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“Call to me and I will answer you…” Jeremiah 33:3 (ESV)
This was my favourite Bible challenge for skeptics, people who demanded proof of God, or the reason for my faith, in the most secular place I knew, The Spectator newsroom.
Make no mistake, these folks were my friends and colleagues, and many were genuinely interested in why I was a believer but weren’t prepared themselves to take a leap of faith.
I would quote Jeremiah, and suggest they give that a try, see what happens? I would wave away any reposte about how this applied only to Jeremiah with the same answer. “Even so, give it a try, see what happens?”
When I first entered management at the paper, measured in church time that would be about five senior pastors ago, I became Production Editor. It’s one of those entry-level management jobs where if anything goes wrong, serious typos, the paper is late publishing, a libelous phrase slips by, it’s considered your fault.
The Production Editor managed the copy editors, wire editor, page designers, liaised with the press room and a dozen other things. I had the power to “stop the presses,” which incidentally was never used to stuff in a breaking news story. It was an emergency option to prevent something horrible from escaping the building in print. Eg: the front page picture was upside down, you misspelled the name of the Prime Minister in a headline. It was the sort of thing that earned the Production Editor a trip to the Editor-In-Chief’s office to explain why umpteen thousand copies of the paper had been tossed into the bin.
The other thing I had the power to do was hire staff. This was critical because copy editors were the paper’s last line of defence between potential laws suits, embarrassment and, heaven forbid, stopping the presses.
We had in those days full-time, part-time and on-call copy editors. And that was the road to full-time employment. Nobody got a full-time job walking in off the street. If you had the potential skills you joined the on-call list and made yourself available six nights a week to fill in whenever someone was away.
About the time I became Production Editor, I also began teaching an adult Bible class at Central. The topic was prayer.
I remember telling the class to think about that one thing in their life they really needed to lift up to God in prayer, and to do so each day. Then on Sundays we might compare notes.
Then a job vacancy came up.

I did the interviews and knew immediately who to hire. It was an on-call copy editor who had demonstrated great skill, who showed up every time I called, who did every job with great care, and fit in well with the staff.
Perfect. I thought. Protocol required that I advise the Editor-in-Chief of my choice and then the Editor would sign off. That was a given. That’s why I did the interviews instead of the Editor.
Except this time.

The editor had been to a lecture on diversity or something like that and apparently my choice, based solely on necessary skill and previous service, didn’t fit.
“I’ll see who’s out there,” the Editor said. “And I’ll let you know.”
I was stupefied and walked away thinking unworthy thoughts.
It occurred to me, after I calmed down, that this was the thing I needed to appraise God about in prayer. And I did. I complained bitterly in prayer all week.
The following Monday I went back to see the Editor who promptly told me I was not to hire my selected candidate and that he would let me know when he found someone suitable.
I was outraged and continued my daily assault on heaven.
This went on for another two weeks. The Editor was adamant, and I kept praying. And nothing changed.
Prayer class became hard to teach.
Then one day I was sitting at home reading a detective novel I think, relaxing before going in to work and received the shock of my life. One of the characters in the novel quotes Isaiah 55:8–9.
[8] For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
[9] For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts. (ESV)
I was stunned. It suddenly dawned upon me that I was not prepared to accept the Lord’s will when it differed from mine. This was so shocking a revelation that I went and found my wife and confessed it to her, and then I prayed and repented with remorse.
Then I drove to the paper still shaken by the insight. As soon as I walked into the newsroom the Editor called me into his office and said “I’ve changed my mind. Go ahead and hire (your candidate.)”
I could feel the hair on the back of my neck standing up and I felt extremely humbled.
I shudder now to think of the arrogance and pride that would have taken root had I immediately received the answer to my prayers under the circumstances.
I have learned, slowly, and haltingly, to understand that there is no such thing as silence from heaven. When you pray, God hears, and He will take every opportunity to answer you and to give you what you need in every circumstance. Every time. Because He loves you. But remember, His thoughts are not your thoughts.
“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” Jeremiah 33:3 (ESV)

 

         

