Home » Posts filed under Mark
Showing posts with label Mark. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mark. Show all posts

Monday, November 19, 2012


I’ve recently been challenged with Paul’s bold and dangerous statement in 1 Corinthians 11:1“And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ” - if we backup just a bit into chapter 10:33 , “I too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved”.

Sounds a lot like Mark 10:45, where Jesus states “The Son of Man did not come to be serve, but to serve”. I am additionally challenged by Heb 1:3 that remind us that Christ is the perfect reflection of the Father. The very nature of God is to serve and do what is best for others.

Firstly, I’m not sure that I feel as bold as Paul to be able to say to others “you should imitate me…” Yet, that’s not what Paul is saying, he IS saying only imitate me as I imitate Christ. The focus is not Paul, but Christ.

Many may not consciously state “do as I say, not as I do…” however; we tend to behave in that manner. We hold or expect something different than what he in fact hold ourselves too. The problem is I think that really I expect people to behave better than I am will to do myself.

Paul says “I try to please everyone in everything I do; I don’t just do what is best for me”. But we need to dig a little deeper into his motivation – “I do what is best for others, so that they may be saved.”

What I need to understand is that the Kingdom of God isn’t ‘over there’ or ‘just for Sunday’ – the Kingdom of God overarches our entire being – the physical, spiritual, emotionally, the mental. When we come to work – we don’t leave the Kingdom of God behind, it’s here – we’re in it. We’ve talked about this before, and we know this. For the Christian, they are in and are representatives of the Kingdom of God where ever they may be. The only thing that makes Christian Horizons different than any other work place is that we have the rare opportunity to be working alongside Kingdom minded people.

Living in this Kingdom mind set ticks me off sometimes. My wife does a much better job – I was reminded of this recently while at a restaurant. I have an expectation that when I go to a restaurant, I will be treated and served well – and I tip accordingly. If the service is lousy, it definitely affects the tip I leave. It affects the tip my wife leaves as well, but in the opposite direction. This drives me crazy. I know that when we have received lousy service, its’ going to cost me – because, she will tip more rather than less. Her belief is, in spite of bad service, her witness of goodness and grace to another is more important and vital than ever.

I however have pointed out the incongruently of her argument, because when I do less around the house, I don’t get reward more.

All that aside, I am deeply challenge by how I bring the imitation of Christ into existence in all aspects of my life that doesn’t’ depend on the actions or expected reward of another, but solely on the desire to be a living witness of gospel. I certainly believe that is essential when living before people that don’t know Christ. But, we are to do so no less for those that do know him.

Back to my restaurant rant, I don’t know if this is true or not, but I have heard people from the service industry say, that Christians groups can be some of the worst groups to serve because of their attitudes and expectations, and they can the worst tippers.

My point is not to advocate for better tipping – What I am convicted by is the experience others have me and whether they could conclude “I am seeking to imitate Christ” and whether I make things easier – or more difficult for them.

I certainly don’t think Paul’s promoting a spineless, wish washy approach. In fact we can point else in Paul’s writings where he is anything but a dish rag. What he is saying how we interact with one another matters – how we honour, respect – how we follow authority. Every action I undertake either represents the kingdom well – or it does so poorly. I hear in this passage, that I have to take responsibility for my actions, opinion and attitudes – for how I respond – and the frustrating thing for me is, that how I am to respond in my imitation of Christ, has little if nothing to do with the actions, behaviours and decisions of another.

Psalm 1 comes to mind.

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.

The psalmist identifies three specific actions here, walking, standing, sitting. I think it is a conscious progression, one that I have seen in myself too often. I can easily get caught up in the ‘walking of grumbling and complaining – I react, I pull another in, we walk along together initially in the problem, if I don’t get a handle on it, it isn’t just a chance meeting of other walkers, I’m standing, I’m looking to draw people, to drag them into my compliant – by standing I’m becoming an obstacle that others might bump into an now I’m trying to get others to stand with me. If I don’t stop standing, I sit. Not only am I obstacle, now I become a stumbling block for others to trip over. I become entrenched and get others to entrench – to dig in with me.

When this happens I’m a long way from Paul’s call to imitate, to do what is best for others so that they might be saved – or having them experience the Kingdom of God through me.

I would contend that Paul’s idea of ‘saved’ is broader than simply ‘converted’ – certainly that is part of Paul’s hope and agenda, but I believe he has the idea of ‘redeemed’ more in mind – redeemed to be Kingdom livers.

I think Paul would be urging us to wrestle with how can Live, work, be with one another that brings God’s Kingdom into reality – that when we encounter each other, we’re bringing the Kingdom into a fuller existence in this place, in one another’s lives.

As a group of Kingdom people gathering in this place, we return to our Psalm passage, it is necessary and appropriate for us together to mediate on His law – day and night. But that mediation translates into a changed life – one that more fully reflects Christ and the Kingdom of God.

It is the delight of God I think to see us as his people imitate his Son with one so that we become a tree firmly planted by streams of water – his sustaining and life giving power. A gathering which yields nourishing fruit to one another here, and outward to those whom we will be in contact with.

I guess this can sound kinda corny – and ‘feel goody’ or pietistic but I think it really depends on how we understand the Kingdom to God. Is it something we move in and out of – or is it the very existence of our collective beings.

Anyway, I was just thinking,

Neil

Imitate me?

Monday, November 19, 2012 at 9:08 am · by Neil · in , , , , , , , , No comments


I’ve recently been challenged with Paul’s bold and dangerous statement in 1 Corinthians 11:1“And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ” - if we backup just a bit into chapter 10:33 , “I too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved”.

Sounds a lot like Mark 10:45, where Jesus states “The Son of Man did not come to be serve, but to serve”. I am additionally challenged by Heb 1:3 that remind us that Christ is the perfect reflection of the Father. The very nature of God is to serve and do what is best for others.

Firstly, I’m not sure that I feel as bold as Paul to be able to say to others “you should imitate me…” Yet, that’s not what Paul is saying, he IS saying only imitate me as I imitate Christ. The focus is not Paul, but Christ.

Many may not consciously state “do as I say, not as I do…” however; we tend to behave in that manner. We hold or expect something different than what he in fact hold ourselves too. The problem is I think that really I expect people to behave better than I am will to do myself.

Paul says “I try to please everyone in everything I do; I don’t just do what is best for me”. But we need to dig a little deeper into his motivation – “I do what is best for others, so that they may be saved.”

What I need to understand is that the Kingdom of God isn’t ‘over there’ or ‘just for Sunday’ – the Kingdom of God overarches our entire being – the physical, spiritual, emotionally, the mental. When we come to work – we don’t leave the Kingdom of God behind, it’s here – we’re in it. We’ve talked about this before, and we know this. For the Christian, they are in and are representatives of the Kingdom of God where ever they may be. The only thing that makes Christian Horizons different than any other work place is that we have the rare opportunity to be working alongside Kingdom minded people.

Living in this Kingdom mind set ticks me off sometimes. My wife does a much better job – I was reminded of this recently while at a restaurant. I have an expectation that when I go to a restaurant, I will be treated and served well – and I tip accordingly. If the service is lousy, it definitely affects the tip I leave. It affects the tip my wife leaves as well, but in the opposite direction. This drives me crazy. I know that when we have received lousy service, its’ going to cost me – because, she will tip more rather than less. Her belief is, in spite of bad service, her witness of goodness and grace to another is more important and vital than ever.

I however have pointed out the incongruently of her argument, because when I do less around the house, I don’t get reward more.

All that aside, I am deeply challenge by how I bring the imitation of Christ into existence in all aspects of my life that doesn’t’ depend on the actions or expected reward of another, but solely on the desire to be a living witness of gospel. I certainly believe that is essential when living before people that don’t know Christ. But, we are to do so no less for those that do know him.

Back to my restaurant rant, I don’t know if this is true or not, but I have heard people from the service industry say, that Christians groups can be some of the worst groups to serve because of their attitudes and expectations, and they can the worst tippers.

My point is not to advocate for better tipping – What I am convicted by is the experience others have me and whether they could conclude “I am seeking to imitate Christ” and whether I make things easier – or more difficult for them.

I certainly don’t think Paul’s promoting a spineless, wish washy approach. In fact we can point else in Paul’s writings where he is anything but a dish rag. What he is saying how we interact with one another matters – how we honour, respect – how we follow authority. Every action I undertake either represents the kingdom well – or it does so poorly. I hear in this passage, that I have to take responsibility for my actions, opinion and attitudes – for how I respond – and the frustrating thing for me is, that how I am to respond in my imitation of Christ, has little if nothing to do with the actions, behaviours and decisions of another.

Psalm 1 comes to mind.

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.

The psalmist identifies three specific actions here, walking, standing, sitting. I think it is a conscious progression, one that I have seen in myself too often. I can easily get caught up in the ‘walking of grumbling and complaining – I react, I pull another in, we walk along together initially in the problem, if I don’t get a handle on it, it isn’t just a chance meeting of other walkers, I’m standing, I’m looking to draw people, to drag them into my compliant – by standing I’m becoming an obstacle that others might bump into an now I’m trying to get others to stand with me. If I don’t stop standing, I sit. Not only am I obstacle, now I become a stumbling block for others to trip over. I become entrenched and get others to entrench – to dig in with me.

When this happens I’m a long way from Paul’s call to imitate, to do what is best for others so that they might be saved – or having them experience the Kingdom of God through me.

I would contend that Paul’s idea of ‘saved’ is broader than simply ‘converted’ – certainly that is part of Paul’s hope and agenda, but I believe he has the idea of ‘redeemed’ more in mind – redeemed to be Kingdom livers.

I think Paul would be urging us to wrestle with how can Live, work, be with one another that brings God’s Kingdom into reality – that when we encounter each other, we’re bringing the Kingdom into a fuller existence in this place, in one another’s lives.

As a group of Kingdom people gathering in this place, we return to our Psalm passage, it is necessary and appropriate for us together to mediate on His law – day and night. But that mediation translates into a changed life – one that more fully reflects Christ and the Kingdom of God.

It is the delight of God I think to see us as his people imitate his Son with one so that we become a tree firmly planted by streams of water – his sustaining and life giving power. A gathering which yields nourishing fruit to one another here, and outward to those whom we will be in contact with.

