Wilderness Wanderings
A Christian devotional for the wandering journey of the Christian life. New devotionals Monday, Wednesday & Friday, created by pastor Michael Bootsma of Immanuel Christian Reformed Church of Hamilton, occasionally featuring guests. The Sunday sermon at Immanuel is also downloaded. Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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O Lord, Our Lord
08/07/2026
O Lord, Our Lord
O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! (Psalm 8:1 & 9) God's name is compared to all the grandeurs of the created order. David knew a few of those: the delicate flowers along the creek banks, the roar of the lion, the bond between mother sheep and her lamb, the vastness of the night sky unmarred by modern streetlights. But among all the majesty of the created order, nothing matches the majesty of God's name which evokes everything from fear of condemnation to outright frolicking. When we know God, its difficult to be indifferent. We either fear his judgement or revel in the depths of his love. This majestic God has His enemies. But the praise of infants will silence the foe and the avenger. It will not be great deeds that bring peace on earth, rather, the small and weak will lead the way. Reminds us of Christmas and Jesus welcoming children! Having been awed by the glories of the heavens, the psalmist replaces the telescope with the microscope. After marvelling at the stars, he marvels at humanity. "What is...the son of man that you care for him?" It's not clear who David meant with ‘son of man’. But the New Testament writers saw a shadow here pointing towards Jesus. In Hebrews 2, this psalm is used to validate Jesus’ superiority to all the angels. We also know that those who believe in him are being remade to be just like him. We humans were meant to be the rulers of the creation. Today, we make a mess of things, but some day we will know how to rule just fine. This psalm takes its cue from the glories of creation. But it focuses its lens on the one created to lead all of creation: humanity. “What is man?” it asks, hinting that the honest answer is, "not much; a disaster, mostly." But God was not satisfied with that. Nor was he willing to abandon us. He set out to recreate, reshape, restore. At the heart of the restoration is Mary's baby boy. How absurd! Jesus, the Word of God—flinger of stars into space, heaper up of the mountains, scooper of the Great Lakes; now he lies in Mary's arms, nursing from her breast. How undignified! How bewildering! The hope of the world? Indeed. What can we say except, "O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” The creation is awash with the glory of God. David saw it. Living in dense urban centres, many of us have few opportunities to really see. We must open our eyes and see. Even in concrete jungles there is plenty of evidence of God’s majesty. Look for it. To sing, “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” we must see what God has made. But then, we must also know the ‘Son of Man’. When we know him, “O Lord”, becomes, “our Lord” and we join the song. As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm. May he bring you home rejoicing; at the wonders he has shown you. May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
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The Sacrifice of Fools
08/05/2026
The Sacrifice of Fools
"Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong" (Ecclesiastes 5:1). What is the “sacrifice of fools”? It is telling God all about ourselves. The prayer of the pharisee in Jesus’ story found in Luke 18:9-14 is a prime example. Jesus’ point is simple, “God isn’t listening.” Our text is followed with these words: "Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few" (Eccl. 5:2). Which of us is not guilty in the face of this wisdom? Why is it that we need to speak so much, even in the presence of God? Sometimes to justify ourselves. We attempt to convince God that we are not as bad as we know that we are. We make excuses for our bad behaviour, and he should let us be who we are. Sometimes, because we believe that God's laws are unfair. We need to explain to him that He needs to lower the bar. No one can really measure up to those standards. Since we have so much to talk about, why should we be silent? So that God can speak. Silence is the discipline that puts a stopper to our self justifications. When we stop talking, God can tell us that there is no justification for our wrong, nor for our lack of love. He will tell us that we are as evil as we think we are. Maybe that is why we don't want Him to talk. But then God will also tell us that our sin is gone. He remembers it no more. There is no excuse for our sinful behaviour, so God forgives us. Christ died for our sins. We are deeply loved. When we stop talking, we give God an opportunity to tell us this. Also, speech is the most powerful weapon in our attempts to control others and our own reputations. Our tongues are full of manipulation and control. In the silence, God can remind us that any control we think we have is just an illusion. Isn’t that really what’s behind God’s question to Elijah, “What are you doing here?” Elijah had come to think that he oversaw Israel’s spiritual wellbeing, which was in freefall. But God says to Elijah, “I got this, don’t worry” (1 Kings 19). There is one who is truly in control and that is God. Only in that silence can our souls truly find rest. This is why Sabbath is so important. Work often becomes an avenue by which we control our lives. Only in Sabbath silence do we discover that we cannot control our lives through work. Only God can control. James reminds us that the tongue is difficult to control. We know this to be true. Yet we must not forget that Paul wrote that we have been set free for freedom's sake (Gal. 5:1). An element of that freedom is the freedom to be silent. In our silence we hear the small still voice of God that our fears are unjustified. In silence we discover the most profound truth: we are not God, God is. And that is good news. As you journey on, go with his blessing: May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May your day end with rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you. May you rest in his provision as he brings night, and then new dawn.
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The Way In
08/04/2026
The Way In
A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings! The text is Matthew 16:21-28. Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it . Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: Dive In Why does this man come to Jesus? What does Jesus say about “good”? What is Jesus’ first answer to his concern? Why does Jesus point out the second half of the 10 Commandments? How much are you worth? What does the question, “What do I still lack?” tell us about this man? Can we become good by keeping the commandments? The man’s idol is his wealth. What other idols can you think of? Jesus says to him, “Follow me!” What does this mean?
