Wednesday, July 22, 2026

“So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.” (Hebrews 2:1, New Living Translation)

              We usually listen and watch each Sunday’s worship service from Yorkminster Park Baptist Church on my little Chromebook. The picture is great but the sound quality is poor. Not the fault of the broadcast but my little built-in speaker is simply not up to the majestic sounds of the worship service. Even with my hearing aids, I was missing a lot of what was being said and sung. It could have been tempting to just give up some Sundays and turn it off.

                Finally, I decided to address the problem. Many of you will wonder why I didn’t do this much earlier. Part of it was laziness; part of it was my tech-device phobia. But I took a set of speakers which were not being used anyway and began to figure out how, if possible, I could attach them to my Chromebook. I was not particularly hopeful. First, I tried to plug the speakers directly into the Chromebook. Didn’t fit. I did tell you I was technically inept, right? I, then, realized that I needed the large main sound box, a woofer, (don’t ask me; I don’t know what a woofer is either). Then I plugged the two speakers into that box and plugged the whole shebang into my Chromebook… and nothing.

                I had gotten this far and, uncharacteristically perhaps, I wasn’t about to give up. I noticed that there were two volume knobs. I turned up the one on the box and got an incomprehensible, bass garble. But when I turned up the other volume knob, I got clear, resonant, radio-quality sound. Now, the services have never sounded better and we can listen to every word clearly. With some effort and persistence and a few attempts, listening is a joy.  I wish that I had done this much earlier!

                There is an old “contemporary” 1960’s Christian song, called “Hey. Hey, Is Anybody Listening?” If I remember correctly (I couldn’t find the lyrics on-line) it was about listening to the Good News. Sometimes, it is very difficult to hear the Good News through the cacophony of voices and alternate proclamations from the world around us.  Are we paying attention or does the Good News go in one ear and out the other?

Just as it took some time and effort to fix my sound problem, we must also make an effort to be more intentional and perseverant in paying attention to what God has been telling us.  Scripture acts as an amplifier for the Voice of God in many ways. “Listen to this, all you people! Pay attention, everyone in the world!” (Psalm 49:1) Jesus was always exhorting the people to open their ears and listen to what he had to say. “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand… Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given - and you will receive even more. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.” (Mark 4: 23 -25)

                Yes, some of it is hard to understand and make relevant. Some of it, some people don’t like. Some of it exposes our sin and makes us uncomfortable. Some of it can be hard to put into practice on a regular basis.  But there is also beauty, grace, comfort, encouragement, life-instruction, promise and hope if we listen carefully. I would argue the more we listen to and heed these words of faith, the more it makes sense. The more it makes sense, the more it is useful. The more it is useful, the more we become stronger in faith and become closer to God.  

Then we become not just hearers of the word, but doers of the word. “Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like. But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God—the free life!—even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action.” (James 1: 22 -24, The Message Bible)

So, turn up the volume. Pay attention. Listen carefully. God has a message for us. He loves us and God wants us to enjoy his Kingdom-style Life. “For he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today!” (Psalm 95:7)

 Prayer;

Our Loving God, we enjoy the confidence that you always listen to our prayers. Thank you. But forgive us when we fail to listen to the loving words you have shared with us through scripture, through worship, and especially through the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ. We need your help so that we strive to follow your Word in all its forms. Grant us your wisdom, courage and strength so that we in the Way you have taught us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Wednesday, July 15, 2026

“As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God?” (Psalm 42: 1 -2, New Revised Standard Version)

               Hydration break. If you have been watching the World Cup, you will be familiar with this phrase. Around the half-way point in the game of each half or overtime if there is one, play is stopped for a players' hydration break because of the high heat and humidity. It is more than just a water break as the players drink enhanced liquids like Gatorade for the electrolytes. My crack research team, i.e. Google, found out what an electrolyte is and does. “Electrolytes are minerals in your body that carry an electrical charge and are essential for nerve function, muscle contraction, hydration, and maintaining fluid and pH balance.”  Apparently, they help a player recover more quickly and keep on going.

