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.

Rejoicing with Rejoicers 11/19/2025

Rejoicing with Rejoicers Our text is Romans 12:15: Love must be sincere…Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. One of my professors warned, “There will be days when you do a funeral in the morning and a wedding in the afternoon. You will need to weep in the morning and rejoice in the afternoon. Your tears and your joy better be sincere.” That advice comes directly from our text for today. Paul is laying out different shades of Christian love which is not rooted in feelings but in a decision of the mind to behave in certain ways. Empathy is “the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.” Sympathy, the capacity to share in another’s pain or sorrow, is one side of empathy. To rejoice when another rejoices is the other side. This, I think, is the more difficult aspect. Think about it -- to rejoice with people who are rejoicing, even if we do not feel like it. Your loved one is dying of cancer, and someone else’s is healed. And you rejoice with them. That’s Spirit stuff. We are equipped with a great capacity for giving and receiving love. Even the hardest heart melts before the innocent smile of a child or the antics of puppies. Yet these two sides of empathy are often locked up in the confines of selfishness. This may be because genuine, loving, empathetic involvement is debilitating and costly. To weep when you are more interested in having fun or to appreciate another’s gain when you are suffering loss is hard, but necessary. Doing so helps us overcome our selfishness; it is an act of selflessness; it is sincere love. The problem with this rejoicing is that someone else’s success often arouses jealousy and envy in our hearts. Jealousy and envy, hatred and malice are our native bents. When we can truly rejoice with someone’s success without envying them, we are demonstrating a transformed mind (12:2). Not envying those that prosper but rejoicing with them, being truly glad that others have the success and comfort which we do not, and not despising those that are in trouble, but being concerned for them, and ready to help them: this is to do as God does. He delights in the prosperity of his servants (Ps. 35:27) and is likewise distressed in their distress (Isa. 63:9). Where there is a mutual love between the members of the church, there will be such empathy. True love will interest us in the sorrows and joys of one another and teach us to make them our own. But how do we get there? Philippians holds a key, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Phil. 4:12, 13). When we learn to be content with out lot in life, because we trust God, then we can be an empathetic community. As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/39081980

Involved in the Mission 11/17/2025

Involved in the Mission Our scripture is from Colossians 3:12-14: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience…Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” When are we involved in God’s mission? Christians often think that only activity connected to the church is involved in God’s work. The implication is that God is not interested in our daily lives. But this is far from the truth. In the beginning, we were made to be involved in the development of creation, in other words, to work it. That design has never been revoked. Despite human rebellion and sin’s negative effect on our daily lives, Christians participate in God’s grand mission of redemption as we live out our daily lives. When we praise God by the excellence of our work, we are exercising our proper vocation. We are serving God in the way he called us to serve him. Church work is not more spiritual or more in tune with the mission of God than carrying out our daily tasks. Our main purpose in life is not to serve the church, but to serve God; sometimes we serve God by serving the church. Our gathering for corporate worship is not separate from our work. The common prayer that we can lay aside the distractions of the week to focus on God is misplaced. God does not want us to ignore our lives when we worship. He desires that we bring all of that in with us. He wants to hear our thanksgiving for the good things we have encountered. He wants to hear the confession of words spoken and of actions that harmed him or a human or anything else he created. He wants to touch us in our brokenness and pain. He wants to hear our prayers for the grace to forgive, for strength to resist temptation, for patience for that difficult person, for wisdom for that complicated problem. Christian, you are on the leading edge of God’s mission of redemption as you live in retirement, as you inhabit your situation for earning an income, as you live together as a family. The Holy Spirit is present with you always, nudging you towards the way of Jesus’ kingdom, so that you embody love’s kaleidoscope: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, a capacity to forgive. The mission of God includes the renewal, restoration and reformation of all things (Colossians 1:19-20). Vocations in business, medicine, poetry, engineering, counselling, chemistry, marketing, construction, and finance all have a role to play in Christ’s cosmic work of reconciling all things. As you live this week, gather a basket full of things you will bring with you the next time you gather with God’s worshipping community. As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: Wherever God takes you today, 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. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/39040490

A Dunked Community 11/16/2025

Sabbath & Generosity 11/14/2025

Sabbath & Generosity Our text is Deuteronomy 15:1, 4-5: “At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts…there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, if only you fully obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today.” Old Testament laws are not always easily applied to us because they concern Israel as a nation state. These laws about the Sabbath year, when debts are cancelled and land is returned to the families it was originally given to, are such instructions. We live in a very different context and economy. However, we should not pass them by too quickly. Our economy is largely rooted in the principles of scarcity. We are all in competition for limited resources. But that is not the way it was meant to be. The creation was able to provide for its creatures. The land Israel received as a gift from God was able to provide sufficient resources for each Israelite. “There need be no poor people among you.” This was rooted in a deep belief that God would provide. Sabbath was, at least in part, a space of deep joy and celebration for Israel because life was secure in their covenant Lord. As such, this weekly rest from work, offered room for generosity to bloom in the hearts of God’s people. If God provided, then his people could provide for those who had less. Israel was to be a nation of generosity, just like the God who had freed them. This generosity is a quality that grows in those who follow Jesus. Luke’s description of the early church includes this, “All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need” (Acts 2:44-45). And two chapters later, this is added, “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had” (4:32). Those who take time for Sabbath, who learn to rely on God, find themselves growing in generosity. The authors of the Heidelberg Catechism understood this. They teach that “especially on the festive day of rest, I regularly attend the assembly of God’s people” to, among other things, “bring Christian offerings for the poor” (A 103). Israel’s generosity was rooted in her memory of slavery from which God redeemed her (15:14-15). In the same way, “God’s indescribable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15) is the source of our generosity. In an economy of scarcity, generosity is foolish. For those who ‘rest’ as an act of faith in the God who provides, there is space for generosity to take root. Sabbath keeping is a pause that refreshes us and can transform society. As you journey on, hear Jesus’ invitation: 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). /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/39020945

