Wednesday, July 29, 2026

And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!” (Nehemiah 8:10)

               Let’s keep this short and sweet. Scientists have discovered a form of sugar in deep, outer space.  I never knew that sugar was an essential compound in the formation of life on our planet. Sugar and spice and everything nice indeed. Sorry, boys! Their very fancy instruments were able to detect this sugar, erythrulose, in the very heart of the Milky Way.  Now I really get why God saw his creation as something very good. It satisfied his sweet tooth.

                Sometimes, we will say that ‘life is sweet’ when everything is going well. We feel content, happy, blessed. It is a joy to get up in the morning. “Light is sweet; how pleasant to see a new day dawning.” (Ecclesiastes 11:7) It doesn’t mean that we have to be rich or prosperous or even successful. It doesn’t matter whether we are old or young. It may have nothing to do with our accomplishments or achievements, but rather we are aware of a sweet inner peace and satisfaction, needing nothing more than what we are enjoying in life in the moment. Then life is sweet.

                Nehemiah and Ezra have rediscovered a copy of the Torah, the Jewish covenant of God’s Law, long neglected and, perhaps, almost forgotten, by the people.  A great throng of people gathered as Ezra began to read out loud from the Law. He read all morning long. I recall how the Bible Society would set up a day-long reading of scripture in a local church, different readers taking turns. The people did not seem to tire of this reading “All the people listened closely to the Book of the Law.” (8:3) All you who get antsy if the sermon goes too long, take note!

                The reading of the Law was a sweet sound to their ears. “The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.” (Psalm 19: 9 -10) It inspired their worship. It drove them to their knees. It caused them to weep with contrition. Both Nehemiah and Ezra explained to the people the meaning of the Torah. The people wept as a New Day of spiritual awakening began.

                But it was not to be a time for weeping but rejoicing. “Don’t mourn or weep on such a day as this! For today is a sacred day before the Lord your God.” (8:9) It was a day that the Lord had made and the people were to be glad and rejoice in it.  So, they threw a wang-dang-doodle of a party. They cut loose. They celebrated because of the sweet words they had just heard that day. They had the pot-luck supper of all pot-luck suppers.  They spared no expense. It was lavish and generous. Everybody was included. This is what happens when the Word gets out, when God’s Word feeds the people, when the Word awakens the human mind, spirit, heart and soul, when God’s Word stirs up hope, righteousness, justice and peace. Make some noise. “Sing! Beat the tambourine. Play the sweet lyre and the harp.” (Psalm 81:2) How sweet it is!

                Imagine if a Sunday service in any of our churches broke out in such a way after the scripture was read or a really good sermon was preached! I have had people get really uptight if the congregation even claps after a solo or choir piece. What is so wrong with saying “thank you”?  I have only ever had one individual who” amen-ed” me as I preached.  It was very encouraging. My point is that the Word should create more than just a passive ingestion. The Word needs to create a reaction, maybe not spontaneous eruptions during the service, but the Word should inspire and result in deeds, words, behaviour, works, fruit and celebratory results in in real, measurable ways. The sweetness is even better when we are stimulated to strive for faithfulness in our Christian Walk. “Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life.” (2 Corinthians 2:14, The Message Bible)           

        How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
        In a believer’s ear!
        It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
        And drives away his fear.
        It makes the wounded spirit whole
        And calms the troubled breast;

 Prayer:

Our Generous God, through your word we have been given food for the soul, nourishment for the heart and mind, sustenance for our daily living. We rejoice in your Word and give you thanks for it. May we be inspired to always live by that Word in all that we say and do. Help us to savour and relish the sweetness of all that you give us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Wednesday, July 22, 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 Prayer;

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

Wednesday, July 15, 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Prayer,

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

Wednesday, July 8, 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prayer:

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

Wednesday, June 30, 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prayer:

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

Wednesday, June 24, 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 Prayer:

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

 Wednesday, June 17, 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 Prayer:

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

Wednesday, June 10, 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 Prayer:

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

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.

Wednesday, April 29, 2026

“And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20, New Living Translation)

                “Can you think of a positive, caring person in your life who might help you out?”

                This question is leading a youth shelter in St. Catharines to help homeless and/or addicted youth, often with mental health issues as well, to do more than just hunker down at the shelter. It is opening doors (almost literally) so that these lost youth break the cycle of their life-shattering difficulties.

The article illustrates what happened with one youth. The case manager asked this young man if there was a caring, positive person in his life who might help him out. It turns out that he thought of his father and gave the case worker permission to get in touch with him. The father said he didn’t know whether his son was dead or alive. “But I want him home.” The young man, with promises that he would take and stay on his medication, went to live with his father that very day. The story reports that now, a few years later, the son is still living at home and doing well.

This has the Parable of the Prodigal Son written all over it.  The Prodigal’s story is very contemporary in many ways. A young man leaves home and falls into a harmful, wasteful life-style. He is broke, homeless, hungry, far away from home, living poorly off the streets, snatching food where he can even if it is only fit for pigs.

Then a remarkable thing began to take place. He came to his senses. There was a rare moment of clarity and self-awareness, that his life was a living hell. That is when he thought of home and more importantly, he remembered his father, a positive, caring person in his life who might just help him out. In hopeful  contrition and humility, he seeks to return home, unsure what his father would say or do. But we learn that the father has been watching the road all the while, waiting, hoping, longing, “But I want him home,” we might hear him saying to people who are asking him why bother, why waste his time.  The father sees his son and picking up the hem of his robe so he could ruin more easily, sandals flapping on the dirt road, the father rushes up to his son and embraces him and welcomes him home gladly and throws a party to celebrate his return, “for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.” (15: 24)

It is this story which reverberates through the youth shelter’s story.

