The Power of Encouragement

Monday was a civic holiday here in Canada, locally known as Simcoe Day. I say, “locally known,” since every part of the country gives it another name. [But that is another, and very Canadian, story!] Anyway, a day off meant a day to work with my neighbour to build a fence between our lots.

We had rented a mongo, earth-moving, two-man auger and had all the supplies, but I knew we were going to be hard-pressed to finish the job in a day. So, I mentioned to a couple of guys at church on Sunday that I could use the help if they were around.

Monday morning at 7AM Paul and Steve showed up! Booyah! What an encouragement! Even more – they stayed and worked hard for 14 hours... with only two small breaks to eat. And not once, not even slightly, did they ever complain, drag their feet or look for ways to back out. I cannot tell you how deeply encouraging that was for me. Now, the fence did not seem so daunting and the labour did not feel so hard. And we almost got done! [And would have got done had I not crushed my hand between the gas auger and my shed... but again, that’s another story!]

Yesterday, I was making some pastoral visits and had the opportunity to encourage some discouraged brothers and sisters. In one instance, I watched one of these saints transform before my very eyes – from defeat and discouragement to hope and life!

These last two days have reminded me of the incredible power of encouragement. No wonder the Bible tells us to “encourage one another day after day.”

When was the last time you deliberately encouraged another saint?

Let it Snow???

Winter finally arrived in Toronto and two area bloggers had some interesting thoughts on snow, ice and divine sovereignty. Kirk shares how he had to rejoice in spending the day without electricity (didn't that get cold, Kirk?) and Darrin tells us how his face was disfigured from a shower of ice pellets.

Both tell us it is good to rely on the Lord through inclement weather!

As for me, I think I may post on the benefits of mid-winter mission work in the South Pacific.

All Things Goodward - Without Exception!

Preaching Romans 8:28 this past Sunday, I had one of those "pry-my-head-open-and-stretch-my-brain" thoughts. I think we often view the promise that "God works all things together for good" in a much too localized way - as if it was all about ME in my glorious, post-modern, self-focused life.
The fact is, God is working toward good "all things." Reminiscient of the staggering thought of Ephesians 1:22 that Christ was put over all things for the church... here in Romans God is described as wisely connecting one thing with another in such a way as to secure the desired result of "good" for the church ("those who love Him" and "those called according to His purpose").
Fine. But consider for a moment the sheer volume of exigencies, decisions, thoughts, emotions, responses, words, directions, and contingencies that must interplay with one another in one second of time! Our God is directing every "random" fall of the dice and the choice of every world leader. And all of these events in real time are careening goodwards!
This is so much more than a mere "look for the silver lining in every cloud." This is a mind-stretching, glorious revelation of the Divine that suffering Christians can hang on to in the midst of "tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, and sword."
Praise be to God for being so utterly other than us - and so utterly kind towards us!
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So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Read and ponder...