Finding Safe Harbour
As presented by Rev. Jonathan Mills, Pastor at Kanata Baptist
Church.
2009-07-12
Subject: In times of great hardship and trouble, God is our refuge.
Scriptures:
Psalm 62:5-12
5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will
not be shaken.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock,
my refuge.
8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to
him, for God is our refuge. Selah
9 Lowborn men are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie; if
weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath.
10 Do not trust in extortion or take pride in stolen goods;
though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them.
11 One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O
God, are strong,
12 and that you, O Lord, are loving. Surely you will reward each
person according to what he has done.
Jonah 3:1-5, 10
3:1 Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time:
2 "Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message
I give you."
3 Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now
Nineveh was a very important city--a visit required three days.
4 On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed:
"Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned."
5 The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of
them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.
10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil
ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he
had threatened.
Introduction: Christ of the Andes
In the late 1800's Chile and Argentina were embroiled in a
dispute over the border between them. At stake—the land of Patagonia
and the straight of Magellan—an essential international shipping route.
Tension ran high as the two nations tried unsuccessfully to settle the
perplexing challenges of a fair solution. At times, they were on the
verge of military conflict.
However, after lengthy negotiations, the bitter rivalry was
resolved and a peaceful solution was found.
In recognition of this historic agreement, a statue was erected
in the Andes mountains right on the new border: El Cristo de los Andes
(The Christ of the Andes). On its base it has an inscription which
says;
“Sooner shall these mountains crumble into dust than
Argentines and Chileans break the peace sworn at the feet of Christ the
Redeemer.”
Ironically, shortly after the statue was erected, controversy and
bitterness broke out once again—this time centered on the statue
itself. The statue of Christ faces Argentina, and there were some
in Chile who felt this was insulting.
As the story was building momentum, the tension was quickly defused by
a Chilean journalist who said it was only fitting that the statue face
this way since “the people of Argentina need more watching over than
the Chileans.”
I think that tells us a lot about human nature—that a statue of
Christ which is intended to be a symbol of peace—can be made into an
excuse for conflict.
Unfortunately, this is far too common in our world today; conflict,
acrimony, tension, and the potential for violence.
These are an everyday part of the human experience.
Under the Constant Threat of Violence
A) The Slums of Africa
I came face to face with a kind of tension I had not experienced before
just this past January when I was in Africa
As many of you know, I had the privilege of traveling to Kenya on a
Pastor's Mission Consultation. While we were there, we visited several
places where Canadian Baptists are partnering with local churches to
improve the condition of the local people.
Our team met several missionaries who were working with various groups
of refugees and other displaced persons – many who had escaped from
violence, persecution and oppression of various kinds.
B) Called to Love Amidst the Oppression
While these Canadian missionaries, they had come to accept the
atmosphere in which they worked. By arriving there from Canada, our
team felt a tremendous sense of oppression as we set foot in the door.
We brought a reminder to the missionaries of the perspectives of Canada
– where people live, generally, without fear of oppression or violence.
Where women are treated fairly and equally, and where human rights are
afforded to everyone, regardless of ethnicity, religion, race, gender
or language.
What we take for granted, cannot be guaranteed in other parts of the
world and it was hard for us to hear the stories of many local
residents and the hardships and injustices that they face every day.
C) The Psalmist's World—One of Violence
It's hard for us to imagine living under those conditions –
living without the most fundamental human rights or legal protection –
and where our faith puts us directly at risk of physical violence.
Thankfully, our country; our city; our community is not like that.
But it is a reality for many in our world
And throughout history, many have endured a life under a constant
threat of violence. This is the kind of environment that the writer of
Psalm 62 lived in. Yet, in the midst of it all—the writer of the Psalm
could say;
Psalm 62:5-8
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He
alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be
shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock,
my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for
God is our refuge.
These are words of great comfort for us in times of trouble. Images of
a solid rock which cannot be moved – and a fortress which will not be
shaken …. provide a sense of protection and stability.
But the first line is a most important one:
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone.
While it is true that God is the great comfort and strength in times of
trouble for those who trust him—it is also true that our tendency is to
look for other sources of refuge to give us strength; to other things
or people for our refuge.
The Risks and Dangers of Self-Sufficiency
A) Trusting Our Own Strength
Especially since we live in a context of relative peace and prosperity,
there is a very great risk that we will become so complacent in our
comfortable lives that we will turn away from God altogether.
And, in fact, we see this all around us. Many live in utter disregard
for anyone but themselves—trusting in their own strength and
abilities—racing toward a future they hope will be full of prosperity
and leisure …
All around us are people who fit the description of the Rich Fool in
the parable that Jesus told:
B) the Rich Fool
Luke 12:13-21. After harvesting a bumper crop, he said to
himself:
18 This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger
ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I'll say to
myself, "You have plenty of grain laid up for many years.
Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." '
20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be
demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for
yourself?'
21 "This is how it will be with those who store up things for
themselves but are not rich toward God."
If you trust only in yourself and your own strength, what will happen
when you find yourself in over your head?
What will you do when your personal resources are not sufficient
to address the crisis you are facing? What will you do when you are
caught in a storm that is so much bigger than you are that you are
adrift and lost and suddenly the resources that have served so well in
the past are insufficient?
Serious illness, accidents, tragic events, unexpected setbacks – these
can occur without warning -- sending us reeling, not knowing what to
do, or where to turn.
Unless …
… unless we put our trust in one who is greater than all the challenges
and hardships that we may face – the one who is not bound by the
confines of this temporal life, whose power and majesty stretch across
the universe and reach down to embrace every one of us who turns in
humility to receive him.
B) Len Sweet: Lash to the Mast of the Master
Leonard Sweet – the theologian and foremost expert on
post-modernism – uses the analogy of the Perfect Storm. When the storm
of the century comes, the most dangerous place for a boat to be is tied
to the dock. The experienced captain takes his ship into the deep water
to ride out the storm.
And when the storm is at its most violent, the captain must not abandon
the wheel. He will lash himself to the mast and continue until the
storm is passed.
Sweet says; “We must lash ourselves to the mast of the Master.”
Only when we are fully dependent upon the Master, will we be
able to weather every storm.
“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.” //
Finding Peace and Comfort in God
A) Hospital Visit
This week I made a visit at the hospital. I met with a man who has a
blood disorder—apparently in the US it's considered a form of cancer,
but it has a different designation in Canada. Anyway, the doctors are
providing treatments and procedures which are slowing the advance of
his disease … but barring a miracle, this disease will take his
life—probably in a matter of months.
Sometimes visits of this nature can be very difficult.
This one however, I have to say, was wonderfully uplifting.
There was no panic. No fear. No avoidance or bargaining or distress in
this man's demeanor.
We spoke plainly about his prognosis. And about his faith.
Several times, his voice cracked as he tried to hold back the tears.
But they were not tears of sadness, but rather, tears of happiness for
the wonderful blessings of his life. He spoke of his children and grand
children – of his wife of over 50 years – of the many significant
turning points in his life – and he could hardly contain the joy.
I left the hospital with a new appreciation of how precious each and
every day is—and how blessed we are.
Each new day is truly a gift from God to be treasured.
B) Trusting Christ
And what does tomorrow hold for this man? Only trust.
As we spoke, I thought to myself about the words of Paul. [Phil.
1:21]
21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
To live is Christ … everything I do and say—all my hopes and ambitions
and dreams are wrapped up in my one great desire to know Christ and to
be found in Him.
...and to die is gain. If my life is centered around knowing Christ,
then there is no fear in death. Rather, it is the pathway through which
I will come to see our Lord and Saviour face to face – and glory in His
presence for all eternity.
...to live is Christ and to die is gain.
//
That kind of trust does not happen over night.
When your in the midst of the crisis, it's good to reach out to God in
faith – but if you have been quietly, patiently and faithfully trusting
the Lord in the little things, day by day, the big crises will not
overwhelm you. Like this man, you will be prepared and you will not be
shaken.
C) Trusting Christ – Complete Obeisance
If you place you hope and dreams in this earthly life – then you
will bear the crushing disappointments of the shifting sands we call
life. The transient, temporary, insignificant trophies of this life
will rust and tarnish and crumble into dust.
But we can all know the solid rock under our feet – the mighty
unshakable tower of God's sheltering love which will bear us up
regardless of what this world might throw at us.
We will know perfect peace – not because we are in control of our lives
– but because he is.
Conclusion
The Picture of Peace
There once was a King who offered a prize to the artist who would paint
the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The King looked at all
the pictures, but there were only two he really liked and he had to
choose between them.
One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect
mirror, for peaceful towering mountains were all around it. Overhead
was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture
thought that it was a perfect picture of peace.
The other picture had mountains too. But these were rugged
and bare. Above was an angry sky from which rain fell and in which
lightening played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming
waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all.
But as the King examined the picture more closely, he saw behind the
waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a
mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of
angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest... perfect peace.
The King chose the second picture. "Because," explained the King,
"peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble,
or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and
still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace."
Peace is the Presence of God
Peace is not the absence of suffering. It is not the absence of
hardship and pain.
Peace is the presence of God.
