toward Advent

The year is moving toward Advent.
Advent is about waiting and longing.

We wait for lots of things...

• the results of the next election
• results of medical tests and/or surgery
• snow
• good news

There are a couple of things that stand out in our world.
People are afraid and exhausted. 

But, as honest an assessment as that is of this moment, it is important to point out that our current political climate - some call it fascism - thrives on these emotions.

One of the strategies of fascism is wearing people down.
So how do we push back? How do we offer an alternative?

During Advent this year I will be offering a series on Revelation 21-22. Waiting for the new heavens and the new earth. This is not escapism - that has nothing to do with biblical Christianity. But waiting for, longing for, hoping for, expecting the fullness of God's Kingdom to continue to break in.

The Old Testament offers an alternative.
Wonder is an antidote to fear.
Read Job 38:1-7 and Psalm 104.
Read them slowly.
Read them out loud. 

Job 38:1-7

The Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind:

"Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
Gird up your loins like a man,
I will question you, and you shall declare to me.

"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you have understanding.
Who determined its measurements—surely you know!

Or who stretched the line upon it?
On what were its bases sunk,
or who laid its cornerstone
when the morning stars sang together
and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy?"

Psalm 104:1-9, 25, 35b

Praise the Lord, my soul.
Lord my God, you are very great;
you are clothed with splendor and majesty.

The Lord wraps himself in light as with a garment;
he stretches out the heavens like a tent

and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters.
He makes the clouds his chariot
and rides on the wings of the wind.

He makes winds his messengers,
flames of fire his servants.

He set the earth on its foundations;
it can never be moved.

You covered it with the watery depths as with a garment;
the waters stood above the mountains.

But at your rebuke the waters fled,
at the sound of your thunder they took to flight;

they flowed over the mountains,
they went down into the valleys,
to the place you assigned for them.

You set a boundary they cannot cross;
never again will they cover the earth.

There is the sea, vast and spacious,
teeming with creatures beyond number—
living things both large and small.

Praise the Lord, my soul.
Praise the Lord.
Hallelujah!

I invite you to recall wonder.
The wonder of new discoveries.
The wonder of the universe.
Let wonder fill your heart and mind and soul.
Breathe in wonder.
Rest in that wonder.

One of the first photographs from the James Webb telescope.

Every year you grow, you will find me bigger.

 In C.S. Lewis Prince Caspian in The Chronicles of Narnia,

the children return to Narnia, and Lucy encounters Aslan:

"Welcome, child," he said.

"Aslan," said Lucy, "you're bigger."

"That is because you are older, little one," answered he.

"Not because you are?"

"I am not. But every year you grow, you will find me bigger."

Do you see it?

Every year you grow, you will find me bigger.

I trust that is true for you. That you are finding God - the one who is Creator & Sustainer, the Alpha & Omega, King of kings, Lord of lords, Savior - bigger in your life.

 

 

Let justice roll down like water

This was the theme verse for my class when I was at OTS [Ontario Theological Seminary – now Tyndale]. 

The context is a courtroom scene. God is asking us to see, not just what is broken, but recognize that God Himself calls us to account. He stands as the Judge, the Prosecutor, and even the Jury. We are summoned to answer the question:
  Who can bring about justice? 
  Who can set things right?

At the core of this trial, God asks each of us: |
  How will you heal a broken, suffering humanity?

The truth is, we, on our own, have no answer. 

• No matter how advanced our thinking, 
• how noble our intentions, 
• or, how well-crafted our philosophies, 
• humanity on its own cannot set things right. 

This has been the case throughout history, our efforts fall short of what is just, what is right. We see this in the political realm

• In the USA, the November presidential election is a fight between two parties who each believe they have the right answer that will set things right.
• Here in Canada, we are seeing increasing division between Liberals and Conservatives. We see striving for power and control. 
• Everywhere we look in the world, we see leaders who are lost, systems that fail, and solutions that turn out to be worthless. We look to human wisdom and find it insufficient. 

Amos said in 5:23-24, stop trying to trust in your own understanding, which is only noise.
     Take away from me the noise of your songs;
    I will not listen to the melody of your harps.
     But let justice roll down like water
     and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

But how?

How do we let justice roll down like water and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream? 

Let me add another image to this courtroom of hopelessness – the Servant of the Lord. In Isaiah 42:1-4, the Servant of the Lord is the One who brings true justice and righteousness into the world.

Jesus is not just another leader or philosopher; He is the solution, the embodiment of God’s justice and righteousness. As Isaiah describes him, He will bring forth justice not through loud declarations or violent force, but with quiet, persistent compassion. He won’t break the bruised reed or extinguish the dimly burning wick. He brings justice not by crushing the weak or overlooked but by gently and lovingly restoring them.

