Excerpts From: The Messenger |
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My Faith Looks Up To Thee
The most fundamental question that faces most people in today?s society is faith. Faith is possibly the single-most important element of the Christian life. But some people say they have lost faith in their political leaders, governments, even in some cases in God and the Christian Church. These and other factors have led to unrest around the globe.
Faith is a subject that means different things to different people. Therefore, the Scripture lessons: for Sundays after Pentecost is a collection of biblical teachings to redirect our attention to the fundamental of our Christian faith.
Still the question needs to be asked. What really is faith? One little boy in Sunday School was asked that question and quick as a flash he replied, "Believing something you know isn't true." And I don't know what you feel about it. I often thought that that's what faith was. It is believing something that you know with your mind isn't true.
It is some kind of overdrive that you push in with a button in your mind or your emotions. Or, somewhere in your heart, to get you to accept something that you know with your intellect could not possibly be true. And so many of us, in this world today are skeptical of the whole idea of faith, because we think of it as something not connected with the ordinary processes of the natural mind. It is actually opposed to the convictions of our intellect.
And so many of us who have been educated and especially in the area of scientific education, get the idea that to have faith you have to in some way close your mind, or put your intellect to sleep, or ignore the conclusions of science and research. That's absolutely outrageous.
Faith is not that kind of an irrational thing at all. Faith, in fact, is something that you and I exercise every day in our lives. And we've exercised it from the very moment we were born. I suppose it is true that our mothers even encouraged us to feel that we could trust them when we lay in their arms. And we learned day by day that was true, our mothers would not drop us, that she was reliable, and we could put our faith in their arms.
The best definition of faith that helped me put things in perspective is Hebrews 11:6, which states: "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
The Bible gives this description of faith in Hebrews 11:1: "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Faith is belief with strong conviction; firm belief in something for which there may be no tangible proof; complete trust in or devotion to. Faith is the opposite of doubt.
The Bible says that as we grow in our knowledge of God, through his divine power he gives us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). God's Word is alive and powerful (Hebrews 4:12), useful for correcting us when we are wrong and teaching us what is right (2 Timothy 3:16). So, it makes sense for us to carry God's Word in our hearts through memorization, to be ready to face any problem, every difficulty, and whatsoever challenge that life can send our way.
In conclusion I leave you with Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer?s insight to faith, as he writes to his friend Eberhard Bethge (July 21, 1944).
"I discovered later, and I'm still discovering right up to this moment, that it is only by living completely in this world that one learns to have faith. By this-worldliness I mean living unreservedly in life's duties, problems, successes and failures. In so doing we throw ourselves completely into the arms of God, taking seriously, not our own sufferings, but those of God in the world. That, I think, is faith."
Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Amen.
Best wishes from your friend and pastor,
Pastor Samuel King-Kabu
There was a call waiting for me from the Danish consulate in Montreal. The Danish King (Frederik IX) had died and they would like us to conduct a memorial service for him in St. Ansgar Lutheran Church. The church was named after St. Ansgar, the patron saint of Denmark. In the beginning it was a haven for the Danish immigrants who came and settled in Montreal and that district.
In the parish, Pastor Vilhelm Beck, who had served them as pastor from 1938 (to 1959) and was now retired. When I went to visit him for guidance and advice he was more than happy to help. On many occasions he had given me counsel which I very much treasured. He had been an immigrant from Denmark and was very familiar with whatever ritual may be required. What is more he had at one time conducted a similar service for another Danish king (Christian X) in that parish.
"As to the service the Danish consulate will give you the order of service with the texts and hymns that will be used in similar services throughout the world. You will also need to have bunting of purple and black to honour the king. That will be draped in conspicuous places in the front and sides of the church. The purple is to honour royalty and the black is to indicate death. As a matter of fact I do think we have stored away the bunting used at that first service many years ago."
So it was that the proper bunting fit for a king was found. The texts and the hymns were given. The diplomatic members of the Montreal community also attended. As I recall the service went off without a hitch.
Several years later I received a request from the Swedish consulate in Montreal. King Gustav (Gustav VI Adolph) had died and since there was no Swedish church and there was a Danish church it would be appreciated and fitting if we would also do a memorial service. This time around I was aware that texts and hymns would be given which would be used in similar services throughout the world. I also knew that we had the appropriate bunting on hand fit for a king. There was one concern that bothered the Swedish consulate. To send a letter to invite other consulate officials in the city would ?oblige? them to come. It would also be etched in black. This is in keeping with the fact it was a memorial service. And here diplomatic protocol kicked in. He wanted them to come and yet did not want to make it obligatory by sending such a letter to each. I suggested that he simply put an ad in the newspaper about the memorial service and it would leave them free to choose whether or not to come. Most of them came.
Years after the memorial service for the late king Frederik, my wife and I visited the state cathedral in Roskilde, where kings and queens lie in state. We paused by the crypt of the late king Frederik and for us it had a very special meaning that few others would ever have.
Pastor Beck would also be recognized and given knighthood from Denmark for his work in Canada during the war years where they helped service men cut off from Denmark. It was a privilege to have known him.
Rev. Sidney Nelson is a retired Lutheran minister from Medicine Hat, AB. He is celebrating his 60th year of ordination this year. He previously served St. Ansgar?s Lutheran church in Montreal from 1968 to 1981. Rev. Vilhelm Beck served St. Ansgar?s from 1938 until his retirement in 1959, but continued to help out as Pastor Emeritus for many years until he passed away.
Web Page prepared by:
Roger Kenner
& Jette Blair.
Content-New Topics Last Updated: 2014/02/28
St. Ansgar's Lutheran Church - Montreal