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God's Tears
08/03/2026
God's Tears
As [Jesus] approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side…They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you” (Luke 19:41-44). Jesus sure knows how to break up a party. He has been ushered into the city with the crowds proclaiming, “He is King; he comes in the name of the Lord.” They are expecting him to save Israel while exacting vengeance on her enemies. For this city, peace means death to the invaders. But when Jesus sees the city spread out before him, he breaks down in tears. And not just a few, they express a gut-wrenching sorrow. Jesus came to save Israel, but not with the kind of salvation she wanted. Hence, in a few days he would be stretched out on the cross. For ancient Israel, justice meant an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. This principle produces an unending cycle of violence and vengeance. There is no end to the bloodshed. We still see today. Humans enjoy holding grudges, even passing them on to the next generation. Jesus came to bring an end to that pattern. He came to bring forgiveness with a call to ‘love your enemies’ (Matthew 5:44) and to ‘overcome evil with good’ (Romans 12:21). He came to reconcile us to God (Ephesians 2:16). But Jerusalem would not have it. She wanted vengeance and bloodshed, so that is what she would get. It would be Israel’s blood that would flow. They would miss God’s redemption. Jesus wept. Even though his people would so thoroughly reject him, that they would execute him on a cross, he shed tears for them. God’s judgement never proceeds from a stern and cold justice, nor is it impulsive, coming in a fit of anger or frustration but always from a heart of love. Repeatedly, God delays judgement in the hope that people will turn from their sinful and selfish lives. There is never divine rejoicing over judgement. Not many of us spend time considering God’s judgement. But we are tempted to enact our own judgement on people, seeking vengeance on those who hurt us. Even among Christians, it is hardly normative to live with an eye to reconciliation. We form camps and define ourselves over against other camps, unwilling to bridge the divides. Sometimes, Christianity is defined as having certain moral, political and ethical leanings rather than following the King on the colt. Jesus came to bring salvation which begins in the human heart. His death on the cross redeems the human heart from bitterness, anger, and vengeance. He turns our desire to lynch people into tears for what they are missing. It is crucial that Christians grapple with Jesus and his purposes. Is this the kind of salvation we want? Do we want our hearts freed from anger and vindictiveness? Are we willing to lay down the weapons of cyber warfare? Do we really want the Saviour God sent us? As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm. May he bring you home rejoicing; at the wonders he has shown you. May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
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A Penitential Psalm
07/31/2026
A Penitential Psalm
Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint; heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in anguish. How long, O Lord, how long? (Psalm 6:1-3). This is a prayer of confession and repentance. The psalmist is under a great weight, feeling wretched and miserable, all because of God's anger, which, in turn, is caused by human sin. God is not peevish, nor does he get miffed when he doesn't get his way. He becomes angry when he sees his bountiful creation getting wrecked. Not just the physical creation, but also, the stain our selfishness puts on human relationships. We beat each other up with silence and words. Injust systems keeping some impoverished arouse God’s anger. Many of us want a nice God. But our God isn’t revealed as nice. To quote C.S. Lewis, "He is dangerous, but good." His anger is in response to the hard of heart, the unrepentant, those sinners who turn their backs and deliberately refuse His grace. “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness” (Romans 1:18). God’s anger is not directed towards us every time we do something bad. It is aroused when we deliberately and willfully move away from him, hardening our hearts towards him. When we choose to deface the image of God in us or in others, to selfishly ruin what God created good and refuse to change course, that is what arouses God’s anger. This psalm calls us to take our own sin seriously; not to end our prayers with a quick “and forgive us our sins” and assume confession is accomplished. Rather, it invites the introspection with which Psalm 139 ends, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting” (23-24). It brings us to the space in which, because of our sin, we recognize that we are under God's judgement: his anger and wrath. We have turned away from God and made a mess of things. His anger has been aroused. We are in trouble. Thankfully, the psalmist does not leave us with God's anger. Instead, we are pointed towards God's mercy. "Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am faint...Turn, O Lord, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love" (2, 4). We need to make such prayers because hardness of heart remains a possibility for all of us. The only way out from under God's anger is God's mercy. The God of the Bible is not quick to anger, but he is quick with his mercy. God’s anger is in service of God’s love. His anger is not a permanent state but arises because of human violence against other creatures whom God also loves. We are encouraged to pray for God's mercy with confidence. The wages of sin are death. But the mercy of God is vast and rich and without end. To know this mercy, we must know our sin first. So don't read this psalm too quickly. Take the time to make it real for you. As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm. May he bring you home rejoicing; at the wonders he has shown you. May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
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Strengthening Hands
07/29/2026
Strengthening Hands
“Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So, they began this good work” (Nehemiah 2:17-18). During a war soldiers don’t jump up from behind their protective barricades with hurt expressions and ask the other side, “Was it something I said?” The war is not personal. The same is true in spiritual battles Christians face—our enemy is raging against Christ in us. He is opposing Jesus and his church. Our response should be to suit up in spiritual armor, show up on the battlefield, and persevere for Christ. Opposition is part of the Christian life. It does makes life more difficult. We often need to be prepared to go the extra mile. Reaching the world with the truth and love of Christ will involve inconvenience and personal sacrifice. Sometimes God allows things to proceed relatively easily, as when Nehemiah makes his requests to Artaxerxes. But other times it is more of a struggle. In chapter 1, his anxiety leads him to pray. God paved the way for him. When things go well, we can get confident—since God is on our side, nothing can go wrong. Some Christian organizations have become enamored with success and lost their way. Or they make compromises, believing success is always God’s way. But not Nehemiah. He knows there is opposition to his work. The rubble and burned gates were a sign that Jerusalem had been defeated. In ancient culture, this meant that Jerusalem’s God had been defeated too. That was the disgrace. A rebuilt wall around the city would be a symbol that God was with them and had not, in the end, been defeated. Thus, he called on Israel to join him in rebuilding the wall to remove the disgrace. The phrase, “So, they began this good work,” is more literally translated as “And they strengthened their hands for the good.” Their starting point was to encourage each other to do this good work. In Ezra 4:4, it says that the opposition caused “their hands to weaken”. Later, God changed the attitude of the king of Assyria so that he gave permission and provision for rebuilding. As a result, “their hands were strengthened” or “they were filled with joy” (6:22 NIV). Throughout Ezra-Nehemiah when Israel overcomes opposition, it is because of the things that God does and because the people encourage each other. None of them can go it alone. The same is still true today. We can expect to face opposition. Satan does not want Christians nor the church to succeed. One of his great strategies is causing us to think that we are alone. That we can go it alone. But God calls us to encourage one another. “Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). Take some time today to ask God whom you can encourage, whose hands you can strengthen, so that they can continue in the good fight. As you journey on, go with his blessing: May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May your day end with rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you. May you rest in his provision as he brings night, and then new dawn.
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Hang Over the Keys
07/27/2026
Hang Over the Keys
A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings! The text is Matthew 16:21-28. Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it . Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: Dive In! What are some of the keys to life mentioned in the sermon? Are there other things many people find important? What happened in the previous verses? What did Jesus begin to teach his disciples in our text? What 2 reasons for the cross were mentioned? How did Peter react to this news? Why did Jesus call him ‘Satan’? Jesus calls us to a very different kind of life than the world offers. What three phrases did he use to sum it up? What great paradox does Jesus offer us here? Where will picking up our cross take us?
