THE ROYAL WEDDING

No, I won't draw a biblical lesson or parallel from the "world event" yesterday. I will simply confess that Jan and I watched the wedding. We even watched and enjoyed all the weird and wonderful hats that walked into Westminster Abbey. However, I hasten to add, the wedding took place at 5:30 pm in our time zone. I would certainly not have watched it had it been at 4:30 am as in Alberta!
Even though Britain is now largely post-Christian or non-Christian, it was nice to hear hymns sung and Scripture read. Perhaps a few seeds of the Good News dropped into some sensitive seeking heart.

On another note: let Psalm 121:8 encourage you today as it did me. "The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."As most of you know, Jan and I were led to believe that government approval for the start of an expat church here would quickly be granted once we arrived. We had a slight hope that we might hold Christmas services with the beginnings of a new congregation. Well, Easter has passed and we still wait for the required approval.
In the midst of this unexpected waiting time, I am satisfied that God knows. He knew of our going from Canada and coming to Vietnam. He knew and knows our motives. He has the larger eternal perspective for Vietnamese, for expats and for us. So, while this is not exactly what we came for, we rest and rejoice that our God watches over our comings and goings - whether that is across town or across oceans.

WHO CAN YOU TRUST?

Our young language teacher is a bit of an entrepreneur. In a developing economy, that is a great advantage. She and her parents recently moved from the house they own, to an area where she is close to potential language students - foreigners. They were willing to do this even though it means living in a small rented house.
Today she reported how she has found part time work for her mother as a nanny and is helping her father set up a small delivery service. She has also helped her aunt find two housekeeping positions with foreigners. (These positions give her aunt three times the salary she was earning with a local firm.)
Our young entrepreneur wisely said she does not try to arrange any jobs for those she does not know. She wants people to be able to trust her.
One owner of a small local business shared a story recently of how he had gone out of his way to create a sense of family with his employees. Then after several years of being a very generous with his employees, he learned that several were stealing. While all of the employees knew about this, none of them would tell the employer. He had been treating these employees as family. Now he realizes he cannot really trust any of them.
Trust. In a number of the psalms, the author mentions being betrayed by those close to him. I know from painful experience how devastating it is to learn that those you trusted have betrayed that trust. The closer the relationship, the more the betrayal hurts.
If (or when) you experience the sadness of someone breaking your trust, remember that Judas, one of the closest twelve followers, betrayed Jesus. Our Saviour knows the pain of being betrayed. When you go to Him in prayer, remember that He is our sympathetic High Priest. He has felt what we feel.
The Bible identifies many wonderful character qualities of our God. One of the most prominent: God never changes; Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is the Faithful One and always will be completely trustworthy.
So we His followers are called to be faithful: to our Lord; to our family; to our friends; to everyone. God's character is to be reflected in His children. Who can you trust these days? The answer should be: every disciple of Jesus.

THIS IS THE DAY

Are you able to finish the quote that I started in today's title? I have often quoted this to our church staff and I am sure to many others. If you look glum or weary at the beginning of the day, here is the exhortation to worship and a positive attitude: "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24 Our Creator God has made and given us this day. So we should enjoy it as we enjoy Him.
BUT if you are sick, or have been betrayed by a friend, or have lost your job, or, or, ---; These words may not seem very comforting or compelling.
Today however, I noticed the verses that come before and after this exhortation. I had underlined them in my Bible in the past, but I had never connected them with vs. 24. I actually got excited at 6:30 am., as I thought about these words! They come in the middle of a major Messianic passage that is quoted several times in the  Gospels.
Before the exhortation we read "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone;" After "This is the day" we read "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." This second one may sound more familiar because these words are shouted by the crowd that greeted Jesus on Palm Sunday. Jesus himself quotes them in reference to his Second Coming. (Matthew 21:9 and 23:39) The statement about the rejected stone is also quoted by Jesus. Matthew 21:42
Why did I get excited early this morning? Because the exhortation to rejoice and be glad is not simply due to the day being created by God. It also flows out of the reality that we have a Redeemer who was rejected but became our Resurrected Lord. It flows out of the reality that Jesus was recognized as the One who came in the name of the Lord AND is the One who will come again in the name of the Lord.
What should that do to you and me each day?
On my worst day of loss or pain I have a life foundation upon which I can "rejoice and be glad". Yes, it is because the Creator has given me this day. But more important, life and attitude changing, is the reality that I have a Saviour who was "despised and rejected" but now sits in heaven as my High Priest. And He is going to return - perhaps tomorrow - to call all of His followers home.
Hmmm. That may not get you as excited right now as it did me this morning. You may be thinking "this is nothing new" which is true - except that the "This is the day" quote just got filled with a lot more theology and meaning than I had given it before.
So go ahead and use that great verse to motivate yourself, your friends and your family. But make sure they understand that today is filled with all the power and joy of creation AND redemption. 