                They tracked one player in yesterday’s game between France and Spain. He ran almost 13 kilometers. That is about 8 miles for us old fogeys. I wouldn’t need electrolytes, I’d need an ambulance if I was out in that heat even for a few feet, never mind for 90 minutes. It brings to mind the Apostle Paul’s words, “I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” (Philippians 3:14)

                David wrote Psalm 42 in the depths of discouragement. “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad?” It doesn’t really tell us why he is so down in the dumps. There are fleeting references to his enemies but overall, one gets the impression that he really doesn’t know the reasons for his angst. One gets the impression of David, slouched on his throne, just feeling out-of-sorts, grumpy, edgy, irritable, unhappy. Well, maybe I am describing myself when I get discouraged. You can make your own self-identifying conclusions. But discouragement can be a real tough mood to deal with. It eats away at your spirit. It erodes your self-confidence. It saps your energy. One needs spiritual electrolytes.

                Moreover, David’s discouragement has him feeling distant from God. “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I wander around in grief…” (v.9) He wants to put his hope in God (v.5) but it is a challenge. It is as if he is almost trying to talk himself into having more faith. But he is not really convincing himself either at the same time. He longs for the good old days, when life was full of joy, praise, thanksgiving. But now he is dealing with disappointment. “My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be” (v.4) Life is dragging on. Life is complicated. God doesn’t appear to be at home, right now. Discouragement defines who he has become in the moment. There are no answers. He is a conflicted picture of sadness and hope.

“Why am I discouraged?
  Why is my heart so sad?
  I will put my hope in God!
  I will praise him again - my Savior and my God!” (vs.11)

                David needs a spiritual hydration break, some spiritual electrolytes. “I want to drink God, deep drafts of God. I’m thirsty for God-alive.” (v, 2, The Message Bible) He longs for spiritual renewal. He desires spiritual refreshment. He, at least, understands that he, on his own, cannot find freedom from his discouragement without God’s help and intervention. Neither does he simply give up and give in to his discouragement. He struggles to find the words of faith, hope, trust and to turn to God as the living source of his salvation from his discouragement. Way, deep down in his soul, he is confident that there is a way out, a way forward. “I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again - my Savior and my God!” (v.5) He is ready to press on, hold on, keep on, as long as God is with him. No, he is not out of the desert just yet as he composed this Psalm, but he expresses his deep thirst for the spiritual electrolytes which will give him strength, fortitude, endurance and stamina.

                This Psalm reminds us of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well in John’s Gospel.  She has been living a tough, rugged lifestyle, coming out in the hot noon-day sun to collect some water for her dull and routine daily chores. But Jesus offers her more than just a hydration break under the hot sun. “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” (John 4:10) It has never dawned on her that there may be or could be something more than how she was living. “Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water?” (v.11) Like David, she sees the world as empty. But Jesus offers her hope, salvation, renewal, regeneration, revitalization, “but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” And like the deer that is thirsting for flowing rivers, like David who lives in hope, the woman reaches out to Jesus for her salvation. “Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.” (v.15)

                We all feel discouraged from time to time. Others live in depression. There are no easy or immediate solutions to either. But we have hope and possibility for recovery when we put our trust in God through Jesus Christ. Allow God to draw deeply from his well of gracious Love and Grace. We all could use a sacred, hydration break.

 

Prayer,

Our Living God, there are times in our lives that we don’t know or understand what is happening to us or why. We fight our feelings and feel discouragement or futility. Help us to open our livers, especially in those times, to you. Help us to seek refreshment and renewal from the wells of your Love and Grace. Help us to take the cup of Living Water from Jesus’ hands and know that we have been given New Life in him, in whose name we pray, Amen.

Wednesday, July 8, 2026

“Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God.” (1 John 3:9, New Living Translation)

                I may have a problem, an addiction of sorts. No, not alcohol or tobacco or anything deeply serious or dangerous. But I think I may be addicted to my commuter.

                Last week, our internet service went down, and it stayed down for a WHOLE day, almost 24 hours, in fact. What a pain!  Normally I spend a lot of my day on my little Chromebook. I have fields to plow, towns to build, rubies to find, islands to explore. Those are my routine games which I play each and every day.  But I also read the news on-line. I read my sports pages on-line. I read the comics on-line. I manage my fantasy baseball team on-line. I read the Globe and Mail on line.  I do several puzzles on line. So, my world came to an annoying halt when there was no internet.  I worked on my jigsaw puzzle or solved some Sudoku puzzles in a puzzle book. But by the end of the day, I was feeling a little testy and anxious, fearful that the internet still wouldn’t be back in the morning. I wasn’t sure I could last another day without it. But Hallelujah! It was on and life got back to “normal.”

