December 24 – Christmas

“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”  (Luke 2: 14, New Living Translation)

             
            I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
            Their old familiar carols play,
            And wild and sweet the words repeat
            Of peace on earth, good will to men.           

             It’s not that I am anywhere close to being a Grinch or a Scrooge, but I will confess that I am having difficulty getting into the full Christmas spirit. But yikes, it’s Christmas Eve. If not now, when? Even the repetitive nature of popular Christmas music has not released the Christmas jollies in me. I am not so much dreaming of a white Christmas as I am hoping for clear road conditions for driving. My jingle bells have lost their jangle. My bad leg, although much better, won’t let me rock around the Christmas tree. I am sorry that Elvis is having a blue Christmas, but he needs to deal with it. There is no particular reason for how I am feeling. Nothing is really wrong.  We will be with family. Perhaps it’s all the bad news I hear, read and see.

            And in despair I bowed my head:
            “There is no peace on earth,” I said,
            “For hate is strong and mocks the song
            Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

            But wait, do you hear what I hear? “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” 

                It’s a song which our weary world needs to listen to, that you and I need to pay close attention. The King James version is especially appealing: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Yes, it needs to be more inclusive, but I enjoy the emphasis on both peace and good will as being essential qualities behind the Christmas story and indeed is also embedded deeply in the whole story of Jesus Christ from start to finish. Every year, we need to listen and appreciate the strength of that message. Peace and goodwill. There’s not enough of either in our world right now.                 

            Peace and good will in Russia and Ukraine.
            Peace and goodwill in Gaza and Israel.
            Peace and good will in the Sudan.
            Peace and goodwill in refugee camps.
            Peace and goodwill between faiths, cultures, ethnicities, tribes and clans.
            Peace and goodwill with our neighbour to the south.
            Peace and goodwill in homeless shelters and foodbanks.
            Peace and goodwill when we put a stop to mass killings, violence, hatred, and the like.
            Peace and goodwill in our homes and relationships.

            Peace and goodwill - are we listening or have we tuned out God’s priceless words because we hear it every year?

                We might envy those shepherds who listened to those heavenly voices afresh for the very first time. Some have speculated that they may have been Palestinians doing a dirty job that others wouldn’t touch.  They are out in the middle of no-man’s land, protecting the sheep which someone else probably owned. Yet God sings for them just as much as he sings for us all. The angels carry God’s Word to lowly shepherds and yet they hear a message that is meant and is fit for the whole world – peace and goodwill. We are reminded that there is no remote place on earth in which God cannot carry his song.

                In Jesus Christ, God sings for us. peace and goodwill. May it be so!

                Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
                “God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
                The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
                With peace on earth, good will to men.”

                Till, ringing singing, on its way,
                The world revolved from night to day,
                A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
                Of peace on earth, good will to men! (Longfellow)

                May you all have a very blessed Christmas.

 Dale

 Wednesday, December 17, 2025: Advent Four

“Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1: 20 21, New Living Translation)

                 Do you like your first name? Would you change it, if you could?

                These questions came to mind today when I read in a CBC report that the most popular names of the year were Olivia and Noah. Those are good, solid names. Interestingly, Mohamed is now on the top ten list reflecting our growing multicultural identity.  When our children were born, Susan and I bought a baby name book. We poured through it constantly to find just the right name for each child as he or she came along. Sometimes, a name that might appeal to one or the other of us would be eliminated because it had negative connotations with someone one of us had known by that name. Eventually, we found the” perfect” name for each child.

                I was never that wild about my first name, Dale.  Back in the 50’s, the only other person whom I knew of with the same name was Dale Evans, the wife of Roy Rogers, the cowboy star.  And she was a girl!  By coincidence, an article popped up this morning’s web site which cited the most popular names of the 1950’s. James, John or Michael were on that list. I would have made a good James, I think.  I always wanted a really cool nickname, other than “meatball” which my older sister, Elsie, called me when I was a kid. (Probably I shouldn't have told you that.) I don’t know why my parents chose my name; I never asked. But I got used to it. And of course, the name is commonly used for both men and women.

                It was not uncommon, in Biblical times, to name one’s fist born son after the father. Jesus might have been called Jesus Josephson, except in Aramaic or Hebrew of course. I find it interesting that many people didn’t really have last names. One’s lineage was important, whose line you were born in. Just check out the begats and the begottens of either Matthew or Luke for Jesus’ lineage. First names only. 

                In Luke’s Gospel, the people were totally surprised when Zechariah named his son, John. The naming seemed to even alarm the people, causing them to ask “What then will this child become?” (Luke 1:56) The circumstances surrounding the naming awakened an awareness that God was at work.

                The given name of Jesus was also a sign that God was stirring in the world. It meant” The Lord saves.”  Now we could get more elaborate such as Isaiah did in his prophecy about the coming of the Messiah. “And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6) But that is quite a mouthful, as majestic as it sounds.  The simple name, Jesus, really gives us all the information that we need to understand about what God is doing through Jesus, “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)

                Jesus’ name is a powerful name, indeed, but let us not ignore how he lived out that name in his ministry and life. Jesus’ name is associated with compassion, love, healing, service, humility, sacrifice and self-giving. As we ascribe salvation to his name by his inglorious death on a cross, we get a far deeper understanding about who Jesus really is.  His grandeur comes not from power, armies, palaces, conquests, majestic clothes and superior strength.  Jesus, the one who saves, reveals the boldness of his name through his immense Love and Grace. “This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” (1 John 4:10)

                When we take on his name, i.e. Christians, we should become more like Jesus. “And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us.” (1 John 3:23)  We speak his name, we pray in his name, we act in his name, we bear his name by working out our own salvation in following his example. “Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more.” (1Thessalalonians 4:1)

