God’s words – our lives
by Colleen Fitzpatrick
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Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants (Deuteronomy 32:2).
Read Deuteronomy 32:1,2,45–47
Moses is addressing the children of Israel just prior to his death. He stresses the importance of the people’s commitment to the Lord in worship and in obedience to the law. Moses’ teaching is to be like rain, encouraging growth in new grass and young plants.
One of my favourite odours is that of petrichor – the smell that fills the air when rain hits the dry ground. In my mind, the teaching that the writer of Deuteronomy refers to is falling like rain – and like the beautiful odour of petrichor, the aroma of Christ fills the earth. ‘For we are like a sweet-smelling incense offered by Christ to God, which spreads among those who are being saved and those who are being lost’ (2 Corinthians 2:15).
Many of us have experienced the devastation that drought can cause. Devastation that causes heartache and can result in the loss of home and livelihood – sometimes it is the loss of a property that has been part of family history for generations. We know what it is like when there is no rain.
Over the past year, many have also experienced the destruction and challenges that come from too much rain, as floods wash everything away, leaving heartbreak and devastation behind. For some, the floods returned.
Thankfully, Jesus’ death and resurrection have taken away the condemnation of the Old Testament law. That way has been replaced by the importance of faith in God and love towards one another. We don’t have to be frightened of a harsh God who thunders down at us when we offend him. Rather, we have a Comforter who loves us and is with us always.
In the following chapter, we read: ‘The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms’ (Deuteronomy 33:27a). These are the words that fall like gentle rain on one’s soul when things go wrong; the words of a God to whom we can be totally committed in worship and obedience and whose loving and everlasting arms are always there for us.
God, our refuge and our strength, thank you that your loving arms are always there for us. Help us remember this, be committed to you in our worship and obedient to your law of love in our lives each day. Amen.
Colleen Fitzpatrick is retired and lives in Adelaide. She enjoys reading, writing and drinking coffee with her husband, John, and their friends. Colleen and John enjoy regular fitness classes, particularly when they include opportunities to throw frisbees.
Consider the hollyhocks
by Colleen Fitzpatrick
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Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop – a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown (Matthew 13:8).
Read Matthew 13:1–9,18–23
Today’s reading reminds me of a picture that I have seen many times illustrating this story. It is of a man resting a basket on his hip. He is walking along a path and throwing seeds onto the ground. It’s quite a contrast to the large machinery used on farms these days, in which our paddocks are vast and trees are removed. Land is used efficiently, with efforts to ensure plenty of good soil is available for crops to thrive and for machinery to access it as it ploughs, sows and reaps.
I used to admire hollyhocks in other people’s gardens. Then some seeds arrived in our yard, and I welcomed the hollyhocks as they grew and flowered, bringing colour and height into our garden.
Hollyhocks have a very efficient seeding habit – all of those pretty flowers end up as seed pods, and hey presto! We now have hollyhocks popping up and growing throughout our backyard. They are growing in the lawn, in cracks in the cement – wherever they land, they seem to grow. I’ve also seen how they grow taller with the more rain we have.
The hollyhocks spread despite my lack of dedication to gardening. They arrived through no effort on my behalf – maybe through the good graces of a passing bird or a wind over which there is no control.
The seeds grow where they land – even when the environment provides minimal space or food. They adapt to their situation and grow, producing flowers and more seeds. Do you see the connection?
The spread of God’s word does not rely on my efforts. The Holy Spirit moves without any direction from me or you, working in people’s hearts and bringing them closer to God. Maybe our role is to encourage the spread of God’s word and of the good news of the gospel, which is a bit like a gardener preparing soil, fertilising, providing water in the dry season and doing everything to encourage plants to grow – rather than pulling them out of the ground or mowing over them, which may happen in our garden from time to time.
Holy Spirit, help us to do what we can to help – not hinder – the work that you do. Thank you for not being solely reliant on our efforts to bring God’s love to life. Amen.
Colleen Fitzpatrick is retired and lives in Adelaide. She enjoys reading, writing and drinking coffee with her husband, John, and their friends. Colleen and John enjoy regular fitness classes, particularly when they include opportunities to throw frisbees.
Great invitation
by Greg Fowler
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Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full’ (Luke 14:23).
