Wednesday, November 24 – ADVENT ONE

As he [John the Baptist] preached he said, “The real action comes next: The star in this drama, to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will change your life. I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. His baptism—a holy baptism by the Holy Spirit—will change you from the inside out.” (Mark 1: 7 -8, The Message Bible)

                 Most of my life, I have been very poor in the ability to wait for someone. You’d think I had more important things to do than wait for someone to get ready to go when I want, or someone to arrive on time when they said they would, or to be there when they said they would or do what they were supposed to do. I dislike waiting for a taxi, for example, or waiting for someone to pick me on the rare occasion I am not driving. I am a pacer, a clock watcher, growing anxious about the time.

                I come by it honestly. My mother always had to arrive a half-hour in advance of the starting time of anything. When ordering in a restaurant, if the food was not in front of her within 15 minutes after ordering, she would begin to sputter how slow the service was. I have been really trying to slow down my expectations and impatience since I have retired – with some success.

What’s the hurry!

Perhaps, John the Baptist was beginning to wonder when the Messiah was finally going to show up. After all, he had been preparing his whole life for that moment when the one whose sandals he was unworthy to untie would make his appearance. Then, look out world! You think John was a hell-fire preacher, you haven’t seen anything yet, once the Messiah begins his work. “He’s going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.” (Luke 3:17, The Message) John can hardly wait.

Jesus shows up and the show is finally on the road.

Or is it? A little while later John finds himself in prison, his ministry faltering to an ignominious close.  Who could have blamed him if he was beginning to wonder whether it had been worth it?  And Jesus? There appears to be some sense of doubt, disillusionment perhaps, confusion as to what Jesus was really about. John sent two of his disciples to Jesus and asked, “Are you the One we’ve been expecting, or are we still waiting?” (Matthew 11:3, The Message)

Jesus has not been  brandishing a willowing fork, but using a whole new approach to his style of Messiahship. “Go back and tell John what’s going on: The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the wretched of the earth learn that God is on their side.” (Matthew 11: 4 – 6, The  Message)

Then Jesus asks “Is this what you were expecting? Then count yourselves most blessed.”

Trust Jesus to ask the tough question. Is this what you were expecting? People enter into Advent/Christmas with high expectations about family, gifts, quality time with friends, travel plans and having an ideal Christmas. But it doesn’t always happen that easily and we are left somewhat disappointed.

Same with our faith expectations. We expect all the glory to come our way ASAP. But our church lets us down, our pastor lets us down, our fellow believers let us down, our prayers let us down; we fail ourselves in keeping the verve of faith.  We may even feel that God has let us down. This Jesus-thing doesn’t seem to be working the way we thought it would. Skepticism settles in. Disillusionment takes it toll. Doubts creep in.

Are you the one, Jesus or, or is there something else I should place my faith in?

            Perhaps we need to rethink some of our expectations, our models, our  boxes in which we have put Jesus?  I am not suggesting that we lower our expectations or tamper our aspirations. But let us consider how we might open up our hopes to encounter the true, life-giving presence of Jesus Christ. Just let him be the Christ the way he wants – full of love, compassion, healing, grace, forgiveness, mercy and Presence. Don’t suck the air out of Advent with your version of Christmas but let the fresh Spirit of the Coming One renew your hope, give you peace, grant you joy and surround you with love.

                If this is what you are expecting, then count yourself blessed!

Dale

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names,  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: 9 -11, New Living Translation)           

                This Sunday is the last Sunday of the church year – The Reign of Christ Sunday. But I have an advent hymn running through  my head and If I don’t get it down on “paper”, it’ll drive me crazy! For whatever reason beyond my ken, it can be sung to the tune of Blessed Assurance, with a  little finagling, (using eighth notes in a few places to gather the words). If it is any good, anyone can use it with my full permission. If anyone does use it, I would like to know, out of curiosity. If not, at least it is out of my head…

In the voices of angels, hear of God's hope,

Allaying our worries, doubts and our fears.
In the voices of angels, God gives us hope,
Promising his love throughout the whole year.

Chorus:
Here comes the Christ Child; lift up your voice.
Here comes the Christ Child; let us rejoice.
This is our Story.
This is our Song.
Here comes the Christ Child, alleluia!

In the voices of angels, hear of God's peace,
Calming our spirits, troubles and storms.
In the voices of angels, God gives us peace,
Gath’ring us in his all-loving arms. (CHORUS)

In the voices of angels, hear of God's joy,
Bringing us laughter, pleasure and smiles.
In the voices of angels, God gives us joy,
Chasing away sadness with the gift of a Child. (CHORUS)

In the voices of angels, hear of God's love,
Sharing compassion, both caring and kind.
In the voices of angels, God gives us love,
Calling us to share it with all humankind. (CHORUS)

 

Dale

 

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! (Genesis 1:31, New Living Translation)

                It was wonderful to sit out back basking in the sun on an atypical warm November day this week. November is my least favourite month as it is usually cold, gloomy and often sometimes even  snowy or, at least with nasty storms. At least, that is how I remember how it used to be.