I guess this can sound kinda corny – and ‘feel goody’ or pietistic but I think it really depends on how we understand the Kingdom to God. Is it something we move in and out of – or is it the very existence of our collective beings.

Anyway, I was just thinking,

Neil

Thursday, October 13, 2011

If I had a chance to have dinner with any of the people God used as his instrument to write the Bible, I am not sure who I would pick.  Moses or David would be near the top of the list.  Luke would be very interesting.  It really is a tough hypothetical choice.  One thing I know though is that the prophets would probably be lower on the list - they would probably be too convicting.  And I think Paul would be right at the bottom of my list.  He seems just way too intense for me.  I cannot imagine Paul enjoying a relaxing dinner as he seems to me like a person who probably couldn’t sit still.

God used Paul’s ministry and letters to establish Christ’s church.  Paul was a man of passion and conviction.  He founded several churches in the years immediately following Christ’s resurrection and his letters have been used to reprove, instruct and inspire Christians for the last 2000 years.  He was eventually martyred for his faith.  I think a dinner with Paul would be overwhelming as I think I would be called to change a lot.

We are going to spend the next while in these blogs going through Romans.  Keep in mind that most of Paul’s letters were written to people he knew - many of them back at churches that he had already founded.  However, one letter of Paul’s, to the Romans, is unique because it was written to a group that Paul hadn’t yet met - though he desperately wanted to get there. 

Romans 1:1-17 (NIV)
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God-- 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. 6 And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 9 God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God's will the way may be opened for me to come to you.
11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong-- 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome. 16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
Some things about Paul are clear form this intro.  1.  He is passionate for the Gospel.  The Good news of Jesus is what drives him.  2.  He is very driven.  When I think about Paul’s ministry I am amazed at how many churches he founded and then left.  Imagine how hard that would have been each time.  I am sure he was tempted to stay and nurture each of the groups he started but he knew his calling was to move on.  Here he is trying to get to yet another city for Christ’s work.

Paul’s letter to the Romans was likely written from Corinth on his 3rd trip there.  From Corinth Paul is planning to go to Jerusalem.  The book of Acts tells us that Paul was told by a prophet that if he went back to Jerusalem that he would be arrested.  Paul goes anyway and sure enough he is arrested.   You get the sense that the book of Romans is written as a “here is what you need to know in case I don’t make it”.  For that reason it is very different from his other letters.   In the other letters Paul writes to address an issue to a congregation he already knows and has taught.  Romans is Paul’s systematic theology.  We know it was circulated to many churches. 

Paul did eventually make it to Rome - but as a prisoner.  While in jail he constantly preached to his guards.  See what I mean about an intense dinner guest?  Although, perhaps sometimes an intense dinner guest is just what I need.  As we journey through the book of Romans I am sure I will be convicted and challenged.  Even seeing Paul’s opening remarks challenges my level and passion for the Gospel. 

Mark Wallace

Romans 1:1-17

Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 8:56 pm · by Neil · in , No comments

If I had a chance to have dinner with any of the people God used as his instrument to write the Bible, I am not sure who I would pick.  Moses or David would be near the top of the list.  Luke would be very interesting.  It really is a tough hypothetical choice.  One thing I know though is that the prophets would probably be lower on the list - they would probably be too convicting.  And I think Paul would be right at the bottom of my list.  He seems just way too intense for me.  I cannot imagine Paul enjoying a relaxing dinner as he seems to me like a person who probably couldn’t sit still.

God used Paul’s ministry and letters to establish Christ’s church.  Paul was a man of passion and conviction.  He founded several churches in the years immediately following Christ’s resurrection and his letters have been used to reprove, instruct and inspire Christians for the last 2000 years.  He was eventually martyred for his faith.  I think a dinner with Paul would be overwhelming as I think I would be called to change a lot.

We are going to spend the next while in these blogs going through Romans.  Keep in mind that most of Paul’s letters were written to people he knew - many of them back at churches that he had already founded.  However, one letter of Paul’s, to the Romans, is unique because it was written to a group that Paul hadn’t yet met - though he desperately wanted to get there. 

Romans 1:1-17 (NIV)
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God-- 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. 6 And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 9 God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God's will the way may be opened for me to come to you.
11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong-- 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome. 16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
Some things about Paul are clear form this intro.  1.  He is passionate for the Gospel.  The Good news of Jesus is what drives him.  2.  He is very driven.  When I think about Paul’s ministry I am amazed at how many churches he founded and then left.  Imagine how hard that would have been each time.  I am sure he was tempted to stay and nurture each of the groups he started but he knew his calling was to move on.  Here he is trying to get to yet another city for Christ’s work.

Paul’s letter to the Romans was likely written from Corinth on his 3rd trip there.  From Corinth Paul is planning to go to Jerusalem.  The book of Acts tells us that Paul was told by a prophet that if he went back to Jerusalem that he would be arrested.  Paul goes anyway and sure enough he is arrested.   You get the sense that the book of Romans is written as a “here is what you need to know in case I don’t make it”.  For that reason it is very different from his other letters.   In the other letters Paul writes to address an issue to a congregation he already knows and has taught.  Romans is Paul’s systematic theology.  We know it was circulated to many churches. 

Paul did eventually make it to Rome - but as a prisoner.  While in jail he constantly preached to his guards.  See what I mean about an intense dinner guest?  Although, perhaps sometimes an intense dinner guest is just what I need.  As we journey through the book of Romans I am sure I will be convicted and challenged.  Even seeing Paul’s opening remarks challenges my level and passion for the Gospel. 

Mark Wallace

Friday, October 07, 2011

Those of us who were able to be a part of the Joni and Friends/Christian Horizons family retreat this past August at Elim Lodge really had a a great time.  It was great to be with families as they had a vacation that provided them with much needed respite as well as time to have fun together as a whole family.  It was also a great opportunity for those having vacations at Elim apart from our group to interact with some folks they may otherwise not get a chance to meet.  Several families from the trailers and cottages at Elim joined in with us for various activities. 

One of the young staff there, Brandon Beatty, who was serving as the Youth Program Director for Elim this summer was very impacted by his time with our group.  In his role he taught and led programs for the teens.  As a result of his interaction with our group he wrote the following poem and shared it with us on the last day.

Christian Horizons Poem 2011
Brandon Beatty

Everyone is special no matter who you are, To God your unique you have a spot in his heart
He knitted you together in your mother's womb, and made you in his image that's what he did do
He knows the very numbers of hairs on your head, and will neverr ever leave us that's what God said
Heshowed us the ultimate expression of his love by sending his son to die for our sin, so that someday
We could go to heaven and be with him


God loves us so much he made a promise in Jeremiah 29
A plan to give hope and a future to all our lives
Many are the plans in a man's heart, but the Lord's purpose prevails
Proverbs are words of wisdom to show what he reveals


So no matter where you go, no matter what you do
Always know God will be with you
He loves you in the morning and loves you at night
And know he created some special in you alright.

It is great to see God open people's hearts when they see His children in a knew way. 

Posted by Mark Wallace

Thoughts out of the JAF familly retreat.

Friday, October 07, 2011 at 3:53 pm · by Neil · in No comments

Those of us who were able to be a part of the Joni and Friends/Christian Horizons family retreat this past August at Elim Lodge really had a a great time.  It was great to be with families as they had a vacation that provided them with much needed respite as well as time to have fun together as a whole family.  It was also a great opportunity for those having vacations at Elim apart from our group to interact with some folks they may otherwise not get a chance to meet.  Several families from the trailers and cottages at Elim joined in with us for various activities. 

One of the young staff there, Brandon Beatty, who was serving as the Youth Program Director for Elim this summer was very impacted by his time with our group.  In his role he taught and led programs for the teens.  As a result of his interaction with our group he wrote the following poem and shared it with us on the last day.

Christian Horizons Poem 2011
Brandon Beatty

Everyone is special no matter who you are, To God your unique you have a spot in his heart
He knitted you together in your mother's womb, and made you in his image that's what he did do
He knows the very numbers of hairs on your head, and will neverr ever leave us that's what God said
Heshowed us the ultimate expression of his love by sending his son to die for our sin, so that someday
We could go to heaven and be with him


God loves us so much he made a promise in Jeremiah 29
A plan to give hope and a future to all our lives
Many are the plans in a man's heart, but the Lord's purpose prevails
Proverbs are words of wisdom to show what he reveals


So no matter where you go, no matter what you do
Always know God will be with you
He loves you in the morning and loves you at night
And know he created some special in you alright.

It is great to see God open people's hearts when they see His children in a knew way. 

Posted by Mark Wallace

Monday, August 15, 2011


Near the end of the book of Psalms we find the Songs of Ascent, or the Pilgrim Psalms as they are sometimes called.  The Psalms in this group (Psalm 120-134) bear the superscription (title) a song of ascents.  Some of them are also ascribed to an author (four by David, one by Solomon).  Sometimes our English translations of the bible have titles put into other books.  You may find titles like “The Crucifixion” or “The Feeding of 5000”.  These are put in by the publisher to help us find things.  They are not from the original manuscripts of the biblical books.  The titles in the book of Psalms however, come form the original manuscripts.  They are, in every sense, biblical.  In fact in the Hebrew bible the verse numbers are usually inconsistent from the English numbers because in Hebrew they count the title as verse one.  (Verse numbers were also put in later to make it easier for people like us.)

The Psalms with the title “A Song of Ascents” is directly translated.  The Psalms that bear this title from  a worship book that was used in celebrations, at festivals in the Temple in Jerusalem in Jesus’ day.  These songs would also be sung as the pilgrims ascended to Jerusalem for the festival.  Jerusalem is on a hill. So from miles around on their approach those journeying to the festival would be ascending.  It is a beautiful picture of corporate worship, lines of people on converging roads heading up to the city and singing together.  Estimates of the population of Jerusalem during the first century range from 30, 000 to 50, 000 people but during the festivals it would swell to 80,000 to 100, 000 people.  Imagine them all singing together.

These songs would also be sung as the sacrifice went up the 15 steps into the holy place. It would pause on each step and the congregations would sing.  Year after year they would sing these same 15 songs.