                But it raised a question as to my dependency upon my daily interaction with my computer. There has been quite a bit written recently encouraging us to get off our devices and re-enter the physical world around us. Talk to a real person or two. Enjoy a walk. (It drives me crazy to sees someone taking their dog for a walk and talking on the phone at the same time.) Look at nature. Read a book. Go to a movie and sit with other people. Have a visit with someone and have a real conversation. The internet is a wonderful invention connecting us throughout the world. It isn’t going to go away. But a little moderation may do us some good.

                The words “habits” or “addictions” do not really appear in the bible. The closest we come is the use of the word “practices.” We’re exhorted to avoid practicing the wrong things and instead practice the right things. The Torah is very specific on what practices the Israelites were to avoid. The consequences of disobedience were dire. “You must keep all my decrees and regulations by putting them into practice; otherwise, the land to which I am bringing you as your new home will vomit you out.” (Leviticus 20:22) Jesus is a little gentler but stays the course: “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” (Luke 11:28)

                The Apostle Paul is very helpful and articulate as to what Christians should and should not practice. “Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:9) He gave us some very insightful contrasts between what is good to practice and what needs to be avoided. “It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.” (Galatians 5:19 -21, The Message bible) I am glad that he didn’t go on. I can almost hear him saying “You can stop me any time.”

                But he did go on in the sense of offering a vital alternative. “But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.” (5:  22 -23)

                Turning back to a more traditional translation, Paul ends this section with these critical words: “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” (5: 24 -25)

                I know that some people only think of Christianity in terms of the “thou-shalt-nots” of our faith. Those behavioural limitations are there, make no mistake about it. But as important, if not more so, are the blessings that come with the freedom in Christ to walk down the right paths of life.  I don’t mean to make that sound holier-than-thou but rather to encourage all of us to live lives worthy of our fellowship with Jesus Christ, and indeed “follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.”        

Prayer:

Our loving God, we always need your Spirit to guide us each and every day of our lives. There are so many temptations, distractions and side-tracks which grab at our hearts and minds that it can be daunting sometimes. So, help us to keep our focus on Jesus Christ. Help us to follow him and shape our thoughts and actions around his heart for us. Keep us from sin. Show us a better way. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Wednesday, June 30, 2026

“May he have dominion from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.” (Psalm 72:8, New Revised Standard Version)

            Happy Canada Day! Light up the BBQ. Go to a park. Sip some lemonade. Open a book Take a nap in the middle of the afternoon.  Watch some fireworks.  Head to the cottage. Go for a swim in the lake. Listen to the loons.  Let’s just appreciate all the things that this amazing country gives us. I’d pity the critics, the separatists and the malcontents but that is too much anxious bother in July. The summer is short; our country is big and sometimes one just needs to enjoy the benefits of living here in Canada, from sea to shining sea to sea.

Many of us remember when it was called Dominion Day. Back in 1867, Canada was granted dominion status as part of the British Commonwealth, giving us autonomous governmental rule by parliament. It became Canada Day in 1982, dropping any hint of our colonial past. Whatever we call our national holiday, it’s a good occasion to remember and celebrate our strengths, our rich multi-cultural heritage, our freedoms, our peace and our independent identity as a country. We are not a perfect country by any means, but it worth keeping together as a people, far better than breaking it apart.

There are those who complain that our national anthem has the words, “God keep our land…”. It offends their secularism or agnosticism or atheism. That may be so, and certainly I harbour no illusions that the majority of Canadians have much to do with any sort of religion these days, least of all Christianity. But I would argue that there is an important need for a higher power to inspire, to encourage, to correct, to nurture and lift up the ideals of a common good and encourage us to build up our country.

 Normally, I eschew the blend of Christianity and patriotism that is nationalism at its worse. I am very uncomfortable wrapping God up in any flag of any nation. The Baptist in me believes in the separation of church and state. But I am not writing a about a god who waves the flag, but a God who leads the nations with Love, Justice, Peace, Inclusion and Hope. I am writing about a belief that is entreated by God to treat everyone equally, including indigenous peoples, immigrants, the poor, the homeless. refugees, all genders, etc. When God is behind that style of “patriotism,” then our country, or any nation, can thrive and prosper.

Our verse from Psalm 72 is our Canadian motto. In his devotion today for Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Dale Rose notes that this verse is enshrined under the Peace Tower in Ottawa on one of the pillars over the stain-glass window.  It is on our coat of arms and appears on the front our Canadian Passports. I had never noticed any of that before. It’s amazing what we take for granted and don’t appreciate about where we live.

