War and Peace

 

Column "From the Minister's Study" for The Citizen, Nov.6, 2026

Remembrance Day 2026 finds us more than 80 years after the end of World War II. Each year there are fewer veterans remaining alive from that conflict. Each year the memory of stories told by my father who fought in that war up through Sicily and Italy, and ending in the liberation of Holland, becomes fainter. “War is hell!” he maintained – but each year we Canadians become just a little more insulated from the memory of that global conflagration. And perhaps a bit more ignorant of the factors which prompted it in the first place.

Does it really matter if someone is a socialist or a communist or “right-wing”? Isn’t that just a matter of personal preference? What if some races just seem inclined not to get along, and have conflict?

Recently in preparation for an upcoming trip to Israel, I was watching a documentary about the beginnings of that nation’s statehood. It recalled Krystallnacht in November 1938, and showed gory scenes of Allied soldiers viewing the remains of victims at Hitler’s concentration camps. Very disturbing! “National Socialism” was not sociable at all towards Jews, or the disabled, or any deemed imperfect or undesirable by Aryan standards. The Nazis overran continental Europe and threatened the British Isles; to protect the rest of the free world, our relatives took up arms, risked their lives, and devoted several years in their prime of life to defeating a fearsome threat. My mother’s brother, an RCAF Mosquito ‘night fighter’ pilot, did not make it back alive.

Does the Bible condone war? Various passages do portray God as fighting for the descendants of Jacob in order to protect them from their enemies. When fleeing from slavery in Egypt Moses told the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." (Ex.14:13f) Similarly when they are about to enter the Promised Land Moses says, “When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you. For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory." (Deut.20:3f)

David in his famous confrontation with Goliath the giant announces, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied… All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands." (1Sam.17:45,47) The Psalmist could sing, “He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.” (Ps.18:34)

The Bible does recognize the role of the state in using force justly to punish wrongdoing and protect from enemies. According to Paul, the one in authority does not “bear the sword for nothing – he is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer”. (Rom.13:4) Yet that’s not how we as individual citizens are to approach life.

The Old Testament recognized the value of peacemaking. “Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” (Ps.34:14) The prophet Isaiah anticipated a time of Messiah-instigated global peace in the last days: “He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.” (Is.2:4)

Jesus Christ in His seminal sermon stated, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” (Mt.5:4) There is a definite cost to peace-making! Conflict often arises due to competition for resources. Back when Abram and nephew Lot were running into conflict because there was not enough provision for their large flocks, Abram accepted (what must have been thought to be) an inferior area, giving Lot first pick of the well-watered plain of the Jordan towards the south. (Gen.13:5-12)

The apostles understood the cross to be the cost of peacemaking between sinful humans and their holy Creator (and also where there is racial strife, as between Jews and Gentiles). “He Himself [Christ] is our peace… His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.” (Eph.2:15ff)

Jesus commanded us to “love one another” (Jn.13:34f); peace flows from that. “Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other,” He advised (Mk.9:50). Repeatedly the New Testament reminds us to behave towards others in a way that promotes peace. “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (Rom.12:18) “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.” (Rom.14:19) “Live in peace with each other.” (1Thess.5:13) “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy…” (Heb.12:14) Yes, sometimes it takes a lot of effort!

Peacemaking involves a radical change of focus: being willing to spend ourselves for others, rather than just looking out for ourselves. When we truly love them and care for them, that’s when we become willing to bear the cost of peace-making. With every step we take.

A professor was invited to speak at a military base and was met at the airport by a soldier named Ralph. As they headed toward the baggage claim area, Ralph kept disappearing – once to help an older woman with her suitcase, once to lift two toddlers so they could see Santa Claus, and again to give someone directions. The professor asked him, "Where did you learn to live like that?" Ralph said, "During the war." He had served in Vietnam. His job was to clear minefields, and he saw friends die suddenly, one after another, before his eyes. He said, "I never knew whether the next one would be my last, so I learned to live between steps."

Online Gambling - a Risk to Your Health

 

Column "From the Minister's Study" in The Citizen, September 25 2026, by Ernest Dow (Retired Pastor) Huron Chapel EMC, Auburn ON        

Over the decades, gambling in Ontario has exploded like pornography: you used to have to know where to go in order to find it – but now it’s practically in your face. This dramatic increase in availability brings with it a rising toll in damage to personal health and wellbeing, accompanied by a crippling societal cost. What’s at stake fundamentally? One’s trust in God to provide our needs when we cooperate with His ways. 

