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.

Divine Crumbs 07/19/2026

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. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/42113865

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. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/42071070

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. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/42044085

Don't Miss the Boat 07/12/2026

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. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/42016365

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. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/41654645

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. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/41654200

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. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/41627155

Pentecostal Fire 06/14/2026

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). /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/41614405

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. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/41589100

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. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/41551310

God's Soap 06/07/2026

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). /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/41538940

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. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/41512885

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. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/41469590

When Justice is Silent 05/31/2026

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). /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/41458565

A Greater Redemption! 05/27/2026

A Greater Redemption! Then the exiles who had returned from captivity sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven male lambs and, as a sin offering, twelve male goats. All this was a burnt offering to the Lord (Ezra 8:35). Ezra 8 records a second group of exiles returning from Babylon. This group is led by Ezra who has diligently studied the law of God and the leadership Moses gave to Israel. This journey from Babylon echoes the journey from Egypt, following the pattern Moses laid down. The most significant is the gathering of the Levities. This tribe remained faithful while Israel prostrated herself to the golden calf (Exodus 32). Thus, they were set apart to special work for the Lord. In his final prayer, Moses offered these words regarding Levi: “he watched over your word and guarded your covenant. He teaches your precepts to Jacob and your law to Israel. He offers incense before you and whole burnt offerings on your altar” (Deuteronomy 33:9-10). Knowing this, Ezra will not leave Babylon without an escort of Levites. Under Moses the Levites cared for the ark and tabernacle, under Ezra, the temple money and articles. He ensures proper stewardship of God’s holy belongings by scrupulously measuring and counting the items at both beginning and end of the journey. The gathering for sacrifices is also a result of this careful attention to the law of Moses and echoes Israel’s original entrance to the land. This careful attention to the number and types of sacrifices indicates the Israelites identify as God’s covenant people and desire to be faithful. Behind Ezra’s actions is the hand of God. We see God providing capable Levites (18) and giving a safe journey (23, 31). Also, the donated items are all accounted for in Jerusalem (34) and the king’s orders result in assistance from the government officials. As God redeemed Israel from Egypt, he is now redeeming them from Babylon. As God, through Moses, called Israel to be faithful, he now, through Ezra, calls for faithfulness. The sacrifices indicated Israel’s intention to leave behind the ways of Egypt and Babylon and embrace the ways of God. Both these redemption stories point forward to the greater redemption in Jesus Christ. Jesus is greater than both Moses and Ezra. He is the greatest and the final Levite. Not only does he teach us God’s way, he is God’s way, giving us His Spirit to lead us in the way of faithfulness. He does not lead us in sacrifice, He is our sacrifice. He gave his own life that we may live. “There is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:5,6). Under Moses and Ezra, Israel needed to make the journey to the promised land, with lethal hazards along the way. Jesus makes it for us. By faith in him, we are already citizens of God’s kingdom and our entrance and place in the Promised Land is guaranteed. Praise the Lord! /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/41417640

Jubilee 05/25/2026

Jubilee Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each of you is to return to your family property and to your own clan (Leviticus 25:10). We love distinctions. We separate sacred from secular. We divide work from worship. In these Monday devotions, I have been attempting to bridge the gap, to help us integrate our work with our worship and to see all of life as sacred. Work is worship and worship is work. Of course, work is understood to be more than income earning activity. It is our response to God’s command that we steward and develop his creation. A command that did not cease with our rebellion but in Christ we are restored to re-engage in it. The Bible does not understand these distinctions. Consider the year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25). It was a year of joyful liberty for Israel. It all began when a great horn was sounded. The rumbling note called all workers to put down their tools, to engage in the cancelling of economic debts, to release slaves and debtors, to return farmland to the original owners and to a year of resting; even the land enjoyed a sabbath. Was this year economic or spiritual devotion? Was it part of Israel’s liturgical calendar or was it the end of the fiscal year? Was it sacred or secular? Was it worship or work? It was both and. The Israelites did not recognize our distinctions. Christians have tried all kinds of ways to apply the Year of Jubilee into the modern context. Based on this chapter, there have been myriad unsuccessful attempts to convince richer people in the world to forgive the debts of poor nations. While filled with good intentions, they misuse Jubilee, which was an internal event within Israel, not a matter of international relations. Should Christians then just ignore the year of Jubilee? No. Let me suggest two things. First, Jubilee is clearly an anticipation of the New Creation. Jubilee is primarily about the cancelling of debts. This puts us in the place of those who had debts forgiven. Entrance to the New Creation is only through the blood of Christ by which our sins are cleansed. It puts us on the receiving side of Jubilee. Secondly, we take up the prayer of Psalm 90, Let the favour of the Lord our God be upon us, and prosper for us the work of our hands—O prosper the work of our hands! (17). The favour of God is never given for the sake of the receiver. If we receive from God, God intends for us to pass it on. That is why being forgiven by God is always connected to the forgiveness we extend our debtors. Forgiven people experience a taste of the final Jubilee. God laid this foundation in his call to Abram, “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing” (Genesis 12:2). This is how we bridge the gap between the sacred and the secular, between work and worship. At the beginning of the day, we pray for God’s favour. We ask that his grace flows through us to our family, our co-workers, our neighbours and all the strangers we encounter. And then, even our income earning labour can be a source of Jubilee. 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. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/41397725

