“After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. They forsook the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They aroused the Lord’s anger because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.”
‭‭Judges‬ ‭2‬:‭10‬-‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This is how the message for today started. Yesterday during my #LunchTimeDevotions. As I read from the Word of God how knowledge was lost in Israel. And the consequences thereof. Until this very day!

Then this morning as I read and reflected on the second of two prayers that the Lord in his wisdom sent to me in my Classic Devotional Bible, for my daily use, the message got louder:

A MORNING WATCH

JACOB BOHEME

ON WAKING

ON RISING

Rule over me this day, O God, leading me on the path of righteousness. Put your Word in my mind and your truth in my heart, that this day I neither think nor feel anything which is good and honest. Protect me from all lies and falsehood, helping me to discern deception whenever I meet it……..

And then as I was doing my early morning chores the Lord even sent this song to accompany the message :Listen carefully to both the driving reggae beat and the lyrics ……things are not the way they used to be…don’t tell no lie…many more will have to suffer,many more will have to die

https://youtu.be/Z0lufcRgZlA?si=3BGlENcvnN_4Xqrt

What’s this all about ?

From MP Lisa Hanna

………..So what do we do in a country whose legislators consented to the Church’s will to have ecclesiastical/colonial laws remain when I and others raised the matter at the joint select committee tasked with making amendments to the Sexual Offences Act for changes to the definitions to give victims justice given what we see and know is taking place in our society?

We never give up. That’s what we do. In an era when sexual violence is pervasive across our society, outdated, archaic, and impractical legal definitions will not suffice if we are to have equal protection for our boys and girls.

This is why I tabled a private member’s motion in Parliament on June 11, 2024 week calling for a gender-neutral definition of rape in Jamaica.

“Whereas in our law, rape is defined as a man committing the offence if he has sexual intercourse with a woman without her consent or knowing that she does not consent or reckless disregard for her consenting.

“Whereas in our Sexual Offences Act, sexual intercourse is defined as the entry of the penis to the vagina (only).

“Whereas if the same man uses an implement or any other body part to penetrate her vagina, mouth, or anus, it is considered grievous sexual assault. Or if he uses his penis to penetrate anywhere else on her other than her vagina, he may not be technically charged for rape in Jamaica, but rather grievous sexual assault.

“And whereas in our law, it is only a man that can rape a woman, and a man cannot experience rape in Jamaica (whether by a man or by a woman), which is presenting a legislative dilemma that is creating inequitable legal consequences surrounding how we treat rape in this country.

“And whereas because our legal definitions have been unchanged for centuries, many boys and men who have been, or are being raped and sexually abused by men, continue to suffer in silence and do not come forward out of fear of being stigmatised or thrown in jail, even though they are the victims.

“Be it resolved that we acknowledge and confront the fact that many of our boys and men are raped and change the law to give them redress to give equality in our treatment of men and women in Jamaica.

“And be it further resolved that we modify our legal definition of sexual intercourse to make the act of rape in Jamaica gender-neutral.”

I know this is a sensitive and controversial topic. However, it is one we must begin to understand, contemplate, and take action on if we are to help give equality in how we treat rape against our men and women and stem the tide of the sexual violence perpetrated against them.

Let’s stand on the right side of history.

I listened to the MP in an interview with RJR’s Dionne Jackson Miller, as she “ defended her thesis”. Very passionate, very articulate, and to the uninitiated in the ways of this world and how it seeks to “ get rid of the Christian message of righteousness and holiness first”, very convincing, and very, on the face of it, reasonable.

Then in pursuit of the time honored journalist ethic of presenting both sides of the case, Dionne then interviewed the lawyer for a Christian group which has been consistently “ waging war” against the acceptance of homosexuality as “ normal “, and same sex marriage as normal, and which cultural and legal differences in North America and Europe are threatening to undermine Jamaica’s well known resistance to such “ wind of change “. An abnormal “ mystic blowing through the air”, to misquote Bob Marley!…don’t tell no lie.

And one thing, among other things, which the very articulate and very confident and battle seasoned lawyer, said which stayed with me, was: Knowledge can be lost! Which carries us right back to the the disobedience which Israel committed and “ aroused the Lord’s anger”.

