Dalston-Crown Hill United Church

Dear Dalston-Crown Hill United Church friends,

I hope you are well and that 2022 has been a good year for you. No doubt we have all faced challenges in our own ways, but I hope we have experienced God’s grace even in the midst of our difficult times.

As we approach another Christmas season, many of us look forward to good times, familiar traditions, tasty treats and maybe a gift to warms our hearts. In our house, this latter hope is an extra cause for excitement. Lately, I’ve been asked, “May I open a present now?” This raises a broader question I often wondered about as a boy, “Why can’t it be Christmas all year ‘round?”

Of course, it cannot be Christmas twelve months of the year. For one thing, it would be economically impossible—imagine our credit card statements if that were so! I’m sure we would also get Christmas-fatigue pretty quickly.  Even more, there is no heightened emotional state we can sustain for too long. If Christmas were all the time, Christmas would no longer be Christmas.

My favourite part of the nativity story is the response of the shepherds. They were watching over their flocks that first Christmas night without any expectation. They were not looking at their watches wondering, “When will the angel appear?” That night started out just like any other. Then, after the angel appeared suddenly to announce the good news of the Messiah’s birth, and after the host of heaven filled the sky to sing God’s praise, the shepherds had faith to leave what they were doing, go into Bethlehem, and look for the child. Then, after they had seen the baby Jesus and spoken to his parents, “the shepherds returned [to their flocks], glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen” (Luke 2:20). Having had an amazing revelation of God’s saving work, they worshipped, gave testimony, and then went on with their (often difficult) lives.

Our calling as God’s people is to hear and receive the good news of Immanuel—God-with-us—and carry on with our everyday lives, albeit with renewed thankfulness and delight. Christmas and its seasonal pleasures cannot take up more than a few weeks every year, but that is just enough to fill our hearts with joy at any time! I pray a blessed holiday season and a happy 2023 for you and your families.

Yours,

Will Haughton

Reflection of Pat Edmonds “Against All Odds” as presented at a joint service held at Forest Home United Church on August 28th, 2022.  Scripture Reading:  Hebrews 11:29 -12:2. Pat Edmonds is a Licensed Lay Worship Leader in Shining Waters Region.  You can also find a Zoom recording of the service on our Facebook page.

I’m sure that you sometimes spend time watching live coverage of sports events on television – whether the recent homerun derby, the Tour de France, the Raptors, Blue Jays or last week’s tennis matches. I find it to be an overwhelming, uplifting experience and often wonder how I would feel as a parent of one of these athletes as they give their all, often extending beyond normal human limits. Through modern technology we can all see these athletes doing their best. We can all be spectators or part of the “cloud of witnesses” who see first-hand their accomplishments after countless years of training, disappointments, sacrifice and endurance.  In that cloud of witnesses are many who have trained, supported, and loved these athletes through all their trials, disappointments and triumphs.

In this week’s reading from Hebrews we hear of the “cloud of witnesses”, not to sporting events, but to our lives as Christians.  I began to think of the cloud of Christian witnesses who have helped shape my faith journey and cheered me on. First, my parents who communicated their faith in God to me. Then the Sunday School teachers who captured my interest with wonderful stories from the Bible. My CGIT leaders, both of them called Jean, who first encouraged me to participate in worship by reading scriptures for the Annual Christmas Vesper Service.  Somehow they gave a very shy 11 or 12 year old the confidence to stand at the pulpit and read in front of a congregation. Little did they realize then what they had started! Then I think of all the people, women in particular, I have worked and worshipped with in United Church Women – UCW members from all across Canada. I thank God for all these Christian witnesses who have helped shape me into the person I am today. I know all of you have met and journeyed with a cloud of witnesses too – people who have traveled your faith journey alongside you. I invite you to take a moment to think of one person who is in your cloud of witnesses, someone who gave you encouragement, comfort or assistance and watched you grow in the faith.

The book of Hebrews continues the recitation of stories of the faithful which began last week. In these messages from Hebrews 11, we meet great people of faith who overcame impossible odds. Their stories are captured for us, not on the World’s Most Amazing Videos or Tick Talk but in the Bible. Those who are listed are not listed for never having failure in their lives; for they did. They are listed, instead for having faith in their lives. In verses 29-34 we see sharp contrasts between those who put their faith in God – the Israelites and Rahab; and those who do not – the Egyptians and the people of Jericho. Today’s text reminds us that “by faith” God’s people not only ventured into the unknown, but they also did some amazing things against the odds. The inclusion of Rahab suggests that people who live by faith are not always who we think they may be. Rahab is both a foreigner and a prostitute, yet by her faith she risked her own life to save the lives of others. Some of the great and revered names are listed. After listing several examples, the author asks, “Need I go on?” Then those whose faith was proved through suffering, persecution, torture and even death are also included. There isn’t enough time to speak of everyone, such as all the prophets, and even martyrs of the present age. The point is that there are countless examples of people who have persevered in faith against all odds. They are the ones who become mentors for us today – who seek justice, act kindly, endure hardship, even death, because their faith in God looks toward a world made new. These people gave their all, simply because they knew God was with them. And they didn’t even have the benefit of knowing the Messiah! How much more, then, should we who have met Christ “hang in there and not lose hope.

The community for which Hebrews was originally written is believed to have faced serious persecution. Concerned that people would turn away from Christian faith, the writer encourages the people of God to hold fast, recalling the faithful who have gone before – the “cloud of witnesses”. They persevered against odds to the very end, and encourage us to do the same. In this passage the Christian life is not compared to a sprint, but to a marathon. In a sprint you run as fast as you can for a short distance, and speed is the critical factor.  But in a marathon, stamina or endurance is the critical factor. Finishing the race is critically important for all who would call themselves followers of Christ.

In the 1986 New York City Marathon, over 19,000 runners entered the race. What is memorable, however, is not who won, but who finished last. His name was Bob Wieland. He finished dead last – 19,413^th. Bob completed the New York Marathon in 4 days, 2 hours, 47 minutes and 17 seconds. It was unquestionably the slowest marathon in history – ever. So what is it that made Bob’s marathon so special? Bob ran with his arms!  17 years earlier while in Vietnam, Bob’s legs were blown off. He sits on a 15 pound saddle and covers his fists with pads. He uses his arms to catapult himself one arm-length at a time. He can travel a mile in an hour. That is real endurance in the face of adversity.

