Meditations

In our street, a new house was recently built. Day by day, the construction team loaded their wheelbarrows with bricks, and steadily the walls rose higher. Only after the final brick, along with the roof and windows, found their place could the keys be handed over—a dream home for a new family, in a neighbourhood where new friendships can flourish. To me, this is a powerful metaphor for how Paul compares believers to a building.

Just after New Year’s Day, a friend and I spent two days in a wooden cabin in the Tsitsikamma forest—completely secluded, surrounded by pine trees as far as the eye could see. Occasionally, children’s voices reminded us of other life nearby, but mostly, it was just the companionship of birds. Early evening, as the last birdsong faded, it was time for the crickets and frogs to take over with their praise. It must have been

We all know the Leaning Tower of Pisa—the bell tower right next to the cathedral in Pisa. The cathedral and tower were built near the mouth of the Arno River, on clay soil mixed with sand and fine shells. First, the cathedral was constructed, followed by the bell tower. Work on the tower began in 1173 but was soon interrupted. These interruptions, some lasting decades, allowed the ground to stabilize, enabling the 60-meter-high tower to

According to Jewish tradition, Jesus and His disciples would have sung Psalm 118 on their journey to Jerusalem and during the Passover meal. The refrain of Psalm 118 would have been repeated: “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever.” During Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, the crowd even quoted Psalm 118 while singing. At one point, Jesus shared the parable of the farmer who planted a vineyard, but

There was great anticipation created with the prophecy in Isaiah 28:16, where God says: “Look, I am laying a foundation stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, as a sure foundation.” In ancient times, skilled stonemasons were in high demand. There was no cement to seal the stones. Each stone had to fit perfectly with the other. No wonder Isaiah speaks of a “tested stone”!1 And yet, a few centuries later—in Psalm 118:22—these