The King's Army 05/24/2026

The Need for Sabbath 05/22/2026

The Need for Sabbath The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God (Psalm 92:12-13). Last summer, I committed to preparing a devotion on Sabbath keeping each Friday. Since, it’s popular topic these days, I have gathered enough resources to stimulate my thoughts for several years worth of Fridays. But sometimes I wonder if I was correct in discerning the need for extended treatment on this discipline. When I refer to Sabbath keeping, I am thinking about more than some sort of Sunday observance, including attending a Christian worship service, even though these things are almost always beneficial. Sabbath keeping is a deeper and richer theme which reaches back to the creation story before the fall and forward to the return of Christ when all evil will be eradicated from God’s realm. It refers to lives governed by a deep trust in God’s providential care. It is about people who deliberately pursue righteousness, discovering as they go that flourishing, which is so much more than material wealth, is a by product of righteousness. Sabbath keeping involves pausing from the regular events of life to discover how unrighteous attitudes, desires and actions have been creeping into our lives. It means rooting out the ways in which our trust has moved away our God. I believe that for the Christian community to be a godly witness in our society, we must learn anew such practices. Why? Consider that the average Canadian today enjoys a standard of living that even royalty of past ages would be jealous of. Roughly 2 000 000 millionaires populate our land. Yet, this prosperity has not led to increased enjoyment. By many measures, we are less happy than decades ago. The result of material success appears to be the break down of families and increased loneliness. Despite some having too much, others have too little. Regularly, folks spend the night sleeping on our church property and Neighbour-2-Neighbour is helping more people, not less. Many of us are slaves to our schedules which keep us running from morning till night leaving us stretched and stressed to the breaking point. We compile impressive resumes and accumulate so many possessions our basements, garages and closets overflow into off site storage lockers. To keep going we turn to pharmaceutical enhancers and stimulants—some legal and some not. As a culture we excel at ignoring that exhaustion, hypertension, obesity, anxiety, insomnia are signs that something is terribly wrong. Sabbath keeping has long been the Christian antidote to this terrifying and erratic way of life. The culture we live in has lost control, if it ever had it. People are desperate to bring order to life. In this context Christians declare “that I am not my own, but belong-body and soul, in life and in death-to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ” (HC A1). Sabbath keeping is leaning into this truth and discovering that in his hands we are safe. He controls; we don’t need to. Further, we declare that our covenant God is able to provide for us “because he is almighty God; he desires to do this because he is a faithful Father” (HC A 26). Let’s continue learning how to be Sabbath keepers in this cultural moment. 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). /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/41380285

