I was privileged to attend the state funeral for Jack Layton, the former leader of the NDP. I joined thousands of others by selecting a spot on University Ave to watch the procession pass, and then shuffled along with the crowd toward Roy Thompson Hall.
Although I did not agree with many of his party’s political positions, I admired his work ethic, positive attitude and dedication to his family.
The service was as I expected; a dignified political affair with a sombre tempo interspersed with upbeat wisps of humour and happy reflection.
But, what I was not expecting was the palpable longing for a leader, or more aptly a rescuer, that permeated the crowd.
The speeches helped to crystallize the sentiment around me; that Jack was going to rescue us. An observer unfamiliar with Canadian politics could have been forgiven if he/she left with the impression that Jack was the ONLY hope for a better Canada.
And that left me feeling sorry for the people around me wearing orange, clutching signs and even waving Cuban and rainbow flags. Because as charismatic and positive as he was, Jack could not save us from our social ills.
Indeed, no politician can.
Of course, one day the real rescuer is coming back. And when Jesus does returns, He will be clothed in majesty and will warrant the worship of all.
“For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God’” (Romans 14:10,11 ESV).
The service ended with a rousing rendition of Rise Up and the crowd clapped, sang and some even raised their arms in the air and closed their eyes to the gospel-like vibe of the song. It was a plea to carry on the work of Jack and to fight for a better world.
But then the music ended and the casket was escorted out of the hall with the dashed hopes and dreams of many fleeting behind.
Jack will be raised from the grave one day, by the One whose tomb is empty.
And therein lies our true hope. For Jesus is coming back again in glory to rescue His people, and to transform the world into the Kingdom God intended at creation.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
The Transformative Power of the Cross
God has provided me with many volunteer opportunities to serve the poor ranging from inner-city low-income children to the homeless. The experiences were certainly very rewarding, but they were also frustrating. So often people who needed to make life changes knew they needed to make better decisions, but they often made choices that were not in their best interest. Quick wins were common, but the more long-term transformations were not- and those long-term transformations were only sparked by an internal change.
I loved these observations from a blogger:
"For many, many years I spent time “in the trenches” reaching out to at-risk youth. At first I was the stereotypical naive idealist. ”All they need is love and a chance,” I thought. Working in mentoring programs, I spent untold hours playing catch, going to little league games, going to parks, and just hanging out with at-risk kids as part of a variety of programs. Seeing ragged clothes, I’d buy new clothes. Hearing that a mother couldn’t pay the light bill, I’d kick in and help. I spent night after night sleeping in homeless shelters, cooking dinners in the evening, pancake breakfasts in the morning, and fixing snack lunches for hard days on the streets.
I can’t remember when I first realized that I was accomplishing nothing of substance. A few car break-ins taught me that some guys saw me as an easy mark. A few pot purchases with the “gas bill money” taught me that others saw me as an ATM. Admonitions to “stay in school” had little appeal compared to drug-fueled orgies for kids as young as fifteen years old. I tried. God knows I tried. But it was all for naught.
Only one thing really worked. The Cross. There are kids today that Nancy and I worked with who are doing well, who are happily married, and who are pillars of their community. What made the difference for them? The Cross. It wasn’t about my words. It wasn’t about my effort. (After all, I tried just as hard or harder with other kids — who are now in prison or “baby-daddies” or both.) The kids who made it heard the Gospel, repented of sin, and were transformed through the renewing work of the Holy Spirit."
Amen to that!
Source: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/frenchrevolution/2011/08/22/our-depraved-poor/
I loved these observations from a blogger:
"For many, many years I spent time “in the trenches” reaching out to at-risk youth. At first I was the stereotypical naive idealist. ”All they need is love and a chance,” I thought. Working in mentoring programs, I spent untold hours playing catch, going to little league games, going to parks, and just hanging out with at-risk kids as part of a variety of programs. Seeing ragged clothes, I’d buy new clothes. Hearing that a mother couldn’t pay the light bill, I’d kick in and help. I spent night after night sleeping in homeless shelters, cooking dinners in the evening, pancake breakfasts in the morning, and fixing snack lunches for hard days on the streets.