Blessing Enemies 11/12/2025

Blessing Enemies Our text is Romans 12:14 “Love must be sincere…Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Love has many colours. Having explored hospitality, Paul ups the ante. Love is no easy thing. It flies in the face of the normal human reaction to negative things: anger and revenge. Let’s start with a brief story about revenge. On a Friday early in 1982, Kevin got drunk, got into his car, went for a drive and killed an 18-year-old. He was convicted of manslaughter and drunk driving. Since he was only 17, he served a court sentence and had to spend a year campaigning against drunk driving. The victim’s family sued him for $936, to be paid by $1 cheques each Friday, hand delivered to the family home. Kevin had a hard time doing this. It haunted him. He couldn’t sleep on Thursdays. He kept missing his payments. He’s offered postdated cheques, with an extra $52. But the family wouldn’t accept. For 18 years they wanted to see him on their doorstep on Friday evenings. They wanted revenge. They wanted to curse him. Christians are called to do the exact opposite. How often have you seen Christians do that? There are examples. One of the more famous is the Amish community in Lancaster County which publicly forgave the man who killed their school children. Unfortunately, there are many stories of Christians cursing their enemies, expresses a desire for really bad things to happen. Blessing and cursing are opposites, wishing people good or ill, health or harm. We are told to bless those who persecute us. Persecution includes Christians killed for their faith, being denied benefits and freedom because they lived their faith in Jesus, deprived the freedom to publicly worship, being ridiculed by friends for going to church, or denied promotions. Our response to all such things should be to bless. Of course, Paul was echoing the teaching of Jesus, who told us to love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, bless those who curse us, pray for those who mistreat us (Luke 6:27-28). There is no better way to express our positive wishes for our enemies’ welfare than to turn them into prayer and into action. Of all the qualities of love, this is undoubtedly the most difficult to carry out. The others may fall by the wayside because we are busy or tired or self-absorbed, but we typically don’t resist them. Returning good for evil, on the other hand, goes against every instinct we possess — especially when the offender is a fellow Christian. Grace in response to sin is a quality unique to God, and this ability can only come from Him and be enabled by Him. If we are to grow in the grace of blessing those who harm us, we will need to ask for help. As you journey on, go with these words: Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/38996975

A Word of Encouragement 11/10/2025

A Word of Encouragement Our text comes from Romans 15:2, “Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.” This verse is written for the church community. Yet, Paul uses the word neighbour, which is rarely used except in the commandment, “Love your neighbour as yourself.” So, we can apply this instruction to contexts outside the church. It a good word of wisdom for daily living. How might we apply it to our workplaces, communities in which we volunteer, and even in our homes? It is important to recognize that we build others up without desire for personal return or benefit. It’s encouragement for its own sake, to lift others up and cheer them on. It does have the goal of community building; a desire to see an increase in the wellbeing of the group. But there is no “tit for tat” intended here. This is easier said than done. Criticism comes more naturally to most of us then encouragement. We often frame critique as a means of building up, even though we are aware that it rarely brings positive results. It creates fear and competition. It weakens a sense of community and diminishes a desire to work together. As you enter a community, wonder to yourself how you can bless the people there? How can you lift them up? Offer words of blessing rather than complaint or correction. Be sincere. Give thanks and appreciation for something someone has done or a quality you admire. There are practical ways we can build others up. Be on time for events, even a little early so you can help set up or stay behind to help clean up. Offer a ride to someone who can’t get around. Pay attention to people who are in a different stage of life or more difficult situation. See if there is a practical way you can help them out. Sometimes I find little gifts on my desk: a plate of cookies, a jar of honey, or even electronic gadgets. Some are anonymous, some not. They all delight my soul. This is not a solicitation for more, just an illustration of encouragement. To bless someone includes speaking well of them. It means to see someone’s energy and honour it as a source of joy and delight. To greet one another with enthusiasm – I’m glad to meet you. I’ve missed you. I’ve been wanting to talk with you. It means we refrain from derogatory comments, even when they are not nearby. We don’t always get encouragement right. But we should give one another grace and not give up. By God’s grace, let’s keep practising and growing in encouragement as we seek to build one another up. As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: Wherever God takes you today, 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. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/38956160

Who Do You See? 11/09/2025

Leaving Egypt Behind 11/07/2025

Leaving Egypt Behind Our text is Deuteronomy 5:15: “Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore, the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.” Egypt is difficult to forget – for the Israelites; also for us, Egypt seeps back into our bones. Egypt is brick building. Quotas. Meet your quota. Exceed your quota and you might get rewarded. But if you don’t meet your quota, you will be punished, severely. Brick building. Endless brick building. Mr. Julius Caesar Dithers in the comic strip Blondie is the quintessential Egypt – never satisfied. Egypt seeps into our bones – “I haven’t produced enough,” is Egypt’s refrain. We are easily coerced to perform better, produce more and consume more. Not all are equal in production. Some are more effective than others. Some get all the breaks. Since not all are equal in production, not all are equal in consumption. Therefore, we are not equal in worth and significance. The more we produce and the more we consume the more we are valued. Such valuing creates “haves” and “have-nots”. Sabbath is the great day of equality when all are equally at rest: you shall not do more or sell more. You shall not control more or know more. You don’t have to have your kids in ice skating or soccer or ballet or hockey. You don’t have to be younger or more beautiful. You don’t have to score more. On Sabbath we are all equal. This day breaks the pattern of coercion, we are of equal worth, equal value, equal access, equal rest. In Deuteronomy, Sabbath is about remembering Egypt—that system of coercion, endless brick making. And then, remembering that God set us free from that. Free to rest. Free to rejoice. When we forget this, we will give our lives over to coercive competition. Sabbath is opportunity to remember that God has banished this system. Our value is not in meeting the expectations of our parents, of our bosses, of our brokers, of the influencer. Remember. Remember what God did to Pharoah (7:18) and remember the Lord gives you power to get wealth (8:18). The Lord your God has set you free. When you wake up in the night, do you mull over your ‘not-yet-done” list, vexed that you did not meet expectations? Do you fall asleep counting bricks? Do you dream of the flawed bricks you made or the ones not yet made? Remember the exodus! Sabbath is the opportunity to recall Egypt and Pharaoh and then to remember the Lord and the exodus. It is the day to dance and sing, “Free at last.” To respond to the invitation, “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost” (Is. 55:1). Those who remember and keep Sabbath find they are less driven, less coerced, less frantic to meet deadlines, free to be, rather than to do. Take a Sabbath. Train your body, your soul will follow. As you journey on, hear Jesus’ invitation: 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). /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/38940325

