“By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. There on the poplars we hung our harps, for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy: they said, ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion!’ How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?” Psalm 137:1-4
“By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. There on the poplars we hung our harps, for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy: they said, ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion!’ How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?” Psalm 137:1-4
Many of you are reading through the bible this year – a great challenge! Good for you. After reading through the bible in a few ways (seriatim, chronological, alternate old and new testaments), I chose this year to read Walter Wangerin’s take on the bible, which I finished this week after starting last fall. He tells the story of the bible through the individual stories of characters within the Scriptures. Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, Elijah, Nehemiah, Mary Magdalene, Andrew, Peter, Jesus the Messiah – you get the picture. How powerful it has been for me to see God’s Kingdom being built in context of the joys and sorrows of the people He has worked through!
Much time is given to God’s working with the chosen people – the times of their great devotion to Him and their inevitable times of rebellion. The verses in Psalm 137 were written by those in exile at Babylon as a result of sin. Just part of the ongoing story of God.
Everyone has a story of God at work. The people in the seats beside you at church have a story complete with sins, forgiveness, successes and miracles from God’s hand. I have read a few testimonies from our people this week.
“We experienced the true nature of this church when our oldest son was found to have cancer and had nine months of treatment. During this time we felt the love and prayers of so many people and also support in other ways that helped us through this difficult time.”
“Our church is a family – not a perfect one but one that sticks together during tough times nonetheless…we all want a place where we can be transparent – real. All of us have brokenness in our lives and we want to be able to be honest about it. I think CAC struggles with being family as opposed to clan. Maybe we have changed.”
“I heard my Saviour calling – I’m so glad he came my way – saved and keeps me every day! Two weeks later my husband was saved and we became involved in the church. Now so many special years in this family of God.”
I have interviewed a number of our people and had them tell their stories. Why not listen to one or more. Just go on the church website, click on ‘resources’, then on ‘podcasts’ and select one. You will be blessed.
Over the past week I’ve been in two conversations – one where we talked about many indicators of revival happening in North America, and the other where we talked about the beauty of the book of Revelation and the sense that the rapture is coming and God has all things in control. If you will – the small story (here and now), and the big story (God’s kingdom come). Yes, His kingdom is coming and will know no end, but in the meantime your individual story – and mine (with all its joys and sorrows) – are nestled within that grand tale. You too are included in ‘the book of God.’ Even as He writes the Grand story, He does not forget our Little story. Let’s find encouragement in this as we face this day!
Pastor Leon Throness