  The 1960’s brought seasons of unbelievable shock and sadness. I recall coming home from elementary school to witness the solemn scene of my dear mother sobbing as she shared with me that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated (Nov. 22, 1963). It was so tragic that life appeared to stand still as the world mourned. Five years later the tragedy repeated itself. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated and there was immense sorrow (April 4, 1968). Two short months later the devastating news of the shooting and consequent death of Robert F. Kennedy occurred (June 8, 1968). Throughout these years, the Vietnam War contributed to the ongoing groans of the times, exacting a terrible human loss of nearly three million people. Seasons of war, dying, weeping, mourning. Do these times of the past sound a bit familiar to our times today?
God tells us that to every thing there is a season, a time to every purpose under heaven. Reflecting upon the 1960s, music made an impact on my daily survival as a teenager. In 1965 I remember the hit song “Turn Turn Turn”. It expressed the reality of a changing, or turning, world. The lyrics were taken almost verbatim from the Book of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. At that time I didn’t even know about Ecclesiastes or even the Bible, but this song, performed by The Byrds, was engraved on my mind for years! Pete Seeger, who was a folk song writer, took these 8 verses from scripture, created the melody, and titled it “Turn Turn Turn”. Seeger often wrote songs in defence of the poor, the oppressed and the exploited.
Let’s take a look at these words in Ecclesiastes written by King Solomon and inspired by God:

To every thing there is a season,
A time to every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born, A time to die;
A time to plant, A time to pluck what is planted;
A time to kill, And a time to heal;
A time to break down, And a time to build up;
A time to weep, And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, And a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to gain, And a time to lose:
A time to keep, And a time to throw away;
A time to tear, And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;
A time to love, And a time to hate;
A time of war, And a time of peace.

In which season are you living? To which purpose under heaven are you living? Do you know what God has created you to do?
As a believer in Jesus Christ, you have been given a spiritual gift to bring glory to God. It is important to know your spiritual gift. Please consider how God has created you for His purpose under heaven and then use your spiritual gift to bring praise and honour and glory to God today and every day He gives you breath.

 

         

  So, “how long” did it take you before you asked someone else their “how long” request? “How long” was your conversation? Okay, okay, I will stop asking “how long.”

But seriously, have you asked someone or talked with someone about what has you asking that question these days? This was the main theme of Psalm 13 that we walked through last Sunday.

Believe it or not, I did my own homework! Since Sunday, I have asked a couple of people their “How Long” request. Their transparency was refreshing because it takes away the idea that what I am experiencing is somehow unique; as if I am the only one that struggles in a particular way. Whatever it is that we struggle with, the hardest part can often be…How Long? 

The longer we carry the burden the more difficult it can become. Now, I am definitely a fan of “time under tension” to grow muscle in the body. Yet, all of us have our limits. That is why God’s Word tells us to bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2) and cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us. (1 Pet. 5:7)

I came across a vivid illustration of this the other day as I was praying for our deacons. 

As many of you know, I would rather be outside walking while I pray than in my office. While on my walk I saw in the distance a mother out for a walk with a toddler, stroller, and the family dog! What caught my attention was the large stick (basically a small tree!) the dog was carrying. 

As our paths crossed we had a short conversation. Apparently, the toddler found the stick and wanted to bring it home, but could not carry it the whole way. At some point on their walk, the toddler put down the stick and the dog carried it the rest of the way. What a picture of what God does for us! 

How often do we feel the same, like we cannot carry this burden any more? Even though dogs have the reputation of being “man’s best friend,” they pale in comparison to the “friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (Prov. 18:24) 

Are you carrying a burden that you need to give to Jesus? What is preventing you from giving it all to Him? How heavy does it have to become until you hand it over? Who are you going to talk with this week?

 

         

  I like log cabins. Facebook posts many pics of beautiful cabins in the mountains and by a flowing river. I clicked on the “like” button and now Facebook algorithms have inundated me with similar pictures. But one in particular got my attention: “live off-grid; live on your own terms!” 