It's Not about You 11/05/2025

It's Not about You Today our text is Romans 12:9a, 13 Love must be sincere…Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. We return to hospitality. Why? Because culturally, hospitality is mostly about the one hosting, whereas Christian hospitality is about the one being hosted. Let’s flesh this out some more. Hotels and restaurants are part of the hospitality industry. They seek to impress customers so that they will return. Likewise, we want to impress people so they will associate with us. Hospitality is largely understood as having people over. More importantly, people we want to associate with. I’m not saying you shouldn’t do this anymore. But let me ask a question: when is the last time you invited someone to your house that you didn’t want over? You see, the thing we are talking about, ‘Christian hospitality’, includes such events. It can include having friends over; it can include going the extra mile to clean the house and preparing a delicious meal. But we don’t do it to impress; we do it because the people we have invited are important. Not important in a worldly or cultural or political sense. Hosting them may not benefit us at all. They are important because God has sent them to us. We have the privilege of hosting them on God’s behalf, even if we don’t want to. Jesus put’s it this way in a parable ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me…Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me’ (Matthew 25:45-46). Many Biblical scholars suggest that the word ‘practice’ ought to be translated ‘pursue.’ There is an urgency to it. Further, the word for hospitality includes the idea, “love of strangers”. It carries the idea of extending love to those who are different — folks from another culture, another race, or a different belief system. Love takes the initiative, actively looking for opportunities to benefit others, especially those who are different. A cold, unfriendly church contradicts the gospel message. Yet unfriendliness stands out as one of the most common criticisms people have of the local church. It doesn’t take people long to figure out that there is a “churchy” love among Christians that ends shortly after the service. It is a superficial Sunday-morning kind of love that is unwilling to venture beyond the walls of the church building. Christian hospitality moves us beyond our comfort zones. It nudges us to give time, attention and space to strangers that God sends our way, tending to their needs before our own. It also insists that we see ourselves as God sees us: his beloved children who have been loved so deeply that we are able to love. Such hospitality is not rooted in our limited resources, but in the unlimited resources of God. When he calls, he will also provide. As you journey on, go with this blessing: Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/38911840

Good Works 11/03/2025

Good Works Our text comes from Genesis 2:15, The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. and Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Well, its another Monday. Rumor has it that many of us do not like Mondays. We do not like the return to the grind of work. The weekend is relief, Monday is back to it. Yet, it was not meant to be this way. Created in the image of God, each of us was created to be productive. This does not refer only to paid labour. We were each created to contribute to the well being of creation and the flourishing of other humans. Our text from Ephesians is often understood to mean some sort of ‘spiritual’ work, different from the regular stuff of life. But what if it includes the original creational mandate of contributing to the thriving of creation? Having been made new in Christ, we are able to become the people God created us to be. Can we believe that in our daily activities we are doing the ‘good works’ which God prepared for us to do? What if we embrace the tasks of today as offerings to God, as “our true and proper worship”? I invite you to join me in prayer, offering the regular activities of this week to God: Lord Jesus, we bring before you our labours and their fruit – the work of our hands. We confess that often, we take pride in our work, doing what we can to draw attention to ourselves and to our own abilities. Our work becomes a means of self-validation, of propping up our self-image and our sense of personal value. Today, we ask that you re-orient the direction of our praise – lifting our eyes to our heavenly Father, who brings forth every good and perfect gift. Holy Spirit, enable us to do our work as activity that brings glory to our God. Help us to find our value in being his image bearers rather than in what we produce. Take the works our hands, both big and small, using them for your kingdom purposes. May they honour you, bless other people, and direct the attention of co-workers to you and not to us. Thank you that you join us by your Spirit in our work. Thank you that because of your grace, our labour is never in vain. Continue to teach us how to be workers in your Kingdom; ever mindful of the rhythms of grace that you kindly invite us into. We pray these things in the name Jesus who is worthy of our work. Amen. As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: Wherever God takes you today, 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. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/38844340

Now It Begins 11/02/2025

Remember Your God 10/31/2025

Remember Your God Our text is Deuteronomy 6:12: “Do not forget the LORD.” Have you ever wondered why the book of Deuteronomy is so long? Why did Moses give such a long sermon to Israel as they were about to enter the promised land? Forty years wandering in the desert; they can smell the aromas of new land; they want to cross over; they want to finish the trip; to settle down; to build houses; to have homes. But Moses holds up a stop sign saying “Now, listen to me.” The kids know its lecture time. Why? Moses sees that the land of Canaan is an enormous temptation. The affluence of the land will create a crisis in covenant faith. The new land will produce so well that Israel will think they can manage on their own. They will be tempted into thinking, “We don’t really need the Lord God”. Prosperity will breed amnesia. He warns against this, “be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery” (6:12) and “make sure you don’t become so full of yourself and your things that you forget” YOUR God (8:14 MSG). Moses wanted the Israelites to remember where they came from, the system of unbearable pressure in which they had to meet impossible brick production schedules. If they forget the God who freed them from Egypt, they are likely to create their own pressure system. Without remembering this history, they will become materialistic, believing that the goal of life is to acquire and acquire and acquire. A system of acquisition pits neighbour against neighbour. In Deuteronomy, Israel is warned to “Watch out!” or the land in its productivity will transform them into producers and consumers and will destroy the fabric of the covenantal neighborhood. The market of acquisition regards the land as property and possession to be bought and sold and traded and used. Israel is not to view the land this way. For her, the land is a birthright and an inheritance, one’s own property is part of the larger inheritance of the whole people of God. If the land is possession, then we live with the pressure to acquire more. If the land is inheritance, then we live to enhance the neighborhood and the extended family so that all members may enjoy the good produce of the land. The economy was not to become a rat race in which people were exhausted from coercive goals; it was, rather, a covenantal enterprise for the sake of the whole community. In Deuteronomy, Moses exhorts Israel to reject the acquisitive culture of its neighbors for the sake of this covenantal alternative. How were they to remember? Simple. Keep Sabbath, which is remembering who they were and where they came from. We live in a very different time and place. Yet, the temptation is the same: to join the rat race. The way out of the rat race is the same: Sabbath, remembering that we belong to God through the redemptive suffering of Jesus Christ. What will you do this weekend? As you journey on, here Jesus’ invitation: 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). /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/38850240