Like Bob those who are still running the race, that’s us, are to set aside anything that holds us back, including “ sin that clings so closely.” Some ancient manuscripts translate these words in 12:1 as “sin that distracts.” Both versions invite us to reflect on what distracts us from the forward movement in our own faith journeys. The writer’s use of “we” and “us” signals that this race is not a solo run, just as many sporting events are not. Relay races or team sports require every person to be skilled and to give their all.  The community of the faithful journeys together – not in competition, but in a spirit of collaboration and encouragement. These words encourage a community that is struggling to persevere, not through examples of those who received the promise, but because of those who persevered in faith against the odds. These verses were written to encourage a group of Christians who, faced with increasing opposition, were in danger of losing their faith. They are reminded that faith can motivate people to do great things and to overcome fear and discouragement.

The culmination of the list of the faithful (and the conclusion of today’s passage) is the admonition to keep focused on Jesus, the pioneer and perfector of our faith. Jesus didn’t give up. He understood that, even when things did not seem pleasant or even bearable, God would sustain him.

As the metaphor of the race in the passage from Hebrews implies, choosing faithfulness is neither easy nor passive. It can be demanding and often requires change and growth. The way of faith prepares us for the coming of God’s dominion, but it also breaks down well-worn molds of expectations in our lives as we seek to become the people God calls us to be. Whenever one attempts to tamper with the status quo, division, discord and resistance are unavoidable. As disciples of Christ we must discern what God is calling us to do and just because divisions may happen, it doesn’t change our call. Sweeping changes come about in our lives, in the world and, yes, even in our local church and our denomination. For several years as members of a congregation and Shining Waters Region we have been asked to reorganize some of our thinking and the ways we do church. The status quo is being challenged, divisions may occur and families may even be split. But this is a necessary part of our lives as Christians and members of the United Church of Canada.  In Luke 12 Jesus describes the costs of discipleship in terms of the divisions it may cause. Even families may be divided by different understandings of what it means to be faithful. These conflicts can arise as believers reorder priorities, reshape behaviours, and rethink goals.

 As Christians we are not unlike athletes. The Christian life requires a well-disciplined spirit and body. Bodies not given sufficient training go soft. So do spirits, wills and feelings. Paul was a spiritual athlete and expected his friends in the early church to follow his example. When athletes are interviewed either before or after a competition, they often speak of FOCUS. If a winner, they contribute their success to the fact that they were totally focused on the task at hand. If not, they often say they lost their focus or for a split second focused on the wrong thing. We too, as a Christian family need to be sure we have the right focus and do not waiver from it. Our focus can be readily found in the scriptures: love our neighbours as ourselves and serve God in all we do. We are to take our place in the “cloud of witnesses”, to be the mentors, along with those of the past, for the current and future generations. Are we ready to run the race against all odds, persevere in faith despite the challenges in our everyday lives, and finish the journey we have begun? The prize is not a medal, gold, silver or bronze, but something even more precious – eternal life. Thanks be to God.

Will Haughton’s Reflection on September 20, 2020

Scripture Reading:  John 16:16-22

In 2011, renowned Cornell University psychologist, Daryl Bem, published the results of an experiment in a scholarly article entitled “Feeling the Future” in which he demonstrated something referred to as “pre-cognition”. Participants had before them two curtains. Behind one was a pornographic image. Behind the other was a blank wall. In Bem’s study, 53% of people, when asked, predicted the location of the image correctly. Rationalizing, he saw this as pointing to a heightened level of human evolution stemming from our reproductive impulse—our future selves can communicate with us about important, upcoming opportunities. At least in some way, it was argued, humans can now see the future.

If all this is sounding like the domain of scientists and experts, don’t worry. I’m no scientist, but I did see a similar experiment being conducted by Bill Murray’s character, Doctor Peter Venkman, with a deck of cards at the beginning of Ghostbusters—one of my favourite movies! Shortly afterwards, Dean Jaeger, a college administrator at Columbia University, expelled Venkman, Ray Stantz and Egon Spengler, from campus. As the old saying goes, “when God closes a door, he opens a window.” This was exactly the impetus the trio needed to start a ghost-catching business and eventually save New York City from the evil demi-god, Gozer.

In case you can’t yet tell, I don’t believe we can see the future. Of course, sometimes we can make an educated guess about what is to come. A baseball hitter, facing a full count, with no outs and the bases loaded, might know to look for a fastball over the plate. When parents tell their children to wear rubber boots to school on a wet day, they might expect some resistance.

There have been many successful guesses made in history. Anticipating a devaluation of British currency relative to the Euro, in 1992, Hedge Fund owner George Soros made a billion dollars on a single trade by short-selling Pounds Sterling. Educated guesses, however, are not the same thing as seeing the future. If we could see the future, really, no one would ever lose money in the stock market, marry the wrong person, buy a lemon of a car or learn that their cancer is incurable—the correct, preventative action would always be taken in due course.

As people of faith, however, we might be inclined to believe that even if our brains have not truly evolved to connect with the future, maybe God sometimes give us helpful clues along the way. Our prayers for guidance often ask for some indication of what the future may hold, so that we may avoid pitfalls, make wise decisions and, simply, follow where God is leading. Likely, we have come to believe that it is a sign of faithfulness to commit big decisions to prayer and to ask God for direction.

The disciples often wanted to know from Jesus, their teacher, what the future had in store—for themselves, for their nation and for Jesus himself. In John 16, Jesus was in the midst of giving the disciples his parting words, so to speak, at the Last Supper. “In a little while,” he said, “you will not see me. Then, after another little while, you will see me.” The disciples asked, naturally, “how long will these ‘little whiles’ be?” Jesus didn’t answer directly, but said, “You will grieve and then you’re grief will turn to joy.” He continued to answer by giving an analogy of a woman in labour and delivery—it’s horrible and then afterwards, when a birth is successful, there is joy. He gave them not a timeline but rather a promise of what their experience would hold. While not using the particular words here, John-the-gospel-narrator described Jesus pointing his followers to the distinction in Greek thought between chronos—measurable, scheduled time—and Kairos—the right time. Say, for example, we’ve been looking for a job for six months, with no results—that’s chronos, time that marches on. When the right opportunity comes along—that’s Kairos. Kairos is God’s timing. God will act decisively and perfectly when the time is ripe—no later, no earlier. When it happens, we will know it.