As with all prepared prayers or songs I am sure that each person singing would view the words differently from year to year.   One of the beauties of praying the same psalm at different times or using the same prayer (like the “Our Father” for instance) is that it connects to our own experience differently from one time to the next.  Take Psalm 127 for example:

Psalm 127:1-5 (NIV)
A song of ascents.
1 Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.
2 In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat-- for he grants sleep to those he loves.
3 Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him.
4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth.
5 Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate.
The first few verses would take on a different meaning to some one who was just starting a project than it would to a person who had just completed a project that had either been a success or a failure. 
I can’t remember where I read it but someone once wrote that prepared prayers and songs are like coat hangers that we hang our emotions and experiences on.  I think that is true.  Think of how differently a person would pray/sing verses 3-5 depending if they had no children but desperately wanted them, or if they had just had their first child, or if they had a child who was turning their back on the Lord, or their child had just died. 
God’s Word is alive and it has meaning for us no matter our circumstances.  I challenge you to pray one of these prayers and see how it speaks to you and then pray it again in a few months and see what God has to say through it then.

Mark Wallace

Psalms of Ascents

Monday, August 15, 2011 at 9:00 am · by Neil · in , No comments


Near the end of the book of Psalms we find the Songs of Ascent, or the Pilgrim Psalms as they are sometimes called.  The Psalms in this group (Psalm 120-134) bear the superscription (title) a song of ascents.  Some of them are also ascribed to an author (four by David, one by Solomon).  Sometimes our English translations of the bible have titles put into other books.  You may find titles like “The Crucifixion” or “The Feeding of 5000”.  These are put in by the publisher to help us find things.  They are not from the original manuscripts of the biblical books.  The titles in the book of Psalms however, come form the original manuscripts.  They are, in every sense, biblical.  In fact in the Hebrew bible the verse numbers are usually inconsistent from the English numbers because in Hebrew they count the title as verse one.  (Verse numbers were also put in later to make it easier for people like us.)

The Psalms with the title “A Song of Ascents” is directly translated.  The Psalms that bear this title from  a worship book that was used in celebrations, at festivals in the Temple in Jerusalem in Jesus’ day.  These songs would also be sung as the pilgrims ascended to Jerusalem for the festival.  Jerusalem is on a hill. So from miles around on their approach those journeying to the festival would be ascending.  It is a beautiful picture of corporate worship, lines of people on converging roads heading up to the city and singing together.  Estimates of the population of Jerusalem during the first century range from 30, 000 to 50, 000 people but during the festivals it would swell to 80,000 to 100, 000 people.  Imagine them all singing together.

These songs would also be sung as the sacrifice went up the 15 steps into the holy place. It would pause on each step and the congregations would sing.  Year after year they would sing these same 15 songs.

As with all prepared prayers or songs I am sure that each person singing would view the words differently from year to year.   One of the beauties of praying the same psalm at different times or using the same prayer (like the “Our Father” for instance) is that it connects to our own experience differently from one time to the next.  Take Psalm 127 for example:

Psalm 127:1-5 (NIV)
A song of ascents.
1 Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.
2 In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat-- for he grants sleep to those he loves.
3 Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him.
4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth.
5 Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate.
The first few verses would take on a different meaning to some one who was just starting a project than it would to a person who had just completed a project that had either been a success or a failure. 
I can’t remember where I read it but someone once wrote that prepared prayers and songs are like coat hangers that we hang our emotions and experiences on.  I think that is true.  Think of how differently a person would pray/sing verses 3-5 depending if they had no children but desperately wanted them, or if they had just had their first child, or if they had a child who was turning their back on the Lord, or their child had just died. 
God’s Word is alive and it has meaning for us no matter our circumstances.  I challenge you to pray one of these prayers and see how it speaks to you and then pray it again in a few months and see what God has to say through it then.

Mark Wallace

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Copyright "Lament" Kathie Kollwitz
Neil and I were at a conference two weeks ago on “Theology and Disability”.  Many of the attendees were persons who had a disability themselves or were close family members of a person with a disability.  One of the discussion sessions was about how church communities can welcome/respond to persons with a disability.  Of course, there were many horror stories of when it had went wrong as well as some success stories.   One of the biggest complaints was the perception everyone gives at church is that life is perfect and everything’s great.  Over and over people shared  church was not a place where it felt they could share hurts or difficulties.  It seamed more a gathering of happy people who came together to sing happy songs.  If they or their child could not fit in with the happy norm they felt like outcasts.  For many, church was nothing like real life. It was fake people wearing happy masks.  Some pointed out the need to break out of this fakeness and become a community where pain can be honestly expressed.  The subject quickly turned to the need to be communities that include lament (which often precedes rejoicing).

The Psalms of Lament are the biggest single category of psalms in the Bible.  They comprise over one third of the book of Psalms.  Yet our worship rarely draws on them.  Walter Bruggerman in his writing on the Psalms notes in Anglican liturgy all the lament psalms are ignored except psalm 22.  He argues that we would probably like to ignore that one too except Jesus quotes it so they grudgingly admit that it exists. 

Real life is messy but often our church experience is one where we don’t feel free to express what we are really going through.  Bruggerman also points out that because lament is so seldom used in our churches and those ideas are so seldom expressed that people who are having trouble feel either; guilty that they aren’t all happy and joyful like those around them or; they themselves just go into denial mode and add to the fake smiling masses. 

Lament is real.  It is honest.  We all have things in our lives from time to time that are lamentable.  The lament psalms follow a pattern.  They begin desperate, laying out a situation with no hope.  Brugerman calls this part of the plsams “disorientation” often when tragedy hits us it challenges what we assumed to be true.  As David Kennedy (the grief counselor that developed the Grief Matters material we use to train staff) puts it “our assumptive world view is challenged”.  Suddenly things don’t make sense.   

The lament psalms do not leave us in the disorientation stage though.  Each of them (with one possible exception) moves towards hope.  The psalmist always comes around to holding on to the truths they know about God.  Psalm 13 is a great example.

Psalm 13:1-6 (NIV)
1 How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?
3 Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;
4 my enemy will say, "I have overcome him," and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me.
Brugerman calls the last part “reorientation”.  The lamentable situation is not removed but the psalmist is hopeful that God will work somehow.  Often these portions draw on past times that God has come through.
One of the men who was at this conference who serves as a pastor and himself is a person with  a disability stated that he often experiences this same pattern when he is introduced to a new church.  In his opinion,  often when churches encounter a person (or pastor) with a disability their assumptive worldview is challenged.  They go through disorientation and slowly work to reorientation.  Having someone who doesn’t fit “the mould” challenges the pasted on fakeness and makes it ok for people to admit where they may be finding life hard.
It is OK to lament.  God already knows how you feel.  You can’t fool God.  Why bother trying to fool everyone else.  Lament but be hopeful.  Be honest with God while remaining respectful.  Draw hope from those times he has come through.

Mark Wallace


Lament

Tuesday, August 02, 2011 at 11:38 am · by Neil · in , No comments

Copyright "Lament" Kathie Kollwitz
Neil and I were at a conference two weeks ago on “Theology and Disability”.  Many of the attendees were persons who had a disability themselves or were close family members of a person with a disability.  One of the discussion sessions was about how church communities can welcome/respond to persons with a disability.  Of course, there were many horror stories of when it had went wrong as well as some success stories.   One of the biggest complaints was the perception everyone gives at church is that life is perfect and everything’s great.  Over and over people shared  church was not a place where it felt they could share hurts or difficulties.  It seamed more a gathering of happy people who came together to sing happy songs.  If they or their child could not fit in with the happy norm they felt like outcasts.  For many, church was nothing like real life. It was fake people wearing happy masks.  Some pointed out the need to break out of this fakeness and become a community where pain can be honestly expressed.  The subject quickly turned to the need to be communities that include lament (which often precedes rejoicing).

The Psalms of Lament are the biggest single category of psalms in the Bible.  They comprise over one third of the book of Psalms.  Yet our worship rarely draws on them.  Walter Bruggerman in his writing on the Psalms notes in Anglican liturgy all the lament psalms are ignored except psalm 22.  He argues that we would probably like to ignore that one too except Jesus quotes it so they grudgingly admit that it exists. 

Real life is messy but often our church experience is one where we don’t feel free to express what we are really going through.  Bruggerman also points out that because lament is so seldom used in our churches and those ideas are so seldom expressed that people who are having trouble feel either; guilty that they aren’t all happy and joyful like those around them or; they themselves just go into denial mode and add to the fake smiling masses. 

Lament is real.  It is honest.  We all have things in our lives from time to time that are lamentable.  The lament psalms follow a pattern.  They begin desperate, laying out a situation with no hope.  Brugerman calls this part of the plsams “disorientation” often when tragedy hits us it challenges what we assumed to be true.  As David Kennedy (the grief counselor that developed the Grief Matters material we use to train staff) puts it “our assumptive world view is challenged”.  Suddenly things don’t make sense.   

The lament psalms do not leave us in the disorientation stage though.  Each of them (with one possible exception) moves towards hope.  The psalmist always comes around to holding on to the truths they know about God.  Psalm 13 is a great example.

Psalm 13:1-6 (NIV)
1 How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?
3 Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;
4 my enemy will say, "I have overcome him," and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me.
Brugerman calls the last part “reorientation”.  The lamentable situation is not removed but the psalmist is hopeful that God will work somehow.  Often these portions draw on past times that God has come through.
One of the men who was at this conference who serves as a pastor and himself is a person with  a disability stated that he often experiences this same pattern when he is introduced to a new church.  In his opinion,  often when churches encounter a person (or pastor) with a disability their assumptive worldview is challenged.  They go through disorientation and slowly work to reorientation.  Having someone who doesn’t fit “the mould” challenges the pasted on fakeness and makes it ok for people to admit where they may be finding life hard.
It is OK to lament.  God already knows how you feel.  You can’t fool God.  Why bother trying to fool everyone else.  Lament but be hopeful.  Be honest with God while remaining respectful.  Draw hope from those times he has come through.

