Changing our Clothes

“Thanks again EBC for the ongoing gestures of love and kindness.” I’ve been pondering this little note left on our church prayer-site, on facebook. It is written by a widow who is moving away from us. I say, away from us, as in our/her church family. We are sad and delighted at the same time- such is the quality of our relationship. She is moving closer to her daughter, hence moving a few hundred kilometres away from us.

As I have been walking along through the month of September with kindness on my mind, I’ve considered the following: Christians should be the ones who consistently bear this fruit as an outpouring of our faith. Kindness produces a sweet harvest, and the Holy Spirit is aching to bear this fruit in your life and in mine.

I love how the apostle Paul speaks about kindness as an item of clothing for us to wear:

“And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.”

(Colossians 3:12,13)

Earlier in Colossians, he speaks about putting to death:

'immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed which amounts to idolatry."

(Col. 3: 5)

and goes on to say:

"put off: anger, wrath, malice, slander, abusive speech from your mouth.”

(Col. 3: 8)

Some of us change our clothes several times a day; some of us only do it once. Regardless, as we get dressed, we can be reminded of our spiritual clothing. We would do well to consider “putting on” kindness and “discarding” sexual impurity and greed, as seen in verse five and character-destroying conversation, as seen in verse eight.

Could someone say to you today: “Thank you for your ongoing acts of love and kindness?” We can lavish this fruit of the Spirit on those around us, pointing them to the Saviour; to Jesus who poured out His kindness by shedding His blood, bearing our sins on the cross. And, as seen in my friend’s short note to the church, it must be demonstrated to fellow believers as well as to the world at large.

It may cost us, this kindness. Maybe we think a little too highly of ourselves; maybe we consider that rich neighbour as snobby and therefore we couldn't be bothered showing a kindness to them.  Or maybe we are called to reach out to someone who we think is unlovely-someone who doesn’t smell too good, someone who does not have a change of clothes. Go ahead, give them the shirt off your back; demonstrate true kindness. After all, I am so sure you have another shirt at home and the kindness given is the perfect shirt to give away.

Nothing random about being kind

It happened not that long ago; a demonstration of kindness shown to my Mom that touched me deeply. Perhaps the bearer of this kindness didn’t realize what their simple gesture meant, but for me, it was keenly felt. Sitting alone for a few minutes, my Mom was watching some of the children playing, after the evening service. A lady deliberately walked over, from the other side of the room, sat down beside her, and chatted with her for a few minutes. “Just lovely,” I thought to myself!

If you have been the recipient of kindness, you no doubt recognize that sweet sense of having been touched by something greater than us. Perhaps you have even asked yourself: “Why me? What have I done to deserve this?” And there may not be an answer; it is more often the fact that you have done nothing at all to deserve it; that it is, in fact, greater than us. The fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22 implies a harvest, and kindness is a sweet and sadly underrated fruit in our day-to-day lives. Is it any wonder that we are deeply moved when someone meets a real need, in God’s way and in His timing?

Strong’s Concordance states it this way:

“Kindness: well-fit for use, serviceable, beneficial, benevolent.”

By the power of the Holy Spirit, we are both called and equipped to meet a real need; to give that which is both beneficial and benevolent. This implies an understanding of a given situation. It means getting to know one another, in a church family, so that we can truly provide for one another. There are wonderful implications for kindness being shown to those who don’t know Christ; looking for ways to serve others in our community. The “Random-Acts-of-Kindness” movement has, no doubt, benefited many, but as a Christian, there should be nothing random about being kind.

I love the way King Lemuel’s mother speaks, in Proverbs 31:26:

   “She, (an excellent wife), opens her mouth in wisdom, 

and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.” 

