Trevor Brock, Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland

So here I am in retirement, recalling the repetitive call to others never to dislodge verses from their context! Dare I now do so myself? I get the drift, and trust all readers to do their homework on each verse below and to diligently re-read them in their setting in the Bible!

Which verses would you take to the island?

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

It wasn’t the first verse I ever learned off by heart. Mombasa Gospel Tabernacle, where we belonged in 1957, ensured that we, as children, all followed the Navigator’s Bible memorisation programme. Having learned it, I recognised it when it was being preached by George Lyon. The truth dawned on me that I needed to confess my own sin and enjoy personal forgiveness from God. 1 John 1:9 still forms part of the assurance I need, that God looks kindly on me through Christ. Age serves us well in showing us how bad our sin really is, and it is sweet to be reminded that the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, keeps on cleansing us from all sin.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7

The years between conversion and entering the Irish Baptist College seemed  like an age – leaving Kenya, settling in Saltcoats, Ayrshire, moving to Beith, finishing school, going to Glasgow University, joining an IVF summer mission, failing exams, becoming a teacher, and then sensing God’s call to Bible College – it seemed to last for ever. In reality that was just eight years. I began to train in Belfast as the “troubles” began in the Province; confident that the Lord wanted me there, but totally unsure what lay ahead. Three years later and this was the text preached by Alec Judd at our graduation service. The truths never left my mind through forty-two years of ministry – a fragile clay pot even at my very best moment. It’s a great text to keep pride at bay in a world that prizes fame, success, and illusions of grandeur; a great text to comfort when physically, mentally or spiritually the task seemed too big, and I too inadequate; a good text to filter my view of other Christians when I saw their weaknesses and puzzled over their failures; a lens through which to look at believers with disability or serious failure; and it is extremely good medicine as old age beckons!

Who would you like to find on the island for company?

This is risky ground now! I’ve preached all those years that God keeps us on earth, partly to refine us, but even more, so that He can use us to engage with unbelievers. I’ve scolded myself and others who have hardly got a real close friend who is unsaved! I really need the ones I have to keep me in touch with the mindset they have, the doubts they struggle with and the heartaches they feel. I need the challenge to be real and authentic that comes from heart-to-heart conversations with those who don’t understand our heart for God. So I’m limiting myself to take with me someone whose unbelief has been high profile, let’s say Charles Darwin or Richard Dawkins …conversations should be good!

Which song would you like to take to the island?

I might be pushing seventy years old, but I love so many of the newer songs that have been brought to us as the Church. Among them: My worth is not in what I own. My warped sense of humour reckons that those words would be perfect on a desert island!

My worth is not in what I own

Not in the strength of flesh and bone

But in the costly wounds of love

At the cross

My worth is not in skill or name

In win or lose, in pride or shame

But in the blood of Christ that flowed

At the cross

I rejoice in my Redeemer

Greatest Treasure,

Wellspring of my soul

I will trust in Him, no other.

My soul is satisfied in Him alone.

As summer flowers we fade and die

Fame, youth and beauty hurry by

But life eternal calls to us

At the cross

I will not boast in wealth or might

Or human wisdom’s fleeting light

But I will boast in knowing Christ

At the cross

Two wonders here that I confess

My worth and my unworthiness

My value fixed - my ransom paid

At the cross

Gwydion Lewis, Bala

Which verses would you take to the desert island?

Needless to say, choosing a favourite portion of scripture is very hard. Different verses have been such a help at different times in my spiritual life. But, I am particularly fond of Hebrews 11 and the first 3 verses of Hebrews 12.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3

I have been blessed in studying this portion and in preaching it. I trained as a Physical Education teacher, so the picture of the athlete running a race naturally appeals to me. I enjoy looking at this gallery of men and women of faith – this cloud of witnesses. As well as these Biblical characters referred to in Hebrews 11, I can think of other mature Christians that I also look up to and who encourage me to continue to run the race set before me. Their wealth of experience, their love for their Saviour is like the crowd in a stadium, encouraging me to keep going. I am challenged by the practical application of these verses also – the need to throw off those things that hinder us. We can often neglect the practical side of the Christian life! And, of course, more importantly than all of this is the encouragement to look to Christ himself – the one who ran the race perfectly. We can never gaze enough at him.

Which song would you take to the island?

