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Meditation on Joy

August 26, 2019 0 Comments

God is doing a good work in you. He provides us with many reasons to rejoice through the good times and the challenging times of our lives. Joy has become a topic of philosophical and self help discussion. Our joy in Christ comes from the overflow of our relationship with Him, even as the Holy Spirit pours the love of God into our lives.

In the last few years Miroslav Volf, professor at Yale University, has been working on a theology of joy. He was asked the question, “Why isn’t happiness enough?” “Happiness,” he says, “generally is today understood as a kind of pleasurable feeling… Joy has something specific about it. We rejoice when we are united with the object of our love, with things that we love.”

Jesus often speaks of God’s joy.  Read Luke 15:1-7, NIV.

1Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

3Then Jesus told them this parable: 4“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’

7I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Notice the joy in Jesus’ parable. In this parable and in the next two we see Jesus confronting the “joy-killers” with the Father’s joy.

The Joy of finding–God feels it.
The Joy shared–God invites it.
The Joy multiplied–Lots of joy in Heaven when we repent.
Lots of Joy and delight–When we turn to God.
Lots of Joy–when we return to Him.
Lots of Joy–When we take a step of faith.
Lots of Joy–When we respond to His love.
Lots of Joy–When we abide in His love.

Let us enter into His joy by listening to the Holy Spirit, returning to God, agreeing with God, and changing our lives in response to His grace in Christ Jesus. He embraces us joyfully.

God has a specific joy in being united with you, the “object” of His love.
Do I have joy in being united with Him?
If not, what would Jesus have me know?

The promise of joy fortified Jesus for the suffering of the Cross. The author of Hebrews writes:  (Hebrews 12:1-2, NIV)

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.


Jesus is my specific source of joy. I am included in Jesus’ specific sources of joy. Possible?

Yes! This is the real — The joy of your salvation!
Oh God, grant me this mercy that like Jesus I shall not lose heart!
I receive and abide in your joy.


Read more of Volf’s interview published by RNS.

Change, Discipleship, Jesus

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Prayer of the People, 25 August 2019

August 26, 2019 0 Comments

Heavenly Father,

We rejoice in you today as we enter your communion — the communion of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You have given us a seat at the table through the life, death, burial, and resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ. This grace is real to us through Your Holy Spirit who pours out your love into our hearts and does not disappoint. Thank you!

Thank you for lifting us up from the pit of despair.
Thank you for redeeming us from the destructiveness of our sin.
Thank you for transferring us from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of your Son.
Thank you for causing us to sit, walk, and stand with you.

We fear that we are not as beautiful, successful, unique, powerful, and loveable as we need to be. Oh Lord, this fear holds us down, winds us up, and drives us into all kinds of self-righteous, protective, and problematic decisions. Help us Lord! Give us wisdom from heaven to order our steps and help us to think rightly about ourselves and this world we live in. Let the joy of your salvation work powerfully within us.

Give us courage Lord to extend our hands to others with mercy and grace.
Give us courage Lord to open our mouths against injustice and racism.
Give us courage Lord to proclaim the goodness of God in the person of Jesus Christ.
Give us courage Lord to interrupt unbelief and loneliness.
Give us courage Lord to turn strangers into friends.

As our friends and family return from countries and assignments all around the world, we ask you to fortify them with your love. We lift up the people of China, Hong Kong, Venezuela, Brazil, Yemen, Syria and Turkey — grant them true wisdom, peace and freedom Lord; may hate, fear, bitterness and violence — the tools of the evil one — not be the tools of their leaders. May your Word flourish in all these peoples and may you raise up brothers and sisters for us through the Gospel of Jesus.

We yearn for your Kingdom to be fully established in our hearts and on our campus so we pray as Jesus teaches us:

(Please join me in the Lord’s Prayer.)

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one;
for yours is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, 
forever. 
Amen.

Prayer

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Prayer of the People, 21 July 2019

July 22, 2019 0 Comments

Heavenly Father,

We praise you and rejoice in your communion — the communion of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Your delight and joy is evident in the beauty of your creation. We see your mystery and majesty expressed in the glories of the night sky and in the wonder of energy passing from  neuron to neuron between synapses. 

There is no space that has kept you from your Creation. We believe for you have revealed yourself. You have made yourself known. You have not left yourself without a witness. 

Even our sin has not kept you from us. Though it ruined our view, though it kept us in darkness, you have ripped the dividing veil through the obedience of Jesus Christ and have given us grace to receive you through your Spirit.


You have triumphed over rebellion.
You have triumphed over pride.
You have triumphed over sorrow.
You have triumphed over despair.
You have triumphed over apathy.
You have triumphed over death.