                Will You Come and Follow Me
                If I But Call Your Name?
                Will You Go Where You Don’t Know
                And Never Be The Same?
                Will You Let My Love Be Shown,
                Will You Let My Name Be Known,
                Will You Let My Life Be Grown
                In You and You In Me? (Maule/Bell)

Dale

Wednesday, December 10, 2025: Advent Three

“Like an eagle that rouses her chicks and hovers over her young, so he spread his wings to take them up and carried them safely on his pinions.” (Deuteronomy 32: 11, New Living Translation)

               “Light and life to all He brings, Ris’n with healing in His wings.”  This is a line from Charles Wesley’s wonderful Christmas carol, Hark the Herald Angels Sing. I have always appreciated that one line especially.  It strikes a chord with me about the Love of God in Jesus Christ. Perhaps, Wesley was thinking of the verse from Deuteronomy. Whatever, with all the angels on the wing leading up to Christmas, be it a visitor to Zechariah, John’s father, or to Mary or to Joseph or a host of them to shepherds, God’s “winged” message to ordinary people is one of invitation to participate in his act of Love in the gift of Jesus Christ. God indeed lifts us all up to his Grace and Love.

                The Deuteronomy text points to an eagle.  This is a symbol of power and strength. Not small sparrow sized. Not a fancy peacock sized. Not a chicken sized. Although I must admit there is an echo of this text in Jesus’ words, “How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me.” (Matthew 23:37) But here it is the powerful eagle, a strong, noble bird capable of soaring tirelessly high above the clouds. Yet, in one of a few female images for God in scripture, it is the mother eagle who protects her young from danger and harm.  It evokes a portrait of  tenderness and devotion to those under her care.

                The mother eagle will watch over the little, vulnerable eaglets until they can fly and fend for themselves. She will teach them how to fly, how to read the winds, the storm clouds, to seek food and shelter, to discover that they too have wings. Remember the Better Midler song, “Beneath My Wings”: “Did you ever know that you're my hero? And everything I would like to be. I can fly higher than an eagle For you are the wind beneath my wings.”

                In the Advent of Jesus into the world, God lifts up us so that we may “fly” under the winds of his wings. “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 40:31)  God watches over us and through Jesus Christs teaches us, guides us, leads us, nourishes us, so that each of us may may live in assurance, blessing and be not afraid. “He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.” (Psalm 91:4)

                If we were up to me, I might prefer to simply hunker down in my cozy nest and let the crazy world spin by.  “Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings!” (Psalm 61:4) Sounds good to me! But flying with God takes me to new places which I might never encounter. His compassionate care for you and me leads us to face the world with courage, resolve, faithfulness, and determination.  Through God’s tender Love for us, we also learn compassion, empathy, kindness, encouragement for others.  The mother eagle expects her chicks to fly; so does our God, to reveal that we truly have been made in the image of God. (Genesis 1:26)

                “Light and life to all He brings, Ris’n with healing in His wings.”  May we all rise above the din and clamor, the hustle and bustle, the pressure and angst and fly high on the wings of Love as God watches over us this Advent.

                “Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.”  (Psalm 63:7)

Dale

               

 Wednesday, December 3, 2025: Advent Two

“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.  Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. 5 When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.” (Matthew 25: 1 -5, New Living Translation)

                 I am terrible procrastinator. No wait, (pun unintended), I am terrific procrastinator.  I can put off doing something with the best of any postponer. I have always hated making phone calls; I am slow to respond to emails.  Case in point these days. I need to get my snow tires on my car. This is way late even for me. The problem is that the tires are in way, way up Peterborough at the dealership and I am way, way down here in Whitby. I have been putting the trip off for weeks. My painfully bad leg gave me a convenient excuse to put this off, but it is now getting better.  The truth of the matter is that I simply don’t want to make the drive there and back, an hour both ways. It is an inconvenient truth. I’ll get there; but not just today.

                I know the Psalms tell us that waiting is sometimes good.  “Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.” (Psalm 217:14) But I don’t think he was meaning procrastination or delaying what needs to be and should be done.

“Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act.” (Psalm 37:7) But neither do I think we are supposed to twiddle our thumbs and find other distractions to delay the inevitable, that it is all up to God.

“For I am waiting for you, O Lord. You must answer for me, O Lord my God.” (Psalm 38:15) I am pretty certain that God is not going to change my tires for me; there are some things that I must do for myself.

 “My eyes are swollen with weeping, waiting for my God to help me.” (Psalm 69:3) Most times, I have no one to blame but myself when my delays cause problems. Maybe it is true that God helps those who help themselves.

The foolish women in Jesus’ parable delayed in buying extra oil for their lamps.  They hadn’t accounted for the possibility that the groom would be late.  I have done a lot of weddings in my time, but I have never had a groom who was late for his own wedding. One bride was an hour late, once, but no groom.  There is no reason given for the groom’s tardiness. It is not especially relevant anyway. One can only think that Jesus’ words which he spoke just before he told this parable might apply here. “So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.” (Matthew 24:42) The parable illustrates his point.

Procrastination can be costly idleness at its worse. At the last minute, just as the groom was arriving, the five foolish women’s lamps were empty and they needed to run down to the local Canadian Tire and buy more. I have, sometimes, wondered why the five other women refused to lend some of their oil. Wouldn’t that have been the charitable Christian thing to do? Perhaps, they only had enough for themselves and didn’t want to risk the same consequences that befell the foolish women. For those five missed the wedding. The doors were shut and locked against them. Cruel perhaps, but that is what procrastination will get you; nothing but grief. “Laziness leads to a sagging roof; idleness leads to a leaky house.”  (Ecclesiastes 10:18) Literally and metaphorically and certainly spiritually.  