Both stories remind us how critical it is to have someone in our corner, someone who loves us unconditionally, someone who has our well-being at heart, someone who forgives and forgets. Robert Frost said it well: “Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in.” But it is more than an obligation, a duty or a burden. It is the free, gracious, unreserved response of someone who sees through the pig slop and throws their arms around us.

The parable invites us to see God in that way, as our heavenly Father, Abba,  who is eager to welcome us back into his loving arms, no matter what. God forgives, pardons, saves and is eager to bless our reunions with him. “Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms.” (Psalm 68:19) God does not forget us, nor abandon us to our messes, nor shun us when we go bad, nor give up hope for us, “for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” (1 Chronicles 28:20)

Both stories also remind us that there may be people in our lives who seem lost to us, friends or family, ones who have fallen by the wayside of our influence and love. Are we prepared to be patient with them, welcoming them back, forgiving them, being open-armed, open-hearted and unfalteringly be a beacon of hope and light for them?

Both stories also remind us that if we are the ones who ever need love, care, and a positive influence, we who are on the outside looking hungrily around for acceptance and inclusion, that we look for those positive influences who see beyond our faults, weaknesses, and mistakes and help us return to family, fellowship and community.

            Come home, come home
            You who are weary, come home
            Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling
            Calling, O sinner, come home.

 Prayer:

Ou loving heavenly Father, help us to seek your Presence no matter how far we ourselves have lost our way. We pray for those who have fallen and can’t get up that you bring them to their senses so that they will run back into your ever-open arms. Help us to be as forgiving and open-hearted with others as you are with us.  Thank you for a Love that has our welfare and well-being at the very core of y9our Grace. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

Wednesday, April 22, 2026

“Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it you can be sure she’ll call her friends and neighbors: ‘Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!’ Count on it—that’s the kind of party God’s angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God.” (Luke 15: 8 – 10, The Message Bible)

              Yesterday, I had one fleeting moment of panic and distress.  I thought I had lost the last piece of my 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle. I had all the other 999, but the last piece was missing. The picture would be forever incomplete if I couldn’t find that one, missing piece. I had spent hours and hours in putting together this very difficult and challenging puzzle. But it would feel almost meaningless if I couldn’t find that last piece. I was willing to scour every corner in the apartment to find it, looking in every nook and cranny. But fortunately, I looked behind my chair and there it was on the floor. The lost had been found. Now, I didn’t have a party and invite everyone in our building, but it was cause to have a small, personal celebration. At the very least, it saved Susan from listening to my complaints and unhappiness. The angels may have been amused… or not.

                The woman in Jesus’ parable lost one of her ten coins.  We can speculate why that one coin was so precious, even though it is not really germane to the story. It may imply that woman was poor and needed every dime she had to eke out a living for herself and maybe a family. Every penny counts when it comes to buying groceries, paying the rent, paying bills, keeping  the children clothed, etc.  Or perhaps, ten coins were the exact price she needed to pay for something essential. What if she needed a doctor or medicine or a new loom for her  rug weaving business?  Nine coins wasn’t going to be enough. It simply had to be ten. Nothing less would do.

                The woman’s reasons could be anything, but the real point of the parable is in the woman’s determination, perseverance and thoroughness in looking for that lost coin. Nothing was going to deter her from finding it. She turned her house inside-out and upside-down in her quest to find that one coin. When she finally found it, underneath the stove or tucked under a carpet or hiding under the sleeping dog, she was overjoyed. I am not sure what she may have spent on the subsequent party, but presumably it didn’t take much of those ten coins. Maybe, she didn’t really need all ten coins at all but she was so unhappy with her loss that she was fiercely determined to find the coin in order to have a full purse.

                God is like that woman!

                Yes, God has all he needs in and through his Creation. We could argue that God lacks for nothing. So what if members of humankind get lost? Is God supposed to account for every man, woman and child in the world? Life happens. People make mistakes, sin, fall by the wayside, act irresponsibly, give up, are broken, make bad decisions, live lies, are selfish, have abandoned God, spent all their time, talents and treasures on self-centred choices.  There are lost and lots of good people in the world; maybe far more than the bad ones. So what are  a few losses here and there for God?

                Yet, God is like that woman!

                God wants his world to be complete, to be whole, to be thriving, to be rich in love and abundant living. So, God will not be satisfied until he reconciles the lost portion of humankind back with the rest of his Creation. “The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9, New Revised Standard Version) God perseveres in finding us, no matter where we are hiding or where we have wandered off to or whenever we're feeling lost and forsaken. God practices the kind of Love which Paul wrote about: “Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” (1 Corinthians 13: 7, New Living Translation)

God never gives up on any of us, no matter what! He will look through whatever scrap heap, mess and chaos to find any and all of his beloved sons of Adam and daughters of Eve.  Maybe that’s you or was you or is someone you know and love.  Just believe this, the angels are baking a cake topped with sparklers, have set out the party platters of food, turned up the music, cleared the floor for dancing and invited all of heaven to celebrate when God’s finally finds one of us nd brings us back into his care. Now isn’t that a wang-dang-doodle!

 Prayer:

Our Loving God, thank you for never giving up on us, especially if and when we give up on ourselves. Forgive us when we make it so difficult for you to find us. Keep looking because we really need to be found so as to be made whole. May we rejoice with the angels when your Love finds us, heals our wounds, makes us included and welcome and set your banquet table out for us. In praise and thanksgiving, Amen.