SEARCHLIGHT

 DECEMBER 1, 2022 Isaiah 11:1 “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.” The Jesse Tree is basically an advent calendar that tells the story of God beginning with Creation following the story along to the leading of His people out of exile through Jesus Christ. Each day we will remember a different Bible story, showing how God has walked with His people throughout history, leading them to the promise of Christ, and revealing different parts of the promise along the way. This advent season, as we wait for Christ’s birth and the celebration of His redemptive Hope, Joy, Peace, Love, and Light, let us wait with those who have come before us. Their Stories are our stories, we are all connected. Let us wait with the people who walked in faith, who sometimes really messed things up and yet observed miracles and unimaginable successes as they waited for God’s promise to unfold. Even in the waiting God calls us to faithfulness. Even in the da

 NOVEMBER 30, 2022 Isaiah 11:1-3 A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. His delight shall be in the fear of the lord. Henri Nouwen writes, I keep expecting loud and impressive events to convince me and others of God’s saving power…Our temptation is to be distracted by them…When I have no eyes for the small signs of God’s presence – the smile of a baby, the carefree play of children, the words of encouragement and gestures of love offered by friends – I will always remain tempted to despair. The small child of Bethlehem, the unknown man of Nazareth, the rejected preacher, the naked man on the cross, he asks for my full attention. The work of our salvation takes place in the midst of a world that continues to shout, scream, and overwhelm us with its claims and promises. LET U

 NOVEMBER 29, 2022 Matthew 24:44 “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” Luke 21:25-36 25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” 29 He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 “Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 33 Heaven and earth will

 NOVEMBER 28, 2022 Revelation 22:20 “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.                                                                   ( MARANATHA ) Paul’s letters are mostly written in Greek, but when he closes 1 Corinthians he uses a surprise Aramaic word - Maranatha. This suggests that Maranatha was a common phrase of worship and prayer handed down from the earliest Aramaic speaking followers of Jesus, and that it had a particular importance for the church in early times. If you think about this in our worship language today we use ancient words like Hallelujah, Hosanna, and Amen in a similar way – they have become part of the language of our worship. So what does Maranatha mean? It is commonly translated “Come, Lord” (see Revelation 22:20), Bible scholar Kenneth Bailey, in his book Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes points out that there are really three possible meanings for Maranatha: He writes, “As often observed, this last

  NOVEMBER 25, 2022 Ephesians 1:20-21 He raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand... far above all rule and authority, power and dominion.”  The words “king”, “kingdoms” and “throne” are ones we associate with storybooks from childhood, or perhaps epic fictional dramas made into long movies or TV series. The Advent invitation to wait for Jesus as “the coming King” can therefore feel as if it has little to do with reality. Let’s instead try some other words from today’s verses: Rule. Authority. Power. Dominion. These are words that can be found in today’s newspaper, on the political blog you read, in the tweets of heads of countries. We are aware of the authorities around us: the leaders we’ve elected, as well as, the influence of big-business, tech companies and celebrity culture. In light of these what does it mean to wait for Jesus, our coming King? The believers in Ephesus knew about powers and authorities. Theirs was a city where Roman emperors were establishin

 NOVEMBER 24, 2022 Psalm 130:5 “I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits.” This weekend we begin the season of Advent. “Advent” means “coming”. When we believe that something is coming, we live in an in-between state. When friends or family are about to arrive at our home for a celebration we might run around tidying up, glancing at the clock or out the window. We are not yet experiencing the fullness of our guests’ presence, and at the same time we act in expectation of their appearance.  Let me ask you, How have you approached Advent in the past?  Has it centered around a chocolate a day calendar, or perhaps the lighting of special candles? Or maybe Advent as a season has been trampled under the rush to buy gifts, or planning parties and finishing up some work in order to be ready for some time off, and a little break? Take a moment to jot down some of your previous experiences of Advent on a slip of paper, or in your notes APP on your phone. What if, this year, you decided to dedic