                Perhaps it’s all because of climate change that November is losing its bad-guy reputation and I should be championing the Climate Conference in Scotland that is currently trying to get many nations to agree to ways to battle climate change. But that sun sure felt good. Nevertheless, I wish them well, although I remain skeptical that anything of real significance will get done; just ironically, more hot air.

                Yesterday, I was reminded of the great beauty of our planet. Susan and I took a private tour of the stained-glass windows in Northminster United Church. These windows were designed by our beloved friend Ron Wilson who passed away not all that long ago. We have several  of Ron’s paintings – one sits on the wall above this work station. He especially captures the grace, beauty and wonder of nature scenes.

                Each of the nearly twenty windows is a wondrous depiction of nature’s beauty, each portraying a  scene out of nature. It is almost like a tour of Creation. Butterflies in one, a wind blown cedar in another, lambs in yet another, a rain storm, loons. Words cannot do them justice; full of colour, movement, vibrancy, life. Like Creation itself, they were all very good.

                Interestingly, the one design which Ron needed to be persuaded to do was the window depicting a human family. I am not sure why because he has masterfully designed a window of a young family,  holding hands, a child being carried on a  dad’s back, all obviously enjoying the world they are surrounded by. Perhaps in the back of Ron’s mind was the thought that although humankind is a part of God’s Creation, we are messing up this whole having-dominion-over-it-all thing. Let nature speak for itself and leave us out of it. But I am guessing.

                It is often discouraging  to hear what is happening to our world because of climate change, a human-made catastrophe in the making. I try to do my little part but I end up thinking what good have I really done. There are still forest fires, oil spills, plastic islands in our oceans gathering more plastic by the day,  ozone holes, et al. I am not sure that my little blue box once a week on the curbside is going to fix much of that.  But each of us needs to do what we can.

                There are those who deny or diminish the effect of climate change. Our government wants to build more highways for more cars, although they are extolling the virtue of electric vehicles. Oil producing provinces loathe any pressure on reducing carbon totals. Big countries like China won’t even participate in the talks in Scotland even though they are one of the world’s biggest polluters. So what are you and I supposed to do?

                God made Creation for us to enjoys its beauty, possibilities, wonders and fruits.  God gave humanity the task of being caretakers, responsible custodians, and guardians of the earth’s riches. We are more than a sixth-day afterthought. We are essentially tasked with protection and security of the earth and all its resources. If I was at the Scotland conference, I would simply read the Creation narratives out of Genesis. At the end, I would close my Bible, look at those world leaders in the eyes and say to them: “We have a good thing going here. Now, don’t mess this up. God is watching.”

                As for you and me, keep on doing our best, even it seems small in comparison to what needs to be done. It was interesting to see how the world cleaned itself up during the pandemic. So we know if we try together that our voices, our actions, our understanding, our commitments can collectively make a significant difference.

                “For the beauty of the earth… Lord of all, to Thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.”

Dale

Wednesday, November 3, 2021

The misfits among the people had a craving and soon they had the People of Israel whining, “Why can’t we have meat? We ate fish in Egypt—and got it free!—to say nothing of the cucumbers and melons, the leeks and onions and garlic. But nothing tastes good out here; all we get is manna, manna, manna.” (Numbers 11: 5 -6, The Message Bible)

                 Happy garlic week!

                I bet a lot of you didn’t know that this is Ontario Garlic Week. I know I didn’t until I read about it today. There may even be a garlic festival near you. A whole week just to celebrate a small, smelly, taint-your-breath, ordinary vegetable which we use to spice up our meals.

                Garlic is a favourite ingredient of mine. I use it a lot. I make mouth watering, delicious garlic spare ribs. I always use it my stews. I prefer my steaks au naturel but I don’t mind using garlic on them either. Lamb chops always have to have garlic.

                There are medicinal qualities to garlic. It is believed that garlic can reduce cholesterol, increase your immune function, lower blood pressure to name a few things.  It’s a small price for smelly breath although its pill form has no odour.

                Let’s all lift up our voices for garlic!

                The Israelites have grown weary of wandering in the wilderness. Some long for a return to Egypt where they remember having food like leeks, onions and garlic. Of course, what they are too easily forgetting is that they were also slaves in Egypt. Having garlic came with a heavy price – making bricks without straw. (Exodus 5: 6 -9) Nevertheless, the people were wanting to return to their former state so that they may enjoy the savouriness of their past lives of slavery.

