Finding God

Or?

Friday 28 February 2025

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mount_Everest_as_seen_from_Drukair2_PLW_edit_Cropped.jpg

Mt. Everest, The Highest Place On Earth

But Not The Closest To God!

Psalm 66:12

You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a spacious place.

2 Corinthians 4:9-10

… persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies.

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Words of Grace For Today

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When I was much younger, I had two older friends, a married couple, who kept suffering the same loss, over and over again. They lost their glasses. I experienced their searches a few times before I realized that most often they had their glasses in a pocket or even on their head.

That’s us when we search for God. God is always with us, night and day, though God doesn’t allow our expectations to determine how God is with us, or how we can know God is there. We certainly don’t need to go find God, not even on a mountaintop, though sometimes after being on the summit we see life and God and all God’s wonders more clearly. We get a bit closer to God’s view of us.

No matter where we end up in life, through fire and water, persecutions and exiles, God is always with us, giving us the abilities to show Christ through our hardships

and our joys.

Knowing God

As Knowable

Thursday 27 February 2025

Climb High,

Or Not.

Regardless God Walks With You.

First Samuel 12:20-21

And Samuel said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart; and do not turn aside after useless things that cannot profit or save, for they are useless.

Ephesians 5:17

So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

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Words of Grace For Today

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Foolishness and Uselessness, Things that can only come to nought, Evil continued …

these things we know God does not wish for us to engage in.

Somethings we can know of God’s Will.

We ought not waste our time denying it, or thinking we can know all of God’s will, for God will always surprise us, as we learn more and more of the obvious things of God’s will.

What would you do today, knowing God will guide and bless you in the doing it for others?

Not to Condemn

But to save … the whole world!

Thursday 6 February 2025

The Glaciers, and a lot else, are disappearing from the face of the earth.

Genesis 8:21

And when the Lord smelt the pleasing odour, the Lord said in his heart, ‘I will never again curse the ground because of humankind, for the inclination of the human heart is evil from youth; nor will I ever again destroy every living creature as I have done.

John 3:17

Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

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Words of Grace For Today

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Noah offers sacrifice to God, and God turns, finds the sacrifice pleasing, and promises never again to curse the ground because of humankind, though the inclination of every heart is evil from our youth.

Not cursed, but it’s clear, we really don’t know how to give God God’s due.

Always grabbing for more, at others’ expense, and at our expense, and at the earth’s expense.

Trade war is only the latest in our own backyard.

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But Jesus did not come into the world to condemn it or us.

I like to take John 3:16 and place it after John 13:17. It helps counter the so familiar v16 being so out of context.

Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

Lots more context is really needed. There is no way we can all line up to believe, doing the right thing, making it right for ourselves with God.

Believing in Jesus is only possible if the Holy Spirit makes it so in us. We of course can refuse, back out, turn our back on it all. But no one can choose to turn to God. That’s all gift, given to us over, and over, and over again, by a God who loves us so.

Then we can, of course, choose to stop condemning others and the earth. That is what God wishes from us: a choice to love – as God loves – all creation.

For What?

To Whom?

Monday, October 14, 2024

For an old, mobile, barely sufficient camper?

For the mountains?

For the roads to get there?

For signs to guide one on the road,

and through each day?

Psalm 150:6

Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Hallelujah!

Jude 1:25

… to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and for ever. Amen.

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Words of Grace For Today

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During a flood, we showed up after church to help people living along the water to sandbag, in an effort to save the community’s properties. Our sons asked why we had to go. We lived 10 miles away.

We answered that it was us paying rent for the air we breathe.

So we breathe, still today.

And rightfully so we are asked to give thanks in so many ways, to ‘pay rent for the air we breathe’ in so many ways.

Thanksgiving.

A harvest festival of thanks.

A life pattern condensed into one day’s holiday and celebration.

Every day is a day to give thanks.

This holiday is a time to take stock again: Do we give thanks everyday, even for the things we think we do not owe thanks for?