To this day, God invites us to live in trust and hope that God’s plan for the world will unfold at precisely the right moments. We are sometimes given signs to look for—“you will grieve and then your grief will turn to joy”, for example—but never, in my experience, a precise timetable. God does not give it to us as human beings to see the future. Much as that might seem like it could be helpful in certain instances, I’m not sure it would give us a life that would even be recognizable as human. After all, it would be helpful to know the future when putting money in the stock market. I, for one, would love to know for certain what I could buy low today and sell high tomorrow. If that kind of knowledge were available, however, who would sell to me now, or buy from me down the road? If we could see the future, no one would need to venture out or take a risk. No one would need to work hard or strive at something. There would be no such thing as trust. There might not be any pain but there wouldn’t be any joy, either. We wouldn’t need God because we would be gods. In truth, there would be no God, no real people—no existence. Instead, in God’s infinite wisdom, we have been created and given minds that require us to learn and grow, make decisions, press on, love one another and have faith. All of these things find fulfillment and meaning, especially, in the midst of the struggles and adversity which provide the backdrop for our lives.

Startled by the shocking results of what seemed to be a methodologically sound study in their field, two of Daryl Bem’s fellow psychologists set out to re-enact his research into the possibility of our seeing the future as human beings. In this case, they enlarged the sample size, reproducing the experiment with 3,000 participants. They found, not surprisingly, that there was no evidence for such parapsychological abilities. Fortunately, it is not true that we know nothing at all of the future. We know that although there will likely be good times and bad ahead, joy will carry the day because Jesus is risen and God is with us. 

Will Haughton’s Reflection on September 13, 2020

Scripture Reading:  Matthew 13:31-35

Last week I mentioned that during this pandemic I’ve gotten into the habit of listening to podcasts—a kind of pre-recorded talk-radio you can listen to whenever you like over the internet. One of the programs I’ve heard lately was an interview conducted by the CBC with an American, Lutheran minister called Nadia Bolz-Weber, from 2013. Bolz-Weber is known for having served a congregation called House for All Sinners and Saints between 2008 and 2018 as well as for having written some popular religious books, wearing lots of tattoos and using relatively salty language. In the CBC interview, she described her mid-life call to ministry. Having grown up in a repressively religious household, she rebelled and eventually fell into alcoholism and drug addiction. As part of her later recovery, she was drawn to the Lutheran expression of Christianity. At the time, she was working as a stand-up comic. She noted that among stand-up comics, there is a prevalence of mental illness and addiction. Sadly, one of her fellow comics fell victim to such challenges and committed suicide. Known among her co-workers as, by then, the only person of faith among them, she was asked to conduct the funeral. While leading this service, held in a downtown comedy club, and looking out at the crowd of attendees whom she knew to be struggling with many issues and simply to find their places in the world, she felt called to minister to such folks who often don’t have their lives together. So, she helped plant a church for such people who certainly did not already have a church.

 This thought raises the question of what, or whom, the Christian church is for. As church members or participants, and perhaps long-term ones at that, we’re likely to think and act as though the church is for us. We might not say it in so many words, but we’re often living in hope that the music, worship, activities and sense of community will be to our satisfaction and liking. After all, we’re the ones paying the bills and doing the work.

I rather think, however, that God has called us together for a different purpose. The church of God consists of us—we who are already of it a part—but it is for others: for the world, for our communities, for particular people around us who need God’s love.

The Christian Church believes itself to hold the same faith as Abraham and to be part of the fulfilment of promises God made to him: “your descendants will be numerous as the sand on the seashore and through you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” Abraham and his descendants, biologically and spiritually, have, in other words, been blessed to be a blessing.

Perhaps we sometimes shy away from this vision because it seems too grandiose for us. It’s not that we’re self-centred so much as that we lack confidence. We find it hard to believe that God could do much through us, insignificant as we are through the world’s eyes. The amazing news is that God has been doing amazing things through the unlikeliest of people in every generation.

Jesus himself was a humble Galilean with a background in carpentry, or perhaps the construction trades more generally, who died the most inglorious of deaths. Who were his twelve disciples? They were mostly fisherman on the Sea of Galilee. Who were the first to proclaim the good news of his resurrection? They were some women whom no men of their era would believe.  Yet, despite these shockingly obscure beginnings, here we are today—almost 2,000 years later.

Emily read to me a book, earlier in the summer, about some named Salva Dut. Born in 1974, in Sudan, he was 11 years old when the Second Sudanese Civil War reached his region. With the devastation of war all around, Salva survived as a displaced person for another 11 years, enduring hellish conditions which took the lives of millions of his compatriots. In 1996, he was sponsored as a refugee by an Anglican church from Rochester, New York, who brought him to live with a family there. Eventually, Salva attended a local community college. There, he took a course in well-drilling. Since 2003, Salva and his organization have dug more than 450 wells in the parched nation of South Sudan, including for communities of previously conflicted tribes.

A well-known preacher tells the story of a Sunday school class which was reciting a famous verse of the Bible, in front of the congregation, during the annual awards Sunday. One-by-one, the students were asked, what can separate us from the love of God? Each, in turn, would answer by giving the long list of things written by Paul in the Letter to the Romans, chapter 8, verse 39: “There is nothing in all creation, not life nor death, not angles nor demons, height nor depth…” At the end of the row stood a child with down syndrome, whom everyone in the congregation knew well enough to know would not be able to meet this challenge of memory and public speaking ability. Anxiety began to fill the sanctuary. However, in her turn, she was asked, “what can separate us from the love of God?” She answered, loudly and proudly, capturing the true meaning of the verse: “Nothing!” 

Jesus taught often in parables such as this: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed. It is the smallest of all seeds yet it becomes the largest of shrubs and even a tree, so that the birds come and live in its branches.” We sometimes question whether God is at work in the world. Yet, have we paused to consider the wonder that is all around us?

God is in the business of doing amazing things to redeem and transform the world in the unlikeliest of ways and, especially, through the unlikeliest of people. Rather than lacking in confidence as a community of God’s people, we can be thankful for the humble station where God has placed us. When God does the unexpected through us, no one will think it is because we are so special—it will be obvious that God is it work and God will be glorified. When God is given glory, we know the Kingdom of Heaven is in our midst. 

Will Haughton’s Reflection on September 6, 2020

Scripture Reading:  1 Corinthians 15: 1-10

Over the last few months, I’ve become somewhat of a listener to podcasts. I don’t know where this term comes from, but it’s like a pre-recorded radio program that you listen to over the internet. The main benefit of a podcast is that you can listen to it whenever you like—unlike a live radio program which plays according to a set, broadcast schedule.