Mark Wallace


Thursday, July 28, 2011


I recently heard Dr. John Swinton, from the university of Aberdeen, give a lecture challenging the popular notion that people with Autism cannot love.  Not only did he argue that those on the Autism spectrum do love but also that they teach us something about God’s love.  He used an article written by Christine Guth in which she writes about her experiences of loving and being loved by her family.  She is the only one in her immediate family who doesn’t have “Asperger Syndrome (a condition on the autism spectrum:  a disorder affecting a person’s ability to socialize and communicate with others).”

In her short article entitled “Horses Love to Run, What about People?” she writes about how the love she receives from her husband may not match the images put forward by the media but that he does show her love in ways of “dogged commitment, persistence through agonizing struggles, willingness to give and take, enjoyment of companionship, and other treasured aspects of shared living.”  Consistency and commitment are very important in her relationship with her husband. 

Her whole article is available and I would recommend it to anyone who has, or works with a person who is on the Autism spectrum. 

http://sca.mintleaf.net/2011/03/horses-live-to-run-what-about-people/

Swinton’s point goes beyond just redefining our view of love.  He also wants to use these new insights, given by those with differences, to better understand how “God is Love”.  The Hebrew word “Hesed” which we translate into English as loyalty, covenant love, and mercy relates to God’s “dogged commitment, persistence through agonizing struggles, willingness to give and take, enjoyment of companionship, and other treasured aspects of shared living.”

Swinton would argue that the problem may not be that those who are “autistic” do not love but that our definition of love is too narrow and that those on the Autism spectrum actually help us to broaden the definition of love.  We use many touchy feely emotional descriptors to describe God’s love that may be unintelligible to some but perhaps they would describe aspects of God’s consistency and reliability that many in the other camp may overlook. 

Wrapped up in this are also the questions of what is the image of God?  Many would put forward our relationality and capacity to love.  What does it mean when God tells us to love our neigbour?  Is there a calling to consistency and commitment in our treatment of others? Is love an emotion or is it an action?  Love as actions rather than emotions raises interesting questions as we contemplate what it means to be a human loved by God and called to love others.

Some possibly helpful links:

For more info on John Swinton go here: 

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/~wad005/staff/details.php?id=j.swinton

For a blog we wrote on “Hesed” a while back go here:

http://chdevotions.blogspot.com/2007/08/blessed-are-merciful-for-they-will-be.html

Mark Wallace

Autistic Love - God’s Love

Thursday, July 28, 2011 at 9:27 am · by Neil · in No comments


I recently heard Dr. John Swinton, from the university of Aberdeen, give a lecture challenging the popular notion that people with Autism cannot love.  Not only did he argue that those on the Autism spectrum do love but also that they teach us something about God’s love.  He used an article written by Christine Guth in which she writes about her experiences of loving and being loved by her family.  She is the only one in her immediate family who doesn’t have “Asperger Syndrome (a condition on the autism spectrum:  a disorder affecting a person’s ability to socialize and communicate with others).”

In her short article entitled “Horses Love to Run, What about People?” she writes about how the love she receives from her husband may not match the images put forward by the media but that he does show her love in ways of “dogged commitment, persistence through agonizing struggles, willingness to give and take, enjoyment of companionship, and other treasured aspects of shared living.”  Consistency and commitment are very important in her relationship with her husband. 

Her whole article is available and I would recommend it to anyone who has, or works with a person who is on the Autism spectrum. 

http://sca.mintleaf.net/2011/03/horses-live-to-run-what-about-people/

Swinton’s point goes beyond just redefining our view of love.  He also wants to use these new insights, given by those with differences, to better understand how “God is Love”.  The Hebrew word “Hesed” which we translate into English as loyalty, covenant love, and mercy relates to God’s “dogged commitment, persistence through agonizing struggles, willingness to give and take, enjoyment of companionship, and other treasured aspects of shared living.”

Swinton would argue that the problem may not be that those who are “autistic” do not love but that our definition of love is too narrow and that those on the Autism spectrum actually help us to broaden the definition of love.  We use many touchy feely emotional descriptors to describe God’s love that may be unintelligible to some but perhaps they would describe aspects of God’s consistency and reliability that many in the other camp may overlook. 

Wrapped up in this are also the questions of what is the image of God?  Many would put forward our relationality and capacity to love.  What does it mean when God tells us to love our neigbour?  Is there a calling to consistency and commitment in our treatment of others? Is love an emotion or is it an action?  Love as actions rather than emotions raises interesting questions as we contemplate what it means to be a human loved by God and called to love others.

Some possibly helpful links:

For more info on John Swinton go here: 

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/~wad005/staff/details.php?id=j.swinton

For a blog we wrote on “Hesed” a while back go here:

http://chdevotions.blogspot.com/2007/08/blessed-are-merciful-for-they-will-be.html

Mark Wallace

Thursday, June 30, 2011


As you may have seen from the memo that went out on Tuesday, we have a new CEO of Christian Horizons.  Janet Nolan was announced on Tuesday Morning by Ed Sider.  We had a meeting here at the corporate office to coincide with the announcement and I had the privilege of praying for Janet and sharing a few words.   I felt very honoured to be involved.  I have great respect for both Ed and Janet, and I think we are in good hands.

As I was thinking about what to say, the verses that kept coming to me were from the book of Jude.  Jude is addressing some issues of bad leadership.  It speaks very harshly about some leaders. However, I have always looked to them as an encouragement to any of us who have influence (whether it be at home or work or church or anywhere else).  An encouragement of what we  should be - by looking at what shouldn’t be done.  Jude compares those bad leaders to Cain, Balaam and the Sons of Korah.  I won’t go into those in detail, but all of those Older Testament stories involve people challenging what God says and doing things their own way with dire consequences.  The book continues by saying:

Jude 1:12-13 (NIV)
12 These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm--shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted--twice dead. 13 They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.
Pretty harsh words.  The thing that always strikes me about these verses is that in every analogy the bad leaders are compared to something that doesn’t give the things you need and expect.   Remember that these words were written in a different time.  Shepherds are expected to feed their flock but these shepherds feed only themselves.  In an agricultural society rain was very important to life and refreshment.  But these clouds are said to bring no rain.  From trees you expect fruit but these bear none.  Sailors who head to sea hope not for wild waves.  And in this day the stars would be used to navigate by.  A wondering star would lead you astray.

People look to leaders (people of influence) for sustenance, refreshment, peace and direction.  I try to keep those things in mind, whether I am in a position of influence as a support worker, or a pastor, or dad, or a friend.   I can say that my experiences with Janet have been ones where she has delivered these things.  I know she would appreciate your prayers, not only for her but also for all of the ministry of CH.  I look forward to this new chapter for Christian Horizons. 

Good Shepherds

Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 11:31 am · by Neil · in , No comments


As you may have seen from the memo that went out on Tuesday, we have a new CEO of Christian Horizons.  Janet Nolan was announced on Tuesday Morning by Ed Sider.  We had a meeting here at the corporate office to coincide with the announcement and I had the privilege of praying for Janet and sharing a few words.   I felt very honoured to be involved.  I have great respect for both Ed and Janet, and I think we are in good hands.

As I was thinking about what to say, the verses that kept coming to me were from the book of Jude.  Jude is addressing some issues of bad leadership.  It speaks very harshly about some leaders. However, I have always looked to them as an encouragement to any of us who have influence (whether it be at home or work or church or anywhere else).  An encouragement of what we  should be - by looking at what shouldn’t be done.  Jude compares those bad leaders to Cain, Balaam and the Sons of Korah.  I won’t go into those in detail, but all of those Older Testament stories involve people challenging what God says and doing things their own way with dire consequences.  The book continues by saying:

Jude 1:12-13 (NIV)
12 These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm--shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted--twice dead. 13 They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.
Pretty harsh words.  The thing that always strikes me about these verses is that in every analogy the bad leaders are compared to something that doesn’t give the things you need and expect.   Remember that these words were written in a different time.  Shepherds are expected to feed their flock but these shepherds feed only themselves.  In an agricultural society rain was very important to life and refreshment.  But these clouds are said to bring no rain.  From trees you expect fruit but these bear none.  Sailors who head to sea hope not for wild waves.  And in this day the stars would be used to navigate by.  A wondering star would lead you astray.

People look to leaders (people of influence) for sustenance, refreshment, peace and direction.  I try to keep those things in mind, whether I am in a position of influence as a support worker, or a pastor, or dad, or a friend.   I can say that my experiences with Janet have been ones where she has delivered these things.  I know she would appreciate your prayers, not only for her but also for all of the ministry of CH.  I look forward to this new chapter for Christian Horizons. 

Tuesday, June 07, 2011


I have been thinking some more about the verses from last week:

Philippians 4:8-9 (NIV)
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

In the last blog I wrote about how we can think about these things to combat worry or with other thoughts we are struggling.  As I have thought about it more and more though I have come to realize that I have a bunch of other coping mechanisms that help me combat the things that I don’t want to face.  I am addicted to distraction.  I go from video to video, from game to game.  I am even one of those people that always take my phone to the bathroom so I can play or read something while I am in there.  (Too much information I know).   I love walking into a library and realizing that I should never be bored.  If I took my whole life I would never run out of things to read just in my local branch of the Cambridge Library.  I have come to realize though, what I am really celebrating when I think this is that my supply of things to distract me will never run out. 

I am addicted to amusement.  Amusement literally means to “not think” (‘a’ as a prefix meaning not and ‘muse’ meaning think).  Sometimes I chose entertainment that is contrary to the list in Philippians that I am supposed to think on. I need to stop but more often I just choose things that distract.  I can even use theological training to distract me.  Sometimes it feels safer to learn about God than to spend time with Him.   

I usually bounce from one distraction to another without taking time to think about them (or anything).  I have to ask myself: “When do I take some time to just think?”  This may just be my confession but I urge you to examine yourself.  When do you take time to think? Do you think on these things?

“whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.”

Mark Wallace

Amusment

Tuesday, June 07, 2011 at 12:46 pm · by Neil · in , 1 comment


I have been thinking some more about the verses from last week:

Philippians 4:8-9 (NIV)
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

In the last blog I wrote about how we can think about these things to combat worry or with other thoughts we are struggling.  As I have thought about it more and more though I have come to realize that I have a bunch of other coping mechanisms that help me combat the things that I don’t want to face.  I am addicted to distraction.  I go from video to video, from game to game.  I am even one of those people that always take my phone to the bathroom so I can play or read something while I am in there.  (Too much information I know).   I love walking into a library and realizing that I should never be bored.  If I took my whole life I would never run out of things to read just in my local branch of the Cambridge Library.  I have come to realize though, what I am really celebrating when I think this is that my supply of things to distract me will never run out. 