                It is Advent, a season of waiting and preparation for the coming of Christ into our world. How we prepare to wait and watch is critical for us to enjoy the experience of Bethlehem once again. Even though Christmas is always on December 25^th, there may be moments on the Advent journey which will surprise us with their poignancy, with evocative feelings, with praise and adoration, with thankfulness and blessings.  Those are those God-smacked moments when we realize that Jesus has arrived. It may catch us off guard, or being distracted or weary or busy or hurting or afraid but suddenly the Holy Spirit speaks to us and invites us into the Advent feast. Be ready for that! It may come at a grandchild’s Christmas concert. It may come by a unexpected phone call from an old friend. It may come via some cookies which a neighbour baked for you. But don’t ever forget why Jesus came and let your hearts open up to the possibility and be ready in those wonderful moments for awareness. Carry some extra oil in the form of hope, peace, joy and love. This little light of mine; I’m going to let it shine.

                “Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.” (Psalm 62:5)

                Blessings on all, this Advent season!

 

Dale

Wednesday, November 26, 2025: Advent One

Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God!” (Isaiah 40:3 The New Living Translation)

               The headline news, these days, seem intent on painting a worrisome picture for the incoming Christmas season. People are worried about the economy, inflation, the increasing costs of living and how expensive Christmas giving can be. To the horrors of Christmas commercialism, people are seriously considering to cut back on their Christmas spending.  But I also expect the gifts of charitable giving to much-wanting organizations may also fall under a more rigorous scrutiny. Our gifts may get smaller than normal and that would be a shame. Churches, foodbanks, shelters, children’s charities really need our support. But tough times call for tough decisions. The turkey may need to be a bit smaller this year.

                Perhaps, this is not the type of wasteland that the prophet was thinking about. But for many reasons beyond just economic ones, the Advent/Christmas season can feel like a wilderness, even for the most affluent. It can accentuate the barrenness of living: poor family relations, loneliness, separation from family, anxieties, worry, frustrations, stress, grief, health concerns, and, of course, counting pennies when one needs dollars. Thankfully, this is not everyone’s story of Christmas, but for many, it sometimes hard to hear the Christmas story against the backdrop of wilderness living.

                Yet it is this verse, quoted by Luke which often opens the Advent season.  It is helpful to hear how Isaiah and Luke both cut through the morass of bleakness and hopelessness to shine new light. Isaiah is speaking against the backdrop of the Jewish exile. Luke is pointing to the advent of Jesus’ ministry through John the Baptist. I like the fact the voice is SHOUTING. We need to hear what God is saying over and against all the noise and hubbub of a cacophonous world. God’s Word must rise above the din and speak to the fears and uncertainties of our times, be they Christmas related or not.

                Isaiah is part of clearing the path, creating a new way in the wilderness. He is directing us to focus on God who is clearing the way ahead. He is promising a better way, a safer way, a straight and narrow path for us to walk in faith, hope and love.  Later, in the book of Isaiah, some of the onus is on us to be part of that highway construction: “Go out through the gates! Prepare the highway for my people to return! Smooth out the road; pull out the boulders; raise a flag for all the nations to see.” (Isaiah 62:10) We are beacons of light for others along the way, for those who are lost, forsaken, hopeless or unloved.

                But it begins with God making a new highway in our life’s journey.  “You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping.” (Psalm 18:36) No longer are we trying to go it alone. No longer are stumbling in the dark but God has shone a new Light for us to follow. Jesus in that Light: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” (John  14:6) I don’t interpret these words as exclusionary but being very inclusive for any and all who are looking for a better way, a better reason for living, a clearer focus in life.

                When we grasp Advent through the lens of being in the way of Jesus Christ, then hope returns, peace reigns, joy abounds and love overflow. It does not depend on the headlines, not on world leaders, not on others, not on our gift lists, not on our social calendars. In Advent, God is reaching out to us and beckoning us to follow. “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) Jesus understand the weariness of our steps, the plodding nature of our journey, the bumpy roads we encounter along the way.  His Light reveals new possibilities of a straighter pathway ahead. As we dare live by Jesus’ standards and follow his example of Love, service and compassion, we are led to New Life. “And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.” (John 17:3)

                Listen, indeed! Here is our straight road this Advent. “Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up.”  (2 Corinthians 4:1) Can it get any louder than that?

 Dale      

 Wednesday, November 19, 2025

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.” (Psalm 18:2, The New Living Translation)

               Yesterday marked our 47^th wedding anniversary. Wow! It has gone by in a flash in many ways, yet I am amazed and thankful for all that we have accomplished together, both in family and in ministry. Our four adult children, their partners and their children, our seven grandchildren, are a blessing and a joy each and every day. There have been so many people who have commented to us over the years how special our family is and how proud we must be. We are!

                Susan has been my rock in our journey together. As a father and a pastor, she has been the one who has kept me from faltering many a time. We have been through thick and thin; yet she is the one whom I trust in this life more than anyone else. It is funny how so many times we are thinking the exact same thing at the same time.  Susan has been my support, my advisor, my corrector, my love. When she was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago, it scared me to no end that I might lose her. I would be lost without her. There is an old Willie Nelson song with which I really identify: “Maybe I didn't love you Quite as often as I could have; Maybe I didn't treat you Quite as good as I should have; If I made you feel second-best; Girl, I'm sorry I was blind. (Chorus] You were always on my mind, You were always on my mind. … And I guess I never told you I'm so happy that you're mine. Little things I should have said and done I just never took the time. [Chorus]And you were always on my mind. You were always on my mind”

                So the words from Psalm 18, although they certainly apply to God, reach down and have application to my life with Susan. She, too, has been my shield many a time, the love that has saved me from myself, and my place of safety when I get in my own way or life gets rough.