        For a week this past August, my extended family assembled in Whistler for our annual get-together. Certain individuals are big fans of board games, so each night after the grandchildren had gone to bed, their parents could usually be found gathered around a table enjoying a board game. The roll of the dice or shuffle of cards introduced an element of risk and excitement. However, even though there were winners and losers, no money changed hands; it was all a fun exercise in skill and strategic decision-making giving fluid changes in circumstances and opportunities.

A recent study by the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) however has sounded an alarming increase in Emergency Department visits among young adults, particularly males aged 10-44. It used to be you had to go to a racetrack or find a backroom poker game to participate in gambling. In 1992 Ontario passed the Gaming Control Act; Casino Windsor opened in 1994. From 2012-2022 the rate of Emergency Department visits due to a gambling disorder remained relatively stable. However in August 2021 our federal government legalized single-event sports betting; in April 2022 Ontario expanded legality to regulated commercial online casinos and sports betting platforms.

Since then, online gambling has exploded: over 80 privately operated legal gaming and betting sites have been licensed; in 2023-24, these hosted over 2 million active player accounts, garnering $63 billion a year in wagers. (Have you noticed how many advertisements there are for gaming platforms these days?)

In these few short years (2022-2025), the ICES study found a dramatic increase in Emergency Department visits attributed to a gambling disorder: among males aged 30 to 44, the rate more than doubled (116% higher), while among males aged 10-29, the rate was a whopping 154 percent higher!

The cost of gambling extends far beyond just hospital visits. The study notes: “Clinically, gambling disorders are associated with a greater risk of anxiety and mood disorders, substance use disorders, increased suicidality, increased blood pressure, and premature mortality. Gambling also results in substantial social harms, including family conflict, intimate-partner violence, criminal activity, housing instability, and reduced educational or occupational participation.”

What’s wrong with gambling ‘in principle’ from a Biblical point of view? There was no online gaming in Bible times. Lots were cast in the Old Testament as a means of making major decisions. If it is not explicitly forbidden, what Biblical principles should help inform our views about this new temptation?

Chiefly, God asks that we trust Him rather than anything else; we are to have ‘no other gods’ before Him, no ‘idols’ (Exodus 20:2f). Trusting Him for everything precludes stealing or coveting anything that is our neighbour’s (Exodus 20:15,17). Jesus cautioned His followers, “Be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15)

Our Creator’s prior claim on our allegiance and affection precludes developing an attraction to money. Repeatedly Scripture warns us against the love of money; love of it is “a root of all sorts of evil” (1Timothy 6:10). Jesus had a lot to say about money; He warned His followers quite bluntly, “You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24)

Gambling is associated with greediness, being dissatisfied – and sloth or laziness, wanting something without having to work for it. There’s something deceptive about get-rich-quick schemes. The book of Proverbs warns, “Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household;” whereas, “Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.” (Prov. 15:27; 13:11)

The so-called “winner” in gambling is in a way stealing from others in that they are taking what is someone else’s without having worked to earn it. The Apostle Paul points to the more just and fair way to earn income: “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labour, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.” (Ephesians 4:28) The Christian’s life is to be a ‘net positive’ in society, producing something tangible to supply others’ needs.

Fundamentally, God’s will for us is the freedom rooted in contentment, trusting in Him for our provision, honestly earned through daily work by means of the gifts and abilities He has provided for us to steward well. The author of Hebrews ties together this root issue of trusting in our faithful God rather than hankering after money: “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” (Hebrews 13:5)

Oscar Wilde quipped, “Horse sense is what keeps horses from betting on what people will do.” May the Lord grant us each good sense to avoid gambling in all its forms – it’s a bad bet, at any cost.

What’s in a Name?

 

Column "From the Minister's Study" in The North Huron Citizen (Sept. 11 2026 edition)

There has been a lot of controversy lately over the renaming of a certain Great Lake. The current American President has seen fit to order federal agencies there to no longer refer to said body as “Lake Ontario” – a gesture which some Canadians are prompted to treat with scorn. It seems presumptuous that someone supposes they can simply take a Sharpie and give a different title to a large body of water that straddles an international border – depriving it of a name based on an aboriginal title that predates Confederation or even the Declaration of Independence. We are tempted to respond, “What gives him the right to do that?!”