From Out of Babylon 05/20/2026

From Out of Babylon For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel (Ezra 7:10). The book of Ezra began with God moving the heart of Cyrus, king of Persia, to provide for the people of Israel to return to Jerusalem. Once there, they began rebuilding the temple of God with finances from the royal treasury. It’s curious that this book was given the name Ezra, even though the man Ezra doesn’t show up till here. Of course, the Bible’s main task is to tell us about God, not folks like Ezra. Here, we get a glimpse into the nature of God, who seems mischievous, in the best sense of that word, of course. Ezra is introduced this way, “Ezra came up from Babylon” (7:6). What was Babylon? Well, Babylon was the city of the emperors who tried to eradicate Israel. The stories of Esther and Daniel tell us just how strong the enmity towards the Jews was. It wasn’t just Israel, but Israel’s God that was the issue. This God needed to be dethroned. But now, out of this Babylon comes Ezra, who “had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel”. So, while Daniel and his friends were being persecuted by the establishment and while Haman was scheming against the Jews, God had a secret agent studying his law in Babylon. And when the time was right, he emerges and travels to Jerusalem fully prepared to teach this law to the returned exiles. And the story gets even better. He has a letter from King Artaxerxes in his back pocket which includes this, “And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God, which you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people of Trans-Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach any who do not know them” (7:25). From out of the city that tried to annihilate God’s people, the king sends forth someone who has the capacity to teach the ways of God to this new community which is re-establishing the worship of God in Judea. So, what happens when Ezra finally arrives in Jerusalem? Will the returned exiles accept this newcomer? According to Nehemiah, the people eagerly and attentively listened to the word God from daybreak till noon (Nehemiah 8:1-3). From daybreak to noon! That puts perspective to the words of the Psalmist: Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path (119:105). The scriptures don’t become a lamp and light just because we want them to; for that to happen, we need to make the commitment to know them. Revivals in the church include a renewed commitment to studying the scriptures. Paul tells us that “these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did (1 Corinthians 10:6). Things like the forty-year wilderness wanderings with Moses and the Babylonian exile. I don’t think I need to say anything more. 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/41351815

The Next Chapter 05/17/2026

Eternal Sabbath 05/15/2026

Eternal Sabbath For surely your enemies, Lord, surely your enemies will perish; all evildoers will be scattered (Psalm 92:9). Growing up, my family rested on Sundays. As farmers, we needed to ensure our animals were sufficiently cared for. This work rarely took more than an hour in the morning and another in late afternoon. Much of Saturday was set aside for preparation, both on the farm and in the house. Often, by mid-afternoon everything was ready and we slowed down. We didn’t go out Saturday nights; we went to bed early. Sundays we rested. But it was the preparation that made it possible. This was a good rhythm. When I started in ministry, like most pastors, Monday was my Sabbath. However, when our children started school, I began to take Saturday’s off so that we could do family stuff. I still take Saturdays off. I have discovered that it is good to take a day to clear my head. I’m feel refreshed on Sunday mornings. Saturday is my prep day by not working. This matter of preparation for Sunday has largely disappeared. I think we should recover it. Recently, I came across the phrase, “Sabbath worship is the week’s fulfillment and inspiration”. It suggests that Sabbath ought not to be an interruption in our lives, but rather the main event, both our source and our goal. Our text is a move in that direction, which comes to fuller expression in the book of Hebrews and is articulated well in the Heidelberg Catechism. It teaches us that one purpose of the Sabbath day is “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). Our text anticipates this eternal Sabbath when all God’s enemies are no more. For many Christians today, Sabbath keeping has become family time and/or not work time. These things are good, but they do not give us Sabbath. Sabbath is moving away from evil, by being justified by the blood of Christ, purified by the Word of God and by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. What would happen if we saw this as the focus of our lives? What if longing for the eternal Sabbath, in which evil is fully vanquished, was our highest goal? As Hebrews tells us, this kind of living is entered by faith and the obedience that faith evokes in us. The Israelites missed out on this rest because they did not believe God could give it to them. They rebelled against Moses and God, refusing to go into the promised land. Now we are encouraged not to miss out on that rest, but rather to commit our lives to entering it. Can we find the way? Here, the writer of Hebrews introduces Jesus as the greatest high priest. He has gone before us by entering heaven. His nail scarred body sits beside the throne of God. There, Jesus never ceases to intercede for his people. The way is open, we may enter boldly. We are invited to see Sabbath rest not as an interruption to our self-focused lives. Rather, it refocuses us and becomes our fulfillment and inspiration. When we long for the end of evil, especially in our own lives, Sabbath keeping will not be duty but delightful. It will be an anticipation of the eternal Sabbath. What attitudes and practices need to change to embrace this kind of Sabbath rest? 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). /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/41295970