                I am such an old, sentimental, romantic fool! How has she put up with me? (That’s a rhetorical question, by the way.)

                 What this Psalm celebrates is a relationship with God that is intimately close. God is not aloof, not a distant outsider. God is there for us each and every day. God desires our best welfare through his Love for us. He doesn’t abandon us to the consequences of our own actions and decisions. Maybe we don’t always love him quite as often as we should, but his Love for us never stops reaching out to us in both good and bad times.  

Jesus wanted us to understand the close intimacy we may enjoy with God when he called God, “Father.” I know that some  people have very negative, painful images of fatherhood but let Jesus repair that image by the Love that he incarnated, the Word became flesh. “Thus we have been set free to experience our rightful heritage. You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit of his Son into our lives crying out, “Papa! Father!” Doesn’t that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child? And if you are a child, you’re also an heir, with complete access to the inheritance.” (Galatians 4: 4 -7, The Message Bible)

God is Love and desires us to live that Love in our earthly relationships, husbands and wives, marital partners, parents and children, siblings, or even church as “family.”  Our closest and dearest relationships are filtered through the intimate Love of God.  “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)

God is the Rock upon which we build all of our lives. “It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built.” (Luke 6:48)

                Forty-seven years have been a living witness to God’s good Grace.

 Dale

Wednesday, November 12, 2025

“Did I keep my heart pure for nothing?  Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?  I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain.” (Psalm 73: 13 -14, New Living Translation)

                I am a bit cranky this morning. Out of sorts. Grumpy. Why? Thanks for asking. I am in pain.  The doctor says that I have some sort of inflammation in my right hip. All I know is that it hurts like crazy. I feel like I have the mother of all Charlie-horses going on in my right thigh. Tylenol and Celebrex barely touch it. The mornings, when I get up, are the worse.  Yikes! on the pain-o-meter. Sitting here is uncomfortable.  I have to go for an X-ray. Just anther morning in paradise!

                Maybe this is why I appreciate the Psalms so much.  If you really think about it, many of the writers of the Psalms do a lot of complaining, bemoaning, lamenting and protesting. They let their spiritual feelings all hang out for others to see, especially for God to see. They don’t hold back. They don’t suffer in silence. They don’t get all pious and holier-than-thou in stoic misery.  Their human honesty and frankness barks through the reality they are experiencing. “I am bent over and racked with pain. All day long I walk around filled with grief.” (Psalm 38:6) Preach it, brother! “I am on the verge of collapse, facing constant pain.” (Psalm 38: 17) You’re preaching to the choir, man! Be it physical suffering or undergoing persecution from enemies or simply in the depths of despair, the Psalmists bare their souls to God and even challenge God about the condition their condition is in. “I am sick at heart. How long, O Lord, until you restore me?” (Psalm 6: 3)

                But – and you know there is a but. But most of these complaints also exhibit another kind of honesty. Sometimes, the Psalmists recognize that they have no one to blame but themselves or that their sin and wrongdoing is adversely affecting their lives. Or their attitudes. Or their misunderstanding. Or their mistakes. Or their lack of faith and trust.  Then, they realize that confession is good for the soul and  will put them back on the right track with others and with God. But even more so, their laments often and usually (not always) turn into hope, faith, trust, fresh understanding, as they reach out to God in their situations.  

Keep reading Psalm 73, for example. After all his complaining about the world he is in, he ends up saying: “Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. I was so foolish and ignorant— I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you. Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.” (Psalm 73: 21 --24)

                That’s a tough faith for tough times.  They refuse to let whatever bad and painful situations they are in to define God and therefore themselves. They strive to reach a better conclusion. They insist on resisting their very own complaints and protests and seeking God, no matter what it takes or how long it takes, to find reassurances, consolations and salvation. For rescue. For new answers. “But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.” (Psalm 73:28)

                So let us, neither, just get stuck in our complaining and allowing our gripes to be our last word on life. Let us work through the worst moments in our lives, even if it just seems pointless or hapless or unending, and find our strength renewed by God’s Grace and Love.

                “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: 31)

                Pass the Tylenol, please. And with God’s help, I’ll get through this, too.

 Dale

Wednesday, November 5, 2025

“You know for yourselves that we’re not much to look at. We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken.” (2 Corinthians 4: 8 -10, The Message Bible)

                It is very tempting to use these verses to describe the feelings of we, Blue Jays fan, after the crushing defeat in the World Series. But to do so would be to trivialize these words and do them a great disservice. (Although, I guess I just did anyway. Shame on me!)

                No, these words better resonate with those people who are enduring terrible, exhausting, life-threatening circumstances. Maybe it’s the wars in Ukraine, Sudan or Palestine. Maybe it’s in the palliative care wards of hospitals. Perhaps, it’s the endless addictions of drugs and alcohol that some face. Or it could be the daily confrontations of abusive spouses, parents or bosses. It might be the interminable state of depression, fear, anxiety or worry. Need I go on?  You get the picture. These words reach out to those who constantly experience troubles, feel demoralized, seem to be at a loss and spiritually terrorized.  Or in the more familiar translations: “We are afflicted in every way but not crushed, perplexed but not driven to despair, persecuted but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed… (New Revised Standard Version)

                Paul is not being some Pollyannish, stoic martyr here, trying to put on a Christian, happy face. Earlier, in this same letter, he wrote, “We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it.” (2 Corinthians 1: 8) Paul, too, experienced the deep waters of troubled times. Listen to him describe some of the details of what it was like for him. “Even now we go hungry and thirsty, and we don’t have enough clothes to keep warm. We are often beaten and have no home.” (1 Corinthians 4:11) There is more but you get the idea. Paul was challenged by some very harsh, life circumstances and yet as our text states, he worked his way through it all; he comes close, perhaps,  to despair but he is not defeated. His faith and trust in Jesus Christ sustain him in the most challenging of circumstances. “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12: 9 -10)