I am struck by the juxtaposition of wisdom and kindness in this text, and while it is about a wife, it can be extrapolated for all of us. It is a powerful statement, really. Speaking wisely will mean demonstrating kindness more than selfishness; meeting needs rather than whining about wants; looking for concrete ways to serve rather than digging for useless information in order to criticize. Showing kindness means taking deliberate, concrete action for the betterment of someone else. Its opposite, cruelty, has a sly way of maliciously speaking about someone or it manifests itself in the withholding of love in your marriage or an “I’ll-make-them-pay” attitude toward someone who has grieved you. You will find neither wisdom nor kindness with cruelty on the tongue.

But in the Saviour's wise voice, we hear words of kindness~ beneficial and benevolent, useful and serviceable:

  "I am the good shepherd; 

the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." 

(John 10:11)

"My sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow me; and I give eternal life 

to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. 

 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; 

and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 

 I and the Father are one." 

(John 10: 27-30) 

Ah, there you have it. For those who know Christ, we are caught in His capable, nail-scarred hands and He and our heavenly Father shall never let us go.

Kindness, indeed!

Impatience, the rebellious kick-starter

August 24, 2015.

Impatiens or impatience

Impatiens-such a great name for such a sweet flower, taking root and growing and spreading in a seemingly impatient manner! It is in a hurry to spread; wherever, whenever, however. Our own impatiens, pictured above, have brought the fourth fruit of the Spirit, (patience), into sharp relief against the backdrop of Paul's prayer for the church in Colossians 1:9,10, He prays that they might be

Ë filled with the knowledge of the will of God; with all spiritual wisdom and understanding

Ë walking in a manner worthy of the Lord

Ë pleasing the Lord in all respects

Ë bearing fruit in every good work

Ë increasing in the knowledge of God

As is so often the case, Paul’s prayer includes the grace that is necessary for such fulfillment:

“strengthened with all power according to His glorious might.(verse 11)

He gives an ultimate purpose:

for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience,”

and concludes with the antidote to impatience:

“joyously giving thanks to the Father

who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.”(verse 12)

Being impatient goes directly against what Paul prays for the church.  Meaning, my impatience is in direction opposition to the will of God. It is in a hurry to spread; wherever, whenever, however. And, it must be admitted, it is often the precursor to unrighteous anger. A lack of patience basically underscores my own unwillingness to trust God in any given circumstance.  But, it seems that impatience is such a trifling sin; unimportant when set against the heavyweights of adultery or murder.  Or is it? 

Could it be that Adam and Eve were the very first impatient ones?  Allowing Satan to convince them that God was holding something back, they really didn’t need to obey Him or wait for Him to reveal more of Himself; they could take a shortcut, with impatience as the kick-starter.  By hoping to circumvent the will of God, they took matters into their own hands, wanting to be just like God.  They were unwilling to wait for the very One who created them, loved them, and has been patiently waiting ever since time began, for people to turn to Him.

“Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness, and forbearance and patience,

not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?”  (Romans 2:4)

There is a repentance that leads to salvation, and an ongoing repentance that leads to godliness. While the old saying is still true: “patience is a virtue,” I am thankful that it is a fruit of the Spirit, and one which my Saviour wants to see flourishing in the garden of my soul  ̴ ‘strengthened with all power according to His glorious might.’

I won’t be uprooting my impatiens any time soon, but I will be digging deep to tear out the insidious roots of impatience in my own heart, replacing it with a joyful and thankful spirit.

It Wears Thin...

It wears thin, after awhile; like a garment that is getting old- I speak of patience.  This fourth fruit of the Spirit, mentioned in Galatians 5:22, has had a habit, lately, of not quite coming to full maturity, full fruition; and I am left with the dregs of a lecturing tongue or a fuming heart.  Having stopped by someone’s home this week, I couldn’t help but notice the little rock sitting next to their door…and you guessed it, painted ever so lovely there was the word, ‘patience.’   A lack of patience is somewhat odd for me, since I tend to be very patient; sometimes excessively so.  What to make of this? 