When we name something, the act of labelling it presupposes authority to do so. When we adopt a cat or dog, we name it. Parents name the children to which they have given birth; we would be offended if the attending nurse, midwife, or physician decided they would name the newborn themselves! Parents may spend long hours poring over books of names trying to decide which moniker would best suit their coming arrival. 

Naming involves a degree of authority. In the Creation story, when God created the animals, He “brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.” (Gen.2:19) This naming symbolizes Adam’s responsibility over, stewardship of and care for, the animals.

Names can have extra significance reflecting an occasion, event, or circumstance. The place-name Babel reflects the “confusion” and scattering which resulted when humans supposed their technology could empower them to build a tower to the heavens – an attractive delusion to which we seem still prone. “Isaac” reflected his aged parents’ laughter at the thought they could conceive when they were already so old – but God was showing He was God of the ‘impossible’.

Names can be symbolic and strangely appropriate given life’s later happenings. Moses, for example, was drawn out of the water of the Nile by Pharaoh’s daughter; yet he also became the leader who brought the Hebrew slaves out of Egypt, through the Red Sea. Abram’s initial name (meaning ‘exalted father’) was rather a sour joke as the years wore on and he remained childless; but after God’s intervention and change of his name, he more accurately became Abraham, “father of many nations”. Jesus renamed Simon as Peter – perhaps foreseeing his vital role in preaching inaugural sermons for the early church, although Peter’s betrayal of Jesus under pressure showed in his natural state he was anything but ‘rock-like’. Jesus perceived the brothers James and John as having fiery temperaments so “Sons of Thunder” was an apt title.

Some people are said to ‘live up to’ their names; Nabal lived down to his (‘fool’) – risking David’s deadly wrath when he refused to pay the men of David’s roving security service their due.

The name of Jesus is especially significant (“Yahweh saves”). It is a status-name; in connection with Old Testament prophecies, it declares Him to be God, born of a virgin and the promised king of David’s line. It is also a prediction-name, looking forward to what Jesus Himself will do: by His cross and resurrection, Jesus is Himself the fulfilment of what His name declares.

Naming something, as we said earlier, implies a degree of authority, of control over what’s named. In the pagan world, to know a god’s name supposedly conferred some power over that god. In the Bible, God supplies a name by which people may call upon Him, yet it is given in a way that retains a sense of His sovereignty: it is not some magical handle by which we may manipulate a genie at our beck and call. God reveals His name to Moses at the burning bush, back of beyond in the remote wilderness, as Yahweh – from the verb “to be”, perhaps “he is (alive, present, active)” or “he brings into being”. There is a sense of mystery and self-determination in the phrase “I am who I am”. In the immediate context of Exodus, God is revealing Himself to be the God who saves His people and makes good on His previous covenant promises. It is a more personal name than the title “Lord” (resonating with power, control, ‘boss’) or the rather generic “God”. He invites us into intimate relationship with Himself; so the Bible can speak of His people knowing Him by name, believing in His name. We are ‘kept’ in His name, it is a ‘strong tower’ into which we can run. (Jn.17:11; Pr.18:10)

Jesus’ name summarizes all He is and has done. When God makes His glory pass in front of Moses, He declares His name “Yahweh” out loud as a way of encapsulating His goodness, mercy, love, and power (Ex.33:18ff). Jesus’ name has become the customary way for Christians to seal their prayers, appealing to His aforestated promises.

A new name awaits those who trust in Jesus as Lord and Saviour. When I was young, my parents called me “Ernest”. If I was in trouble, my second name might be added for emphasis (“Ernest Walter!”). In high school, my classmates called me the less formal “Ernie” (although its appeal diminished somewhat with the popularity of the Sesame Street character). In my adult years, I have probably been rather too serious returning to “Ernest” once more. But Scripture promises a new moniker awaits when this earthly realm passes away and we join our Saviour in heaven. “To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.” (Rev.2:17) That will be our best and dearest name yet!

Smokin’ Hot: Do We Care About Creation?

For the July 31 2026 "From the Minister's Study" column in The Citizen 

Summer is upon us – and with it, the wildfires have resumed what seems to be their now-annual devastation. Smoke from northern Ontario for several days obscured our vision and caused difficulty for those with chronic respiratory issues. At the pharmacy where I work as an assistant, we sold out of masks, and inhalers were in high demand; one older gentleman exclaimed, “I don’t remember anything like this when I was growing up!”