With Joy 05/13/2026

With Joy Then the people of Israel—the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles—celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy (Ezra 6:16). To fully appreciate this joy, we need to know how Israel almost missed out on it. God had moved the heart of Cyrus, King of Persia, to bring an end to the Babylonian exile. Allowing them to go home, the king made provision for the rebuilding of the temple of God. Israel could begin worshipping their Lord again. God was clearly on the move. However, once they started rebuilding, their neighbours recognized that if this temple was rebuilt, it would not be good for said neighbours: Israel would increase and the neighbours would decrease. The re-establishment of proper worship would mean that God was present among these Israelites. That would be a problem. So, the neighbours set out hinder the project. Several attempts failed. Finally, they sent a letter to the new Persian king, highlighting that Jerusalem had been a difficult and rebellious city. If the temple and city were rebuilt, it was bound to rebel again. An order was issued to halt the project. The Israelites went to their homes, leaving the temple half built and God stayed away. Well, sort of. God now he needed to move the hearts of his people. He sent the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. Both have books included in the Bible, detailing how God moved his people to relaunch the building project. Despite their best efforts and their hard work at rebuilding their economy, it isn’t going so well. Then Haggai came along and said its time to start rebuilding again, to which the people reply, “Look, we are working hard, barely making it, we really don’t have time or money for the temple.” To which Haggai responds, “Don’t you think that if you put God first, he will take care of your needs?” Zechariah adds, “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you” (Zechariah 4:9). Essentially, God puts a fleece before Israel: “Put me first and I will take care of you.” Sounds like something Jesus echoed, “seek first [God’s] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). The Israelites send a letter to the new Persian king, letting him know his predecessor had sent them home to rebuild the temple. And they start rebuilding. Soon a reply comes from Persia giving permission for the rebuilding. Moreover, the neighbours who were interfering are instructed to give daily provisions for the rebuilding and for the workers. Now we understand the joy of the people celebrating the completion of the temple. They had seen what God does. It makes one wonder how much joy we miss out on because we don’t heed Jesus’ words, “seek first [God’s] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). 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/41270140

The Fruits of Feasting 05/11/2026

The Fruits of Feasting For seven days celebrate the festival to the Lord your God at the place the Lord will choose. For the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete (Deuteronomy 16:15). Let’s spend more time reflecting on Israelite feasting as prescribed by the Lord. Would such feasting benefit us today? I think it would help us connect our work and our worship. First though, let us consider the paper trail our money leaves. For many, payment for work done is deposited directly into our bank accounts. Once there, we pay our bills right from our phones. We make donations to the church and to other charities through a variety of apps. The truth is that we have become disconnected from the fruit of our labours. We don’t hold it. Few even see it in the form of a cheque. Technically, paper trails are a thing of the past. The disconnect from our income, spending and giving increases the difficulty of recognizing our work as worship. Celebrations could help. Emotionally, celebrations would give occasions to stop and enjoy the goodness of God in our careers. It would give us a place to celebrate good work well done. Promotions, bonuses, new jobs and retirement would be cause for joy in the community recognizing such things as gifts from God. It would help us recognize that these things ought to be offered up to God in worship and need to be stewarded well for the glory of his name and growth of his kingdom. Ethically, such celebrations would give us space to train ourselves to relate well to our income, our coworkers and the poor. Our excess would bless our community and cause delight for others. Feasting, which is not a solo event, would give us a way of responding joyfully to bonuses, raises and promotions. It would create a link between our economic and spiritual lives. We could see the joy on the faces of the people we bless. Theologically, the discipline of celebration gives us a meaningful way to connect our material resources to God’s provision and presence. Without feasting we forget; we easily begin to think that bonuses and promotions and raises are the result of our own diligence, hard work, brilliance or good fortune. When our resources are the result of our hard work, then we get to decide where our money goes. We need ways to remember that God calls us to steward his resources. Celebration is a legitimate form of stewarding God’s possessions Now you say, that was before Christ. Does this apply to Christians? Let me say that Jesus was certainly not opposed to a good celebration. He had a knack for ensuring they didn’t fizzle out. He also regularly compared his kingdom to a good feast. And in 2 Corinthians 9, Paul writes about the joy others will expression because of the gifts from the Corinthian congregation, ending with, “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” Good celebrations will give us avenues to thank God for his physical and spiritual gifts. 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. /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/41204090