The Music of God's Victory 10/29/2025

The Music of God's Victory “The king rejoices in your strength, Lord. How great is his joy in the victories you give! You have granted him the desire of his heart, and not withheld the request of his lips” (Psalm 21:1, 2). Psalm 21 is a song of victory. It is not difficult to imagine the people of Israel singing these words as David returned victorious from battle. The day is perfect for Israel: king and people are following the Lord and rejoicing in his blessings of victory. Notice how the victory clearly belongs to God. It was asked for by the king; it was a desire of his heart. But the song recognizes that only God is responsible for the defeat of the enemy. The psalm exudes trust and confidence in God. Notice also that the enemies haven't got a chance. The singers are totally convinced God is stronger than all his enemies, and thus, the enemies of God’s people, our enemies. While they wither away, the king's days are lengthened, even, for ever and ever (4). Of course, David did not live forever. Peter says at Pentecost that David's tomb is there for all to see. Like in Psalm 16, we understand that this phrase refers to the promise that David will have a descendent on Israel's throne forever. But this means the psalm is about more than David coming home victorious from battle. It holds notes that will become the resounding chorus of Easter and Ascension. This victory of Israel’s enemies is only a small foretaste, an appetizer, if you will, of Christ’s victory over his enemies on the cross. It hints at Paul’s conclusion in Colossians 2, “Having disarmed the powers and authorities, [Jesus] made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (15). As such, the psalm gives content for our praises in the days of Easter and Ascension. It is reasonable to think that this psalm sustained Jesus on his journey to Jerusalem and the cross. Perhaps he meditated on these very words as he was delivered into the hands of sinful men. Even as he bore the sins of the world on the tree, he trusted in the steadfast love of God to raise him up in power three days later. After passing through death on behalf of his brothers, Jesus was met with rich blessings, greeted by throngs of worshipping angels, crowned with glory and honour because of the suffering of death (Hebrews 2:9). This is a psalm for a vindicated Messiah. Can we hear the ascended and exalted Christ praising his Father on the other side of the empty tomb? Can we hear, as Jesus sat down at the Father’s right hand, the angels praising God, “The king rejoices in your strength, Lord. How great is his joy in the victories you give!" There is more here for us. We can have confidence today that our enemies will not overwhelm us because Christ has prayed for us. His hearts desire is that all those whom the Father had given to him may be with him where he is, to see him in his glory (cf. John 17:24). God will give his Son his heart's desire and will not withhold the request of his lips. Our future is guaranteed. Paul affirms this in his letter to the Ephesians writing, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (1:3). And later, “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus” (2:6-7). We cannot imagine the joy that awaits us when God’s redemption is complete. Psalm 21 whets our appetite and invites us to live in expectation of what awaits us, and while we wait, to sing God’s praise. 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. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/38744940

Godly Contentment 10/27/2025

Godly Contentment Our text comes from 1 Timothy 6:6: But godliness with contentment is great gain. Gahazi’s is a sad story. As Elisha’s servant, he watched as Elisha refused payment for the healing of Naaman. Gahazi thought this was rubbish. He slipped out the back door to follow Naaman. Interrupting the commander’s journey home, he lied about his purposes and came away with a sizable payment, which he hid. But of course, Elisha was wise to him. As punishment, Gahazi was inflicted with Naaman’s leprosy. Gahazi lived with and served God’s primary prophet in Israel. He knew the miracles that both Elijah and Elisha had performed. Surely, he knew that to provide adequately for his prophets was no big deal for the God of Israel. Provision he had aplenty. Access to God he had at his fingertips. Yet he wanted more. He was not content. Paul warns us about this, “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:9-10). Instead, pursue this, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” There’s a quiet strength in these words — a kind of wisdom that cuts against the grain. We are surrounded by messages that tell us gain comes from getting — more possessions, more comfort, more status. But Paul says, true gain does not come from adding more. This is not a contentment that shrugs its shoulders and settles for less. It’s a deep sufficiency — a settled peace that flows from knowing that Christ is enough. We don’t find contentment by ignoring the world’s goodness, but by knowing where our ultimate treasure lies. This contentment isn’t natural. We must learn it as Paul did, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” That learning often comes through loss, through the stripping away of the things we thought we needed. And in those moments, we discover that we can lose everything and still have Christ — and therefore still have everything that matters. Godliness with contentment — that’s not a small thing. It’s freedom. Freedom from envy. Freedom from anxiety. Freedom from the restless drive to prove ourselves. It is the life of one who has found their joy in God Himself. So, what does this look like for us? It changes the reasons for paid employment. It changes the way we purchase things. As you go about your activities this week, keep an eye on your heart. Pay attention to the moments when discontentment rises. In Christ, we already possess the greatest treasure — and when we have Him, we can learn contentment, knowing that nothing more can make us truly rich. As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: Wherever God takes you today, 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. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/38740820

Creation Rhythm 10/24/2025

Creation Rhythm Our text is Exodus 34:21: Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest. In the shadows of Mount Sinai, Israel made a choice defining her values as a nation. She chose to trust the God who created heaven and earth and to trust the reliability of the creation. The people also chose to shun the anxiety that comes from a lack of confidence in the goodness of the creator and the goodness of creation. They chose to follow the God who rests. But that choice was difficult to maintain. The covenant is confirmed in Exodus 24, but by Exodus 32, Moses has been on the mountain for 40 days. They are not convinced he will return, and God seems extremely distant. As such, they return to anxiety. What do they do in their anxiety? They make their own god, of course, just like we do. Their god was made of gold. Our gods are less tangible: money, production, consumerism, entertainment, knowledge, psychology, sports, even religious rituals. They assumed that they could somehow purchase security. Don’t we do the same. Trusting our own resources to solve our problems. When Moses returns, he smashes the stones with the commandments into dust. The covenant lies dissolved at the foot of the mountain. God is rightfully angry, but Moses intervenes, and God does something astonishing: he forgives. He says, “I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you” (Exodus 34:10). Then he gives them new commandments, similar but different than the ten. These include this, “Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest” (34:21). Growing up in the agricultural sector, I remember the pressure to work in spring and fall when crops needed to be sown and harvested. There is always work to do. The pressure to produce rarely subsides. It’s not easy to let go of our anxiety that production depends on us. This command to rest concerns the human work of exercising “dominion” over the earth to cause it to produce. Sabbath interrupts the productive, food-producing creation system in which we must participate. It’s an invitation to trust the land—creation and its creator—enough to rest, even in the busy agricultural seasons of sowing and reaping. Our lives should conform to the rhythms of creation, work and rest in appropriate amounts. When we are in sync with that, we train our bodies away from the anxiety production causes in us. Resting teaches our bodies to trust in God; our minds and our souls will catch up if we live the rhythm. As you journey on, go with this blessing: Go to Jesus and he will give you rest and an easy yoke (Matthew 11:30). May the presence of God go with you and give you rest (Exodus 33:14). /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/38729690