I am not going to attempt to solve the debate about whether climate change is real, or address the latest conspiracy theory about why the fires seem so bad. What is not up for debate is the reality of the smoke from the wildfires. To what extent should Christ-followers be concerned? Should the church take a stand on environmental issues, or simply stick to so-called ‘spiritual matters’?

I grew up in a mainline denomination which has historically taken a very ‘activist’ approach to environmental issues, anxious to preserve the environment, urging divestment from suspect corporations, urging congregants to write letters to their parliamentarians on social justice matters. As an older teen I became influenced by more conservative, premillennial branches of the faith; I remember as a counselor at a boys’ camp being impacted by the 1972 movie A Thief in the Night about the Rapture (dramatic return of Christ, plucking believers out of the world). As I read my Bible I was impressed by apocalyptic passages such as 2Peter 3:10,12 - “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up… That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.” (NASB95)

It was easy to draw the conclusion that - if Jesus was coming back soon, we weren’t going to be here on this planet, and it was all going to be torched anyway – why should we be concerned about preserving the environment?

Yet there are other Scripture passages that would suggest God does in fact want us to care for the environment and be good stewards of this world He created. At the outset of Genesis we read, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” (2:15) Not torch it but take care of it!

Agriculturally, good stewardship of the land can be beneficial. My cash-cropping brother explored a no-till approach before it became widespread; as the years passed, he commented the additional organic matter helped build up the soil so that it became ‘just like a sponge’ so could retain moisture rather than erode in heavy downpours. Continuous corn can tend to mine the soil and deplete its nutrients, so generally today farmers employ crop rotation techniques.

When I was very young, it was not uncommon for land to be left ‘fallow’ (uncultivated) for a season rather than continuously cropped. At Sinai, God gave the people of Israel the Ten Commandments, including guidance about the Sabbath. It does not seem they followed the “sabbath year” concept in their farming. Eventually they were conquered by foreign powers (Assyria then Babylon). During a 70-year exile, as 2Chronicles notes, “The land enjoyed its sabbath rests; all the time of its desolation it rested, until the seventy years were completed in fulfillment of the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah.” (36:21) Note how ‘the land’ here seems personified, deserving of proper care.

In the psalms, metaphorically, the rivers “clap their hands” and the hills “sing for joy” (98:8). Likewise, in Isaiah the mountains and the hills “break forth…into singing”, and trees “clap their hands.” (55:12)

Coming to the New Testament, the Lord Jesus drew extensively from nature for His teaching parables: a tree bearing fruit; seed being sown; clouds rising, a south wind blowing; a fig tree in a vineyard; a mustard seed; lost sheep; vultures gathering, to name a few. In key sermons He admonished His hearers to “consider the ravens… consider how the lilies grow…” (Luke 12:24,27)

Stewardship of what’s been entrusted to us is a strong theme in Jesus’ teaching. “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?” (Luke 16:10f)

The Apostle Paul also attributed dignity to the physical world – in contrast to Gnostic thought, which viewed matter as inherently inferior and evil. “The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed… We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” (Romans 8:19,22) So our planet and its environment is something to be valued and cared for, not exploited or trashed.

Unlike the most radical environmentalists, we do not worship creation or confuse it with divinity, as in pantheism. But neither do we treat it as something disposable, to be mined and polluted then discarded. God has placed us here in relationship with it to tend it with care end enjoy its fruits accordingly. To have to be ‘exiled’ from our uniquely hospitable planet is not an appealing option!

REMEMBERING WHAT’S MOST IMPORTANT

[OCCASION: 24th Annual Blyth Memory Garden Dedication Service - Sun. June 14, 2026]

MEMORY GARDEN: A PROMPT TO A PRECIOUS FACULTY

Memory is a precious human faculty – it sort of brings the past forward alongside the present, it makes life multidimensional in terms of time. This “memory garden” is an aid helping us to remember dear ones who have gone before us.

1. REMEMBERING A MEANS OF HONOURING

To remember someone is in a way a means of honouring them. If as a child our parents tell us not to play in the road, yet we go and join our friends in the street for a game of road hockey – that’s not honouring our parents! Remembering our elders is valuable for our own well-being.

