We’re in this together--Carolyn R. Wilker

It’s true, we’re all in the pandemic together. The definition of a world-wide epidemic is an infectious ‘something’ in many corners of the world at once. Pandemic is both a noun and an adjective, a thing and a descriptor. But in my mind, it is also a verb, because actions and consequences come with it.

I awoke to a song line very early on Saturday morning, the tune in my head, “Will you be my refuge?” Carrie Newcomer’s CD collection A Permeable Life finally arrived in the mail after a long wait. I’ve been listening until I can almost sing along. The lyrics to this song, Haven, are on another album though. She’s asking God to be her haven in the storm, asking for direction and “holding me up” until she can continue on herself.

My friend in Colorado has her family-prescribed limitations and her adult kids get her groceries. A friend in Vancouver is watchful, too, since she’s just gone through surgery for cancer. Maryann and her husband John, in Nova Scotia, have their adult daughter with them from a group home at this time. Nova Scotians have also suffered numerous and unspeakable tragedies in the past few months. So many of them must be crying out to God for solace in these circumstances.

Carrie’s words float through my mind again, a “haven in the storm.” I like that picture of a quiet place where I can go when the world around me is crazy and mind-boggling.

Poet Luci Shaw said in a recent Renovaré webinar about creating in chaos, “God will honour our prayers of lament.” We’ve heard laments from many corners. 

If we, in privilege, can live and move around in our homes and on our properties, Carolyn Arends also recognized there are people who’ve lost jobs, whose lives are anything but comfortable right now. I think, too, of people who have died of covid, or other illnesses, and their families cannot hold a funeral or cry and weep on a friend’s shoulders.

Andrew Peterson, song writer and recording artist, said (on the webinar) that he was told during a time of great difficulty that God can take it when we cry out against him. Even the psalmists cried out at unfairness, but still they surfaced at the end with some thread of hope that kept them going. 

We have that hope in God that will carry us through these days. A haven in the storm, I like that term. Thank you, Carrie.

 

https://www.carolynwilker.ca/about/

Dr JI Packer and Richard Baxter: God's Essential Workers

By Rev. Dr. Ed & Janice Hird

We hear a lot about essential workers and essential services in these COVID-19 times.  At 7 pm each night, many of us have been cheering for them, as we bang on our pots and pans.  Dr. JI Packer, God’s essential worker, helps us rediscover Richard Baxter’s essential writings, not just for mortal life but more importantly for eternal life.  What might it be like to cheer for God’s essential workers, including our theologians, pastors, evangelists, and missionaries?  Both Baxter and Packer knew from personal experience that physical death is not the worst thing that can happen to us.  Both faced sickness and possible death early in life, but fixed their gaze on Jesus Christ in those difficult times.  Packer, who did his Oxford doctorate on Baxter, has helped us rediscover Baxter’s brilliant emphasis, derived from Rupertus Meledenius: “In Essentials, unity; in non-essentials, diversity; and in all things charity.” 
Many believe that J.I. Packer, born in 1926, will be remembered as the principal theologian of the 21st Century.  Packer and Baxter each had the same puritan passion for knowing truth, seeing it as our first duty. Both represent the best of Puritanism without being ‘puritanical’.  Baxter in the 17th century commented: “I never discover a Truth in my studies, but it is as sweet to my mind as a feast to my body…I spend my time, and strength and spirits in almost nothing but studying after Truth.”  Many people nowadays dismiss theology as non-essential ivory-tower speculation. We live in an anti-rationalist culture that worships one’s feelings and denies any objective truth.  Both men believed that the mind actually mattered, that reason and thinking were gifts from God that helped us discern truth.  Their love for truth gave them a respect for the arts, sciences, history, as well as theology.  In Baxter’s day, theology was seen as the Queen of the sciences.
For both men, knowing God with our head and heart was essential. It is not enough to just know about God academically.  Baxter held that “he is the best scholar who hath the readiest passage from the ear to the brain, but he is the best Christian who hath the readiest passage from the brain to the heart.”   Dr J.I. Packer also warned against “hardness of heart and cynicism of the head.”  Being heavenly-minded for Baxter and Packer is the key to making the most lasting impact on planet Earth.
Recognized by Time Magazine as one of the twenty-five most influential evangelicals, Dr Packer is best known for his most popular book Knowing God.  In reading Dr Packer’s doctoral thesis, I discovered that Packer’s Knowing God classic is an unpacking of the wisdom of Richard Baxter.
Jesus prayed in John 17:21 that we would be one as the Father and Son are one that the world may believe.  While Baxter and Packer were both ordained Anglican clergy, they had a deep love for the wider body of Christ.  That is part of the reason that Packer has served since 1979 at Regent College, a interdenominational college. Baxter called himself ‘a mere Christian’, expressing the truth that God’s people go beyond the bounds of any one denomination.  Both have shown us that unity in the Essentials of the Gospel is essential to reach the world for Christ, such as the creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Ten Commandments.  Are we willing to repent over our division and arguments over non-essentials?  We can all agree to the full deity and humanity of Jesus, his virgin birth, his death for our sins, his physically rising from the grave.  By contrast, the precise way that we baptize, celebrate communion, organize our church leadership, or sing worship songs are not essentials worth splitting over.  Both men knew that not every Christian congregation has to be exactly the same, as sameness crushes creativity and spiritual intimacy.
After the heart-rending English civil war of 1647, Baxter felt called to be a peacemaker.  All his writings sought to promote “in all things, charity (love).”   As Packer put it, Baxter “meddled much with Controversies...to end them.” It was Baxter’s respect for truth that kept him from ‘undignified wrangling’.  Even though he was often banned from preaching and forced out of town, Baxter stayed gracious and Christ-centered.  Both Packer and Baxter have been deeply charitable and humble in times of great controversy. While neither liked controversy, both had the courage to take a stand for gospel truth when waves of conflict occurred. Even when recently needing to say no to false teachers, Packer spoke the truth in love.  He never became vindictive and negative. At age 93, he is finishing well, staying focused on the goodness of the gospel essentials.
Our prayer is that in this COVID-19 pandemic, that we like these brave Christian men, Baxter and Packer, might rediscover what is essential, how to celebrate diversity, and the urgency of charitable love in all circumstances.

