Hope – Page 4 – This Life

Sing?

Sing When

It All Is NOT Going Well?

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

Like A Camper Left To Rot In the Field, When Junk Is All We Are, Also Then … ?

Psalm 35:18

Then I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you.

Ephesians 5:19

… as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts,

Words of Grace For Today

“Then I will thank you …” When will we give God thanks?

Do we do this when, finally, in one of those rare moments, everything seems to be in order in the universe (or at least the small part we are aware of)?

Well, those moments are worthy of giving God thanks and praise, worthy of singing among ourselves and in our hearts.

But those moments are rare, maybe coming once a week, or even once a month or once a year. For some it seems they come once in a lifetime.

What about all the other times? The real shtako times, when the universe is dumping all the rot of garbage in our laps, all over our lives, in every path we try to walk forward on until we slip and slide, collapse and can at best cry for help? What about all the other mediocre times when nothing is good and nothing is really bad, except we just don’t really have a good reason to struggle again to try to make things better, since we’ve tried so many times in the past and nothing changes? What about all the times when we are just about to celebrate a tiny step towards better and someone stomps all over the possibility like someone stomping out a troublesome ant?

Can we really sing among ourselves and to ourselves, filled with thanks and praise for God?

Nope.

Not on our own.

Not at all, Not at all.

But …

…

but by the power of the Spirit in us, given to us by God, even in the slippery, gooey times of shtako, dumped on us by the universe, we can and do give God thanks and praise

for breath

for faith

for love

for hope

that sustains us through it all.

So also today, we sing our thanks and praise to God from our hearts.

On That Day

But Not This Day?

Saturday, July 22, 2023

Amid the Smoke and Fog, Beyond the Weeds One Sees Two Loons,

and

By Faith

One Can Trust That Their Chick Is With Them,

Safe,

Growing,

Beautiful.

Isaiah 25:9

It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us. This is the Lord for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Words of Grace For Today

Waiting.

Waiting for.

Waiting for something important, or something scheduled, or something freeing.

Waiting is something we all do, if not by sitting still, breathing slowly, anticipating but not moving, then by moving to something else that will take us time, but in the back of our mind we wait for ….

What is it?

The next pay-cheque, so we can pay our bills, or buy something so that something that has broken can be fixed or replaced, or

The crops to grow, so they can be harvested, or

Other people to complete their work, so that we can start or resume ours, or

The neighbour’s music to stop, so that we can get back to sleep, or

The tyranny (by whomever of whatever kind among the so many different kinds that are worked against people) will end, or

The impossible: that real guilt will go away, or grief will turn to joy, or loss into gain, or that we will see again or hear again or move again, or that we will love again, or that we can forgive again, or that we can breathe again, or that we can remember again, or dream again, or sleep at all again, or

That the devil (attacking us in so many ways, also through our enemies who would do us in) will leave us and we will be free to live, laugh, and love, again.

And

That God will save us.

For that day we wait.

Wait.

Wait,

but not so patiently sometimes, many times.

Only faith interrupts our waiting; for by faith we know not only that God will save us, but that God has saved us already,

and we can breathe, and live, and laugh, and love

also this day.

Beautiful.

Seeing

The Light

Friday, July 14, 2023

Looking To The Stars …

Deuteronomy 14:2

For you are a people holy to the Lord your God; it is you the Lord has chosen out of all the peoples on earth to be his people, his treasured possession.

1 Thessalonians 5:5

… for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness.

Words of Grace For Today

The James Webb Space Telescope looks into the universe, back in time, displaying light of many kinds captured, processed, and presented to us in our visible spectrum of light and colour, in our time.

It’s images have changed our view of the universe around us, all around us, and in that we have come to know ourselves differently.

Yet, we are the same.

We are the same God chosen, blessed people.

We are the same God chosen, people of the Light and Colour.

(See https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/james-webb-telescope-marks-1-year-of-peering-into-far-corners-of-the-universe-1.6904609 for details of each photo, including credits, a series that summarizes the first year’s photos from the JWST.)

Comfort

Like Money Cannot Buy

Monday, June 26, 2023

The Water and Sand May Go On,

But We Will All Die!

So What To Do Today?

Psalm 23:4

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

Words of Grace For Today

God knows life throws some pretty tough curve balls at us. For many it doesn’t matter how we swing at ‘em, we ain’t going to hit ‘em. Even the balls we manage to hit seem to be pop flies, or snagged in the outfield by some swift-footed crook – ooppps, I mean fielder.

This has not been different for as long as humans can remember time through writings and stories told.

