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I have been having a lot of fun with a sermon series on the Psalms of Ascent.  These are songs that were sung by pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem.  Since they would walk together (there were no cars or buses), this would be group singing.  Sort of the sound you would hear from ardent fans as they entered into and watched FIFA soccer/football games in Brazilian stadiums over this past while!

Sunday’s psalm is the 127th (in our English Bibles).  This talks about building houses and guarding cities and being workaholics.  As a matter of fact, God has this thing about work – he would rather see us rest!  All of these are useless if God is not in it.  

The end of the Psalm is what intrigues me.  Most of us remember the King James Version thoughts on children – get a quiver full.  While most meditations on this passage focus on child bearing and raising, I would suggest the point is in the last verse.  As I translate the Hebrew words, this would not be an unusual paraphrase:  “When those who are hostile to you get together with the town’s people, let your children defend you.”

What a thought.  Not only is God our defender and provider in housing, the protection of a country and city, and even in our daily life – now our children are our protectors.  What an interesting position to be put in! 

Defending yourself is probably not going to work well! 

This being the case – make sure that you are right with both God and your children!!!

Yesterday was eight hours on the road.

Time was given to visit.  Both my daughter and Cynthia’s sister.  Of course, there was also time given to my grandchildren and to brother-in-law relations.

With my work schedule, funerals included, I had been without a day off for the last 12 days.  lA day off was due.  I realize that the immersion in a culture (a town) means that I am constantly reminded of my vocation, if not called to provide some ministry, even on my days off.  I needed to be out of town. 

Often “in town days off” have proved to be an encouragement as I meet, greet and provide care to my church and community family.  At the same time, nuclear family matters (and even home renovations) get aside for the moment – unless I head out of town.

So, off to Prince Albert and Birch Hills.  A good day of visiting (far less than I would have liked).  And now, I’m headed back to work related duties today and tomorrow as I prepare for Sunday – with family on my heart and in my prayers!

I was asked the other day what my resume would look like?

As one who is approaching my retirement, I’m a little less likely to talk about achievements (which is what most resumes are about), and rather to talk about what I have learned through my activities.

Although I may need a source of income as I look towards retirement, I’m not so sure I need a job.  For that reason, I am reviewing my life.

What fun!  One of my first thoughts is about a mousetrap I helped my brother build.  He was the creative one.  I was the one who took the plans and made it happen (grade eight).  Rather reflective of much of the rest of my life.

We often talk about spiritual gifts as though they were to help achieve something – and in reality a church thrives upon the activities of those who are gifted.  But this is a gift, not an activity.  The core of the nuclear reactor contains the essence of power.  What happens after that is an effect of the power and looks like activity.  But you can’t have the activity without first having the core.

So, I’ve been more inclined to think in terms of a profile than a resume.  When you look at my profile – when you see a picture of me, what is it that strikes you?  At funerals we talk about the love of a person – and then about the activity that shows that love.  Perhaps our profiles are more about our core than our activity.

Just some thoughts on resumes!

These past few days I have been working on a scripture passage for my sermon this morning.  Psalm 134 is the last in what are called the Psalms of Ascent.  Pilgrims (actually those headed up for a festival or party) sang this as they got very close to their destination.  I kind of see this as the climax of their singing.

But as I read it, I found myself saying, “this is more about the party than about some vague great psalm of praise.” 

The Psalm begins saying we should bless the LORD.  As I studied “bless”, I began to see the word as relating to doing!  The word for bless in this particular context is BARAK.  The picture is of someone bowing down – in Deuteronomy 24 this is camels bowing down to drink water.

So we bless by being obedient.  The next verse in the psalm tells us that the particular people (those who minister/work in the temple) are asked to lift up (which means get active) their hands (in the Old Testament your hands were used in work, in helping others and protecting them) in the “holy” (which seems to refer to the temple where the night shift was working). 

So the Psalm is really party-ers telling the people who are preparing the parade ground to get to work.  And they say that God will bless them – that will be their reward.

So, stick to the work God asks you to do. 

Simple psalm, not so simple to do!