Choosing a favourite hymn is another difficult task, especially as someone who was brought up to worship in the Welsh language – all my favourite hymns are Welsh! My favourite, perhaps is Y Bugail Mwyn by David Charles, (Thomas Charles of Bala’s younger brother, and author of Rhagluniaeth Fawr y Nef, Great Providence of Heaven)

Y Bugail mwyn, o'r nef a ddaeth i lawr,

I geisio'i braidd trwy'r erchyll anial mawr;

Ei fywyd roes yn aberth yn eu lle,

A'u crwydrad hwy ddialwyd arno 'Fe.

O'm crwydrad o baradwys daeth i'm hôl,

Yn dirion iawn fe'm dygodd yn ei gôl;

'Does neb a ŵyr ond ef,y Bugail mawr,

Pa faint fy nghrwydro o hynny hyd yn awr.

Â'i hyfryd lais fe'm harwain yn y blaen;

Cydymaith ydyw yn y dŵr a'r tân;

Rhag pob rhyw ddrwg, yn nyffryn angeu du,

Pwy arall fydd yn nodded i myfi?

Pan âf i dref, i'r hyfryd gorlan fry,

Ni chrwydraf mwy oddi wrth fy Mugail cu;

Wrth gofio'r daith, a'i holl ffyddlondeb Ef,

Mi seinia'i glôd i entrych nef y nef.

Roughly translated (although not as poetic), it reads:

The gentle Shepherd, from heav'n has come to earth,

To seek his flock through barren, ugly pains;

He gave his life, an offering in their place,

Their foolish wand'ring was avenged on him.

How great my wandering, yet he brought me back,

So tenderly he drew me to his side;

Still no one knows but he, the Shepherd dear,

How oft I've wandered on life's journey.

With his sweet voice he leads me safely on;

A friend is he in water and in fire;

From every evil, in death's darkest vale,

Who else will be a refuge to myself?

When safely home, in the eternal fold,

I'll cling to him, my ever faithful friend;

I'll marvel at his faithfulness and care,

I'll live to sing his praise forevermore.

I love this hymn because it is a wonderful balance of focusing on Christ, our Shepherd, but also on the experiences of a Christian. It captures the spiritual life in an honest and warm way. There is a spiritual progression in the hymn, and finishes on the great hope we have of being home with our great God. It provides firm theology and warms the heart, as a good hymn should do.

If I had to choose an English hymn it would be Immortal Honours by William Gadsby:

Immortal honours rest on Jesus’ head;
My God, my portion, and my living bread;
In Him I live, upon Him cast my care;
He saves from death, destruction, and despair.

He is my refuge in each deep distress;
The Lord my strength and glorious righteousness;
Through floods and flames He leads me safely on,
And daily makes His sovereign goodness known.

My every need He richly will supply;
Nor will His mercy ever let me die;
In Him there dwells a treasure all divine,
And matchless grace has made that treasure mine.

O that my soul could love and praise Him more,
His beauties trace, His majesty adore;
Live near His heart, upon His bosom lean;

Obey his voice and all his will esteem.

I love singing any hymn that helps us to truly worship Christ. This hymn gives us so many reasons to worship and to love him. I often find myself echoing those words, ‘O that my soul could love and praise Him more’. I love the fact that the hymn finishes with the nitty gritty of how we express our love for God – obedience! Like those verses from Hebrews 12 – the practical application is so important.

Who would you like to find on the island for company?

For his wisdom, I would like to find the Apostle Paul there. I would have plenty of questions to ask him – the time would fly!

For his practical skills I would like to find Joseph (father of Jesus) there. We don’t get to know much about him in Scripture, but what we do know leads me to think highly of him. I love his humility and gentleness. I like to dabble in woodwork, I would like to serve an apprenticeship under Joseph to find out what type of joints and construction Joseph used. His practical skills would be very handy on a desert island.

I would like to find there Eric Liddell. He won a gold medal in the 1924 Paris Olympics in the 400m race (having refused to take part in his usual event, 100m, because the race was run on a Sunday). I used to teach running and was interested in analysing running techniques. I would enjoy such conversations with Eric Liddell since his running technique was quite unique. But also I admire him for his brave stand on keeping Sunday as the Lord’s Day – something that I feel is very much under threat these days for Christians.

Luke Crawford, Ontario, Canada

While I may never experience being a castaway on a desert island, life often brings adverse experiences that remind me of my desperate need for God. In these moments, God not only demonstrates his faithfulness through the truth of his Word and the provision of his Spirit, but he actively transforms me into the likeness of Christ through experiences of loss, pain, or abandonment. With this in mind, I have shared some foundational Scriptures that have anchored my life in surrender, perseverance, hope, and joy.

Which verses would you take to the island?

Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.