                Some may see Paul as larger-than-life, a Christian superhero. But I think that we need to appreciate his very normal, human qualities. It is indeed remarkable how he can endure so much, and yet remain so hopeful, remain resolute, remain confident, remain assured about Jesus and God’s Love through Jesus Christ.  Some might think it took herculean effort but more likely, it is the solid, human connection he had with Jesus Christ that made the difference for him. He gave us some insight and inspiration when he wrote to the Roman church: “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.  And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” (Romans 5: 3-5)

                Everyone is different and unique as to how they handle their troubled times. The last thing that I would ever say is that we should put on a phoney, happy face because of some ideology that preaches that Christians should always be happy and never be sad or depressed.  Life can be nasty sometimes. What we need, though, is a working faith which gives us something to hold onto when the storms come. We do not know what the future holds for us but we can deepen our trust that Jesus walks with us in the presence of the Holy Spirit. We are not abandoned.

                “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  (Romans 8: 35 – 39)

                To that, I say, Alleluia!

 

Dale

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

"That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life…” (Matthew 6:25, New Living Translation)

                It seems to me that Jesus’ words fly over the head of any hardcore Toronto Blue Jays fan.  Deep worry and anxiety are fundamental attitudes for those of us who passionately cheer for this team on a regular basis. Now that the Jays are in the World Series, it is even worse. We agonize over every pitch, squirm when the Dodgers are winning, complain over the manager’s pitching decisions, gripe about the umpires, have sleepless nights after a loss, sit on the edge of our seats during a game wringing our hands and shaking our heads, praying for divine intervention. Look up ‘anxiety’ in the dictionary and you’ll see a picture of a Blues Jays fan – probably mine.

                There was a news clip on the CBC last night which claimed that this stress and worry about our sports’ teams can be bad for our health, especially if we have a serious heart condition.  Blood pressure increases. Bio-chemicals get stirred up. Our breathing may become affected. Our physical domain is put in jeopardy because of our intense relationship with the teams we cheer for and die for. Don’t I know it!

                I know that they are just games. World peace does not depend on them.  The sun still comes up even after a loss. Nobody dies. There is always a next time. But in the moment, worry and anxiety seep in and take over more often than not.

                We really should save our anxiety for more serious matters in the world.  We need to concerned about big things like wars, pollution, hatred, racism, and the like. Or perhaps, it is more personal - health issues, relationship troubles, financial concerns, employment difficulties, troubled children, etc.  These are indeed troubled times we live in and we can weigh ourselves down with anxiety and worry.

                Yet Jesus has the audacity to tell us not to worry about everyday things. Perhaps being concerned is not quite the same as being worried and anxious but, either way, our fears, worries, anxieties, even concerns can threaten to overwhelm us. Jesus looks us in the eyes and challenges us not to let the bad win out. Don’t let the challenges take over our lives and don’t let the darkness prevail when it surrounds us.  Let our faith, in fact, show us the way out of those worries. Let our trust in God prevail when life becomes troublesome. Let our hope in God take hold rather than despair. “Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.” (Psalm 10:17)

                I don’t think that this trust in the face of adversity means we are seeing the world through rose-coloured glasses. It doesn’t make us gullible or naïve. It doesn’t lead us into wishful or fanciful thinking. It doesn’t mean that all our problems will magically disappear. But standing on the promises of God give us a firm foothold, a rock upon which to stand, when the storms are fierce and dangerous.

                “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (Matthew 5: 31 -33)

                Paul wrote much about the ideal of hope. It was one of the cornerstones of walking with Jesus: faith, hope and love. For a man who faced so much adversity, it is remarkable that his personal sense of hope was so strong and vibrant. “Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.” (Romans 12:12) Having hope rather than anxiety gives us strength, courage, perseverance, determination, and sometimes, even a sense of peace, all because of knowing God’s Love for us. “Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” (1 Corinthians 13:7)

                Let’s not allow the world to get the better of us. “But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ.” (Hebrews 3:6)

                But really, Lord, can you help out the Blue Jays?

Dale

Wednesday, October 22, 2025

“The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12: 12 -13, New Living Translation)

               The five baptisms, this past Sunday, at Yorkminster Park Baptist Church (Toronto) made this scripture text come alive.  There were a variety of ages, people of colour, genders and personality. It was heart-warming to witness the authentic and sometimes spontaneous joy each person was feeling as they “went through the waters.” Baptism is more than just a church-y, perfunctory ritual but as this ceremony was, baptism is something personal, intimate and communal. We all share the same Spirit.

                One woman grew up with atheistic parents. Another grew up in a different country than Canada. Each of the five had their own unique, personal story but Jesus Christ had brought them together at this time for this moment to share in this blessed experience of faith, witness and community. “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)

But there was a moment which stood out for me which symbolized all a church could and should be. The second person who was baptised was a senior woman. She needed some help going down the stairs into the water. The man who was to be baptized next, helped her down the stairs, even having to step into the water himself to do so. Later, the young woman who had been baptized before her had stayed at the top of the stairs and then helped the woman get safely back up the stairs. I found this all-in-these-waters-together moment especially rich and meaningful. Perhaps, it had been arranged beforehand but that doesn’t matter. It was still a beautiful reminder of what the church can be at its best; helping hands, people looking out for each other.  Yes, baptism is a sign of God’s grace in our lives, a proclamation of accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour but it also brings us into solidarity and fellowship with the Christian family. All that and more unfolded on Sunday morning.

