Intro: Godfrey is a friend of the Parish of Central Saanich and of Lon and Marian. He lives in Ladysmith and visits about once a month normally, for both services. He faithfully participates in weekly on-line services and enjoys the Daily Reflections.
“In all things God works for good with those who love Him, those whom He has called according to His purpose” – Romans 8:28.
When the world suddenly finds itself in a cataclysm, whenever humans are unable to control events and are trying to escape a disaster, people’s hearts and minds turn back to God and are more open to His love. While bad things do happen to us in this broken world, God still finds ways to bless us. God is recreating us in the world as a “Church outside the Walls”.
In John 14 we are told “The Father will give you another Helper…He is the Spirit”, and in Acts 1, Jesus instructs "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift I told you about…you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.", and “…you will be filled with power and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth". Jesus commands, “Go, then, to all people everywhere and make them my disciples” - Matthew 28:19.
God the Holy Spirit commands our attention in His powerful compelling way. When we respond, “Come, Holy Spirt Come”, we will find that He is already at work and He allows us the blessing of partnership with Him in what He is already doing, ‘the work of Jesus’.
If you want to see God at work in a bad situation, look for the Helper in helpers. The Spirit of God is at work through helpers by bringing relief with acts of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control. The Spirit, in partnership with the helper, restores hope and demonstrates faith in action. These “actions” open people’s hearts to hear the Gospel message empowered by God’s Holy Spirit.
In John15:5 Jesus said, “Those who remain in me and I in them will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me”.
Today we are witnessing more fruit in people helping others to meet their needs and in showing care for those who are lonely or downtrodden. Care for homeless is on the rise and more provision is available. Churches are getting creative about how to provide service beyond their walls. Examples include shared praise, worship, and study through YouTube, and social or prayer meetings on Zoom. There has been an outpouring of thanks, love, and appreciation for front line workers the world over. The Holy Spirit is creating a hunger for God in the hearts of people everywhere. This is God’s Plan, Jesus’s work, and the Holy Spirit’s influence in the hearts of God’s people everywhere to reach everyone.
In John 15 Jesus says, “My commandment is this: love one another, just as I love you…. You did not choose me; I chose you and appointed you to go and bear much fruit, the kind of fruit that endures.”
Acts 1 tells us, it must start where you are, in Jerusalem (Central Saanich), then Judea (Vancouver Island), through Samaria (Canada), and continuing throughout the whole world (perhaps via the “world wide web”), using your time, talents and treasures as you are commanded by Jesus. God the Holy Spirit will do this if you are available to Him. Note: available, not able. Only the Holy Spirit shall empower you to do specifically what is needed to reach into each human heart where he is already at work. God alone knows every human heart and only He can do this, just as He did for you when He spoke into your heart giving you the words of eternal life. He is also at work right now preparing the hearts of others to receive Jesus. When you speak what He compels you to say, then you will be doing what Jesus commanded you to do and according to the will of the Father who sent Him, by the power of His Holy Spirit.