The Aberystwyth Conference is over for us as we are attending a wedding today. As ever it has been nice to see so many people and enjoy good ministry. Sadly, there were loads of people we just didn't get to chat to. There are meetings this morning and this evening. I apologised to Stuart Olyott that I would miss tonight. He thought that I was about the hundredth person to so apologise and only his wife Doll is a definite at present. I'm sure the Great Hall will be packed, however, as it has been through the week and some will have to sit in the plush cinema downstairs and watch it there in the overflow. As for the morning meetings, the inimitable Dale Ralph Davis has been walking us through Jeremiah. The opening session on Jeremiah 1 was stellar and a brilliant start with its powerful mix of thorough exegesis, cautious theology, semi-street talk, great application and fine illustrations. None of those present will read the opening remarks of Jeremiah about when he prophesied again without remembering that far from being pedestrian remarks about chronology, this is a testimony to the relentlessness of God's Word whatever the circumstances. None of the subsequent talks lived quite up to that first one for some reason but we have had excellent stuff. Those who attended Wednesday's seminar got an extra talk from Jeremiah 40 dealing with failure in ministry. That had a mixed reception maybe but was again for me a powerful bit of applied exegesis. It was also a treat Wednesday night to be in the manse where my father-in-law Geoff Thomas had invited Dr Davis and one or two others. I wasn't the only one to grab opportunity for a book signing. I got the impression that Ralph is a self-effacing man, cheerful but only by grace, something of a scholar but chiefly a pastor who enjoys writing. I could identify. He is about to retire from the pastorate and is set on writing up another Old Testament book and not doing too much conference work. It is good to know that God has such a variety of servants working away in the vineyard.
A blog featuring whatever I fancy, often on the Christian faith but not exclusively
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