Senseless and Foolish 05/08/2026

Senseless and Foolish For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord; I sing for joy at what your hands have done. How great are your works, Lord, how profound your thoughts! Senseless people do not know, fools do not understand… (Psalm 92:4-6). These verses make me wonder if we aren’t all a little senseless and maybe more than a little foolish. I’m thinking about Christians. Often, when we read such verses, we rarely wonder if we are in this category. After all, who wants to think of themselves as senseless and foolish? But let’s take a moment to consider if we ought not to start with ourselves. As mentioned last Friday, this is a Sabbath Psalm. Our reflections on rest must include the creation story with which the Bible begins. In the pause between the two accounts of God creating the cosmos, we find the Creator resting. Was he tired? Was he exhausted from his creating out of nothing? Did he need a little nap? No God followers have seriously considered an affirmative answer to these questions. The consensus is that God took time to delight in his creative work. With the Heidelberg Catechism, we confess that God “out of nothing created heaven and earth and everything in them, and still upholds and rules them by his eternal counsel and providence” (A 26). However, this upholding and ruling does not require the kind of grinding work and attention many of us are accustomed to in today’s economy. God could rest and enjoy; creation did not fall apart. Caring for his creation does not overtax him. He has more than enough energy and lots to spare. Therefore, with the Catechism we also believe that this Creator “is my God and Father because of Christ his Son. I trust him that he will provide whatever I need for body and soul… He is able to do this because he is almighty God; he desires to do this because he is a faithful Father.” These are some of the deeds that make his people glad. They cause us to sing for joy. When we pay attention, we discover how profound God is. But here is the rub, many of us are too foolish and too senseless to pay attention. We miss Sabbath because our noses are always pressed against the grindstone. We have not paid attention to who our God is. He is not just creator, but also provider. In Christ, he is our father. Moreover, he sends the rain and the sun on all people. God invites us to be like him: to rest, to delight, to step away from the grindstone of work in a sin filled world. Enjoy him. Sing to him. If you cannot do it on Sundays, find other times. Trust him. He loves you and cares for you. Let’s leave behind our senseless and foolish ways. 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). /episode/index/show/icrchww/id/41164655

Of Opposistion and Peace 05/06/2026

Of Opposistion and Peace When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build…” But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God...” Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building (Ezra 4:1-4). There is opposition to the kingdom of God. Israel had returned from her exile in Babylon and begun to rebuild God’s temple. Immediately, enemies appear. This is normal. When Abram arrived in the land of promise, famine struck. When the Israelites got too numerous in Egypt, Pharaoh enslaved and killed them. All through their journey in the wilderness, they faced struggle and opposition. When Jesus was born, there was an immediate threat on his life. The post-Pentecost church encountered persecution before she had time to catch her breath. For generations, western civilization has been directed by people who by and large got their guidance from the Christian scriptures. In that cultural space the church grew lax, and church leaders exercised significant influence and even power in the public sphere. Generally, it was easy to be a Christian. Christians are now in the minority, and the church has lost her moral authority. In fact, by her own doing, the church has largely become suspect. Like in the days of Zerubbabel, we face extensive, sustained and somewhat organized opposition. This will not go away. Jesus himself told us that in this world we would face trouble (John 16:33). We haven’t taken him seriously. Thus, many Christians are unsure how to live in this new reality. So how should we respond? The returned exiles offer us a warning. People came to them offering help. What they really wanted was control and influence. They were folks who worshipped multiple gods and were inviting the returned Jews to compliment their worship of God by adding a few deities. Zerubbabel would not budge. We need a renewed call in the church to the Lordship of Christ, to living each day under the influence of his kingdom. A question: have you spend anytime in personal confession recently? Confession is about discerning the ways in which we do not live according to God’s Word. If we don’t take time for it, can we really say that we desire to worship God alone? When Jesus spoke to his disciples about having trouble in this world, he also encouraged them with this, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). When we face opposition, we do not need to respond in anger or with fear. Rather, we ought to ask Jesus to let his peace invade our hearts, so that we can respond with love and gentleness. We do not have to be afraid of the world because in the end, only Jesus’ kingdom will remain. And that kingdom comes in small acts of love and kindness by his followers. 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/41163820

Wilderness Wanderings

TOPICS