HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2011-02-17, Page 15THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2011. PAGE 15.By Rev. Tom MurrayBelgrave United Church
This article begins with an
illustration from William L. Shirer’s
book The Rise and Fall of the Third
Reich.
Shirer noted how in 1942: “Hitler
had stretched his frontiers so wide in
Russia that he simply could not
defend them anymore. Ignoring
Field General Franz Halder’s advice,
the Fuhrer dismissed him saying,
‘We need National Socialist ardour
now, not professional ability. I
cannot expect this of an officer of the
old school such as you’. Halder
described the Fuhrer as ‘no longer a
responsible warlord, but a political
fanatic’. In consequence of speaking
out, Halder was retired to the Fuhrer
Reserve. As Hitler’s vision of the
Thousand Year Reich took root, the
more he enslaved the world in his
boundaries.”
Yet, boundaries do have their
place. Ever drive up in mountains,
that have wide round curves with
well-defined lanes? I remember,
driving through the Black Hills of
South Dakota, where, along the cliff
side of the road were large
protection barriers to stop cars from
going over. In a flash, a large red car
appeared in the rear view mirror, his
intent obvious. To pass. “Here comes
trouble,” I thought, “I'd better slow
down and let him pass.” I did, he
passed, and driving too fast for thisroad had trouble with the curve
ahead. If I’d maintained my speed,
our fenders, tires and doors would
have merged in a crash of steel,
rubber, plastic and glass.
Boundaries can keep us from
crashing, but cannot keep us moving
along the way. God has to give us
frontiers to keep us moving.
First he sets our boundaries; then
he brings us to his frontiers.
Moses was a boundary man. After
killing an overlord in Egypt who had
whipped slaves unmercifully, he ran;
hiding in Midian (in the Sinai
desert).
“A man with great potential, he
became a shepherd watching his
father-in-law’s flocks. Although
Moses didn’t know it, God was
drawing in his fences until he hardly
had breathing room for himself or
his sheep. Then God intervened.
“Take off your shoes,” He said,
“you’re standing on holy ground. I
will take away the boundaries in
your life and move you to a frontier.
Now, get up, go, back to Egypt, and
let my people go.” (Ex.3)
After many harvests, a great chain
of slavery weighed down God’s
people and kept them in Egypt, not
unlike the weight of bondage felt by
Tunisians and Egyptians of our time.
God sent Moses to strike down those
boundaries of bondage for a frontier.
Moses, led the people out of Egypt,removing their boundaries for a
frontier freedom.
Moses, with God’s guidance, led
them through the desert to the
Promised Land. At a certain point in
their wanderings in the desert, the
Israelites grew discontented. They
wanted to go back to Egypt. “Better
to live in slavery,” they cried, “than
to die in this forsaken desert
freedom.” How we hate God
removing our boundaries for his
boundless frontiers.
God told his people he wanted
them separated from all that
enslaved them. Even though they
preferred bondage, God did not
tolerate their preference. He led
them to the bread of freedom, tasted
first in the howling desert.
What marked the free man? “You
shall not take vengeance or bear any
grudge against the sons of your own
people, but you shall love your
neighbour as yourself: I am the
Lord.”
Revenge enslaves us, so hold no
grudges. As God works in our lives
to remove our hatreds and grudges,
we begin to learn to love, we begin
to feel free.
God next compels us to despair of
ourselves so we may come to trust
His word alone. Freed by God’s
promise, we are led to a true path of
faith. As God shapes faith in our
hearts, we experience freedom fromthe bondage. It is thus, so we can be
joyful, high-spirited, and eager in
our relationships with God and with
all people.
Freedom’s frontier challenges the
limits of restriction; the lesser
circumference, the tighter circle.
God leads us through our deserts of
bondage so we will long for true
faith and freedom. There he calls us
to be holy as he is holy, separated
from all that enslaves us.
When I came home one May
night, years ago, and announced to
my wife I felt called by God to the
ministry of his church, she woke and
probably thinking “he’s lost it,”
turned over and went back to sleep.
Within four months, I had crossed
three boundaries; my church as
sponsor, our presbytery as
supervisor, and the larger church that
accepted me as a candidate for
ministry. Four years later I was
ordained.
The boundaries of our life were
shattered and new frontiers of
learning, growing and developing as
an individual and a family were
opened up. One of which was that 10
months after that May night our third
daughter was born.
God shows the way in the paths
we’re called to take. Forced to the
limits of our boundaries and beyond
we meet the frontiers of our
lives before us. God always stretches
our boundaries beyond where we
are.
