that God will keep His promises?
6th February 2026
Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
I am very fond of the DR Suess Stories. A less well known one is Horton hatches an egg. Horton the elephant sits on the bird’s egg while the bird goes away for a short break. She decides to go for far longer than promised. Horton remains faithful through thick and thin, cold, rain and sun. He says "I meant what I said and I said what I meant.” That is good lesson for us! Elephants are really special animals; they are very faithful creatures. BUT I also know for sure that God is faithful, totally 100% faithful. The Bible is full of the promises of God, and God is always faithful to keep His promises. It is an example for us to follow in His strength.
5th February 2026
Matthew 5:37 Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ Anything more comes from the evil one.
I am intrigued and yet not surprised by the success of the programme Traitors. All about who is faithful and who is not, the sad thing is that it rewards dishonesty and lies, it attacks honesty and the winner is the best liar. In our current world we should be rewarding honesty and faithfulness. We should celebrate those who are honest and keep their promises. We are exhorted as Christians to make our word count, to let our yes mean yes. More faithful's and less traitors would certainly make our country a better place to live.
4th February 2026
Luke 16:13 No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Fraud is a really big problem now. People gaining money for their influence, using positions of trust to gain wealth and power for themselves. The unjust steward saw his master’s resources as a means for his own personal enjoyment and advancement. Is this how we see God resources, for our personal gain? Jesus wants His followers to be just, righteous stewards. If we understand the principle that everything, we own is a gift from God, then we realise that God is the owner of everything and that we are His stewards. As such, we are to use the Master’s resources to further the Lord’s goals. We are to be generous with our wealth of experience, time, money, belongings and opportunities and use them for the benefit of others and to serve God.
3rd February 2026
1 Timothy 2:1 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people.
There are people in our world who have interesting and sometimes questionable ideas. Some Christians seem to have forgotten God’s teaching in favour of their own ideas. I know Christians who simply rely on God and don’t save or invest or go to the doctor. I know some who are involved in every money-making scheme going, in order to make money to “help others”, sadly the money often never goes anywhere near anyone else. There are Clergy and leaders who manipulate people and money for their own gain, quoting “God helps those who help themselves”. Today we are challenged to be shrewd in this world, not manipulated but to be good stewards of all God has given us.
2nd February 2026
Luke 22:42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
Sometimes things can change in an instant. Accidents or illness cutting short life, diagnosis of life limiting illnesses, loss of jobs, homes, money, accusations and actions. When something has hung over you for a while and then it is lifted the relief is palpable. Sagging shoulders lift, tired eyes begin to liven again, plans can be made, sleep comes more readily and life is so much better. Jesus knew his fate was sealed, He struggled at times, particularly in the garden, but He never stopped heading the right way. He hung onto the coming defeat of death to enable Him to go through the terror of the cross. When things happen, we are not alone. God is with us, Jesus walks that way with us. No difficult journey has to be made alone.
1st February 2026
Luke 2: 30,31 For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles.
Today we celebrate Candlemas, also called the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. It happens 40 days after Jesus’ birth and officially ends the Christmas season. The focus is on Jesus as the light, the light to the gentiles. Traditionally candles, were blessed as a source of light within the church. Simeon offered this prophecy after years of waiting for the Messiah. Light is so important to us, particularly at this dark time of year. Light offers us security, clarity, the opportunity to see properly. We carry the light of Christ within us, the light of hope, of goodness, of security and love. That light encourages to share what we have found with others. It enables us to serve others so they can find the light. May we love as people of light who are honest, true, reliable, compassionate and caring. Even in the darkness we can shine for Jesus.
31st January 2026
John 1:40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus.
It would take the disciples Andrew and John several years to truly see who Jesus was and what kind of Messiah he was. They would not fully understand who Jesus was, or what they were looking for, until His death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead. And even then, their journey was just beginning as they are sent out in the Spirit. They left everything to follow Jesus, they were invited to simply come and see. They didn’t know where he would take them. And neither do we. But those first disciples knew enough to leave everything and follow Jesus. They knew that he alone could satisfy their restless hearts. He alone could fill that God-shaped hole in their souls. He was and is worth the risk.