I’m sure you won’t be surprised to hear that many of the podcasts I’ve listened to are about golf. In one of these, I heard an interesting interview with the great English golfer, Lee Westwood. Westwood has had a very long and successful career, now in its twilight, which hasn’t been typical for a player of his calibre. Unlike most top British and European pros, he never moved to America (Florida) or played very many tournaments on the U.S. PGA Tour. The reason I mention all of this is that at one point the interviewer asked Westwood if he had any regrets. To my surprise, he replied that he doesn’t have any—not because everything in his life has turned out swimmingly, but because he doesn’t believe in regrets.

His answer really got me to wondering, is it possible to live without having regrets and, if so, how? I suppose one possibility would be to never make a mistake, but this seems like it would be difficult to achieve. We could perhaps venture to live very cautious lives and never take unnecessary risks, but then we might easily look back and wish we’d taken a chance at some point. Conversely, we could choose to live with reckless abandon only to find out we had perhaps taken too many unnecessary risks along the way.

Regardless of our approach to life, it seems probable that we will reach a point of real difficulty and wonder about the different twists and turns that led us there. Could we not have seen this coming and avoided it with a different decision here or an alternative course of action there? Even if we have learned to live with our circumstances or rationalize, there is likely at least a little regret there for many of us. No matter what course our lives have taken, however, there is good news: whatever is going on today or whatever from the past may haunt us, God offers the possibilities of healing, wholeness and a new beginning.

The Apostle Paul, or Saint Paul, was an interesting example of a person who found renewal and left his regrets behind. Paul of Tarsus was a diaspora-Jew, born in the territory of modern Turkey, who received training as a tent-maker and as a Pharisee. His religious teacher was the great Rabbi Gamaliel of Jerusalem and he went on to become one of the most zealous Pharisees of his generation. His zeal for strict adherence to the Law of Moses was such that he became a fierce, violent persecutor of the earliest Christians. Yet, after an unexpected encounter with the risen Jesus, Paul became one of them and eventually an important leader in their movement.

In our reading today, from his First Letter to the Corinthians, Paul appears to hint at regret—not about his Jewish upbringing or faith but about his violent persecution of those who believed Jesus to be the Messiah. “I am the least of all the apostles,” he wrote, “not worthy even to be called ‘an apostle’ because I persecuted the church of God.” He referred to himself in 15:8 as, according to most of our English translations, “untimely born.” Literally, he is describing himself as an abortion—what could be a shocking statement of self-loathing.

Yet, amazingly, these strong words do not signal regret for Paul. He goes on to say, “by the grace of God, I am what I am.” It is precisely because of what could be regrettable from his past, for Paul, that God’s work through him was seen as all the more generous, remarkable and effective. Imagine how amazing it would have seemed in those days for the biggest persecutor of the early Christians to become the most powerful proponent of their faith? This reversal would have been an amazing source of encouragement for them, as it remains for us. It is not a coincidence that this bit of autobiographical reflection comes in the midst of Paul’s most sustained discussion on the resurrection of Jesus. It is the God who raised Jesus from the dead, he shows, who offers all manner of new beginnings in our lives.

There is an often relayed story which was first told by someone called Jackie Pullinger, who ran a street outreach ministry among the marginalized of Hong Kong. A 72 year old woman, named Alfreda, had been a heroin addict and had worked in the prostitution industry, for most of her life. As a senior citizen, she was forced to inject drugs into her back because her arms and legs were too deteriorated. By then too old to be a “working girl”, her job was to sit outside the brothel and poke the sewer with a stick to keep it flowing. One day, she went to live in one of the outreach ministry’s houses. She was a completely broken person and, at first, difficult to work with. However, she eventually gave herself to God and began a process of remarkable healing and transformation. She later met a 75 year old man named Little Wa. The two fell in love and got married. Ms. Pullinger relayed that their wedding day was a grand occasion. Alfreda walked down the aisle in a white dress, symbolizing a fresh start given by the healing grace of God.

In my own time as a minister, I have witnessed many examples of change and renewal brought about by God’s grace, if not quite as dramatic as that. Often times, God’s work in our lives will bring about gradual change, in fits and starts. Even though the creative power of God is present, transformation generally involves hard work on our parts as well. The wonder of all this, however, is not just that God brings about a new thing in our lives, but that God redeems our brokenness and displays remarkable grace in who we become, warts and all.

A visitor to India once had occasion to visit a shop where beautiful rugs were being woven. The rugs were hanging from the ceiling. The apprentices were on the back side, pushing the threads through to the front according to the pattern. Inevitably, mistakes were made. On the front side was the master weaver. Rather than undoing all the misplaced threads and trying to begin over again, the master would incorporate the mistakes of the students into the design and weave something unique and even more beautiful.

God is like the master weaver in our lives. By the grace of God, all has been woven into a beautiful design of what we become. We can leave behind our regrets, not by force of will but by recognizing it is the grace of God who has made us what we are today and, tomorrow, will be. 

Will Haughton’s Reflection on August 30, 2020

Scripture Reading:  Esther 4:1-4, 9-14

It’s good to be back with you after a few weeks away. I enjoyed a nice holiday, although of course it was a bit different this year than it had been in the past. This time, we stayed much closer to home and didn’t make the type of sight-seeing day-trips we normally would or visit nearly as much with family and friends.

Perhaps the biggest difference from my traditional experience was the lack of church-attendance. In previous years, I’ve always enjoyed visiting different churches while on vacation—hearing a new voice, soaking in the atmosphere and simply sitting with my family for a service. During this holiday, however, I neither attended a service nor watched one online. It was one of, if not the, longest stretches I’ve ever gone without “going to church” in my life. Considering the circumstances, I didn’t feel badly about not doing so, but I did feel uncomfortable with how easy it was to just lie around on a Sunday morning or do something with my children other than taking them to church. I wanted to resist the sense that we were becoming secularized people, living without the habits or identity of the Christian life, but wasn’t quite sure how.

For we who are believers today, a relatable period in the biblical story may be that of the exile. In 597 BC, the Babylonian Empire conquered ancient Israel. The leading classes of Jewish society were then deported and taken into captivity—a common military tactic of the ancient world. Captives could often lead a normal life in exile but they were too far away to stir up revolution among their compatriots. Almost 60 years later, in 539 BC, the Persians conquered the Babylonians and allowed the Jews to go home, however many remained where they were, having put down roots and established themselves in new places.

