There was a time when life seemed straightforward. You worked hard, found a steady job, and, for many, stayed in that role for decades, reaping the rewards of stability and routine. But our world has changed. Recent events—most notably, the global pandemic—have shattered old certainties. Lockdown became a universal experience, though each nation responded differently. Some enforced it with military presence, others with appeals to maturity and responsibility. Regardless, we have all been thrust into what is now called “the new normal”—a reality none of us can fully define.

In the midst of this upheaval, I’m often asked, “What is God saying?” or “Was COVID-19 an end-time sign?” My answer is always the same: I refuse to manufacture a word from God just to fit in or soothe anxieties. Instead, I look to the New Testament and the early church’s response to crisis. When pestilence and persecution struck, their question was not, “Is this the end?” but, “What shall we do?” and “Whom shall we send?” Their focus was not on judgment, but on engagement—serving their communities in love.

I am encouraged by the stories emerging from this season: neighbours connecting, food banks multiplying, communities caring for the vulnerable. In the UK and beyond, we see glimpses of God’s kingdom breaking through as people ask, “What can I do?” and step into the needs around them.

Yet, let’s be honest. The world is changing at a dizzying pace. The old model of “one job, one reward” is fading. Flexibility, creativity, and curiosity are now essential. But will this season of isolation and reflection truly change us, or will we rush back to our old, consumer-driven habits as soon as possible? The images of smog-free cities and cleaner air are a stark reminder: change is possible, but only if we choose it.

Here’s the challenge: The “new normal” will only be different if we are different. If we do not allow Christ to transform us, we will simply rebuild the same hurried, disconnected world. True change begins with us—our hearts, our habits, our communities.

Many feel the frustration of being disconnected, especially those in rural areas with poor internet or limited resources. The longing for speed, connection, and purpose is real. But perhaps this is an invitation from God to slow down, to listen, and to rediscover what truly matters.

Statistics tell us that dissatisfaction is rampant. Billions are lost each year to disengagement at work; 70% of people in the UK say they are not engaged in their daily routines. What an opportunity for the people of God! The Church is called to be a community of purpose, engagement, and hope—a place where people find meaning and belonging.

But let’s ask ourselves honestly: Have we been truly engaging? Have our churches, ministries, and lives been compelling enough to draw people in, or have we settled for routine and comfort?

The Apostle Paul is a powerful example. Decades after his encounter with Christ, he stood before King Agrippa and testified, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.” Paul’s engagement with Christ was not a one-time event; it was a lifelong pursuit. His passion and purpose were contagious—so much so that Agrippa said, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”

Are we still living in the wonder of our first encounter with Christ? Is our faith alive enough to engage others? Or have disappointment, hurt, and routine dulled our passion?

It’s easy to look outward—attending conferences, following leaders, seeking inspiration from others. But true engagement starts within. It is rooted in a living relationship with the risen Christ, a daily “yes” to His call, and a willingness to let Him shape our culture and community.

Culture is not a slogan or a vision statement. It is the life we live together, the atmosphere people encounter when they meet us. It requires everyone—young and old, male and female—to participate, to communicate, to shape and sustain it. This takes time, intentionality, and humility.

So here is the challenge: Will you allow Christ to re-engage your heart? Will you help build a community that is truly alive, welcoming, and purposeful? Will you choose to be part of the change, rather than a spectator?

Let us not waste this moment. Let us become a people who are engaged with Christ, engaged with one another, and engaged with the world He loves. May the “new normal” be marked by the presence of Jesus—transforming us, our communities, and our world.

Reflection:  

• How has this season challenged your sense of purpose and engagement?  
• In what ways is Christ inviting you to re-engage with Him and with others?  
• What steps can you take today to help shape a Christ-centred culture in your community?

Let’s not settle for what was. Let’s press on to what could be—together, in Christ.

Genesis 11:6,7

6      The LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them. 

7      “Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” 

New American Standard Bible: 1995 update 

From the very beginning, language has been both a gift and a challenge. In Genesis 11, God observes the unity of humanity through a single language and, in response, confuses their speech at Babel—introducing diversity, but also the potential for misunderstanding. Language is fluid, living, and ever-adapting, yet it can also be a barrier, keeping us from truly understanding one another.