There is Hope for Us 10/22/2025

There is Hope for Us This archive edition is upon request from a listener. What follows is the original audio track from August 29, 2024. Our text comes from Philippians 3: "He will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body" (Philippians 3:21). The gospel story sounds too good to be true. It is the story of sheep rescued from a dark and fearful wilderness by the strong arms of a fierce shepherd. It’s the story of children released from prison, of demons unmasked. It is the story of fearful disciples in a storm-tossed boat; the storm stilled by the command of their Master. It is the story of sick people healed, of blind people seeing. It is the story of dead people coming to life. It is the story of the God-man. It is the story of God who is captured, sentenced, and crucified by His own people. His friends weep and his enemies laugh. And all because of a snake. The gospel is a story about a snake who experienced the thrill of evil victory. "I have won," he hissed. "God lays in the grave." But as the sun rose over the horizon chasing the darkness from the garden, the guards ran with it, and the unexpected happened. The story turned. There was one more chapter to be written. The Shepherd came out of the tomb; God was alive. Heaven and earth shouted for joy; the angels danced, and the Father smiled as His Son went off to find His friends. And the snake; he lay in the dust; his head crushed; his tail quivering as life left him. It is a story that we are part of. That Sunday morning, many years ago is our story. The resurrection is part of our Christian faith, its cornerstone. As we read the resurrection story our hearts are stabbed with joy. We dance with the angels as good triumphs over evil. We are glad, our faith is not in vain, Christ arose. But… This life and this present world are subject to sin. We seldom think of sin as vanity, but it is. Life is vanity when it has no meaning. If we do not know the meaning of life, why live? why do anything at all? Most people don't like that question because it is too deep; it gets too close to the answer that life is not worth living; that there is no purpose to it. This is the haunting refrain of the book of Ecclesiastes. Vanity means emptiness, fluff, a fistful of wind, a pocketful of nothing. It means to pay the mortgage for all your working days and then to die. It means working hard and running fast and getting nowhere. Vanity is a political speech that means exactly nothing. Vanity is the hope that tomorrow will be different, that there is gold at the end of the rainbow; vanity is wisdom and folly, hard work and laziness, laughter, seriousness, and everything, because everything leads nowhere. In this life, we struggle against this sin. We fight against sin in our own lives. We struggle against sin in the world. We push against greed, and we bite our tongues to keep from lying. We stand up for the oppressed and give money to the poor. We seek to elect politicians who strive for justice. When our eyes fill with longing for another’s toys, we turn away. But so often it feels like it’s all in vain. The world does not get any better. And we, well, we don’t seem too either. We cry out with Paul, “What a wretched person I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death, to vanity?” But because of the resurrection we can also answer with him, “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24-25). The resurrection gives us something to hope for in the future. While we struggle against sin today, we know that tomorrow sin will be gone. While our bodies are weak today, we know someday they will be strong. The gospel is our story. We too will be changed. Christ will transform our lowly bodies. They will no longer be subject to disease or age or sin or vanity. Christ will transform our characters to be like his. We will have no more inclination for lying. Our eyes won’t covet our neighbour’s stuff. As surely as Christ opened the eyes of the blind and stilled the storms, he will transform us. There is hope for us. Thanks be to 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. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/38725110

Honesty 10/20/2025

Honesty Our text comes from Deuteronomy 25:15-16: You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. For the Lord your God detests anyone who does these things, anyone who deals dishonestly. A few years ago, I spent some time in Brazil. A Christian businessman told me that when he took a client out for lunch, the restaurant normally offered to make the receipt out for double what he paid, so that his tax exemption would be doubled. He always declined. However, he admitted that the temptation was always present to go along with the system. To have integrity, to be honest, took effort. Throughout history, dishonesty in the buying and selling of goods has been common practice. To promote fairness, we have developed standard weights--an international prototype kilogram made of nine-tenths platinum and one-tenth iridium is locked under 3 glass jars in Paris. This need for honesty in business dealings extends beyond ancient scales. It applies to any area where numbers can be manipulated, such as taxes, online transactions, timesheets, donations, and even our personal relationships. For this purpose, accounting and financial rules have been enacted into law. Auditing firms analyze financial records to detect misuse of funds. But laws are subject to interpretation and manipulation. As Christians, we seek to do everything to the glory of the Lord (1 Corinthians 10:31). This means, like my Brazilian acquaintance, we put effort into honesty in all our dealing, including financial ones. We do this because God himself is profoundly honest with us. He is just and true and we seek to be like him. Sometimes, God includes a comment that a law offers long life in the land. This does not mean that every individual will live to a ripe old age. Rather, it suggests that the keeping of this law means a society can flourish for many generations. By insisting on fair practices, the community is protected from exploitation. A society where people can trust each other can thrive economically and socially. When a society runs on dishonesty, it is always the weak and poor who suffer the most. Dishonesty deteriorates a society into strong people exploiting the weak. And God will stand up for them, dismantling unjust nations. We should reflect on how to apply this principle in our live. Do we have accurate "weights" in our daily life, such as being truthful about our timecards, finances, or online sales? How can we advocate for fairness in a world where the powerful can easily take advantage of the weak? Honesty in our business dealings demonstrates our faith that the LORD will sustain us both monetarily and physically. As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: Wherever God takes you today, 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. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/38622895

Friends of God 10/19/2025

A Different Kind of God 10/17/2025

A Different Kind of God Our text is Exodus 20:8-11: Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. Sabbath keeping is an art form in which we resist certain values, refusing to allow them to define our identity and way of life. Within the 10 commandments, it gets a place of prominence, linking our relationship to God with our relationship to fellow humans. It gets the most words. Consider these things with me. In Egypt, Pharaoh was god, his word was an iron law. But he was an anxious god, worrying about his dreams. Knowing that famine was coming, he gathered resources. When the hungry people came to him for food, instead of sharing his wealth, he sold his resources so that all of Egypt, including its people, belonged to him. God indeed – he controlled everything! In such a world, everyone worked for Pharaoh. And every person, including neighbours and family, was competitor for the scarce resources that Pharaoh passed out. Competition raged. Everyone was anxious. At mount Sinai, the Israelites switch allegiance. They commit themselves to the God of Abraham (cf. Ex. 19:8), who freed them from Pharaoh’s clutches. But what kind of God is he? He is a God who rested (Genesis 2:2-3). After creating, God did not show up to do more, nor did he check on creation in anxiety to ensure it was working. He had complete confidence in the fruit-bearing, blessing-generating processes of creation. Despite sin, this still holds. Jesus pointed to the birds and flowers. They are still provided for, so stop being so anxious (Matthew 6:25ff). Unlike Pharaoh, God is not a workaholic. He does not keep jacking up production schedules. Instead, God rests, confident, serene, at peace. God’s rest bestows on us a restfulness that contradicts the “drivenness” of the system of Pharaoh and of our own day. God invites us to a new life of neighborly freedom in which Sabbath is the cornerstone. Such faithful practice of work stoppage is an act of resistance. Our bodies declare that we will not participate in the anxious system that pervades our social environment. We will not be defined by busyness and by pursuit of more, in either our economics or our personal relations. Our life does not consist in production. Sabbath invites us into a life that does not consist in frantic production and consumption reducing everyone else to threat and competitor. Sabbath permits a waning of anxiety, redeploying energy to the neighborhood, to exchange anxious productivity with committed neighborliness. This practice creates an environment of security and respect and dignity that defines how we live and how we view others. As you journey on, go with this blessing: Go to Jesus and he will give you rest and an easy yoke (Matthew 11:30). May the presence of God go with you and give you rest (Exodus 33:14). /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/38606465

