There are moments when
relaxing on a desert island sounds appealing. But the truth is I love my
family, my home and Premier League football too much to pursue a life like
that. It would also be extremely difficult to be away from God’s people, my
brother and sister here in Ammanford. So I’m grateful to desert island verses
for allowing me to take a few snippets of Scripture to help me to stay
grounded.
Which
verses would you take to the desert island?
Once, you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds
because of your evil behaviour. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s
physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish
and free from accusation. 1 Colossians 1:21-22
When I’m asked to choose
my favourite verse I always go back to Colossians 1:21-22 (mainly because I’m a
rebel and like choosing two). I love these verses because they present me with
such an honest and accurate picture of the power of God in the gospel. Paul
starts off with a reality check about what I was before Jesus - alienated from
God, hostile in thinking, a doer of evil. And Paul concludes with another
reality check, our state after Christ - holy, faultless and blameless.
Sandwiched in between is the crystal clarity over what has made the difference:
Jesus. Physically intervening in my hopeless state in order for me to become
something, or someone, that otherwise would have been totally out of my reach.
Whether on a desert island or at my dinner table; that is something I need to
be reminded of daily.
…And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in
which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell
their right hand from their left? Jonah 1:1-4:11
I’d also take the whole
book of Jonah. It’s probably the book I’ve been privileged to spend the most
time studying so it holds a special place for me. It’s once again achingly honest
about who we are and concludes with the masterful question: “Shouldn’t God care?”
I love how it forces us to confront our own pride/prejudices and to move
forward into consideration of God’s grace and His love for the lost.
Isaiah 1:1-66:24
Finally, I’d take
something a bit tricky with me to help keep the grey matter exercised. I’ve
never really understood much of Isaiah (outside the obvious) so I presume that would
keep me exegetically entertained for a good while.
Who
would you like to find on the island for company?
Over the years I think my
answer to this question has changed many times – mainly depending on my current
footballing hero! But I’m not old enough for any of them to have died yet. Nor
have any of my musical heroes who’d probably be next on the list.
So I’ll go for James
Maxwell - not the coffee man, the one with equations for physics! One of the
most awe-inspiring lectures I ever sat in during my university studies was an explanation
of Maxwell’s laws and realising how beautiful the world of electromagnetics they
describe is. So I’d love ol’ “Jimmy” to keep me company and talk me through his
own thinking on the matter. We could also share beard oils. If there was
sufficient sustenance to support three people I think I’d also like to invite Marie
Curie - fun fact: first woman to ever win a Nobel Prize. But even more fun a
fact: only person to win one in two different sciences. Smashed it Maz! Plus I
reckon she’d be handier and hardier than me on a desert island. If there was
still space on the dingy I’d ask Avicii to tag along - I still can’t quite wrap
my head around how a person whose art brings such deep joy to me could have experienced
sorrow in the world as he did. I’d genuinely love to say thank you and give him
a hug.
Which
song would you take to the island?
I’ll skip anything from
Avicii because I’m sure he’d have some on his phone. The band which has meant most to me over
the years are Coheed and Cambria so it would have to be one of theirs. I think my favourite is ‘Here to Mars’
but it’s a bit like choosing favourites
amongst your children. A song
released recently by Kings Kaleidoscope probably takes the title of “most loved on first hearing” of any song ever.
The Rush (pts. 1-3) is just what music is supposed to sound like in my opinion and the lyrics are refreshingly honest
and hopeful in Christ.