I suppose I could be forgiven for a little impatience from time-to-time.  But I need to take a serious look at “why now?”  Why am I so quick to demand my own agenda; so concerned about doing it my way, right away?  Where does this come from?  Bottom line, of course, is the fact that it is sinful.  But under-girding it is, admittedly, a tired heart. The words of 1 Corinthians 13:4 almost shouted at me: “Love is patient, love is kind…”  Berating myself, and determining to become more patient, has hardly helped.  

So, I am thankful for my pastor’s recent comment: “You have two jobs; one at The Villa and one with your Mom.”  He is right, and it was helpful to get some perspective on it.    A warning bell has gone off in my mind; I really need a break.  And the same words: “Love is patient, love is kind,” are now whispering to me; breathing life into my soul as I consider the patience and kindness of Jesus Christ.  He is patient.  He is kind.  I am His daughter. I can truly find refreshing rest, in my Saviour, and in admitting my own weakness and fatigue.  

Some time ago, (Feb.17, 2014:”Golden Threads”), I wrote about a couple - Jim and Lillian Scott.  Mr. Scott was the epitome of patience, especially as his dear wife slipped further and further away into the dense fog of Alzheimer’s.  His own heart ached so, for the love of his life; spending hours by her side, devoted to the end.  His testimony did not go unnoticed and a friend of mine, who got married on August 1, 2015, wrote me the following note, in response to my congratulatory words: 

“I thank Mr. Jim Scott for showing me by his treatment of his wife Lillian, how to conduct myself in marriage. Margo and I met 6 years ago at the Yonge Street Mission.”

Thank you, John, for refreshing my tired soul, by reminding me of these dear friends and Mr. Scott’s example of patience and kindness. We can be sure that he would be the first to admit that it was the Lord’s doing.  And for this I am grateful.  It's true: "God is not finished with me yet," and He is the one who is determined to bear this precious fruit of patience in my life.

I will be planning a break; and that right soon.

Healed

I've been thinking and praying for all of the women who have had abortions. You are many.  In Christ, may you know grace and mercy; may you know peace and forgiveness.
I pray that you will not be overwhelmed by a burden of sorrow. I pray that you will not be haunted by a past that is already gone; by actions that are already forgiven in Christ.

"So if the Son sets free, you will be free indeed," (John 8:36).

I pray that you will find trusted friends who will walk with you through this journey of repentance and faith. I pray that you will find renewed strength and courage for the days and times that your soul is overwhelmed with sadness. I pray that you will know unrelenting joy in the face of internal accusations, and that you will be reminded of this beautiful word from our Lord:

"So if the Son sets free, you will be free indeed," (John 8:36).

And I've been thinking and praying for all the men whose wives or girlfriends have had abortions. You are many.  For some, your counsel and urging has led to the abortion.  In Christ, may you know the same grace and mercy, the same peace and forgiveness that are found at the cross.  

"So if the Son sets free, you will be free indeed," (John 8:36).

For others, your loss is a great loss, as fatherhood slipped away from you and you are heart-broken. I pray that you, too, will know the peace of God that passes understanding.  I pray that your forgiving heart will lead others to faith in Christ- the One who said:

“…He has sent me to heal the broken-hearted..."  (Luke 4:18)

Hillsong sings:  "Man of Sorrows" ~ 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlOJ5o8W4Lw

July 18, 2015.

Torn.

That’s what I have been, these past few days…torn apart at the tragedy that is presently going on in the United States; the illegal selling of aborted babies’ organs and body parts, by Planned Parenthood.  If you can stomach it, watch this video clip: https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/undercover-video-planned-parenthood-uses-illegal-partial-birth-abortions-to.

Is it not enough that, in Canada alone, on a yearly basis, over 100,000 babies in the womb, (http://www.statcan.gc.ca/access_acces/archive.action?loc=/pub/82-223-x/82-223-x2008000-eng.pdf&archive=1), are already being torn apart, aborted; those unloved, unwanted “mistakes?” 

Perhaps some of these babies were conceived out of the inconceivably horrible crime of rape.  How is it that a baby should be given the death penalty for their father’s crime?  Perhaps it is discovered that the child in the womb has a particular disability- are they any less human?  These are unmitigated, horrible actions; unspeakable and evil things.  But speak I must, or I will have no peace. 