Rev.  Dr. Ed and Janice Hird
Co-author, Blue Sky novel
-published in the June 2020 Light Magazine
-Readers are invited to read the first two Academia.edu articles of the JI Packer & Richard Baxter Trilogy:
1) Analyzing the Global Impact of Dr. J.I. Packer
2) An Evaluation of Richard & Margaret Baxter’s Lasting Contribution in 17th Century England

Remain Standing by Rose McCormick Brandon

At fourteen, my pastor’s wife asked if I would like to receive Jesus as my Savior. “Yes,” I said, not understanding what she meant but knowing it was exactly what I needed. She didn’t ask if I wanted to enlist for battle. If she had told me what Paul told Timothy – that I was called to wage war (I Tim. 1:18), I might have said, “No thanks, fighting’s not my thing. I’m only interested in peace, love and joy.”

Spiritual warfare makes us uncomfortable. We want to put it in the spiritual gift category. Let those who are called and gifted for warfare take it on. Who are these called and gifted ones? Could they be me? 

“Before His return there will be a hard battle so it is good to prepare ourselves. Every Christian is called to take his place in the army of Jesus and to wrestle as a fellow-conqueror with Him.” Corrie ten Boom(1)

When we signed on as Jesus-followers, we signed up for battle. Christianity is not a spectator sport. There are no celebrities in God’s kingdom, only servants. Servants do dirty work – washing feet, embracing sinners, and yes, the dread of all dreads, standing against the forces of evil. Jesus left us with the tools for warfare and we must pick them up and put them on. 

Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Ephesians 6:10-13

Stand! The Greek verb stand carries the idea of holding ground. God isn’t sending us to conquer. He has already conquered. The battle against Satan is won. Our calling is to hold. In an offensive battle, troops fight to gain control. In a defensive mode, troops guard what is already theirs. We are guards, watchmen.

Through the cross, Jesus stormed Hell itself and gained complete and eternal victory over Satan. By His resurrection, the Father declared his Son victorious over the entire realm of hell and darkness. Satan was defeated once and for all. The Church, Christ’s body, stands in victory. In Christ, we are “more than conquerors” (Rom. 8:37).