The story of the Book of Esther took place in the Persian period, during the reign of the successor to the king who had first allowed the Jews to return home. The story’s heroes are two Jews, Esther and Mordecai, who lived in the city of Susa, at the western edge of modern Iran. It’s a complicated story with, admittedly, many distasteful elements. In short, Esther was a young woman who had been raised by her uncle, Mordecai. She was taken into the harem of the king and eventually chosen as queen. A villainous chief bureaucrat named Haman, who was also a personal enemy of Mordecai, convinced the king to order a genocide against the Jews throughout the empire. The king, not realizing the queen was a Jew, and otherwise not being an especially moral human being, agreed very casually to Haman’s plan. Mordecai convinced Esther to reveal her heritage to the king in order to save their people. “Perhaps,” he said, “you have come into the royal court for a time such as this?” Esther then used her position to great advantage. She exposed Haman’s evil plot. He was put to death for his treachery and Mordecai was appointed to the top government post in his place.

Esther is relatively unique among books of the Bible for not mentioning God—only The Song of Songs shares this characteristic. It is considered to offer a secular view, rather than a religious or theological one, of what it means to be Jewish. Some years ago, a United Church minister wrote a famous book with a controversial title: With or Without God. I don’t think it’s a very good book, but its appearance raises an interesting question, like Esther, about what it means to be a person of faith in secular times: how much does God have to do with it? My own experience of recent weeks is a reminder of how easy it can be for our own Christianity to become more of a cultural background than an ongoing practice of faithfulness.

For most of their history, the Jewish people have lived as a visible and often persecuted minority in different parts of the world. There is much that we followers of Jesus can learn from them about living-in-community and being persistent. The book of Esther reminds us, in particular, how important it is to claim our identity and trust that God as at work—even though we’re not always sure how. When the survival of the Jews in the Persian Empire was threatened, Mordecai encouraged Esther in these two ways: “Tell the king about your heritage,” he said, and “Perhaps it is for such a time as this that you came into the royal court.” Although God is not mentioned explicitly, there is a confident hope of God’s providence implied in these words. One way or another, Mordecai was certain, God’s will would be done.

At this time of year, the freshening of the air reminds me of going back to school when I was younger. Mostly, I enjoyed this annual experience, with the possible exception of my first year at university. I was looking forward to it, of course, but once I got there I disliked it right away. I didn’t fit in with the crowd socially, didn’t enjoy my studies and didn’t do very well academically. The biggest bright spot was making friends with my roommate in residence, Dave. We were paired randomly by student housing, but hit it off right away. We eventually stayed as roommates for the rest of our time in Kingston, stood up at each other’s weddings and we remain good friends to this day. In a challenging season of life, God sent me the right person at the right time. I am thankful to say that God has done this kind of thing for me many other times as well.

We don’t often know how God is at work in a particular situation. This is certainly true in these difficult times. However, as our ancestors in faith have handed down to us, and hopefully as many of us have experienced personally at different points, we can be sure that God is at work. To live in light of such a confident hope, and especially in community with others who share it, is the essence of faithfulness.

Reflection of Pat Edmonds, August 23, 2020

Scripture Reading:  Romans 12: 1-8

I don’t know how careful your family members are when putting dirty laundry in the clothes hamper. Or do they depend on the laundry lady to close buttons, zip zippers and check the pockets for stray items? It seems inevitable that at least a few times some money ends up going through the wash cycle. A friend of mine who had 3 sons and a husband which meant lots of men’s trousers in the laundry, finally gave up nagging them about checking their pockets before dumping trousers in the hamper. Instead she started going carefully through the pockets, removing all the coins and bills and donating all this “found money” to the Mission and Service Fund. Over the course of a year it was a tidy sum that went to a good cause.  It does seem inevitable that sometimes coins or bills end up being washed. Coins I usually find in the bottom of the washer or dryer and other than added sparkle seem none the worse for wear. But bills often do not fare so well. The remains are found balled up in a pocket or worse still become a paper mulch that sticks to all the dark colors. Unwrapping the soggy mess from itself often results in several pieces of torn, almost unrecognizable paper. If you let the pieces dry, smooth them out, use reams of scotch tape you might have a bill recognizable enough that the bank will exchange it for a new one or you might try to spend it, imperfect though it is. Well, today’s scripture from Romans deals with imperfection.

 Paul urges us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This is very interesting especially as we look at our bodies and find them somewhat imperfect – our bodies have been through the wringer, or the washer, so to speak, and have been left somewhat wrinkled and torn, or filled with pain or disfigured in some way. Perhaps our bodies are not able to do what bodies in better shape are able to do. 

Offering our bodies as living sacrifices is a spiritual act of worship. But what does this mean? In worship at the temple in Jerusalem animals that were brought to be sacrificed to God for thank offerings had to be unblemished. Does this mean we need to go on a diet to please God? – or enroll in a gym? –or have everything in perfect working order to be “holy” and pleasing to God? What about those of us who are a bit less, or quite a bit more, than the super models who grace the pages of fashion magazines? What about those of us who appear to have been soaked, agitated, rinsed, spun and wrung out by life’s experiences inside and out? Are we unacceptable in God’s presence? Clearly since we know our loving God does not judge people by outward appearances this not what Paul is suggesting. It is not some form of bodily perfection that matters to God. So offering our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God must mean something more. Something less physical, something more spiritual, must be in Paul’s mind when he speaks to the early Christians.

Let’s think for a minute about our spiritual bodies. What kind of shape are they in? Are they pure and unblemished – up to the tasks they are meant to perform? Or are they limping along, full of aches and pains, full of doubts and confusion, worries and hatred, even though they also contain faith and truth, trust and love?

I suspect the latter is true of many of us – not the former. I suspect that when we look at ourselves we don’t see ourselves as perfect in every way, or even in many ways. We may regard ourselves as having a good heart, as being loving and kind but we, especially as we grow in faith, are also aware of the arrhythmia, the little irregularities that occasionally come along, Sometimes it seems – even among the healthiest spirits there is a little shortness of breath, a little reluctance to go out and climb the highest mountains or even to go for a walk around the block.  I think most of us will all agree that not all the parts of our spiritual body are fully presentable, at least not now, not yet.  And if we are really honest about it all, it is really rather hard to see how they ever will be. There are so many others who have so much more to offer God than we do, so many others who are in much better shape – much more acceptable than we, both physically and spiritually. But the message today is that God doesn’t want the best of us, God wants all of us.

