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.