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All Eyes on Jesus
07/27/2026
All Eyes on Jesus
As [Jesus] approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it’” (Luke 19:29-31). When Jesus was preaching in Capernaum a man possessed by a demon cried out at the top of his voice, "Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!" "Be quiet!" Jesus said sternly (4:33-35). A little later Luke makes this editorial comment "demons came out of many people, shouting, 'You are the Son of God!' But [Jesus] rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew He was the Christ" (4:41). When he healed a man who had leprosy, Jesus said "Don't tell anyone..." (5:14). Likewise, after he had healed their daughter Jesus ordered Jairus and his wife "not to tell anyone what had happened" (8:56). Even after Peter had confessed that Jesus was 'The Christ of God', "Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone" (9:21). But Palm Sunday is different. Jesus takes a new approach, arranging to enter Jerusalem as a king. Two of His disciples are sent ahead to bring him a colt no one had ridden. Among the Jews there were two things that unridden colts were used for: for sacred purposes and to transport a king. Jesus needed it for both. With this animal, Jesus evoked the prophecy in Zechariah 9, “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (9). He came to bring God’s kingdom, but that kingdom could only take root if he now embodied it in himself. He had spoken this kingdom with his word; he had lived the kingdom by touching the outcast; he had shown the kingdom with his miracles. But none of that would matter if he didn’t fulfil his final act, his great sacrifice. On the cross he would break Satan’s power. The living God was at work to heal and save, and the forces of evil and death were gathering to oppose him. Pharaoh and his armies had failed in their efforts to prevent Moses from leading Israel out of Egypt. This is the moment of God’s new Exodus, God’s great Passover. Jesus must eat it and offer himself as the final Passover lamb. Jesus’ time had come. For this, the son of man had come to earth. All eyes needed to be on him. As we take up our cross to follow Jesus, we too must choose. Do we want a Saviour who fixes only the symptoms of the problem: sickness, loneliness, and physical death? Jesus went to the cross to deal with the problem: our bondage to sin. Will we follow him all the way to the cross? Will we receive forgiveness there and new life? As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm. May he bring you home rejoicing; at the wonders he has shown you. May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
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Learning Trust
07/24/2026
Learning Trust
I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety (Psalm 4:8). How many of us wouldn't love to be able to sing the ending of this Psalm? We know the guilt of lying awake at night stewing over this and that. If only we had more faith! We would like a worry-free life. Christians can feel guilty for not living up to Jesus’ call to replace worry with trust (Matthew 6). However, he also invited his disciples to come and learn from him (Matthew 11:29). Moving from worry to trust is often a long twisting road. This psalm shines some light on that pathway. It's a rugged psalm, moving quickly from place to place. The opening lines form a complaint against God. The psalmist is troubled by God’s silence to prayers for help. Then a complaint is raised against people who are pursuing dishonest gain. The psalmist's own life is being made miserable by these people. There’s little support for a life of integrity. The third verse is the crux of the Psalm. It answers the question, "What is God like?" The answer is: God takes care of the godly. Instead of offering an explanation, Israel’s prayer book gives testimonies of how the godly have experienced this. It makes for a rich tapestry. The psalmist is sure that God will listen to the prayers of those who desire to honour him. Curiously, the psalmist also addresses enemies (2-5). They are called away from their sinful pursuits, to humble themselves before God. Even if we identify more with the godly than the rebellious, the invitation to search hearts, to determine motives, should be heeded by us all. We need to test them against God's holy ways and root out any foothold the devil may find. Part of that examination is silence. How often haven't we got ourselves into trouble by spouting off, even to God? Practice listening to him. Finally, the psalmist tells the godly to bring their case before the Lord. God is the great judge. His righteousness and justice will prevail. "Trusting in the Lord" means that we wait. In this world, vengeance and anger rarely wait. But those who trust in the Lord develop patience. It is not until all this and more has been laid out that the psalmist writes about being able to sleep. It is not an easy place to get to. Good theology can help us. It helps us trust and wait. The psalmist does not promise the godly an easy life; but we are offered a pattern for godly living during adversity. Next time you find yourself laying awake in worry, ask yourself, “What is God like?” Then remember this Psalm and others that answer that question. As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm. May he bring you home rejoicing; at the wonders he has shown you. May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
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Resistance is Not Futile
07/22/2026
Resistance is Not Futile
When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites (Nehemiah 2:10). Nehemiah finally makes it to Jerusalem. With letters from the king, he is official – coming with royal authority. And he did not come alone, but with an escort of officials and cavalry. His coming did not go unnoticed, but very much disturbed Sanballat and Tobiah, who were the local powerbrokers. They were endeavoring to keep Israel weak, thereby securing their own power and influence. They recognized that his coming was a threat to their grip on power. And they would continue to be a thorn in Nehemiah’s side, seeking to undermine both the physical and spiritual progress he sought to bring. We may find this a mere curiosity with little relevance for us today, being far removed in time and geography. But Sanballat and Tobiah are included in this story for our edification. They are part of the long resistance to God’s kingdom which will continue until Christ returns. As Jesus said to his disciples, “Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy” (John 16:20). He also taught us to pray, "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." Sometimes we may face people like Sanballat and Tobiah: people who really do not want God’s church to grow and thrive, or Christians to mature. More often our enemies are not physical, thus the Heidelberg Catechism includes the line, “our sworn enemies-the devil, the world, and our own flesh-never stop attacking us” (A 127). This is seen when the hidden sins of Christian leaders are exposed. The church bears the shame, and many have given up on the church, and even on God, because of these failures. But we, who fly under the public radar, are no less afflicted by ‘our sworn enemies’. What about you? How have you experienced the attacks of our enemies? Has your faith weakened in the preceding months? If so, are you going to do something about it? Nehemiah writes that ‘the gracious hand of God was on him.’ Here is the key. As the Catechism says, “By ourselves we are too weak to hold our own even for a moment.” So, asking, “are you going to do something about it?’, is asking the wrong kind of question. The Catechism gives us a better avenue when it teaches us to pray, “And so, Lord, uphold us and make us strong with the strength of your Holy Spirit, so that we may not go down to defeat in this spiritual struggle, but may firmly resist our enemies until we finally win the complete victory.” Like Nehemiah, we can trust in God and pray that he strengthens us. As you journey on, go with his blessing: May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May your day end with rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you. May you rest in his provision as he brings night, and then new dawn.
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The Mountains
07/20/2026
The Mountains
Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved and will endure forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, now and forevermore. Evil people will not always rule the land the Lord gave to those who do right. If they did, those who do right might do what is evil (Psalm 125:1-3). Driving through mountains helps us grasp the central image of this psalm. Jerusalem was a walled city on the top of a mountain surrounded by other mountains. Standing on top of the walls, looking out at those mountains, an Israelite could feel secure. Like the mountains surrounding Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people. Of course, God’s protection of his people is worth more than mountains. God is always more than the earthly image. We too should have earthly images that impress on us God’s protection. In the relationship God formed with His people Israel, he promised to be their God and called them to follow His ways. If they reject His ways, they break covenant and cannot count on His protection. They rebelled and ended up in Babylon. The refugees who came back from there sang this song as they struggled to establish a righteous Israelite society. They were opposed by stronger nations, and by fellow Israelites who gave up on righteous living to pursue dishonest gain. The righteous were often left in the economic dust, wondering where on earth God’s protection for them was. It was tempting to abandon their vision of an obedient nation. ‘Don’t give up,’ says the psalmist, ‘evil folks will not endure. In the end, the righteous will dwell securely in the land.’ God will see to it. How do we use this psalm to strengthen our own faith? One way is to consider Jesus’ beatitude, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). Meek here refers to someone who has trained to do what is right, so they do it even when it is difficult, in other words, the righteous, those who trust in the Lord and are not shaken. Such folk will have a place in the renewed creation when Jesus returns and fully establishes his kingdom on earth. As they gathered in Jerusalem, the holy city, to worship together at the temple, some measure of confidence was restored. God does do good to those who are righteous despite the circumstances that surround them each day. We too need to call on God to surround us like mountains and keep us safe from the wicked ones and those who turn aside to crookedness. May we all find places and times in which we gain new strength for our journey. It is not easy to live righteously before God, to love him and neighbour. May this psalm fire our imaginations to hear with new ears Jesus’ solemn assurance, "In this world you will have trouble. But be encouraged! I have won the battle over the world" (John 16:33). May this psalm encourage us to live faithfully before him. As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: “May God our Father himself infuse you with strength and purity, filling you with confidence when our Master Jesus arrives with all his followers” (1 Thessalonians 3:13). “May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together—spirit, soul, and body—and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he’ll do it” (5:23).
