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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 1986-11-19, Page 21From the Minister s Study THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1986. PAGE 21. Too much time wasted on minor details BY REV. BONNIE LAMBLE WALTON-BLUEVALE PASTORAL CHARGE Zechariah, the Old Testament prophet, lived about 500 years before Christ. His ministry took place under trying circumstances. For 70 years God’s people had been in captivity. They had been forced to leave their country and were taken off to Babylon to live in a foreign land. Jerusalem and the Temple had been destroyed. When the people returned home they had the awesome task of restoring the city and the Temple. As the Temple was being rebuilt, some of the people had a question. Since the time that the Temple had been destroyed the people had kept a yearly time of fasting and mourning on the anniversary of the Temple’s de struction. Now that the Temple was being rebuilt was it necessary to keep fasting and remembering its destruction? I suspect that the question came out of an argument. There were some who felt that because the fast had been kept all these years, the tradition should bepreserved. I can hear folks in this group saying “Well as far back as I can remember we have always done it this way and I think we should continue doing it this way. ’ ’ There were others who had a different opinion. They thought about why things were done and they ques tioned the reason behind keeping thefast. Icanhearthem saying, “Well things have changed and we don ’ t think it is meanful to fast for a Temple that is being rebuilt.” It sounds much like the type of discussion that can go on at a board meeting today. Melville WMS hears John Perrie speak The November meeting of Mel ville Women’s Missionary Society was held in the church parlor with eight members and five visitors attending and answering the roll call with a verse containing the word “friend.” The President Margaret Mac Leod openedthe meeting with a verse of “My Peace I give unto you’’. All sang “His name is wonderful” and “Jesus, JesuS”. The secretary’s and treasurer’s reports were given. The hymn, “What a Friend we have in Jesus” was sung and Glenna Stephens So the people went to the prophet Zechariah to ask him for a wordofthe Lord concerning the discussion at hand. The answer was not what they expected. They were told in no uncertain terms that they were on the wrong track. They had become caught up in a relatively minor issue and were ignoring the important one. The religious ritual of fasting was not all that important. What counted was how life was lived. “Admini- read a poem on “Lord make me a Friend”. The scripture from Roman chap ter II verses 33-36 was read by Isabelle Adams. Prayer was led by Hazel Matheson. Evelyn Mair introduced the guest speaker Mr. John Perrie. Isobel Gibson thank ed Mr. Perrie for his wonderful message. The hymn, “O Love that will not let me go” was sung and Ruby Steiss closed the meeting by repeating Hebrews 13, verses 20, 21. A social time was enjoyed and a dainty lunch was served. ster true justice, show loyalty and compassion to one another, do not oppress the orphan and the widow, the alien and the poor, do not contrive evil against one another. ’ ’ (Zechariah 7:9, NEB). I wonder how often we get caught up in the same kind of situation. We can get into heated discussions about minor details of how we worship - what hymns are sung, when and how the offering is taken up, what decorations are in the sanctuary, what time we worship etc., etc., etc. We pour considerable time and energy into these discussions and then we ignore more serious and vital issues. i Blyth Christian Reformed Church HIGHWAY4, BLYTH Rev. Roger Gelwicks Worship Services 10:00a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Sunday School 11:00a.m. The Church of the ‘‘Back to God Hour” and ‘‘Faith 20” Back to God Hour 10:30a.m. CKNX, Sunday Faith 20 5:00 a.m. weekdays, Global T.V. ALL VISITORS WELCOME If the prophet Zechariah were to give a word of the Lord to us today what might it be? My guess is that it might be quite a bit the same as it was to the community who return ed from exile. “Administer true justice, show loyalty and compas sion to one another, do not oppress the orphan and the widow, the alien and the poor, do not contrive evil against one another.” In our world there is much injustice; there are many in need; there is much conflict. The world of the Lord according to Zechariah speaks to our situation today. Can we meet the challenge tolive out our faith in order that God’s will be done on earth? LIFE R. 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