SERIOUS SUPPORT REQUIRED

In Psalm 106:23 it is noted how Moses interceded for the people of Israel. Reading that verse yesterday reminded me of how Moses interceded several times in stressful situations. In fact the Bible draws our attention to several leaders and prophets who at different times interceded with God for Israel.
I want to encourage you today to keep, or to start, praying for those you know who serve God in another country. I am today thinking of four couples who really need people interceding for them. Two are in the Middle East, two are in SE Asia. I have visited with three of these couples in recent weeks. None of them are traditional "missionaries". All of them are involved in business or a profession. All of them are in their country of choice because they care deeply for the people. All of  them could be involved in their home church and enjoying "the good life" back home. But they take seriously the words of Christ: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."
While these are solid, well balanced, steadfast disciples, none of them are very encouraged right now by the results of their ministry. They are working hard but finding the going tough. I wish I could give you their names and details but I can't. As I listened to their stories I was so impressed with their commitment and the price they are paying to be faithful to God's call and the Great Commandment.
And in each case, I so hope that their friends and supporters are interceding like Moses, David and the prophets. Believing God answers prayer. Believing that as Jesus taught, prayer does make a difference. Knowing that they really need God.
One of them said during our conversation: "You know I am thankful that things are so tough. Because it forces me to live dependent on God every day." Whew! In their situations, these folks do not take God or life for granted.
I hope you are praying for some folks like these that are on my mind and in my prayers.

NOT FOR LONG

One of my mentor's when I was a young Bible College professor had grown up on an Alberta farm. He tended to speak honestly and bluntly like many farmers I have known. He shared with me that people quickly move on when a leader departs by giving the example (not original with him): "if you want to know how much you will be missed, put your fist in a pail of water and then pull it out." He made his point, although I think most leaders leave a little longer legacy than that.
I was reminded of this when I read the psalmist's description of a human life. He was very impressed with the eternity of God who is in his words, "from everlasting to everlasting". (By the way I love Brian Doerksen's song by that title.) In contrast the psalmist challenges us to remember the brevity of our lives.
In today's reading his life, human lives, my life and yours are pictured in all their frailty like this.
"For my days vanish like smoke" (102:3); "my days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass" (102:11); "we are dust" (103:14); "as for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the fields; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more." 103:15, 16)
Pretty negative thinking for someone just entering a career, or just starting a family, or just getting to the top of the ladder, or in retirement years. Why all that worry and effort if you are as permanent as a shadow or smoke? Compared to human history one life of 70 or 80 years is rather short. Compared to the age of our earth, our time on this planet seems very brief. Compared to the everlasting, eternal God -  put your fist into that pail of water and pull it out.
Have I helped you have a mildly depressed day? :) Of course the psalmist writes words like these and others for more than negative reasons. One reason is so that we are challenged to make the most of our days. (Psalm 90:12) Another larger reason is to keep us humble and dependent upon God.

But if his word pictures have been dreary, I love his very encouraging comment in the midst of these pessimistic (realistic?) reminders. Because God knows all about our brevity and frailty; "As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him." (103:13) And if you keep reading in this psalm you are reminded that although your life may be brief, the Lord's love for us is "from everlasting to everlasting." Your life may be much shorter than you expect and probably shorter than you would wish. But if you are a biblical believer, don't let that discourage you. Here is a huge part of the great Good News. Nothing in this life or the next can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38, 39)

FOR MATURE AUDIENCES

We enjoyed a small expat Easter gathering in a hotel last night.  We missed the large Easter church services we have enjoyed over the years. But it was good to worship together, with this small group, most of whom are young adults under the age of 40.
Jan and I like hanging around with young adults (our perspective on who is "young" is of course getting older all the time.) But this morning I read a verse which provides a goal for the young and a challenge to those of us who are older.

"The righteous will flourish like a palm tree ---. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, "The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in Him." Psalm 92:12 - 15

Most of you know we lived for 8 years in Florida surrounded by palm trees and retirees when we were in our 40's. We were often saddened to observe the apparent "hollowness" in the lives of the many retirees. They seemed to fill their hours with meaningless, fruitless activities. We have also been saddened over the years to watch many Christians move into retirement years and, while still alert and healthy, stop all active service for God.

The psalmist reminds us that life doesn't  have to wind down that way. This passage provides encouragement and a goal. Before you hit "old age" (however it is defined), make sure your life has been saturated with God and His righteousness. You should be "bearing fruit" now (John  15) and expecting to bear fruit when you are old.

For those of us who are showing signs of aging: may we never stop bearing fruit, even as our energy levels lower, our bodies limit us and opportunities and responsibilities are handed off to the next generation. God expects us to still bear fruit: the character fruit of the Spirit; the fruit of good deeds as we lovingly serve others; the fruit of hearts that love and worship God; the fruit of providing godly examples; and always the fruit flowing from answered prayers for those who can more actively serve the Kingdom.
In the years when we were middle aged, Jan and I were very encouraged by the model of older Christians whose lives gave evidence of fruitful old age. We want to follow those models.
So to those of you who like us are now on the mature side of 60, in the words of the psalmist: "stay fresh and green"and keep bearing fruit for the glory of God.

SON OF GOD WITH POWER

We celebrate the humility of Jesus at the Christmas Season. We marvel that He was willing to become a vulnerable, helpless, dependent, tiny human - born in an animal shelter.

On Good Friday (and at every Communion Service) we celebrate the humility of Jesus who "humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross."Philippians 2:8

But on Easter Sunday, we celebrate (drum roll please, clang the cymbals, sound the trumpet, sing the Hallelujah Chorus) the mighty power of the Resurrected Jesus Christ! 

The Good News is all about the pre-existent Son of God who became the baby Jesus and willingly died as our sacrificial Lamb on the cross. It is all about the One "who through the Spirit of holiness was declared to be the Son of God with power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 1:2 - 4

Over the centuries and in our century there have been many powerful humans - leaders in battle, in business; leaders in religion and in government. But nothing compares with the power demonstrated by our Leader in the resurrection. Every powerful leader - in spite of wealth, fame, followers, armies - was ultimately defeated and destroyed by death. And then came Jesus!