Do we give thanks, by contributing even in ways, we may think we do not need to contribute or even give thanks?

For what, today, can we remember to give thanks?

To whom, today, can we remember to give thanks?

Is it with a word,

a phone call,

an email or text,

or a hug

and a prayer?

Wild Guessing

Or Hope?

Thursday, October 10, 2024

Here We See What Lies Ahead,

Sometimes.

After Death,

Not At All.

Ezekiel 37:11-12

Then he said to me, ‘Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.” Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel.

1 Corinthians 15:42-44

So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body.

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Words of Grace For Today

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Everyone wants to know what happens after we die.

Just think if one could guarantee that one’s information about what happens to us after death were absolutely true! One could control the hearts and minds of many people with that information.

But dying is what we know.

After that it is wild guessing.

Some call that hope, but it really is still a feeble hope built on wild guessing.

Real hope is

to know that God loves us, promises to forgive and renew us in this life (which we need desperately each day, hour, minute, second), and gives us so many gifts we do not deserve, all so that we are equipped to share life abundant with others,

and knowing that

we can

trust that whatever comes our way in this world,

whatever would zap life-energy from our bones

to lay us low and take life from us

God will respond by reviving us

and renewing our spirits:

God will walk with us,

and help us continue

to help others,

and if we die

to bring us

home.

Hope in that, instead of some wild-guess based description of what happens after death,

so that when we lie on our deathbed, we know from so much experience

that God will walk with us

whatever comes next

after death.

Living by the Sword

In a Word

Monday, September 30, 2024

Like the Clouds Pouring to the Sunset-Horizon,

So People Have Died Unnecessary and Early Deaths

at Our Hands.

Second Samuel 2:26

Then Abner called to Joab, ‘Is the sword to keep devouring for ever? Do you not know that the end will be bitter? How long will it be before you order your people to turn from the pursuit of their kinsmen?’

Matthew 26:52

Then Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.

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Words of Grace For Today

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As Jesus and many others have said:

‘Those who live by the sword will die by the sword.’

But that is not the problem for most people.

The problem is that those who live by the sword

have helped thousands of millions to their unnecessary and early deaths.

The truth is

that there are lots of ways we help others to their unnecessary and early deaths,

starting with ignorance and apathy,

a cruel or unthinking word,

an action to ‘protect our interests’

while decimating others’ interests and lives directly.

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How not to particiapate in this popular project?

Compassion.

Thoughtfulness.

Prayer.

All that Jesus directed us to with the greatest command:

to love our neighbour as ourselves.

…

And how will we do that today,

in a new

and newly effective way?

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That is every day’s challenge, now isn’t it!

OR

Would It Be Too Much To Ask …

Thursday, September 5, 2024

Sometimes the Signs are Just Too Obvious Which Way Things Are Going!

Psalm 28:9

O save your people, and bless your heritage; be their shepherd, and carry them for ever.

Matthew 9:36

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

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Words of Grace For Today

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Some days one feels tossed about by the winds of change and the storms of polarities, not just in the environment.

Then it would be a blessing to have a shepherd to guide one to greener pastures and beside still waters.

This God promises.

Let it be so, this day as well.

…

Please.

…

give us enough of what is required to make it through this day without messing up too badly or hurting anyone,

especially those who cannot forgive,

and live.

Stumbling

Into life eternal

Friday, August 23, 2024

God’s Work is Most Obvious When We Lose Our Way

Psalm 94:18

When I thought, ‘My foot is slipping’, your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up.

2 Corinthians 12:9

but he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

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Words of Grace For Today

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The contest is on: Who has the most weaknesses?

Right!?

Not.

We all want to boast how strong and competent we are. Even boast in strengths we actually do not have, so that others will see us in a better light, or so that we can win as others lose out.

But God wishes none of that game from us.