I am addicted to amusement.  Amusement literally means to “not think” (‘a’ as a prefix meaning not and ‘muse’ meaning think).  Sometimes I chose entertainment that is contrary to the list in Philippians that I am supposed to think on. I need to stop but more often I just choose things that distract.  I can even use theological training to distract me.  Sometimes it feels safer to learn about God than to spend time with Him.   

I usually bounce from one distraction to another without taking time to think about them (or anything).  I have to ask myself: “When do I take some time to just think?”  This may just be my confession but I urge you to examine yourself.  When do you take time to think? Do you think on these things?

“whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.”

Mark Wallace

Friday, May 13, 2011


Philippians 4:1-7 (NIV)
1 Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!
2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
My mother has a phrase she likes to say to me when I am frustrated about something.  Especially when I am frustrated because of something small (like a bad hand while playing cards) she will say “Mark, In the light of Eternity does it really matter!?!”  She is always right (not that I always want to hear it.  I mean, come on! Being dealt four 9s in Euchre is pretty bad.)  Some times we just need perspective. 

The two women in Philippians Chapter 4 are forever immortalized (canonized even) in scripture for fighting.  If there were two sentences passed down in history about you would you want verse 2 and 3 to be it?  Paul doesn’t wade into the fight and take sides.  He asks the community to help them get along.  He doesn’t just ask them to agree. He asks them to “agree in the Lord”.  When we have a proper perspective on God often our squabbles fade into the background.  “In the light of eternity does what we are fighting about really matter?”

The second command is “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.”  A lot of Philippians is about suffering.  Sometimes from a worldly perspective we have no reason to rejoice.  Once again the perspective is given.  “The Lord is near”.  My earthly circumstances may not give reason to rejoice but my future hope does.  When God is in perspective my troubles fade and I can rejoice.  I have heard Jim and Adrienne Reese (The founders of CH) say that when they found out that their son had special needs they were able to handle it in part because they didn’t view God in light of their problems they viewed their problems in light of God.  In this they were able to rejoice.

Lastly when we keep God in the proper perspective we can “be anxious about nothing”.  We can have the “peace that transcends all understanding”.  It is hard but when we see God properly our perspective lets our problems fade. 

This reminds me of a scene from the TV show The West Wing.  If you are not familiar with the show it is a fictional account of life behind the scenes for the staff at the White House.  In the scene, the president’s daughter goes out to a bar/restaurant with some of the president’s aides.  At one point she is separated from them and a group of guys starts to hit on her and harass her.  They have no idea who her father is.  One by one the aids notice this and come to her and things get heated.  They all are in that very tense, macho attitude of, “there is going to be trouble”.  The last of the aids to notice however, sees the girls keychain that she has left on the table and grabs it.  Since she is the president’s daughter she can not go anywhere without the secret service so on her keychain is a panic button that will signal the armed agents that are outside to storm in and take control.  When he joins the group he is not tense like the others.  They are all in fight or flight mode, displaying a lot of bravado.  He walks up with a goofy grin on his face and a simply says “How’s everybody doing?”  His grin is priceless.  He has a different perspective because he just pushed the button.   He knows the cavalry is coming.  The secret service storm in and take the guys who were bugging the girl away in cuffs.

Do we have a picture of the power that is around us?  If so, why are we anxious?  I once heard a speaker talking about meditation and how so many Christians say they have trouble meditating on God.  He said “you already know how to meditate because you know how to worry.  Worrying is just thinking about some thing over and over again.  So is meditating we just have to change what we are thinking about.”  It is hard to simply not worry.  We need something to replace those thoughts.  If instead just trying to think about whatever we are worried about we focused on a promise from God’s word, we can keep him in perspective and the problem will fade.

In the light of eternity, does it really matter?

Mark Wallace


Perspective Matters

Friday, May 13, 2011 at 2:57 pm · by Neil · in , No comments


Philippians 4:1-7 (NIV)
1 Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!
2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
My mother has a phrase she likes to say to me when I am frustrated about something.  Especially when I am frustrated because of something small (like a bad hand while playing cards) she will say “Mark, In the light of Eternity does it really matter!?!”  She is always right (not that I always want to hear it.  I mean, come on! Being dealt four 9s in Euchre is pretty bad.)  Some times we just need perspective. 

The two women in Philippians Chapter 4 are forever immortalized (canonized even) in scripture for fighting.  If there were two sentences passed down in history about you would you want verse 2 and 3 to be it?  Paul doesn’t wade into the fight and take sides.  He asks the community to help them get along.  He doesn’t just ask them to agree. He asks them to “agree in the Lord”.  When we have a proper perspective on God often our squabbles fade into the background.  “In the light of eternity does what we are fighting about really matter?”

The second command is “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.”  A lot of Philippians is about suffering.  Sometimes from a worldly perspective we have no reason to rejoice.  Once again the perspective is given.  “The Lord is near”.  My earthly circumstances may not give reason to rejoice but my future hope does.  When God is in perspective my troubles fade and I can rejoice.  I have heard Jim and Adrienne Reese (The founders of CH) say that when they found out that their son had special needs they were able to handle it in part because they didn’t view God in light of their problems they viewed their problems in light of God.  In this they were able to rejoice.

Lastly when we keep God in the proper perspective we can “be anxious about nothing”.  We can have the “peace that transcends all understanding”.  It is hard but when we see God properly our perspective lets our problems fade. 

This reminds me of a scene from the TV show The West Wing.  If you are not familiar with the show it is a fictional account of life behind the scenes for the staff at the White House.  In the scene, the president’s daughter goes out to a bar/restaurant with some of the president’s aides.  At one point she is separated from them and a group of guys starts to hit on her and harass her.  They have no idea who her father is.  One by one the aids notice this and come to her and things get heated.  They all are in that very tense, macho attitude of, “there is going to be trouble”.  The last of the aids to notice however, sees the girls keychain that she has left on the table and grabs it.  Since she is the president’s daughter she can not go anywhere without the secret service so on her keychain is a panic button that will signal the armed agents that are outside to storm in and take control.  When he joins the group he is not tense like the others.  They are all in fight or flight mode, displaying a lot of bravado.  He walks up with a goofy grin on his face and a simply says “How’s everybody doing?”  His grin is priceless.  He has a different perspective because he just pushed the button.   He knows the cavalry is coming.  The secret service storm in and take the guys who were bugging the girl away in cuffs.

Do we have a picture of the power that is around us?  If so, why are we anxious?  I once heard a speaker talking about meditation and how so many Christians say they have trouble meditating on God.  He said “you already know how to meditate because you know how to worry.  Worrying is just thinking about some thing over and over again.  So is meditating we just have to change what we are thinking about.”  It is hard to simply not worry.  We need something to replace those thoughts.  If instead just trying to think about whatever we are worried about we focused on a promise from God’s word, we can keep him in perspective and the problem will fade.

In the light of eternity, does it really matter?

Mark Wallace


Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Philippians 2:19-30 (NIV)
19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. 20 I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. 21 For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. 23 I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24 And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.
25 But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. 26 For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. 29 Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him, 30 because he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me.
As we continue through the book of Philippians we come to the above section.  It is personal correspondence from Paul to the Church in Philipi.  I thought about just skipping this passage in our series but the more I thought about it the more I thought it is relevant to what we do.   Paul extols Timothy and writes about the illness of Epaphroditus.  Paul’s ministry was always seemingly in transition.  Whether from one city to another or whether he was changing who he was traveling with there was seemingly constant change. 

Change is something we are always dealing with in CH.  Whether it is for happy reasons (people supported gaining independence to a point of transitioning to less supports, staff going on maternity leave, staff moving to a contract that suits them better) or for sad reasons (someone dies, someone has health needs that stop them from being supported/working in our environment) change is hard.  It is also necessary.  Life goes on.  Things change.  I think about how difficult it would have been for Paul to leave the churches he established.  You can really pick up on how emotional some of his letters are and how much he longs to see people again.  Yet, Paul was willing to make the difficult changes because he knew it was best for God’s Kingdom. 

The lesson that I draw out of the above passage is how important it is to encourage each other.  Change is going to come and it will likely be difficult.  For Paul, whether the change occurred as a result of sickness or moving or imprisonment, he always encouraged people through it.  He sent words of comfort. 

Is there someone you know who could use some encouragement as they face a difficult change or situation?

Mark Wallace

Changes: Philippians 2:19-30

Tuesday, March 22, 2011 at 11:09 am · by Neil · in , , No comments

Philippians 2:19-30 (NIV)
19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. 20 I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. 21 For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. 23 I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24 And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.
25 But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. 26 For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. 29 Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him, 30 because he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me.
As we continue through the book of Philippians we come to the above section.  It is personal correspondence from Paul to the Church in Philipi.  I thought about just skipping this passage in our series but the more I thought about it the more I thought it is relevant to what we do.   Paul extols Timothy and writes about the illness of Epaphroditus.  Paul’s ministry was always seemingly in transition.  Whether from one city to another or whether he was changing who he was traveling with there was seemingly constant change. 

Change is something we are always dealing with in CH.  Whether it is for happy reasons (people supported gaining independence to a point of transitioning to less supports, staff going on maternity leave, staff moving to a contract that suits them better) or for sad reasons (someone dies, someone has health needs that stop them from being supported/working in our environment) change is hard.  It is also necessary.  Life goes on.  Things change.  I think about how difficult it would have been for Paul to leave the churches he established.  You can really pick up on how emotional some of his letters are and how much he longs to see people again.  Yet, Paul was willing to make the difficult changes because he knew it was best for God’s Kingdom. 

The lesson that I draw out of the above passage is how important it is to encourage each other.  Change is going to come and it will likely be difficult.  For Paul, whether the change occurred as a result of sickness or moving or imprisonment, he always encouraged people through it.  He sent words of comfort. 