    “Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
    my chosen one in whom I delight;
     I will put my Spirit on him,
     and he will bring justice to the nations.

    He will not shout or cry out,
     or raise his voice in the streets.

    A bruised reed he will not break,
     and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.

    In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
     he will not falter or be discouraged
     till he establishes justice on earth.
    In his teaching the islands will put their hope.”

The justice that Jesus brings is the setting right of all things – the realignment of the world with God’s original design. 

• He doesn’t just fix the surface; 
• He reaches into the heart of the issue – whether it’s in society, in families, or in our own personal lives – and transforms it according to God’s perfect standard. 
• And that standard is righteousness, which is being in alignment with the very character of God.

Justice and righteousness are inseparable but distinct. Understanding the connection between justice and righteousness is key to understanding how we can live lives that reflect God’s will.

• Righteousness is about conforming to the standard of God’s character – living in a way that mirrors His goodness, truth, and love. 
• Justice is the outworking of righteousness; it is righteousness in action. Through the power of Servant of the Lord, we live in alignment with God’s character, the natural result is justice – things being set right in our relationships, communities, and the world.

But here’s the thing: we cannot bring about this justice on our own. 

Left to our own devices, we are like the leaders and thinkers in the courtroom — unable to give a satisfying answer to the world’s deepest needs. 

This is why the Servant of the Lord is so crucial. Jesus is the only one who can bring justice because He is the only one perfectly aligned with God’s standard of righteousness. He alone can establish the rightness that the world needs.

This truth offers more than just intellectual understanding — it invites us into a transformation that affects every part of our lives. The call to “behold the Servant” is a call to fix our eyes on Jesus as the solution to every personal and societal problem. 

Here are some ways this plays out:

• In our personal lives: 
  Often, we try to set things right on our own — whether it’s mending broken relationships, overcoming personal struggles, or striving to be better people. But true transformation comes when we allow Jesus to align us with God’s standard of righteousness. When we surrender to Him, He works within us to heal, restore, and make us whole.
• In our families and communities: 
  When we allow Jesus to shape our relationships, we start to see justice and righteousness flow into how we treat others, how we respond to challenges, and how we engage with our communities. Instead of perpetuating cycles of hurt or conflict, we become agents of God’s justice, reflecting His love and care.
• In our wider world: 
  We often feel powerless in the face of global problems — poverty, injustice, corruption, and division. But we are called to reflect God’s justice in our actions, knowing that Jesus is already working to bring things in alignment with God’s standard. This gives us hope and purpose as we seek to live out justice, whether through advocacy, service, or simply loving our neighbours well.

While we may feel inadequate to bring about real change on our own, Jesus is more than adequate. He is already at work, and He invites us to join Him in His purpose to set things right. When we fix our eyes on the Servant of the Lord, we are no longer burdened by the weight of the world’s problems, nor are we left without a solution. Instead, we are empowered by His Spirit to live out righteousness and justice in ways that reflect God’s heart.

So, when we face the brokenness of the world or our own lives, the answer is not to despair or try harder in our own strength. The answer is to behold the Servant, to place our trust in Jesus, and to allow Him to bring about the justice, rolling down like water, and righteousness, like an ever-flowing stream that only He can bring. He will not fail, and His work will establish justice in the earth. Let’s trust in Him and live as reflections of His justice and righteousness.

Ethiopian New Year

 

Enkutatash (Ge'ez: እንቁጣጣሽ) is New Year in Ethiopia. It occurs on Meskerem 1 on the Ethiopian calendar, which is 11 September (or, during a leap year, 12 September) according to the Gregorian calendar.

According to Ethiopian tradition, on 11 September, the Queen of Sheba (Makeda in Amheric) returned to Ethiopia from her visit to King Solomon in Jerusalem. Her followers celebrated her return by giving her jewels. ‘‘Enkutatash’’ means the ‘‘gift of jewels’’.

Upon her return, at the end of the dry summer season, yellow flowers began to bloom in the foothills surrounding Addis Ababa (the name means "new flower"), signifying the end of a long drought and the start of new life within the country.

Today is a day for celebration, beginning with gathering for worship, and for enjoying traditional Ethiopian dishes like injera (made from a gluten-free millet called teff), doro wot (a spicy chicken stew), and coffee.

As nighttime approaches, families gather and begin building a bonfire, which is lit at sunset and kept burning until sunrise. 

Because Ethiopia uses the Gregorian calendar (also known as the Ethiopian or Ge'ez calendar) 11 September 2011, begins the year 2017. So when I go back to Ethiopia I will be 7 years younger!