But the verse is very apt for Canada.  God’s authority is of benefit for all of us. Through God, we are blessed with courage, hope, justice, unity, compassion and love for one another. Through God, our nation is dedicated to the sacred values of peace, inclusion, respect, tolerance and community. Through God, Canada is called to be a nation of forbearance, social action, benevolence and looking out for the welfare of those less fortunate. Through God, we, Canadians, you and I, are challenged to engage one another and peoples of other nations with the highest regard for all humankind and to have a generous response to humanitarian needs throughout the world.

Perhaps, that is high-minded thinking on the first, lazy, hot summer’s day of July. But while you are munching on that hotdog or drying off after that swim in the lake, say a little prayer of thanksgiving for this amazing country that we live in. Pray that God keeps us in harmony and togetherness. Pray that we accept the challenges of being part of God’s Dominion.

Prayer:

O God of all, we pray for all of Canada from sea to sea to sea. Keep our land safe, free, generous, united, prosperous and welcoming. Although richly diverse, may we seek the common good that embraces the best in us. Help us to rise to your Kingdom values. We pray for our federal, provincial and municipal governments and their leaders that they will demonstrate the goodness and righteousness which is worthy of your Name. Bless us, O Lord, we pray, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Wednesday, June 24, 2026

“Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.” (Revelation 21: 1 -2, New Living Translation)

           I am not much of a soccer fan usually. I find it rather boring most of the time which is saying something coming from a baseball fan like myself.  But when the World Cup rolls around every four years, I become quite engrossed by the games. It is fascinating to witness a gathering of the world’s nations.

There are 48 nations this year. Games are being played in Canada, USA and Mexico. There are nations which I am unfamiliar with – Cabo Verde, an island nation off the coast of Africa or Curacao, an island in the Caribbean or DR Congo in Africa. Nations have to qualify to get into the tournament. There are many nations which are left out. But still, it is quite the gathering of nations from throughout the world. Political differences and hostilities are largely put aside and the game itself is the thing that matters the most. In a world full of political divisions, conflicts and wars, it is a respite and a small reminder of what the world could look like if only our nations’ powers and principalities believed more in peace and reconciliation.

I am reminded of the story in Genesis about the Tower of Babel. “At one time all the people of the world spoke the same language and used the same words.” (Genesis 11:1) This is the theological story about how the world broke apart into different languages and diverse nations when people began to become arrogant and overreached their human limitations. They chose to built a tower to reach the heavens. Their  desire was to build a defence against God at a loss of their humanity and affinity, a loss of innocence and a striving for exclusive power instead, far beyond their reach.” So, "the Lord scattered them all over the world, and they stopped building the city.” (11:8) Nationhood was born. The world hasn’t been the same since.

Psalm 2 asks a very simple question: “Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans?” (v.1) Perhaps, the Epistle of James answers, in part, that question. “Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don’t have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it.” (James 4: 1 ;2, The Message Bible)

Biblically speaking, God seems to always have had a troubled relationship with nationalism and the vain ambitions of rulers and national powers. The Psalms provide a conflicted picture of God’s relationship with the nations of the Middle East at that time, from severe judgment to gracious blessing.  We are given the hope that God rules over all the nations. “God reigns above the nations, sitting on his holy throne.” (Psalm 47:8) We are told that “He watches every movement of the nations; let no rebel rise in defiance.” ((Psalm 66:7) Some of the words have their own spirit of national bravado, asking God to strike down and punish the enemies of the Israelites.

                But there is also a spirit of hope and awakening among the nations of the world. “Let the whole world sing for joy, because you govern the nations with justice and guide the people of the whole world.” (Psalm 67:4) There is still hope that the world can set aside its differences and come together under the gracious and beneficial Love of God. “All the nations you made will come and bow before you, Lord; they will praise your holy name.” (Psalm 86:9) The hope is that the world’s nations will come to acknowledge the one God who created our world and come to accept his principles of Peace, Justice, Compassion, Truth and Love. “The Lord will mediate between nations and will settle international disputes. They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore.” (Isaiah 2:4)

                For Christians, though, we place our hope for the world in Jesus Christ, “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2: 10 11 I read this as expressing the hope that the principles and standards of Jesus Christ, the embodiment of God’s Love and Grace, become the overriding, guiding, leading embodiment of world peace and the ancient, universal principle of “brotherhood” or the mutual humane and humanitarian implementation of respect, love, justice and peace which God has always wanted for his Creation.  Christ exemplifies this. It doesn’t mean that we all have to be exactly alike, go to the same church, synagogue, temple, speak the same language, have the same skin colour, nor matters what gender we are, but it does mean that we become far more than our boundaries, borders, languages and differences which are currently destroying our messy world. “In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.” (Colossians 3:11)

                Our text from Revelation is as far from the Tower of Babel as it can get.  God provides a new harvest of Peace for his world, a flowing river of his Love and medicine to heal the nations. In the meanwhile, this needs to be our prayer, our hope, our resolve, our responsibility until the day the Lord comes again.

