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.

Wednesday, June 3, 2026

“It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation.” (Galatians 6:15, New Living Translation)

            I am a sucker for lists, especially top ten lists. My browser gives me all sorts of lists each and every day. Just today, for example, I can read “The worst movies of all time, or  “19 habits that are silently sabotaging your health” or “11 phrases people are using when they are not telling the truth” or “men who truly respect women never do these 10 things” or “11 things that are making you older before your time.” Fascinating, right? Don’t tell you’re not a little intrigued. I have no idea how they came up with these lists or whom they polled or if they polled anyone at all. They could be AI generated for all I know but if one takes them with a grain of salt, they are kind of amusing and usually make a little sense.

            My favourite biblical list contains The Beatitudes (Matthew 5: 3 – 12) Count your blessings, indeed! But there all sorts of other kinds of lists, like the Ten Commandments, for instance. The Apostle Paul gives us lists of spiritual gifts, talents and abilities. “In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.” (Romans 12: 6 -8)

            His list about the best gift of all, Love, is a classic. “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” (1 Corinthians 13:  4-7)

            Another one of his lists concerns the qualities of a Christian’s life. “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22) Or Paul advises us to “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” (Philippians 4:8)

            As I get older, I need to make lists for myself so that I will remember the things I need to shop for. If I don’t, I will just about always forget an item, usually the one I went out to get in the first place.  These lists I have lifted from our scriptures are very useful reminders about the pursuit of a healthy, full-bodied Christian lifestyle.  It doesn’t mean we carry around a checklist and gives ourselves a credit every time we meet an objective.  But these are helpful reminders of attitudes, actions and words that befit a follower of Jesus Christ.  These sorts of lists define our daily routines, our interactions with others, our relationship with God and our faith walk. They give us direction and purpose. They lead us into the correct paths of righteousness. And if we forget, once in a while, they are right there in our Bibles, ready to remind us and refresh our memories and set us on the right path once more. It can’t get any more useful, practical, convenient or available than that.

            And as Paul wrote in our text, what really counts is that we are transformed into a new life.

 

Prayer:

Our Loving God. We are blessed that you don’t count our sins against us, but through Jesus Christ we are counted as redeemed and sanctified. There are no limits to your Love and Grace, your Mercy and Forgiveness. May our response to such a  Love be a bountiful and plentiful life of good works, good words, good relationships with others. May we not count the cost of a Christian life well lived, but invest ourselves fully in our walk withy Jesus, in whose name we pray, amen.

             

Wednesday, May 27, 2026

"So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you." (Hebrews 10:35)

      When Jesus preached not to be anxious about anything during his sermon on the mount, he never reckoned with the modern stress of dealing with technology. Nothing causes me more stress and anxiety than dealing with computer's idiosyncrasies. All is sweetness and light when the tech works properly but as soon it fails, my panic rises and my blood pressure goes haywire. I become a whining six-year old!

      I am currently in such a crisis. My main working computer experienced a major meltdown. It's in the shop for a total reboot, a cleaning, a purge, radical overhaul, a purification. Excuse me for a moment as I dry my eyes. The real pain in all this is that I am paying for my sins of the past for not backing up most of my work along with other pieces of information and many pictures. I kept meaning to back it all up; just never got around to it. Now, gone forever! Yikes! My 10 years' worth of blogs, thankfully, have been all saved  on my blog-site. But all else is kaput, out there in the nether world of cyber space.(I am writing this on my Chromebook which makes me very nervous.)

      All this angst reminds me that we should be more careful about taking care of the important things and people in our lives. It is so easy to become careless about paying attention to tje things and people that matter. We can forget to reinforce the values and principles which lead to a faithful life. We don't back-up our relationships the way we should. We fail to pay attention to the signs that there are problems which need to be addressed before it is too late. Jesus has taught us not to neglect the important things in life. (Matthew 23:33)  "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." (Matthew 6:33)

       It is so easy to take our lives for granted. We may think that we have all the time in the world to take care of the "business" of living. We fail to notice when there are telltale signs of things beginning to go awry, putting off corrections, repairs and remedies. In the long run, it mean that our neglect leads to health issues, broken relationships, existential crises, cloudy futures or spiritual breakdowns. We are not computers - we can't simply reboot and start all over.