Just as the Government of Canada will take a crumpled and torn bill and value it as highly as one in perfect condition, so God will take us – when we offer to him whatever condition our condition is in – and value us as highly as the greatest saint in our midst.  Indeed God values each one of us as highly as he values his own Son!

The world says that the way to feel good about yourself is by climbing the ladder of success; by making a lot of money; by having influential friends; by belonging to the right circles. Those are the things that we are told make you feel good about yourself.

But the Bible teaches that we should feel good about ourselves because God loves us. You are such a treasured person in God’s sight that He gave His only Begotten Son for you. That makes you valuable, and you can feel good about yourself.

That is what the Gospel is all about. Through Christ’s offering of his whole life in obedience and in love to God, even unto death, we are able to offer ourselves to God completely – body, heart, soul and mind. God will accept us and God will take that which is now imperfect – and make it perfect, that which is perishable and make it imperishable, – and that which is mortal and make it immortal. 

That is what spiritual worship is all about:  The offering of all we are, everything – good and bad, perfect and imperfect, to God so that God can take us and do what he wills with it.   So that God can accept our lives and transform them into what they were meant to be. When we offer ourselves completely to God – body, heart, soul and mind – we too can be made whole again. Thanks be to God!

Let us pray,

 O, Gracious God – we thank you for your mercy and your love.  We thank you that you ask for all that we are and promise that when we give you ourselves that you will make us all that we were created to be – and all that you desire us to be – through Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

Reflection by Pat Edmonds on August 16, 2020

Scripture Reading:  Genesis 45:1-15

Again I have chosen to preach on an Old Testament passage. This 45^th Chapter of Genesis is one of the most powerful and emotional scenes in the entire Old Testament. Joseph’s reunion with his brothers is dramatic. First, the brothers do not recognize Joseph, the young lad they sold into slavery years ago. But Joseph recognizes them. This brings Joseph’s emotions to the surface. Second, the tables of power have turned. The brothers have traveled to Egypt to beg for food. It is now Joseph who holds the power of life and death over his brothers, as they once held over him. Third, we recall how Joseph toyed with his brothers in the three previous chapters – pretending not to know them, accusing them of theft – engineered by him by the way and insisting that they return with Benjamin, the youngest brother. These actions cause the reader to wonder how the rest of the story of Joseph and his brothers will play out.

We cannot wait to see what Joseph will do. What will be his next move in this dysfunctional family and its complex relationships? The tension builds up in Chapters 42-44 and is finally released in the beginning verses of this Chapter. Joseph can “no longer control himself”. He is entirely vulnerable in the process. This is clearly one of those life-changing, pivotal moments when the very air in the room is charged with the significance of what is happening. He tells his servants to leave the room and tells his brothers who he is. In fact so emotional is Joseph that he sobs loudly – loudly enough for the Egyptians outside the room to hear. Joseph reveals himself and asks his brothers to come closer. They do come closer and the miracle of reconciliation happens. Joseph forgives his brothers and reaches out to them in love.

The story of Joseph explores familiar human traits and family relationships.  By overcoming his hurt and anger, by forgiving his brothers and saving them from starvation, Joseph gives all of us hope for reconciliation. It would have been natural for Joseph to act out of revenge and anger. Revenge would be consistent with our sinful, human nature. Instead Joseph chooses the way of God and forgives them.

This powerful moment in scripture can give us new hope for reconciliation, not just in our families but in our communities and in our world. Joseph set aside power and revenge and chose forgiveness and compassion. What would happen if individuals, political parties, or nations would act in the same way?

A few years ago I preached a sermon about forgiveness on September 11^th – an anniversary of “nine eleven” – the day forever etched in the minds of all North Americans and people world-wide. As the news reports flooded in throughout the day and in the weeks to follow and the death toll of ordinary citizens and rescue personnel mounted, we were all flooded with emotions – strong emotions – shock, anger, grief, rage, hurt, confusion, fear and overwhelming sadness. We wanted to strike out in anger, hit something or go hide in a cave away from all the terrible news reports and images of this destruction and loss of life. Collectively we were crushed, overwhelmed, numb, frozen, blown away with grief and filled with fear. We felt violated. We realized that no place on earth was safe from the deeds of evil man and many of us were overcome with a horrible sense of hopelessness. What could we possibly do in the face of this?

Well, I’m sure that the last thing that entered our minds was FORGIVE. Revenge, retribution, punishment perhaps, but forgiveness? I doubt it. We experience an almost instinctual response to injustice. When someone is oppressed, harmed or victimized, our gut tells us that those responsible must be punished. Even the most spiritual, faith-filled individuals probably never thought of forgiveness. But Jesus said long ago that “an eye for an eye” justice is old news and no longer the way to true reconciliation. The way of forgiveness may be more challenging, but it leads to a deeper, more satisfying outcome for everybody.

Some wrongs are easy to forgive. Other wrongs where we have been used, abused, degraded, shaken to the very core of our being, as on nine-eleven, are very hard to forgive. Even when we know God desires us to do so.

An acquaintance of mine once shared his story of terrible abuse at the hands of his father. As soon as he was able, he left home and never saw his father again. His father died a premature death partly as a result of alcohol abuse. Years later my friend returned to his hometown and went to the cemetery to visit his father’s grave. As he stood there he felt stirred to say out loud, “I forgive you.” The overwhelming sense of peace that flooded his soul with those three simple words was indescribable. The weight of the world was instantly lifted from his shoulders. He felt free at last! He credits this experience for leading him to pursue a life of service in the ministry.

There is an essential and mysterious ingredient to forgiveness that comes from a Divine source. We can have the desire to forgive someone, but it remains unplanted in our souls until God enters in. There is no mistaking the moment when it all comes together and a remarkable peace washes over us as forgiveness flows from a divinely touched source within each of us. Forgiveness provides one of those truly gracious opportunities for us to be co-creators with God as we create and forge deeper relationships.  The will to forgive combined with a prayerful appeal for God’s grace leads to something of a miracle – reconciliation. Although we may find as human beings that there may be a limit to our capacity for forgiveness, there is no limit whatsoever to the forgiveness and grace that God provides.