                “My mercy and justice are coming soon. My salvation is on the way. My strong arm will bring justice to the nations. All distant lands will look to me and wait in hope for my powerful arm.” (Isaiah 51:5)

 Prayer:

             Our Creator God, we confess that we despair over the state of our world, often forgetting that it is, first, your world. We are dismayed at the deep divisions between nations that spark wars, violence, racism, hatred and acts if inhumanity against one another. So, we throw ourselves into your Loving and hopeful promises. We pray for leaders who will champion peace, justice, compassion, respect and benevolence.  May Christ reveal himself in the brokenness and divisiveness of the world’s nations. Bring healing to the nations, O Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 Wednesday, June 17, 2026

The apostles said to the Lord, “Show us how to increase our faith.” The Lord answered, “If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘May you be uprooted and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you!” (Luke 17: 4 -6, New Living Translation)

[Some of you who know Susan’s family, the Neals (Bruce and Barb), may care to know that Susan’s youngest sister, Jennifer (61yrs old), passed away this past weekend succumbing to a nasty, aggressive rare form of cancer. Please keep our family in your prayers Thank you.]

                 I know that the more familiar version of this text comes from Matthew’s Gospel. In that passage, Jesus tells his followers that if we have even a mustard seed’s worth of faith, we could move mountains “There is nothing you wouldn’t be able to tackle.” (Matthew 17: 20, The Message Bible) But I don’t think I am up to dealing with any mountains today.  With God’s help, I think, I pray, that I may be able to start with something much smaller, like a mulberry bush and work my way up to throwing a mountain or two aside, later.

                There are times when, like the disciples, I long to have the sort of faith that would be invincible, unshakeable, limitless, fearless, indomitable. Never mind mountains, I would love to be able to look at the world right now with its wars, famines, death, evil, inanities, poor leadership, bad politics and social decay and not lose faith.  I keep telling myself that God is charge and try not to succumb to fear and doubt. But sometimes, the mountains crop up and block the view of the God-filled horizon. Show us, Jesus, how to increase our faith.

                Perhaps, it’s not the quantity of our faith, it’s the quality.

                I am working on another 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle. The scene, a painting of a seaside town, offers a kaleidoscope of colours. It has been very challenging which is the way I like my jigsaw puzzles. But I thought that I had lost a piece, an edge piece. There is nothing worse than doing a whole puzzle and finding it lacks just one piece to be completed. I could not find that piece among the all the remaining pieces.  Then a couple of days ago, I found it. It was right there all along. It was a very tiny piece, yet much needed to finish the puzzle.

                Perhaps, Jesus is saying that even a tiny portion of faith helps us face the puzzles in our lives, both big and small.  That tiny seed of faith, when cultivated, can grow and become significant enough to help us face whatever life throws at us.  Some degree of faith is needed to give us the strength and courage to deal with life’s challenges. For some, it may be the missing piece, but it is right there for any of us to discover and engage. We’re not whole until the last piece, faith, is applied to our situations, to our living. Faith is not measured by how many times we have gone to church this year, how long our prayers are, how much Bible we have memorized, how much we have given to charity. These are good results of faith.  It’s not the amount of our faith; it is its tenacity, its empowerment, its inspiration, its boldness and its perseverance which distinguishes it. A little faith can go a long way.

                The Apostle Paul never quantified faith, but it was the bedrock of much of his writings. Faith was the act of being connected with God, a salvation freely given through Jesus Christ.  Faith was getting right with God. Faith was the confidence that through Jesus Christ we are saved and given hope. Paul didn’t put faith in a measuring cup. It was boundless, free, energizing. “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.” (Romans 3:22) We live by that faith. Perhaps, we need not, should not, over-complicate it, over-theorize, twist it inside out, or muddle it up with too much theory and theology.  Have the simple faith that Jesus loves us. “Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.” (Ephesians 3;12) What more do we need to know?

