January 24, 2024 — “There is no such thing as “blind faith.” 

“My child, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; for length of days and years of life and abundant welfare they will give you. Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and of people. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight.

In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be a healing for your flesh and a refreshment for your body.” Proverbs 3:1-8

Having trust does not mean we will be protected from all harm. Having trust does not mean that all will be well with our lives all the time. By nature of being born human, we open ourselves to the inadequacies and the insufficiencies and, of course, the dangers of this life. This then should not crush our trust – it should double our efforts to find the G-d of trust and the G-d of hope that comes through Jesus Christ. In the sermon on the mount Jesus spoke to the people who would have had the most reason to lack hope and lack opportunity. He speaks to them saying: “Blessed are you who mourn, who are poor in Spirit, and who are meek.” Jesus says, “Yours is the Kingdom of Heaven”. In other words, Jesus reminds them that because they understand their hope comes in G-d, and G-d alone, then their futures are secured through G-d.

This is what gives us hope today. It is through G-d that our hope comes – and since the resurrection of Jesus, that hope became incarnate and manifest for those who continue in G-d’s hope. And then, we can live every day with our eyes wide open – helping those in need, giving hope to the hopeless, and loving the unlovable.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, give me the faith that does not shut my eyes in comfort, but opens them to sharing in the needs of everyone around me. Amen.

Pastor Dave

January 23, 2024 — “How to Fertilize Love”

 “Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

“Love is the greatest thing in earth or heaven. Out of it flows most of the things that are worthwhile in life. Love of relatives, love of friends, and love of the brethren (1 John 3: 14) make life worth living. There is no heart so empty as the heart that is without love. There is no life so joyful as the love-filled life. Love puts a song in the heart, a sparkle in the eye, a smile on the lips, and makes the whole being glad. And God’s love is greater than all else. He who has God’s love has a continual feast. There may be sorrow and care and suffering in the life; but if there is love, it lightens all these.” (C.W. Naylor, “Heart Talks”, p. 207)

Is it possible to love all people the same? I would say this is not possible. As we read the scriptures, it seems that even Jesus loved some of his disciples more than others. There are examples where we see Jesus is with only three or four of his disciples—Peter, Andrew, James, and John. These were seemingly the big four disciples – the ones Jesus called on more often than others. There was also the disciple, from John’s Gospel, whom we are told is the “disciple whom Jesus loved.” If love for our brothers and sisters were simply dependent on the Holy Spirit, then, possibly we might love all the same; but love depends to a great extent on other human things as well. Jesus may have found some of his disciples more lovable because of their nature. We are also drawn most to those whose dispositions and characters and interests appeal most strongly to us.

This highlights the twofold nature of our love. On the one hand, we are liable to love some so much that we become partial towards them. On the other hand there is danger of looking at the unlovable qualities of others until we lose sight of the good that is in them. This reminds us that if we are to seek to be loving and to love all people, then we need to stop looking at the things that we find unlovable, and instead try to focus on the good things, the noble qualities of each person. Keep them in mind, and work on forgetting the faults and failings and unlovely traits. Begin to show special kindness and make it a point to speak to love all people with the same love.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, you command us to love all people. But we know this is so hard. Guide me into being a more loving person. Help me remember that Jesus didn’t die for just the loveable folk – he died for all people. Amen.

Pastor Dave