On this Easter Sunday we rejoice that Christ is risen. He has destroyed the power of sin and the grave. He conquered death. Since Christ is risen, all of us who follow Him in faith and obedience will join in His resurrection. This is the Good News. This is our Good News. This is why we call Him Jesus Christ our Lord.

HOW LONG O LORD

My son Kent, the author, from years of life and ministry in Haiti, has seen and experienced much more of poverty, destruction and life's sorrows than I have. Working with the extreme poverty and the severe destruction from the 2010 earthquake, Kent often refers to the psalmist's cry "How long, O Lord?"
We know that the ancient Israelites longed for the coming of their promised Messiah. Often they must have wondered "How long, O Lord?"
In the darkness of Easter Saturday, caught between what appeared to be the ultimate tragedy of Good Friday and the glorious triumph of Easter Sunday, the women and men who were the closest disciples of our Lord, must have been wondering "How long O Lord?"They thought Jesus was bringing God's ultimate Light and then with His death they were plunged into what must have seemed like ultimate darkness and disappointment.
Recently I have been reading through the Psalms and noting verses that say things like "All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, O Lord; they will bring glory to your name." Psalm 86:9 Place this beside what our Lord taught us to pray "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven".
Are we moving any closer to the fulfillment of this prayer or of the psalmists prediction? Like most of you, I have prayed for my home nation and for the work of God in other nations for many years. No doubt that living in Vietnam, and recent conferences with international groups first in Malaysia, then recently in Dubai, have heightened my world awareness. As I think about the physical suffering and spiritual darkness in our world; as I pray daily for different parts of our world, I find myself now more frequently praying "How long, O Lord?"
As ambassadors for King Jesus we must do all we can to help His influence and His rule increase in lives, in communities and in nations. But we anticipate the wonderful era when Jesus will rule over the New Heaven and New Earth. At the end of the NT we read "He who testifies to these things says, "Yes I am coming soon." Given the world's history and the world's present state I want to respond: "But Lord, you haven't come and it has now been 2,000 years!" And I suppose given His eternal perspective, our Lord would patiently reply, "Nelson, it has only been 2 days." (II Peter 3:8)
With the Good News of the Cross and Resurrection, we must continue to faithfully serve Him and serve others. We must continue to pray for His work locally and around the world. We join with Paul and with John in praying "Come, Lord Jesus." Revelation 22:20; I Corinthians 16:22 And I really, really hope it won't be too long, O Lord.

BLOG POSTINGS ARE SOMETIMES DELAYED

For those who regularly read my blog, I apologize. For some reason the blogs sometimes don't appear on the same day I post them. For example my Wednesday post did not appear until after I posted my Thursday post this week. And 8 hours after posting my Good Friday post it is still not up.
So please bear with the delays or with what appear to be missing days. Most weeks (except when I travel) I do try to post at least six if not seven days.

GOOD FRIDAY

On that Friday that seemed so bad to his followers, Jesus allowed himself to become a victim. The Almighty One chose helplessness before the puny power of a few soldiers, religious and political leaders. Never has so much available power been so abandoned.  Never has so much potential destruction been restrained. Never has someone been so badly treated yet refused to call for help that was immediately, instantly available.

On this Good Friday we marvel together again at the familiar, tragic, wonderful story. So much to consider; so much that moves us to praise and worship.

The entire story causes us renewed sorrow. But one incident brings at least a wry smile. As Jesus is being arrested Peter, faithful/faithless Peter, pulls out his sword. He swings it wildly in defense of his Master and makes contact with an ear.  We cheer his loyalty and his bravery. But don’t you smile when you see the scene from a heavenly perspective?

Jesus tells Peter to sheath his sword because He needs no protection. (Matthew 26:53) Available in an instant, if Jesus should only ask, are tens of thousands of angels ready and eager to come to his rescue.  A huge army of angels could be unleashed with unimaginable destructive force. We cannot imagine the overwhelming power of even one of these powerful heavenly beings. (See II Kings 19:35; I Chronicles 21:15)

And so I smile at the scene: one puny disciple wildly swinging his tiny sword. While unseen by human eyes, just out of sight, are thousands of  awesome angels eagerly waiting for a command. In a moment they could easily kill those aligned against our Lord. They could easily destroy the human race. Yet they are allowed to do nothing as they watch one tiny sword swung by one tiny human.

Our Lord does not call for help. He demonstrates astounding humility and self-abandonment as He is mocked and challenged to prove that He is the Son of God. Even as He hangs on the cross, miserable little humans like you and me, challenge Him to do the impossible in their eyes: “save yourself. Come down from the cross if you are the Son of God.” Matthew 27:40

Then comes a statement full of truth not at all understood by those who speak it.  “He saved others, but He cannot save himself.” Oh yes! That is  absolutely true! You! Standing around at the foot of the cross don’t understand! You are absolutely, ultimately correct.

He saved; He is saving; He will save others, but only because He chose not to save Himself. He had to choose: save Himself or save others. And so the Lamb of God, Saviour of the world, dies helplessly on the shameful cross. For our sakes, "He cannot save himself".

 “Amazing love, how can it be, that you my King would die for me?  Amazing love, I know it’s true; and it’s my joy to honor you; in all I do, I honor you. You are my King. Jesus, you are my King!”