30th January 2026
John 1:36 “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
John the Baptist pointed his disciples towards Jesus, They follow and Jesus wants to know what are they are looking for in Him. Perhaps a military commander who would lead them out of the oppression? A teacher of the Scriptures, a miracle-worker, a prophet? Or were they simply looking for the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world? “What are you looking for?” Jesus wants to know. Jesus invites them and us to come and see. Jesus invited them and us to faith. He invited them and us to come and join him on a journey. Finding Jesus isn’t the end, but the beginning, of a very special journey.
29th January 2026
Matthew 9:16 No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse.
People often talk of a new era, a new world order, it indicates change. Not just patching up but actually changing. Do you like change? Many of us are creatures of habit. The older I get the less I like or cope with change. As Christians so much needs to change in our behaviour, actions, words etc. If God changed us all at once when we came to Him we would not survive, it would be too much. SO, God chooses to change us a bit at a time so we can cope. Gods change in us is different to our neighbour, family or friends. He deals with each of us as individuals because change is individual. God is working in different ways in each of us. We each learn different things from our Bibles, prayers and through teaching. The challenge to change is always there but different according to our needs. We need to be listening, learning and willing to change and grow as God directs us.
28th January 2026
Romans 15:30 I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.
What are the reasons we don’t do things? They can be varied but I believe there is a reason why we don’t pray, because there are no consequences to our not praying. We get in trouble if we don’t show up at work or school, or if we don’t pay our bills. But pray? Nothing bad happens when we don’t do it, so, it becomes easy to give it up. Life is so busy, prayer ends up at the bottom of the to do list. Actually, there are consequences to not praying……we lose heart! We get discouraged; without prayer our souls shrivel up. Our souls need care. And the best way to care for our souls? To Pray, to spend time with God. Otherwise, we lose heart, we get discouraged, life becomes too great a burden to bear. Prayer is how we remind ourselves that God is with us, involved in our life, in our world. Prayer helps us to see God at work in our life.
27th January 2026
Luke 21:12 But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.
When your heart is broken because your family has rejected you, when they are complicit with putting you on the road towards death, God is with you. When we stand firm, endure, instead of caving to what is popular or the way those in power want us to be, when we know what we believe, and trust God’s work in us…we will stand firm, endure, in His strength. For the disciples to do this, for us to do this, we will need to return to the foundations of our faith. We need to check our beliefs and actions against the way of righteousness that Jesus gave us. We need to walk the life of faith with Jesus, following Him through the valley of the shadow of death. By not giving up, by sticking with it through thick and thin we will experience good times and bad times and our faith should be strong enough, real enough, to keep us going even through the tough times.
26th January 2026
Colossians 3:14 And to all these qualities add love, which binds all things together in perfect unity.
Love for our fellow humans which makes us compassionate, caring and considerate. Love allows us to be at peace with ourselves and the decisions we make. We search for wisdom seek to be wise enough not to try and make ourselves more important than we are. Love gives us hope for a world that sometimes seems daunting, angry, aggressive, inhospitable and very selfish. Love makes us part of that future hope, that we can make the world a better place by what we do and say, how we behave, react, treat one another and grow as people. That God given love binds it all together.
25th January 2026
Psalm 63:1 O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You.
As Christians, we believe that everyone in this world is looking for a relationship with the God who created them. And we believe that this God has been revealed to us most completely and fully through God’s only Son, Jesus. St. Augustine said “You made us for yourself, Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” Another Christian, Blaise Pascal, put it this way; “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every person, and it can never be filled by any created thing. It can only be filled by God, made known through Jesus Christ.” Nothing else can fill that God shaped hole, in our hearts, in the way that Jesus can. We believe that. It is why we are Christians.