The Ten Commandments are very ancient guidelines God gave His people to remember and live by when Israel was but a disorganized ragtag bunch of escaped slaves. Exodus 20(12) commands us, “Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” The Apostle Paul underscores this when urging children in the New Testament church in Ephesians 6(2f), “Honour your father and mother...that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”

The beautiful Memory Garden flowerbeds are a way of honouring our loved ones. Honouring our elders and those who have gone before us helps us be other-focused and not so selfish. Prov 10:7(a) says, “The memory of the righteous will be a blessing…” Psalm 112(6) adds, “For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever.”

As we walk amongst the flowerbeds, we are prompted to pause and reflect on the good qualities of those whose names are here; and to thank God for their lives and all they meant to us. As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians (1:3), "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you."

2. REMEMBERING GOD GIVES PERSPECTIVE AS WE AGE

So we are nudged to remember not only the people who have gone before us, but also to remember God our Creator, without whom we wouldn’t even have life in the first place. The author of Ecclesiastes urges us to remember God when we’re young, before the aging process begins to take a toll on our health… Eccles.12(1-3,7) (Note the allusions to our stature, our teeth, and our eyesight!) “Remember the One who created you. Remember him while you are still young. Think about him before your times of trouble come… Remember your Creator before those who guard the house tremble with old age. That’s when strong men will be bent over. The women who grind grain will stop because there are so few of them left. Those who look through the windows won’t be able to see very well… Remember your Creator before you return to the dust you came from. That’s when your spirit will go back to God who gave it.”

The beauty of the flowers contrasts with the decay we see in our own frames. Scripture reminds us it’s all a gift from God, and this life – being subject to disease, wear-and-tear – isn’t forever, isn’t to be taken for granted.

3. REMEMBERING GOD GIVES ENCOURAGEMENT WHEN WE FEEL FORGOTTEN

Life isn’t always sunshine and roses! Life can be tough. The people remembered here had their own struggles. Sometimes we admire their character because it was forged through incredible hardships. Those tough times can make us question if maybe we’ve been forgotten by God. Even Biblical writers cried out to God, asking Him to remember them in their hard circumstances.

One of the hardest times was when Babylon laid siege to Jerusalem for years before it fell in 586 BC. Around that time the prophet Jeremiah described horrible conditions of starvation and death. Yet he could also write in Lamendations 3(21-23), "But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end." He said, “I call to mind” – that’s active remembering, being very intentional, looking beyond present pain and hardship to recall God’s goodness in the past. 

Similarly the author of Psalm 77 asked, “Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?’” (but then changed gears and said) “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.” Remembering changed his focus positively.

When times are tough now in the present, memory helps us be encouraged as it brings forward past times when we experienced God’s overall goodness and faithfulness.

4. REMEMBERING GOD’S GRACE: HE FORGETS OUR GAFFS

The persons honoured here in the Memory Garden were dear and precious, but not perfect – and neither are we. We all have committed sins and mistakes, whether actively by commission or neglectfully by omission. The Bible-writers implored God to be deliberately “forgetful” about (to not remember) these flaws. Psalm 25(4-8), “Lord, remember your great mercy and love… Don’t remember the sins I committed when I was young. Don’t remember how often I refused to obey you. Remember me because you love me.” 

We will treat others better – and build positive memories and associations for them – when we remember God and put His ways into practice.

5. REMEMBERING JESUS DIED FOR US AND IS COMING BACK FOR US

Finally, remembering is important with regard to Jesus because He wants us to know He died so our sins could be “forgotten” and so, by His rising to life again, we could look forward to everlasting life when we trust in Him. To help us remember this, He gave us another prompt: not a garden but a meal. The bread and wine of communion serve as pointers to His grace and promise of being reunited with all who love Him – including those who died before us. At the Last Supper (Luke 22:14-19): “He took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’ And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’”

In this key act of faith we are not just looking back (remembering) but also looking forward!

LIVING IN THE MEMORIES OF GOD

John Swinton is a Scottish theologian and former mental health nurse who has written about health, spirituality, and disability. He counters the modern belief that the cerebral cortex is the seat of personhood, which might lead some to view those with intellectual disabilities as lesser humans. One prize-winning book is titled “Dementia: Living in the Memories of God”. One thing I took from it was the realization that, as a person becomes less cognitively able to function on their own, those in their circle of care take on more of the “memory” function for them – such as when to take their meds, what day it is, when their appointments are, maybe who a certain person is. I experienced this to some degree as my own wife coped many years with a brain tumour. We caregivers start to function to some degree as their “memory” for them.