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Divine Crumbs
07/19/2026
Divine Crumbs
A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings! The text is Matthew 15:21-28. Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it . Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: DIVE IN What is a central question of this passage? The woman addresses Jesus as ‘the Son of David’. What does this tell us about her? What conflict does her request set up? Does this challenge your faith? What two reasons for Jesus’ silence were offered in this sermon? What does Jesus’ statement, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel”, remind us of? Why is Jesus so impressed with her faith? How does this story point towards the ending of Matthew’s gospel? Who will the fatherly arms of God embrace?
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God has the Future
07/17/2026
God has the Future
Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.” The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them (Psalm 2:1-4). Back in 1850, a French philosopher wrote, “Each citizen is habitually engaged in the contemplation of a very puny object, namely himself”. More recently, Goldie Hawn told college graduates it was time for them to attend the "college of you." Self-obsession is the curse of our day, a cause of social and personal problems. Many Christian prayers suggests that Jesus’ followers are equally self-absorbed. Our prayers sound like the whining of a 3-year-old. There is a solution. We need to pray the Psalms. Psalm 2 tells us that people opposed to God will also be opposed to His followers. As such, this psalm offers at least three points for Christian reflection. First, we should expect to be ridiculed for our faith. Belief in Jesus is hazardous to our health. This psalm gives us hints of what the New Testament points out so strongly: Jesus is the stumbling block. He is God’s Son, all must decide, are they with him or not? Second, this opposition doesn't bother God. He laughs. No matter how many argue the contrary, God sits enthroned above, and we believe Jesus sits at His right hand. Jesus holds the sceptre of power and authority. It is our natural inclination to get rid of our enemies right away; to get even; to triumph. But the Bible makes quite clear that God is in no hurry to be proven right. For many reasons He chooses to wait. Waiting teaches us perseverance and it gives time for others to find their home in him. This inspires prayer for people to turn to Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Third, whose side are we on? It is necessary to take time to reflect on this question. It will not do to say, "Of course, I am on Jesus' side, I made a commitment to him years ago; I made profession of faith." This requires self-examination. How do deal with controversy? If we always need to win or prove that we are right, can we really say that we are allowing God to be God? Ponder what Peter writes about Jesus, "When they hurled insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly" (1 Peter 2:23). He left us this example to follow. Do we? As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm. May he bring you home rejoicing; at the wonders he has shown you. May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
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Unceasing Prayer
07/15/2026
Unceasing Prayer
The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king… (Nehemiah 2:4-5a) Not all prayers are long and eloquent. Nehemiah’s certainly wasn’t. The way this is written, it appears to be offered in the blink of an eye in the king’s presence, offered mid-conversation without Nehemiah so much as skipping a beat. It no doubt happened silently then—a deep breath before plunging into a response. This is an example of what Paul means when he encourages us to “pray without ceasing”. This kind of breath-long prayer illustrates how it can be lived. It’s not necessarily about the length or formality or the words. It’s not about the continuity of praying throughout days and weeks. It’s an unceasing prayerful posture that defines our approach and our reaction to life. Nehemiah’s attitude reflects a prayerful posture toward life. And that’s just a different way of saying that Nehemiah was unceasingly aware of, and actively attentive to God. His attention to God pervaded his life. He knew that he belonged to God. He knew that God ultimately held the power over the nations and over history. He knew that it was with God that he had to do. This naturally meant that Nehemiah prayed, that he connected his life, his thoughts, and his conversations to God in prayer. When a deep sorrow washed over him at the plight of his people, he talked to God. As he pondered what action to take, he talked it over with God. As he prepared to enter the king’s presence with his request, he inquired of God. As he responded to the king in the moment, he prayed to God. Nehemiah was constantly aware of and attentive to God, such that his in-the-moment responses turned into prayer. His life posture was prayerful. They say that our character is what pops out of us when we hit a bump in the road. Well, what popped out of Nehemiah was prayer. Maybe not always big or eloquent prayer—but prayer none-the-less. We generally associate prayer with words directed to God. But it can also be silent attentiveness to God – like a child content just to sit with a parent. Prayer will take different forms at different times. As we mature in the faith, it includes becoming aware of the presence of God that actively pervades every moment. That’s part of what it means to pray continually. To be always attentive to and ready to respond to God. In the big moments, and the in small ones. In dedicated times of attention and devotion, as well as in the passing moments. So, what’s your posture in life? To God? What pops out of you when you hit a bump in the road? Pay attention today and see. Then, let it remind you to pay attention to God as you breathe a little “thanks for the reminder, God” prayer. As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May your day end with rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you. May you rest in his provision as he brings night, and then new dawn.
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What Kind of Messiah?
07/13/2026
What Kind of Messiah?
Our text is from Luke 7:22-23 Jesus replied to the messengers, “Go back to John. Tell him what you have seen and heard. Blind people receive sight. Disabled people walk. Those who have skin diseases are made ‘clean.’ Deaf people hear. Those who are dead are raised to life. And the good news is announced to those who are poor. Blessed is anyone who does not give up their faith because of me (Luke 7:22-23). John the baptizer sent some of his disciples to ask Jesus if he really was the messiah Israel was expecting from God. Luke is working out a central question of his gospel: who is Jesus? In reply to John, Jesus says that he is the Messiah from God, but not the kind of messiah Israel expected. John had preached about coming wrath--destruction, fire, judgment (3:7-9, 17). But the words and deeds of Jesus had very little of this. Even John’s imprisonment had provoked no counterblast of judgment from the powers of the kingdom of God. John was clearly puzzled. Jesus wasn’t doing what he had expected. If Jesus really was the Messiah, why wasn’t he establishing the messianic kingdom John wanted, the kind in which prisoners like himself were liberated and folks like Herod got what was coming to them? In reply to John’s question, Jesus points to what he is doing, then quotes several prophecies from Isaiah and encourages folks to draw their own conclusion. Jesus will not be a straightforward rival to Herod. His kingdom will operate in a different mode altogether, healing people and the world at every level and it will outlast all the Herod like kingdoms. There is encouragement for the Christian in this confrontation between John and Jesus. John had proclaimed Jesus coming, but when Jesus came, John didn’t get it. Jesus doesn’t berate John with some form of “how could you even ask?” Instead, he invites John and his disciples to come have a closer look. Rather than pushing John away, he draws him nearer. If Jesus could deal with John’s questions and doubts, surely, he will be equally merciful to us when we question him. Sometimes the church has frowned on people with questions, telling them to just believe. Jesus was not offended by the questions and doubts. He simply invited the questioners to have a closer look. So let us not hide and silence our questions but rather use them as opportunities to look deeper into what God is up to. This confrontation also poses a challenge for us. Blessing belongs to the person who is not offended by Jesus. His style of ministry is not with the powerful flair of position and status the world expects and we want. Nonetheless he has been sent from God. Can we believe that acts of love and mercy bring forth the kingdom? As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm. May he bring you home rejoicing; at the wonders he has shown you. May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
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Don't Miss the Boat
07/12/2026
Don't Miss the Boat
A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings! The text is Matthew 14:22-33. Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it . Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: Dive In! How is this passage often used? What words are at the heart of this story? What Old Testament passages do they echo? What tells us that Peter understood what Jesus was implying? How does Christ’s Lordship shape Christian living? How does ‘Immanuel’ encourage us? How should we respond to this revelation?