                God had given them manna – a bread-like plant. But they were sick and tired of this bounty.  Let’s go back. What’s  a few extra bricks if we can  have fish and vegetables and leeks, onions and garlic. Oh my!

                Hindsight can sometimes be 20/20. But also, sometimes, remembering what we think were the good ol’ days can be a trap. We prefer to see the past through rose-tinted glasses and extol all the virtues we think we once had. But we overlook the heavy cost of those things; forgetting the labour, the pain, the suffering. If we feel we are stuck in the present, the past can look pretty good. No matter how much God has provided for us we want something more, something better, something we think we are missing. Even if it means returning to that which once held us in  its power and grip, it seem a better if not bitter pill to swallow.

                Paul proclaims that because of the extravagant work of Jesus we have been freed from the slavery of sin. “Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.”(Galatians 5:1, New Living Translation) Once we gain our freedom through Christ there should be no going back to  former ways of living which may have caused us misfortune, domination, or labouring under powers that wish to do us no good.

But the temptation is always there, isn’t it – to allow the past to dictate our feelings in the present and for the future. To complain that God is letting us down. To whine about what we don’t have. To wish for the past even if that past was not really to our benefit.

Do we want God or do we want garlic?

Do we want freedom or do we want leeks?

Do we want salvation or do we want onions?

Nobody ever said or promised that gaining the Promised Land was a simple, easy venture. It has its frustrations and challenges. But if I need to make a choice between onions, leeks and garlic from my past and the banquet feast God has in store for us in the future if I but continue to trust God for all my needs today,  just pass the salt and I will be on my way!

Dale

Wednesday, October 27, 2021

The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbour? [Followed by the Parable of the Good Samaritan] “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbour to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.” (Luke 10: 30 – 36, New Living Translation)

                 Our three-year-old grandson, Declan, is the personification of neighbourliness. He thinks nothing about chatting up anyone and everyone whom he encounters. His parents are not far off so it is safe for him to do so.

                He is getting to know his neighbours around their new home. Recently, he decided that he needed to get know the folk across the street. So, he dragged his dad along with him and introduced himself to his neighbour.  He is like that wherever he goes - on walks, shopping, in parks and playgrounds - making friends out of strangers and reaching out to others. It’s not particularly a Soble thing to do as we Sobles tend to be shy introverts and like our privacy. It may come more from my mother’s side as my dad was warm and friendly to all. Perhaps his traits have found a  home in Declan, not to leave out his gregarious Great-grandma Barb and his other grandad, Ellis.

                We have lived in this house for 16 years. We wave at our neighbours but I only know one by name. In fact, I know their dogs' names better than I know their names.

                In a very similar story to Luke’s version in Mark’s Gospel, it is Jesus who cites the two greatest commandments, the second being of equal importance to loving God: love your neighbour as yourself. In Luke's story, the lawyer gets the words right but misses the meaning. The man has religion but not the works of love to go along with his creeds and dogma. He wanted to test Jesus, to see if Jesus was living up to the lawyer’s legal standards and social codes.

                Who is my neighbour? Ha! Got him!

                Everyone knows the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Two highly esteemed, religious elites go out of their way to ignore and pass by a man who has been mugged and lying at the side of the road. But a Samaritan - and let us nor forget Jews looked down on Samaritans and would not associate with them – goes out of his way, not to avoid the man, but to tend to his wounds, put him up in a hospice and pay for his stay. That, too, is the personification of true neighbourliness.

 I doubt that such an idea would even cross the lawyer’s mind. It’s none of my business. Don’t get involved. Let somebody else do it. It’s beneath me. I haven’t got the time. I’m too busy.

 The Epistle of James sums up this type of all-religion-no action sort. “Dear friends, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, “Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?”  (James 2:14, The Message Bible)

Love your neighbour as yourself. It means, on the one hand, to get rid of our prejudices, criticisms, judgments, assumptions and biases and, on the other hand, to be pro-active when we are needed and see that our neighbours, near or far, may need some help in some way. It is to be friendly at least, compassionate and caring at most.

It has been so easy to withdraw and seclude ourselves during this endless pandemic. But as life begins to open up, let us open up our neighbourliness to others. Stop. Look. Listen. Then find a way to reach out and become a neighbour to someone else.

“For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom.” (Galatians 5:14, The Message Bible)

And a little child shall lead us. Thanks Declan. Yes, now go and do the same!

Dale

 Wednesday, October 20, 2021

“Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!” (Hebrews 12” 1 -2, The Message Bible)

 

                “Keep On Churnin’ Till the Butter Comes Up”

                That’s the delightful title of a Blues song. Somebody could compile a modern book of Proverbs by just using titles from Blues songs.

    “Keep on churnin' and don't go slow
    Keep on churnin' everybody knows
    You got to keep on churnin'
    Or it just don't mean a thing.”

