February 14, 2019
Dear friends,
While I was shoveling snow this morning, I had lots of time to think about some things that I can learn from this form of exercise, including the importance of balancing “heavy” lifting and “light” lifting. Our office is located in a house which has a long driveway between it and the next building. Beneath the fluffy snow was a sheet of ice that reminded me of when I skated on a backyard rink at a friend’s house, when we were young. After making a path down the middle of the driveway, I came to the sidewalk which was clear and then I began tackling the mound of hardened clumps of snow that had been piled up by a plow. By taking turns between the mound near the street and the driveway, I maintained my determination to finish the task. By using a metal shovel on the hardened snow, I was able to make better progress than I would have with the plastic shovel, which I used on the driveway. So what does shoveling snow have to do with spiritual matters?
I think that we should balance our reading of God’s Word in order to learn from both the Old and New Testaments. In a few days, baseball players will report to training camps in Florida and Arizona and begin to prepare for the coming season by practicing fundamentals of the game. Reading the Old Testament is essential to enable a believer to properly understand God’s plan for mankind, just as practicing covering first base when the batter hits a ground ball is fundamental to a pitcher’s skill development.
I also think that it is important to keep our focus on doing God’s will and not be discouraged by what seems to be an enormous challenge. When I saw the height of the pile of snow near the sidewalk, my first reaction was “This is crazy!” My motivation to clear a space large enough for a car to drive through helped me keep going until the task was accomplished. What was neat was that the longer I kept at it, the more encouraged I was. As we sow the seed of God’s Word in the lives of neighbours, friends and others, we can be confident that the Lord will use His Word to change hearts and build His kingdom.
I learned today that a dear brother in Christ went to be with the Lord last week. Clarence Reimer had a significant role in the Québec Radio ministry of Global Outreach Mission, serving as the distributor of the weekly programs of “La Voix de l’Évangile” for many years. His son, Brian, is continuing this important work and often helps me solve technical issues. Please pray for the Reimer family at this difficult time.
Scripture for the weekend: “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise wins souls.” Proverbs 11:30 (NASB)
Thought for the weekend: “How does God help us cope with grief? First, He assures us of His presence. We are never alone if we know Christ; He lives within us by His Spirit. Even when you don’t feel His presence, it doesn’t change the fact that He is with you every moment of the day … He also assures us of His promises. God cannot lie – and from one end of the Bible to the other, He has given us ‘His very great and precious promises’ (2 Peter 1:4). Read them, learn them, memorize them, trust them, and let them grow and bear fruit in your soul.” – Dr. Billy Graham (from his book “Nearing Home”)
By His grace,
Steve