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What Amazes God
07/10/2026
What Amazes God
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at the commander. Jesus turned to the crowd that was following him. He said, “I tell you, even in Israel I have not found anyone whose faith is so strong.” (Luke 7:9-10). How does one get noticed by God or get into his good books? How do I get into heaven? Common questions. Many Christians will answer with “by grace through faith” (Ephesians 2:8). Of course, that’s right. Yet I wonder how many Christians realize how difficult it is to hold to this. When we go to funerals, we generally get a recitation of the deceased person’s good qualities. Often summed up like this, “they were an angel in this life, so of course God will let them in. Heaven has another angel.” In other words, if I do enough good in this world, I will get into heaven. It’s difficult for us Christians to keep this sentiment from creeping into our worldview. Our text suggests a different question, “What amazes God?” We meet a good Roman military man who loves the Jewish nation. He was wealthy enough to have helped the Jews build their synagogue in Capernaum. In this story, he sends some Jewish elders to Jesus hoping for help with his dying servant. These elders advocate for him, “He is a good man, Jesus, he deserves your help.” On the way to this Roman home, Jesus is met by the man’s friends with a double message (7:7). First, ‘I am unworthy of your attention’. He recognizes that despite having done significant good, God owes him nothing. Can we say that? Self-worth often subverts our faith. We get angry with God thinking that we deserve better than we are getting. This man did not even feel worthy of being visited by God’s agent. Second, the unnamed man believes Jesus has authority over illness, just say the word and it will be accomplished. He believed Jesus could heal by a simple sovereign word even at a physical distance—a situation that applies even more today considering Jesus’ presence in heaven. And he knew that Jesus cared enough to do so. Such faith and humility in God’s power amazes Jesus. This isn’t abstract belief about God or the learning of dogmas. It is the simple, clear belief that what Jesus commands will be done. Further, when God acts for our good, it is undeserved. The gospels are full of stories in which the things Jesus does and speaks amaze people. But here Jesus is amazed. It was not the man’s accomplishments or his good works, that amazed Jesus, but the man’s faith in who Jesus is and in his power. We are invited to consider our own faith. Do we believe this about Jesus? Here is a Gentile who understood who Christ is. This passage calls us to possess a similar faith. God owes us nothing, yet he extends his compassion to us. God honors us with his grace, not because we deserve it, but because he cares (1 John 4:9–10). Let us be amazed at our God. As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May your day end with rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you. May you rest in his provision as he brings night, and then new dawn.
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Who are we?
07/08/2026
Who are we?
“They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name” (Nehemiah 1:10-11). In Genesis 2, the Lord God says, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him” (2:18). And before that, “So God created human beings in his own likeness. He created them to be like himself. He created them as male and female” (1:27). We humans were created for community. That’s why solitary confinement is considered a form of punishment (probably not a helpful form). Further, we find our self-identity not in isolation but in the context of our community. There is evidence that the rise of anxiety in our culture is, at least in part, due to the lack of community shaping us. Individualism, apparently, does not form healthy people. In recognizing this, Christians seek to include children and youth in church life. We all need community and we need that community to shape us and help us form our identity. Each of us also, whether young or old, shapes the identity of our community. The core of our Christian identity does not change, but how we live it and express it hopefully matures. Nehemiah gives us the essence of our identity. Let me paraphrase, “we are God’s servants and God’s people, whom God redeemed by his great strength and his great hand.” Nehemiah was referring to God delivering his people from Egypt. We, of course, refer to Christ’s death and resurrection. That was the great act of God delivering us. Because of Christ, we belong to God. We are his servants. But we have difficulty remembering this. On the one hand we are just forgetful. On the other hand, there is a constant barrage of information tempting us to see ourselves differently. The prayers in the Bible are frequently more audacious than ours. Did Nehemiah think that God had forgotten? “These are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed…” Did God need reminding? Not likely. But we forget. We need the Christian community to remind us of who we are. That’s why the church is referred to as a family. It’s also why seminarians are constantly told, “Preach Jesus.” One Sunday afternoon, an elderly parishioner called me with this, “everything you said this morning was true, but a Jewish rabbi could have preached that.” He had nothing against Jewish Rabbi’s; he was just reminding me, with all kindness, that I was called to preach Jesus. That was a long time ago, but I won’t forget. And here is the wonder of it, we belong to our Heavenly Father, not because we decided, but because he decided. He wanted us enough that Jesus died for us. No. He will not forget. This prayer also reminds us of what we do. We serve God. We serve him on Sundays. But we especially serve him in the days between Sundays, in our work and our play, among our family members and among our co-workers, employers and employees. As you journey on, remember, “We are God’s servants and God’s people, whom he redeemed by his great strength and his mighty hand.” He will hear our prayers.
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A Better Question
06/17/2026
A Better Question
Nehemiah prayed to God, “You said, ‘If your people are not faithful, I will scatter you among the nations. But if you return to me, I will bring you back. If you obey my commands, I will gather you together again… I will bring you to the special place where I have chosen to put my Name.’ Lord, they are your people. They serve you. You used your great strength and mighty hand to set them free from Egypt” (Nehemiah 1:8-10). Having heard dire reports concerning the returned exiles in Jerusalem, Nehemiah sat in lament, sorrow and prayer. Then he intercedes for that community, acknowledging that this exile was caused by Israel’s sin. God had scattered them because they had abandoned him. For a variety of reasons, Christians find it tantalizing to follow Nehemiah’s lead, believing any misfortune to be God’s judgement on some specific sins. But I think this is a misreading of scripture. This judgement in Babylon is not the norm. Isreal had needed saving from Egypt, but it was not God’s judgement that brought them there. Joseph says that his coming to Egypt was intended by God to save many lives (Genesis 50:20). Horrible things happened to Israel in Egypt, but none of it was because of God’s judgment. In Acts 11:19 we read, “Some believers had been scattered by the suffering that unbelievers caused them. They were scattered after Stephen was killed.” Again, that suffering had nothing to do with judgement. The Holy Spirit pushed the followers of Jesus out of Jerusalem so that they could fulfill their mission to be Jesus’ witnesses to the furthest ends of the earth. Israel returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple where God was worshipped. In the gospel of John, Jesus teaches that he is the new temple (2:19). We can worship God wherever we are when we worship in his name. His promise is that he is with us there. Paul develops this temple imagery even further and declares that followers of Jesus are God’s temple. This has massive implications. The temple in Jerusalem was the place where God was present. So, wherever Jesus followers go, God is present today. That is part of the New Testament story. This brings us back to Nehemiah and his prayer. In the face of suffering, we tend to ask why. But the more Biblical question is, ‘what are we going to do in it’? John 9 illustrates this. Jesus and his disciples encounter a man born blind. The disciples want to know who sinned, him or his parents. That’s a question about judgement, but Jesus says it is about God’s glory. Then he gives the man his sight. God did not intend for us to suffer, and he never takes delight in it. But he can redeem it. Nehemiah mentions that God’s people serve him. That’s a matter of glory. We can spend lots of energy on the ‘why’ of suffering. But if we ask, “how can we serve God while suffering?” that’s a matter in which God’s glory can be revealed. As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May your day end with rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you. May you rest in his provision as he brings night, and then new dawn.