                So, who knows? Today, a mulberry bush. Tomorrow, a mountain. With God’s help, we will overcome.

                “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16:13)

 Prayer:

Our faithful God, we confess that we act more by sight than we do by faith. So, grant us the fresh flow of your Love and Grace, so that faith make take a deeper root in us. Help us to keep our eyes on Jesus, the perfector of our faith, so as to understand and experience that he stands with us in and through all of life’s challenges. Nurture our faith; help it to grow; help it to flourish. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Wednesday, June 10, 2026

“Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” (Mark 14:38, New Living Translation))

                  I know that I must be  looking old when I am out and about, wearing suspenders with my shorts already up to my arm-pits, using a walker and walking very slowly and a younger man offers to help me with the door.  Yikes. When did this happen? I raise my voice with the Psalmist: “Have compassion on me, Lord, for I am weak. Heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.” (Psalm 6:2)

                Well, not agony, per se, but just enough daily discomfort and disability to make life a little more awkward than I wish. I can’t do the things I use to do so easily. Susan out-paces me when we are out.  She now has to wait for me to catch up. That never ever happened before. So, yes, even though I am taking it somewhat out of context, I feel Jesus’ words apply to me. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. I am turning down some things I really wish I could do, preaching in Port Hope, assisting at Yorkminster Park, but I don’t trust my legs to support me or get me through the event. It’s quite annoying!

                Of course, Jesus didn’t have us old geezers in mind when he said this. He has been praying in the Garden of Gethsemane throughout the night, just before his arrest. It is an anguished, very human prayer, hoping that God will forestall the terrible outcome of the cross. He has left his disciples a little way off, to keep watch, do some praying themselves. But he comes back and finds them asleep. He must have felt very alone, very vulnerable, very abandoned by those he trusted and loved. Jesus chides the disciples for their lack of preparation for what lies ahead and for their susceptibility to give into the temptations of flight, denial and betrayal which they will face once Jesus is arrested, tried and crucified.

                So, first and foremost, our text challenges us to examine our best intentions to stand by Jesus in each and every circumstance.  We don’t quit on Jesus just because the going gets tough. We don’t get distracted by our humanity when we feel life become too hard or too risky or too exhausting. We don’t fade away in the background when Jesus demands our contribution to his mission. Jesus told many a parable that championed alertness, readiness, preparedness and faithful response to the call of the Master.  We need to practice more than just an intellectual attitude of obedience but put our heart, body and soul into our walk with Jesus.

                The Message Bible’s  paraphrase of our text is very colourful and witty. “Stay alert, be in prayer, so you don’t enter the danger zone without even knowing it. Don’t be naive. Part of you is eager, ready for anything in God; but another part is as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.”  Yet it still reminds us of the necessity to face the future with diligence and prayerful groundwork. Don’t let the day takes us unawares. Don’t let the moment catch off guard. Don’t let the devil catch us sleeping. “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” (Ephesians 5: 14)

                But I am okay if we also appropriate Jesus’ words to encourage us when we simply don’t feel spiritually able or faithfully strong enough to meet the demands of today or tomorrow; when mind, body and soul become weak and disabled. We may be well aware of the demands or burdens that are placed upon us but we find we  lack the energy, the strength, the capacity to step into the troubles or adversities we are trying to cope with. Prayer is our source of strength, encouragement, resolve and hope. “Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.” (Romans 12:12) We may know this is true but can neglect the practices of faith when under pressure or duress. The spirit may be willing but the rest of us is too fatigued, worn out and stressed out to lift our hearts to God and regain our footing and match our stride with the One who loves us and has compassion for us.         

            He never grows weak or weary.
            No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
            He gives power to the weak
                    and strength to the powerless.
            Even youths will become weak and tired,
                    and young men will fall in exhaustion.
            But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
            They will soar high on wings like eagles.
            They will run and not grow weary.
            They will walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40: 28 -31)

 Prayer:

O God of compassion and grace, we confess to you our weariness and inertia. We know what is right and good but there are times we fail to even take small steps to live up to your great Love and to walk with Jesus. Stir us, O Lord. Re-invigorate our passion to follow you. Re-kindle the pride in good works and bearing fruit for your Kingdom. Help us to keep watch through the dark nights of the soul and may alert for the signs of Jesus’ Kingdom. In his name, we pray. Amen.