The Hospitality of Jesus 10/15/2025

The Hospitality of Jesus Love must be sincere… Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality (Romans 12:9a, 13) Hospitality, as a practise of the Christian life, means more than opening our homes to people. It is rooted in God’s own character and behaviour. Jesus helps us understand. First, Jesus came to earth. When we think of hospitality, we often think about inviting people into our spaces. When we do that, we remain in a comfortable place, and largely in control of the situation. We can expect people to play by our rules when they enter our space. But Jesus came to earth. He turns the concept of hospitality on its head. He comes into our space. And he sends us out, he says ‘Go’. Go into other people’s spaces. Part of Christian hospitality then, is to let go of the control that comes from being in our own spaces and learning how to live and move in some else’s. Are there places we don’t want to go? Are there places that make us uncomfortable and therefore we stay away? I think the honest answer is yes. As a pastor, I have been invited into many spaces that were unfamiliar, in which I really did not know how to behave. I’m sure that I made a mess of some. But in such spaces, I have learned to ask a simple question, why did you invite me here, or what would you like me to do while I’m here. Such questions empower people; it lets them set the agenda. It also reminds me that there is much I don’t know and that people might not need anything from me but my presence. Second, because Jesus lived as a human, he can sympathize with us. The book of Hebrews makes a big deal about this. How long did Jesus live here? About 33 years. How can we sympathize with people if we don’t invest time in walking with them? An essential component of Christian hospitality is the ability to sympathize with other people. This can not be rushed. So, hospitality invites us in for the long haul. It calls us to pay attention to people, to set aside our own agendas, especially our answers to people’s problems and to listen. We tend to view people as projects that we get to fix. Once, fixed, we move on to the next. People are not projects. Each human bears the image of God. Does this understanding of hospitality unnerve us? Does it seem more difficult than just inviting someone over? Of course, it does. But remember this, after Jesus returned to the Father, he sent his Spirit. God’s Holy Spirit now makes his home in us. He empowers us to be hospitable. He helps us love like God loves. 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. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/38582105

Yes & No 10/14/2025

Yes & No Our text comes from Matthew 5:37: All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. Words have value! In a world with too many words, we forget their value. Christians have always recognized that words have power. We believe in a God who spoke the cosmos into being. We believe that ‘the Word became flesh.’ We submit ourselves (not always willingly) to the proclamation of the gospel through preaching because we believe God speaks to us in this way. But we have too many words and too many ways that words come to us. The multiplication of words has led to the multiplication of lies and fake news. Many words we do not trust. Ecclesiastes describes this well, “The more the words, the less the meaning, and how does that profit anyone?” (6:11). We live in a world that often runs on half-truths, exaggerations, and spin. It is easy to join the fray. But the Bible teaches that “Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues” (Proverbs 19:10). And Jesus teaches us to keep our words simple and short and truthful. In His day, people often made elaborate oaths to prove they were telling the truth—swearing by heaven, by earth, by Jerusalem, even by their own heads. But oaths like that often masked a lack of honesty. If we need to pile up promises and guarantees, maybe our word cannot be trusted. Jesus cuts through all of that. He says, in essence: Truthful people don’t need oaths to prop up their words. Their speech itself carries the weight of truth. Let your “yes” be yes. Let your “no” be no. In other words, be so consistent, so trustworthy, so transparent, that people know we mean what we say without needing further proof. Before we make a promise, we ought to plan how we will keep it. This way we be able to determine if we can fulfill what we commit to. Our God is a promise keeping God. He is well known for it. A disciple of Christ is called to mirror the character of God, and God is the One who never lies, whose promises never fail. If He says “yes,” it is a “yes” forever. If He says “no,” it is unshakably “no.” Our speech, then, becomes a reflection of His faithfulness. If your co-workers were asked about your character would truthfulness be mentioned? Would they say that you keep your word, you can be counted on? There is great freedom in not having to calculate, exaggerate, or cover your tracks—when you can speak with the kind of integrity that needs no backup. So let your “yes” really mean yes. Let your “no” really mean no. As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: Wherever God takes you today, 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. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/38543130

The Apps of Grace 10/10/2025

Let My People Go 10/10/2025

Let My People Go Our text is Exodus 9:1: Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: “Let my people go, so that they may worship me.” In 1901, Dr. Girdner coined the term “Newyorkitis” to describe an illness whose symptoms included edginess, quick movements, and impulsiveness. It was a condition of the mind, body, and soul affecting many New Yorkers. That was a world without the internet, high-speed cars, or computers. Our world has only sped up. I wonder what he would say about us. Speed has become a god. Our culture generates in us an endless pursuit of greater security and greater happiness; a pursuit always unsatisfied because we have never gotten or done enough. This god is accompanied by the god of the market that summons us to endless desires and needs that are never met but always require more effort. The advertising god in service to the market god always offers one more product for purchase, one more car, one more deodorant, one more prescription drug, one more cell phone, one more beer. We are harassed by many Pharaohs who kept reminding us of the inadequacy of our lives. Constantly, we see signs that we do not measure up yet, haven’t quite arrived, haven’t yet reached our potential, haven’t been recognized by quite the right people. Weariness, being heavy-laden, carrying an ill-fitting weighty yoke are all ways of speaking of those serving these gods of endless productivity. We have become worshippers of a system of gods that leaves us permanently restless. Into that system God says, “Let my people go, so that they may worship me.” The God of the Bible is a Sabbath-keeping God, ensuring that restfulness and not restlessness is at the center of life. Sabbath becomes a decisive, concrete, visible way of opting for and aligning with the God of rest. We must choose the gods of restlessness or the God of restfulness. Jesus declares to his disciples, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24). The way of money is the way of endless desire, endless productivity, and endless restlessness without any Sabbath. Jesus taught his disciples that they could not have it both ways. God called Israel to depart from the Egyptian system to dance and sing in freedom (cf. Exodus 15). He calls us to do the same. Sabbath is not an idea but a practical art. We are conditioned to run at brick-making speed. God offers freedom. To cease, even for a time, the anxious striving for more bricks is to find ourselves with a “light burden” and an “easy yoke.” It is now, as then, enough to permit dancing and singing into an alternative life. Which will we choose? As you journey on, go with this blessing: Go to Jesus and he will give you rest and an easy yoke (Matthew 11:30). May the presence of God go with you and give you rest (Exodus 33:14). /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/38530625

