Monday, 18 February, 2019

God’s Unrelenting Love

Posted on Friday, 22 March, 2013Sunday, 20 August, 2017 by Zheluo Cai

We are a week away from Good Friday. My thoughts in the past days have been focused on God’s unrelenting love, which precipitated His incarnation, and inevitably led to His sacrifice.

Reflection: John 15:9-11; 1 John 3:1-2; 1 John 4:19; and Romans 8:38-39.

“I have become absolutely convinced that neither death nor life, neither messenger of Heaven nor monarch of earth, neither a power from on high nor a power from below, nor anything else in God’s whole world has any power to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord!” (Romans 8:31-39 – J.B.Phillips’ Translation).

Dare we experience what God has proffered, bearing in mind the quality of our earthly relationships? It is certainly not the fact of being loved unconditionally that is life changing. It is the vulnerable and risky experience of allowing myself to be loved unconditionally by Him that is life transforming! God has reached out to us, dare we take hold of His hands daily and not let them go? I am challenged.

Watch - Lassa Fever in Nigeria Thursday, 7 February, 2019
Nigerian health officials have declared an outbreak of Lassa fever in Nigeria. Travelers to Nigeria should avoid contact with rats, especially rat urine and feces, and keep their accommodations or campsites clean.
Alert - Yellow Fever in Nigeria Monday, 28 January, 2019
A large, ongoing outbreak of yellow fever in Nigeria began in September 2017. The outbreak is now spread throughout the country. Travelers going to Nigeria should receive vaccination against yellow fever at least 10 days before travel and should take steps to prevent mosquito bites while there.

ASTRONOMY PICTURE OF THE DAY: NGC 7822. Credit & Copyright: Neil Fleming. At the edge of a giant molecular cloud toward the northern constellation Cepheus, the glowing star forming region lies about 3,000 light-years away. The image maps emission from atomic oxygen, hydrogen, and sulfur into blue, green, and red hues. The atomic emission is powered by the energetic radiation from the hot stars, whose powerful winds and radiation also sculpt and erode the denser pillar shapes. Stars could still be forming inside the pillars by gravitational collapse, but as the pillars are eroded away, any forming stars will ultimately be cut-off from their reservoir of star stuff. This field spans around 60 light-years.

Florida Students to Speak with NASA Astronaut Aboard International Space Station Friday, 15 February, 2019
University and high school students from Florida will have an opportunity to talk with a NASA astronaut on the International Space Station next week.
NASA Selects New Mission to Explore Origins of Universe Wednesday, 13 February, 2019
NASA has selected a new space mission that will help astronomers understand both how our universe evolved and how common are the ingredients for life in our galaxy’s planetary systems.

IMAGO DEI: The Ndebele tribe or amaNdebele, one of the smaller ones of the Nguni speaking tribes that migrated to South Africa, were the first Nguni speaking people to move into the interior of the country instead of the coastal areas. The Nguni tribes represent nearly two thirds of South Africa’s Black population and can be divided into four distinct groups; the Central Nguni (the Zulu-speaking peoples), the Southern Nguni (the Xhosa-speaking peoples), the Swazi people from Swaziland and adjacent areas and the Ndebele people of the Northern Province and Mpumalanga.

Yemen - Level 4: Do Not Travel Thursday, 14 February, 2019
Do not travel to Yemen due to terrorism, civil unrest, health risks, and armed conflict. Terrorist groups continue to plot and conduct attacks in Yemen. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting public sites, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities. Additionally, there is a continuing threat of kidnapping/detention by terrorists, criminal elements, […]
Burkina Faso - Level 3: Reconsider Travel Thursday, 14 February, 2019
Reconsider travel to Burkina Faso due to terrorism. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory. Do not travel to: The Sahel Region due to crime and terrorism. The East Region due to crime and terrorism. The Provinces of Koulpelogo, Loroum, Yatenga, Sourou, Kossi, Banwa, Kenedougou, or within 50km of the Mali border […]

Jordan Sunday, 17 February, 2019
Summary - Due to an ongoing incident in in the Anjara and Ajlun areas we urge caution in visiting this part of Jordan. Anyone already in this area should follow the advice of the local authorities
GOV.UK
Nigeria Saturday, 16 February, 2019
Summary - Presidential and National Assembly elections, due to take place in Nigeria on 16 February 2019, have been delayed a week until 23 February. The Gubernatorial and State House of Assembly elections, due on 2 March, have also been delayed by a week until 9 March. You should continue to avoid rallies, public gatherings […]
GOV.UK

WORK OF ART: Studies of the Foetus in the Womb are two-coloured annotated sketches by Leonardo da Vinci made in around 1511. Da Vinci studied human embryology with the help of anatomist Marcantonio della Torre and saw the foetus within a cadaver. The studies were initially bequeathed to Francesco Melzi. In c. 1582–90 they were bought from his heirs by Pompeo Leoni, and by 1630 they belonged to Thomas Howard, 2nd Earl of Arundel. Since 1690 the studies have been housed in the Royal Collection, United Kingdom.