MAUNDAY THURSDAY

On that Thursday, 2000 years ago the disciples asked Jesus, "where will go to get ready for the Passover meal"? They had no idea that the arrest of Jesus was looming just hours away.  No idea that The Sacrifice, toward which tens of thousands of animal sacrifices had pointed, was about to be offered.
Maunday, is a strange word to us, rooted in the Latin word for commandment: "mondatum". On that Thursday at the Passover meal, Jesus said to his disciples: "A new command I give you. Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34, 35
As we move toward Good Friday and remember our Lord's suffering and death; his great sacrificial love; we pass first through Maunday Thursday. He calls us, no, He commands us to love our sisters and brothers with His kind of steadfast love. This He said, will be the distinguishing mark of we who are Jesus followers.
Many have made the point that too often other, negative qualities have been the most evident marks of Christians and the Christian community. As we enter this wonderful Easter weekend; as we offer our heartfelt thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ for his sacrificial eternal love; may we renew our commitment to love all Christ followers; to love strongly, in word and action, so that we represent our Lord well.
This is His commandment, given on Maunday Thursday, 2000 years ago.

EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED, WE ARE ALL THE SAME

You have to admire the psalmist for his honesty and vulnerability - or to use a popular word today - his authenticity. In Psalm 73 he expressed 3,000 years ago the spiritual struggle of so many 21st century Christ followers. His circumstances were very different, but his humanity was exactly like ours.
We are surrounded by so many tempting choices in recreation, entertainment, and lifestyles. Far too  much of it involves spiritual compromise.
The psalmist complains to God about how filled with pleasure life seems to be for those who have no regard for God. In their prosperity, with no restrictions from sin, life seems seems so good. "The evil conceits of their minds know no limits." They are "always carefree, they increase in wealth." He is evidently jealous of what seems to be "the good life" enjoyed apart from God.
In contrast he complains "Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence." Why be "good and godly" if a life that ignores God seems so much better? Millions of  Christian teens and young adults have thought much like the psalmist. For too many it is a losing struggle to live as  serious Christ followers while surrounded by a pleasure filled, amoral and immoral culture. Actually it can be a struggle for all of us.
The psalmist recognizes as he looks back, that this "enjoy life while you can, don't worry about displeasing God" kind of thinking made him no better than an animal. He writes:"I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you." Animals don't evaluate what is right before their Maker. Animals don't refuse pleasure because they have a long range view. Animals can't enjoy a personal relationship with the living God. We are made in the image of God, even though that image is marred by sin. A life centred upon God is available to us now and for eternity. If we are enjoying God, we will think differently and live differently.
It is very hard to get the average person to save for tomorrow or to invest for retirement. How much harder is it for the average Christ follower to say a strong "no" to attractive sin which in the short run offers great enjoyment?
"When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny." (73:16, 17) The psalmist changed when he regained an appreciation for God and a long range view, an eternal perspective, an "end results" view of life.  
As the psalm moves toward its conclusion, the author is expressing his attachment to God, his appreciation of God, his dependence on God, his expectation of spending eternity with God. Now he sees that the vast short term pleasures enjoyed by the godless shrink in comparison to the deep enjoyment of God. He knows and enjoys the Maker of the Universe, his Father God! He will enjoy and live with God forever! What pleasure on earth can match this reality?
 We need the same experience if we are to maintain lives of purity and commitment to biblical righteousness. We need to be daily enjoying life with God and regularly lifting our eyes to the eternal horizon.  Then the "Divine Yes" will provide all we need to say a consistent "No" to the compelling attractiveness of sin.

SHOW US THE NUMBER OF OUR DAYS

I just read the psalmists request that God remind him of how "fleeting" was his life. (Psalm 39:4) It is way too easy to live as though we have unlimited tomorrows, even if logically we know we shall all die.  Strange isn't it that we know there are fatal accidents every day and people of all ages die unexpectedly at all ages from heart disease, strokes, etc? Yet we live as thought we have a lot of time to get right with God, accomplish God's purposes and mend all relationships with people.
I forget sometimes. On the other hand since my father died suddenly at age 60, I have always expected that the long life genes in Jan's family will cause her to outlive me by 20 years. So at my age, I really do live with a strong awareness that my days are numbered. That does not cause me to be anxious or worried, but it does cause me to cherish my days and do things I might not have done years ago.
Today is Palm Sunday and only the second Palm Sunday in 40 years that I have not been preaching in some church. Instead I am missing a great Sunday service somewhere with the family of God.
Why? Where am I? Well, since life is fleeting, Jan and I decided that I (we) should spend a lot of money and a lot of travel time to enjoy wonderful family days in NYC and in Florida. These days with all three children and their wonderful spouses and children have been worth it.
 I affirm this now as I have just begun what promises to be the longest trip in time and probably distance that I have ever taken. I will not bore you with the details, but here is the skeleton: left Vero Beach family home at 6:15 am this Sunday morning. My flight from Orlando to NYC is now delayed until 2:50 pm. From NYC to Rome, to Dubai, to Doha, to Ho Chi Minh. Included of course will be stops in four of those airports of 1 to 6 hours each. Arrival time (Florida time) Tuesday 8:00 am - 50 hours since leaving Vero Beach.
But since "life is fleeting"it has been worth it to see my children/grandchildren again. I hope you remember today and every day - life is fleeting, with God's eyes upon you, handle it with care. 

