It’s been a month of great surprises. We’ve eagerly anticipated the start of a new series of Sunday evening sermons on the Gospel of Mark – ‘What if God was one of Us?’ –  for quite a while now (see my introduction to the series on this website). Reading this stunning Gospel has excited me greatly and given me a huge ‘faith’ lift. We meet Jesus again for the very first time, as Mark writes to ensure that Jesus walks off the printed page and straight into the 21^st century. Mark’s theology of Christ’s miracles is that they (1) can create openness to true faith (2) don’t always result in saving faith (3) are hindered by lack of faith (4) can  strengthen a believer’s faith (5) are only a part of Jesus’ total ministry and (6) can often confirm our message to others. Among other things, these truths have led to the experience of three remarkable miracle healings among us this month.

In late April, a new baby daughter called Ruth was born to one of our young couples – Ezekiel and Sydillia. She was named after Ruth, my wife, so naturally we were thrilled with her arrival. But news soon broke while we were on holiday that serious problems had developed. Baby Ruth had severe liver damage leading to kidney problems, serious infection, a suspected brain tumor, possible liver cancer, severe dehydration, coma-threatening low blood-sugar levels, and possibly blindness. Medics on the Intensive Care ward were trying to keep her alive until a liver transplant became available. Many babies don’t last that long and the chances for Ruth’s survival were slim.

Upon our return my wife and I were keen to minister God’s help. We raced to the hospital. Baby Ruth was like a limp rag doll – weak, non-responsive, helpless and seriously ill with her liver INR levels at an alarming 4.9 (the norm is 0.8 to 1.2). Her parents were distressed, but trusting God. I gently took their child from them and held her close, feeling the stress of this sore trial along with them. But the Lord had earlier said quietly to my spirit as I approached the Intensive Care ward, ‘It is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these my little ones should perish.’ Faith comes by hearing!

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It’s worth checking out the new website for the English Standard Version of the Bible. It has some excellent features:

1) Audio Bible. You can look up any passage and click ‘play’.

2) Note-taking function. You can write your own thoughts and reflections on a passage and they are stored there for future reference (providing you register).

3) Study-Bible notes. If you own an ESV Study Bible, you can access all the notes on this new site, providing you either put in your reference number (which came with your purchase of the Study Bible), or if you have already done that on the old Study Bible website, then wait a couple of days and the ESV team will recognise your email address and make the Study Bible notes available on the new website.

Here is the link: www.esvonline.org