Who will be the voice for these unborn, voiceless, vulnerable people?  Yes, I will call them people.  Even though Canadian criminal law states that they are a child in the womb, they are not recognized as a human being until they have exited the womb; what utter doublespeak!  I will call them people.  We all know that a woman does not carry an animal in her womb – she carries a person, stamped with the very image of God upon them. How precious and priceless we are; unless you are doomed to die in the place of life- in your mother’s womb.  And at that, your body tissue sold to the highest bidder; echoes of slavery haunt my mind and I am reeling at the implications of it all. 

My heart is torn.  I have prayed with heartbroken women who have had abortions, and I have wept for the babies who never caught a breath.  I fall in anguish and sorrow and ask the Prince of Peace, Jesus, to bring His peace into the heart of this latest battle for the souls of humanity. He was torn.  He knows the pain of nails driven into His hands and feet.  His heart was torn apart at the full weight of the sins of humanity and he did something about it.  He laid down His life and rose from the dead so that people might be forgiven; so that sin’s debt could be paid by Him, rather than by us.  Faith in Him will bring true peace, and will lead us to action; the kind of action that speaks louder than words, bringing justice to bear in these days of tragic barbarism.  So I will support this organization:                                                                       www.tricountypregnancycarecentre.ca

 The old saying still rings true: ‘If you don’t stand for anything, you will fall for everything.’

                                             "My eyes fail from weeping,  I am in torment within, 

                   my heart is poured out on the ground because my people are destroyed,
             because children and infants faint in the streets of the city.(Lamentations 2:11)

Images of the unborn being destroyed haunt me. The idea that someone, or some “entity,” is willing to buy these torn-apart babies for research leaves me almost speechless.  Read here: http://www.centerformedicalprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/StemExpress-flyer.pdf It gets worse.  They have stooped to illegally using ultra-sound so they can “harvest” an aborted baby’s intact organs.  The very thought of it is despicable beyond belief.  Oh, how I shudder at the righteous judgment of God, before whom reckless lawmakers and money-grabbing lawbreakers will one day stand. 

“Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing oppression, to turn aside the needy from justice, and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey.” (Isaiah 10:1-2)

The Price of Peace

July 7, 2015.

Where the Whole World Stands

Peace. Who needs it?  I would venture to say that the whole world stands in great need.  As I continue my walk through the fruit of the Spirit, found in Galatians 5:22, I find myself pondering peace.   Of late, I have received a greater measure of it.   Mom has been in need of more supervision, with summer’s arrival.  She loves to be out working in the yard, which is a huge understatement.  You can hardly persuade her to come inside, even as the sun is setting, the air is cooling and the bugs have the munchies. At the age of 91, it is truly wonderful that she can enjoy such pleasures.

Until now, she has been able to manage being on her own when I head out to my part-time job as a Recreation Worker at “La Villa Acadienne,” a long term care facility.  But dementia has a sneaky way of changing the rules.  So now, I’ve hired someone to come and spend time with her when I am at work.  It is only for a few hours.  I have much more peace about her well-being, but this decision is tinged with sadness and I am reminded that peace usually comes with a price tag.  Should you ask any soldier, they would understand.  Should you ask Jesus, He would show you the wounds in His hands and His feet, and He would tell you: “Tetelestai!” (John 19:30)

“ Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, 

He said, "It is finished!" And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”

This Greek word, which is most often translated: “it is finished” means “paid in full,” like a bill that has been paid. Jesus was willing to pay for all my sin, (and yours), at the cost of His life. Stamped over every sin are the glorious words: “paid in full,” if a person is willing to believe the weighty truth of such an unimaginable sacrifice.

This is where the whole world stands - in need of the peace that Jesus offers.  It is deep. It is glorious. It is enough to pay for sin and to quiet the uncertain heart. It will be sufficient for this next season, as I walk with Mom through these summer months and on into Autumn.