Grains of Sand

news.nationalpost.com (Google Images) The events of this past week in Quebec and Ontario and the deaths of two Canadian soldiers, and their two disturbed assailants, highlights the anxiety that lies, often barely concealed, at the core of our society. It seems like the world, even our fairly isolated world here in Canada, is falling apart. As I read Psalm 11 this morning, I wanted to echo the psalmist’s confidence that everything is under control—no mean feat when danger seems to lurk in broad daylight in “safe” places like parking lots and national memorials. David begins by saying: “ In the Lord I take refuge .” That’s the best place to start. In one of my Bibles I have written in the margin: “The righteous know to go to the refuge.” But those who were not so secure immediately questioned his resolve to find comfort in the embrace of God. “ How then can you say to me, ” he wrote: ‘Flee like a bird to your mountain. For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows again...

inconstantprayer (Google images) The scene is set. Eight hundred and fifty pagan priests (1 Kings 18:19) a whole lot of ambivalent people (18:21), an extremely annoyed king (18:16) and a vicious queen (18:4), gathered on the top of Mount Carmel to face one weary prophet named Elijah. He’d been on the run from Jezebel (the vicious queen) for at least three years. You remember the event. The four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal were invited to prove that Baal was God (18:21). They built their altar and pleaded with their god to respond with fire. The heavens were silent (so was the hell from which their god came). They wailed and shouted all day, cutting themselves to impress Baal with their religious fervour. Nothing. Then Elijah stepped up. He ordered the altar to the Lord rebuilt, covered it with wood and the sacrifice, and then doused the whole things several times with water (18:33-35). Any boy scout knows that water and fire don’t mix. Then Elijah spoke to the One who had se...

Google Images Ezra Levant, columnist for Sun Media, took potshots at US President Barak Obama and Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton, this morning in our local paper. The gist of the article was a scathing rebuke directed at these two leaders who, having been able to exert considerable influence on the advance of evil in the world, are too busy playing golf (Barak) and doing a book tour (Hilary) to care to stop evil in its tracks. According to Levant, they never did care much and now care less. Consequently, according to Levant, terrorist bands like ISIS have effectively taken back in days what Americans and others died for during the years since Desert Storm. Wherever you fall on the political landscape there is something to be said for the events of Joshua 10 when we look at what is happening in Iraq today, and I am not saying that one situation is equal to the other. But though this will not sit well with some people, it’s what God told Joshua to do. So if there is an issue, tak...

Google Images After Israel’s death, the brothers began to wonder if Joseph might take advantage of their father’s absence to get his revenge on them for the evil they had done (Genesis 50:15-17). Joseph’s response to their concern is one that has echoed down the centuries. “ Don’t be afraid, Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done ” (50:19). Joseph saw the bigger picture. Sometimes we don’t get the privilege of seeing that bigger picture. Sometimes we aren’t looking for it. We are faced with the realities of life, with the harm people intend, with the evil that touches our health, our families, our fortunes. And we forget that there is a bigger picture. A friend posted a video on FACEBOOK this morning that I took the time to listen to. Many of you will remember Scotty Hamilton, who won endless gold medals and championships as a figure skater. The video is his story and I hope you will take the time to list...