When we choose to forgive, we choose to lay aside our right to extract revenge. When we choose the path of forgiveness, we leave ultimate justice and vengeance to God. Some would argue that when we choose this path we’re yielding all our power and will end up as doormats, being taken advantage of at every turn. But forgiveness IS a powerful tool. Let me share a true story, a courtroom drama.

A young offender was convicted of gunning down another person execution style. The murderer had a bad record, was no stranger to the system, and only stared in anger as the jury returned its guilty verdict. The victim’s family had attended every day of the two-week trial. On the day of the sentencing, the victim’s mother and grandmother were invited to address the court. When they spoke they did not address the jury, they spoke directly to the young offender. What did each of these women say? “I forgive you!”

The older woman went on to say, “You broke the first commandment – loving God with all your heart, mind and soul. You broke the law – loving your neighbor as yourself. I am your neighbor so you have my address. If you want to write, I’ll write back. I sat in this trial for 2 weeks and for the last sixteen months I tried to hate you, But I couldn’t. I feel sorry for you because you made a wrong choice.”

For the first time since the trial began, the defendant’s eyes lost their laser force and appeared to surrender to a greater force – nurturing, unconditional love. After the grandmother finished speaking, the murderer sat, his head hanging low. There was no more swagger, no more icy stare. The destructive forces within him collapsed helplessly before this remarkable display of human love. In choosing the path of forgiveness, that grandmother unleashed a power that revenge and hatred could not.

When we are hurt as individuals or as a society our instinct is to grab a weapon and fight back. But the greatest “weapon” ever used to protect humanity was Jesus Christ who came humbly riding on a donkey and in his last breath said, “Father, forgive them.” That’s a powerful image in a world full of weapons of mass destruction. Thanks be to God!

Reflection by Pat Edmonds, August 9, 2020

Scripture Reading: Matthew 14:22-33

Charles Swindoll in his book “Three Steps Forward, Two Steps Back” tells a story about a farmer who wanted to impress his hunting buddies. He went out and bought the smartest, most expensive hunting dog he could find. He trained this dog to do things no other dog on earth could do – impossible feats that would amaze everyone. Then he invited his neighbors to go duck hunting with him. After a long patient wait in the boat a flock of ducks flew over and the hunters were able to shoot a few of them down. Several ducks fell in the water. The farmer looked at his dog and said, “Go, get ‘em!”  The dog leaped out of the boat, walked on water, picked up a bird and returned to the boat. As soon as he dropped the duck in the boat, he trotted off again walking on the water, grabbed another duck and brought it back to the boat. The owner swelled up with pride as his dog walked across the water and retrieved the birds one by one. Kind of smugly, he looked at one of his buddies and asked, ”Do you notice anything unusual about my dog?”  One of them sat back, rubbed his chin, thought about it for a while and finally said, “Yeah, come to think of it, I do! That dumb dog of yours doesn’t know how to swim, does he?”

Quite a few years ago when the school superintendent heard I was very involved with the United Church. He asked, “Pat, can you walk on water?” I quickly realized he was looking for a teacher on Christian Island. Since I had 2 young daughters I wasn’t interested in trying my “walking on water” skills on a daily basis! “Walking on water” is a biblical phrase which has found its way into everyday use.  What does it mean? The secular meaning is that a person is doing wonders – but we can’t quite understand how they’re doing it and there’s a hint of danger that it could go wrong!

Most of us are familiar with today’s story in Matthew 14. Following the feeding of the 5000, Jesus goes to the nearby hills to talk to God in prayer, but he sends the disciples on ahead in a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee. Jesus needs time to be alone with God and to listen to God’s voice in the quiet evening hours.

One of the sudden storms for which Galilee was notorious, comes up. The winds churn the waters of the lake into rolling waves. In their boat the disciples make very little progress against the wind and waves in spite of their best efforts. Being experienced fishermen, they know only too well the perils of storms and they are afraid.  It is the fourth watch of the night, between 3 am and 6 am, that time when human beings feel most vulnerable, when they’re naturally at their lowest in body, mind and spirit.

Suddenly the disciples are terrified as they see a figure coming towards them – walking on the water as it were. “It’s a ghost!” they cry out in fear. How could the disciples not recognize Jesus? They had lived very closely with him, yet they thought what they saw was a ghost or apparition. Perhaps the rain and fog and spray and the lack of light had something to do with it, but nevertheless it takes some time for them to recognize Jesus.

Jesus, sensing their terror, says, ”Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”

Peter, the natural leader of the group, is the first to respond and says,” Lord, if it’s you … let me come to you on the water.” Peter was sometimes prone to acting on impulse, without thinking about what he was doing and without counting the cost. With remarkable trust Peter climbs over the side of the boat and begins walking on water. For a time, Peter succeeds in doing the impossible, but then he succumbs to fear.  Peter becomes more concerned about the wind than about his faith in Jesus. He begins to flounder and would have sunk if Jesus had not reached out and taken his hand. As we read this we may be inclined to criticize Peter for his lack of focus, but remember Peter was the only one who stepped out in faith, who took the risk. The other disciples cowered in the boat, paralyzed with fear.

But this is not a story of a sudden storm in Palestine many years ago. This is a story of trust vs. doubt, of fear vs. security, of risk-taking vs. the status quo and about the faith of a man called Peter, and his willingness to put what he believed into action.

To say we believe and to act on these beliefs are two different things. The saying is the easy part; the doing is much more difficult.  Focus is important. When Peter focused on Jesus, on walking towards him, he did not sink and was able to do what is humanly impossible. Impossible? No more than feeding 5000 with a small lunch! But as Jesus taught, “With God, all things are possible!” So here is Peter, contrary to the laws of nature, walking on water toward Jesus. But soon Peter fails to focus on the most important thing, his trust in Jesus. He is distracted by the wind and waves and begins to sink.

In desperation Peter cries out, “Lord, save me.” When circumstances escalate beyond his strength, his ability, his control, in the midst of his helplessness and powerlessness, Peter cries out for help. And Jesus responds immediately. He reaches out and grabs hold of Peter. “Why did you doubt, Peter?” Well I guess the answer is that Peter is human and it is human nature to doubt and ask questions. But the important thing is that although Jesus questions Peter for doubting, he does not condemn him, he saves him!  I’m sure Peter never forgot that moment. There were still times of doubt and testing in his life, and he wasn’t always successful, but the Lord was always there, ready to reach out and save him. 

