#4 Mission Impossible

I am coming off two weeks of camp. First Christian Reformed Church every summer runs two weeks of camp for kids ages 10-15. On the Thursday night of camp we play a game called "Mission Impossible." The object of the game is for the campers to make it to a specific point without being identify by the counselors. Each time a camper is successful, he or she earns one point. The camper with the most points wins. If a counselor correctly identifies a camper, the camper must return to the starting point and try again. To make things more difficult for the counselors, the campers disguise themselves. They use sleeping bags, table cloths, boxes, each other's hats, sweat shirts, and shoes, and anything else they can find.

The campers' commitment to scoring points impressed me. I was also impressed by the counselor's knowledge of each camper. The counselors could call out a camper based on how they walked. And when all else failed, the counselors rattled off every camper's name as fast a possible. I thought I knew the campers well but this game proved me wrong.

While playing Mission Impossible is fun, it got me thinking about how deeply God knows each of us. Psalms 139 reminds us that God knows when we get up and go to bed. God knows each of our thoughts even before we know them. There is no thought that we can hide from God. Nor is there any place we can hide from God. God is always present. While it can be scary to think that someone knows me so well, it is also comforting. It is comforting to know that I am not my own, but belong— body and soul, in life and in death— to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.

He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. (Heidelberg Catechism Q&A #1)

Grace and Peace,
BD

# 3 What do these stones mean?

When I drive into town or to church, I cross the North Saskatchewan River. Crossing the North Saskatchewan River on a daily basis caused me to think about water and in particular the Jordan River. The Jordan River is the place where the Israelites crossed over into the Promised Land. The Jordan River is place where John the Baptist baptized Jesus and God affirmed the ministry that Jesus would do. In both of these stories, people witnessed God at work.

At the end of Joshua 4: 7 God tells the Israelites that the 12 stones taken from the Jordan River are to be set up as a memorial. A memorial of when God cut off the waters of the Jordan River so that the Israelites could cross over. The stones would be a reminder for the people so that when some asked what do the stones mean, they could tell the story of how God worked.

In the church I grew up in, we would call these moments God sightings. Sharing our God sightings provides us an opportunity to share how God is working in our lives. Sharing God sightings provides us with a source of encouragement when we encounter difficult seasons of life. Sharing God sightings gives us joy in knowing that God cares and loves us. Sharing how we see God at work, helps us connect with one another. Sharing how God is at work teaches the next generation about God and shows them that God is active in the world today.

How have you seen God lately? 

Grace and Peace,
BD

North Saskatchewan River

# 2: Spiritual Surveyor

During my trek out to Rocky Mountain House, Alberta Canada, I encountered several stretches of road construction. While driving through one of those stretches, I noticed a construction crew hard at work. I am not sure what they are doing but I am sure it took some planing. I am sure planing had to begin with surveyors measuring angles and distances so to develop a plan for the construction crew to work from. And this got me thinking about the book of Ezra.
The beginning of chapter 7 is the genealogy of Ezra. Normally I would simply skip over this long and often difficult to pronounce list of names. Instead, I slowly made my way through the list of names and at the very end is "the son of Aaron the Chief priest." This last name struck me with the realization that Ezra was part of the priestly line. Then upon arriving to Jerusalem in chapter 9, Ezra gets a report from the leaders that the people of God have intermarried with the local people. Something God had commanded them not to do. So what does Ezra do? He surveys and calls the people of God to reform. He calls them back to God.
Michael Williams in his book How to Read the Bible through the Jesus Lens nicely summarizes Ezra's purpose. He writes:
They [God's people] had labored long and against fierce opposition to build the temple where he [God] would visibly dwell among them. But the major obstacle to their progress was not the bureaucratic red tape strewn in their path by the jealous and suspicious local officials. No, their real obstacle was internal. The external construction [of the temple] was accomplished, but there was some work left to do for the internal construction work of the returned exiles. Ezra served as building inspector for the internal construction work of the exiles. (58) 
Thinking about Ezra and this quote from Williams, I asked myself: who are the Ezras in my life? Who has God used to be my spiritual surveyors? 
The Ezras in my life have been my mentors and close friends. They have surveyed my internal construction, noting what needs repair. They have walked along side of me as I made such repairs. And I thank God for placing these "spiritual surveyors" into my life. So who are your spiritual surveyors? Who are your Ezras?
Grace and Peace,
BD

#1: The Journey Begins (Again)

After reading several friend's blog, I remembered I had a blog. Inspired by those friends I am once again starting the journey of blogging, so here it goes:

One year ago, I graduated from seminary. In the last year, I worked three jobs. I worked as a intern chaplain. I worked at privately owned country club. Finally, I worked at Five Guys Burger and Fries. Each place taught me something about ministry. My time as a chaplain taught me how important empathic listening is for pastoral care. Both my time at the country club and at Five Guys taught me how to talk about faith with those are estrange from church or do not have faith.

Now I am beginning the journey as an intern pastor at First Christian Reformed Church in Rocky Mountain House, Alberta Canada. I am excite to partner with God and the people at First Christian Reformed Church in doing ministry in the Rocky Mountain House community. I am excite to learn even more deeply what it means to be a pastor. With this excitement, let the journey begin!

Grace and peace, 

  BD