Hospitality And Trust 10/08/2025

Hospitality And Trust Love must be sincere… Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality (Romans 12:9a, 13) This terse command, practice hospitality, is sandwiched into a meditation on love, an attitude of the mind that leads us to bless others in practical ways. The beauty of our love and our hospitality will only be revealed when they are deeply rooted in the love and hospitality of our God and empowered by his Spirit. Other places in scripture also address hospitality. Hebrews 13:2 says, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it”. This is preceded by the instruction to keep loving each other as sisters and brothers. Luke describes the church this way, “All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need” (Acts 2:44-45). Hospitality within the church family naturally leads to hospitality to those not part of the family. As Luke finishes, “and the Lord added to their number daily” (47). In the context of a famine, we also discover hospitality. God sends his prophet Elijah to a widow. He finds this woman preparing a last meal for herself and her son. After that they will die of starvation. Elijah has the nerve to ask her to prepare some bread for him first. Talk about hospitality to a stranger! He follows up his request with this promise, “this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up, and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land’” (1 Kings 17:14). The widow did as Elijah asked. She fed him and family until the Lord provided rain. For me, she is the prime example of human hospitality in the Bible. Hospitality has often become an act of impressing others, of showing off. We show case our homes, our decorating abilities, our capacity to put on a meal, our ability to entertain. Unless we can imitate Martha Stewart or some celebrity chef, we feel inadequate. Such hospitality is about us, portraying a sense of having it all together. The Christian discipline of hospitality is not about us. We cannot give out of our abundance. It will never be enough. Rather, we need to give out of God’s provision. He has provided us with resources, not to hold onto tightly, but to hold loosely, so that they easily slide out of our fingers towards those God invites us to love. We need to develop the faith of this widow, who acted hospitably towards Elijah, trusting in God’s provision for herself and her family. God promises that he will provide for us. Jesus says, “But seek first [God’s] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things (clothes, food, shelter) will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). Trust in this promise enables us to practice hospitality. 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. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/38499130

What's in the Blessing? 10/06/2025

Caught! 10/06/2025

Caught! While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you” (Luke 24:36). Most of us live with a fear of failure. The need to succeed is strong. We don’t want to be embarrassed. Think about the stress that report card season causes for teachers, students and parents. Or take field day. When I was in grade school, the day was all about first, second and third place ribbons. One year, they started handing out participation ribbons so that no student would go home ribbon-less. They were not put on display. We were not fooled; they smelled of failure. In the Christian life, we have the same problem. We need to succeed. How many of us haven’t quit devotions because we can’t pray as well as the next person? Or we miss a couple of days of Bible reading and before we know it feelings of failure set in. We don’t start again until some motivational speaker gets us back on track. We tried witnessing once; it was a disaster. Never again. But what if we could see a different picture? What if we see Jesus entering the locked room his disciples were hiding in? He didn’t wait for them to get their act together. He met them in their failure and doubt and sent them out as his witnesses. What if he had let Peter sink that day Peter walked on water and then got filled with fear? Jesus doesn’t do that. He reached out his hand and caught him (Matthew 14:31). Our God recognizes our weaknesses and proneness to failure. Thus, he is described as “compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love” (Psalm 103:8). Even Abraham, that Old Testament great, failed in his walk with God. But he was not abandoned. He learned from his failures; they helped him grow in faith. Many of our unbelieving co-workers expect perfection from us. We lean into this heresy when we refuse to forgive ourselves. One of the ways that we can portray the character of our God is not getting bogged down in our shortcomings. This does not mean that we should take sin lightly, but to know in our very bones that it does not have the last work. When we let him down, Jesus reaches out and catches us. Surely, if the world can see a people who believe more firmly in the grace of God than the taunting of the evil one, they will want to know our God. When we fail, hear the words of Jesus, “Peace be with you.” The Spirit will pick you up and send you out again. As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: Wherever God takes you today, 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. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/38459330

Resting from Evil 10/03/2025

Resting from Evil Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience (Hebrews 4:11). Genesis 2 opens with the seventh day, where God rests, but not because he was tired. Instead, we get a picture of God finishing creation with a Sabbath that never ends. Sabbath is creation flourishing. This is illustrated in Israel’s year of Jubilee in which slaves were freed, debts were forgiven, and the land was restored to those God had gifted it to; a nation created to flourish in the lavish abundance of their God. God’s desire for his creation to experience and enjoy this Sabbath is expressed by Jesus through his miracles. He provides an abundance of wine, of bread and fish; he heals, gives freedom from demons and gives life to the dead. Many of these he performed on the Sabbath, giving rest to those bound by evil. Sin interfered with God’s Sabbath in the beginning, continued to interfere throughout Israel’s history and still stains our own lives today. Sin destroys shalom; it brings death where life was intended. Hebrews tells us that God is still at work; at work undoing the evil that is leeching health from us. He is moving history towards the ultimate Sabbath when all evil will be eradicated. We are redeemed to move into this Sabbath. Our text says, “Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest.” The Heidelberg Catechism offers this explanation, “that 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” (A 103). Sin is an unpopular teaching today. The Christian church has often used it to shame and manipulate people. The Catechism is helpful, “I rest from my evil ways.” The emphasis is on the individual Christian pursuing righteous ways of living; to pray with the psalmist, “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” (Psalm 139:23-24). It is true that working sin out of our lives is difficult and failures are many. Yet, the Bible gives us hope, “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (Titus 2:11-12). This was God’s promise through Ezekiel, “And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules” (36:27). To embrace God’s sabbath, we must make every effort to set aside our evil ways. As you pray with the Psalmist, ask God to reveal one thing you can move away from, moving from sinfulness to righteousness. Trust that God will help you. Go with this blessing: Go to Jesus and he will give you rest (Matthew 11:30). May the presence of God go with you and give you rest (Exodus 33:14). /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/38441115

