Stuck on You: Nothing Can Separate Us from God's Love
Like a sticker that bonds to a surface and refuses to come off, God's love for us in Christ Jesus is an unbreakable connection that no circumstance, no fear, and no failure can ever undo.
Josh McPaul
Minister in Placement at Northern Illawarra Uniting Church, just north of Wollongong. I am married to Robin, a teacher who comes from California, USA. I spent most of my working life in the US, helping to start a church in Oakland, California, focused on racial reconciliation. I love living near Wollongong, close to family – swimming, kayaking, and camping up and down the coast.
The Words That Give Life Only at Our Lowest Point
Romans 8 contains some of the most beautiful words ever written, but they become cheap slogans when divorced from the raw struggle of Romans 7. These truths give life only when applied to our deepest pain.
Wait
Using the parable of the wheat and the weeds, Rev. Josh McPaul reminds us that God is patient with us—He sees not just who we are, but who we are becoming.
Weeding Is Worse Than Weeds
In the parable of the wheat and the weeds, Jesus delivers a shocking message: stop trying to sort the good from the bad. Judgment belongs to God, and our calling is radical patience—with others and with ourselves.
The Seed That Cracks the Concrete
Just like tree roots can crack the strongest concrete, God's word works deep within us — quietly, persistently, and powerfully transforming even the hardest places in our lives.
The Kingdom Standoff: Will We Let God's Word Break Through?
Jesus' Parable of the Sower isn't just about different types of soil — it's about the defenses we build against God's gracious kingdom and whether we'll let his word go deep enough to bring new life.
God Made You Different — And That's a Good Thing
God made each of us unique, and the Bible shows that His family has room for every kind of person. Instead of criticizing those who are different, Jesus calls us to jump in and use our own gifts to serve Him.
God's Kingdom Has Room for More Than One Personality
Jesus and John the Baptist loved each other but couldn't have been more different. Their tension reveals that there is no one-size-fits-all way to follow Christ—and that spiritual growth begins when we stop being offended by those who are not like us.
26th July, 2026 (Year A – Pentecost 9) “True and Beautiful Words “
Some people consider the Romans passage for today, the greatest chapter in the Bible. The Spirit intercedes for us and nothing can separate us from God and so all things work for good who love him. Words that have been cheapened by its use on bric-a-brac , slogans on clothing, mugs, posters etc. Paul believed and despite his trials and tribulations, knew that nothing could separate him from God’s love. The Christian faith is a true story. AMEN!
26th July, 2026 (Year A – Pentecost 9) “True and Beautiful Words “
Some people consider the Romans passage for today, the greatest chapter in the Bible. The Spirit intercedes for us and nothing can separate us from God and so all things work for good who love him. Words that have been cheapened by its use on bric-a-brac , slogans on clothing, mugs, posters etc. Paul believed and despite his trials and tribulations, knew that nothing could separate him from God’s love. The Christian faith is a true story. AMEN!
19th July, 2026 (Year A – Pentecost 8) “Hands off the Weeds”
Pulling weeds may disturb the final harvest, the weeds are not the problem but weeding is. So allow them to stay. The word “allowing’ in the original text of the NT, is ‘Aphiemo’, which translates to “forgiveness”. In society who gets to decide who are weeds? Sometimes God is doing something that escapes us. Patience (another word for ‘love’) is needed. The goal is to tend , watch and wait, to see the seeds in people and the world.
19th July, 2026 (Year A – Pentecost 8) “Hands off the Weeds”
Pulling weeds may disturb the final harvest, the weeds are not the problem but weeding is. So allow them to stay. The word “allowing’ in the original text of the NT, is ‘Aphiemo’, which translates to “forgiveness”. In society who gets to decide who are weeds? Sometimes God is doing something that escapes us. Patience (another word for ‘love’) is needed. The goal is to tend , watch and wait, to see the seeds in people and the world.