How then is the Psalmist able to write “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil?”

How is Paul able to write, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed?”

Many people of all time have sought solace from the incoming bombs and disasters of life, by accumulating wealth and using it.

But let me ask you, “Do you really think you will be happier after you spend money on something?”

Yes, sure, you can go out and buy a ‘bomb shelter’ to protect you from the nuclear war going on outside your doors, but it won’t do a thing to save your life when the nuclear bombs start exploding, no matter how far away they are or how deep your shelter is built.

Spending money on bomb shelters and anything else to protect ourselves is almost all mere illusion and delusion. Death is coming and it will get us all, no matter what we do.

The only real way to deal with the ‘bombs’ of life is, as the Psalmist notes, to recognize that God is with us, and that God protects us as we need to be protected … not as we would like to be, but as God knows we need to be.

With that we can face each day, assured and resilient. God will have God’s way with us.

And that can be exhilarating but it need not be filled with fear.

Take a breath. Trust that God walks with us. And onward ….

The End

To Everything Will Come

Sunday, June 25, 2023

Don’t Be Foolishly Fooled;

Even the Sun

and It’s Setting

Will Come to an End.

Habakkuk 2:3

For there is still a vision for the appointed time; it speaks of the end, and does not lie. If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay.

1 Peter 4:7-8

The end of all things is near; therefore be serious and discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers. Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins.

Words of Grace For Today

Knowing that ‘this too will pass’, can often be a comforting bit of wisdom to remember.

This grief

– after the death of a loved one,

– after a loss of a relationship,

– after the loss of health and abilities,

– after the loss of dreams and hope itself,

(all kinds of grief) will also pass.

The excitement of celebrations, tainted

– by family and/or friends who are not at all kind,

– the reminder of loved ones not present,

– the burdens, past and future, such celebration puts on daily life and/or daily survival,

– one’s own inability to actually eat or dance or talk with others,

(all kinds of celebrations, tainted or not) will also pass.

This life, too often aptly described as hard, brutish, and short, will also pass.

Knowing that everything will pass, eventually, even breath itself, helps keep us focused on what really matters,

… well sometimes it does.

Sometimes we just focus on trying to ‘beat’ time and ‘cheat’ death and ‘get more out of life’.

When we realize that God walks with us through everything that will pass then it is easier (as the Holy Spirit guides and enables us) to see how precious it all is,

even that person who is not at all kind,

even the grief from a loss, that gives witness to how precious who/what was lost really was,

even the celebration that we cannot fully participate in, is precious, and worth participating in as we can.

Each day, each hour, each minute there are so many things that are precious, and

if / when we realize this,

we can take the good and the bad

as precious gifts from God

which gives our hearts, minds and strength the most precious things of all, faith, hope and love:

faith that God created us and walks with us,

hope that the future will be precious as well as each minute now is,

and love for God, God’s people, and all of God’s creatures and creation.

And that can make for some interesting, challenging and rewarding time,

like today.

Distress

& Trouble All This Long Day?

Welcome to the Human Race.

Wednesday, June 21, 2023

Peace,

Even In The Longest Darkness,

Or The Longest Day!

Psalm 25:17

Relieve the troubles of my heart, and bring me out of my distress.

John 16:33

I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!’

Words of Grace For Today

I’m sure that to the many first century Christians who were persecuted and killed for their faith the statement that ‘Jesus had conquered the world’ rang pretty empty. As it has for so many persecuted Christians since,

Even to this day.

Truer to so many hearts are the Psalmist’s words, “Relieve the troubles of my heart, and bring me out of my distress.” and in the German the translation include, “The anxieties of my heart are great!”

Troubles are one thing that is common to most humans. And the most destructive response is fear run wild become panic.

In panic we are unable to do anything wise.

Thus Jesus’ words are most helpful, “I have said this to you so that you may have peace!”

Peace is the beginning of coping with any situation, even the most dire and even those that are sure to result in great suffering and even our deaths.

Peace.

May it permeate from God’s Spirit to our spirits and into our bones, muscles and minds,

Also this long summer equinox day, with all it’s inevitable troubles.

Poor

At Thinking? And Doing Right?

Tuesday, June 20, 2023

How Long Will It Be Before

No Eggs Will Hatch?

Psalm 102:17

God will regard the prayer of the destitute, and will not despise their prayer.

Philippians 4:6

Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Words of Grace For Today

The not unusual question came over the phone from a telephone support person, “Are there any other questions you have?”