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Work is Worship
06/15/2026
Work is Worship
Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? The one whose walk is blameless…Whoever does these things will never be shaken (Psalm 15:1,2,5). Psalm 15 is a ‘worker’s’ song. There are others in the Bible, all containing experiences of people living their lives much like we do. They help us pray not as detached spiritual beings but real physical people interacting with ordinary humans straining to live in this chaotic world. This song recognizes that interacting with other humans gets us caught up in things that are not holy. Frequently, we make decisions, that with hindsight, don’t measure up to the high standards God’s people desire for themselves. We are reminded that we ought to examine our daily work before we go to worship God. Are our hands clean? Have we earned our income honestly? Have we given our best effort? Have we harmed people in the process? On the surface, Psalm 15 might disqualify all of us from actual worship. But that is not the case. Scripture interprets scripture and God has already laid out what we should do when we realize our actions and words have not measured up. Leviticus 5:5 sums it up, “They must make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the owner on the day they present their guilt offering”. Jesus echoes these instructions in Matthew 5:23-24. He doesn’t mention the matter of adding “a fifth.” Rather, he tells us to go and be reconciled. We need to be willing to make matters right. These passages teach that repentance is not just a matter between us and God. We cannot be clean before God if we do not make amends with those we have hurt or offended. To climb God’s holy mountain and dwell in the Lord’s house of worship is a profound blessing, for “it is good to be near God” (Ps. 73:28). The Psalms push us to reckon with our workplace behavior both before and within worship. To glibly reply, “Well, Jesus paid it all, so I’m good now,” is to fail to wrestle with our guilt and release the guilt that should haunt us during communal worship. The phrase, “work is worship”, is right. Yet, it is also true that only when we bring our work into the sanctuary and only when we learn how to work while at worship does our work get shaped into a gift that honours God. So, wherever God brings you this week, prepare already today, to bring yourself as a gift to him in worship next weekend. As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: Wherever God takes you this week, may He fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit and that you may live carefully—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity.
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Pentecostal Fire
06/14/2026
Pentecostal Fire
A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings! The text is Romans 8:14-17. Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it . Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: What images come to mind when you think about the Holy Spirit? What image was used in this sermon? What does it mean to be led by the Spirit? What three roles does the law have? Answer 86 of the Heidelberg Catechism gives us four reasons for doing good. What are they? How does being adopted into God’s family change our relationship with God? How does it change the way that we pray? If Israel’s exodus from Egypt is a parallel to the church’s story, where are we now? In what ways do we suffer?
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Delight!
06/12/2026
Delight!
I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind (Proverbs 8:30-31). If we are to experience Sabbath’s potential, we need to consider the practice of delight. The connection between delight and the Sabbath is easily seen. In expressing delight, we show our joy and great pleasure in the gifts of God. It is to relish the goodness and beauty of God’s work and see to the remnants of the divine image in each other. We recognize and appreciate that we are all gifts to each other. Therefore, we welcome each person. Yet, this delight takes effort. It requires personal preparation in which we halt the controlling, self-serving impulses that reduce others to servants. We no longer see people as means to our own goals but learn to pay genuine attention to them for their own sake. We have the same attitude towards the rest of God’s creation. Everywhere we see the freshness of God’s grace. To this end, we must imitate God. Throughout his creative work, he took immense pleasure in what he was making. He took pleasure in creation itself, in its freedom and integrity. God beheld the world, all that was within it, but also its great potential, and proclaimed it “very good”! It was divine exuberance that built and flowed into the works of creation. It was a work of love. His declaration of ‘very good”, is filled with joy and delight. This delight comes to the fore in Proverbs 8. The Wisdom of God, personified as feminine, speaks of the freshness and beauty of all that was made. I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep, when he established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep, when he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep his command, and when he marked out the foundations of the earth. Then I was constantly at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind (8:27–31). Enthusiasm and excitement are being communicated back and forth between God and Wisdom as God brings each aspect of creation into being. They are like beaming parents unable to contain their delight when contemplating the potential of new life. They delight in seeing their children thriving and doing well. In the face of such wonder and splendor, the automatic response is pure joy. Scripture advises us to heed God’s Wisdom, so that we too might share in this fundamental experience of delight. Despite Israel’s disloyalty and shame, despite our worst efforts to mar and disfigure what God has created, God is faithful to his promise to love and care for his people and his creation. The suffering God undertook through Jesus’ incarnation was endurable because of the joy to come (Hebrews 12:2) in the restoration of all things. Let’s keep our eyes open. Let us see the gifts of God’s grace. Let us delight in Sabbath joy. As you journey on, receive Jesus’ invitation into this rest: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:28-29).