Is there someone you know who could use some encouragement as they face a difficult change or situation?

Mark Wallace

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Philippians 2:12-18 (NIV)
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
14 Do everything without complaining or arguing,
15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe
16 as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.
17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.
18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
This past week I thought a lot about the phrase: “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” and not only because we are continuing our series through Philippians.  The terrible tragedy in Japan has had many people Christian or otherwise asking, “Why?”  I was with one staff member who asked me on Friday: “OK Pastor, was God sleeping or what?”  It is not my intent to answer the question of the problem of evil here.  As a trans-denominational organization we have many differing opinions on God’s providence and will.  What I will say is that it is good to wrestle with the question.  In fact I was reminded by my co-worker’s question about a Psalm that poses that exact query:

Psalm 44:23-24 (NIV)
23 Awake, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever.
24 Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression?

I think as Christians we too quickly want to run in and say why a tragedy has occurred.  Some famous Christians have gotten themselves in some trouble doing just that.  I think Christians need to be seen wrestling with the question as much as giving an answer.  We must wrestle respectfully.  The Psalmist of Psalm 44 opens with a section that gives God the glory due Him.  It concludes with Verse 8:

Psalm 44:8 (NIV)
8 In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever. Selah
Even Jesus may have even sidestepped the question when given the chance.

John 9:1-3 (NIV)
1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth.
2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.
Perhaps Jesus does answer the “why” question with “this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.”  That is what I always thought until about a month ago when I was reading a commentary on John by David Guzik that points out:

“It is possible that John 9:3 could be punctuated like this: ". . . nor his parents sinned. But that the works of God should be revealed in him, I must work . . ."”

The oldest manuscripts of the New Testament do not have punctuation (or even spaces between words) which leave translators with difficult choices.  Maybe Jesus doesn’t answer the question at all.  That is for each of us to decide and wrestle with. Either way I think we can learn from Guzik’s idea.  It is when we work that the works of God are revealed.  It is not enough for us to wrestle with our faith.  (Why there is evil in the world is only one of those questions.)  We need to live our faith. 

The “fear and trembling” part of the passage is preceded by a call to obedience and followed by a call to “shine like stars” in a depraved generation.  It is good to ask, “God how could this happen?” but first we must always ask “God what can you do through me to help?” 

Imagine how much more Christ would be glorified if instead of giving an answer we were giving aid. 

Mark Wallace

With Fear and Trembling - Phil 2:12-18

Thursday, March 17, 2011 at 4:41 pm · by Neil · in , No comments

Philippians 2:12-18 (NIV)
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
14 Do everything without complaining or arguing,
15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe
16 as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.
17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.
18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
This past week I thought a lot about the phrase: “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” and not only because we are continuing our series through Philippians.  The terrible tragedy in Japan has had many people Christian or otherwise asking, “Why?”  I was with one staff member who asked me on Friday: “OK Pastor, was God sleeping or what?”  It is not my intent to answer the question of the problem of evil here.  As a trans-denominational organization we have many differing opinions on God’s providence and will.  What I will say is that it is good to wrestle with the question.  In fact I was reminded by my co-worker’s question about a Psalm that poses that exact query:

Psalm 44:23-24 (NIV)
23 Awake, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever.
24 Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression?

I think as Christians we too quickly want to run in and say why a tragedy has occurred.  Some famous Christians have gotten themselves in some trouble doing just that.  I think Christians need to be seen wrestling with the question as much as giving an answer.  We must wrestle respectfully.  The Psalmist of Psalm 44 opens with a section that gives God the glory due Him.  It concludes with Verse 8:

Psalm 44:8 (NIV)
8 In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever. Selah
Even Jesus may have even sidestepped the question when given the chance.

John 9:1-3 (NIV)
1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth.
2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.
Perhaps Jesus does answer the “why” question with “this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.”  That is what I always thought until about a month ago when I was reading a commentary on John by David Guzik that points out:

“It is possible that John 9:3 could be punctuated like this: ". . . nor his parents sinned. But that the works of God should be revealed in him, I must work . . ."”

The oldest manuscripts of the New Testament do not have punctuation (or even spaces between words) which leave translators with difficult choices.  Maybe Jesus doesn’t answer the question at all.  That is for each of us to decide and wrestle with. Either way I think we can learn from Guzik’s idea.  It is when we work that the works of God are revealed.  It is not enough for us to wrestle with our faith.  (Why there is evil in the world is only one of those questions.)  We need to live our faith. 

The “fear and trembling” part of the passage is preceded by a call to obedience and followed by a call to “shine like stars” in a depraved generation.  It is good to ask, “God how could this happen?” but first we must always ask “God what can you do through me to help?” 

Imagine how much more Christ would be glorified if instead of giving an answer we were giving aid. 

Mark Wallace

Wednesday, March 09, 2011

Philippians 2:1-11 (NIV)
Sometimes the distance isn't large but it is difficult to cross.


1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

As we continue through Philippians we come to some of my favourite verses. I always think about this passage around Christmas time as I did when I wrote this blog:

http://chdevotions.blogspot.com/2007/12/christs-humility-pt2.html

Paul really pulls out all the stops in Philippians. He leaves no room for excuses. You think your situation is tough? He starts off by emphasizing that he is in prison! You think you can’t follow God and put others needs first? You think “that person” is too hard to reconcile with or put first? He goes to Jesus on the cross!

Christ is our example. There is a pastoral care book by Nouwen, McNeill and Morrison called “Compassion”. I highly recommend this book. It draws 3 truths about how Christ is compassionate toward us.

Firstly, God came to be with us. You can not be compassionate and keep your distance (Geographical distance may still exist but it does make it hard if not impossible. This may be an argument of the difference between empathy and compassion. For with compassion emotional distance can not remain. ) Compassion means literally to “suffer” (Latin/passion) “with” (Latin/cum). Jesus came and dwelt among us. There was no barrier He was not willing to cross to enter into our lives. Often when people find out that I work with persons with exceptional needs they will say things like “I could never do that” or “you must be a patient/special person”. Many people have barriers in their mind that think they would stop them from serving one kind of person or another. While it true that, as Christians we may be called to different kinds of ministry, yet we are all called. I am not special, sometimes serving people is hard. I had more than a few moments as a support worker in peoples homes, and since supporting in various ways, that have made me think “I never pictured myself here/doing this” or sarcastically “I am really putting my higher education to work here”. Imagine how many times Jesus could have thought that while he was on Earth. HE didn’t hold onto equality with God. He washed the disciples’ feet, and I think I am too good for some activities?

That brings us to the second thing. God served. Jesus took a humble position. Paul asks that we “consider others better than ourselves”. This is a hard thing to do but once again is our example that Christ washed the disciples’ feet. He was better than them but He served. Compassion has to be about the other. If we are focused on ourselves we can not feel what they feel.

Lastly Nouwen et. al. point out that Christ was obedient. As Philippians points out “obedient to death-- even death on a cross! “ Jesus wrestled with not wanting to go the cross. In Gethsemane we see Him begging that there be another way. Yet He obeys and thank God that He does.

There are 3 questions that I have to ask myself and that I encourage you to ask of yourself.

1. What barrier am I letting stand in the way? (Who can I not come along side? Note: this may involve lowering to another’ place to listen to them.)

2. Who is God calling me to serve? Jesus was willing, am I?

3. Where is obedience required? Is there something God is calling me to do that I really don’t want to do?

For those of you who observe the tradition of Lent I would also like to encourage you and wish you a meaning full Lenten season.  For past posts on Lent and Ash Wednesday go here: http://chdevotions.blogspot.com/search/label/Lent

Mark Wallace

Barriers and Compassion Phil 2:1-11

Wednesday, March 09, 2011 at 8:59 am · by Neil · in , No comments

Philippians 2:1-11 (NIV)
Sometimes the distance isn't large but it is difficult to cross.


1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

As we continue through Philippians we come to some of my favourite verses. I always think about this passage around Christmas time as I did when I wrote this blog:

http://chdevotions.blogspot.com/2007/12/christs-humility-pt2.html

Paul really pulls out all the stops in Philippians. He leaves no room for excuses. You think your situation is tough? He starts off by emphasizing that he is in prison! You think you can’t follow God and put others needs first? You think “that person” is too hard to reconcile with or put first? He goes to Jesus on the cross!

Christ is our example. There is a pastoral care book by Nouwen, McNeill and Morrison called “Compassion”. I highly recommend this book. It draws 3 truths about how Christ is compassionate toward us.

Firstly, God came to be with us. You can not be compassionate and keep your distance (Geographical distance may still exist but it does make it hard if not impossible. This may be an argument of the difference between empathy and compassion. For with compassion emotional distance can not remain. ) Compassion means literally to “suffer” (Latin/passion) “with” (Latin/cum). Jesus came and dwelt among us. There was no barrier He was not willing to cross to enter into our lives. Often when people find out that I work with persons with exceptional needs they will say things like “I could never do that” or “you must be a patient/special person”. Many people have barriers in their mind that think they would stop them from serving one kind of person or another. While it true that, as Christians we may be called to different kinds of ministry, yet we are all called. I am not special, sometimes serving people is hard. I had more than a few moments as a support worker in peoples homes, and since supporting in various ways, that have made me think “I never pictured myself here/doing this” or sarcastically “I am really putting my higher education to work here”. Imagine how many times Jesus could have thought that while he was on Earth. HE didn’t hold onto equality with God. He washed the disciples’ feet, and I think I am too good for some activities?

That brings us to the second thing. God served. Jesus took a humble position. Paul asks that we “consider others better than ourselves”. This is a hard thing to do but once again is our example that Christ washed the disciples’ feet. He was better than them but He served. Compassion has to be about the other. If we are focused on ourselves we can not feel what they feel.

Lastly Nouwen et. al. point out that Christ was obedient. As Philippians points out “obedient to death-- even death on a cross! “ Jesus wrestled with not wanting to go the cross. In Gethsemane we see Him begging that there be another way. Yet He obeys and thank God that He does.

There are 3 questions that I have to ask myself and that I encourage you to ask of yourself.

1. What barrier am I letting stand in the way? (Who can I not come along side? Note: this may involve lowering to another’ place to listen to them.)