John 1:38a Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What are you looking for?”
The very first words Jesus says in John’s Gospel are “What are you looking for?” It’s a very simple question. But an important one. A question that Jesus asks two of John the Baptist’s disciples, who have begun following Jesus. But it’s also a question He asks us. What are you looking for? This question has been asked in every age, by philosophers, poets, psychologists, and people lying awake at night. As humans we are looking for meaning, that our life matters. We look for Belonging. Wanting to be known and loved without having to pretend. We want security, freedom from fear, chaos, and loss. We want identity. To know who we are. Beneath all of these is a longing for hope, that pain is not the final word, that love outlasts loss, that brokenness can be healed, and that death is not the end. If we know what we are looking for, Jesus will be the answer.
24th January 2026
Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
So often life seems as if it is on iPod shuffle mode where random stuff happens and it all seems to be out of our control. Something we least expect pops up and we have to deal with it no matter how unprepared we are. This is the resilience we have developed through our young life which enables us to cope and often operate really effectively. Teaching our children how to deal with the unexpected is one of the most valuable skills we can give them. It stems from not doing everything for them, giving them responsibility and allowing them to make mistakes. I remember the quote I was told as a child that variety is the spice of life. Life is unpredictable, life is messy, but life is also wonderful, a truly rich gift from God for us to grab hold of and make the best of in every circumstance.
23rd January 2026
John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
When life is hard, when people challenge my belief, my calling sometimes all I can reply is with what I know. The things in life which are indisputably God at work, Jesus blessing and working in my life. Security is always returning to what we know! What do we know? We know that Jesus alone can offer us what we are truly looking for, what we are truly living for. That’s why we read our Bibles, go to church and pray. This reminds us that what we are really looking for in this life is Jesus, The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
22nd January 2026
Micah 7:7 But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Saviour; my God will hear me.
At times we feel like hope is lost and yet the hope we must have for our world is not so much the “let’s get social conditions better for everyone” sort of hope, although that is vitally important too. But it is the sure and certain hope of resurrection that sustains us through all the other hopes and fears, all the other successes and failures. Sometimes we can and will make things better, but sometimes we will fail. Our hope of social improvement will have varying results. Even so we must keep trying. We need to get our true Hope in Jesus resurrection right first, then, and only then, can we attempt to change society. Jesus walks side by side with us in this life so we can walk together with him in eternity.
21st January 2026
John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though they die, yet shall they live”
I really enjoy baptising children, celebrating with a family as they give thanks to God for their child. When I send the newly baptised out, anointed and with their lighted candle at the end of the service, it isn’t an end, it’s the beginning of a life-long journey with God which only ends, in this world, when we are laid to rest. Jesus was baptised because He shares that life journey with us. He too, experienced the daily issues of life and that human death. Except Jesus rose again, His resurrection is our hope, sure and certain. Death is an end, but not the end. It is our hope, sure and certain of resurrection. From Baptism we walk with Jesus, wearing that sign upon us, living as children of God until that time when we are called to live in Heaven, in perfection as it was always meant to be.
20th January 2026
Matthew 3:14 John would have prevented Jesus, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’
We often forget that Jesus was Baptised before He began His ministry. He came to John the Baptist who could not understand why… surely it should be the other way round because of who Jesus was. But Jesus reminds John that this is what needs to be done. The symbolic rising from the waters of Baptism to new life. Jesus simply wants to be where we are. He hasn’t come like superman to save the day. He isn’t the dispassionate leader living above all the problems. He’s here in the middle of it all. He walks and lives side by side with us each and every day. He knows our worries and fears, our hopes and joys. He loves us unconditionally and stands with us no matter what.
19th January 2026
Proverbs 3:7-8 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.”