Praying for Ethiopia in this difficult time for them as a country.
Praying that peace will reign in this new year.
Enkutatash 

book review: this is where it ends

title: This Is Where It Ends
author: Cindy K Sproles
date: 2023
publisher: Revell

This isn't the type of book I normally read.

Minerva Jenkins has led a lonely existence atop her beautiful mountain since her husband, Stately, died, some 30 years ago. Were it not for the secret she’d promised to keep for him, she might not have spent all this time fending for herself. In fact, she has never even known what the secret was.

“This Is Where It Ends” by Cindy Sproles is a slow, contemplative, redemptive, and far-reaching novel that is best savoured and explored, chapter by chapter. It is told from Minerva's perspective. The author’s descriptions of the setting are wonderful. I could picture the mountain, the river, the sunset, the vegetation (including the offending kudzu, and the fragrance of wisteria and honeysuckle. It is repetitive, but in a way that makes the characters more real because, after all, life’s struggles can be repetitive, aren't they?

“This Is Where It Ends” is a story of contradictions and questions, inviting us to freshly ponder our own lives. It's the type of novel that is vague but meaningful, memorable yet never quite something you fully grasp. It's well worth reading.

Some great quotes from the book:

•  “A secret ain't nothing but a dishonest seed layin in wait... There ain’t no such thing as a good secret.”
• “Learn to look beyond what is temporal to what is eternal.”
• “...the quickest way to know a body was lyin was to watch how fast they got mad.”
• “Truth is, Del, I’m gold.”
• “Blood doesn’t make a relationship. Kindness, caring, love makes a family. You don’t have to be blood to be the perfect fit.”

Reading this book I felt like I was on a journey with Minerva of love, betrayal, and finally forgiveness.

“This Is Where It Ends" has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Morning Has Broken | God of the Ages

Yusuf / Cat Stevens – sang Morning Has Broken. Featured on the classic 'Teaser and the Firecat' album, Morning Has Broken was adapted from a traditional hymn with words by Eleanor Farjeon.

But there is another song written to the same tune, it's a Gaelic tune: BUNESSAN.

The words were authored by the Canadian hymn-writer, Margaret Clarkson. I had the privilege of sitting with her in Ian Rennie's Church History class at OTS [Ontario Theological Seminary - now Tyndale]. It was great having her in the class & introducing us to music from different periods of church history. She is the reason for some of my enjoyment of plainsong and Gregorian Chant. 

The hymn that she wrote to go with this tune, captures the nature of our God as both transcendent and imminent:

God of the ages, history’s Maker,
planning our pathway, holding us fast,
shaping in mercy all that concerns us:
Father, we praise you, Lord of the past.

God of this morning, gladly your children
worship before you, trustingly bow;
teach us to know you always among us,
quietly sovereign, Lord of our now.

God of tomorrow, strong overcomer,
princes of darkness own your command:
what then can harm us? We are your people,
now and forever kept by your hand.

Lord of past ages, Lord of this morning,
Lord of the future, help us, we pray:
teach us to trust you, love and obey you,
crown you each moment Lord of today!

Text by Margaret Clarkson, 1915-2008
Words © 1982 Hope Publishing Company

retirement - books

I have a lot of books. 

Lots and lots of books. 

Before we moved to Orillia, I took a van load of books to CSM - Christian Salvage Mission in Hamilton.

As we move toward retirement, Janice's comment/question is:

What are you going to do with all your books? 

They can't come home! 

I have been going through my books - both ones in my office, at home, and those in the crawl space. I have selected several hundred books to give away... there are still more books to go through.

The week of June 9-16 the books will be available for FREE at OCC.  

There will be a donation box if you wish to make a donation - those funds will go towards my next ministry trip to East Africa.
But no pressure.
The books need to go... for the sake of our marriage!
Anything left will be sent to CSM - Christian Salvage Mission in Hamilton.

Nuclear War

 I read Annie Jacobsen's 2024 book "Nuclear War: A Scenario".

Based on facts from exclusive interviews with many who have worked on nuclear scenarios over the years, Jacobsen outlines a realistic possibility.

What follows is less a review, than a jumping-off point for some of my comments.

She opens with a quote from Winston Churchill: 

"The story of the human race is War. Except for brief and precarious interludes, there has never been peace in the world; and before history began, murderous strife was universal and unending."

The nuclear war scenario she outlines could happen tomorrow. Or later today.

Nine countries possess nuclear weapons: the United States, Russia, France, China, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, India, Israel, and North Korea. In total, the global nuclear stockpile is close to 13,000 weapons. More than enough to destroy the world many times over.

Anyone who believes in the doctrine of MAD [Mutually Assured Destruction] is indeed mad.

