(Devotion by Ros McDonald)
Prayer: A blessing from Ephesians 3
May the Maker of heaven and earth
grant that from the riches of God’s glory
you may be strengthened in your inner being
with power through the Spirit,
and that through faith Christ may dwell
in your hearts in love.
With deep roots and firm foundations,
may you, in company with all God’s
people, be strong to grasp
what is the breadth and length
and height and depth of Christ’s love,
and to know it, though it is beyond knowledge.
And so may you be filled with the very fullness of God.
Now to the one who by the power at work
within us is able to accomplish
immeasurably more than all
we can ask or imagine,
be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen
(from Be Our Freedom Lord, Terry Falla)
Read:
John 18: 33-36 (Translation by N.T.Wright)
Read this 3 times, each time asking God’s help and thinking about those words or phrases that leap out at you.
So Pilate went back in to the Praetorium and spoke to Jesus.
“Are you the king of the Jews?” he asked.
“Was it your idea to ask that?” asked Jesus. “Or did other people tell you about me?”
“I’m not a Jew, am I? retorted Pilate. “Your own people, and the chief priests, have handed you over to me! What have you done?”
“My kingdom isn’t the sort that grows in this world,” replied Jesus. “If my kingdom were from this world, my supporters would have fought to stop me being handed over to the Judaeans. So, then, my kingdom is not the sort that comes from here.”
Thought for the day:
Based on Broken Signposts: How Christianity Makes Sense of the World, by N.T.Wright
In the words of N.T.Wright: There are two kinds of kingdoms, two kinds of power. If Jesus’s kingdom were “from this world,” his servants would fight. But Jesus’s kind of power works through suffering love, through the one who gives his life for his friends, the one who is lifted up so that all may see him, believe and be rescued from the grip of the other power, the dark power of evil.
God’s power calls, confronts, transforms, and then equips more and more people from every conceivable background to be in their turn powerful witnesses to the Jesus they have come to know and love. They go to their tasks, like travellers entering a strange, unmapped new land, without the trappings of the “kingdoms” and the “powers” that are “from this world”, but with the world-changing, people-changing power of the gospel and the Spirit.
May you know God’s blessing this day, as you reread the prayer.
Image: Bronze Sculpture "Divine Servant," by Max Greiner, 1990, situated in Witness Park, Pittsburgh, Texas. Jesus washing Peter’s feet.
"Faith Over Fear"
These words have been sitting in my mind for a while now after I read them on a T-shirt.
At first glance all you see is “Faith Over Fear”. Three words in a line. No context, no images. Just 3 simple words, that give the impression of a determination to let nothing stand in the way of our faith. To stand on the side of what our faith teaches us rather than bowing to the demands and fears of others. But then on the back of the T-shirt they repeat the words. Big and bold. We then see the finer print beneath and learn there is more to these 3 simple words.
Psalm 118:6 - The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?
The meaning of these words alters how we see and perceive Faith over Fear. It is not a challenge to stand against our fears. But a call to not be afraid, for no matter what is thrown at us, we are not on our own. God is with us and through him we are given the strength to face any and all challenges. We have strength and hope because we are not alone. Christ is with us and with him we can triumph over our fears. He is our strength, our shield, our future. The trials we face may seem large and scare us but they are nothing compared to God.
Our Faith is stronger than our fear.
During our sermon series "Stories that Matter", a common thread that emerged in conversations with different members of our church, was that at the darkest moments when our fears crippled us and threatened to tear us down, that is when our Faith shone the brightest. Faith stood against fear. Moments of faith cutting through the darkness. Simple moments shone brightly, not grand statements from the heavens or signs no one can believe. Kindness from a stranger. Words of encouragement we needed to hear. A feeling like a warm hug around us when we were alone. Moments of peace amongst the chaos of our lives.
Each of these moments is a quiet reflection of faith over fear. A moment where our faith allowed us to break through our fears. One member of our church put it like this, “because of my faith, I felt triumph and joy instead of afraid…”
I can overcome all fears because I am not alone.
Christ is with me!
My Faith will stand over my Fear.
-LFC team member
Be with God at the Margins
A devotional written about our recent March to the Margins Event by a member of Living Faith Church.