I’m not saying this applies perfectly to our Memory Garden situation. We’re not somehow magically keeping alive the people named here. Yet they are “alive to God” as Jesus was perhaps alluding in a controversy with the religious leaders of His day in Matthew 22(31f) – He challenged them: “But about the resurrection of the dead — have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.’”

As we treasure the memory of them, we bring them actively before their Creator and ours, their Redeemer and ours – Who holds us precious in His memory, and by Christ’s grace forgets our flaws.

Spared through Great Mercy

Overview of Temple Mount / Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem

Column for North Huron Citizen, "From the Minister's Study" - May 8 2026 edition

The temple mount in Jerusalem is a key location for three major world religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. These days it can tend to become a flashpoint when religious tensions erupt. But did you know it used to be a plain threshing floor? And that it ought to epitomize, not human conflict, but God’s mercy? The story of how it came to be a key religious site reflects the mercy of the Lord revealed most keenly in the cross of Jesus, by which we sinners can be spared.

The Bible (2 Samuel 24; 1Chronicles 21) tells how King David was tempted to take a census of Israel, perhaps motivated by pride in the size of his empire and/or by reliance for his security on the amount of armed force he could muster in an emergency. Afterwards, David was conscience-stricken and admitted he had sinned greatly. A prophet gave him three options for consequences: famine, fleeing from enemies, or plague. David responded, “Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great…” Consequently the Lord sent a plague which killed tens of thousands, but God became grieved because of the calamity and halted the destroying angel, who was then at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. (Threshing floors were typically at elevated locations that would catch the breeze to help blow the chaff away from the kernels.) The prophet instructed David to build an altar at the threshing floor, so David purchased the land, built an altar, and sacrificed offerings – and the plague was stopped. David then pronounced that was the site where the house of the Lord was to be built, along with the altar for burnt offering. His son Solomon subsequently carried out the building of the first Jewish Temple (replacing the movable tabernacle from Exodus times), which was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C., rebuilt in the times of Ezra and Nehemiah, enhanced by King Herod, then again finally destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D. Today the “Western Wall” (Wailing Wall) is all that remains of these temple structures, while the later Muslim “Dome of the Rock” perches at the top of the mount.

So the very location of the Temple was a reminder that God spared His people punishment for sin. By his great mercy, He was grieved at our (deserved) calamity and intervened to spare more lives being lost.

What are some instances of being “spared” in everyday life? At school or university we enjoyed a “spare” in our class timetable, we didn’t have to attend lectures or necessarily do any work. Our vehicles are equipped with a “spare” tire which normally sits unused in the trunk while the other four tires do the work. We eagerly treasure “spare” time in which we have freedom and discretion to pursue a favourite pastime or hobby. In one vehicle I kept a “spare” key secreted in a magnetic holder attached to the inside of the wheelwell in case I unwittingly locked myself out! So a ‘spare’ is associated with a surplus, a benefit or welcome bonus.

In a test of faith and obedience, Abraham was instructed by God to sacrifice his son Isaac at a place God would show him, but when Abraham was about to plunge the knife, God intervened and provided a substitute (a ram caught by its horns in a thicket), and Isaac’s life was spared. At Jerusalem centuries later, Jesus God’s only Son went through with the sacrifice of Himself at the hands of sinners (both Jew and Gentile) in order that we might be spared the consequences of our own sins, and be blessed with new birth, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and eternal life in the Lord’s company forever! 

As the Apostle Paul put it, “Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!” and, “...Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.” (Romans 5:9; 1Thess. 1:10) What a blessing it is to be spared from the consequences of our sin through God’s great mercy, intervening lest we be destroyed, loving us so much as to offer His own beloved Son as our substitute – then raising us to new life along with Him.

When we look at the Temple mount; when we look at the cross – these are visual reminders a loving yet just God has spared us in great mercy. Such wonderful grace that spares us is celebrated in a hymn by Georg Klee (aka Georg Thymus; 1520-1561), a student of the German Lutheran reformer Philipp Melanchthon, who was the closest collaborator with Martin Luther.

“Turn, Lord, Thy wrath away, in mercy spare us! / Lay down Thy rod and let Thy love upbear us!

Hear us poor sinners, lo, sin hath undone us, Have mercy on us! …

Therefore, O Father, through Thy dear Son's merit, Spare us and let us grace through Him inherit,

That we in heaven with Thee, of life the giver, May live forever.”