2. Who is God calling me to serve? Jesus was willing, am I?

3. Where is obedience required? Is there something God is calling me to do that I really don’t want to do?

For those of you who observe the tradition of Lent I would also like to encourage you and wish you a meaning full Lenten season.  For past posts on Lent and Ash Wednesday go here: http://chdevotions.blogspot.com/search/label/Lent

Mark Wallace

Monday, February 28, 2011

Philippians 1:7-19 (NIV)

7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me.
8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,
10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ,
11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God.
12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.
13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.
14 Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.
15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.
16 The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.
17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.
18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,
19 for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.

Continuing in our series on Philippians, I was preparing thoughts on the verses above. I really struggled over what to say/write. I looked at it critically (this passage comes from the “thanksgiving section” of Philippians). I researched prison conditions in Paul’s day (imprisonment was not a punishment; it was only for holding awaiting sentencing of either acquittal or death). I did all that because I was avoiding the nagging thought that I didn’t want to deal with: my situation is almost the complete opposite of Paul’s. He was imprisoned for being a Christian and preaching the gospel. He suffered negative worldly consequences for following Christ. I, on the other hand, reap earthly rewards for following (or at least looking like I am following) Christ. I work for a Christian employer. My family and friends are mostly people who are Christians. All of the external pressures in my life are to keep the faith, not abandon it - at least to keep it outwardly. It is only when it is between God and I, and no one will ever know, that I am faced with the decision to “consider the cost”.

This situation puts fear into me sometimes because I am faced with the thought of “would I still be a Christian if it didn’t benefit me so much here.” I have to constantly focus not on appearing Christian but following after God in my own heart. Paul’s faith was put to the test by outward forces. I need to work out my own faith in my own heart “with fear and trembling”. Paul was faithful in the face of opposition. I am in danger of being complacent in the face of peace and comfort.

Notice Paul says that even the ministry of those who preach out of selfish motives can be used by God. I can’t even use ministry effectiveness as a sign that I am right with God. I don’t want to “play church” or “play pastor.” I want my relationship with God to be real. Those around me will never be able to validate it. Only God, who the relationship is with, can give me that comfort and validation.

Prayer:

Lord, help me to focus on you. Help me to not worry about what others think about my relationship with you but to make the relationship real. My situation is one where perceived piety will be rewarded. Help me to be real with you. I need you Lord. Help me never to forget it.

Mark Wallace

Philippians 1:7-19

Monday, February 28, 2011 at 12:12 pm · by Neil · in , No comments

Philippians 1:7-19 (NIV)

7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me.
8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,
10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ,
11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God.
12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.
13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.
14 Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.
15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.
16 The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.
17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.
18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,
19 for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.

Continuing in our series on Philippians, I was preparing thoughts on the verses above. I really struggled over what to say/write. I looked at it critically (this passage comes from the “thanksgiving section” of Philippians). I researched prison conditions in Paul’s day (imprisonment was not a punishment; it was only for holding awaiting sentencing of either acquittal or death). I did all that because I was avoiding the nagging thought that I didn’t want to deal with: my situation is almost the complete opposite of Paul’s. He was imprisoned for being a Christian and preaching the gospel. He suffered negative worldly consequences for following Christ. I, on the other hand, reap earthly rewards for following (or at least looking like I am following) Christ. I work for a Christian employer. My family and friends are mostly people who are Christians. All of the external pressures in my life are to keep the faith, not abandon it - at least to keep it outwardly. It is only when it is between God and I, and no one will ever know, that I am faced with the decision to “consider the cost”.

This situation puts fear into me sometimes because I am faced with the thought of “would I still be a Christian if it didn’t benefit me so much here.” I have to constantly focus not on appearing Christian but following after God in my own heart. Paul’s faith was put to the test by outward forces. I need to work out my own faith in my own heart “with fear and trembling”. Paul was faithful in the face of opposition. I am in danger of being complacent in the face of peace and comfort.

Notice Paul says that even the ministry of those who preach out of selfish motives can be used by God. I can’t even use ministry effectiveness as a sign that I am right with God. I don’t want to “play church” or “play pastor.” I want my relationship with God to be real. Those around me will never be able to validate it. Only God, who the relationship is with, can give me that comfort and validation.

Prayer:

Lord, help me to focus on you. Help me to not worry about what others think about my relationship with you but to make the relationship real. My situation is one where perceived piety will be rewarded. Help me to be real with you. I need you Lord. Help me never to forget it.

Mark Wallace

Tuesday, January 04, 2011


I got this comic from a website with no copyright info.
  The copyright is that of its owner.
 It is New Year’s resolution time. Today is the 4th of January so more accurately it is probably broken resolution time. I did a search yesterday to read news articles to find the top resolutions that people make. Most lists have these in the top four:


Lose Weight
Quit Smoking
Reduce Debt
Drink Less Alcohol

It isn’t surprising. These are usually the top resolutions. If something stays on the list of top resolutions from year to year it tells you one thing. We are not good at following through. As I was thinking about resolutions this year I was reminded of some people I had seen over the holiday. I was back visiting some people I hadn’t seen in a while. A few of these people display self injurious behavior - it was difficult to see. I had forgotten how hard it is to watch someone hurt themselves. I know for many people who work supporting people with special needs they would say that dealing with self injurious behaviors is one of the hardest things. Most would say they would do anything to help a person quit this behavior. Hopefully access to local behavioral supports is in place. I am sorry I don’t have a quick fix for you. But I again think of the top resolutions. It is hard for us to watch someone we care about do something that hurts them.

Imagine it from God’s perspective. He loves us and He watches us do things that are bad for us or downright injurious to our bodies or our spirits all the time. I think about how hard it must be. I am reminded of the story of the lost (prodigal) son (Luke 15). That father knew his son was squandering his inheritance on things that were bad for body and spirit. He longed for his son’s return to be reconciled as well as to stop what the NIV calls “wild living”. If you need some help sticking to your resolutions this year and some of those harmful behaviors are on your list I challenge you to think of you r loving Father who wants the best for you.

Mark Wallace

The Top 4

Tuesday, January 04, 2011 at 1:53 pm · by Neil · in , 1 comment


I got this comic from a website with no copyright info.
  The copyright is that of its owner.
 It is New Year’s resolution time. Today is the 4th of January so more accurately it is probably broken resolution time. I did a search yesterday to read news articles to find the top resolutions that people make. Most lists have these in the top four:


Lose Weight
Quit Smoking
Reduce Debt
Drink Less Alcohol

It isn’t surprising. These are usually the top resolutions. If something stays on the list of top resolutions from year to year it tells you one thing. We are not good at following through. As I was thinking about resolutions this year I was reminded of some people I had seen over the holiday. I was back visiting some people I hadn’t seen in a while. A few of these people display self injurious behavior - it was difficult to see. I had forgotten how hard it is to watch someone hurt themselves. I know for many people who work supporting people with special needs they would say that dealing with self injurious behaviors is one of the hardest things. Most would say they would do anything to help a person quit this behavior. Hopefully access to local behavioral supports is in place. I am sorry I don’t have a quick fix for you. But I again think of the top resolutions. It is hard for us to watch someone we care about do something that hurts them.

Imagine it from God’s perspective. He loves us and He watches us do things that are bad for us or downright injurious to our bodies or our spirits all the time. I think about how hard it must be. I am reminded of the story of the lost (prodigal) son (Luke 15). That father knew his son was squandering his inheritance on things that were bad for body and spirit. He longed for his son’s return to be reconciled as well as to stop what the NIV calls “wild living”. If you need some help sticking to your resolutions this year and some of those harmful behaviors are on your list I challenge you to think of you r loving Father who wants the best for you.

Mark Wallace

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

The fourth candle of advent is the candle of Peace or Love. The Christmas story is really a message of Peace. God came to live with us to make peace with us when we could not make peace with him.

Luke 2:8-14 (NIV)

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."


As I have been thinking about so many characters in the Christmas story, I have noticed just how unsettling the experience was for them: Zachariah, Mary, Joseph, the Shepherds. Usually when angels appear the first thing they say is, “Do not fear”. I can’t really think of anything that would “disturb the peace” more than an angel showing up! I imagine that these folks were just going about their daily lives. They were probably quite peaceful. The interjection of God’s plan into their lives probably seems like anything but peace bringing. It probably isn’t very peace invoking to find out you are pregnant out of wedlock, in a society where you can get the death penalty for that. But all of the people I have mentioned realized greater peace and joy.

They were all awakened to what we would call ‘supernatural’ but is in fact the real realm we walk in everyday. We are surrounded by angels (as Elisha’s servant finds out in 2 Kings 6); something that we are oblivious to. The peace that these characters were shaken from is a false peace. I know for myself I can settle into a sense of peace (security may be a better word) sometimes when I lose sight of God and his larger plan. I settle for a peace that is based on the world I can see. I need to be shaken out of this false peace and to be reconciled into a peace that is based on the truth. God is real. He and his agents are present. He loves me. He forgives me. I am at peace with Him not because of anything I have done but because He was willing to come and make peace with me through His own sacrifice.

I pray that we will all have moments when we are shaken form the earthly peace of our turkey comas this Christmas and be confronted with the supernatural - the real world around us that we can’t see. God has come that we can have peace with Him and each other.

FEAR NOT!--yikes!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010 at 1:17 pm · by Neil · in , No comments

The fourth candle of advent is the candle of Peace or Love. The Christmas story is really a message of Peace. God came to live with us to make peace with us when we could not make peace with him.

Luke 2:8-14 (NIV)

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."


As I have been thinking about so many characters in the Christmas story, I have noticed just how unsettling the experience was for them: Zachariah, Mary, Joseph, the Shepherds. Usually when angels appear the first thing they say is, “Do not fear”. I can’t really think of anything that would “disturb the peace” more than an angel showing up! I imagine that these folks were just going about their daily lives. They were probably quite peaceful. The interjection of God’s plan into their lives probably seems like anything but peace bringing. It probably isn’t very peace invoking to find out you are pregnant out of wedlock, in a society where you can get the death penalty for that. But all of the people I have mentioned realized greater peace and joy.

