Golden Threads

There I was - entering a church building where I knew no one; not a single soul.  And oh, happy providence, I sat next to Lillian.  She became one of the precious golden threads that brought me into fellowship at West Toronto Baptist Church,(WTBC).  She was an older lady; petite and sharply dressed.  Twinkle in her eyes and hands folded so demurely on her lap, she held her purse in that sweet manner of her generation.

Our first conversation:

“Anyone sitting here,” was my question.

“Sit next to me, dear,”  was her response.

Well, as a Cape Bretoner, that ‘dear’ got me comfy 'right quick.'

 “What’s your name, dear?”

“Francine.  And yours?”

“Lillian.  Lillian Scott.  I love you, dear.”

I nearly burst into tears right then and there.  “Oh God,” I prayed, “You have given me such a gift!”

And so the treasury of a thousand smiles and sweet fellowship began.   I met her husband on that first night.  Jim.  I couldn’t bring myself to call him by his first name.  My father would have given me quite the lecture.  I ended up calling Lillian by her first name but called Jim, Mr. Scott.  I couldn’t help it.

I didn’t know it then, but I came to understand that dear Lillian was slipping into that uncertain world of Alzheimer’s - a disease that bullied its way into her life. Mr. Scott loved her so; with a fierce and yet gentle passion that encouraged my heart perhaps more than they both knew.  I needed them.  I learned from them.  They loved me; this stranger in their midst.  They wove me into the very fabric of WTBC, where I became a full time Outreach Missionary. For 15 of those 20 years in the Junction, the west end of Toronto, Lillian and Mr. Scott were there, sometimes literally holding my hand.  Starting with them, many wonderful seniors became intricately entwined with my life.

Over time, Lillian and Mr. Scott moved into a Seniors’ Residence.  And then she moved to the TLC unit.  Visiting Lillian was such an honour. We would chat about anything and everything.  I would sing and read Scripture and pray with her.  She didn’t remember me, but I remembered her.  Oftentimes,  Mr. Scott would be there.  His face would crinkle up in a smile and his eyes would light up with such delight.  Oh- the gift of those precious moments I had with them. 

There were challenges, and heartaches, as the disease stole away some of Lillian’s sweet nature.  I would say to Mr. Scott: “I know her ways of behaving have changed, but we also know that the real Lillian is still there - in need of joy and grace; deserving dignity and respect.”  His eyes shining with tears, he would nod his head and we would pray.

As much as Mr. Scott loved Lillian, he loved Jesus more.  Every month, when a few of us would meet for prayer in his apartment, we spent no time on small talk.  We spent time on our knees before the Lord.  And I am grateful.  I have no doubt that his prayers are still being answered on my behalf, and for the teens in the Junction who are now adults,  for West Toronto Baptist Church, and for the missionaries whose names he had written on sheets of paper - paper that became soaked and blotched from many a tear.

I thank God for these dear saints.  Both of them were already well into their senior years, their golden years, when I met them.  God used them in my life in more ways than I can count.  I pray that I will always have time for seniors. May I serve them well and love them well; these golden threads, woven into the fabric of my life, and into the life of the church.  

Every church needs them.  They need the church. 

Speaking of the church, Paul says:

 “Knit together in love”(Colossians 2:2); 

knit together by God’s grace and design.

Even now I miss Lillian and Mr. Scott with an aching in my soul

that I hope never goes away this side of heaven.

(Photo used with family’s permission)

Breaking

Ice breaking up in the brook.

Snow banks breaking down as they melt into the ground. 

Sun breaking through the wintry snow-laden skies. 

Bird calls breaking into my reverie.

Grace and mercy of God breaking over my soul.

“Let it come, Oh Lord we pray Thee.

Let the showers of blessing fall.

We  are waiting, we are waiting.

Oh revive the hearts of all.”

"Lord,

Break in and steal my heart again.

Break down my defences that keep me from You.

Break through my façade, so others can see You.

Break up the fallow ground.

  Break over my soul in grace and mercy."

A Great Legacy

Acts 20:17-38

 I’m struck by Paul's deeply personal tone, as he bids farewell to the elders of the church at Ephesus.  He had been with them for three years; with tears and trials; with them the whole time; night and day; teaching publicly and house-to-house.  He tells them that they will see his face no more, leaving them in tears.  He commends them to God.  He prays with them before he leaves. 