As disciples, we wrestle with ancient texts, seeking to understand words that were first spoken in Hebrew and Greek—languages rich with meaning, nuance, and culture. The challenge is not just academic; it’s deeply personal. We try to grasp not only what was said, but what was meant, and how it applies to our lives today.

Language is more than words; it is emotion, gesture, and identity. It is the sound of God moving among us, the Living Word that reveals Christ. Every language, from the Hebrew of Genesis to the 72 tongues spoken in Zambia (I am informed), is a reflection of the Creator’s creativity and love. No language is superior; each is a vital expression of culture and community.

Yet, language can also separate us. Misunderstandings—whether through words, assumptions, or silence—can breed division. Much of the breakdown we see in relationships, churches, and societies comes from failed communication, not from theological differences alone.

But language is also a bridge. It is the tool the Holy Spirit used at Pentecost, enabling people from every nation to hear the wonders of God in their own tongue. In Christ, the Alpha and Omega, every language finds its origin and purpose. We are called not just to speak the language of God, but to embody it—to be living letters, known and read by all.

My own journey—growing up speaking Welsh and learning English only at age ten, struggling with Portuguese in Brazil, and marvelling at the poetic greetings in Zambia—has shown me that language is both humbling and enriching. It reminds me that to truly celebrate someone different from myself, I must listen deeply, seek understanding, and value their unique way of seeing the world.

Forgiveness, humility, and a willingness to see from another’s perspective are essential. No human is above another; no language is above another. In Christ, we find not uniformity, but union—a rich tapestry of voices, each contributing to the beauty of God’s creation.

As we travel—across countries, cultures, or simply across the street—may we celebrate the differences that language reveals. May we become better translators of God’s love, building bridges rather than barriers, and discovering the fullness of Christ in every tongue.

Definition – “Gift of language” can refer to 
a natural talent for learning languages, a divine ability to speak and communicate, or the human capacity for symbolic thought and expression. It is often viewed as a powerful tool for understanding, creativity, and connection, though it can also be used for negative purposes. 

• In the context of faith, particularly within Christianity, the “gift of language” can refer to a spiritual gift bestowed by the Holy Spirit.
• This gift enables eloquent expression for preaching and teaching, fostering better understanding and dissemination of faith.
• The Bible portrays language as a divine gift, used by God to create the world and given to humanity to communicate, think, and express creativity. 

Key Points to Celebrate Someone Different:

– Acknowledge: Their language, culture, and experience are a gift, not a threat.

– Listen: Seek to understand before seeking to be understood.

– Learn: Be open to new words, ideas, and perspectives.

– Embody: Live out the Word of God in action, not just speech.

– Unite: Celebrate diversity as a reflection of God’s creativity and desire for union.

Encounter 

I do love the narrative of John 20, heralding all that goes on with “Now the first day of the week,” followed by meeting, mistaken identity, revelation and sending as the first sent one following the resurrection. 

It opens early in the day with a solitary female figure from a region called Magdalene, a fishing area derived from Aramaic (Semitic) Maghdela, a place on the Sea of Galilee, literally meaning “tower” (compare Hebrew migdal “tower,” from gadal “be great or high”). Then, in the late 1600s, it was used in the context of protection, but not originally. I will not get distracted by that, as it is not my aim today.

This Mary woke up early on Sunday morning at the tomb that now fills her experience, and she found it was empty. Turning around in confusion, she saw a gardener with questions. A voice broke into her world with familiarity, her name, perhaps saying in her mind, I know that voice.   

Being recognised, more than that, but hearing her name, she recognised him and exclaimed, “Rabboni!” (John 20:1-16).

The first word she uttered at that moment was not “Saviour” or “Lord”, but “Rabboni” (“my teacher”), with the emphasis on “My” — please note. 

Perhaps the realisation sparked the thought “MY”, Jesus is still mine, and I am still a disciple.