I can’t remember when I first realized that I was accomplishing nothing of substance. A few car break-ins taught me that some guys saw me as an easy mark. A few pot purchases with the “gas bill money” taught me that others saw me as an ATM. Admonitions to “stay in school” had little appeal compared to drug-fueled orgies for kids as young as fifteen years old. I tried. God knows I tried. But it was all for naught.
Only one thing really worked. The Cross. There are kids today that Nancy and I worked with who are doing well, who are happily married, and who are pillars of their community. What made the difference for them? The Cross. It wasn’t about my words. It wasn’t about my effort. (After all, I tried just as hard or harder with other kids — who are now in prison or “baby-daddies” or both.) The kids who made it heard the Gospel, repented of sin, and were transformed through the renewing work of the Holy Spirit."
Amen to that!
Source: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/frenchrevolution/2011/08/22/our-depraved-poor/
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Indwelling Sin
People who repent of their sins and put their faith and trust in Christ as the atonement for the guilt of their sin are saved. Which is why, Paul tells us that the old is gone, and the new has come.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:17-19 ESV).
And yet, people who profess Christ to be their Lord and Saviour still sin. Why? Because of indwelling sin. As Paul wrote to the church at Rome in Chapter 7: “Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me” (Romans 7:20 ESV).
He continues, “For I delight in the laws of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members” (Romans 7:22, 23 ESV).
The imagery Paul paints of his body parts waging a war against each other so vividly depict the inner turmoil that Christians constantly wage against the world, the flesh and Satan.
And, that is why I so admire the prayer of David in Psalm 86, for he asks God to unite his heart so that his desire to praise God may be unrivalled: “Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever” (Psalm 86:11, 12 ESV).
As God teaches His people to walk in His truth, He reminds us that in heaven we will, at last, be perfect!
Though our hearts now may at times be torn in multiple directions (despite our good intentions), when we are promoted into glory the indwelling sin will be gone, and we will be able to glorify God with our whole heart. Until that time though, we will continue to struggle “for I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate” (Romans 7:15 ESV).
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:17-19 ESV).
And yet, people who profess Christ to be their Lord and Saviour still sin. Why? Because of indwelling sin. As Paul wrote to the church at Rome in Chapter 7: “Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me” (Romans 7:20 ESV).
He continues, “For I delight in the laws of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members” (Romans 7:22, 23 ESV).
The imagery Paul paints of his body parts waging a war against each other so vividly depict the inner turmoil that Christians constantly wage against the world, the flesh and Satan.
And, that is why I so admire the prayer of David in Psalm 86, for he asks God to unite his heart so that his desire to praise God may be unrivalled: “Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever” (Psalm 86:11, 12 ESV).
As God teaches His people to walk in His truth, He reminds us that in heaven we will, at last, be perfect!
Though our hearts now may at times be torn in multiple directions (despite our good intentions), when we are promoted into glory the indwelling sin will be gone, and we will be able to glorify God with our whole heart. Until that time though, we will continue to struggle “for I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate” (Romans 7:15 ESV).
Monday, August 15, 2011
Psalm 59
I was reminded of the recent violent riots in London and other British cities when reading Psalm 59 this morning. God will enact His justice in due time.
Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me.
Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men. For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O LORD. They run and prepare themselves without my fault: awake to help me, and behold. Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah. They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city. Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear? But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision. Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defence. The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies. Slay them not, lest my people forget: scatter them by thy power; and bring them down, O Lord our shield. For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak. Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be: and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth. Selah. And at evening let them return; and let them make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.
Let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not satisfied.
But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble. Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy.
Psalm 59 (KJV)
Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me.
Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men. For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O LORD. They run and prepare themselves without my fault: awake to help me, and behold. Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah. They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city. Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear? But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision. Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defence. The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies. Slay them not, lest my people forget: scatter them by thy power; and bring them down, O Lord our shield. For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak. Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be: and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth. Selah. And at evening let them return; and let them make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.
Let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not satisfied.
But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble. Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy.
Psalm 59 (KJV)
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