"The Lord walks among the pots and pans" - Saint Teresa of Avila
Saint Teresa reminds us God is found in many places. Often, God is found within silence, or silent places, meeting us, waiting for us, deeply and moving. In this respect we may find God in prayer, in our heartfelt outpourings of praise and thanksgiving, in confession, and in our prayers for ourselves and others. Often God is found in our songs, our hymms, our choruses. Of course, we could say that these are simply another form of prayer, praise with a musical accompaniment. Audible prayers, soft, loud, calming, rousing and sung with others in our congregation. Musical prayer, out loud, but expressing many of the same attributes as our prayers.
St Teresa noted these were intimate moments when we might, could, would find God and engage in a life enriching dialogue, life changing listening times with God.
She suggested that as we go about our daily lives, with its myriad of tasks such as preparing meals making beds, sweeping floors, washing clothes, ironing, an endless list of necessary activities, that God would recognize these as not denying God, but including God in our daily lives. These important responsibilities which we accept, and which form an important part of our day. They are done in the sanctuary of our homes, unseen by most, but a loving and serving expression of faith to those we love, including God.
On Sunday the 26th of April 2026, we have taken our expression of faith out of our homes, out from the safety-net of our church building and away from being private. We have stepped away to get closer to God, and to express our faith in practical ways.
Throughout our Living Faith Church community we have people cleaning up an area of Diamond Creek because as people of faith we care for our environment, God's World. Some are donating blood, a reservoir of support for future use to aid those in need of life-giving blood. As people of faith we care about the sick.
Letters are being written to our leaders advocating change on matters of justice and equity. Some other people are visiting an aged care facility to sing and bring God's message to those in their loneliness and infirmity. Cards are being made through which words of encouragement, support, joy and love are offered. Beanies, scarves and blankets are being knitted for the homeless with winter in mind and for the many who need comfort as they face a bleak time in their lives.
Our driveway is being brightened with messages and "laneway smiley's". Visible expressions of God's happiness and love. And then cozy nesting offering a quieter more reflective time in our chapel, for prayer, meditation, a more intimate time with God.
Why? Why do we do this?
Well, the Lord walks amongst the pots and pans. Amongst the everyday aspects of our live in the environment, everywhere. God is seeking us to be at the margins, to be with God as God meet needs. To be with God to show love, care, grace, mercy ,justice and friendship, in practical ways. To show love to neighbours in our world, and importantly to those around us in our community.
People, our community, will know of our faith in God, by love expressed in our actions.
-William (23 April, 2026)
Remembrance Candle
A devotional written by one of the members of Living Faith Church.
We gathered around the table with the sand-filled glass awaiting, if you like, the Christ candle, and the innumerable tapers. These tapers were to be placed in the sand in the glass, lit from the central candle, as a light of remembrance for passed loved ones.
The single candle in remembrance was perhaps the Christ candle, and its light shone brightly and was clearly visible throughout the chapel. Its effect was to bring light and warmth to the near areas of the container. By itself its effect was minimal.
We started to add tapers, our symbol of remembrance, for those who have gone before us. Many were added until a bonfire of heat and light emanated from this small, sand-filled, glass container. It was only after the tapers had burnt down and gone out that we noticed the crack in the side of the container. A chip of glass had broken from the rim.
The single candle did not do this. The combined strength of the tapers and the larger candle caused the intense heat to crack and break the glass.
I wondered about the candle, the Christ candle. Christ by himself was seen, and heard, and his effect was dramatic. But the work of light, love, warmth, grace, mercy, forgiveness needed others to help. So, Christ was supported and assisted by his disciples, disciples who he had educated.
The word spread like wildfire, its effect shattered empires, caused kings and emperors to acknowledge and bow to Christ as Lord.
Christ is an awesome God and becomes more awesome when combined with the smaller flickering flames of countless millions of disciples across the world. Christ’s message isn’t breaking bowls. Christ’s message is changing lives, turning worldly understandings on their head. It’s creating a new world order.
Christ alone is strength.
We as flaming disciples are strength.
Together, anything and everything is possible with unified strength.
-William (28th Dec 2025)