THE NATIONS WILL COME

Jan and I have just arrived back in Hanoi. We enjoyed worshipping in several congregations while in North America as well as at our denominational bi-annual gathering. At each of these we were reminded of how the nations have come to North America causing amazing cultural diversity.
Whenever we fly to or from Hanoi we are reminded of the many nations and how often people from all nations are in transit. We flew through Vancouver and Tokyo yesterday and wished once again that we were fluent in many languages!
We are called to share the Good News of Jesus in all languages with all nations. God deserves the worship of all peoples. Everyone one day will worship Him but we want them to choose to do so now. We want people from all nations to enjoy our glorious God! Tragically now so many people worship gods that are not gods at all.
O Lord, my strength and my fortress,
    my refuge in time of distress,
to you the nations will come 
    from the ends of the earth and say,
“Our ancestors possessed nothing but false gods, 
    worthless idols that did them no good.   Jeremiah 16:19


Christians anticipate the day when in our eternal home we will worship with all nations and all speak the same language.

BOASTING IS GOOD

God makes it very clear in Jeremiah 9:23, 24 there is boasting that we must reject. The wise person, the the strong person, the wealthy person should not boast of wisdom, strength or wealth. None of these - intellectual, physical or material things will last.
However we can boast and rejoice when we have humbled ourselves before our Great God. When by faith we link our lives to His, then we have something to boast about that is amazing and eternal. We have come to understand (a little) and know (somewhat) our Lord who shows faithful love, justice and righteousness on earth. Our God delights in these qualities.
We all, with few exceptions, wrestle with pride. Some are much more obvious than others, but it is a common root sin wearing many faces among humans. This passage provides a wonderful antidote to pride and boasting. Each of us should cultivate our relationship with God and as we experience and live out His faithful love, justice and righteousness we can rejoice (boast) about this. Of course to live in this kind of relationship with God, we must be growing in humility, centred upon Him, not ourselves. So happy humble boasting. :)

HOSPITALITY

Jan and I are just completing our 37 day visit in Canada and the USA. We have slept in 8 different beds in 7 different cities during this time. With the exception of our stay in one hotel, those beds have been provided by friends and family. Of course one definition of family is "those who take you in when no one else will help you"! We are grateful for the hospitality we enjoyed with our three children, their spouses and their three little children.
However we want to note how important has been the hospitality shown us by those related by spiritual bonds in Christ; four families who generously opened their homes to us on this trip. In the busyness of life, it is so easy for any of us to say "let someone else do it". Yet whether helping someone with a meal, a car ride, or overnight accommodation  (or as in our case storing someones belongings while they go overseas) - acts of kindness, generosity and hospitality should be (super) natural outgrowths of the Christian life.
We have been on the receiving end of much kindness during our time in these 7 different cities. We are very grateful. As we return to Vietnam, we look forward to our opportunity to serve people there with God's love and generosity.
I hope, whatever your stage of life, you are growing in the grace of giving: giving practical help, hospitality, money, acts of kindness. As Scripture asserts: it is better to give than to receive.  

OUR FATHER

When we hear the words "Our Father" we immediately think of the Lord's Prayer. In fact some of our Catholic friends refer to the prayer given by Jesus, not as the Lord's Prayer but as the "Our Father". Jesus himself was the Unique One who also referred to God as "my Father". His intimate relationship with His Father is very evident throughout the Gospels.
I find it intriguing that in Isaiah, God is called "Father" several times in two chapters. This is quite rare in the OT. It is too late at night right now for me to check to see exactly how rare. :) But it is interesting to see the context in which these occur.

Look down from heaven and see, from your lofty throne, holy and glorious. Where are your zeal and your might?
    Your tenderness and compassion are withheld from us.
 But you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us
    or Israel acknowledge us; you, Lord, are our Father,
    our Redeemer from of old is your name.
 Why, Lord, do you make us wander from your ways
    and harden our hearts so we do not revere you?
Return for the sake of your servants,
    the tribes that are your inheritance. 

                                       Isaiah 63:15 - 17 (See also Is. 64:8)

Notice how the prophet is asking God who is seen as Father, why He has not been protecting his people. He wonders why the heavenly Father is not treating his people better. Evidently the prophet knows that normally God the Father would protect his children with kindness and love.
As with so many of the teachings in Isaiah, it is not far at all from Isaiah's view of God to the picture of God that Jesus draws for us. God the Father in the OT is the same God in the NT. And we rejoice that He is our Father in Heaven today.

YOU AND YOUR OPINION

Jan and I recently listened to several talks by Martin Sanders, professor at Nyack College. He combines great insight, breadth of knowledge and a zany sense of humour that makes him an excellent presenter. There are many quotable things I could share from his talks.
Here is one that I felt could be helpful to many. All of us have opinions as to how things should be done in the church. Whether it is regarding the colour of paint on walls or the kind of carpet a church buys. Whether it is the preaching, the music or the youth ministry. We all have opinions and would like things to be done according to what we, in our opinion, think best.
However Martin put it something like this: "You really matter; you are very important in the Kingdom of God. But your opinion, in the Kingdom of God does not matter at all." In the Kingdom of God, there is only one opinion that matters: of course it is God's opinion.
Yet too often, if I am not careful, I can begin to think that my opinion is of vital importance because I am always right. :) I must remember: in the Kingdom of God, my opinion doesn't matter at all. I'd better try hard to be sensitive to God's opinion. And then agree with it.

TRUTH IS HARD TO FIND

I suspect that the American Presidential Election is followed more closely than any other national election. (Except perhaps recent European elections as the European Union has been fighting to prevent an overwhelming financial crisis.)
As the run-up to the November election heats up, ads for and against Obama and Romney are proliferating. Commentaries regarding the candidates past histories and records; what have been their accomplishments and failures; where they stand on issues - significant and inconsequential are constantly flowing on TV, radio and in social media. What can you believe? Who can you believe?
I thought of this as I read the ancient prophet's description of his society, 2, 700 years ago.

"Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far off. For truth has                     stumbled in the public square, and honesty cannot enter. Truth is missing, and whoever turns from evil is plundered. The Lord saw that there was no justice,and He was offended." 

                                          Isaiah 59:14, 15  (HCSB)

Of course half truths and lies are more evident where more money is spent and where more media are present. But no country is immune from deception and injustice. In so much that we hear, read and see, "truth stumbles or truth is missing". It is a reality in whatever country is home for you. Justice so often is turned back because of wealth or power; because of connections or great lawyers; etc. Truth - well truth is too often whatever a person wants it to be.
How sad it is when you don't know who you can trust - for justice or for truth. In this kind of cultural climate, followers of Jesus should be noticed because we do not lie or deceive. We are committed to emulate the One who is the Truth and the One who will some day bring final, eternal justice for all.
And we should be careful not to believe and repeat all we hear, for we know much of it will not be true, or at least only half the truth.

JUSTICE AND COMPASSION

Jan and I are meeting this week in Winnipeg, Canada with hundreds of delegates to our bi-annual denominational gathering. The theme this year is Justice and Compassion. We will highlight all kinds of ministries in this country and around the world.
In Isaiah 58, God tells believing Israel that their prayers and their fasts do not impress Him. Certain kinds of fasting in which people make themselves feel uncomfortable and appear humble are not what He wants (vs. 5). God challenges them to an entirely different kind of fast
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice 
    and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
    and break every yoke? 
⁷ Is it not to share your food with the hungry 
    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter —
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

God cares deeply for the vulnerable, the needy, the oppressed. This theme runs through the pages of Scripture. He calls us to do what we can in a world of need. Individually and as churches we need to ask, are we doing all that He expects us to do.