       Our text reminds us, especially, not to be so careless with the critical and essential relationship which we enjoy with God through Jesus Christ. I was still using an old Windows 10 operating system which had become too obsolete to sustain my work. I needed an upgrade to Windows 11. Likewise, we need to be constantly refreshing  our faith and spirituality. Don't let your faith expire by neglecting its maintenance and improvement. Don't throw away and lose the details of what made you a believer. The Apostle Paul wrote:  "Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jess Christ is among you; if not you have failed the test of genuine faith." (2 Corinthians 13:5)

      We do not to remember what we have lost; we want to hang on to what we have and  build on it. "But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago." (Psalm 77:11_

       Now, where did I put that thumb-drive?

Prayer:

Our ever-present God, sometimes in all the hustle and  bustle of our lives, we neglect the critical necessities of keeping up a faithful, relevant and lively dialogue with you. We allow things to go stale. We ignore the signs of brokenness and failure. Awaken us afresh to the uploads of your Love and Grace. New every morning is your Love. Help us to renew our lives according to that Love. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Prayer:

Our ever-present God, sometimes in  all the hustle and bustle of our lives, we neglect the critical necessities of keeping a faithful, relevant and lively dialogue with you. We allow things to go stale. We ignore the signs of brokenness and failure. Awaken us afresh to the uploads of your Love and Grace. New every morning is your Love. Help us to renew our lives according to that love. In Jesus’ name, Amen

        

 "And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near." (Hebrews 10:25)       

        Five out of our seven grandchildren are involved in organized baseball, this summer. As of today, they are all enthusiastic and passionate about their participation. They can't wait to get to the ballpark for their games or even get to their weekly practices. Playing ball is one of their favourite things to do. They hate to miss a game or even a practice. That has not always been the case. Ther have been moments when they were very reluctant to leave the house, like on a cold, snowy Sunday afternoon to go to curling or a dance class But right now, their enthusiasm and keenness is .at a high level. encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near."

    It is a daunting, parental challenge to get all the kids to their games and practices. Two of the boys are on travel teams and therefore have to get to their tournaments outside their city. almost every weekend.Extra duty for mom and dad. But all the parents have to juggle their schedules and make sacrifices to ensure their children get to where they need to be. They seem to do this with their own enthusiastic support. But they have told their children that if they ever do not want to play sport anymore, for whatever reason, they won 't be forced to continue. They can quit and no recriminations.

    There was an article in the Globe, this week, about a mother who had to deal with her daughter quitting soccer and how to deal with it. She wrote about the dilemma of wanting her children to follow through on their commitments yet not wanting to force her daughter to do something she didn't want to. Issues like enjoyment and having a basic level of competence pay a part in whether a child sticks with it. It is also helpful when we expose our children to different ranges of activities, sports, experiences. Variety is good and saves burnout from just being in one sport.

    But it has made think of  the challenge of getting our children to go to church. I don't know how many times I have heard an adult tell me that the reason they don't go to church is because a parent forced them to go when they were young. They usually add how boring church was or how long the sermons were. Once they became teenagers and had a choice, they stopped going. I remember that as a preadolescent, I wasn't allowed to play house-league hockey on Sunday mornings; church came first.

    Or what about the parents who say they will let their children decide about religion when they get old enough, although they never expose then to any faith-based community to begin with so that they can make a informed decision. The choice had already been made for them.

    But really, is there anything new under the sun? Apparently, the church to which the epistle to the Hebrews was written was dealing with people who were ducking out on worship, neglecting to meet together. Remember the Parable of the Banquet where the invited guests made up excuses so they wouldn't have to attend. 

    We all make excuses for not attending church. Weather. Stayed up too late the night before watching double overtime in the hockey game. Creaky, old joints. Guest preacher. For me, right now, it is just so much easier to stay at home and watch the service on the internet and enjoy a second cup of coffee. It is far more convenient. I don't ask myself whether or not I am encouraging anyone. Am I m missed? On the other hand, I can still well remember how I felt when I looked out at my congregation and saw a lot of empty pews. It was quite discouraging.