And yet, he also reminds them of things he did not do, while with them:

Ë Did not shrink from sharing what was profitable

Ë Did not shrink from declaring the whole purpose of God

Ë Did not cease to admonish each one

Oh my!  He was not afraid to remind them of his relentless pursuit of molding and shaping their leadership.  He was not afraid to “speak the truth in love”(Ephesians 4:15).  We have become somewhat of a fearful bunch, us Christians- we don’t want to offend anyone.  And so, we offend our God instead.  We shrink from sharing the truth and declaring God’s purposes and admonishing one another.  Instead, we obfuscate the truth, tone down the difficult providence of God and placate egos. I need others to be willing to point out to me where I’m wrong; to lovingly point me back to the cross.  I need a true spirit of humility to speak to others when they have moved away from the gospel.  If, however, I speak from a place of pride, I’d best not speak at all.  Taking the beam out of my own eye should occupy me for a long enough time that I may even forget about the speck in someone else’s eye.

Paul, he had earned the right to speak.  He loved them well.  He was not on a witch-hunt, sussing out those believers who were disobedient.  On the contrary, he was reminding these church leaders that they could be easily fooled if they were not alert.  If they did not guard against falsehood and “savage wolves,” the flock would be scattered and destroyed.  He reminds them that it’s really all about Jesus: “But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, in order that I may finish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God,” (v.24) and he says that he was “solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks, of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.”(v.21)

Solemn is not a word often seen in direct connection to the gospel, but Paul links them here, twice.  Is it not a solemn thing that Jesus actually died on a cross, to deliver us from the penalty of sin and give us new life?  Is it not a solemn thing that people reject this and find themselves at the edge of eternity, with no Saviour?  Is it not a solemn thing when a fellow believer is in open public sin and we dare not love them enough to speak with them, to admonish them?

 “And now I commend you to God,” he says, “and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” (v.32).  Precious words of encouragement, from a man who knew that his own road ahead would be marked with more trials and more tears.  In his final words, he quoted Jesus: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (v.35)  He loved them to the end, with a lasting legacy that was personal, powerful and practical. 

  Will I share what’s profitable?  

Will I declare the whole purpose of God?  

Will I admonish when necessary?  

Will I give encouraging words and solemn words?

What kind of prisoner are you?

Acts 16:16-24  (in summary)

Paul and Silas had been to a prayer meeting in Philippi, where Lydia became a believer.  A slave-girl followed them for many days, saying, “These men are bondservants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.” (verse 17).  They commanded the demon to come out of her, and it did.  Outraged, her masters incited the people against Paul and Silas, who were then thrown into prison.

Acts 16:25-31

But about midnight Paul and Silas were  praying and singing hymns of praise to God and the prisoners were listening to them; and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains were unfastened.

And when the jailer had been roused out of sleep and had seen the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.”

But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Do yourself no harm, for we are all here!’  And he called for lights and rushed in and, trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas, and after he brought them out he said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And

they said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus and you shall be saved, and your household.”

In this story:

     A slave-girl, owned by masters- she had several owners;  a virtual prisoner.

o   More than one human master; enslaved because of demonic possession

o   And how many women today are sex slaves to pimps; slaves to their drug habits?  And how many men are sex slaves- enslaved to their passions? All in need of the liberating gospel

™ She was possessed by a demon, who supposedly gave her the ability to tell fortunes

™ This demon, however, could not lie about the Most High God

™ Two men who were bond-servants of the Most High God- Paul & Silas

o   Are we slaves to sin or to righteousness? (Romans 6:16)

™ This demon could not stand against Jesus. The slave girl was freed.

Midnight

o   Utter darkness in an already completely dark prison

™ Prayers and songs in the night

™ The prisoners were listening

o   Never underestimate the power of prayer and song; anywhere, at any time, for anyone to hear, (a hospital room, a park bench, a prison, a coffee shop)

™ The jailer was asleep. 

o   He didn’t hear the praying and the singing – he really missed out

o   Are there times when I’m asleep instead of hearing what God has to say to me?

™ An earth quake. 

o   I’m always reminded of the earthquake that shook the earth as Jesus was dying(Matt. 27:51) and the one when He rose again. (Matt.28:2)

o   Talk about shaking up your world!

™ Escapees.  But the prisoners didn’t run away.  The Roman jailer literally had to guard the prisoners with his life or it was forfeit if they escaped. 

™ And the jailer wanted to believe. 

o   Needed to believe. Did believe. 

One would have thought it was the prisoners that would have been saved- the obvious ones in need; or the slave girl.  No- it was the jailer.  He was as imprisoned in his sin as the ones whom he guarded.  And two of the prisoners, Paul and Silas, were the least imprisoned of all.  They were free in Christ.  Ah- the ironies of Scripture are sometimes so delicious.  God puts His fingerprint on everything! 