Read Luke 14:15–23
I love receiving invitations to special events. In the electronic age, it’s delightful to get a paper invitation in an envelope. It says that the event is special and my attendance means something.
In the Parable of the Great Banquet, Jesus tells of the greatest invitation. A master prepares a lavish feast, but the originally invited guests make a series of trivial excuses – a new field, some oxen, a recent marriage. Rather than cancelling the celebration, the master’s response is breathtakingly expansive. He first sends his servant into the streets to bring in the poor and broken, and then issues a final, urgent command: ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full’ (Luke 14:23).
This verse reveals the relentless, pursuing nature of God’s grace. The ‘roads and country lanes’ represent the margins of society, those who feel entirely outside the boundaries of religious or social acceptance. The master’s instruction to ‘compel’ them is striking. The original writer does not mean physical coercion or force, but rather a passionate, persuasive urgency. It is the kind of love that refuses to take ‘I’m not good enough’ or ‘I don’t belong’ for an answer.
God’s heart is not satisfied with a partially empty banquet hall. He desires a full house. The gospel is not merely a passive, polite offer; it is an active, relentless pursuit. The king of the universe is passionately committed to ensuring that every seat at his table is occupied by those who will experience his lavish, transforming grace.
God is calling us to the roads and country lanes of our own lives. Who is the coworker who feels like an outsider? Or the neighbour going through a silent crisis? The estranged family member who believes they have blown their chance at redemption? We testify to the grace that lovingly, persistently and warmly invites them to come in. Praise God for his relentless grace.
Lord, give me your heart for the lost and the hesitant. Forgive my comfort and complacency. Make me a bold, persuasive agent of your grace, actively inviting others to the abundant feast of your love, so that your house may be full. Amen.
Pastor Greg lives in beautiful Redland Bay with his wife, Connie, where they enjoy the beaches, weather and outdoor lifestyle of south Brisbane. He serves as the college pastor at Faith Lutheran College, Redlands.
Generosity
by Greg Fowler
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For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted (Luke 14:11).
Read Luke 14:7–14
I can’t help but feel this parable is more relevant today than ever. Jesus identifies a familiar human tendency at a Pharisee’s dinner party: people jockeying for the places of honour. Is this all that different to judging each other by how many social media views we get? In a culture deeply obsessed with status, reputation and public recognition, securing the best seat was a primary way to validate one’s self-worth. Jesus, however, interrupts this social climbing with a radical, counter-cultural invitation.
He advises his listeners to intentionally choose the lowest place. This is not a manipulative, reverse-psychology strategy to get promoted, but a profound reflection of a genuinely humble heart. Jesus reveals the divine economy of honour: ‘For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.’
The world’s ladder to success is built on self-promotion, networking and demanding recognition. But in the kingdom of God, the pathway to true honour is paved with humility. When we stop fighting for the spotlight and willingly serve, we align ourselves with the heart of Christ, who ‘made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant’ (Philippians 2:7). God is the ultimate host, and he reserves the highest places of honour for those who do not demand them.
Today, we face countless subtle opportunities to ‘exalt ourselves’. It happens when we fish for compliments, take undue credit for a team’s success at work or curate a flawless, exaggerated image of our lives on social media. It happens when we feel bitter because our actions go unnoticed.
Jesus tells us to fear not. Simply serve where there is need. Our God sees us and will elevate us at the time that is right for the kingdom. Praise God for his wisdom and timing.
Lord Jesus, you are the ultimate example of humility, leaving heaven’s glory to serve us. Forgive my constant striving for human recognition and my fear of being overlooked. Give me the grace to serve joyfully, trusting that you see me, you value me, and in your perfect timing, you will lift me up. Amen.
Pastor Greg lives in beautiful Redland Bay with his wife, Connie, where they enjoy the beaches, weather and outdoor lifestyle of south Brisbane. He serves as the college pastor at Faith Lutheran College, Redlands.
Gentle power
by Greg Fowler
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Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey’ (Matthew 21:5).
Read Matthew 21:1–9
Just a few days before his arrest and crucifixion, Jesus orchestrates a deliberate, prophetic entrance into Jerusalem. The crowds, buzzing with Messianic expectation, anticipated a political liberator riding a mighty warhorse to violently overthrow Roman rule. Instead, Jesus arrives riding a lowly donkey and a colt, perfectly fulfilling Zechariah’s ancient prophecy of a gentle, peace-bringing king. This was not a display of earthly, coercive power, but a profound, countercultural revelation of divine humility and grace.
