I recently came across a couple of old journals. It’s a habit/discipline I no longer have (partly because I blog) and life has moved on. As I read it a couple of things strike me, first I’ve matured, thank God. I’m wiser, more sure-footed in life than the raw young man of 1997 (aged 22). Secondly, I’m not sure I talk with the same level of passion. I wonder if the two things have to go together?

Anyway, I thought I might post a few reflections every now and then because the passion of the stuff stirs me and that’s no bad thing. Here’s the first offering.

“God has won the victory for man when God risked all and became man. Then and only then did the devil stand a chance, only when God in Jesus put Himself under the ‘rule’ of this world by becoming one of us. Fully man, subject to all temptation and weakness yet even then with God vulnerable like never before all the devil gained was defeat.

He tempted, tested, tried, abused, hassled, harassed, arrested, flogged, beat, humiliated and finally killed Jesus yet that wasn’t enough. For God raised Jesus from the dead victorious declaring for all the power to defeat sin and death and to make clear the way to God. (Luke 10:18-20; Luke 24:46-47)”