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The Wine Taster
06/10/2026
The Wine Taster
I was the king’s wine taster (Nehemiah 1:11). Why does this chapter end stating Nehemiah’s position in the Persian court? The wine taster was a very important person among the king’s officials, most likely responsible for other high priority files. In the Canadian context, he would probably hold several significant cabinet posts. The bulk of the chapter relates Nehemiah’s lament and prayer. After learning of the troubles in Jerusalem among the returned exiles, he fasts and weeps. It’s a reminder that the journey with God rarely goes in a straight line. Times for lament come and go in the Christian’s life. Nehemiah prays on behalf of the entire nation of Israel. We can learn from him. Like Jesus, he begins with God. There are times when our prayers begin with our troubles, but overall, we need to learn to begin with God. Who are we praying to? That needs to be firmly fixed in our hearts and minds. He confesses his own sins, his family’s sins and the sins of the whole nation. Nehemiah acknowledges the heart of the matter: God had given Israel commands through Moses, but Israel ignored them and did evil. We might think that having confessed her sin, Israel can now expect God to do something for her, a sort of tit for tat spiritual arrangement. Israel does something good, so God ought to respond in kind. Isn’t that how we often approach God? But Nehemiah does something very different. He reminds God of God’s promise to Israel: that if, having experienced his judgement, Israel returned to God, he would return them to the land of promise. Nehemiah expects God to respond to him, because God has said he would. He does not bank on Israel’s goodness to evoke divine deliverance. Our God keeps his promises. This is what Nehemiah counts on. We can count on this too. But why end with, “I was the king’s wine taster.” By this time, we might be expecting Nehemiah to identify as a spiritual leader among the Jewish exiles. Instead, we are reminded that he held an important position in the Persian court. Two suggestions. First, like Ezra, God has been preparing Nehemiah to help re-establish his people in the promised land. Ezra had spent much of his life studying God’s law. So, he was prepared to teach Israel how to obey God. Nehemiah is an administrator in the Persian court who has skills that will be very important in re-establishing Israelite community. Despite his position of high standing, he has obviously remained faithful to the God of Israel. He is not a Persian. Second, we often say that God can use anyone for his purposes, but we don’t always believe it. Here we see how God used an administrative person who had face to face contact with the king of Persia. Let that encourage us all that God can use us. Let us also keep our eyes open to the opportunities he gives us. As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May your day end with rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you. May you rest in his provision as he brings night, and then new dawn.
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God at Work
06/08/2026
God at Work
I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done…Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life (Psalm 143:5,8). In the Bible, God has multiple occupations. Here are a few from the Psalms: judge (9:16), provider (16:5), midwife (22:9), engineer and builder (Ps 24:2 & 87:1), teacher (25:12), planter (44:2), scheduler (74:17), liberator of those who toil (81:6), irrigator (104:13), public defender and advocate for the poor (113:7), seamstress (139:13), craftsman (139:14), physician (146:8), cook (147:14). Throughout the Psalms, there is repeated reflection on the works of the Lord. The things God does always stand in the foreground, whereas the things we humans do, fade into the background. We are invited to ponder the things God does and how he does them and then model our work on his. Because we are God’s image bearers, God is always first. We cannot understand our place and purpose, including that of our work, until, through song, prayer and meditation, the work of God has seeped into our muscles. When God’s work is central to our worship and devotions, we wash the lens through which we can understand our own labours in this world. Psalm 23 depicts our almighty God as a humble shepherd. We derive much comfort from this song. Yet, its primary purpose is to reveal something about God. Shepherding was smelly, dirty and difficult. A shepherd had fearful encounters with wild beasts and bandits and snide remarks from almost all other workers. They were among the lowest class, spending long lonely, cold, sleepless nights with smelly animals. Yet, God is willing to be compared to this worker. Now imagine that you are such a shepherd, and, with your band of motley brothers, you sing this song night after night. You worship a God whose work is comparable to yours. You imagine God doing for you what you do for your sheep. I think it would both warm your heart to this God and increase your desire to do your work well. If you God does this, how can it be just a lowly job? At the end of the psalm, God becomes a waiter, filling their cups to overflowing. The work of God will follow the shepherd all the days of his life. The psalmists work—however mundane—will be protected, guided, and nourished by the overflowing work of God. Many Christians prefer a distant god, one who commanded us to work (Genesis 1&2) and then politely leaves us along. But that is not the God we worship. He works right along side us. Singing songs that compare the extraordinary works of almighty God to our routine labors may fill us with a sense of discomfort that is both appropriate and revealing. Why does it make us uncomfortable? These psalms push us to seek intimacy with God in and through the more mundane aspects of working life. Our daily sweat, our stress, our late nights in the office, and our early mornings in the libraries are all spiritually “thin spaces”. Yet, there we can be renewed through the intimate presence of God. The psalms depict God faithfully at work in the world alongside us. Singing together in the sanctuary, we are reminded of this simple but life-changing truth: God’s work gives meaning to ours. As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: Wherever God takes you this week, may He fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit and that you may live carefully—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity.
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God's Soap
06/07/2026
God's Soap
A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings! The text is Ezekiel 36:24-32. Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it . Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: Dive In Questions What does soap do? Is it adequate for what God is talking about in this passage? Why or why not? What is God’s diagnosis? How do we often treat sin? Who is the main worker? What does God say he will do? “I will _______________” “I will _______________” “I will give you a new _____________” “I will put my _____________ in you” What’s the point of all of this?
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Common Grace and Sabbath
06/05/2026
Common Grace and Sabbath
The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made (Psalm 145:9). Our text, along with others, has given rise to the teaching known as “common grace.” This doctrine reflects on different ways in which God is involved in the affairs of the universe, including among human beings and human civilization. Here are some of examples of God involving himself. First, He restrains sin. Humans led, and continue to lead, the creation in rebellion against the creator. However, God prevents sin from expressing itself as fully as it otherwise would. It is not as bad as it could be. He uses governments, laws, conscience, family structures, and social institutions in confining evil. Second, God preserves his creation. He sustains the world despite our rebellion. The regularity of nature, seasons, and the continued existence of society are gifts of common grace (Genesis 8:22). As Jesus reminds us, “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45). Third, he bestows gifts and abilities to all people. Christians who adhere to this doctrine of common grace appreciate wisdom coming from non-believers. They can recognize beauty in the art of an atheist. We eagerly use the scientific discoveries and medical advances of folks from other religions. People who do not know Christ can still do things that are beneficial and admirable. Fourth, the Bible speaks frequently about coming judgment. But it is long in coming. Paul writes that God patiently endures sinners, giving opportunity for repentance (Romans 2:4). And as Peter says, The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Why consider ‘common grace’ in a mediation about Sabbath? Well, because Sabbath is not primarily about one day a week. It is a way of life, a way of looking at the world. A Sabbath life looks for signs of God in the normal events of daily life. If God involves himself in life on this earth, his activity needs to be visible. We need to look for it. That is what Sabbath people do. However, common grace is not saving grace. It points to God but does not restore us to him. Seeing signs of this kind of grace can help us see and receive his saving grace. If we see the world as only material for us to use, devoid of God’s involvement, then we are likely to miss his saving grace as well. If our eyes are open, if we are looking for indications of God’s care and compassion on his whole creation, we are more likely to desire his salvation as well. As you journey on, receive Jesus’ invitation into this rest: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:28-29).