Because technology and weapons have become so advanced, most people agree that if World War III ever happens, nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons will probably be used.

Albert Einstein is reported to have said:

“I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.”

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres recently warned the world.

“Humanity is just one misunderstanding, one ­ miscalculation away from nuclear annihilation... This is madness... We must reverse course.” 

How true.

Jacobsen comments that the fundamental idea behind this book is to demonstrate, in appalling detail, just how horrifying nuclear war would be.

Jacobsen breaks her book down into 24-minute sections, beginning with that first blip on a radar screen indicating the launch of a missile. 

This is not an unrealistic scenario.

• As recently as March 2024, President Vladimir Putin said that Russia is ready to use nuclear weapons if there is a threat to Russian statehood or sovereignty.
• An Israeli minister has said that a nuclear bomb on the Gaza Strip was an option in the Israel-Hamas war, 
• North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un has repeatedly threatened to use nuclear weapons preemptively.
• Pakistan has not declared a No First Use policy,
• The USA does not have a No First Use policy.

It does not take much to start a nuclear war. And once started there is no turning back.

One of the sad things about this is that there are Christians who think that would be a good thing. 

It's time to re-watch my favourite nuclear war parody movie: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

Towards Retirement

You may have heard by now that I am retiring from full-time pastoral ministry at the end of June 2024. Our last Sunday will be 23 June. 

Some have asked about our timeline. This has not been a quick decision. I love what I do. We have been at OCC for almost 16 years. This is home. These are our people.

About 5 years ago I met with a couple of our Leadership Team to let them know that my plan was to retire before I turned 70. I turned 69 in April, so this is my 70th year.

This last summer/fall, Janice & I started to think that the summer of 2024 would be a good time to retire.

Before Christmas, I let OCC's Leadership Team know that I would retire at the end of June and would announce it to the congregation in March.

We started to tell family - our kids had our summer planned out with time with grandkids in a hurry! It's going to be a busy summer!

When I was in Uganda and Ethiopia in January and February, I told ministry leaders of our decision - they and I, are looking forward to my availability for ministry in East Africa.

When I returned home, we started letting friends know before the official announcement. And then in early March, we made the announcement to the congregation.

Since then we have been processing what this means.

Stay tuned for the next post...

Ascension Day

Today, Thursday, May 9, is Ascension Day. 

Most of us within the evangelical circle don’t pay much attention to this day. 

The account of Jesus' ascension is found in Acts 1:1-11. One moment Jesus was standing with and talking to his disciples. They can see him. They can hear his voice. And if they had reached out they could’ve touched him. The next minute, “he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.” (Acts 1:9)

I have no idea how that happened. But I do believe it is true. 

The immediate context is the question of political power; "they gathered around him and asked him, 'Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?'" (Acts 1:6)

What are we to make of Jesus’ ascension? 

What does it mean for us and how we live? 

I think the ascension is about more than just reciting in the creeds “He ascended into heaven.”

More and more I am thinking that Jesus’ physical withdrawal from this world is less about his absence and more about our presence. 

One of my granddaughters is learning to ride her bike. I or her dad stand behind the bike, holding on to the seat or her waist, helping her balance. And then, as she gains confidence, we step away from the bike. To her it looks and feels like absence or distance. But from my perspective, I am making space for her to become a bit more herself. 

 

As Jesus ascends, 

two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? (Acts 1:10b-11a)

Their question implies that there is somewhere else to be looking.
Maybe it’s not a question to be answered.
Maybe it’s a call to step forward. 

What if Jesus is deflecting our eyes from him to our neighbour?

Maybe Jesus wants us to be living signposts to the kingdom of God.

Look at the gaps in our community today. 

For some, there is a gap between the life we are living and the one we want to live, 

the person we are and the person we want to be. 

For most of us, there is a gap between the world as it is today and the world we want to give our children and grandchildren. 

Every wound, loss, and broken heart is a gap waiting to be filled. 

Injustice is a gap that is swallowing up lives. 

Hunger, poverty, homelessness, loneliness, racism, and violence are gaps asking for our presence. Broken relationships are gaps asking for someone to step in.

What gaps do you see in your life and Orillia today? 

Some gaps are individual and personal. 

Others are communal and shared. 

Who is falling through and getting lost in the gaps?

Whatever the gaps in our lives and community might be today, we have a choice to make. 

We can keep looking up toward heaven, toward that which is unseen and intangible, or we can turn our eyes to our neighbour who is visible, reach out our hands to the tangible circumstances, step into the gap, and do something.

I wonder what stepping into the gap means and looks like for you today. 

What keeps you from stepping into the gap? 

What holds you back?

What keeps you stuck? 

And what would it take to step into the gap today?