Psalm 86:11-13

When I was fifteen, God used this text to change the entire trajectory of my life. My heart was corrupted by sin, my allegiance was to selfish pleasure. In his mercy God convicted me, opened my heart to the supreme worth of Jesus Christ, and invited me into the lifelong mission of making my life a hymn of exaltation to Him. Since then, this text has daily served as my prayer of devotion, purpose, and declaration of commitment. Every season of life offers joys and challenges - whether that be personal loss, adverse circumstances, or abandonment on a desert island - which invite me to renew my commitment to Christ and walk in surrender to his truth, godly fear, earnest worship, and grateful faith.

Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:55-58

I have the privilege of serving as a Youth Pastor in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. High School is a complex, messy time for young people. I have a front row seat to beautiful moments of personal growth and brutal moments of immaturity in the lives of several dozen teens. Moreover, I join other ministers, medical professionals, counsellors and the like on the front lines of this generation’s struggle with mental health – a reality in which death is often considered a good solution. This scripture passage anchors me in the victory of Christ over our greatest enemies – sin and death – and the hope of eternal life. It calls me to persevere when discouraged, to pray in faith when helpless, and to give my best in declaring that the kingdom of God has come through Christ.

We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.

Psalm 33:20-22

Like many of you, I have an intimate experience of tragic loss. Specifically, the suicide of a friend in 2013. The emotional journey of grieving the suicide of a loved one is akin to having your heart ripped from your chest; you are at once overwhelmed by excruciating pain and crippling numbness. Tragedy powerfully reduced me from an outwardly confident person to an inwardly broken man. Yet through this trial, Psalm 33:20-22 became my daily, moment by moment prayer, a declaration of trust in the one true Source of hope, my haven amidst the storm of death’s destruction.

This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 1:9-11

I love that God redeems our most painful circumstances; turning what is broken into something beautiful. Being a castaway on an island would be a painful reality, but one in which God is still actively working to forge in me the character of his Son. This text reminds me that, if I will walk in surrender, God will use every experience – especially hardship –to glorify His name in me. It is both an encouraging reminder, and a blessing to speak over whomever I journey through life with – or call my neighbour on an abandoned island.

Who would you like to find on the island for company?

I would hope to find the Olympic Gold Medallist, Missionary, and Chariots of Fire hero Eric Liddell on the island. Lidell’s life is an inspiring testimony of faithfulness, excellence, and godly surrender. His companionship, character, and experience of joyfully navigating life in a Japanese World War II concentration camp would be a huge gift while stranded on an island.

Which song would you like to take to the island?

Recently the song The Lord is My Salvation by Keith and Kristyn Getty has deeply encouraged my heart, especially in the face of adversity. It’s a strong reminder that God has redeemed my life in Christ, journeys with me in hardship, and promises abundant, forever life with him. His greatness is unparalleled, and the glorious reality of what he has done through Christ is too incredible for me to comprehend. No matter what I face, I can’t lose with Christ as my Saviour and King.

Catrin Lewis, Bala

Which verses would you take to the desert island?

All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. John 6:37

Like many children who were brought up in a Christian home, I struggled with assurance that I was a child of God. I can remember one summer, we were on a family holiday on Uncle John and Anti Mari’s farm in Bryn Uchaf, Llanymawddwy. I had been on camp and was troubled that I wasn’t sure that my sins had been forgiven, whether God had heard my prayer of repentance. I was in my room one afternoon, distressed and crying. My mother came to my room with a bar of chocolate which she offered to me. As I stretched my arm out to receive it, my mother took the chocolate away. This happened a few times, before she said, “God doesn’t do that. When he offers us something, he promises to give it to us. If you’ve asked for forgiveness, he won’t go back on his word.” She went on to quote John 6:37. It was such a help to me, and I often go back to it.

Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them. Luke 4:38-39

It seems quite insignificant, but I love the end of verse 39. Simon’s mother in law has just been healed in a miraculous way by Jesus, and what does she do? She gets up and serves others. We are saved to serve. God used this portion of scripture to move Gwydion and myself to apply for the job of being managers at Bryn-y-Groes. And it has been such a joy and honour for us to serve others in light of what Christ has done for us.

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. Psalm 103

Psalm 103 is another favourite. Sometimes I grow cold and, to my shame, I don’t feel like praising God all the time. This psalm reminds me of God’s goodness and encourages me to worship him. He forgives, heals, redeems, crowns with love and compassion and satisfies my desires. I need to thank Him that he is slow to anger, and abounding in love. He does truly deserve my worship. I am particularly helped by v13-14; I often fail and grow tired but my Father in Heaven sympathises, knowing I am dust. How great is the God we adore!

Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. In vain you rise early

and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves. Psalm 127:1-2

These verses have been on our mind in light of the building project going ahead at Bryn-y-Groes at the moment. We can easily get bogged down with the construction issues, bricks and mortar, furniture and fixings. But unless the Lord blesses what we do, it will be in vain. Our prayer is that Bryn-y-Groes will be a means by which God will continue to build his kingdom, and that all groups who visit us, all events that occur here, all campers who come for a good time, will all know the deep joy of God’s blessing. Please join us in praying for that.

Which song would you take to the island?

There are many good reasons for learning to speak Welsh – one of the reasons is to enjoy Welsh hymns! It really is a treasure trove. These hymns are like stepping stones of my spiritual life; they remind me of different sermons, conferences, and personal devotions at certain times. When my father, Gareth Davies, would preach in English, he would often get frustrated and say, “If only you could speak Welsh, Williams Pantycelyn expresses this point so well in a hymn”.

This isn’t one of Pantycelyn’s, but I love the way it traces the spiritual life, as though we were a ship travelling on stormy seas to our safe haven in heaven. It’s by Ieuan Glan Geirionydd (1795–1855)

Ar fôr tymhestlog teithio ‘rwyf

I fyd sydd well i fyw,

Gan wenu ar ei stormydd oll:

Fy Nhad sydd wrth y llyw.

Trwy leoedd geirwon, enbyd iawn,

A rhwystrau o bob rhyw

Y’m dygwyd eisoes ar fy nhaith:

Fy Nhad sydd wrth y llyw.

Er cael fy nhaflu o dòn i dòn,

Nes ofni bron cael byw,

Dihangol ydwyf hyd yn hyn:

Fy Nhad sydd wrth y llyw.

Ac os oes stormydd mwy yn ôl,

Ynghadw gan fy Nuw,

Wynebaf arnynt oll yn hy:

Fy Nhad sydd wrth y llyw.

A phan fo’u hymchwydd yn cryfhau,

Fy angor, sicir yw;

Dof yn ddiogel drwyddynt oll:

Fy Nhad sydd wrth y llyw.

I mewn i’r porthladd tawel, clyd,

O swn y storm a’i chlyw

Y caf fynediad llon ryw ddydd:

Fy Nhad sydd wrth y llyw.

Each verse ends with the comforting refrain ‘My Father’s at the helm’. It looks back at the way God has kept us safe in all storms so far, and so can confidently look forward if we have to face even greater storms because God is at the helm. The last verse is particularly tender and yet triumphant:

At last in heavenly harbour safe,

Far from the threatening storms;

He’ll gladly welcome me one day:

The helm's in Father's hand

I do know that there are some great English hymns, I have enjoyed getting to know some of them in the last few years – they are like new friends to me. One that has been a real blessing to me is by Horatius Bonar

O Love of God, how strong and true,
eternal and yet ever new;
uncomprehended and unbought,
beyond all knowledge and all thought.

O love of God, how deep and great,

Far deeper than man’s deepest hate;

Self-fed, self-kindled like the light,

Changeless, eternal, infinite.

O heavenly love, how precious still,

In days of weariness and ill,

In nights of pain and helplessness,

To heal, to comfort, and to bless!

O wide-embracing, wondrous Love,
we read thee in the sky above;
we read thee in the earth below,
in seas that swell and streams that flow.

We read thee best in him who came
to bear for us the cross of shame,
sent by the Father from on high,
our life to live, our death to die.

We read thy power to bless and save
e'en in the darkness of the grave;
still more in the resurrection light
we read the fullness of thy might.

O love of God, our shield and stay

Through all the perils of our way;

Eternal love, in you we rest,

Forever safe, forever blest.

The first two verses are such an excellent summary of the theology of who God is. On the basis of those truths the hymn goes on to express what God’s love has meant in his own experience. It’s always helpful to start with scriptural truths and not our own experiences. But the experience comes across also in the hymn. I love that line about Christ’s work for us: “Our life to live, our death to die”, great isn’t it!? Gadsby seems to bask in the joy of God’s love – it is precious, it heals and it comforts, is surrounds us in creation and Jesus Christ particularly shows us God’s love. And there’s more to come in eternity!

Who would you like to find on the island for company?

One lady I particularly admire is Elisabeth Elliot. As a young Christian I was really inspired by reading of her self-sacrificial missionary life – returning as a widow, with her young daughter, to work with the tribe that murdered her missionary husband, Jim Elliot. As a young mother myself, I really valued the spiritual counsel and practical common sense in her books. I would love to find her on that island, and I’m sure her good, common sense approach would be very useful in such circumstances.