The crowd’s response to this humble king was immediate and extravagant. They cut branches from the trees, spread their own cloaks on the dusty road and shouted, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ In first-century culture, laying down a cloak was an act of deep reverence and total submission. It was the ultimate way to honour a king, essentially rolling out a red carpet of personal sacrifice and vulnerability. They were publicly acknowledging his absolute lordship over their lives and their city.
Yet, how is our welcome? Do we want his blessings without his lordship? A true relationship with Jesus requires us to do what that ancient crowd did: lay down our ‘cloaks’. This means surrendering our pride, our ill-founded self-belief, our carefully guarded future plans and our obsession with how others see us at the feet of the humble king.
What ‘cloak’ are we holding onto too tightly? Is it our career trajectory, a strained family relationship, our financial security or a hidden habit? A deep grace-filled relationship with Jesus is not merely shouting, ‘Hosanna’; it is the daily, practical and sometimes painful act of laying down our personal rights and preferences to make way for Jesus. Martin Luther called this daily returning to our baptism. It starts with God’s adoption, and we return to his gentle, restorative grace.
Jesus, you came not to be served, but to serve, riding in humility to secure our salvation. Forgive me for the times I have tried to dictate the terms of your rule in my life. Today, I return to my baptism. I acknowledge your grace, which gives me forgiveness, identity and life. Hosanna in the highest! Amen.
Pastor Greg lives in beautiful Redland Bay with his wife, Connie, where they enjoy the beaches, weather and outdoor lifestyle of south Brisbane. He serves as the college pastor at Faith Lutheran College, Redlands.
Jesus as judge
by Greg Fowler
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Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent (Matthew 11:20).
Read Matthew 11:20–24
What an uncomfortable text. Jesus delivers a sobering warning to the towns of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum. These were the very places where he performed most of his miracles, yet he pronounces woe upon them because they did not repent. Scripture is consistent in its witness; Jesus is our Lord who rules with grace. He is also the judge. While faith in Christ gives us security, Jesus as judge doesn’t sit well with us.
This passage highlights a profound spiritual truth: privilege brings responsibility. These towns had front-row seats to the kingdom of God, but familiarity bred complacency. They enjoyed the multiplied bread, the physical healing and the spectacle, but they refused the transformation of their hearts. They mistook God’s patience for permission to remain unchanged. They refused the invitation of grace offered by God in their midst.
Let’s not get too self-righteous. We may not have walked the dusty roads of Galilee; however, we possess the complete Word of God, the indwelling Holy Spirit, the real presence of Jesus in the sacrament and a lifetime of answered prayers. We, too, can take God for granted. We can grow spiritually numb, treating God’s daily mercies as entitlements.
How are our hearts? Are we taking God’s blessings for granted? We dare not let familiarity with God’s presence and blessing harden our hearts. The overwhelming grace offered to us by our loving God is the start of a renewed life. The joy of unconditional love is reason for praise and witness. May we live in your will.
Lord, forgive me for the times I have taken your grace for granted. Soften my heart. Keep me from spiritual complacency, and help me to respond to your daily mercies with repentance and deep, abiding gratitude. Amen.
Pastor Greg lives in beautiful Redland Bay with his wife, Connie, where they enjoy the beaches, weather and outdoor lifestyle of south Brisbane. He serves as the college pastor at Faith Lutheran College, Redlands.
Peace
by Greg Fowler
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They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks … (Micah 4:3b).
Read Micah 4:1–4
In Micah 4:3, the prophet paints a breathtaking picture of God’s ultimate kingdom: ‘They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.’ This powerful imagery speaks of radical, divine transformation. God takes instruments of destruction and repurposes them for cultivation and life.
While this prophecy points to a future of global peace, it also holds a profound mirror to our personal lives today. We may not wield literal swords, but we often carry weapons that do just as much damage. A sharp tongue, a defensive attitude, a lingering grudge, or the relentless need to be ‘right’ in an argument are all weapons we use to protect ourselves or strike at others. Who among us hasn’t struck out at another, driven by our own hurt?