“The pastor closed the service by
instructing his people, ‘I would like
all of you to read Mark 17 before
next Sunday’. The following
Sunday, he asked the congregation,‘How many of you actually read
Mark 17 this week?’ Almost
everyone in the pews raised their
hands. The pastor then stunned his
people by announcing, ‘Ladies and
gentlemen, there is no 17th chapter
in Mark.’ We must not lie. We must
mean what we say and say what we
mean. Our ‘yes’ must be ‘yes’ and
our ‘no’ must be ‘no’. Our talk
should not be cheap. Words should
not come too easily out of our
mouths or too quickly from our lips.
We must never forget that all of life
is lived in God’s presence and under
His watchful eye.”
Thanks to God for his “boundary
work” in our lives. Just think of how
God has led the young men and
women of Tunisia and Egypt these
past weeks. Led through the
boundaries of their existence into the
worldwide community and frontiers
of Facebook and Twitter that brought
them to the frontier of their
humanity and the place of true
freedom in life. Both countries broke
through the boundaries of fear that
had held them in captivity for
decades. The opportunities of new
frontiers before them hold boundless
and unconstrained life. For they lead
to all that humanity on this earth has
yearned for and sought since the
beginnings of life on our planet; the
very freedom of all of life blessed by
the bounty of the blessing of his
creation.
He leads us each day toward the
frontier of faith and life where true
freedom lies and is found. May all of
God’s children be so blessed to
experience this freedom.
By Mikenna Lane
Students are settling into their new
routines post-semester one exams
and this semester will go down in
history as St. Anne’s Catholic
Secondary School’s fitness centre is
officially up and running!
Anyone who is interested in youth
fitness is encouraged to attend the
centre’s grand opening on
Wednesday, Feb. 23 at 7:30 p.m. at
the school.
St. Anne’s athletes, consisting of
the members of the nordic ski team,
the junior and senior boys’
basketball teams, curling team, male
and female hockey teams, swim
team, and the midget, junior, and
senior girls’ volleyball teams gave it
their all this past week. On Monday,
Feb. 7, the skiers competed in
Kinkora, and brought home two
Huron-Perth championship
pennants.
The senior boys’ basketball team
played in St. Marys and have
advanced to the finals. On Thursday,
Feb. 10 the junior and senior girls’
volleyball teams played at St.
Mike’s in Stratford and on Friday,
Feb. 11 the boys’ hockey team
played South Huron in Exeter.
For those who are interested in
becoming a referee certified in a
sport of interest, OFSAA is now
accepting applications for subsidies
to help offset the cost of becoming
certified as officials, who are in
St. Anne’s opens fitness centre
Worship Service & Sunday School at 11 a.m.
CORNER OF DINSLEY & MILL STREETS
MINISTER
Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div.
All Welcome
MUSIC DIRECTOR
Floyd Herman, BA, M. Ed.OFFICE: 519-523-4224
February 20th
“Your Blind Heart”
Everyone Welcome
Please join us for worship
Hwy. 4, Blyth
519-523-4743
www.blythcrc.ca
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00 am
Evening Service 7:30 pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
Pastor Gary Klumpenhower 519-523-9233
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - beunitedchurch@gmail.com
Sunday, February 20
Ethel United Church
Worship Service and Sunday School - 9:30 a.m.
Brussels United Church
Worship Service and Sunday School - 11:00 a.m.
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
Youre Invited
to come worship
with us
Sunday, February 20
Brussels Public School
at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
6:30 pm - DVD series on the Book of
Revelation by James MacDonald
Sunday School for children
4 to 11 years of age (mornings only)
Childcare provided for infants and toddlers
Coffee & cookies after the morning service
For additional details please contact:
Steve Klumpenhower 519.887.8651 Rick Packer 519.527.0173
Chris McMichael 519.482.1644
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
Welcomes you to come and worship with us
Trinity, Blyth
9:15 a.m.
Church Office: 519-357-4883
St. John's, Brussels
11:15 a.m.
519-887-6862
Sunday, February 20
Rev. Perry Chuipka
www.nabcom.ca/church
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Rev. Elwin Garland
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20
Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available
519-887-2664
10:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
getlivingwater.org
Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848
Living Water
Christian Fellowship
10:30 a.m. ~ Worship & Sunday School
at Blyth Public School,
corner of King & Mill
Tuesdays 7:30 pm - Wingham Small Group
1st & 3rd Wednesdays 7:30 pm - Women’s Ministry
Fridays 7:00 pm - Youth Group
Feb. 20: John 10:22-39
“Two Strangers at My Door:
How to witness to a Witness”
Evangelical Missionary Church
119 John’s Ave., Auburn
519-526-1131
www.huronchapel.org
9:30 a.m.
Sunday School
10:30 a.m.
Morning Worship Service
Guest Speaker:
Rev. Eugene Neudorf
From the Minister’s StudyGod leads us towards freedom’s frontiers
Continued on page 20