. Still wondering how God created longer daylight for Joshua to finish his battle. (Joshua 10:11-14) We know the Sun didn't stand still. Daytime is created by the earth's rotation.

We also know God didn't slow down the speed of the earth's rotation. That would have been catastrophic. The average speed of Earth's rotation about the location of Canaan is 1,446.1 km/hr. The earth does not wear seat belt. There will be tsunamis if the earth brakes suddenly. So, how did God do it? Could it be through what physicists call gravitational lensing? What is gravitational lensing?

Einstein and the Bible view space as a fabric. (Hebrews 1:11-12) Einstein imagined the stars and planets denting the fabric, causing smaller objects to roll towards them. That, he said, is how gravity works.

This denting of the fabric of space is not just caused by big objects. Anything with mass dents the fabric, including paper clip. Just that the effect is negligible. Scientists have a word for this denting. It's called warping of space.

Now, light travels in a straight line. But because of the warping of space around heavy objects, it follows the dent in the fabric. When this happens, we say gravity bends light. If there's a galaxy cluster, light bends around it, instead of going through it. This produces intensified and sometimes multiple images of the source. This process is called gravitational lensing. It turns galaxy clusters into gigantic, magnifying glasses. Could this magnified light have produced a larger surface area for the light falling on earth for Joshua? A wider surface area for light means the earth will stay longer in light as it rotates. Could this be how God did it - manipulated our galaxy to produce gravitational lensing?

But it will require moving stuff around, bulking up. And it will probably take the source light 100,000 years to cross our galaxy, unless the source light is the sun. That will take 8 minutes. But he'll need to rearrange stuff, bulk things up. I'm astounded at the sheer scale of God's vision for the universe. And to think there's just little us floating in space, perhaps alone!

The Joshua Challenge is still on. How did God do it? Send your answer to leke@lekealder.com. Book to be won.

When there is life there is hope

Today in Church History: November 2, 1783 - Robert Raikes’ Sunday School Movement Gains Momentum

J Neil Daniel

On this day in 1783, Robert Raikes, an English philanthropist and newspaper publisher, published a letter in the Gloucester Journal celebrating the success of his Sunday schools. His letter was soon seen by William Fox, a Baptist philanthropist, who quickly grasped the significance of Raikes’ work. Inspired by Raikes’ example, Fox advocated for a national Sunday school movement, which would soon spread throughout England and, ultimately, across the globe.

Raikes’ initiative came in response to the social problems he observed in his community, particularly among working-class children who were left idle and often engaged in mischief on Sundays, the only day many were free from work. His solution was simple yet profound: offer these children an education focused on reading, morality, and religious instruction. These Sunday schools not only taught literacy but also imparted Christian values, aiming to shape both mind and character.

The success Raikes experienced in Gloucester caught national attention, and Fox’s promotion helped transform Sunday schools into a widespread movement. By 1831, over a million children in Great Britain were attending Sunday school, marking a transformative moment in the Church’s commitment to education and social reform. Raikes’ efforts are often credited as the beginning of the modern Sunday school movement, which continues to impact lives around the world today.

Further Reading

These resources provide insights into Robert Raikes' pioneering work and the societal transformation brought by the Sunday school movement:

Laqueur, Thomas W. Religion and Respectability: Sunday Schools and Working-Class Culture, 1780–1850. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1976. (Explores the broader cultural and societal impact of the Sunday school movement).

Harris, John F. Robert Raikes: Founder of Sunday Schools. London: Religious Tract Society, 1899. (A biography focused on Raikes’ life, philosophy, and contributions).

Reid, Alan. Sunday School: Its Origins, Mission, and Progress. London: Christian Education Movement, 1988. (A historical overview of the Sunday school’s evolution).

The Mean Crew - ruthless critics, sparing no one . You wonder if they have a heart.

As a born-again Christian, I've walked the imperfect path, making big mistakes, over and over . But those experiences taught me mercy . Scripture guides us to address wrongs without shaming fellow believers; it's unfair.

We're on the same race track . When you stumble, I'll help you up . No competition; we're running together.

No award for the 'smoothest, sleekest Christian' with a flawless record. Is there an award ? Genuine Christians don't intentionally seek sin; something goes wrong, a struggle, or a setback.

If not for anything, please respect Jesus, who redeemed them, by being empathetic.

People commit abominable evils: rejecting, hurting, and killing children; harvesting organs; and doing indescribable wrongs. Yet, Jesus' love remains.

How much more should we, the redeemed, show mercy? We can do better. Can we be merciful? Love fellow saints genuinely.

As for those false prophets and teachers, my mercy isn't for them.
Their case is pending; I'll attend to it soon. Their case dey cooler.

The unreformed me looking at the Reformed me