MOTORBIKE LIFE IN HCMC

You have heard us talk about the millions of motorbikes in this city; the lack of our normal North American controlled driving; the intersections where the motorbikes outnumber cars by 10 or 20 to one.
What follows are the positives and negatives of life in a city dominated by motorbikes.
Negative: motorbikes can't seat as many people as cars. Positive: people in Ho Chi Minh believe you can seat four comfortably and five if one is an infant.






Negative: the probably 5 million motorbikes make every street an adventure. Positive: due to the amount of motorbikes, cars and trucks, most of the time no one is going very fast.
Negative: many manoeuvres (like cutting in front of a taxi or darting into traffic flow from a side alley) are made with no evident warning. Positive: this happens so often that drivers are normally prepared for such daring (stupidity?).
Negative: there are many accidents - four friends in four separate accidents in just the past two months; Positive: most accidents result in sore muscles, bad scrapes and bruises, not broken bones. Normally both drivers are able to drive away.
Negative: walking on sidewalks is often almost impossible due to parked motorbikes. Positive: most stores, restaurants or sidewalk entrepreneurs charge only 15 to 25 cents for parking your bike.
Negative: motorbike taxis can be dangerous. Positive: they are called xem om (hug vehicles) because often you hug the driver when you are a passenger. (Truth is that no one hugs motor taxi drivers, except their family members. Instead you hang onto the bike, or put your hand on his shoulder.)
Negative: the loaned helmet from the motorbike taxi may contain lice. Positive: the charge is only half the price of an enclosed taxi.
Negative: you can't carry as much on a motorbike as you can in a car or a truck. Positive: many motorbike operators don't believe in any limitation. Notice the package squeezed between his legs. And this is just an average load!

I just came from a visit to New York City. Traffic there is quite boring compared to HCMC!!

THE BEST LAID PLANS

The above title is the first part of an old Scottish quote (from Robbie Burns?) that says human plans often "go bad". Like today. After spending what seemed like three hours on the computer earlier this week, I had finally booked flights from New York LaGuardia to Orlando for today (Thursday) and a return flight on Sunday to New York JFK. Today's flight would allow me to rent a car and be with family in Vero Beach by noon and Sunday's flight will allow me to catch my flight from JFK to Rome, to Dubai, to Vietnam. Great planning.
Except! I got a NYC taxi to LaGuardia at 5:00 am and landed on time at 9:30 in Orlando. Moving efficiently to the rental car desk (having found the very best rates available) all was well until I reached into my wallet for my driver's licence. Not there. I never drive in Vietnam so my Alberta licence sits comfortably in my Saigon desk drawer. I forgot to bring it with me. I had to call Kent to drive 90 minutes to get his stranded father. He was willing but his car was at the mechanic so he had to rent a car. And he and Shelly both have Sunday morning church commitments when I need to be heading to the airport. The best laid plans ----.
Today on the plane I was reading Psalm 37:23: "If the Lord delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumbles, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand."
Today's stumble was a first. I have never been caught without my driver's licence before. But I have made more significant stumbles than that - in relationships, in leadership, in planning and in executing plans. I am so glad that God does guide us; that He can turn our mistakes into good things; that He will often allow us to recover from serious missteps and "uphold us" with his hand. That He can make our shaky steps "firm".
We are counting on that as we return to Vietnam. The process toward beginning a legal church for English speaking foreigners has not been anything like what we were told to expect. There was never any indication that it might take 5 months and more to get government approval to move ahead. We still have no idea how long this process may yet take. We are doing our best to take the right "steps" and trusting the Lord to make them "firm". Ultimately we are trusting the promise in Romans 8:28. Hope you are also.

SOVEREIGN YET TENDER

This morning I was overwhelmed with the richness and depth of the psalms. They overflow with the majesty of God; the loving faithfulness of God; the sufficiency of God; the vulnerability of humans. Again as in recent blogs I am drawn to the extremes of God's greatness.
"The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever." Ps. 33:10, 11 We have seen a great deal of unrest among the nations in the past few months. In Tunisia and Egypt, Cote D'Ivoire and Libya, Yemen and Bahrain, once powerful leaders have been either forced from office or at least badly shaken. We are reminded again that human rulers and systems last only for a while. God is sovereign and He will accomplish His purposes no matter the might of those in power or how well governments plan and seek to control the future. We are wise to align our personal and community plans with the unshakeable plans of God.
Yet while the Lord in His sovereign power can foil the plans of the greatest nation; "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Sovereign and yet so tender and personal is our God. He notices and He cares as we experience the personal wounds that come from our brokenness and the brokenness of our world.
There are those who are drawn to the big picture of theology, intrigued by the majesty and the grandeur of God. Then there are those who are drawn toward the revelation of the personal and intimate aspects of God. May all of us expand our appreciation of both; and worship our almighty God who is Sovereign over all nations yet personally deeply concerned about each of us (and those close to us) who today may be brokenhearted or crushed in spirit. "How great is our God, sing with me, how great is our God."