God wishes us to recognize the weaknesses that we have. Clearly. Firmly. Honestly. Even though it scares us. God wishes us to trust that when we are weak, God will rescue us, demonstrating again for us and others how God works for us all.

Hiking across the ice and snow after a long 5 day trek to the mountaintops, to view the wonders of the universe ‘on top’ she came to that most beautiful of views, up to the peak, down the valley to the river, and across the valley to the huge, tall waterfall, plunging and splashing it’s way to the pool churning from the added water each moment.

Taking it all in she held her camera as she continued walking and taking photos, for darkness would come all too soon and make any further descent unacceptably dangerous… as her foot slipped on ice she had not paid attention to. Down she went, camera flying. sliding out of control, off the path towards the cliff just feet away. Bruised, screaming, terrified, her feet over the edge…

then

her hood caught on a small tree root sticking up out of the ice.

She pulled herself, oh so carefully, back up from the precipice, clinging to that single protruding tree root,

until she could walk, gingerly, carefully

back up to the path where her camera lay.

She sat, prayed her profound thanks, poured a cup of hot tea from her thermos, took a photo of that tree root, and a few of the view.

…

The tree root photo, enlarged, hangs in her office in front of her desk so that she sees it every morning as she starts her writing for the day …

a reminder of her weaknesses and God’s strengths …

and gratitude overwhelms her for a moment …

before she moves on in her day.

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How will you acknowledge your weaknesses today, and all God does for you?

Deceitful Brooks

Or People Gone Amok?

Saturday, March 9, 2024

*https://www.thecrossingresort.com/icefields-parkway.htm*

The Saskatchewan Glacier in Banff National Park melted by more than 10 metres in the past year, researchers say. By the end of the century, most of Saskatchewan Glacier will be gone, researcher says.

CBC 17 Oct 2021

Jeremiah 15:18

Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Truly, you are to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail.

Ephesians 3:11-13

This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that God has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him. I pray therefore that you may not lose heart over my sufferings for you; they are your glory.

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Words of Grace For Today

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The glaciers melt, fast.

The rivers grow shallower year by year.

The prairies through which they wind suffer drought year by year.

The farmers has less water to irrigate and crops have less water year by year.

Until it just doesn’t work out anymore.

The water is like a deceitful brook, drying up when we need it most,

right?

Or can we say this fits within God’s eternal plan, that we might suffer the lack of water for some greater purpose?

Is it punishment for our sins of overtaxing the land and the water and burning so much carbon fuel and being so greedy that we always want more, more, more?

Certainly looks like it!

And how can we survive?

Many ways, some ingenious, some simple and old fashion.

But most of all we trust God, for even if it is our demise that ‘fixes’ the water’s depletion (less of us, more time for the ecosphere and water to recover) in the meantime Jesus calls us to be faithful following him, serving others in their need.

What will it be today?

The Only One

The Only One Listening

Monday, December 11, 2023

A logging road in the Klanawa Valley on western Vancouver Island divides two landscapes: a cutblock on the right, and old-growth trees that are part of a wildlife protection area on the left. Tara Carman/CBC
*https://www.cbc.ca/newsinteractives/features/the-forest-beside-the-clear-c*

No One Listens and Cutblocks Eat Away at Our Precious,

Climate Saving, Old Growth Forests

Psalm 38:9-11

O Lord, all my longing is known to you; my sighing is not hidden from you. My heart throbs, my strength fails me; as for the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me. My friends and companions stand aloof from my affliction, and my neighbours stand far off.

1 John 5:14

And this is the boldness we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

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Words of Grace For Today

Job knew it, as many have since.

It is that experience that everyone and everything has turned against one, even life itself, and there is no one that hears. No one that listens. No one that understands. No one that cares.

Except

That God hears, listens, understands, cares and

and

God even responds, providing what we need to survive even those dark times.

And survive we do, until the sun shines brightly again in our lives and we have all the listening, hearing, understanding, and caring we require

in order to

Give God thanks with our every breath.