Message from the Pastor - Ken Radant

Hi everyone! Happy July! I trust you all enjoyed Canada Day, however you spent it. And for those in our community with American roots and connections, I hope you have a delightful 4^th of July and 250^th national anniversary this coming weekend as well.

This year Diane and I had a good, but somewhat non-traditional Canada Day. We made a quick trip to Victoria to help our son move. That meant we spent much of the holiday lugging boxes, scrubbing sinks and cleaning carpets. Not quite as exciting as fireworks, but it was a good time to be together, all the same.

Once the work was done, we found ourselves with a few hours to kill before catching the ferry, so we decided it might be fun to pay a visit to Butchart Gardens. It’s been many, many years since Diane and I last toured Butchart in the summer. What a treat! Even for non-gardeners like us, it’s a delightful thing to wander up and down the trails flanked by huge beds of flowers and other lush trees and plants. It’s a kind of visual symphony of colors and shapes that continually surprise and amaze and leave us shaking our heads in wonder. I can only imagine what a treat it must be for those of you who really understand gardening to visit a place like Butchart and take it all in.

We strolled along, “ooh”ing and “ah”ing and pointing at features which caught our attention, admiring the artistry of the folks who designed the garden and the skill of the grounds-keepers. Again and again, we asked each other: “Who would have thought of making a plant or blossom in that shape and color combination? What creativity!” It was, in fact, rather profound worship experience. At every turn we were reminded that God is a creative genius, with an unparalleled eye for beauty and an unmatched ability to imagine and make things that are unexpected and delightful. What an amazing Creator, to design such a world of wonders, great and small!

Along the way I found myself looking at the hundreds of other people who, like us, were gazing around and pointing and “ooh”ing at the beauty of the gardens. I wondered how many of them realized that what they were doing was worshipping. Many wouldn’t call it that. Some would be offended by that description. But whether we believe in Him or not, God has built into all of us a sense of appreciation for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring and good. He has made us to be worshippers. We can’t help ourselves. What we need is to learn why we respond this way, and to look past the good things we enjoy to the Creator who is ultimately responsible for them.

I found myself praying: “Lord, let more of these folks come to understand that You are the real reason for their delight, and the One they need to know in order to experience life’s joy in its fulness.” And then: “Help me always to see You through the glory of what You have made, too.”

That’s not a bad prayer to keep on raising, for ourselves, our families and friends, and for our church family. May we have hearts that are tuned to worship, whether we’re wandering in a garden, looking up at the mountains, catching a glimpse of a passing whale in the ocean, or singing together when we gather on a Sunday. May songs of praise come naturally, easily to our minds and our lips.

As I’m thinking about these things again this morning, my mind goes to an old favorite praise song by Isaac Watts:

I sing the mighty power of God that made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day,
The moon shines full at His command, and all the stars obey.

I sing the goodness of the Lord who filled the earth with food,
He formed the creatures with His Word and then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed where e’er I turn my eye,
If I survey the ground I tread or gaze upon the sky!

There’s not a plant or flower below but makes Thy glories known;
And clouds arise and tempests blow by order from Thy throne;
While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care,
And everywhere that I could be, Thou God art present there.

I look forward to worshipping together with you all again this Sunday.

This week we’re celebrating another “Community Day,” which means our Sunday service will be structured differently and a bit shorter so there’s plenty of time to visit and to learn about some of the ministries that are happening around the church. It’s always good to take a break from the regular routine to focus on our relationships with one another as people called together by our Lord. You know, His creativity is evident here in our community, too. We ask, “Who would have thought of making those amazing flowers and plants?” But we could also ask, “Who would have thought to assemble such an unexpected, delightful group of people to worship together as West Vancouver Baptist Church?” Yet God is always making creative, beautiful things, and He’s at work to do that in us. We’ll celebrate that truth again this Sunday!

Meanwhile, have a wonderful week, wherever these July days take you. Blessings, and we’ll see you soon.

—Pastor Ken