 NOVEMBER 23, 2022 James 5:16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Stephen Blandino wrote, “People are messed up. I’m messed up, you’re messed up, and we all have problems. If you don’t think you have a problem…that’s your problem.” When I read that quote it made me smile by its truth. I find, maybe you do too, that I/we often don’t get very real in relationships. Keeping people at an arm’s length distance because we don’t want them to see the real us; the parts of us that are still unattractive and need a lot of work. I think we entertain the thought and to a certain extent we believe that if they saw who we really are, they might disappear from our lives and remove us from their lives. The reason I liked Blandino’s quote above is that an honest evaluation of ourselves and others results in the acknowledgement that we all have issues. If we think we

 NOVEMBER 22, 2022  ACTS 2:42-47 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2 describes a community: they ate together, prayed together, and had a great time together. Most days were filled with awe and wonder by how God was moving in their midst. Generosity coursed through their veins as they shared all that they had with whomever was in need. They spent time together every day and worshiped God with all their hearts. An

 NOVEMBER 21, 2022 Genesis 1:1; 31 1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth …. 31Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! Genesis 2:18 Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” John 13:34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 1 John 3:23 And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. From the beginning of creation, being alone was never the plan. So, God did something about that by creating companionship for us. That’s where this notion of community comes in. So, what is community? As Jesus followers, community is having meaningful relationships where we do life together by sharing, encouraging, serving, forgiving, and pursuing faithfully after God. I believe that community is a context where we can be our true s

 NOVEMBER 18, 2022 Galatians 6:9 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” I remember a friend of my dad's who was a pastor sharing the story about a man in the community of their church. He was really quite antagonistic toward the church. This particular church from time to time would hold outside services in their parking lot. This gentleman lived across the street from the church. And whenever these services would be going on. He would be blaring his music from his garage a s loud as he could. At other times he would set off his car alarm in the middle of the service. And he would be in no rush to turn it off. My dad's friend went to visit him to talk to him about his approach to the church's outdoor worship. But he was cold, and sarcastic and harsh.  Is there anyone, or any situation in your world that you are just ready to give up on? Perhaps you’ve tried and tried but you continually seem to hit a “w

 NOVEMBER 17, 2022 Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” “You will be my witnesses.” What does a witness do? A witness testifies to what they have seen, what they know personally. A witness shares knowledge of an event from personal observation or experience. The first disciples did just that. In 1 John the opening verse says this: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. They talked about the miracles they had seen; they recounted the lessons Jesus taught them. Just think, these disciples were eyewitnesses to the miraculous event of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and his ascension. That would not be easily forgotten. These miraculous events triggered the movement that has literally influenced and c

 NOVEMBER 16, 2022 1 Peter 3:15 “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” As we continue to think about how we reflect the heart of God in our living and relationships today's verse has a message for us. Our passage was written by the apostle Peter. Peter was one of Jesus’ closest companions during his ministry on earth. And it was to Peter and the other disciples that Jesus gave us the message of  God’s amazing love and commitment to each person. As I read social media posts, news articles, stories of conflict and anxieties, I am convinced that people are seeking hope. There is a deep longing for a foundation on which to build our future. People worry about what is ahead. And now more than ever, it is vital that we, as a followers of Jesus, are prepared to share that hope that we have with others. You don’t have to be an expert in

  NOVEMBER 15, 2022 Colossians 4:1-6 2-4 Pray diligently. Stay alert, with your eyes wide open in gratitude. Don’t forget to pray for us, that God will open doors for telling the mystery of Christ, even while I’m locked up in this jail. Pray that every time I open my mouth I’ll be able to make Christ plain as day to them. 5-6 Use your heads as you live and work among outsiders. Don’t miss a trick. Make the most of every opportunity. Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out. The Message Something we have been identifying in this devotion series called Contagious is that Jesus continually demonstrated His willingness to engage with outsiders, the so-called sinners of his day, those who were of questionably reputation, or ones who were deemed lowly to the religious elite.  In today’s passage, we are encouraged by the apostle Paul to be wise in the way we act toward outsiders, making the most of every opp