“Today, we do not fight for victory; we fight from victory. We do not fight in order to win, but because in Christ, we have already won. Overcomers are those who rest in the victory already given to them by their God.” Watchmen Nee (2)

Trust in Christ’s finished work. Stand on His Word. Remain faithful to Him. Praise Him for the battle He has already fought and won on our behalf. In a spiritual battle, praise is an indispensable weapon.

“Before we put on our clothes, let us put on our weapons (Eph. 6:10-18), for we are stepping out into a land of enemies and a world of dangers; let us put on the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of love, and the shield of faith, and stand armed and vigilant as the dangers of the last days gather around us.” A. B. Simpson(3)

 Prayer: Lord Jesus I praise you that we have the victory over Satan and his entire works of darkness because you have gone ahead of us and already defeated him. 

1 Corrie ten Boom, Marching Orders for the Final Battle, Christian Literature Crusade.
2 Watchmen Nee, Sit, Walk, Stand, Tyndale House Pubishers, Inc., Wheaton, Ill. 
3 A. B. Simpson, Days of Heaven Upon Earth, Christian Alliance Pub. Co.

ELOISE - THE INTERRUPTED LIFE XVII by Eleanor Shepherd

One of the happiest people that I know is a little eight year old girl who has already suffered more than many people do in a lifetime. Her name is Eloise and I find it difficult to think of her without smiling, as it is such a joy to be in her presence. Her arrival was a huge interruption in the life of her parents and close family, not because she was not expected and desired, but because it was only when she was born that they discovered that she came with an extremely rare genetic disease called Coffin-Siris Syndrome. The diagnosis was that she would be physically and mentally handicapped with severe complications. The reality is that with her parents, she has been a true warrior and has overcome huge challenges and brought incredible amounts of joy to those around her. 

Eloise’s father, Graham is a good friend of our son, John and showed his practicality in dealing with tough situations in providing a track suit for John to wear, when he left the hospital in Burlington, Vermont to go by air ambulance to Toronto where he would undergo rehabilitation therapy after breaking his neck in a car accident. I had become so accustomed to seeing John in hospital attire that I never thought of providing clothes for this trip. 

This kind of practicality shown by Graham has I am sure served him well as he has dealt with the many difficult situations faced by his daughter. She spent her first sixteen months in the hospital and there were many days when her survival was threatened by one of the many complications of this syndrome. Yet buoyed by the love and encouragement of her parents and family she pulled through time after time. 

When she was finally able to go home at sixteen months, her parents, Graham and Genevieve had to create a nursery that looked more like a hospital room, as they prepared to anticipate any health crisis without having to immediately return to the Children’s Hospital. By then they had become quite experienced in her care through the months they spent at her bedside, learning from hospital staff. 

At that point, Graham was able to step back a little and provide me with some insight into his reactions to this interruption. 

He and Genevieve both enjoyed their careers but also really wanted to have a family. This did not happen as quickly as they desired so when they discovered that Genevieve was pregnant they were delighted. It was only one month before delivery that they were informed that there may be a problem. Like most couples awaiting their first child, the niggling fear always was present that something might go wrong. For them it did. 

I loved the way that Graham responded to my question about his faith at the time. He clearly stated that he was a person of faith, and followed that up in response to my question about what his faith looked like with such an honest response that reflects his generation so well. He described it as a mixture of Christian, Spiritual, Humanism and Christian Humanism.  I smiled as I realized that he was admitting what few can, that he has been influenced by many different ways of thinking and he cannot put his faith in a neat little box with all the right answers. 

What I most appreciated was how Graham has been so grounded in his approach to an incredibly difficult interruption. When I asked about what his dreams were he spoke of learning to enjoy every day without thinking beyond the next one. Survival is for this family a daily victory. When asked what the most important thing in his life was now, Graham assured me that it was to give their daughter and their family as much love and support as possible. A year and a half ago, Graham and Genevieve and Eloise welcomed Édouard, her healthy little brother into their lives. 

                 https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=799820250&ref=content_filter

During this Covid-19 lockdown, in spite of the risks for someone with the fragile health of Eloise there has been reason to rejoice. Her family were able to post a video on Facebook that shows Eloise taking her first tentative steps, accompanied by little brother Édouard.  What a beautiful sight!  Again my spirits have been lifted by the child who ushered an interruption into the lives of her family and friends that has enriched each of us because of her beautiful spirit. 

Word Guild Award
2011

Word Guild Award
2009

Word Guild Award
2018