Spring Ahead in Making Your Time Count

For column "From the Minister's Study" in the North Huron Citizen, March 27 2026 issue

Well, we’ve made it through to SPRING! Despite winter’s stormy blasts, snow dumps, road closures, and power outages… Is anyone ready to breathe a sigh of relief?

Another season, another quarter of the year… Where does the time go? The older we get, the faster the months seem to fly by; they give up putting candles on our birthday cake and just put numbers instead.

There is a classic song by The Byrds released 60 years ago that still gets airplay, because we resonate with its enduring message.  “To everything, turn, turn, turn / There is a season, turn, turn, turn / And a time to every purpose under heaven…” The hands on the clock keep on turning, spinning ‘round.

That song quotes a passage in the Bible, Ecclesiastes 3, which goes on to observe: “[God] has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” (Eccles. 3:11) There is a time for every purpose, yet somehow we sense there is more than just this time: we are beset by an inescapable hunch that eternity exists outside our time-space continuum. The clock’s mundane ticking, the seasons’ relentless quarterly turning, nonetheless are somehow encased in a greater envelope that is beyond our grasping. How will our management of this time measure up in the grand scheme of things? “A time to every purpose” – are the purposes to which we devote our time truly worthwhile?

If you want some sobering statistics, consider how modern folk use their time, and the toll this takes over the course of a lifetime. “Global social media usage grew from 95 minutes in 2013 to a peak of 151 minutes in 2023.” (source: Statista) Think about that for a moment. Each day, people were spending two-and-a-half hours on social networking - or over 1/10 of the hours in a day. Over a lifetime, say 70 years, would we really want to have devoted seven whole years of it to Facebook / Instagram and the like?

Unfortunately for some people, ‘doom-scrolling’ also comes at the expense of quality sleeping hours, negatively impacting their health. Then there’s the psychological cost of always unconsciously comparing ourselves to others’ best carefully curated (sometimes photoshopped) images. Not to mention the toll of cyber-bullying amongst young people who may be resorting to gauge their value based on their peers’ reactions to their posts.

It’s been said, if you really want to know what’s important to a person, look at how they spend their money (their monthly budget). The same thing applies to time. Significantly, moreover, money can’t buy time. It’s a limited commodity for all of us. At the end, even people who still have money left over all run out of time.

Scripture alludes to God’s suggestion that we measure our time carefully. At creation – “And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years…” (Genesis 1:14) Mark time. “He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting.” (Psalm 104:19) Long before there were smartwatches or digital clocks or Big Bens or hourglasses or measured candles or sundials, God provided us with heavenly timepieces that daily continue their determined unrelenting march across the sky.

The Lord, in setting forth guidance for the fledgling people of Israel, embedded in their most important commandments direction to set aside a day each week to cease from their normal activities and focus on eternal matters. “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work....” (Exodus 20:8-10) We are to follow God’s example who made time to rest even on the week of creation.

Even the powerful miracle-working Son of God, who could heal the sick, raise the dead, tame the wind and waves, and multiply loaves and fishes, took time to rest and worship. Luke records that on the Sabbath day Jesus “went into the synagogue, as was his custom.” The Son of Man had a direct personal uplink to His Heavenly Father, yet He made time to gather with other worshippers once a week to hear the Scriptures read and interpreted and refresh His awareness of realities beyond His immediate scope.

Mark’s account states that, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35) He took time in His day to gain eternal perspective.

Daniel was one of three administrators put in charge of the territories of the Babylonian empire, and distinguished himself so much the king planned to put him in charge overall. Others jealously plotted against him and lied in their accusations to Daniel’s boss. The Bible tells us Daniel’s response upon finding out he’d been ‘framed’ and forbidden to pray to anyone except the king. “Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.” (Daniel 6:10) God subsequently spared Daniel from execution and punished his accusers; but could part of Daniel’s stellar career performance, distinguishing himself, perhaps be related to his daily spiritual routine?

Could this be a tonic to alleviate our chronically busy frenetic lives driven by FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out)? An alternative to getting depressed by endless scrolling craving another tiny jolt of dopamine? What a tragedy it would be to arrive breathless and exhausted at the end of a life filled with endless coming and going (yes, and browsing) only to find we had missed out on the most important things, the reason life was to be lived in the first place. God has set eternity in our hearts; it’s worth ‘making’ time to discern how to see our days, our priorities, in the light of His perspective.