What knowledge ? Knowledge of what is family. Knowledge of what God intended when he gave us the gift of sexual intercourse between man and woman – one flesh. Which would be pleasing to Him. And which knowledge is at risk in the pursuit of change for change sake, when as she argued that the charge of committing “ grevious sexual assault “ is sufficient for any attack upon the person of a male by another male.

This as she pointed out, the real “ prize “ is the repeal of the buggery act. And this is just the “ thin edge of the wedge”.

Of course the intricacies of these legal arguments are above my pay grade. But in all of this, and so far two priests, both Anglican, one more senior than the other have publicly supported MP Hanna’s position, what will the Lord do and say. Only time will tell.

But as for me and my house, we will be obedient to the Word of God which calls us to be holy as the Lord our God is holy. And leave Him to judge as only He can and will.

Lord we pray thee to renew thy church beginning with me and all who are obedient to thy Word, so that a whole generation of Jamaicans, including some in the church and in the parliament and elsewhere, who have forgotten all of what you, the God of Jacob, and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, has done for this once enslaved ( To Sin and to our colonial masters) people, may turn and repent, so that the nation may find peace in you alone. Which was what the final message from the Word of God, which He remained me about last night, addresses :

“This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭6‬:‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

May the God of Jacob and the God of Gideon have mercy on our souls in this #unruly land.

In obedience

Shalom

LWJ

P.S. A “ terrible” Word from God. “ Why did you do this”? O Jesus have mercy !

Old Testament

1 Samuel 17: (1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49

Your servant has killed both lions and bears; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God.” David said, “The Lord, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine.

The quote taken from the dramatic and well known Old Testament reading for next Sunday, provides perfect introduction to a very short message this morning. David knew that the proud and strong “ uncircumcised “ Philistine, Goliath had no strength to fight against the army of “ The Living God”. And it was this God who would give him the victory over Goliath. But the others were afraid, and doubted that he could do the job. The key thing to learn from this encounter is that God knew the heart of David. Which is what he told Samuel in yesterday’s reading. God knew that David understood that :

The Lord, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine.”

Which in effect that David knew that “ unless the Lord watches over the city, in vain the watchman watches over it”. That without God he was helpless against evil.

And we can attest to that, that unless Jesus had died, unless Jesus had been risen from the dead, we would be helpless against Sin, and evil and the fear of death. All conquered on the Cross of Calvary, and confirmed with a cry of Victory : “ Tetelestai. It is finished. All done. The salvation story.

So why am I writing this morning as I just finished sending a note to the media about the four young men who died last night in a terrible crash. On a morning when we were told as a nation recently about murder and murder most foul in Hanover . Again!

Why! Because as a nation and even O dear Godin the church, we have become a disobedient people. Which according to the Word of God, is “ worse than divination”. We have decided that we are not helpless before the Living God. We can manage. We have the wisdom, and the strength to fight against evil. Mercy!

And so the Lord placed this song in my heart, and spoke to me about it over a couple of days:

Thou camest O Lord with the living word that should set thy people free; but with mocking scorn and a crown of thorn, they bore thee to Calvary.

Again and again in this age. State and civil society and even the church of the Living God in subtle and overt ways. But the basic problem is disobedience in one form or another. The problem is that we presume too much on the grace of God, and his unconditional love, on the one hand in the church. And on the other hand in civil society and the state we presume and depend too much on our wisdom and strength, on “ chariots and horses”. And so the land mourns as bloodshed follows bloodshed, and a people continue to perish for a lack of vision. A vision that we are helpless and need to look to Jesus for grace and mercy. That we are naked and need to look to God for dress. That we apart from Jesus are foul, and need to washed in the precious blood of the Lamb. Otherwise Goliath will forever prevail in this land with its dire consequences as we do not have the help of the Living God to conquer evil because of rank disobedience. Rank disobedience which in theological terms caries Jesus to Calvary “ with mocking scorn”. Mercy! I pray God that he may renew the church in obedience, humble ourselves and cry out for mercy, that a renewed church may renew a nation facing Goliath and is helpless, completely helpless because what we have done is worse than divination.

https://youtu.be/FcoPnR7qF9I?si=rM6_mrjz3HEAtAMB

Christ the King indeed! My everything, I put my trust in you.