At the Cross it looked like you got tripped up by death. But we are reminded that You laid down your life — for you gave Jesus authority to lay down His life and to take it up again. And so He did! And you have given us grace to call Him Lord.

Hallelujah!
Oh what love!
We live in the glory of your resurrection, 

Now what shall we say? If you are for us, who can be against us? So, how long Lord? How long shall we wait?

As we wait Lord, your children are calling out to you in our struggles. We intercede today for the dear people of Sudan, Yemen, Columbia, and Venezuela. Bring peace Oh Lord, and raise up witnesses for your Son among them.

We intercede for Iran, Britain and the US, who seem to be on a collision course for conflict. We ask for peace in the whole Mediterranean region so that people may thrive in the knowledge of you.

We intercede Oh Lord for our brothers and sisters who living, serving, and pouring out their lives in the neighbourhood around Oppenheimer park here in Vancouver . We ask you for the grace to love our neighours well. May your Spirit bring more life out of the chaos.

We intercede for the dear student families we met during the Kids Activity Evenings who reside in the space between what they know and what they don’t yet know. We ask that you would give them light and wisdom to see and to be embraced by You.

We ask this in the Name of Jesus and we pray as He taught us…
( join me in the Lord’s Prayer)

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one;
for yours is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, 
forever. 
Amen.

Prayer

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Catechism + Comment

July 16, 2019 0 Comments

I. O Mortal, what is required of thee?
To act justly.

When
the man at the top
refuses to be
the man at the bottom
he will not be
for the people.

II. O Mortal, what is required of thee?
To love mercy.

When
your counsellors have retired,
When
your news is on repeat,
When
your body has resigned,
do you sleep?

III. O Mortal, what is required of thee?
To walk humbly with my God.

When
the man at the bottom
refuses to be
the man at the top
he will not be
for himself alone.

Leadership, Poetry, Society

Factions — a work of the flesh

July 13, 2019 0 Comments

The works of the flesh are obvious… factions… I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19, 20, 21 NIV

Here’s what I’ve been asking myself.

Are you often keyed up about who is more right, more holy, and a more legitimate group to be a part of rather than being keyed up about what is right, holy, and a legitimate fruitful response to knowing Jesus and His Word? If yes, that’s factionalism.
It’s a work of the flesh.

Do you divide the world up into “them” verses “us?” If yes, that’s factionalism.
It’s a work of the flesh.

Do you often find yourself drawn to and attached to public figures and leaders as a part of your identity and security in life?  If yes, that factionalism.
It’s a work of the flesh.

Do you automatically criticize and demonize people and their activities who are not on your side, without suspending judgment until you have truly heard and understand them? If yes, that’s factionalism.
It’s a work of the flesh.

Do you automatically assume that your group is always right and a perfect expression of what is on God’s mind? If yes, that’s factionalism.
It’s a work of the flesh.

Does your social media account echo with the sounds of self-righteous outrage and condemnation for one political party over another? If yes, that’s factionalism.
It’s a work of the flesh.

Do you quickly write off a person as unworthy of love and consideration because of their identification with one group or party? If yes, that’s factionalism.
It’s a work of the flesh.

Have you stopped respecting some people, because they don’t fit in your party’s vision of life together? If yes, that’s factionalism.
It’s a work of the flesh.

The Apostle Paul identified “factions” as a work of the flesh. It’s not how followers of Jesus are to live. Instead we are to live responsive and free, not bound up in a faction. The freedom of the Spirit comes from a full-on celebration of Jesus and His love! Then in response to Him and as a forgiven person alive to Him and dead to the flesh we are keyed up about being fruitful in our relationships in the world and in the church rather than on being in the most powerful group.

Those who continue to depend on and promote “factions” will not inherit the kingdom of God. The Apostle Paul keeps warning us as does the Spirit of God. Factionalism has nothing to do with the Father’s heart or the Kingdom of Jesus.

The prophetic and priestly work of Jesus the King in our lives really depends on us being free. Free to offend all parties in our association with Jesus and with His Kingdom.  Without this freedom you and I will not actually enter into the command of Christ to care for the perpetuators of all kinds of fleshy and damaging acts. The fear of antagonizing “our side” will keep us from empathy and even forgiveness of our enemies. We will easily become puppets of power and trumpets of half-truths and lies. And then before you know it, we will abandon the Gospel for the pleasure of having power.

Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.

So this is complicated:

Now what are we to make of the common and God-given need to organize?

What are we to do in the Spirit in order to keep the creative and redemptive work of God in relation to powers and principalities?

How can we speak truth to power and organize people without falling into factionalism?

Change, Society

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