Wed, Dec 6 Devotional

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Psalm 80:7   Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

 

The psalmist (Asaph) used it three times in writing Psalm 80 to awaken Israel - God’s chosen people - from their sinful state.

The psalmist lamented three times in Psalm 80.  How long will God pour out His anger on His chosen people - the Israelites?  Due to Asaph’s preaching and many prayers, God forgave their sins and promised to provide their needs bountifully.

Are we, Canadians, doing what the Israelites did long ago?  Few come to church to worship God; we break God’s laws - Ten Commandments; fail to help the poor in their need; give our tithes to our place of worship.  God loves cheerful givers and blesses them freely.

What can we do to bring young people and their families back to church?  Perhaps we should do what the psalmist - Asaph did.               PRAY   PRAY   PRAY

December 25 is the birthday of Jesus.  This year invite Jesus into your homes and be sure to read the Christmas story as recorded in: Matthew chapter 1:18 to 2:12; Luke chapter 1:57 to 2:20.

Merry Christmas!

        -Eben Lennox

Mon, Dec 4 Devotional

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Isaiah 64:8 Yet, O Lord, you are our Father;  we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.

           As my thoughts go to a time in the early 70's when my dad had both legs amputated above the knee, I witnessed such great strength and courage from him.  His deep faith and belief in a higher power shaped him into his new self.

He became a gardener extraordinaire and a weaver of baskets and trays. I can still hear his beautiful whistle as he worked.

Some going through such a horrific ordeal may have had the ‘poor me’ attitude, but this was not the case with my dad, from the very beginning he stayed positive and helped all around him stay cheery.

In this chapter of Isaiah God truly re made this piece of pottery into a man of inspiration to us all!

Prayer: Loving God give strength and courage to all who are facing or have faced difficult changes in their life.  Amen

      -Jean Harrison

Sun, Dec 3 Devotional

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Isaiah 64:1 O that you would tear open the heavens and come down,  so that the mountains would quake at your presence

      Today is the first day of Advent.  Each individual starts on their journey toward Bethlehem, where we meet the Christ-child.  Over the past summer in Canada, we experienced forest fires in nearly every province.  I think of the forest fires in NS., and how in a few seconds entire subdivisions were wiped out and humanity lost everything, except for the clothes on their backs.  I am sure there were those who asked where is God in this muddle.

This draws my mind back to the Old Testament scriptures whereby the remnant of Israel were recalling the faithfulness of God and the way He led them into and through the wilderness.  They remembered His compassion and kindness, when their forefathers were enslaved in the land of Egypt and the Lord redeemed them.  The grief they were currently experiencing due to being in captivity for several years was translated into a prayerful petition.  Isaiah 64:1 O that You would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at Your presence.

The Israelites could not see themselves ever being released from their captivity; they were unable to see God working in their lives to help them.  So they decide to ask God to show himself to them by opening the heavens and making the mountains quake.  Mountains shaking meant God was present on earth.

As we prepare throughout this Advent Season for the arrival of Christmas and the celebration of the Christ child let us remember we do not always see God working but we can trust that he is there.  Come, Lord Jesus.  Amen.

  -Rev. Marlene Quinn