God's Hospitality 10/01/2025

God's Hospitality Love must be sincere… Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality (Romans 12:9a, 13) Hospitality. Many of us don’t like that word. Yet here it is…an aspect of sincere love. Thus, a part of Christian discipleship. In Christian Reformed churches, the elders are charged with the promotion of fellowship and hospitality in the congregation, recognizing that it is essential to the life of the Christian church. The word has fallen on hard times, partly because it is misunderstood. But also, because we do not spend enough time reflecting and preaching about God. We frequently focus on ourselves. What does God have to do with hospitality? The Bible opens with God’s hospitality. He plants a garden for the humans: “trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food” (Genesis 2:9). When everything goes wrong in the garden, what happens? God shows up ‘walking in the garden in the cool of the day’ calling out to the humans, ‘where are you?’ Its long been understood that it was normal for God to come and spend time with his people. But now they were hiding. There are two things we should pay attention to here: God creates space and time. Both are essential components of hospitality. Israel’s promised land is described as “a land flowing with milk and honey”. God took Israel, a nation severely oppressed by Egypt, to a land of plenty, to give them rest, Sabbath. God intended it to be a space for them to flourish and prosper where he could live among his people: space and time Isn’t Jesus arrival in this world another example of God’s hospitality? We use a big word, incarnation, to talk about this. It has its usefulness, but it hides the remarkable implications of Jesus’ arrival. John, one of Jesus disciples, wrote that Jesus ‘made his dwelling among us’ (John 1:14). In other words, he made his home on this earth with us. Jesus spent time eating and drinking with people and inviting others to join him. To Zacchaeus he said, “Come down from that tree, I must go to your house today” (Luke 19:5). Space and time. Why did Jesus come to make his home among us? Was it not to create a new community on this earth? A community in which all peoples, no matter what their language or colour or place of origin, can find a home? (Eph. 2:19; Rev. 5:9). As God was bringing Israel towards the promised land, he told them, “So, you also must love outsiders. Remember that you yourselves were outsiders in Egypt” (Deuteronomy 10:19). If that was true for Israel of old, it is equally true of the church today. Paul wrote, “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children” (Ephesians 5:1). 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. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/38408110

The Bottom Line 09/29/2025

The Bottom Line You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you (John 15:16). What does success look like? A church picnic without rain? A business that makes money? A family that can enjoy Thanksgiving dinner together? A winning sports team? Top grades in school? A vacation that leaves us relaxed and refreshed? Now, none of these things are bad in and of themselves. And we should thank God when we experience these things. Yet, Jesus invites us to consider a different way of measuring success. “I chose you to bear fruit”. It’s fine to pray for good weather and restorative vacations and safe travels. But here, Jesus challenges us to deepen our prayers, to consider how his kingdom might come through our lives, including the daily, ordinary, mundane, routine activities we engage in. There are many necessary things that we do each day: volunteering, employment, business transactions, driving children and/or parents, studying, cleaning up. While we do each of these things, Jesus calls us to bear fruit. How do we do that? Obedience. “Obey me,” he says (John 15:10). This obedience is about love. Out of his love, God has initiated relationship with us in Christ Jesus. He wants us to remain in that loving relationship. But we cannot without obedience. Here too, Jesus summarizes the law with one simple statement, “Love each other as I have loved you” (15:12). So, the people that we encounter during our day—children, parents, co-workers, clients, customers, supervisors—these are all people that Jesus call us to love. We love them not just by being nice to them. Also, by providing the best service and products that we can offer. Further, we love them by offering our goods and services at a reasonable price. It is not wrong to make a profit, but for Christians, profit is never the bottom line. Love is. This fruit bearing involves a wonderful triad: obedience, love and joy. When we set out to live obedient lives by passing on the love we ourselves have received from God, the result is joy for us. God’s joy invades our lives. This is a joy that lasts. As we head out into a new week with the many things that will be required of us, how will we measure success? Will it be by a completing our to do list? Will it be by ensuring our bank accounts remains in the black? Or will we measure success by fulfilling the calling Christ has given us – loving obedience to our father? Can we believe that joy will come our way when we do this? Will we begin a new week but praying to bear fruit for our heavenly Father? As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: Wherever God takes you today, 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. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/38366870

Giving Rest 09/26/2025

Giving Rest Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience (Hebrews 4:11). Genesis 2 opens with the seventh day, where God rests, but not because he was tired. Instead, we get a picture of God finishing creation with a Sabbath that never ends. Sabbath represents a flourishing creation. This is illustrated in Israel’s year of Jubilee in which slaves were freed, debts were forgiven, and the land was restored to those God had gifted it to; a nation created to flourish in the lavish abundance of their God. But sin interfered in the beginning, continued to interfere throughout Israel’s history and still stains our own lives today. Sin destroys shalom; it brings death where life was intended. Hebrews tells us that God is still at work; at work undoing the evil that is leeching health from us. Jesus pursued this dimension of the Sabbath in his miracles. In Mark 1:21, he frees a man from an evil spirit and gives renewed vigour to the limbs of a paralytic in 2:27. Many of his miracles were performed on the Sabbath, such as the one for a woman “who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, ‘Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.’ Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God” (Luke 10:11-13). These were signs that the kingdom of God was here; the Shalom of God was being brought back to the earth; the curse of sin was being undone. Jesus resurrection from the dead marked his victory over evil. The curse was undone; his kingdom was unstoppable. That is why Christians gather for worship on Sundays. We remind each other that Christ is risen. And we celebrate the coming end of evil. The Heidelberg Catechism gives a slight nod to this matter when it says that part of our Sabbath keeping is “to bring Christian offerings for the poor” (A 103). That is why offerings are taken up during worship services. The apostle Paul got this started (Acts 24:17; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2). Churches are rightly involved in alleviating hunger and rebuilding where infrastructure has been destroyed. Historically, Christians began hospitals. This was all understood as following in the footsteps of Jesus working against evil. Sometimes, I hear Christians tell me that Sundays are family days. That is well and good, but it is not enough. Sundays remind us that Jesus died to end the curse and evil. We are called to be his hands and feet. As you prepare for this weekend, how will you rest, and how will you help others to entire into God’s rest? Go with this blessing: Go to Jesus and he will give you rest (Matthew 11:30). May the presence of God go with you and give you rest (Exodus 33:14). /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/38357710

Wilderness Wanderings

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