God is....merciful!

Over the last few days I have had more than a handful of interactions with people that have all reminded me of the importance of what we talked about on Sunday.  God is merciful. But even more encouraging is that fact that God’s mercies are new every morning.

For each of the individuals I spoke with — and for me as well — this was important to remember.

Jesus said, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:34)

Every day has its own trouble. Every day has its own mercies. Each is new every morning.

But we often tend to worry and fret, even fall into despair when we think that we may have to bear tomorrow’s load on today’s resources. God wants us to know: We won’t.

Today’s mercies are for today’s troubles. Tomorrow’s mercies are for tomorrow’s troubles.

When the Israelites left Egypt, they wandered in the wilderness for many years.  There wasn’t much to eat in that desert land, so the Lord gave them a very special food to called mana.  (Exodus 16:31).The manna in the wilderness was given one day at a time. There was no storing up. That is the way we must depend on God’s mercy. You do not receive today the strength to bear tomorrow’s burdens. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow.”

You are given mercies today for today’s troubles.Tomorrow the mercies will be new.

“God is faithful, who has called into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9).

A little bit of clay

As some of you may know I have discovered a new hobby.  I have in recent years become a potter.  I am still learning, and whether I am any good at it is questionable.  What is unquestionable is the joy, peace and contentment I receive while engaged in this new activity.

The scriptures are full of references to clay, and is it any wonder?  In the days of the Old Testament they only had one kind of container that served a multitude of purposes: clay jars. Different size jars and pots perhaps but all made of the same stuff — dirt (clay) and water.

Scripture highlights how the relationship between the potter and the clay resembles our relationship with God. Before we know God, we are like a pile of unmolded clay. When we yield to God’s leading, God gives our life value and purpose, the same way a potter gives clay value and purpose.

But there is another reference to clay that peeked my interest. In John chapter 9 Jesus passed by a blind man who was blind from birth.

The disciples asked Jesus,  “who sinned, this man or his parents?”

Jesus answered, “neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the word of God might be made visible through him.”

Jesus bent down and picked up a bit of clay at his feet, spit on it and smeared the clay on the blind man’s eyes. Jesus then told him to go and wash in the Pool of Siloam. So he did and came back able to see!

We are like clay — in our original state we are lifeless, helpless, useless, maybe even hopeless. But in the hands of God we are transformed, given purpose and value and moreover we can be used by God to do extraordinary things!

We are the clay, God is the Potter.  Allow God to work in you, on you and through you!

Yet you, Lord, are our Father.  We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.

Isaiah 64:8

What I did on my summer vacation.

This year as I neared my traditional August off, I was exhausted. Certainly there has been the effects of a discombobulating couple of years, but it was more than that.  I felt spent, weepy and frankly useless. I found it difficult to plan, to read, to write, there were times I felt I couldn’t even speak coherently.  I was looking forward to going up to the cottage with Luna (and Brian) and just being and sleeping. Then I would read books and do pottery, go for walks and get out on the kayak and remember why God put me on this earth. I would sit in the sun and breath in and breath out and just be present in the moment. I would rest and then I would plan and write a new sermon series for the Fall.  It was going to be restful and productive.  Perfect!

It didn’t quite turn out as I imagined.

At the beginning of August I planned a gathering to celebrate a milestone birthday for Brian.  It was so fun and Brian felt honoured and special but it was exhausting.

Throughout the summer we had lots of people visit us up at the cottage.  It was wonderful to share our space up North but, it was exhausting.

In mid August we flew to New York for 5 days to go to shows, meet Billy Crystal, see the Blue Jays whip the Yankees, eat delicious meals, see the sights and just embrace the NYC life.  It was a brilliant trip but, it was exhausting.

And, so we would soon not forget our wonderful trip, we brought home the souvenir of COVID.

Brian’s symptoms were pretty mild but I was sicker than I had ever been. Two days of high fever and excruciating headache. For five days I didn’t leave my bed. I don’t remember much of those days other than being just plain miserable. I spent another 5 days just watching garbage Netflix shows. Ten days of not having enough energy to read a book, to sit at the pottery wheel, to go for a walk, to paddle a kayak, to sit in the sun and breath in and breath out. I was that exhausted.  And as I write this, I am still functioning at a lower ebb with which I am familar.

People ask, did you have a relaxing summer?  I am not sure how to answer.  Spending 10+ days doing literally nothing (not because I wanted to but because my body gave me no choice) was not how I planned to “relax” but that’s what happened.

I am not complaining and I certainly hope I don’t sound whinny, this is just to say that we might have plans to do x, but it may not pan out they way we thought.  So what does that mean?

It means it is ok.

It means that sometimes our plans are not God’s plan.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says we must “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

I believe that it is only when we surrender our lives completely that God can start to work out God’s will in our lives. Let go and trust God, is a pretty good motto.

It means blessed be name of the Lord in the good and the bad.

Romans 8:28 says: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to God’s purpose.”

No, my summer wasn’t the picture-perfect relaxing, rejuvenating summer I had envisioned but we have all lived long enough to know that life doesn’t always go as we plan. What I have come to learn is that these times become opportunities to trust in the Lord, to show myself the same love and grace as I would show my neighbour and learn to embrace the unplanned!