Life is full of adventures and encounters and accidents and experiences, not all of them pleasant. Over and over again we are reminded that ultimately we are completely dependent upon God for our life, our hope, our salvation. There is no other way. The only choice we have is to let go and let God work his will in our lives.

This story illustrates what Jesus always does for God’s people. When the wind is contrary and we’re in danger of being overwhelmed by the storms of life, Jesus is there. When it is darkest, he comes. When we wonder when this pandemic with all its restrictions and worries will be over; when we wonder whether life will ever return to normal as we knew it; when we are weariest, he comes. Jesus comes at impossible times. When the sea of life is so wide and our boat is so small, when we’re up the creek without a paddle and our arms are so tired we couldn’t hold one anyway, when it’s too dark to see or worse yet to hope, Jesus comes. When we risk acting on our beliefs, when we go out into deep, unchartered water to continue the mission of God’s church in new ways, Jesus comes. He holds out his hand and says,” Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”  Thanks be to God!

Reflection by Pat Edmonds on August 2, 2020

Scripture Reading:  Genesis 32:22-31

You may have wondered what a sermon entitled WWF could possibly be about. Well, it’s not about the World Wrestling Federation or even the World Widlife Fund. WWF is an acronym for Wresting with the Father, although even  reknown theologians do not all agree about with whom Jacob was wrestling. Is Jacob wrestling with God? – or with an angel of God? – or is he wrestling with his own conscience? – or even his brother Esau himself ?  The story of Jacob in Genesis Chapter 32 is wrapped in mystery and has about it an almost dreamlike quality. Wrestling with a supernatural power at a bridge or crossing is an ancient archetype, often found in fairy tales and folklore.

As we continue Jacob’s story we come upon a pivotal moment in his history. You will recall that Jacob has some definite character flaws. He is sneaky, deceitful, conniving, crafty, dishonest and selfish. He always seems to get what he wants! His nickname is “Heel Grabber” as he supposedly came out of the womb holding onto his brother Esau’s heel. Jacob with his mother’s help deceives his blind father and steals Esau’s birthright. He also swindles his father-in-law and ends up having to work an extra seven years in order to have the bride of his choice. But give Jacob credit, he has some strengths as well. Although his methods are not always respectable, his skill, determination and patience have to be admired. Jacob is a determined man. When he sees something he wants, he doesn’t rest until it is his. When he has a goal in mind, he pursues it relentlessly.

But as we meet Jacob in this chapter he has reason to be worried, maybe even a little scared. He is about to meet his brother Esau again for the first time in 20 years. Try to imagine the thoughts going through Jacob’s mind. He is about to meet face-to-face the brother he had deceived. He has come to the Jabbok River and crossing it means crossing into Esau’s territory. In the previous verses of this chapter, hoping to appease his brother, he sends gifts across the river ahead of him. He sends his servants with 220 goats, 220 sheep, 30 camels, 40 cows, 10 bulls and 30 donkeys. Then later that night he sends his wives and sons across the river with his servants and all his possessions. And Jacob is left alone wondering what the next day may bring.

He has done all that he can think to do, even pray. Have you ever noticed that God does not always answer our prayers in the way we expect? God answers Jacob this time with a wrestling match. Again we cannot be certain with whom Jacob wrestled. The description is vague, although clearly male. The important part of the story is not who or what the “being” is, but that Jacob wrestles. Jacob is determined no one will mess up his plans so the wrestling match is on. Jacob fights desperately but in the end Jacob is struck on the hip socket and his hip is put out of joint. Yet the wounded Jacob holds on and demands of the victor, “GIVE ME YOUR BLESSING.” Jacob is given the new name of Israel for he had striven with God and humans and had prevailed. Jacob is blessed, but carries forever the reminder of his encounter by the pain in his hip. Jacob wants to know his opponent’s name but the stranger refuses.  God won’t be named or controlled by humans. Nevertheless Jacob wrestles all night and in the morning has a new name and a new beginning.

 In life we all have struggles, regardless of who we are. We all have issues in our life that we wrestle with each day. Some of us may have had to struggle just to get out of bed this morning. Some of us struggle with what we want to eat as opposed to what we know is good for us to eat. Some of us struggle with fear of failure. We struggle with right and wrong. Some of us struggle with where to go to church – or whether to attend church – although lately there are not so many choices about what to do on a Sunday morning! Life really is full of struggles!

Struggles in life did not start with our generation for people have been struggling for a long time. For even the apostle Paul said he had to struggle. In Romans 7:15 & 19 Paul states, “ I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want, is what I do.” The good Paul wants to do, he does not do; and the evil he does not want to do that he finds himself doing. I’m sure some of us at some time, or many times, in our lives have experienced this as well.

I recall when a teenager I knew once announced that on Saturday she was going to a bush party! Her mother was not too keen on the idea as she had heard via the grapevine what went on at bush parties. But the teen was adamant about going. Since it was in a rural area the parent asked her to get directions so she could be driven and picked up. Well the weekend came and went. The parent checked to see if the teen had missed the party. Her reply was, “I was going to go, but this stupid little voice in my head said – really that’s not the kind of thing you do, is it? So I decided not to go!”  I’m sure an awful lot of struggling went on prior to the decision – whether the teen wrestled with her own conscience or with the moral code she had grown up with, who knows? But the outcome was good, the parent was relieved and the teen had taken another step along the road to maturity and good decision making.

This story about Jacob reveals the very real, human experience of wrestling with oneself and seeking to be delivered. Jacob is blessed by persevering in the fight. Some blessings, like Jacob’s mysterious wrestle, come out of struggles. We too can be blessed if we face our own past and risk the wounds that it takes to find healing. Jacob’s experience also affirms that it is okay for people to wrestle with God, to struggle with doubt, to engage God in mind-to-mind combat.  Another thing this story of Jacob affirms for us is the need to be alone with God – to rid ourselves of all the burdens and possessions that weigh us down and spend some time with God alone. We need to be free to pray and hear the still, small voice of God speaking to us.  

No matter how violent our struggles with God may be, if we persevere and continue to seek God, God will bless us. In fact we are blessed by and through the struggle. Anyone who has struggled with doubt and has come through to the other side can testify to their deepened faith and hope. In our wrestling with God, we may not come away with all the answers, and we may walk away limping, but God will always bless us and give us a new beginning. If we are determined; if we persevere, God can change our attitude, our heart and our very lives. God can cause the “old things to pass away” and we can become new and different people. The struggle is worth it! Thanks be to God!