 NOVEMBER 14, 2022 Matthew 19:13-15 Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.   Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.   When we read the words of today’s passage, it doesn’t seem that uncommon that Jesus would love on children the way He did. We’ve grown up singing, “Jesus loves the little children," and we live in a culture that generally values children.  Look at the City of Windsor as an example, notice the way that there has been investment in our parks with play structures, splash pads, bike trails, and recreational programs. But in the first century, children were of extremely low status and held very little value. The disciples treated these children in our Gospel reading today, as an annoyance, as a bother. But Jesus took this opport

 NOVEMBER 11, 2022 They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning. We will remember them.

 NOVEMBER 10, 2022 Psalms 33:20-22 Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in Him, because we trust in His holy name. Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in You. Just last week the Canadian Army deployed a regiment of military engineers to give support and training to new recruits in the Ukrainian Army, who are training in Poland. Our service women and men will bolster the work already being done by the Polish army. Canadian troops have also been assisting and Supporting the Refugee Reception Centres in Poland.  On November 8, 2022 Canadian military Veteran Joseph Hildebrand, who served two tours in Afghanistan died as a volunteer while fighting on the front lines in Ukraine. Joseph’s brother said that they had no ethnic or family ties to Ukraine, but his brother just decided he wanted to help. I mentioned this today. Because in this week of remembrance we often focus on those who served our country in the past and made

 NOVEMBER 9, 2022 Today's Devotion is a revision of one that I wrote in 2020. I believe it is on an issue that is important to highlight on a week of Remembrance. The scars of war and service go deeper than any physical wound.   Jeremiah 17:14 (The Message) God, pick up the pieces. Put me back together again The Rev. Harold Appleyard served as a military chaplain during the Second World War. He joined the Grey and Simcoe Foresters in 1941 as their unit chaplain. Almost as soon as he landed, the destruction in England struck him as appalling. He quickly began to collect shards of stained glass from the shattered windows of damaged churches and began to envision using them for a memorial window at his parish church. On volunteer fire duty one night in the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, he met an architect responsible for London’s ancient churches, who referred him to the Cox and Barnard Stained Glass Works in Hove, Sussex. The firm offered to design and re-lead the glas

 NOVEMBER 8, 2022 Yesterday we reflected on the question. What have you done with what was saved? Today I wonder if the best way to honor the service and sacrifice of those who fought in war is to be people of “peace.” “Blessed are the peacemakers,” Jesus said in Matthew 5, “for they shall be called Children of God.” 2 Corinthians 13:11 records, “Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.” Isaiah 55:12 promises “You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.” Finally, these words “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace ….” Let us Pray for Peace. The Words of John Oxenham’s 1938 hymn are good words to guide our Prayer today. Peace in our time, O Lord, To all the peoples – peace! Peace surel

 NOVEMBER 7, 2022 MATTHEW 25:21 21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ ________________________ At a Remembrance Day ceremony I attended, I can still picture one soldier,  as she stepped up to the microphone and read from a folded sheet of paper she pulled out her pocket a reading that kept asking the same question throughout its text. That question was “What have you done with what was saved?” That is a good question for Remembrance Week, don’t you think? What have you done with what was saved? Documentaries and news feeds carry presentations that make all too real the human cost of the wars we mark this week. What have we done with what was saved by that great effort, the sacrifice, tallied up in all the stories of struggle, suffering, courage and loss that we hear during this time of Remembrance. On 28 July 1944 Mrs Bavass wrote to Mrs

 NOVEMBER 4, 2022 John 4:1-42 Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John— 2 although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. 3 So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. 4 Now he had to go through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. 7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”11 “Sir,” the woman s