Recently someone came to me and said you look really sad at the moment. Another came and said you look as if you are carrying the weight of the world. I really did not know that my demeanour was different. I thought I was covering everything really well in my attempt to carry on. Apparently not. It is not really surprising that our bodies betray us when life is hard. That what is going on in our minds and hearts gets played out on our faces and in our physical activities. God made us as Spirit, body and soul. We are interwoven, the physical affects the Spiritual, the spiritual affects the physical. It is not good for us to hide our situations, certainly not from God. God is interested in exactly how we feel, what ails us and how we are coping. In Him lies our health and happiness.
18th January 2026
1 peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
As a youngster in a cold war world, at times all I had was Hope. Hope in Jesus and the sure and certain hope of the resurrection. “Hope” is a big word in the Church of England. It became very popular during the Pandemic. But we rather easily use the word “hope” to simply mean that with a bit of effort, a following wind and everybody’s good will, things can get better. That’s fair enough. Except that’s not what Christian faith means by hope. For Christians hope is what we have in the face of death. It is the hope of the resurrection, sure and certain. It is always, for me, the most profound moment at a funeral when I say those words at the committal of the body…. in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection.
17th January 2026
Luke 5: 5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
Each day we make choices, when we get up, what clothes to wear, where we go, what we do, if we eat properly. We decide whether to be helpful or rude to people. We decide whether to be patient and kind or not. We make a choice. The first disciples had a choice to make. Listen to Jesus, do as He asked, or ignore Him. They chose to listen, acted and their lives changed forever. They left everything to follow Him. We may not be called to leave everything when we follow Jesus but we are called to make changes for the better, wise and good choices about how we behave, how we act and speak. We are called to be kind, generous, helpful. We are not called to be rude or hurtful. We are human, we will get it wrong sometimes but that is not an excuse to make the wrong choices, to not try and be better. We can and do make a difference. May we think about the choices we make and ask for God’s help to make the right ones.
16th January 2026
Matthew 24:6 You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
Jesus reminded us that “The poor are always with you”. And again, “There will be wars and rumours of wars.” We still have the poor and they increase and get poorer. There are wars and rumours of wars, more now than since the last world war. I spent my youth fearing nuclear war, being told we were on the brink, waiting on an American or Russian leader pushing the button. Somehow, we rowed back from that but once again times are uncertain and supposed friends are now enemies and bullies once more decimate democracy, take from the poor, while gorging themselves and their rich friends. Once again life seems more fragile than before but once again our only hope is Jesus. He is our true hope, our only real hope, in His defeat of death and our promise of eternal life.
15th January 2026
Colossians 3:16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly, as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
Sometimes I am asked how we meet God? My answer is that we can encounter God through our Bibles, the living word of God, the eternal Christ through whom God reveals himself to us. We get to see the story God has written from creation onwards in the Bible. We get to see the prophecies, the promises. We get to see Jesus, who He was, what He did, how He changed people’s lives. We get to see how He is put on a cross, dies but then rises again and changes history. We get to encounter the living Lord Jesus as we read the Bible, as we learn what it means for us, now, today. God speaks to us right now, every day through His living word, the Bible and His living Word Jesus. It is up to us if we want to read, listen, learn and meet the living Jesus.
14th January 2026
Romans 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.
How do you find taking quiet time each day to spend with God? Sometimes when we try to quiet ourselves for prayer, life comes at us with everything it has to try and distract us. Our minds become very noisy. Every little sound interrupts us; and when there are no sounds, the silence is just as distracting. And when we quiet down, we immediately think of ten other things that we almost forgot about, that are really, really important. So, we put off our prayers, and eventually fall out of the habit of prayer. Paul reminds us that God's own Spirit intercedes for us. Even if we do not know what to pray, God will help us, prompt us. We don't even need to use words.