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2024/06/16/four-killed-westmoreland-crash/

Francis

Pope Francis tells priests to keep homilies short as ‘people fall asleep’

Pontiff says speaking should be limited to eight minutes because ‘attention is lost’ – The Guardian

There is a WhatsApp chat group for the Anglican Diocese in which I’ve been inserted by the gatekeeper. One day this week, after spending some time, quality holiday time, with the Lord, in His Word with the prophet Jeremiah, I happened upon the quote from the Pope above.

This was my response to the “ debate”. Inspired by the Word of God. Over a two day period:

The Lord will tell you what to say, how to say, and how long to preach to his people who He calls to come to the church where one is preaching, if the preparation of the sermon is directed by him with prayer and a proper understanding of the Word, and obedience.

Led to write to church, Anglicans and others, and state, this morning about the importance of being ” soaked in the Word”, according to Oswald Chambers.

 “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.

Jeremiah 1:6‭-‬7 NIV

Don’t know who advised the Pope on this matter, but I was just led to read this Word after posting the comments above. In context!

The key issue is ” whatever I command you”. It’s a dangerous thing to ” preach” without being given authority to do so. Presumptuous even!

 Back to Jeremiah #HolidayReading

 

Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”

Jeremiah 1:9‭-‬10 NIV

 The Word, and not Jeremiah in and by himself. People will not fall asleep if you are preaching about ” The Word made flesh”, which can uproot and tear down, and build and plant. But only if you preach without authority, and according to the wisdom of man

 They will even fall asleep, and worse, discern that you have no authority even if the sermon lasts for five minutes. And if they have no discernment and are ” filled”, too easily satisfied, even after one hour, it will not advance the kingdom of God if Christ and Him Crucified is not the central theme. For ultimately the Lord is :

The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?” “I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied. The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.”…..

Jeremiah 1:11‭-‬12 NIV

……Watching to see his Word, Sovereign over all creation, fulfilled. And does not depend on the power of our preaching. Praise God.

 Back to Jeremiah and #HolidayReading in Toronto

 The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?” “I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied.

Jeremiah 1:11 NIV

 The question is ” Anglican Communion in Jamaica, what do you see”?

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2024/06/12/church-turns-theatre-fear-gripped-grange-hill/

 Thanks Michael. Read the article carefully. And what came to mind was the question I posed yesterday after obediently sharing the Word of God which came to Jeremiah. Anglican Communion in Jamaica what do you see?

Last night in the dead of night, the answer started. ” We see Jesus and Him Crucified and Risen”. And in this dispensation, this morning we ” hear his Word”. Hear Him speaking through Jeremiah ( road to Emmaus), in the context of Grange Hill and other troubled communities:

But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

Jeremiah 1:7‭-‬8 NIV

Rescue you in Grange Hill, in Majestic Gardens, in Spanish Town, in Gaza in Portmore….wherever Sin cause men and women to do what is evil.

Thank God for obedient disciples of Christ seeking to advance the Kingdom of God, about which according to Jesus in the Gospel for Sunday, He will speak to us in private ( as we worship Him alone). To rescue the perishing, the thrust of the message in the Epistle, and the play, ” Therefore knowing the fear of the Lord we try to persuade others”. That Christ has died – for Sin; Christ is Risen – so that we can become a new creation, holy unto God and not Sin; Christ will come again- to Judge the living and the dead. About Sin, which has many manifestations.

 And as I turned the pages of My Classics Devotional Bible, this wonderful hymn appeared. In context. Lest we get overcome by the enormomity of what Sin has done to our once fair isle, and become distracted in our desire to overcome evil.

O FOR A THOUSAND TONGUES TO SING 

Charles Wesley 

1

O for a thousand tongues to sing

My dear Redeemer’s praise,

The glories of my God and King,

The triumps of his grace!

2

My gracious Master and my God,

Assist me to proclaim 

And spread through all the earth abroad

The honors of thy name.

3

Jesus! the name that charms our fears 

And bids our sorrows cease;

”Tis music in the sinner’s ears 

‘Tis life and health and peace.

In the dead of night last night the message continued. That the foundation of the Christian faith, and its eternal message , above all else, is that: Christ has died, Christ is Risen, and Christ will come again.