I gave him a list:

What is the meaning of life?
How can we deal with world overpopulation?
How can we solve Climate Change this year?
How do we solve the pervasive problem of racism and injustice against the poor?
How can we solve the huge inequality problem throughout the world that is the root cause of so many other problems?
How will I ever get out of debt?
What is God doing while we systematically, methodically wipe out the environment that supports life on earth?
How can we finally get truth to be valued and upheld in all aspects of life, especially in our courts?
Are we going to poison ourselves to death like the Romans did with lead; though we are using the likes of PFAS and so many other toxins in daily life, like gasoline?

I ended with, “Those are just a few question I have.”

The reply was, “I’m not philosophical, so I don’t have the answers.”

I chuckled as the help person did as well.

But these questions are not laughing matters.

And the truth is, whether one is philosophical or not one needs to ask them and have at least a rough outline of possible answers. That’s a basic responsibility for anyone renting air on earth these days.

In the end, whether we solve any of these or none, we all need most of to

pray.

Not Loonie

Bins.

Just Hope Filled

Wednesday, June 7, 2023

No Need To Be Loonie,

Loons Do That

Wisely.

Deuteronomy 5:33

You must follow exactly the path that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you are to possess.

Romans 15:4

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.

Words of Grace For Today

If hope is dependent upon one’s own merit, then all is lost.

Yes, everyday thinking assumes if I preform well today then there is hope for tomorrow and all that may come my way.

But when it really counts, our own merit provides little security or hope. Death will find us, usually unawares, no matter how well our last few days or weeks or years have gone. If we deny that death will claim us, no matter what, then we live as fools, perhaps foolishly enjoying life, but foolish none the same for what really matters: that God has us in God’s good hands.

For only in God’s good hands can we face death knowing that all is well, all manner of things are well, for us and all creation.

So obey God, yes. It is a way to live well enough, sometimes even the way to live long lives.

But trust not, not a bit, in one’s own merits. Trust only God’s good hands, and God’s good grace promised us. With that we can dance with joy each day, no matter what comes our way, no matter how others may think that the worst of life has found us.

Ah, hope.

The power of knowing God’s goodness carries one!

Rest,

Rest Easy

Sunday, June 4, 2023

A rose,

beginning to bud,

bringing God’s beauty

to be seeable.

Psalm 145:17

The Lord is just in all his ways, and kind in all his doings.

Philippians 1:6

I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.

Words of Grace For Today

While the world churns out trouble,

and we each and each contribute enough ourselves,

God is our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer, just in all judgements, not biased by lies or deceptions to gain undeserved advantages while stealing life from others. God sees all. Knows all, Judges all. And if our sins are not bound then we can count on God’s grace to save us.

But …

When they are bound, then who knows, for God will judge also knowing that we had warning and time for the amendment of our lives. What then does a just judge do?

For us blessed by God to be God’s own children, we trust that God will carry to completion the work that God has begun in us, to redeem us, sanctify us and equip us to be God’s emissaries of Good News on earth.

For us, life is all about seeing what God has in store for us; like a rose beginning to bud, God is about bringing great beauty and wonder into our worlds. Do we have eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to celebrate it?

Yearning

Deeply

Thursday, June 1, 2023

Looking Up,

and Seeing

the Star

Above the Setting Moon.

Isaiah 25:8

… he will swallow up death for ever. Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.

Philippians 3:10-11

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Words of Grace For Today

I want to know …

Such yearning.

Such yearning that changes the taste and scents of each day, each hour, each minute.

I want to know … but what do we want to know?

So much of life is filled with yearning for the comforts (or things towards comforts) and pleasures that this life offers only with such wiffs, and then they are taken from us, often destroying our ability to yearn with clarity for what will bring health and life.

I want to know … Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings.

Now that is something unlike other yearnings, for it is not for comforts or improvements or anything quickly withering into the evening fog. This yearning to know Christ, the power of his resurrection and (then comes the key to it all – the all that is life and death and existence itself) the sharing of Christ’s sufferings.

That is the key to life: to know Christ by sharing in his suffering. His sufferings were unearned, but offered in order that others might live, and live free and abundantly.

This yearning takes us outside ourselves and extends all that we are toward giving to others; giving everything we can to as many other people as we can so that more and more people will know the power of Christ’s resurrection in their own lives (the hope that moves us beyond living waiting for death).

This yearning is to see that God with a word, has wiped away our tears and disgrace, and the tears and disgrace of all people, and replaced it with the joy and thanksgiving of living fuelled by the power of Christ: self-sacrificial, unconditional love for all people.

May that be our days, and this day. Our hours, and this hour.