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Holy to the Lord
06/03/2026
Holy to the Lord
“The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices… (Ezra 9:1). “Moderation in all things”. This popular bit of folk wisdom is helpful but not always. Hating sin, for example, needs no moderation. We are to hate it and flee from it with enthusiasm and passion. When writing to Timothy about certain temptations, Paul writes, “But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11). To the church he writes, “reject every kind of evil” (1 Thess. 5:22). Many of us want the freedom to dabble a little bit with sin. We wonder how close we can get to the line without crossing. This attitude is a long way from ‘reject every kind of evil’. To reject evil, we need to give up things. For example, negative attitudes that towards other people; stereotyping. The Bible’s persistent call to love our neighbours means we cannot look down on people of another race or socio-economic status. We will need to critically question our political leanings to determine if they truly line up with the gospel. It’s really a question about worship: who or what we worship. That’s where the book of Ezra finishes. The Israelites have married folks from other nations. But that is just the presenting issue. What lies behind this is Israel’s lackluster attitude towards God and worshipping him alone. Their intermarrying quickly progresses to joining their foreign spouses in worshipping other gods. Israel was to be holy to the Lord among the nations: geographically, culturally, ethnically and religiously. The church is not longer a separate nation. So how are we holy? This is a question each generation of Christians needs to ask and wrestle with. This is no easy task. To help this discernment, we do well to focus on the positive aspects of the Christian life. Paul wrote, “flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.” If we spend more time on the pursuit side of the equation, the fleeing will be more obvious. We should also follow Ezra’s example. When we become aware of sin, our first response ought to be confession. Ezra’s awareness of the sin in the community leads him to confess it before God. He is acutely aware that they cannot presume upon God’s mercy. Neither can we. Our current Christian culture tends toward an approach to repentance that advocates “saying sorry” to God and trying (at least for a while) not to be a repeat offender. We need to recover an understanding of the seriousness of sin and how it affects us. Experiencing the seriousness of sin in our heart (our guts) makes us more aware of God’s grace, and thankful for it. This will help us to pursue a life of worshipping God alone. As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May your day end with rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you. May you rest in his provision as he brings night, and then new dawn.
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Establish Our Work
06/01/2026
Establish Our Work
May the favour of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands (Psalm 90:17). Growing up, the New Year was always ushered in with a reading of Psalm 90. Sometimes, just after mid-night, more often after breakfast on January 1. As a child growing up on a farm it was easy to relate to the petition of verse 17. But from an adult perspective, I realize there is more at stake then I could know as a child. In the dead of winter, I didn’t think about the sunshine and rains that would be needed for crops to grow during the warmer months. Nor did I fully understand the possibility of disease creeping into the barns infecting the pigs. Nor did I realize that fluctuations in the market impacted the price of pork and crops. As a child, it seemed like a simple prayer. Yet, if God is sovereign then he rules over all these things. The prayer is a recognition that we are subject to many forces outside our control, many of them with evil intent. This prayer drives us to dependence on God, that he alone can establish the work that we do in this world. That without his providential care, all we do is a building on sand. Forces at work within the economy are not always driven by people with righteous intentions. In fact, many players are downright selfish. Cheating and false accusations abound and some of it is aimed at God’s people. This is a prayer that, despite the evil designs of godless people, God will cause us to prosper. When the righteous prosper, notwithstanding the intentions of bad players, these same people are shamed, and their evil schemes are exposed as malicious. This is not a prayer that we win and others lose. That is not God’s way. We prosper so that others can prosper with us. Our modern economy is based on the theory of scarcity: that there are not enough resources to go around. This model induces people to gather and horde as much as possible. As such, those with power and influence sit on heaps of resources when many others die of hunger. Those who pray this prayer refuse to indulge in such ideas. We cannot pray these words while turning a blind eye to the needs of the poor. Read Isaiah 58 to see what God thinks of that. A prayer that God will ‘establish the work of our hands’ propels us to consider the community around us and how, if our work prospers, we can help others prosper as well. As a child, I only envisioned this prayer within the context of our farm, not fully realizing what it all embraced. But now, I envision it for all of us who spend our days engaged is various activities. God does not pour down buckets of potatoes, rice and beans from heaven. No. He uses us to work in the marketplace, wanting our work to provide for many. When you pray this prayer at the start of the week, consider how God might answer it? As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: Wherever God takes you this week, may He fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit and that you may live carefully—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity.
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When Justice is Silent
05/31/2026
When Justice is Silent
A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings! The text is Psalm 58. Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it . Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: Dive IN What are the Imprecatory Psalms? How do we pray them? Raw emotion: have you ever heard anyone pray like this? Anger at injustice: name some injustices that you have seen Directed towards God: why should we take this anger to God? Read Romans 12:19) How does God deal with Injustice? What happened at the cross? Why do the gospel writers spend so much time on Jesus’ suffering? (read Isaiah 53:4-5) How should we respond to our enemies? What are the keys of the kingdom? What does Romans 12:20-21 have to say about this? Two other things were mentioned about how Christians should respond to injustice.
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Handing Over the Baton
05/29/2026
Handing Over the Baton
It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O most high, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night… (Psalm 92:1-2). Christian teaching on Sabbath is frequently rooted only in the instructions given through Moses in the 10 Commandments. As such, this training is often reduced to as list of dos and don’ts. We focus on definitions of work and what kinds of work are permissible, and which are forbidden. In doing this we reduce the Biblical teaching on Sabbath to something either bothersome or irrelevant. The Bible includes a profound and robust theology of Sabbath which, as the writer of Hebrews says, we enter by faith. And pardon the pun, we need to work at it to live it. This is not the work of survival in this world, nor is it works righteousness, but the work of faith. It is akin to the beginning of Peter’s second letter. He writes that God has given us everything we need for a godly life and a host of great and precious promises too boot. Because we have all these things, we should make every effort to add to our faith goodness, knowledge, etc. The abundant life that Jesus gives us needs to be learned. Likewise, Sabbath rest is a gift God gives, like the land of promise in the Old Testament. Yet, it is also something we need to enter by faith and work for, just as the Israelites had to defeat their enemies before they could settle into the land and enjoy its fruits. Sabbath is more than just a day free from the frenetic pace of modern life. It is a way of life in which “every day of my life I rest from my evil ways, let the Lord work in me through his Spirit, and so begin already in this life the eternal Sabbath” (Heidelberg Catechism A 103). Psalm 92, “a psalm for the Sabbath day” (NIV heading) shows us the way. The work of Sabbath faith begins and ends with declaring the love and faithfulness of God. This is what Eugene Peterson called “unselfing”. It’s the difficult spiritual work of getting ourselves off the throne of our lives and allowing God to sit there. With resolve, we refuse to make live about ourselves, rather, we set out to pursue the kingdom of God. Sabbath is a discipline equipping us to think about the direction of our lives. It reminds us that creation ended with Sabbath, Sabbath were interrupted by human rebellion, yet history will culminate in the eternal Sabbath. Our practice of Sabbath should usher us into this grand story that God is directing. It is the discipline of passing back to God the conductor’s baton of our lives. Better than anything else, it helps us appreciate and understand what all our living is for. Put simply, Sabbath discipline introduces us to God’s own ways of joy and delight. As Peter says, we are given everything we need to experience the divine life of love and peace. Celebrating these attributes of God does not guarantee a life free of hardship and pain and stress. No. We are declaring by faith that God’s work and providential care of this world, and of us his children, goes well beyond what we can see and experience. Sabbath is the discipline of learning to trust in this God and to live in hope of what we cannot yet see. As you journey on, receive Jesus’ invitation into this rest: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:28-29).
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