    Our presence matters. Our fellowship with others matters. Our efforts into community building matters. Our being in  the company of our fellow "saints" matters. We rub off on each other. we comfort each other. We are stronger together than apart.  I get a wholly different vibe when I attend a service in person than when I simply watch on-line.I wish that my church was closer than it is but that too is just an excuse. We, Christians,need one another. And if that means that we must make an extra effort or that we need to rise to the obligation or that we make it  part of our regular routine, no matter what, then that is good.

    Hebrews 10 is a call to persevere under the circumstances in our lives. Christ did  not quit on his mission to make things right between God and ourselves. "Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm." (10:23) We have been blessed by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of our sins, That is worthy of our attention. That is a call for our devotion that demands our faithfulness. "So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you. Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do god's will. Then, you will receive all that he has promised." 10: 35 -36)

Prayer:

Our ever-patient God, help us to be mindful of our need to interact with you and with other believers. May we be a source of encouragement, compassion and support within our faith communities. May we be as present to you as yo are always with us. we pledge our faithfulness and witness to the cause of building you Kingdom together. In Jesus' name. Amen.

 Wednesday, May 13, 2026

“If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget how to play the harp.” (Psalm 137:5, New Living Translation)

            “On the count of three; we will forget all about this. One. Two. Three.”

This is how the flock of sheep in the marvellous, poignant movie, The Sheep Detectives, deal with calamity, with those things that are unpleasant, hurtful and troubling. They have the ability simply to wipe it all out of their minds and continue to live in their supposedly idyllic world under the care of their good shepherd, George They have forgotten all about pain, suffering and death.  Their world is simply and wonderfully confined to their green pastures and the tender loving care of the shepherd. Even when their shepherd is murdered, their first inclination is to count to three and forget all about him and his death. But the lead ram stops them and reminds them how important it is to remember always the one who had thoughtfully named each one of them and had constantly cared and tended for them.  George shouldn’t be forgotten even though he was gone. He had a place in their hearts.

But it is tempting to envy the sheep’s ability to forget pain and death. We have never been able to explain adequately why there is suffering in our lives or why God allows bad things it happen to us. We do know that we go through fire, wind and storm. We are grieved by and suffer through the loss of loved ones. We suffer setbacks and losses. We make terrible choices and mistakes. We know sickness and disease. We look at the world and shudder at its state of affairs. Wouldn’t it be pleasant, sometimes, to count to three and forget all about the past?

There is one sheep in the movie who can’t ever forget like the others. He remembers everything, both the good and the bad. When the heroine sheep, Lily, realizes this, she asks him how he can possibly bear it. He replies that it is all the good things that he remembers which helps him, like remembering his mother’s face.  He held onto these memories in gratitude and love. The memories didn’t change the world one bit but it sustained him. They helped him survive and thrive.

Do we really want to forget those whom we have loved and have been part of our lives? Do we really want to forget those times when we life made us happy, joyful, content? Do we really want to forget those deeply satisfying times in our lives when life was full and abundant? Because if we forget all about the bad times, we will forget all about the good times with the people who mattered the most.

Like Jesus said, we have sadness in this world but our tears will turn to joy. “So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy.” (John  16:22) Memories are a powerful source of love, joy, hope, energy, strength and nurture.  They remind us of what is important and who matters. Our memories lead us into  a future that may never be perfect (on this world anyway) but a world made better because of the people we loved and who loved us.

The Sheep Detectives has Psalm 23 written all over it, although I doubt that was the inspiration for the movie. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”  These words remind us of the continuous loving presence of God for each of us. Even when they murdered our Good Shepherd, we were not abandoned. “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.” These are words which I never want to forget. Thankfully God remembers us in our afflictions, trials and hurts. “He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.” (Psalm 100; 3)

The Psalmist, King David himself perhaps, says that forgetting the wonders of God’s Presence would be like cutting off the music. He’d rather not be ale to play the harp than forget the beauty and grace that God gives.  Let us continually remember and not forget the ongoing, ever-present Love of God. Let us never forget those who have shared that love with us. Yes, it hurts sometimes, but the joy far surpasses the sorrow we experience.

Now, on the count of three. One. Two, Three.  Remember!