I have made my choice: you are the teacher in my life, the disciple of my being. Have I made that revelatory discovery that by living in the Image and Likeness of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Jesus is my primary instructor? Building this pattern of God in my life, to be understood by all people and to reflect God’s ways and actions, this is my blueprint.

Blueprints of Creation 

I initially worked as a Building Surveyor early in my career, focusing on architecture and construction. Even today, I view buildings differently. I consider their design, aesthetics, shapes, and practical use.   

On this theme, I often wonder what Moses was given “to build according to the pattern” for the tabernacle. For many years, my life was surrounded by blueprints of buildings that guided the construction. Do I really think Moses had seen blueprints laid out on God’s table? I don’t think so; considering the tabernacle, its furniture, and its construction, I can only conclude it relates to Genesis and the creation. Each day is reflected in its furniture; for example, the seven days of creation correspond to seven items, with the first day, “Let there be light,” linked to a golden lampstand (menorah). 

On the second day, we observe the structure itself, the Firmament, with its screens and veils, which can be seen as representing the firmament that separated the waters — the laver being the sea waters breaking forth. 

On the third day, we find the bronze altar in the outer courtyard, used for sacrifices, which might correspond to the separation of the earth and seas. And so on.   

I suggest that Moses visited creation when he was given a pattern to follow, seeing God’s aim. That the blueprint was creation itself—Moses visiting the event and a pattern being instilled in him to refrain from building outside of it. Creation is the first temple; the tabernacle was merely a symbol of the building pattern of creation. The Tabernacle, therefore, is not just a physical structure but a symbolic representation of God’s creative work and a place for His people to encounter Him.   

At the resurrection, the first name given to Jesus—’My Jesus’—is Rabboni, meaning ‘My teacher’, and My disciples, My Life giver. 

The manner and words of Jesus should become our common sense, recognising that the living Word is meant to fill our minds, flow from our lips, and find a home in our hearts. Engage with and experience that the Word is alive, as God breathed the “breath of life” into us, just as he did with humanity at the beginning. 

Do not approach God’s Word as if it were academic writing, laws, or texts designed solely to restate a dry system of facts for regurgitation or passing an exam. 

The Word is to be encountered and to bring transformation.

Living Word

I remember in the science lab when I studied Biology, it was fascinating at 12 years old. We had to dissect animals. I recall cutting open frogs and mice; they were pinned down to a board. The exercise was to understand where the organs were, what they looked like, and everything was visible, but somehow a part of its essence had been lost—that is LIFE.

Similarly, when we consider the Word, remember that it is the living Word of God. We are called to pursue and experience it, not just a frog or mouse to be emptied.

What am I like today? What is the religious life we live? What is our life of faith? I pray we do not remove the life and the beauty from God’s Word. Asking people to eat what is dry and dead. That we don’t just cultivate arguments and theologies for position, but we hand life with life, we have a life to live and a more abundant life.

Here is a clash of the living Word, a question of Jesus from the Law came, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 10:25-37). What a question — inheritance is about receiving, not what must I do to get it, I thought.

The Shema was quoted as saying, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). Then the legalised officials pressed again, “And who is my neighbour?”

Jesus, through a story, illustrates the Word as a living entity, the living Word “judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

What a Rabboni.

Jesus’ way of discipling and teaching was unique; he carefully wrapped truth in parables. Telling stories and narratives that reached the listener as he taught. To understand, you needed to grasp what was said to get all the essence out of the words. 

The Jesus way, Jesus revealed the heart of those who listened. They were simply stories or powerful, insightful instructions.

Jesus is stunning, and his ways are evolving. I love the titles of the late Eugene Peterson’s books on Jesus’ ways, such as ‘Eat this Book’, a way of taking in the living word that constantly challenges life.

Often Jesus taught from a seated, reclined repose, yet it makes you and still makes us stand up straight. (Matthew 5:1-2; Luke 4:20).

This same Jesus is available to you and me today. Rabboin, MY teacher, is available to us right now.

The risen Jesus—our Rabboni, our Teacher—is still alive and available to each of us. The same voice that called Mary by name calls us today, inviting us not merely to study His words but to live them. The living Word continues to breathe life into all who listen and follow.