If you are a sucker for the romance of living in a cabin beside a rushing stream in a wooded mountain valley. I would suggest that you think long and hard before you pack up and leave Brantford.

While we were living in northern B.C., we got to know a family who lived off-grid. They bought a trap line and eventually won occupancy rights for year-round living. 

It was idyllic when you were just a visitor. As we got to know them, we learned a lot about that lifestyle. 

No phone, no internet, no hydro, no municipal water. You get the picture. 

But there were a lot of other factors. They had to be a mechanic (no CAA), first aid attendant, adept at all sorts of technical pursuits. It is an exhaustive (and exhausting) list! As a family we were invited to supper and a movie night and during the movie suddenly, the TV died. 

“Don’t worry” our host cried, “I just need to fill the generator!” I hope you get the idea. Living off grid is an “all in” proposition.

As I looked at the Facebook post and remembered what an off-grid life was really like, my thoughts came to the Christian life. 

When you study the New Testament, there is a pattern that emerges from the pages of scripture. The Christian life is not a romantic endeavour. It is a life that demands an “all in” mentality.

While on earth, Jesus demonstrated a commitment to His purpose that often eluded his disciples. Peter, as he often did, missed the point. After his marvellous confession of Jesus as the Christ, he recoiled at the idea of Jesus being killed. (Mark 8: 31-38). 

After Jesus rebukes Peter, He says: “if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Mark 8: 34) This is an all-in call to discipleship. The cross is not a piece of jewellery or a tattoo, but it is a manifesto that implies the possibility of a gruesome death.

The apostle Paul stated succinctly this thought: “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Phil. 1:21). Later in his life, a more mature Peter said: “because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” (1 Pet. 2:21)

So, the next time that you feel an impulse to live off grid. Remember that it requires an all-in commitment. Likewise, if you think that living for Christ is an easy proposition, remember that it requires an all-in commitment, but one that will bring its own rewards. 

         

Our world calls out for justice, and rightly so. Have you heard the cry?

In Canada, it sounds like slogans such as Every Child Matters. It sounds like our govern­ment’s ongoing conversation with our indigenous peoples about truth and reconciliation. It sounds like calling out against racism, oppression, poverty, bigotry, violence … and the list goes on. The organizations pursuing justice and their slogans are numerous and often familiar.

Our culture loudly affirms the biblical desire for justice that we should “give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute” (Psalm 82:3). Cul­turally, we say that we want to “learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause” (Isaiah 1:17), but what justice can be done when we re-define what is good, re-assign the standard for what is just, and deny what is true? 

As believers, we must notice how our world is becoming — perhaps has already become — a place that can look the truth in the eye and, without ever expecting an answer, honestly ask Him, “What is truth?” (John 18:38) 

This is what Pilate did on the morning of Jesus’ crucifixion. Jesus had just told this govern­ment ruler, “I have come into the world — to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice” (John 18:37, emphasis mine). Pilate did not listen. Today, it seems our world is not listening either. 

Whether they listen or not, the truth remains that Jesus still “died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, [and] that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Jesus brings the world justice either by making us just or crushing the unjust.

When our world calls for justice, it may not know, but it’s calling for Jesus.

Those who are abused, misused, crushed, mistreated, ignored, and refused justice have al­ways been on God’s mind. From Israel’s Exodus out of Egypt when “God heard their groaning” (Exodus 2:24-25) and saved them, to the martyred saints’ cries for justice in Revelation 6:10 (“How long …?”), God has always been and will always be just. This should be a comforting thing for his children and a terror to the unjust.

Jesus is the fullest revelation of both truth and justice. He is the answer to the call for justice that our world is making. This is why Matthew 12:17-21 (quoting Isaiah 42:1-4) says that Jesus “will proclaim justice to the Gentiles” and with perfect gentle patience he will bring “justice to victory.” 

Our world needs to hear this. By the Holy Spirit’s transforming power, the Father’s sover­eign timing, and Jesus’ justifying gift we have been given this wonderful opportunity. We can help a world calling out for Justice see that his name is really Jesus.

Who do you know that needs to hear that calling for justice is calling for Jesus?