 

Prayer:

Ou Loving Shepherd, may we never forget the Love that you have for each and every one of us. May we cherish the memories of the people who have shared and enriched our lives. Grant that we will always recall all the beauty, grace, joy, wonder, generosity that have filled our lives each and every day. Help us when sorrows, struggles and pain try to overwhelm us. Help us to trust in your Compassion and Love, now and forever. In Jesus’ name. Ame

Wednesday, May 6, 2026

“We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, “What amazing things the Lord has done for them.” (Psalm  126:2, New Living Translation)

                I will confess that I did not listen to the podcast but the title intrigued me: “We need to add laughter to our to-do lists.” That was enough to send me scurrying through the Bible to find references to “laughter”. Admittedly, there are not many but the writer of Ecclesiastes affirms that there is both a time to cry and a time to laugh. (Ecclesiastes 3: 4) There is mockery, even by God of the unrighteous; there is taunting by Jesus’ critics; there is scoffing; but the sheer joy and glee of a healthy laughter, with only a few notable exceptions, are seldom found. Perhaps, the Bible takes the broken world so seriously that the sound of gracious laughter is infrequently heard.

                But if there ever was a time for some laughter, we could use it these days. The world is in rough enough  shape to make us cry. We mourn for the lack of civility, peace, compassion, tolerance, mercy and justice.  Statesmen-style leadership is in tatters. Wars wage. Hunger strikes. Poverty prevails. Do I need to go on? What is there to laugh about? “Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.” (James 4:9)

                But, perhaps, we need to consider that laughter is a wonderful remedy for the condition of this world of ours. “Pick out a pleasant outlook; Stick out that noble chin; Wipe off that "full of doubt" look Slap on a happy grin!” Sounds Pollyannish, doesn’t it?  Holy laughter doesn’t pretend the world is always a happy place. But sacred laughter does lift our spirits towards God’s goodness so that we take delight in his provisions and grace.  Laughter takes us beyond the world’s miseries and reminds us that God is always at work in our world even if and when we doubt it. Joy and laughter are intrinsically linked together. “The joy of the Lord is your strength!” (Nehemiah 8:10)

                I cannot help but think of the Biblical story of Abraham and Sarah for whom God promised a son even though they are both very, very old.  Both of them laughed out loud at the mere thought of such a  thing. “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master—my husband—is also so old?” (Genesis 18:12) But God had the last laugh. They did have a son, Isaac, the forbear of the Israelite nation. Sarah joins in God’s “joke”: “God has brought me laughter. All who hear about this will laugh with me.” (Genesis 21:6)

                And there it is really. We need to embrace the holy laughter of God. We need to allow ourselves the freedom to revel in his good Creation, his Love, his satisfaction when we do well by God.  We need to smile in the little joys of life. We need to appreciate the serendipitous, the whimsical, the silliness, the often ridiculous, even the nonsensical, the surprising, the exceptional, the  preposterous  because God can speak and act through these things and lift our spirits and bring us into his Holy Presence with thanksgiving and joy: “Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” (Psalm 34:8)

                Our sacred laughter is a sign that we haven’t given up on God, each other, ourselves or the world in which we live. We know the “punchline.”  God will have the last Great Laugh as he puts the world back in order. “So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy. At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.” (John 16: 22 -24)

                Our sacred laughter doesn’t mean that we don’t take things seriously. But it helps us to keep the world in perspective. It offers us a healthier alternative to despair, fear and the chaos around us. It leads us to free ourselves from the captivity of the powers and principalities that would enslave us in their humourless, dreadful, morose reality. Sacred laughter encourages us to see the world in the Light of Jesus Christ, to enjoy the true and authentic things of God, and to let the Holy Spirit engage us with the mind of both God and Jesus.

                Perhaps, this is a lot of stuffy theology out of just a title of a podcast to add laughter to our to-do lists.  But simply put, find a reason to smile to today.  Have a chuckle or two. Enjoy the day or someone you are with.  Laugh at what is absurd. (Heaven knows you’ll find enough of it.) Give some  much-needed space for some joy to seep into your life. Pass it on. “Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy.” (Philippians 2:18)

 Prayer.

Our Loving God, forgive us our gloomy outlook at the state of your world. We have lost our perspective that you are graciously at work even despite all that is broken and lost. Grant us an increased faith that will rediscover   the joy of your Creative Love. Help us to enjoy the important things that truly matter in our lives. Lift our spirits into the sacred realm of your laughter and joy. In Jesus’ name, amen.