So pray for the ‘obvious ones’ - your family members who have gone astray; your loved ones who appear to have no regard for the gospel.  But don’t be surprised when Jesus saves the ‘good one.’  That was me, as compared to my formerly drug-addicted brother who is now a pastor.  That was me – the one who loved seniors and volunteered in other countries and wanted to do good for others.  I am so thankful that Jesus set me free from my prison of self-righteousness.    Am I perfect?  No.   Am I freely forgiven  in Christ?  Yes- a slave to righteousness, rather than to sin.

 Mark 8:37 says: 

 ‘What does it profit a man if he gain the whole world but lose his own soul?

The Gate Beautiful

In the book of Acts, chapter three, a story unfolds:

“Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer.  And a certain man who had been lame from his mother’s womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple.”

A begging man at the beautiful gate - such irony.  How many people had seen that same man, day after day?  Did anyone ever speak to him or did they just put their alms in his palms?  Until Peter and John came on the scene, we can only imagine how many days and weeks and months and years he had been brought to this same spot.  Peter and John were headed for a prayer meeting.  A man was begging.  And they stopped. 

And Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze upon him and said: ‘Look at us!’  And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.  But Peter said, ‘I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene-walk!’  And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were strengthened. And with a leap, he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.”

This particular day started as such an ordinary one for this “certain man.”  That is, until the Gate Beautiful became just that – a beautiful gate; the entrance to a new life.  Soon afterwards, Peter and John were thrown in jail.  Not because the man was healed, but because they were preaching the gospel; because they went on to tell people that they had put to death the Prince of Life, whom God had raised from the dead.  They preached about repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

I find myself, by times, begging at the Gate Beautiful, when the Lord has already brought me into His sanctuary.  New life in Christ means just that- new life IN Christ.  No more days and weeks and months and years searching, yearning, hoping for someone to fill my cupped hands with something of great value.   

And there are times when I find myself walking past those whose hearts are aching with the pressures of life and the guilt of sin; hands outstretched.  

Lord, may I give them something of great value - your gospel.  

May I point them to you - the Gate Beautiful.  

Singing a New Song

As I worked on reformatting some of the songs we use on power-point, at the church, I found myself singing through several lines of each song.  God gave me such a sweet sense of His presence.  Without realizing it, I had grown weary and was becoming lonesome for Him; for my Saviour.  And then, “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God,” as the Pslamist so wonderfully states in Psalm 40:3.

Do you find yourself singing some ditty or other?  Ask the Lord for a “new song,” the song of the Lamb.  Of the nine passages in Scripture that speak about a “new song,” eight of them are speaking of singing a new song to the Lord.  In Psalm 40, the psalmist is given a new song by the Lord.  How lovely indeed!

A New Song: 

Satisfied With You

I am amazed at your goodness, Jesus.

I am satisfied with your abundant grace.

I am amazed at your mercies

And I am only satisfied with you.

I will not run from your presence.

I will not flee from your voice.

I will draw near, you’re my sanctuary.

I will bow down and rejoice.

I will bow down and rejoice.

There is no other God beside you.

No, there is none like you.

There is only one perfect Saviour

And I am only satisfied with you.

I will not run from your presence.

I will not flee from your voice.

I will draw near, You’re my sanctuary.

I  will bow down and rejoice.

I will bow down and rejoice.

An Old Shed

We need a new shed.  The old one is sitting on a few cement blocks; the roof has more leaks than wood and the squirrels have enlarged a hole in one wall- where the door handle managed to create a dent and now it is their special entryway.  I’d like to put on a new roof, but I know it will need a better foundation.  Not much point in fixing the roof if the building is going to fall down around my ears.  I’m determined to get it right when the spring weather arrives- a new foundation, upon which to build a new shed.  I’m hoping it will be my own parable – to spur me on to strengthen the foundation upon which I stand, in Jesus Christ. 

Paul speaks about the people of God as those who are

“members of God’s household, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,

with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.”

 (Ephesians 2: 19, 20)

Paul cements 3 essential components of a trustworthy, solid foundation for our lives:

the Old Testament prophets,

the New Testament apostles

and Jesus- the cornerstone.

As I anticipate the coming of spring, I have all winter to cohere these same elements into my life; a head-start on a deeper foundation.  Through fellowship with the people of God, studying the scriptures and prayer, I have every resource at my disposal.  Here’s hoping that foundation will be deeper and stronger; and here’s hoping the new shed will stand for many a year to come.