We are never alone in our faith journey. Many of us can fondly and lovingly recall those who have mentored, encouraged and instructed us in our faith: parents, grandparents, pastors, Sunday School teachers, youth workers to name a few. My brother, Wayne, was a significant influence in own Christian growth.  I think of what Paul wrote to Timothy: “I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you.” (2 Timothy 1:5) We may not even know how our Christian witness is affecting another person.  Therefore, we should always try to be conscious that our words and actions truly reflect the love of Jesus Christ. Others are watching. “He (Jesus Christ) makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” (Ephesians 4:16)

Just as the baptismal candidates were giving a helping hand to another, so we all are responsible for helping one another as we walk together in faith.  No one should ever feel alone or forgotten or abandoned or an outcast but embraced into God’s company of believers. We need each other in these troubling times more than ever.

“God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you.” (2 Corinthians 5: 18 -20, The Message Bible)

How can I be of help?

Dale

Wednesday, October 15, 2025

“You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil.    My cup overflows with blessings.” (Psalm 23:5, New Living Translation)

                Happy belated Thanksgiving!

                We celebrated in the usual fashion. Our family gathered for our traditional Thanksgiving feast on Sunday. Ten adults and seven grandchildren squeezed into our son’s home in Mississauga. We all pitched in by bringing something to the meal. The  turkey meal was fantastic with all the trimmings.  Equally special was the joy and blessings of being together as a family.  We are a loud and raucous group whenever we get together. “I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart; I will sing your praises before the gods.” (Psalm 138:1)

                Mind you, none of this was done in “the presence of my enemies.” We were all family, of course. Even better, we are all friends with each other. Why did the David think that it was important to include the idea that God’s invitation to the table was done in the presence of his enemies? I don’t think it was a just a matter of gloating that he had it better than his foes. He had an invitation and they didn’t it. Nyah. Nyah! Although I do think that he meant that despite their animosity toward him, God’s blessing exceeded their hostility. Their hatred could not stop’s God generosity and grace.  No matter what these enemies felt about him, God’s love was stronger than their enmity. 

                My response and influence come from the New Testament, especially Jesus’ gracious words and actions. He did not exclude anyone from his table. Time after time, he was seen eating with anyone and everyone, even the most undesirable, the worst sinners, the outcast and the so-called unworthy. He practiced what he preached. Remember the parable of the banquet where the ones, supposedly friends,  who were first invited found excuses not to come.  So instead, his told his servants, “‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame… Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full.” (Luke 14: 21, 23) In fact, the decliners were the ones who were on the outside looking in on the feast.  Throughout Jesus’ ministry, he practiced inclusion and welcoming grace. His invitation to the whole world was that all people could enjoy God’s generosity of Love and Mercy. “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)

                But where does this leave our so-called enemies, the people that don’t like us, wish us harm, have no love for us? Is there anywhere at the table for them?  Jesus did say that we were to love our enemy. “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5: 43 -45) We see people differently when we share a meal together, as we talk, find common things of interest, share about our families, open up about our thoughts and feelings. With good food and good drink, we may come to realize that the “other” is not so strange, not so alien, not so dangerous, not so evil as we first thought.

Perhaps, if some our world leaders shared a meal together instead of making war together, they would find the peace they are so longingly desperate for.  But it also is true in our own small corners of the world. A shared table becomes a peace zone where we put down our defences and hatred and pick up knives and forks and pass the bread to the one sitting across from us. “Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he’s thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don’t let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.”  (Romans 12:20, The Message Bible)

May your days be full of good food, good people, good deeds, good thoughts and good and bountiful living.

Dale

Wednesday, October 8, 2025

“You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.” (Matthew 5:5, The Message Bible)

               Of course, most of us are more familiar with this text as: “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.” But I really like the Message’s interpretation.

                Either way, the verse leapt to mind, yesterday, after watching a few sound bites of the Carney/Trump meeting in Washington. Believe me, I try to watch as few clips about Trump as I possibly can. But there they were on the news, front and centre at the White House. Trump had just made the comment that Carney was a great leader. When asked why then he didn’t make a trade deal with Canada, Trump said, “I want to be a great leader, too.” It was about as close as Trump will ever get to some level of modesty and that may be stretching it. He certainly is not known for having any sense of meekness, humility or modesty.

                But it sparked some thoughts about humility or meekness. Many see meekness as weakness, a character flaw. But, in truth, humility is not a form of humiliation. It is not timidity. It is not a lack of self-confidence. It is not fear of others. It doesn’t mean being pushed around or bullied.  It is not a reluctance to express an opinion.  It does not mean that one is not bold or brave when the moment calls for it. It is not wavering or cowardice.  In fact, I think it takes a lot of courage and inner strength to be humble in life.

                But what is humility at its best? The Psalmist wrote that God “leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way.” (Psalm 25:9) Humility begins in having the right mind set about doing what is right and good. This verse jibes with the one from Micah: “the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8) We may have been made a little lower than the angels but we gain our appropriate self-perspective in our relationship with God. “The humble will see their God at work and be glad. Let all who seek God’s help be encouraged.” (Psalm 69:32) Meekness is the understanding that our true and best identity begins in God and not ourselves. “For the Lord delights in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.” (Psalm 149:4)   

                Being humble is the self-understanding that we are certainly not the centre of the universe or even the little corner in which we live. Our humility practices good and positive relationships. “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.” (Ephesians 4:2) There is no room for conceit, arrogance, self-importance, but rather we understand that we are not perfect and therefore we reach out to love others just as unconditionally as God has loved us. “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3)  

                What the Message paraphrase captures so well is that humility means to be content with just who you are.  It does not mean that we don’t need to grow, learn, improve, or discover fresh insights; even Jesus “grew in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and all the people.” (Luke 2:52) But humility helps us keep an honest perspective about ourselves. In humility, we learn to be satisfied with who we are, what we are doing and how we are doing it. Humility cuts out envy and jealousy. It replaces pride with a spirit of well-being and inner peace (i.e. shalom). Our humility engages all others with love, tolerance, respect and grace.