13th January 2026
Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
There are still, I am glad to say, places where cake and biscuits arrive to celebrate a birthday. I have heard it said in so many ways that cake and cuppa means we can cope with anything. Having just tucked into a piece of home made Victoria Sandwich I can definitely relate to that. Sweet treats are not the answer to everything but they can help change perspective, make one feel a little better and appreciated. So, they are not overly healthy but now and again they help us feel better. God is described as sweeter than honey, His words which bring healing to us. There is a definite link between sweetness and goodness, making us feel better. There is also that lovely old saying that a little of what we fancy does you good. If you fancy a bit of cake, go for it, it will make you feel better, it is a gift of God’s sweetness to us.
12th January 2026
1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we shall see face to face, Now I know only in part, then I will know fully, even as I am fully known.
As we move away from another Christmas we put away the trimmings and the traditions. We all have differing family traditions of who goes where, when presents are opened, who cooks and cuts the turkey, games that are played and films to be watched. These traditions are all part of each family and they will differ. Neighbours will do it differently and none of us a completely right or wrong. We can never know everything, we are only looking into a dim mirror and we only know partially. We can never know it all so perhaps a good new years resolution would be to accept each other’s differences, traditions, and not to tell others they are wrong.
11th January 2026
Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
In recent days the United States removed the president of Venezuela. Over New Year 40 young people died with over 100 injured in a Swiss bar on New Year’s Eve. This week, an innocent woman shot by supposed law enforcement. Several folk have drowned in the seas around the UK in the past months. New tragedies and challenges abound whilst others continue- Gaza, Ukraine, Syria, Yemen, North and South Sudan… and on and on, they stay with us and never seem to end or heal. Jesus tells us that He understands, He knows how we feel and our worries and that we face none of this alone. He stands with us and strengthens us even in these difficult times. Early in this year we may need to just hang on in there with God by our side.
10th January 2026
Psalm 72:6 May he come down like rain upon the mown grass
I love plenty of gravy on my dinner and plenty of custard on my sweet. I have been known to request extra gravy and custard in a restaurant when food arrives with the tiniest “rue” or sauce. I love to pour the rich gravy or custard upon my meal, over the food, making it succulent. Pouring things offers us a picture of abundance. There is plenty here, enough to pour over and enjoy. This is the picture being offered here in Psalms. God pouring down upon us with abundance. His love is abundant, His forgiveness is abundant, His care and compassion abundant. Just as rain refreshes the ground, brings new life, new richness, so God’s love, forgiveness, care and compassion do the same for us. Don’t be satisfied with a little from God, instead revel in His abundance.
9th January 2026
Luke 21:8 He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them.
It seems our desire to avoid or ignore pain fools us into believing that as Christian’s things are supposed to be good for us, easy for us, acceptable to us. And Yet nations continue to pick fights that have no point except the petty egos of their leaders. Natural disasters continue to happen, including those caused by human action and inaction. People continue to suffer. Stephen and James had already died for their faith in Jesus Christ, bad things are going to continue to come. And when they do, Jesus says, don’t look to someone claiming to be God for support. Look inside for the God already living in you. Stand up for right, for God, and know Jesus will give you the words
8th January 2026
Proverbs 26:11 As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness.
As a youngster I was deeply affected by the possibility of nuclear war. They used to measure how close we were to nuclear war by the number of minutes to midnight. For a time, we were at 1 minute to midnight. Nuclear war was a reality. By some miracle we reigned it back. Have we learned nothing? Now we have three white men over 70 on the verge of destroying the free world. They support each other, they trample on democracy and declare war on anyone who disagrees with them. How can we have been foolish enough to allow this to happen again. We talk of learned lessons but never actually learn. God has given us history to help us not repeat the mistakes of the past. Problem is we are so full of selfishness that we would rather allow wicked people to lie and lead us instead of challenging wrong and standing up for God’s world. The choice is ours. God’s way or the world’s way. I know which I choose.