They were all awakened to what we would call ‘supernatural’ but is in fact the real realm we walk in everyday. We are surrounded by angels (as Elisha’s servant finds out in 2 Kings 6); something that we are oblivious to. The peace that these characters were shaken from is a false peace. I know for myself I can settle into a sense of peace (security may be a better word) sometimes when I lose sight of God and his larger plan. I settle for a peace that is based on the world I can see. I need to be shaken out of this false peace and to be reconciled into a peace that is based on the truth. God is real. He and his agents are present. He loves me. He forgives me. I am at peace with Him not because of anything I have done but because He was willing to come and make peace with me through His own sacrifice.

I pray that we will all have moments when we are shaken form the earthly peace of our turkey comas this Christmas and be confronted with the supernatural - the real world around us that we can’t see. God has come that we can have peace with Him and each other.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

The third Advent candle is the candle of Joy. Christmas is truly a joyous season as we remember Christ coming to live among us. We have the benefit of history. We know the whole story of His life. We know the great freedom He brought us through His sacrificial death. As we have been going through this season looking at Hope it has caused me to pause. I have been thinking about how different the events were than what those hoping for Christ’s coming were expecting, and how confusing it must have been for those who journeyed with Jesus through them.

So often our hopes are realized but not in the way we expect. For most people in the bible they have an idea of how things will go and God does bring their hope to reality, but not in the way they expect. He brings a better way. Think of Abraham and the promise of descendants. Think of the Israelite army and Goliath. This is also true with the life of Christ. We know that many of the faithful in Jesus’ day were hoping for an earthly king like David to lead the people in overthrowing their oppressors and taking back the promise land. God’s plan was much larger. The Messiah came to free us from the power of sin and death not simply an earthly empire. God had a better plan. God’s plan brought more Joy.

Even around the Christmas story the hopes that were realized were met in a strange way. I am sure the Magi were surprised when they found the King born under the star. He was not in a palace but in a humble scene. Mary, who had found favour with God, surely wanted the Messiah to come but clearly she was surprised by the way He did. It was the only way that He could fulfill His mission and bring us true joy.

I have been thinking a lot about the other birth foretold in the first chapter of Luke - that of John the Baptist. Zachariah, as a godly priest, surely was on the lookout for Elijah and hoping for the Messiah. He is also surprised when it is revealed how this will happen (vs18). Because of his unbelief Zachariah is unable to speak. In reading commentaries this past week (David Guzik’s commentary that is free on bluletterbible.org was very helpful), I learned that the great crowd that waited for Zachariah to emerge from the Temple was waiting for him to speak a blessing over them. Once again their hope is realized but in a different way. Zachariah can not speak. If he could however he would not be giving them the usual blessing from Numbers but would be telling them the wait was over, the Messiah was coming.

I am sure that Zachariah was proud of his son. I am sure Mary was proud of hers as well. But both John and Jesus lived such different lives than most parents would hope for. By any earthly measure both men’s lives were failures. They had no property to speak of. They were looked down on by the powerful of their day and in the end both killed. In earthly terms John ate locusts and was killed by an exotic dancer. In the kingdom of heaven, John got to introduce the Messiah. He got to preside over Jesus’ baptism where the Father, Son and Holy Spirit began the ministry that would change the course of history both in heaven and on earth. I am sure his godly parents were proud.

We know that Jesus’ Father was well pleased. To Mary, Jesus’ life must have seemed strange from announcement to death but I sure she had an eternal perspective. The hope was fulfilled but in a way no one would have predicted and in a way that brought more Joy than they could have imagined.

I find that this is still true today. When I look back over my life I see that God has done many things I have hoped for but He has done many of them in ways that seemed strange or even wrong at the time. I have learned however that my hopes are too small. When He gives me what I hope for it is usually in a better way and one that gives more joy, not always in the earthly perspective but it gives me a glimpse into His perspective.

Mark Wallace

The Candle of Joy

Tuesday, December 14, 2010 at 12:10 pm · by Neil · in , No comments

The third Advent candle is the candle of Joy. Christmas is truly a joyous season as we remember Christ coming to live among us. We have the benefit of history. We know the whole story of His life. We know the great freedom He brought us through His sacrificial death. As we have been going through this season looking at Hope it has caused me to pause. I have been thinking about how different the events were than what those hoping for Christ’s coming were expecting, and how confusing it must have been for those who journeyed with Jesus through them.

So often our hopes are realized but not in the way we expect. For most people in the bible they have an idea of how things will go and God does bring their hope to reality, but not in the way they expect. He brings a better way. Think of Abraham and the promise of descendants. Think of the Israelite army and Goliath. This is also true with the life of Christ. We know that many of the faithful in Jesus’ day were hoping for an earthly king like David to lead the people in overthrowing their oppressors and taking back the promise land. God’s plan was much larger. The Messiah came to free us from the power of sin and death not simply an earthly empire. God had a better plan. God’s plan brought more Joy.

Even around the Christmas story the hopes that were realized were met in a strange way. I am sure the Magi were surprised when they found the King born under the star. He was not in a palace but in a humble scene. Mary, who had found favour with God, surely wanted the Messiah to come but clearly she was surprised by the way He did. It was the only way that He could fulfill His mission and bring us true joy.

I have been thinking a lot about the other birth foretold in the first chapter of Luke - that of John the Baptist. Zachariah, as a godly priest, surely was on the lookout for Elijah and hoping for the Messiah. He is also surprised when it is revealed how this will happen (vs18). Because of his unbelief Zachariah is unable to speak. In reading commentaries this past week (David Guzik’s commentary that is free on bluletterbible.org was very helpful), I learned that the great crowd that waited for Zachariah to emerge from the Temple was waiting for him to speak a blessing over them. Once again their hope is realized but in a different way. Zachariah can not speak. If he could however he would not be giving them the usual blessing from Numbers but would be telling them the wait was over, the Messiah was coming.

I am sure that Zachariah was proud of his son. I am sure Mary was proud of hers as well. But both John and Jesus lived such different lives than most parents would hope for. By any earthly measure both men’s lives were failures. They had no property to speak of. They were looked down on by the powerful of their day and in the end both killed. In earthly terms John ate locusts and was killed by an exotic dancer. In the kingdom of heaven, John got to introduce the Messiah. He got to preside over Jesus’ baptism where the Father, Son and Holy Spirit began the ministry that would change the course of history both in heaven and on earth. I am sure his godly parents were proud.

We know that Jesus’ Father was well pleased. To Mary, Jesus’ life must have seemed strange from announcement to death but I sure she had an eternal perspective. The hope was fulfilled but in a way no one would have predicted and in a way that brought more Joy than they could have imagined.

I find that this is still true today. When I look back over my life I see that God has done many things I have hoped for but He has done many of them in ways that seemed strange or even wrong at the time. I have learned however that my hopes are too small. When He gives me what I hope for it is usually in a better way and one that gives more joy, not always in the earthly perspective but it gives me a glimpse into His perspective.

Mark Wallace

Friday, December 03, 2010


Today is the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities. We would like everyone who is involved in the ministry of Christian Horizons to take a moment today to focus on the truth that we live out everyday; that all humans, regardless of ability or need are made by God in His image and are indispensable in the body of Christ.


Though we are different we are all a part of His kingdom.

1 Corinthians 12:12-27 (NIV)


12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Today as we celebrate those who have different abilities, I would encourage everyone to think of something they have gained, whether it be knowledge, wisdom, help, kindness, hope or love through a person that was different than ourselves. We are richer for our differences. We all have gifts to use. I love that Paul says those that seem to be weaker are indispensable. Those of us who have responded to God’s call to serve know that the value of anyone does not depend on their abilities but on the fact that we are made by God. It doesn’t matter how we seem to the world or the value that society places on our lives. Our true value in God’s eyes is so much that He would send his son to die so that we could be in a relationship with Him.



• What is something that you have gained from someone who is different than yourself?


• What gifts do you have to contribute (what part are you in Christ’s body)?


• What is one way you can support someone to use their gifts in a new way?

Prayer:

Our Father,

As we join with the United Nations today to focus on persons who have different abilities we thank you that you value us for who you created us to be not because of the things we can or can’t do. Help us to all see each other with your eyes. Help us to focus on the gifts you have given each of us rather than on each of our deficits. Help us to use our gifts to love you and show your love to others. Help us to advocate for others and help them to bring their needed voice and gifts to communities that can never be whole without them. Help us all to live the values of Christian Horizons and honour you and value people in all we do and with all our resources. Thanks you that you see us all as indispensable in your body. Lord please use us for your glory.

Amen



Mark Wallace

International Day of Persons with Disabilities, 3 December

Friday, December 03, 2010 at 9:21 am · by Neil · in , No comments


Today is the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities. We would like everyone who is involved in the ministry of Christian Horizons to take a moment today to focus on the truth that we live out everyday; that all humans, regardless of ability or need are made by God in His image and are indispensable in the body of Christ.


Though we are different we are all a part of His kingdom.

1 Corinthians 12:12-27 (NIV)


12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Today as we celebrate those who have different abilities, I would encourage everyone to think of something they have gained, whether it be knowledge, wisdom, help, kindness, hope or love through a person that was different than ourselves. We are richer for our differences. We all have gifts to use. I love that Paul says those that seem to be weaker are indispensable. Those of us who have responded to God’s call to serve know that the value of anyone does not depend on their abilities but on the fact that we are made by God. It doesn’t matter how we seem to the world or the value that society places on our lives. Our true value in God’s eyes is so much that He would send his son to die so that we could be in a relationship with Him.



• What is something that you have gained from someone who is different than yourself?


• What gifts do you have to contribute (what part are you in Christ’s body)?


• What is one way you can support someone to use their gifts in a new way?

Prayer:

Our Father,

As we join with the United Nations today to focus on persons who have different abilities we thank you that you value us for who you created us to be not because of the things we can or can’t do. Help us to all see each other with your eyes. Help us to focus on the gifts you have given each of us rather than on each of our deficits. Help us to use our gifts to love you and show your love to others. Help us to advocate for others and help them to bring their needed voice and gifts to communities that can never be whole without them. Help us all to live the values of Christian Horizons and honour you and value people in all we do and with all our resources. Thanks you that you see us all as indispensable in your body. Lord please use us for your glory.

Amen



Mark Wallace

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)