                In the end, humility gives us what riches, fame or power cannot – the Love of God in Jesus Christ and our salvation. “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.” (James 4:10)         

Dale

Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Companions as we are in this work with you, we beg you, please don’t squander one bit of this marvelous life God has given us. God reminds us, “I heard your call in the nick of time; the day you needed me, I was there to help.” Well, now is the right time to listen, the day to be helped. Don’t put it off; don’t frustrate God’s work by showing up late…  (2 Corinthians 6: 1 -3, The Message Bible)

                “Somehow, it’s always right now until it’s later.” It’s today’s punch line out of the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip. Calvin has a school project of collecting 50 leaves and he keeps making excuses for not getting it done even though he has two weeks to do it. Hobbes, the come-to-life plush tiger, is known for such wisdom as this.

                I grew up with a mother who insisted that if we were not at least a half hour in advance of arriving before the start time, we were therefore late. It didn’t matter what it was - church, a doctor’s appointment, a movie, theatre, dinner invitation - it was mandatory to be there early, presumingly to get a good seat, beat the crowds, beat the traffic, whatever. It was a mortal sin to be late.

Unfortunately, this script has been imbedded in my own life. Much to Susan’s chagrin, I too insist that we are always very early to wherever we are going. There have been times when I have been preaching in a church some distance away and  I have arrived even before any of the church members have shown up to open up the building. Although I can remember once when I was a divinity college student, it worked in my favour as I had a flat tire on the way to the church which was about 45 minutes away. I had enough time to change the tire and get there on time. See, my mother was right!

                There was an article last week in the Globe and Mail which challenged people who always “get all in a knot when someone is a few minutes late. Get over yourself.” (Jane Maddougal)  She is quite scornful about those who get upset over a few minutes of lateness. “The idea that a frictional time difference shows disrespect for your precious time speaks of narcissism and megalomania. I mean come on!” She advocates for patience, good will and respect for the time of others, not just your own. here can be many legitimate reasons for tardiness. She makes a point that being in time is not a contest and we need to relax.  “Lateness can happen to anyone and it doesn’t mean you are a delinquent.” It’s a good thing my mother isn’t around to read this!

                But wait a minute! (Pun intended.) If you are late, at least, one is presumably arriving at their destination – eventually.  But when lateness becomes procrastination and more delays and putting it off and postponement after postponement, never getting it done or never arriving at the destination at all then there are serious consequences. Putting off a doctor’s appointment may miss as a serious health problem. Skipping a dinner date with a friend may miss helping them in a time of crisis.  It becomes too late. Our tardiness has missed an opportunity to make a difference either for ourselves or for someone else.

                Jesus told several parables about the importance of being ready and prepared for the critical moments of our faith and practice. Instantly comes to mind is the parable of the Ten Bridesmaids, five of whom had sufficient oil for their lamps to wait through the night for the groom (who, by the way, is not criticized for his lateness). But the other five were caught without enough oil and were shut out of the wedding feast all together. The message of this parable and the others like it is this: “You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.” (Matthew 24: 44)

In other words, when it comes to matters of the Kingdom of God, we are called to make the most of every opportunity and step up when called and don’t make excuses or be tardy in our Christian witness and service. Putting off until tomorrow what needs to be done today is not an effective strategy for our Christian witness and service. Just as our salvation calls for an imminent and immediate response, so our salvation puts us at the front of the line in working for Jesus Christ. “Well, now is the right time to listen, the day to be helped. Don’t put it off; don’t frustrate God’s work by showing up late…”  Get it done while the doing is timely, helpful, meaningful, critical and useful. “If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.” (2 Timothy 2:21)

My mother would have approved of this unpaid, previous message.

Dale

 Wednesday, September 24, 2025

“Taste and see that the Lord is good.  Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” (Psalm 34:8)

            We had a gathering of the clans in Mississauga last Saturday. The occasion was the inurnment of Susan’s mother, Barbara Neal, who passed away last January. Saturday was her birthday and it just seemed appropriate for us all to gather and honour her life once more.  Then we all gathered back at my father-in-law’s home for our family time and food. Mum Neal would have loved it.

            One of the things that Mum had told us was that she would like everyone to have an ice-cream cone at her wake. She particularly had a fondness for Dairy Queen chocolate-dipped cones. Whenever the young grandchildren stayed there for any sort of vacation time, there were always many trips to the Dairy Queen.  So, on Saturday, there was a trip to the Dairy Queen (by some brave souls) who procured 25 chocolate-dipped ice cream cones and brought them back to the house. By the time they arrived, the ice cream was already melting. We all hurried out to the back yard and grabbed a cone.  But it was a messy endeavour to say the least, A lot of folk, especially some of the great-grandchildren, were covered in gooey ice cream by the time we were done. The patio area was bespeckled with melted drips and drabs. Even some of the adults were wiping ice cream off their clothes.  We were all laughing at the craziness of this celebration. It was a riot. Mum would have enjoyed every inane, messy minute of it.

            Taste and see the Lord is good.  In these troubled, anxious times, we all need to eat some ice cream and even drip a little chocolate-dipped ice cream on ourselves. We need to be reminded of the joys of family, experience some laughter, don’t take ourselves too seriously, do something silly, remind ourselves God has a sense of humour too,  and let the ice cream drip away. It’s OK if it gets messy. It’s OK if we spill some. It’s OK when we get together as family and friends and imbibe in life’s joys, laughter, appreciation and gratitude. “This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.”  (Psalm 118:24)

            As I write this, I have had a morning of technical glitches. It has been frustrating, annoying and exasperating. As my mother used to say at times like this, it is enough to make a preacher swear. The world right now seems to be in one big technical glitch. Humour, joy, hilarity, fun, whimsy even, are in short supply. We have a bitter taste in our mouths or left with a sour taste.  A lot of stuff that is happening is hard to swallow. Our taste buds for life are being affected by tastelessness and unsavoury times.