And then this morning I was led back to :

““If you, Israel, will return, then return to me,” declares the Lord. “If you put your detestable idols out of my sight and no longer go astray, and if in a truthful, just and righteous way you swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ then the nations will invoke blessings by him and in him they will boast.” This is what the Lord says to the people of Judah and to Jerusalem: “Break up your unplowed ground and do not sow among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, circumcise your hearts, you people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, or my wrath will flare up and burn like fire because of the evil you have done— burn with no one to quench it.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

One of the many things that God speaks to us in this and every age in and through the Words of the “ I am only a child “, Jeremiah is that He will choose and equip who He wills, to speak to the church and to the nations about his mercy, his holiness and his wrath . In the past He chose to speak through his prophets but in this age according to his Word, he has chosen to speak to us through his Son. And the amazing thing we learn from Jesus, is that all of them, prophesied about “ Christ has died, Christ is Risen and Christ will come again. This as :

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I pray God that I will continue to write in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God. For the glory of God and for the renewing of the church so that the church may help to renew the nations where people live “ in darkness and in the shadow of death”, and are in danger of facing the wrath of God, unless they repent after hearing the Good News that Jesus saves. From Sin and the fear of death and evil!

In obedience to the One who sends me, even though “ I am only a child “, in this context.

Shalom

LWJ

Church in Ottawa

The cross everywhere

The Psalm

Psalm 20

Exaudiat te Dominus

1 May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble, *
the Name of the God of Jacob defend you;

2 Send you help from his holy place *
and strengthen you out of Zion;

3 Remember all your offerings *
and accept your burnt sacrifice;

4 Grant you your heart’s desire *
and prosper all your plans.

5 We will shout for joy at your victory
and triumph in the Name of our God; *
may the Lord grant all your requests.

6 Now I know that the Lord gives victory to his anointed; *
he will answer him out of his holy heaven,
with the victorious strength of his right hand.

7 Some put their trust in chariots and some in horses, *
but we will call upon the Name of the Lord our God.

8 They collapse and fall down, *
but we will arise and stand upright.

9 O Lord, give victory to the king *
and answer us when we call.

Read the Collect, The Old Testament reading, the Psalm, The Epistle – New Testament, and the Gospel appointed for next Sunday in those churches which follow a Liturgical Cycle of Readings.

All were useful for my soul, and in particular the fact that :

The Gospel

Mark 4:26-34

………..With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.

But what stayed with me was the message from the Psalm above.

Why? Because if we are not careful, and the temptation is great, because our needs are so great, and the national issues so challenging, including the strike by the taxi men about the “ demerit points system”, at least on the face of it, and also the international concerns in Gaza and Israel, if we are not careful, we would receive this prophetic Word and apply it to ourselves, and our situation, and our calling as disciples of Christ, to whom He explains everything in private.

5 We will shout for joy at your victory
and triumph in the Name of our God; *
may the Lord grant all your requests.

Verse five above was the caution. For only in Christ we have any kind of victory in this broken world. All honor and glory belongs to the Crucified and Risen One. Therefore the God who “ looks at the heart” and not the outward appearances, not at the fervor of our prayers even, will:

Send you help from his holy place *
and strengthen you out of Zion;…..only if you are in Christ. And in He alone will:

Grant you your heart’s desire *
and prosper all your plans.

And as I write into my heart comes this deep and profound prayer from the hymn writer. In context!

And now, O Father, mindful of the love
that bought us, once for all, on Calvary’s tree,
and having with us him that pleads above,
we here present, we here spread forth to thee
that only offering perfect in thine eyes,
the one true, pure, immortal sacrifice.

2 Look, Father, look on his anointed face,
and only look on us as found in him;
look not on our misusings of thy grace,
our prayer so languid, and our faith so dim:
for lo, between our sins and their reward
we set the Passion of thy Son our Lord.

Further, when the psalmist writes :

Some put their trust in chariots and some in horses, *
but we will call upon the Name of the Lord our God……into my mind comes the words I read and every every night before going to bed:

““Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.””
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭91‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This because the New Testament revelation of the Old Testament “ call upon the name of the Lord”, is “ Christ in you the hope of glory “. And victory. Over evil and Sin and the fear of death. Every kind of evil that comes against us in this life, and every weapon formed against us who are in Christ Jesus. Mercy!