Another lady I would love to meet is Auntie Bessie. I have heard so much about her since coming to work at Bryn-y-Groes. She is still loved by many campers who enjoyed her food, her example, her love and humour during summer camps here. I would really love to talk to her and find out what was so special about her. I would have plenty of questions for her, and I’m sure I would learn so much from her.

On a very personal note I would love to see my maternal grandmother there. She died a few months before I was born. She led a difficult life and made many mistakes along the way, but she was the Lord’s child. She attended Bethany Chapel in Ammanford – a chapel that came under the influence of the 1904/5 revival, and I would love to ask her about that time. I’m sure she learnt some difficult lessons during her spiritual pilgrimage and I feel those knocks and bruises would make her shine brightly.

Trystan Hallam, Tredegar

Although my wife sometimes comments that I live in a world of my own – with my head in the clouds – I don’t think life on a desert island would be for me. It would be ok for a little while – but there are only so many coconuts that you can eat. I’d miss my wife, my children, Tredegar and Bethel Baptist – not to mention my dog who’s my running partner. After all, ‘no man is an island’; God has created us for himself and to share himself with others.

But however, if the pirate, Captain Hywel George captured me on his ship HMS Heddwen, and gave me a choice to walk the plank or enslavement on a desert island, I’d choose the desert island. I’d be very grateful to take some Bible verses with me, a gem of a person from Welsh Christian history and a song (or two!) that I could sing and listen to.

Which verses would you take to the island?

Why can’t I take the whole Bible? Even Radio 4 allows you to do that. But who am I to argue? There is one verse which springs to mind straight away:

For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. Psalm 27:5

This verse is very precious to me, for I’ve experienced God’s keeping in days of trouble. Over fifteen years ago I was severely ill with testicular cancer and then clinical depression. In many ways it was like being washed up on a rugged desert island. Yet, I wasn’t deserted. God in His great mercy kept me safe, and at times visited me with his presence that I would not have experienced in times of bright sunshine and calm.

It is finished. John 19:30

The second verse I would take would be the Lord Jesus’ words on the cross. Life for the Christian is sometimes like being on a desert island – having been washed up, bashed and cut on the rocks, then landed all alone, disorientated on a desert island. When things are difficult, we ask: why? Is God punishing me for some sin? Whilst asking these questions on the desert island I would remember the Lord Jesus’ words “It is finished.” Whilst God might be discipling me through difficult circumstances, teaching me the path of holiness, I would remind myself that I’m not being punished, facing God’s wrath. The Lord Jesus took God’s wrath in my place on the cross. “It is finished!”

Who would you like to find on the island for company?

Captain George of the HMS Heddwen says I can’t take my wife, kids, not even my dog! It must a figure from history. So, I would be more than willing to settle for William Williams Pantycelyn the Welsh hymn writer, preacher, poet, and instrument of God’s blessing in Wales in the 18^th Century. I can remember being on a residential County Choir course in my teens which was held in Llandovery. On that course I rebelled! Not like my peers, who spent most of the evenings in the local pubs. No, I woke up early one morning and decided to walk to Williams’ grave which is in a Church graveyard on the edge of Llandovery. Please don’t tell the course organisers, because they never found out!

Williams Pantycelyn’s gift, amongst many other things, was marrying Biblical truth with true Christian experience. Read, and sing his hymns and you’ll see what I mean. Because I could be a long time on that island, I think learning at the feet of Williams would be a treat. It’s also been said he was also good company, gifted with a delightful sense of humour.

Which song would you like to take to the island?

Well, I have been cunning. Because by having Williams Pantycelyn on the island, I would have a Christian jukebox sitting next to me!  There are so many of his hymns that have helped me over the years. Perhaps one of my favourites is one of his simplest hymns:

Rwy’n dewis Iesu a’I farwol glwy

Yn frawd a phriod i mi mwy

Ef yn arweinydd, Ef yn ben,

I’m dwyn o’r byd i’r nefoedd wen.

I’m afraid you’ll have to learn Welsh to understand what it means. It’s worth learning Welsh just to be able sing Pantycelyn – not to mention Ann Griffiths! Come to the desert island and we’ll have lessons together!

I’d also like to take a song that the modern singer/songwriter Nicole C. Mullen sings: I know my Redeemer lives. The song captures Job’s angst and hope in equal measure; a hope that is fulfilled of course in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Well with that, I’m off. Because I think I can see a ship’s mast on the horizon with a skull and bones banner hovering above the crow’s nest.

Sammy Davies, Ammanford

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.