DESIRING GOD

We who are Jesus followers too often forget the central command Jesus gave us. He wants us to love God - the Father, Son and Spirit. Love for God should result in several things: obeying His commands; serving others in Jesus name; loving others as we love ourselves. Yet real love for God means we will desire God Himself and enjoy Him forever.
If we are honest, it is not always the case. A popular way of putting it is that many Christians desire God's hand but not His heart. We want God's blessing, His supply of our needs, His answer to our prayers, but do we want to know God Himself.
I love Jan and have loved her for four decades. As my love has grown, I have found I want to serve her well and serve her more. I like to do what she wants and relate well to those who are important to her. But if I told you we spend little time together and I am OK with that, you might wonder about my love for her. If I am committed to serving her and love what she does for me, but don't care if I get to know her, wouldn't you wonder?
I read Psalm 27 today. It is very clear that the psalmist wants to know God. Consider how he desires to be in the Temple, the house of the Lord. It is because he wants "to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him" (27:4) He writes "My heart says of you, 'Seek his face!' Your face Lord, I will seek." (27:8) He wants to know and enjoy God.
Sometimes in talking with people, evangelicals speak of "having a personal relationship with God." Yet I am afraid that many settle for something much less than an intense personal relationship. If we spend little time listening, thinking about what God has said in the Bible; if our prayers are mostly requests for ourselves and others; if we do things for God but rarely think of Him or pray to Him during our normal day; are we developing a personal relationship?
I mentioned in yesterday's blog that many of us find it astounding that the Creator of the universe knows about each of us and cares about each of us. However I wonder if the angels find it equally astounding that puny little humans live such busy little lives filled with work and entertainment, that they make little or no time to enjoy the presence of God, to enjoy what He says, to really share their lives with Him. Given the opportunity to seek and know God, how foolish we are if we settle for only knowing about Him.
Perhaps you should take time, as I did today, in Psalm 27. Be honest with yourself. Can you identify with how the psalmist feels about God? Ask our patient, gracious God, to increase your desire for Him alone. And begin to take regular time with God - not in a ritual manner but truly enjoying what He says in His Word and talking to Him about all of life. May more of us seek God as the psalmist did.

SMALL YET IMPORTANT

"What is man that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him?" Ps. 8:4 Do you sometimes find yourself asking a theological question like that? The psalmist asks this logical question after giving serious thought to the vastness of the night sky he observed.
How much more should we ask a similar question?
We know that what is observed in the clearest night sky is merely the edge of the vast universe stretching far beyond the reach or our most powerful telescopes. Isn't it logical to ask: "God, what is this planet" that you are mindful of it? How could our world be important to the Being who created this universe? And if our world now appears so tiny, how does a single human even register on any scale?
I have frequently wondered about this. Psalm 8 raises the question. And holding our new little granddaughter Amara raises the question for me again. She is so lovely and special. Yet so very small and helpless. Is it really possible that the Creator God sees and cares for one so tiny? However in the Creator's eyes, surely the difference between a tiny newborn and someone who is 6'6" and 300 pounds hardly matters. We are all small and helpless (witness Japan's experience with the earthquake and tsunami) in His sight.
How can we believe that there is Someone so powerful that He created the universe and yet He also notices and cares for beings as small and helpless as Amara; or you and me? Maybe it was easier for the psalmist to believe because he had no idea how big the universe is. Or maybe it is easier for us because we know the power of computers to track millions of bits of data.
But when I try to put the two together - the immense and the minuscule - I am so thankful for Jesus. I believe He was and is God. He is the ultimate evidence that the Creator knows and cares about individual humans. For some reason unknown to us, the Creator cares so much for we wayward humans, that He sent Christ to planet earth. Jesus cared enough that He was willing to come. In Christ we are brought back to the warm heart of Christian theology.
I am reminded of the statement attributed to Karl Barth, one of the best known of 20th century theologians. When asked for a central theological statement, he is reported to have replied: "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so."

GAINING WISDOM

I am amazed at how many international students are studying not just in Canada and the USA, not just in western countries but in dozens of countries. A friend works with graduate students from Vietnam who are studying in Taiwan. I just met the Dean of a Malaysian College whose students come from a variety of countries. The pursuit of knowledge crosses all international boundaries and language barriers. Enhanced by computers, the pursuit continues relentlessly.
Knowledge continues to grow exponentially and even with the help of computers none of us can obtain more than a sliver of the vast amount of knowledge in the world. Yet the pursuit of knowledge is an ongoing, stimulating, rewarding endeavour. There is so much to learn.

On the other hand, the pursuit of wisdom seems too often ignored. No institution can teach it and no degrees are given for those who attain wisdom. No scholarships are offered for those who focus on obtaining wisdom. It is fascinating that knowledge and wisdom do not seem to be linked together. You are as likely to find wisdom among those with no university degree as among those who have attained a Ph.D.
Job raises the subject of wisdom by asking the question "But where can wisdom be found?" (28:12) He answers his own question by saying: humans don't understand how important it is; you can't find it by mining deep into the earth or diving into the sea; you can't buy it no matter how wealthy you are; wisdom is hidden.
Then Job affirms: God understands the way to wisdom. "The fear of the Lord - that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding." If we pursue God; if we pursue the knowledge of God both intellectually and experientially; if as we learn what God wants we obey His directions; then we will obtain that which cannot be bought but is most valuable - wisdom.