Romans 11:33-36  

“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counsellor? … For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”

Have you ever wished you could see things the way God sees them? Maybe you’ve found yourself in a situation where, if only you had known God’s mind, you might have avoided a world of trouble. Maybe you’re there right now—wondering why God didn’t tell you, or if He tried and you missed it. If you’re honest, you might admit: “I don’t know.” And that’s okay. But perhaps there’s more for us to learn—something that could change not just how we see our past, but how we walk into the future.

The Problem of Perspective

Everyone has a perspective. It’s how we look at any given thing. But nobody has God’s full perspective. At best, we get a glimpse—a little piece that God, in God’s mercy, chooses to reveal. We can’t know the future by speculation, only by revelation. And even then, knowing a little doesn’t mean we know the whole will of God.

We live in a world—and often, a church—that is at odds with itself. Why? Because we all hold tightly to our own perspectives, often out of ignorance. We hurt each other and ourselves because we mistake our way of thinking for God’s. But God’s ways are higher. Our perspective is shaped by time and place, but God exists outside of both.

Time Changes Us

1 Corinthians 13:11 

“When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.”

Paul reminds us that our perspective is meant to evolve as we grow. The tragedy is when we cling to childish thinking, when we solidify our thoughts and refuse to see things anew. Israel wandered forty years in the wilderness, not because God failed them, but because they couldn’t change their perspective. They saw themselves as grasshoppers, forgetting that God was with them.

The older we get, the more tempting it is to live in the “good old days,” to freeze our perspective and resist the new thing God is doing. But God calls us to a higher view, to see beyond the container to the content, to move from speculation to revelation.

Eternal Perspective

God’s perspective isn’t just higher—it’s outside of time altogether. God created time; He isn’t bound by it. For us, the eternal seems like a long, unending stretch, but for God, it’s a different dimension. He sees the end from the beginning—indeed, He sees all at once, more than that, he is in the past, in the future, and present all at once as not in “time”..

Psalm 46:10

“Be still, and know that I am God.”

To be still is to step out of our frantic, time-bound perspective and join God in God’s. To see, even for a moment, as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, God sees. Moses spent forty days on the mountain and came down with a face shining from the encounter. It wasn’t the memory that changed him—it was the happening, the encounter with the eternal.

Touched by Eternity

When eternity breaks in, it changes us. We remember the moment, but it’s the encounter that transforms. The church is kept alive not by memories of past revivals, but by fresh encounters with the living God. When the memory fades, so does the vitality. But when the happening is renewed, so is the church.

We need to hunger for God’s presence, that is, to live and be in God’s presence, not chase it, but be within it, to remove the veils we place over ourselves, and to let God change us from glory to glory. As Paul writes in Romans 8:29, we are “predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son”—to be shaped by God’s perspective, not our own.

Learning to Listen

Consider the narrative around Samuel, the boy who slept near the ark before he even knew God’s voice. God called, and Samuel thought it was Eli. How many times do we mistake God’s voice for something else, or someone else? Samuel learned to say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” He had the courage to hear—and to speak—the hard truth, because eternity had touched him.

God has already seen your future. He’s not trying to be hard on you; He’s trying to get you on the right path. The hardest lesson? We can’t change anyone—not even ourselves—apart from God’s revelation. But one glimpse of the eternal can change everything.

Will You Let Go?

The challenge for each of us is this: Are we willing to let go of our imperfect, sometimes destructive perspectives and embrace what God is saying? Are we willing to be changed by the happening, not just the memory? Are we willing to be vessels of God’s voice, like Samuel, even when it’s hard?

Eternity has broken in on you. A happening has captured you. Now, it requires courage. Will you let God change your perspective—about God, about yourself, about others? Will you let eternity shape your now?

Prayer

Lord, lift my eyes to see as You see. Give me the courage to lay down my old perspectives and embrace Your eternal truth. Let me be changed by Your presence, and let that change flow into the world around me. Amen.

Reflection:   Where is God inviting you to a higher perspective today? What “happening” with the eternal has marked your life, and how is He calling you to respond?