God’s invitation to us is to surrender these weapons. He wants to take our defensiveness and forge it into patience. He wants to melt down our harsh words and reshape them into encouragement. When we allow the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts, he transforms our relational battlefields into gardens of grace.
So, what swords are we carrying? Is it a resentment toward a family member? A critical spirit at work? Unsettled energy that often comes out as anger? We can lay that down; we can ask God to help us repurpose that energy into a ‘ploughshare’ – an intentional action that cultivates peace, such as offering encouragement, extending forgiveness or choosing to listen rather than retaliate.
Lord, forgive me for the ways I wield my words and attitudes like weapons. Transform my heart. Take my sharp edges and shape them into tools of your peace, love and restoration. Help me to live the grace you give me. Amen.
Pastor Greg lives in beautiful Redland Bay with his wife, Connie, where they enjoy the beaches, weather and outdoor lifestyle of south Brisbane. He serves as the college pastor at Faith Lutheran College, Redlands.
Rest
by Greg Fowler
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Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28,30).
Read Matthew 11:16–19,25–30
We live in a culture that glorifies busyness. We often wear our exhaustion like a badge of honour, juggling careers, family obligations and endless digital notifications until our souls feel heavy and frayed.
Into this chaos, Jesus extends a radical, countercultural invitation: ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light’ (Matthew 11:28,30).
In the ancient world, a yoke was a wooden frame joining two oxen to pull a heavy load. Typically, a young, inexperienced ox was yoked with a mature, stronger one. The older ox bore the majority of the weight and dictated the pace.
When Jesus invites us to take his yoke, he isn’t offering a life of zero responsibility. He is offering a divine partnership; he steps into the yoke with us, bearing the crushing weight of our obligations, anxiety, guilt and need for control.
What burden are we carrying? Are we carrying the weight of others’ opinions, financial worry or the pressure to be perfect? Tell it to Jesus. Be yoked to him while we uncouple from the world’s frantic pace. We do not have to hustle to prove our worth; our value is already securely anchored in Christ.
Let’s step into his rhythm. Spend time with Jesus in word and prayer. Speak to him about where we can surrender control and actively ask him to carry that load with us.
True rest isn’t found in an empty calendar, but in a surrendered heart full of grace.
Lord, I am weary from trying to do it all alone. I surrender my heavy burdens to you today. Teach me your gentle, humble rhythm and give my soul true, lasting rest. Amen.
Pastor Greg lives in beautiful Redland Bay with his wife, Connie, where they enjoy the beaches, weather and outdoor lifestyle of south Brisbane. He serves as the college pastor at Faith Lutheran College, Redlands.
God’s majesty displayed
by Tania Nelson
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All your works praise you, Lord; your faithful people extol you. They tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might (Psalm 145:10,11).
Read Psalm 145:8–14
I love being in nature: beach walks and the sound of the waves breaking, recognising birds in the trees as I wander through my neighbourhood and discovering streams and wildlife on bush walks. I’m drawn to impressive mountain views and delicate native wildflowers. When I’m driving, I love seeing a rainbow, and I find sunlight radiating through storm clouds awe-inspiring. I certainly believe that creation speaks of God’s glory and might.
Perhaps David, too, was moved by ‘the glorious splendour of [God’s] majesty’ when he wrote this beautiful song of praise. Do yourself a favour and read all of Psalm 145!
Apparently, the psalm is an acrostic poem, with each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. We lose that beauty in our English translation, but we don’t lose the joy that is conveyed in this song of praise.
David speaks of God’s graciousness, compassion, goodness, might, glory, trustworthiness, nearness, watchfulness and more. David reminds us that the ‘Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made’ (Psalm 145:9).
When we reflect on the expanse of the universe and the creativity of our God who created such beauty, and then consider that God knows us and God loves us individually, well, that’s truly awe-inspiring and worthy of praise.
Lord of power and might, I praise you for you are good! The splendour of creation declares your glory. You are compassionate and gracious. You are faithful and rich in love. Let every creature praise your holy name forever and ever. Amen.
Tania is the ministry lead at Mawson Lakes Community Church in suburban Adelaide and is a pastoral ministry student at Australian Lutheran College. Tania loves taking beach walks with her husband, David, spending time with her family and friends, and reading. Sometimes she is blessed to experience all three of these joys at her family shack on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula.