The Citizen, 2016-07-07, Page 22PAGE 22. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2016.
From the Minister's Study
Don't reject God's help: van Leeuwen
By Pastor Gary Van Leeuwen
Blyth Christian Reformed
Church
The Old Testament prophet,
Isaiah, had a rather unpopular job.
He served as an advisor to the courts
of the king, and his task was to
analyze what was going on in the
world and give to the king his
perspective on what was about to
happen and why it would happen.
Not only did Isaiah speak to the
king of Israel, but he also had a word
for the nations of the Ancient Near
East. Hearing news reports from
around the world, he recognized that
no matter where one might look
there was gross injustice. The rich
were becoming very rich, and they
were doing by further impoverishing
the poor. This was happening
everywhere, and no one seemed to
want to do anything about it. But
how could injustice have become so
prevalent?
Isaiah continued to observe the
nations around him and he noticed a
further common element among
them all: they had come to think of
themselves as being self -
determining, autonomous and
accountable only to themselves. In
essence, Isaiah says (e.g. Isaiah
14:13) that the nations had begun to
think of themselves as being gods
unto themselves. They had elevated
themselves so that humanity was the
final determinant of all things. This,
said Isaiah, was what resulted in
injustice.
But how can injustice be a result
of self -elevation to absolute
autonomy? Does ignoring the
existence of a divine power really
lead to injustice? According to the
Bible it does.
When human beings begin to
think of ourselves as being
completely autonomous, having the
right to make decisions about
ourselves for ourselves, we, by
necessity, must also become self-
sufficient. We see this in a little
child who insists that she put on her
boots all by herself. By choosing to
do it all by herself, she rejects the
assistance of her parent. The same is
true of us. When we decide that we
are self -determining, it is only
logical that we, at the same time,
reject God's help.
This sounds like a good way to
live, for we can do as we please.
Unfortunately, we are not very sure
about our ability to help ourselves.
This becomes a fearful situation. As
I listen to Canadians (and many
Canadians have abandoned the idea
of being accountable to God), there
is a great deal of fear. We fear
economic downturns, terrorist
attacks, incurable illness, home
invasions, and so much more. We
now have safety nets, but if a hole is
torn in them, we begin to feel very
iVtiter
cfiri,stiatirelleaufiip
July 10: 2Kings 2:1-14
"Where is the God of Elijah?"
"CAVE QUEST" Community
VBS July 11-14 at CRC!
Register - tinyurl.com/blythvbs2016
Evangelical Missionary Church
10:30 a.m. - Worship & Sunday School
at 308 Blyth Rd. (former Church of God)
Pastor: Ernest Dow - 519-523-4848
getlivingwater.or)
unsafe. We become afraid lest
something bad happen that will
destroy life as we know it. There is
an increasingly diminishing sense of
security in our nation, and insurance
companies thrive on this. We are a
fearful society.
If we are afraid for ourselves, it is
difficult to help others. If I am
nearly drowning in floodwaters, I
won't have the capacity to look after
the needs of others. I learned as a
child taking swimming lessons that
grabbing onto a drowning person
while I am unable to touch bottom
may well endanger me as well for
that person may pull me under to
stay afloat himself. A fearful person
finds it very difficult to care for the
needs of others.
If we take it one step further, if
someone is afraid for their own
wellbeing, they are very likely to do
everything within their power to
ensure their own safety even if it is at
the expense of others. Thus, for
example, even if a person might have
more than adequate financial
resources, they have a tendency to
seek more and more just to make
themselves more secure. We never
that might come along. We always
need a little more, and we will do
anything to get it. Whoever gets in
our way may suffer. We will create
situations of injustice simply
because we want to secure our own
positions.
Thus, when we elevate ourselves
to become self -determining and
autonomous, we also lose the idea
that there is a God who will help us.
If we write God out of our lives, we
have to do everything alone, and we
know that we can't. We may not be
ready to admit it, but we are
inherently weak, and so we seek to
prop ourselves up in whatever way
we can. Injustice toward others
becomes a byproduct of our fear.
Thus, in Isaiah's evaluation, making
ourselves self -determining and
believing that we are autonomous
results not in a better world, but in a
world of injustice.
If we would continue to read
through Isaiah, he does provide a
solution. Later in his book, in
chapters 40 and following, he speaks
of a servant who comes from God to
offer his life for the sake of others.
Instead of making himself secure
/aue ,4 71eat dd%iiopt
Let everyone know about
your new bundle of joy!
The Citizen
Call for prices and details
519-523-4792 or 519-887-9114
ANGLICAN PARISH OF NEW BEGINNINGS
BLYTH
Trinity
( 9:15 am
Church Office
519-357-4883
BRUSSELS
St. John's
11:15 am
Church Office
519-887-6862
Everyone Welcome!
COME WORSHIP WITH US!
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Rev. Elwin Garland
SUNDAY, JULY 10
We invite you to join our church family in:
Worship & Sunday School - 10 am
Coffee & Snacks - 11 am
Fridays 11:30 am - 1:00 pm - Soup & More 2
- a free community meal held in Melville's basement, and
made possible by the Brussels churches working together.
Nursery care available
519-887-9017
4.110441111111, lipFi
A CHURCH FOR
everyone
Huron Chapel in Auburn
10:30am Every Sunday
huronchapel.com
others, he gives his life as a sacrifice
for others. Isaiah is foretelling the
coming of Jesus who died so that we
could know that God loves us.
And God does love us. God is real,
and he is not distant. He knows us,
and he cares for us. And he is
waiting for the day when we notice
him again and realize again that he
can help us. When we recognize that
God will help and can help and does
help, we realize that we do not need
to be afraid. When we are not afraid,
we are not spending all of our energy
looking after ourselves. When we
are not looking after ourselves first
(and we don't have to because God
cares for us), we have the ability to
look after the needs of others. And
God calls us to care for others.
In our current societal context, we
have said that we don't need God,
that we don't need to do things his
way. But in our quest to become
BRUSSELS
I United Church
Please note:
There will be no church services
until August 7th at 10:00 am
Minister: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M.Div.
Bulletin notices: 519-523-4224
blythunited@tcc.on.ca
Church bookings: 519-887-6377
Other concerns: 226-963-1175
autonomous we have also lost the
sense that God cares for us. And, if
we continue down that path, our
self-preservation in a fearsome
world may well become so
overwhelming that we can no longer
care about others. And then injustice
sets in. When we cast ourselves into
God's care, however, we can rest
assured that as we care for others, he
will care for us.
Get wedding advice
and tips, see a case
study and read about
local brides on the
Brides in Huron
section
of our website
www.northhuron.on.ca
euewid. ejo.ald v ea& &of."
you're Invited
t0 come WOYSFIti
R t^• p
V with us '''
-',;,:------0-.:.57--,;-
r
Sunday, July 10
Brussels Business & Cultural Centre
at 10:30 a.m. and at various homes at 6:30 p.m.
from July 3 to Sept. 4
Sunday School for children
4 to 12 years of age at 9:30 a.m.
Childcare provided for infants and preschoolers during
the sermon.
Coffee & cookies after the morning service.
For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621
Steve Klumpenhower 519.292.0965 Rick Packer 519.527.0173
You're 9nviteJ a ain 'us c9n 'worship ip
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00 am A
Evening Service 7:30 pm •Ink
1 I
`k
BLYTH CHRISTIAN ,.Liii
REFORMED CHURCH
cm
Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen
& Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743
Community Vacation Bible School
July 11-14 - tinyurl.com/blythvbs2016
Blyth United Church
Est. 1875
Worship Service & Sunday School at 11:00 a.m.
I
C
�,.
tom"-T� .— _
t`
Sunday, July 10"
Our Home Grown Soul Food:...
based on the play
OUR BEAUTIFUL SONS:
REMEMBERING
MATTHEW DINNING
A« Welcome
MINISTER: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div. 6, OFFICE: 519-523-4224