            Perhaps, we are making it too complicated. Taste and see that the Lord is good.  More than  likely, we will find this goodness in the small sweet things in life. We’re in a wonderful season of harvest: apples, tomatoes, corn, fresh garden vegetables. Eating is never more pleasurable than this time of year. This harvest reminds us that there is goodness to be had and enjoyed. But we need to carry this over to appreciate those things that make our lives full of abundance and lives to be relished. Feast on the things that matter, be it family and friend’s, our church and our faith, our health (even though not always perfect) and our freedoms and this country we live in (again, not perfect but far better than many.)

Paul wrote about those who abide by the rules: “Why do you let yourselves be bullied by it? ‘Don’t touch this! Don’t taste that! Don’t go near this!’ “Do you think things that are here today and gone tomorrow are worth that kind of attention?” (Colossians 2: 21 -23, The Message Bible) But once we have an appetite for the Lord’s Grace, Love and Mercy, there is a smorgasbord of life’s wonders and a feast of sacred portions. Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Sometimes though, it is a simple as letting some ice cream drip down your chin and enjoying the moment for all its worth. Savour the moments like these. They are precious!

Love you, Mum!

 

Dale

Wednesday, September 17, 2025

“We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” (1 John 4:16, new Living Translation)

                Hatred is as very strong emotion. We all use the word “hate” all too easily and sometimes often. We hate the traffic. We hate the slowness of our computers. We hate the weather. We hate the slow lines at the cash register. We hate the telemarketer. Our list can grow and become quite extensive.

                There are some interesting synonyms for hatred. They all sound ominous and foreboding. Abhorrence. Detestation. Loathing. Repugnance.  Disgust.  One might think – should think? - that hatred would be best left alone altogether, if we can manage. It is not a healthy part of our well-being.

                But hatred is becoming a raison-d’etre in our society these days. The Right hate the Left. White folk hate the immigrant.  The Jew hates the Palestinian. The Russian hates the Ukrainian.  And vice-versa. Perhaps, there is always the danger of overstating it all.  But the mood of our culture is becoming one of severe intolerance and belligerence towards anyone who doesn’t think, act, believe like they do. As we have seen recently, it can lead to terrible violence.

                I have always believed that the Church, as followers of Jesus Christ, needs to be counter-cultural. Therefore, we need to speaking up against this hateful trend. But there is growing evidence that some Christians are contributing to it instead. One of their popular claims is that “God hates ______.” Fill in the blank with whatever these Christians purport to hate like LGBTQ, pro-choice, liberalism, science, vaccinations, etc. etc.  Their lists are long. They might, but rarely do these days, say they hate the sin and not the sinner.  But their angry rhetoric belies that. Basically, it would seem that if you don’t believe exactly what they  do, you may well end up on their hate list because God hates you, too.

                Never mind the presumptuous rhetoric of speaking on behalf of God about what he may or may not hate, I was curious about what the scriptures say on the subject. Some will argue that in the Old Testament, God can be cantankerous, angry and punitive. Psalm 5 says that God "hates all who do evil.” Well, that makes sense. God hates sin, of course. We are to do the same, “You who love the Lord, hate evil!” (Psalm 97:10) He hates “those who love violence.” (Psalm 11:5) In Psalm 45, there is a counterpoint to his hatred of evil, “You love justice and hate evil.”  (Psalm 45:7) If anything, in the Psalms, at least, God deals severely with those who use hatred as a form of behaviour against him or others. “Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him; they would be doomed forever.” (Psalm  81:5) There is more. “For I, the Lord, love justice.  I hate robbery and wrongdoing.” (Isaiah 61:8) And the message is clear in Jeremiah: “Don’t do these horrible things that I hate so much.” (Jeremiah 44:4)

                There is also overwhelming biblical evidence that God is far more that any hatred of evil and sin. Hate does not define God’s  whole being by any stretch of the imagination. If we get stuck on what we think God may hate, we do God a great disservice. “The Lord is slow to anger and filled with unfailing love, forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion.” (Numbers 14:18)

                More than anything, Jesus has allowed us to see God in a whole new Light. The Word made flesh embodies the Love of God.  Jesus surpasses the need to judge, hate, condemn, vilify, denounce or express his disgust about the behaviour of the people around him. Oh, he can be testy and critical at times, (ironically, mostly against the religious pomposity of the religious leaders of  his time) but his compassion, grace, tolerance, brings people into the amazing, unconditional Love of God without little fear of judgment and punishment (although again, Jesus can preach fire and brimstone to the self-righteous and pompous.) “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3: 16 -17) That says to me that God is a Lover, not a hater.

                For sure, that Is the message of John’s letter. God is love. This is God’s prime mode of being.  I could fill another page with the things that Jesus said we shouldn’t or should do which seems to have gone over the heads of the self-righteous haters in our world. Don’t judge. Love your enemies.  Love one another. Go the extra mile. Look after the homeless, the hungry, then poor. But then again, I guess I end up sounding judgmental myself.  But I also think somebody needs to speak up for and uphold this wondrous, uniquely loving God we have. Not that he needs me to, but God is getting some very bad press these days. I may be a voice crying the wilderness, but God is Love and I would like the world to experience that Love in all its glory.

                John says it very plainly: “If anyone boasts, ‘I love God,’ and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won’t love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can’t see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You’ve got to love both.” (1 John  4: 19 20, The Message Bible)

    Blessings!

 Dale