It is His comforting touch in the middle of every trial. It is the
surpassing greatness of knowing that despite everything, we trust the
God of eternity—the God of all strength and all power—and in Him there
is refuge and peace and rest.
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He
alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be
shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my
refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to
him, for God is our refuge.
Extraneous Notes:
(And Other Reflections Not Used on Sunday)
Charles Spurgeon once said: “They who dive in the sea of affliction
bring up rare pearls.”
Paul and the Persecuted Church
* Recently, I was reading from the Book of Acts in the New
Testament, some of the journeys of the Apostle Paul and his
companions. I was struck by the words that Paul shared with the
Christians in Ephesus;
Acts 20:22-25 "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to
Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know
that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships
are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me,
if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has
given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.
* “... I know that none of you ... will ever see me
again...”
And then, after encouraging them with words of determination to remain
faithful, we read these heart-wrenching words;
* Acts 20:36-37 When he had said this, he knelt down with
all of them and prayed. They all wept as they embraced him and
kissed him...”
While the Christian faith is far from popular in Canada today—and in
some quarters it has come under criticism—it is hard for us to imagine
the trials and hardships that the early Christians experienced.
To be hunted down, persecuted, and even put to death for their faith in
Christ.
It must have been a horrible time – even as there are countless
hundreds of thousand Christians today who are persecuted for their
faith in many parts of the world.
These hardships were everyday experiences for the Apostle Paul, yet he
is filled with such a sense of peace in his heart as he sets out for
his uncertain future. There is a complete trust and reliance upon
God as his refuge and his fortress, that no suffering is too great for
him to bear in the name of Christ.
2 Cor. 4:8-9 “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed;
perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned;
struck down, but not destroyed.”
Paul lived the words of this Psalm: “He alone is my rock
and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation
and my honor depend on God ; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.”
When the storm broke—he put out to sea, and lashed himself to the Mast
of the Master.
Wrong Idea about Peace
A man once found himself on a train between two ladies. In this
instance it was an unpleasant experience as the two ladies argued
incessantly about whether the window should be shut or open. The lady
furthest from the window argued that she would die of heat stroke if it
wasn’t opened. The other said she would almost certainly catch
pneumonia if it didn’t stay closed. When the ticket inspector arrived
the ladies appealed to him to adjudicate on the issue. Unfortunately he
had no solution. Eventually the man spoke up. "First open the window.
That will kill the one. Then close it. That will kill the other. Then
we will have peace."
Many people have a concept of peace similar to the man in this story.
For them peace is the absence of conflict. However this falls far short
of the biblical vision this is. In Scripture peace is not the absence
of conflict but the presence of love, generosity and grace as the
transforming principle of our relationships.2
It is Well With My Soul
1.When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Refrain:
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
2.Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
3.My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
4.For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
5.But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!
6.And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
Douglas Maurer, 15, of Creve Coeur, Missouri, had been feeling bad for
several days. His temperature was ranging between 103 and 105 degrees,
and he was suffering from severe flu-like symptoms. Finally, his mother
took him to the hospital in St. Louis. Douglas Maurer was diagnosed as
having leukemia. The doctors told him in frank terms about his disease.
They said that for the next three years, he would have to undergo
chemotherapy. They didn't sugarcoat the side effects. They told Douglas
he would go bald and that his body would most likely bloat. Upon
learning this, he went into a deep depression. His aunt called a floral
shop to send Douglas an arrangement of flowers. She told the clerk that
it was for her teenage nephew who has leukemia. When the flowers
arrived at the hospital, they were beautiful. Douglas read the card
from his aunt. Then he saw a second card. It said: "Douglas--I took
your order. I work at Brix florist. I had leukemia when I was 7 years
old. I'm 22 years old now. Good luck. My heart goes out to you.
Sincerely, Laura Bradley." His face lit up. He said, "Oh!"
It's funny: Douglas Maurer was in a hospital filled with millions of
dollars of the most sophisticated medical equipment. He was being
treated by expert doctors and nurses with medical training totaling in
the hundreds of years. But it was a salesclerk in a flower shop, a
woman making $170 a week, who--by taking the time to care, and by being
willing to go with what her heart told her to do--gave Douglas hope and
the will to carry on.4
Robert Louis Stevenson tells of a storm that caught a vessel off a
rocky coast and threatened to drive it and its passengers to
destruction. In the midst of the terror, one daring man, contrary to
orders, went to the deck, made a dangerous passage to the pilot house
and saw the steerman, at his post holding the wheel unwaveringly, and
inch by inch, turning the ship out, once more, to sea. The pilot saw
the watcher and smiled. Then, the daring passenger went below and gave
out a note of cheer: “I have seen the face of the pilot, and he smiled.
All is well.”
|
