Wednesday, June 11, 2025

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.” (2 Thessalonians 2: 16 – 17, New Living Translation)

 (I will be on hiatus for a couple of weeks or so as we make our big move to Whitby this week; not sure when the internet will be hooked up. Blessings.)

           Eulogy for my big, blue comfy recliner. Thank you for your embracive welcome as I sat in you over the last several years. Thank you for allowing me to snuggle in your soft solace when I was recovering from shoulder surgery and other illnesses. Thank you for the hours spent in you watching baseball games by the score. Thank you for giving me moments of reflection from where some of these blogs were inspired from. I have watched church services, watched family videos, participated in on-line committee meetings, played endless video games, all from the comfort of your hugging hold on me. I am grateful for all those years but the time has come to say good-bye as we make this move. Parting is such sweet sorrow…

            You might be thinking, “Get a grip, Soble. You’re losing it! You're off your rocker.” (Pay attention - it's a recliner.) 

            But it has me thinking about comfort. What gives you comfort in your life? It might be as simple as some ice cream or a cold drink on a hot day to something more serious like the good company of friends and family during times of stress and challenges. It might be a favourite Psalm or the Lord’s Prayer. It might be recalling favourite memories or spending time sitting on a dock along the water.  It might be the love from a pet. It might be reading a good book or taking time to meditate or pray.  We all find comfort in different ways and we all need comfort from time to time in, Comfort is the time we take to catch our breath, find our equilibrium, refocus on what matters, seek guidance, repurpose ourselves and seek strength and courage.

            Jesus understood the need for comfort. “God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4) We mourn not only after the loss of a loved one but we may mourn lost loves, loss of faith, loss of a job, loss of a marriage, loss of a friend, loss of health, loss of youth and its vitality. We look for comfort in these types of occasions, something which will give up some energy, some hope, some encouragement or some reassurance. We need something which nurtures our spirits and boosts our morale.

            Of course, Jesus promised that we would never face anything alone in our lives. “No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you.” (John 14:18) Not only does this point to a hopeful future, Jesus also recognized that we need his Spirit in the here and now. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.” (John 14:16) Some translations use the word “Comforter” instead of “Advocate”. Either way, we are never alone, never without Someone on our side and in our corner and invested in our well-being.  “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.” (Romans 8:26)

            The idea of a force that will never leave us is a source of great comfort. ”Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and staff protect and comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)

It was a very comfortable chair. But, whereas chairs get old and lumpy over time, God through Christ and the Holy Spirit covers me constantly with their  Love, Grace and Mercy. And that never gets old or tired! 

Dale

Wednesday, June 4, 2025

“What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God. From now on, don’t let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus.” (Galatians 6: 15 =-17, New Living Translation)

           Finally, my car has gone to the collision repair shop to have its ugly dented hood and fender replaced. It has been several weeks since our horrendous ice storm here in Peterborough.  A huge tree limb fell on the hood during that storm.  It was a grievous blemish on a brand-new car. I was reminded of it every time I got in the car. So, I am relieved that it is going to be repaired and hopefully it will be as good as new.

            Would that human scars could be so easily repaired and our hearts, souls and minds made new. “I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain.” (Psalm 73: 14) Many of the Psalms speak honestly, frankly and unabashedly about the burden of conflicts, suffering, hopelessness and despair which get between themselves and others or between themselves and God. They pour out their hearts and souls with complaints, confusion, weariness and fear. ‘I am on the verge of collapse, facing constant pain.” (Psalm 38:17) They often refer to the scars left my enemies, opponents, critics, judgers and all those who seek them harm. Sometimes, the hurt comes from someone close and beloved: “It is not an enemy who taunts me - I could bear that… Instead, it is you—my equal, my companion and close friend. What good fellowship we once enjoyed as we walked together to the house of God.” (Psalm 55: 12 -14)  

            So yes, we all carry scars, I believe. Some may be physical as well as mental as in cases of abusive relationships.  We may have emotional scars from someone who has taunted us, ridiculed us, argued with us, told lies about us, insulted us, ignored us, told us off, hated us or treated us as unimportant and insignificant. These wounds hurt; they fester; their toxins spread; they leave their nasty mark on our soul and psyche. And one just can’t drive into the body shop and leave it there and come back when it is fixed. These types of scars tend to be forever visible and present, an ugly reminder of the past. “I am suffering and in pain. Rescue me, O God, by your saving power.” (Psalm 69:29)

            So, what is a person supposed to do? Of course, the answer is to turn your life over to Jesus Christ. (Hey, I am not much of a preacher/writer if I don’t say that, am I?)  Specifically, I am thinking along the lines of what Paul wrote a number of times, “to have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:2) We choose intentionally not to give into all the negativity, all the disturbing noise, all the disapproval, all the nastiness and pain.  Rather, we fill our minds, hearts and souls with the positivity, the wellness, the redemption which Jesus Christ gives us. “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” (Philippians 2:5)   

Have the same mind; try to think and act as if Jesus was by your side and encouraging you every step of the way. It may take some time or some practice to have the mind of Jesus. Get to know him more deeply by reading about him in the Gospels; pray more often; think about what he does and what he asks of us.  Ask yourself how you can be more like him, hour by hour, day by day.  The scars and pain will become less vivid, less sore, less intrusive, less destructive.” So, you have pain now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.”  (John 16:12) With this new mindset, those scars now signify that you belong to Jesus.

“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse… Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.” (Philippians 4: 8-9, The Message Bible)

Dale