I close with a song that came into my heart from a patient who sang for me in my office. To the glory of God and for the rescuing of this broken world filled with unruly taxi men, but who according to the Collective Prayer for this week, ought to have justice ministered with compassion.

The Collect

Keep, O Lord, your household the Church in your steadfast faith and love, that through your grace we may proclaim your truth with boldness, and minister your justice with compassion; for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

So too the people of Gaza, and the unruly chidren of Abraham in Israel. For whom our Savior died also but whose sacrifice for sins they have rejected . May the God of Jacob have mercy on us all in and through Christ Jesus.

https://youtu.be/yXd4gbVTLX4?feature=shared

May the God of Jacob take us from glory to glory more and more each day, in and through the shed blood of Christ our Savior, so that the church may be renewed and help to renew the nation(s) where people trust only in chariots and horses, in silver and gold, in bombs and guns, in human wisdom and strength, and so the land mourns as bloodshed follows bloodshed.

In obedience

Shalom

LWJ in a strange and cold in June land.

With two disciples of Christ on Sunday in Canada. Rev. Willis and Rev. Ula Ruddock

Giving glory to the Crucified One always, and in him being moved from glory to glory each day as we listen to Him speaking to us in the quietness of the early morning.

Missional families: An urgent need to save generations

‘A home where Scripture becomes the foundation, and each member lives to fulfill the purpose of God embedded in his love is called a ‘missional home’, emulating the character of God through their living.’

Parents must be the primary influencers and faith shapers of their children.

ARTICLE

A 7 series webinar that practically unfolds how families can impact generations.

P.C. MATHEW 24 MAY 2024

My church brother and friend, I have been gifted with the privilege ( not sure how well I have done….but God is at work) of being the godfather for his son, Dr. Las Newman is part of the worldwide and influential para church Lausanne Movement. And as I read the Word of God far away in Montreal Canada, about:

“Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, “ ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭21‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Baptist Church in Ottawa

….I was led to read and share an important message from the Lausanne above.

The question arises then, “ what are we teaching our children in this age as people of God”. Which of course begs the next question “ what’s the chief purpose of the church in this and any age”.

I opened my Bible randomly as is my accustomed habit over the years and “ discovered “ the passage above about what God’s people ought to about. Listen again, as Jesus continues:

“The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant. “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “ ‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’ ?” And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭21‬:‭14‬-‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Children worshiping at Saint Andrew Parish Church in Kingston Jamaica

It’s not my role to accuse the church in this or any age, for as Bishop Daniel told me once, Satan does enough of that, but a word from last night, is a word to the wise.

ONE PURPOSE

Chris Tiegreen

Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

Athletes train for one purpose : to win. Businesses exist for one goal: to earn a profit………

Paul was single-minded about the glory of God ( like the children in the instructions Jesus gave…..and how our children ought to be instructed …..but only if we have the same single-mindedness and don’t have some other purpose in mind, however laudable or not it might be). …….

That’s the attitude Paul urged his fellow to have. The Corinthians had gotten off track with a number of distractions ( and made the house of God a den of thieve……hmm!) – immorality, division, idolatry and more. And in the middle of Paul’ s lengthy instructions about these and other issues, he summed up the remedy to them all with this one command: “ Whatever you do , do to all for the glory of God”.

There is more but we have enough to think and pray about.

I close as I hurry to leave for a tour, with this contextually relevant meditation which I found nestled in the Word from Jesus this morning.

THE HOUSE OF PRAYER

William Cowper

Verse: Matthew 21: 13

Thy mansion is the Christian heart,

O Lord , thy dwelling place secure,

Bid the unruly throng depart,

And leave the consecrated door.

Devoted as it is to thee,

A thievish swarm frequents the place,

They steal away my joys from me,

And rob my Savior of his praise.

There too a sharp designing trade,

Sin, Satan, and the world maintain,

Nor cease to press me, and persuade,

To part with ease and purchase pain.

I know them, and I hate their din,

Am weary of the bustling crowd,

But while their voice is heard within,

I cannot serve thee as I would.

Oh! for the joy that thy presence gives,

Why peace shall reign when thou art here!