7th January 2026
Matthew 2:11b Opening their treasure chests they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
As we begin to pack away the Christmas decorations for another year we perhaps come across the odd gift from Christmas still sitting under the tree, opened but unused. Maybe easily forgotten about because we didn’t really like it or want it. We have so much that it is easy to push aside gifts that came from love. We never hear what happens to the gifts given by the Magi. I imagine the gold helped them in their escape to Egypt and hopefully beyond. We can only surmise that the myrrh was used for his death but we do not know. The frankincense may well have been used for religious observance. We do know Mary treasures all these things. We do know that Jesus is our King, our Priest and that He dies for our sins. All gifts have a value, even if we cannot use them at that moment they can come for the future, or for someone else in need. May we be thankful for all that we are given and use them wisely.
6th January 2026
Isaiah 60:6a All those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.
At Epiphany we think about the Kings or Magi from the East. They were likely well-educated men from the East, possibly astronomers or scholars from Persia, Babylon, or Arabia, today called Iran and Iraq. Their study of the stars and ancient prophecies led them to interpret the appearance of the Star of Bethlehem as a divine sign of a new king's birth. There were established trade routes across the desert and lands towards Jerusalem. Looking for a King they stopped at the palace of King Herod. For a moment they lost sight of the star and let their logic take over. Sometimes we need to look at God and not go for the obvious.
5th January 2026
Matthew 2:11 On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
The wise men did not have a map to guide them to Bethlehem, but they had something even better, they had a star to guide them. The wise men followed the information that the priests had given to Herod based on old prophecies, and the star that God had given to guide them, and it led them right to Jesus. When they found him, they gave him gifts and bowed down and worshiped him. Wise women and men, boys, and girls are still searching for Jesus. They are people who want to help others. The Bible is like a map and the star that will lead us to Jesus. All of us can read it every day to make sure we are headed in the right direction to find Jesus!
4th January 2026
Matthew 2:8 Then Herod sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’
Those at the pinnacle of society, with power and wealth, become very worried when someone or something threatens their position. They will do whatever it takes to maintain their advantage, even violence. When the Magi tell King Herod of a new king, he was very unhappy. Another King would be a threat to him. He called for a private meeting with the Magi, using knowledge of Old Testament prophecy to send them onto Bethlehem, to search for the child. He wanted them to return and tell him where this king was, not to worship him but to kill him. Thankfully the wise men are not fooled and do not return. We always need to be aware that people can have ulterior motives. It is God who will always be honest with us and it is He we must listen to.
3rd January 2026
Matthew 2:2 Where is the new-born king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.
If we are planning to go visit someone in another town, or if we are going on holiday, we might first ask someone who knew how to get there to give us directions or we might look on google maps. We might get general directions and learn the best roads to take. Personally, I love maps. They are really interesting. I used to love making treasure maps with my class. After Jesus was born, some wise men, also called Magi, saw a star in the sky which they believed announced the birth of a king. They travelled to Jerusalem. They had no map but a God given star to guide them. They saw, they believed and they went. A good example for us to follow.
2nd January 2026
John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
The world we live in still knows darkness. We see it in fear, in loneliness, in division, in suffering. Many people over the Christmas period come to church carrying heavy burdens, grief that hasn’t healed, worries about the future, relationships that are strained, hearts that are tired. Christmas does not pretend that these things don’t exist. Instead, it proclaims something far more powerful: God has entered this darkness. The child in the manger is not distant from our struggles. He is Emmanuel, God with us. Not God above us only, or God watching from afar, but God who steps into our human story, into our weakness, into our need.
1st January 2026
Luke 2:20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Between Christmas and New Year we tend to think Christmas is over for another year and we move on. But Christmas does not end at midnight on 25th. It begins! We are sent from midnight Mass, from Christmas morning Mass, to carry the light we have received into a world that still needs it. Like the shepherds, we are called to move on from Christmas changed, filled with wonder, filled with praise, and ready to share what we have seen and heard. At Christmas heaven touches earth. Love takes flesh. God whispers to every human heart: You are not alone. May we receive that gift with gratitude, protect it with faith, and live it with joy every day.
I wish you many blessings for the New Year.