Few things cause us more grief in interpreting the Bible than ignoring the context.

It’s true that some statements are pretty clear no matter what the context is. One of those is found in Philippians chapter 4: whatever is true, honourable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on these things. Paul is not talking about moral ideals. The Greek philosophers believed that the good, the true and the excellent all existed independently of God. The role of their god or gods was to try to implement these in the world. But for the Bible, all these phrases are simply a character description of God himself, and hence of Jesus.

This year we have all learned a lot about waiting. But the real question is this: what have we learned while waiting?

The journey is as important as the goal. Our whole culture is built around the idea of achieving the most desirable goals in the shortest possible period of time and with the least possible effort.

Guest blog by Katie Overbeek

Like many of you, I have fumbled, sobbed and stomped my way through 2020 as best as I can.

In the midst of the pandemic storm, our family has encountered some significant challenges and trials this year. We’ve seen some victories, but there’s been a lot of heavy lifting and we’re tired.

I was sitting looking at a container full of tomatoes when a thought struck me.

Expecting an early frost, Elaine had picked all the tomatoes she could find on our plants and put them in the container. At first, all of them were green. After a few days, there was a twinge of red in a few of them. Now some are red, some are heading that way and lots are still pretty green.

I know that may not represent the basis for an earth-shaking revelation, but this is the thought I had.

For most of us, perseverance is not our favourite word. And that for sure has been the case this year. It has been one long drudgery with, as yet, no end in sight.

It’s one thing to be going through a difficult time personally, it’s another one entirely to be living in an entire society going through it.

It’s an introvert’s paradise, but everyone else’s nightmare.