Thy presence makes this den of thieves,

A calm delightful house of prayer.

And if thou make thy temple shine,

Yet, self-abased, will I adore,

The gold and silver are not mine,

I give thee why was thine before.

Lord renew thy church with those whose only desire is to give you all the glory and praise, and to teach their children to praise you in all that they do; Lord renew thy church that the church may renew the nation(s) where thy house, thy image and thy likeness has become a den of thieves where you are not glorified. In Jamaica and in Canada. And wherever.

“By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. There on the poplars we hung our harps, for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land? If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭137‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This morning I find myself in a “strange “ land, far from home in the capital city of Canada. And right there “ on the street where my friend lives” ( from the movie, My Fair Lady) with whom we visited yesterday:

…I found, not only a church, but an Anglican Church.

Then the words of the Psalmist came to me, as I reflected and prayed the first of Jacob Boheme’s Morning Watch:

Living Lord, you have watched over me, and put your hand on my head,, during the long,dark hours of night. Your holy angels have protected me from all harm and pain. To you Lord, I owe life itself. Continue to watch over me and bless me during the hours of day.

And thanked the Lord that anywhere I am, ( from last night’s) meditation by Oswald Chambers) He has promised not to leave me nor forsake me. Glory! Which is what happened during the flight from Kingston to Miami and then to Toronto. And during the long 7 1/2 hour drive from Toronto to Ottawa.

And, praise God, as I turned to find the Psalm above, there nestled in the Word of God in the book of Proverbs, I found this song:

JESUS, THE VERY THOUGHT OF THEE

Bernard of Clairvaux ….wrote about last week.

Verse: Isaiah 26:3

Jesus, the very thought of thee 
with sweetness fills the breast; 
but sweeter far thy face to see, 
and in thy presence rest.

2 O hope of every contrite heart, 
O joy of all the meek, 
to those who fall, how kind thou art! 
How good to those who seek!

3 But what to those who find? Ah, this 
nor tongue nor pen can show; 
the love of Jesus, what it is, 
none but his loved ones know.

4 Jesus, our only joy be thou, 
as thou our prize wilt be; 
Jesus, be thou our glory now, 
and through eternity.

Having reflected upon the words of this wonderful hymn, in context, or as Oswald Chambers recommends “ reading the Word of God in the flesh and blood of life, I turned to Isaiah 26:3.

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭26‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Read the entire chapter, which was quite a revelation, but that which I am led to share with you, in context, was another meditation, this time by Oswald Chambers which was found nestled in the page of my Classics Devotional Bible, just below Isaiah 26.

WEDNESDAY ( mercy)

IS YOUR MIND STAYED ON GOD

Verse : Isaiah 26:3

Is your mind stayed on God or is it starved. Starvation of the mind, caused by neglect, is one of the chief sources of exhaustion and weakness in servant’s life. If you have never used your mind to place yourself before God, begin to do it now. There is no reason to wait for God to come to you. You must turn your thoughts and your face away from idols and look to him and be saved ( Isaiah 45:22).

Your mind is the greatest gift God has given you and it ought to be devoted entirely to him. …..When you have thoughts and ideas which are worthy of credit to God, learn to compare and contrast them with all that happens in nature – the rising and setting of the sun, the shinning of the moon and stars, and the changing of the seasons ( even the unusually hot weather in Ottawa yesterday….my words).

You will begin to see that your thoughts are from God as well, and your mind will no longer be at the mercy of your impulsive thinking ( praise the Lord….my words), but will always be used in the service of God.

Remember whose you are and whom you serve.

Encourage yourself to remember, and your affection for God will increase tenfold. Your mind will no longer be starved, but will be quick and enthusiastic, and your hope will be inexpressibly bright.

Lord we beseech thee to renew your church with those whose minds are stayed on you; Lord help us to keep our focus on you, as by ourselves we are so easily distracted, so that we may be able with your help to renew the nation(s) where “ on the streets where people live”, there are so many idols. The most alluring one of which is self, and our wandering and unruly wills. Whether in Ottawa, Kingston or in 34 count New York, or in the minds those who destroy Gaza or commit atrocities in Israel and in Ukraine and Haiti.

In obedience

Shalom

LWJ