                Let us reflect on the art or skill of good perseverance. It is the ability to keep on keeping on. It is the refusal to quit. It is the capacity to work through the challenges and problems one encounters. It is the resolve to finish what one has started. It is the desire to do one’s best and give it one’s all. Perseverance is  the determination to strive for the best possible results for the present and the future.

                For believers it is also placing one’s total trust in God. It is the constant and persistent faithfulness to follow Jesus. It is the continual practice of living by the principles and values of Love which include mercy, forgiveness, patience, and self-control. Christian perseverance is the ability to reach for the goal of the upward calling of Christ upon our lives and never, ever, giving up on that goal.

                Perseverance is different than endurance, although, sometimes, enduring is required to be perseverant. But endurance can be a grit-your-teeth survival mode of living. It can be a hunkering down till the storms are over. It can be hiding under the covers for safety. Endurance can be a passive, reluctant resignation. Yes, the one who endures to the end will be saved but I think this adage speaks more to perseverance than mere endurance.

                Christian perseverance  leads us to strive for the holiness that is ours in Christ, we who are called to be his saints. It is a tall order. It can be and usually is challenging and often difficult. If it was all easy it wouldn’t be called perseverance. We need to persevere with confidence and assurance that God is with us.  We need to persevere with hope and joy that God is on our side. We need to persevere using our spiritual gifts and natural talents to make each and every day a better than the last one.

                “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 1:25, The Message Bible)

    "Fryin' pan's goin' crazy on the stove

    A blue sky's growin' hazy in the cold

    If I'd quit now it'd surely be a sin
    I got to keep on churnin' till the end begins.

    Keep on churnin' it ain't no lie
    Keep on churnin' till the day we die
    We got to keep on churnin'
    Or it just don't mean a thing."

Dale

Wednesday, October 13, 2021

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “Only God is truly good…” (Luke 18:19, New Living Translation)

                 Lord Dale Rodney Soble – has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?

                Don’t laugh; I have the certificate to prove it. I am officially a registered landowner of a plot of land in Scotland. It was a cool, unique birthday gift from Susan. It is a clever way for the Scots to raise money to preserve their conservation areas. I even have pictures of the site from an aerial view. My certificate confers on me all the rights and privileges of a “true” Scottish Lord.

                Mind you, the plot of land is about 5 feet by 5 feet. It isn’t quite big enough for my Scottish castle but I am not allowed to build on it anyway. Nevertheless, I am now Lord of the Manor, but I shall remain ever humble.   

                But it’s hard to be modest. Family legend is that we are descendants of King Alfred on my mother’s side. (In fact, Susan has traced possible genealogy back to Alfred’s mother-in-law.) On my father’s side we have stubborn Prussian pride.  Now I am a Scottish Lord. What more can I say? Why is our 14 year old dog, Charlie, rolling his eyes? I demand a little respect. “Little” is about as much as I will get from him - as long as I feed him.

                Jesus is exemplar in his humility and modesty. He could have grasped for power as the Christ, the Messiah. He could have demanded that people worship him as the new Jewish King. He could have insisted that people lavish their praise, their respect and their adulation over him. He could have commanded obedience and allegiance. But here in our text from Luke, he shies away from even the simple recognition of being “good”. If not Jesus; then who has been or ever will be good?

                Jesus defined leadership and for that matter, goodness, in radically different ways than we might.  “But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.” (Matthew 19:30, NLT)

                When the rich young ruler came to Jesus for advice, he wasn’t prepared for the instructions which  Jesus gave him, thinking perhaps that he was rich and powerful and very religious, to boot. Instead, Jesus said to him: “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Matthew 19:21, NLT) In the parable of the man who proudly built bigger and better barns to store all his wealth, it was meaningless in the mortal end. “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” (Luke 12:21, NLT)

                Jesus has taught us that there is no room for superiority for his followers, based on his own model of service and compassion. “Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant…” (Matthew 20:26 NLT) So many of Jesus’ parables emphasize servanthood, not elitism, not superiority over others, not pride of position or possessions.

Real  leadership is the warm, moist towel wiping tired, dirty feet. It is not the arrogant voice of the pharisaic, religious know-it-all but it is expressed in the tender voices of those who serve Jesus in soup kitchens, shelters, food banks and the like. Goodness and leadership are not a contradiction of each other but complementary. “Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning…” (Luke 12:35, NLT)

                All this makes my little plot of land In Scotland even smaller; puts my lordship into proper perspective. “If any of you wants to serve me, then follow me. Then you’ll be where I am, ready to serve at a moment’s notice. The Father will honor and reward anyone who serves me.”  (John 12:26, The Message Bible)

                But dang it – Lord Dale Rodney Soble has a nice ring to it! Sigh!

 Dale