TRAVELER'S ALERT

Last Sunday night I boarded a flight for Dubai, via Bangkok and Doha. My four days in Dubai were spent with pastors, spouses and others from a variety of Asian and Middle East cities. All of them are committed to ministry among expats in their countries. Some pastor in congregations that number in the thousands; some work with less than 100 people. Some are in countries that are very peaceful and stable, while others have experienced recent serious unrest up close.
On Friday I flew from Dubai, via Amman, Jordan to New York City. With the time change, Friday became a 32 hour day. In New York's JFK airport I took the AirTrain, the subway and then a taxi to get to Jeannie and Chris' apartment. What a delight to see and hold tiny 5 day old Amara. Neither Jan nor I got to hold our other grandchildren in their first weeks of life. There is something very special and endearing about newborns.
I was reminded that when you travel you need to stay alert. On Wednesday with others I took a taxi to a shopping centre for lunch and then took the same route right back to the hotel. We took two different types of taxis, both with meters. Because we did not check beforehand, one charged $7 while for the same return ride the other charged only $3. Foreigner's mistake.
Then yesterday I made a bigger mistake. A very polite aggressive young man on the street helped me flag a taxi in front of Grand Central Station. He helped me put my bags in the trunk. And then (when I was not thinking) he suggested he pay the $7 taxi fare for me. Of course you don't pay until the end of the ride. But on little sleep, I handed him a $10 bill and it looked like he paid the driver. Only he did not.
Hmmm, this unwary traveller was "taken for a ride" in Dubai and in NYC. I stay alert in Saigon but was caught "napping" in both cities. Fortunately not a lot of money was involved.
Let's stay spiritually alert. I Peter 5:8 "Being taken for a ride" through spiritual sleepiness can be a lot more costly than my two mistakes this week.

World News and God's Kingdom

The Middle East uprisings have dominated world headlines these past several months. Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Libya, Yemen, etc. Japan and the effects of the Tsunami have been the other major world news item for many weeks. As you watch or read the news,(newspaper or online), do you watch or read prayerfully? Do you see the world with Kingdom eyes?

In all of these countries there are followers of Jesus. Some are foreigners and in International Churches, pastored by men here with me in Dubai. Others are nationals who may be in an open national church where that is allowed. They may meet in an “underground” church which is technically illegal. Or they may be secret believers who don’t meet with other believers but get their spiritual food from the Bible, the Holy Spirit and the internet, radio or TV.
When you see an uprising or a disaster in the news, pray for the followers in that country. They are Christ’s representatives, in whom and through whom God wants to expand His Kingdom. As we pray “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done” we need to pray for those in troubled countries. It may be for them a time of testing, of battling fear and worry. Or it may be time of opportunity when those around them are more open to the Good News about Jesus. Or it may be both at the same time.
I talked today with pastors from two of these countries. They and the people in their congregations face serious challenges and some unusual opportunities. Let us pray with them that through the difficult and dangerous times, Christ’s Kingdom will increase as more people respond to His call “Come, follow Me.”

SPEAKING OF RISKS

I wrote about risks in yesterday's blog. We got onto the subject today at lunch with folks who presently are serving God in Thailand and in Malaysia. We talked about the challenges they face both in ministry and in family life. We then morphed into conversation about the loss we all may experience if we choose to play it safe.
Wade referenced a great illustration given by the author/speaker Donald Miller. Donald told of his conversation with one Dad whose teenage children were drifting away from the Christian faith. Donald challenged him to build a better (read more risky) faith life story than he lived at present. Donald told him "you are showing them how boring Christianity can be rather than how dynamic it can be". That father took a risk, got his family involved in short term missions work, and things changed dramatically. The illustration is written by Miller somewhere. It is a great story.
Sometimes of course the faith-steps we would never choose are forced upon us. So it was with Job. I marvel at Job's faith as his life absolutely falls apart. He lost his considerable fortune in one day. But worse than that, all of his children are killed in a storm. He is totally devastated. And yet, - and yet, he remains a man of faith. Job answers in words (which many of you have sung at church): "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised."
Then he loses his health. When his wife suggests he curse God and die, Job replys "Shall we accept good from God and not trouble."
Job did not get to choose his huge faith steps. Many of us will face faith steps we would never choose. When faced with the pain of life in this sin-scarred world will we take those steps - with faith? Jan and I usually attend a large Vietnamese church on Sundays. The Senior Pastor there, age about 55, is terribly ill with cancer. I watch him give the opening prayer each Sunday and then sit for the rest of the service, too ill and weak to preach. He leads by example while he has little strength to lead in any other way.
Faith steps: some we get to choose, and must not refuse. Some we cannot refuse, but we do choose what kind of faith will we assert as we walk through the pain.

TAKING RISKS FOR GOD

I am in Dubai for several days meeting with a group of people who serve International Churches in a variety of countries. I look forward to hearing some great speakers and some great stories of international leadership experiences. God is doing amazing things in our world but often it involves his people taking faith-risk steps. I think I will hear about a few while I am here.

I just finished re-reading the story of Esther while I was travelling here. What an amazing faith-risk step she took - laying her life on the line, wondering if her husband, the absolute monarch would welcome her with a smile, or send her off to be executed.
Her older cousin Mordecai who challenges her to risk her life, speaks immortal words "And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" And she responds with her wonderful faith-risk words "I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish." She was ready to lose her privileged position - and her life. Because of her willingness to risk, God saved the lives of thousands of Jews through her.
Faith-risk steps - some are small, some are huge. But all of us are expected to take them. Most of you know that it was less than a year ago that Jan and I agreed to take our latest faith-risk step and move to Vietnam. We still are not clear what God is going to do here, through us, but we are glad we took the step.
I received an email this week from my niece with wonderful news. She and her husband are middle aged, with two children in college. Six months ago they began to feel God wanted them to take a large faith-risk step. In obedience they have just announced they are in the process of adopting a six year old girl who desperately needs to be nurtured by two loving adoptive parents. To do adopt at any age is a risk. But to do so when your own two are young adults? When you are both past the half way mark in life? That is a good sized faith-risk step.
Are you open to taking faith-risk steps? I wonder what God has in store for you in the months ahead? Will you be positioned so that at the right time, in the right place, you will be the right person to take a small/large/huge faith-risk step. Frightening but oh, so exhilarating and rewarding!
By the way, many of you know we have been "waiting". I just received news via email that our third grandchild Amara was born, two weeks overdue, via C section yesterday (or maybe today - I am not sure of the time zone difference.) Jan was there in NYC to be with Jeannie and our son-in-law Chris for this big event.

