Message from Pastor Ken

Hi everyone! I hope your August is going well and that summer has been a joy so far.

I’m happy to be back again after our vacation this past couple of weeks. Many of you have asked how things went. For those whom I’ve not spoken with yet, it was a lovely time away. A pleasant time of rest, some wonderful outdoor adventures, good weather overall, safety coming and going, and a general sense that Diane and I both feel refreshed. Thanks for your prayers in our absence.

We’re particularly fond of vacationing in places where we’re surrounded by the great outdoors—which is one of the things that attracts us to the Gulf Islands. For Diane and me, part of the refreshment comes from being exposed to the glory of our Lord’s creation day after day—and we certainly were again this year. It’s good to take in the fresh air, and the beauty and grandeur of our beautiful BC coast always lifts our hearts in worship. There are many reminders of just how small we are, how vulnerable to the larger forces at work in this world, and how dependent on our Lord for His love and care and provision. Lots of reasons to worship!

On the subject of our vulnerability, we’ve all been confronted with vivid reminders as we’ve watched the news reports about the wildfires in various places, especially in the Okanagan. What a sad business, to see the damage done to communities around the province. And what a powerful image of the truth that we don’t have nearly as much control over our circumstances as we tend to think. I find my thoughts turning frequently to those who are impacted. They certainly need our prayers. May God grant protection, help, and comfort to those who need it; may He calm the winds and send rain to help with conditions, and may He strengthen and protect and enable the brave folk who are working to fight the fires and rescue those who find themselves in danger. May our hearts be soft and open, as well, to opportunities that may come along to help in practical ways.

Closer to home, I’m grateful that we’ve been spared the headache of fires here in Greater Vancouver. The smoke is a nuisance, of course. But all in all we are blessed, and grateful.

It was good to join with you in worship again on Sunday. I enjoyed gathering together again, and appreciated the reminder that we all need to be speaking truth to ourselves as we follow the Lord each day. This week we’ll continue with our study of the Psalms with a look into Psalm 15. It’s one of the shorter songs in the collection (only 5 verses!), so it’s easy to read through it ahead of time for those who want to get a head-start.

If you do, I recommend that you pay special attention to the idea of “living with God,” and also that you think about ways that the lifestyle promoted in this psalm reflect the character of God. I shouldn’t give away too much yet, but in many ways the overall message of the psalm is simple: if we want to live with God, our lives need to be aligned with His character. It’s common sense, really. In my life I’ve had several room-mates. When you look for a room-mate, you want someone who is compatible with you. A person who likes things clean doesn’t want to live with someone really messy. A quiet person doesn’t like to live with a rowdy, noisy partier. And someone honest and morally upright doesn’t want to bunk with a gangster. So … what kind of people would God want to live with? 

That’s a good question to ponder all the time. This week, Psalm 15 will put it front and center for us.

Meanwhile, I hope the rest of your week goes well. Keep cool, enjoy these summer days, and may God bless you richly in every way. See you soon!

—Pastor Ken