Vietnam Wedding

Last night I attended a wedding reception even though I wasn't invited. My expat friends wanted me to join in a significant conversation with someone who would also be there. He never attended but this is what I experienced and learned.
Many people attend the reception who don't come to the wedding. They are expected to make a cash donation as they enter, which pays for the reception and perhaps provides some extra for the young couple. Evidently more people attended than were expected. I would guess at least three hundred were squeezed into the reception hall.
I am told that for some receptions you should show up on time. At others you are expected to start for the reception at the announced time of the reception. It helps to know which cultural perspective your hosts have. Apparently my friends made the wrong guess. We arrived on time at 5:30. The hall was almost empty except for one table of out of town guests. About 6:15 guests started to arrive, and arrive, and arrive. Granted there was some delay because they had to set up extra tables. But the program and meal did not start until after 7:15 pm.
There was a short greeting from the parents of the young couple. The couple did a couple of things equivalent to our "cutting of the cake". And that was it for the program. No other speeches. The eight course meal was then served, one platter at a time set in the middle of each table. The twelve per table reach in with chopsticks and take as much as you like, or at least as much as you can get. The food was good: shrimp, chicken, duck, vegetables, etc.
At this reception the waiters provided bottles of water, beer or pepsi. I don't know how traditional this choice of drinks is.
As the meal was served the young couple move from table to table to have their photo taken with the guests. This is traditionally done, I am told, three times. For each round, the bride changes into a different dress. The groom only changes once!
While we ate, as part of the reception room rental/food/entertainment package, music was played and sung. Some songs were sung by paid performers who I am guessing also sang at the several other concurrent receptions in other rooms. Interspersed were karaoke performances by guests. Very interesting.
At 8:30 (we had been there for 3 hours) my friends decided we should leave. We missed the seventh course (soup served from a hot pot placed in the centre of each table on top of a gas burner) and the eighth course, fruit. I am told guests all leave as soon as they finish the meal.
My friends thought this reception was a little louder and less organized than most. So I can't generalize from my one experience. I will have to wait until I attend a couple more receptions - or, since wedding receptions have never been my favourite functions, perhaps I will send Jan to observe. Just kidding!

AN AMAZING LEADER

Most of you will have heard sermons from Nehemiah or have done your own study of his life. I once had a friend tell me she had heard three sermon series on Nehemiah, each in a different church when the church was launching a building program! He did lead a successful building program, but I think there are many other reasons the book of Nehemiah is in our Bible.
I have just finished reading Nehemiah and remain very impressed with him as a believer: sensitive to God's spirit; sensitive to the needs of his people, Israel; committed to prayer with a high view of God and strong reliance on God.
And of course he provides an example of many fine qualities of a leader. He plans ahead; he organizes well; he keeps his focus on the main task; he motivates and mobilizes volunteers; he does not quit when things are difficult; he resists opposition and will not give in to rumours or false accusations; he is not afraid to confront wrongs; he is generous with his own resources; etc.
If you have not enjoyed Nehemiah lately, I encourage you to give the book a slow, thoughtful read. After studying the man and the book you should have a larger view of God and a better understanding and appreciation of what godly leadership looks like.
God, please give your people more leaders like Nehemiah.

CONTINUING TO LEARN

I enjoyed lunch today with five Canadians and one Vietnamese. All of them are ethnic Chinese, five of them speak Vietnamese, all speak Cantonese and most of them also speak Mandarin. One of them is called to work with ethnic Vietnamese, the others to work with ethnic Chinese who are born here and are Vietnamese citizens.
They told me that there are about 700,000 ethnic Chinese in Vietnam; but only a total of 11 churches. The estimate given was about 2,000 believers among these 700,000 Chinese. Thank God for these few churches and pray for those who are committed to helping them reach others.

During our meal, we were intrigued by a small thin white item that was part of one dish. Our host asked about it, since though he was born in Vietnam, he had never eaten it before. We learned that it comes from the inner core of a coconut tree. Coconut trees are valuable; so only if they fall down, or must be cut down, are people able to harvest the inner core of the tree trunk. Then it is made into thin strips to add to certain dishes.

Occasionally we rent a small hotel meeting room to gather together with a few new foreign friends. One hotel we use charges us $200 for a meeting of 25 people for a three hour period, including tea, coffee, fruit and cookies. I checked on another hotel today and their price is $700! This is my experience in Ho Chi Minh. There is a huge variation with wide spectrum in price for restaurant meals, hotel rooms, apartments, clothes, etc. Those of us from the West are amazed to find things at very low prices; and then can be shocked to find similar but higher quality items costing as much or more as we would pay "back home".