Perspectives by Rev. Duncan Perry

 

For the Love of Hockey

Tuesday night is a highlight of my week. It’s the night that a bunch of us guys get together at the arena to play some pretty decent hockey – the good old fashioned kind, not part of any league, not played with refs, just two teams going at it. Why?

Why do these guys go to out late in the evening (likely waking up groggy the next morning) to play Canada’s favourite sport week after week? (And there are 10s of 1000s doing the same thing all across this great land of ours.) 

Why? Dreams of glory are long past. If you play too intensely some guy might mutter that there are no scouts in the house. Neither are there any fans in the stands. And of course nobody gets paid a plug nickel.

In fact, after we lose, some guy might say, “No big deal. We’re all getting paid the same.” So why do these guys go out? Sure, it’s to get out and spend time with the guys. And it’s to get a bit of a workout. Some of us older guys (there’s a few of those, no offense) may be trying to offset aging, as if that’ll ever happen.

So why do guys all through the week and in arenas everywhere keep playing? 

I’d venture to say that for the most part it’s for the love of the game. Pure and simple.

When you think about it, that’s why we do lots of things. Out of love. Why do we crawl out of bed and head off to work everyday? Maybe it’s because we love our jobs. And likely needing the money has a lot to do with it. 

But I suggest that for many of us, it’s out of love for our families. Right? Why do we make meals and do laundry for our families? Why do we run ourselves ragged driving our kids here and there? I figure it’s because of love, love, love.

Love for someone or something is a great motivator. Because of love, we buy flowers. Because of love, we help out a buddy. Because of love, we work for the Food Bank. 

When you love, you don’t need a pat on the back for what you do. You don’t need people to notice.

If you get this it’s easy to “get” God. Everything he’s ever done, he did out of love. Think about it. 

Why did he make such a gorgeous world? Out of love for us. Why did he send his son into this world? Out of love for us. Why did his son Jesus suffer and die for the sins of this world. Out of love for us. People really do amazing and even surprising things motivated by love.

Of course the same is true of those who have personally discovered the love God has for them. Overwhelmed by God’s love, they love God in return. That love motivates them to do things for God, things like serving others, caring for the poor, or fighting for justice. They even do things like going to church or living clean lives.

Love. It makes the world go round. It’s why we do much of what we do. Whether it’s staying up late for a game of hockey or waking up early to head off to work. 

The preacher inside me would say, may all that love we see around us (and all it motivates us to do), help us see that love still higher and deeper than all our love put together, God’s. Just as we are, with all our failures, he loves us and offers us forgiveness in his son. In his love he waits for us to respond. To admit our need and receive his love.

[…]

 

My wife and I have just returned from a Missions trip to Malawi and Kenya in Africa.

According to statistics that were given to us on the plane as we flew, we were some 9,000 miles away from home, approximately. We discovered just how significant that was when we arrived back home in Canada having to adjust to a seven hour time difference.

However, that adjustment was minor to our having to deal with what we experienced.

I want you to know, I’ve seen television programs that show the poverty and the hungry children, and for most of my life I’ve been exposed to missionaries who have been there. I’ve heard their stories and have seen their slide shows, but I was not prepared for the real thing.

I think what got me the most is how very little most of the people there have, and yet, how very pleasant they are. I ate some of the food that most of them depend on for their survival. Day after day, it’s the same bland diet.

I realize that I have far too many choices, but I am real thankful that I have a better choice than that.

In Kenya, I was privileged to attend a school in the slums where the children get one meal a day, a mixture of beans, corn and rice if it is available. However, because of cutbacks of support from Canada, that meal is now only served on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. As far as can be known, these children have little or nothing to eat on Thursdays, Friday, Saturdays and Sundays.

I have to tell you, I wept when I heard that.

These kids, by the way, are as smart as any of our children. They are getting a good education, and good Biblical foundation as well. These children are the hope for the future of their countries.

Out of the worst possible conditions, God is raising up young people whose lives are being changed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In Malawi, I was privileged to work in a community that has been built, and funded still, by Canadians. There are 66 orphans being cared for there by women who have lost their husbands to death, one way or another.

James 1:27 says, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father, is this, to care for widows and orphans in their trouble.”

This is the model that the “Village of Hope” is built on.

I, along with four other men from Canada, and Stephen from Malawi, prepared another home to be occupied, in the near future, by more children and another widow. I can tell you, it was difficult to work in 39 and 40 degree heat, but it was one of the most rewarding things I have ever been involved in.

I want to finish this today with a heartfelt ‘Thank you’ to all who made it possible for us to go there, and for the financial support we received that enabled us to provide school supplies, paint and money to furnish this new house so that the orphans, who otherwise would have no hope, can now be cared for, loved and educated and, I believe, make a difference in Malawi.

Malawi is called “The Warm Heart of Africa” and without a doubt that is true. But they need Help. The kind of help many of you gave to me to take to them. I can tell you, God knows who you are and He will bless you.

[…]

 

Today is my daughter’s birthday. I remember the day long ago when she entered the world at the Brockville General Hospital. Now she is 23 years old, and my husband and I continue to be proud parents.

While Hilary was growing up, she took swimming lessons and finished two gold level tests in figure skating. She loved music, and we spent many hours enjoying movies at the theatre.

Our family shared many moments of joy together, especially during our trips to Disney World. Yet illness arrived in our lives when Hilary was about 14 years old. It continues on to this day, and a lot of my daughter’s day to day living is a struggle because of poor health.

I’ve often thought of life as a journey. Our family seems to have hit so many bumps on the journey however. Sometimes it is difficult to put one foot in front of another. 

I know many other people who face sick days, loneliness, rejection, hunger and bereavement. Happiness is often clouded by trial. 

One thing that keeps me going is the assurance that God loves His people and travels with them on all of their journeys. Jesus can bring light out of darkness, comfort out of sorrow, resurrection out of death. Even when our days are shattered, God can shed hope and light upon us.

God loves us. We will never fall out of His caring embrace. In life, in death, in life beyond death our Lord is with us. We are never alone.

In this Lenten season, we are asked to place Jesus at the centre of our days. We can draw closer to Jesus and to one another. We can ask ourselves how we can care for our brothers and sisters in Christ. We can cherish others as God has first cherished us.

As we walk the journey to the Cross and ultimately, the empty tomb, we can be assured that God’s presence strengthens us, guides us and inspires us.

During this Lenten season may we remember to take to heart these words.

Lent is a time to take the time to let the power of our faith story take hold of us,

a time to let the events get up and walk around in us,

a time to intensify our living unto Christ,

a time to hover over the thoughts of our hearts,

a time to place our feet in the streets of Jerusalem or to walk along the sea and listen to his word,

a time to touch his robe and feel the healing surge through us, a time to ponder and a time to wonder. . .

Lent is a time to allow a fresh new taste of God! 

(From Kneeling in Jerusalem, by Ann WeemsAnn Weems)

Rev. Janet Evans, 

Williamsburg United Church,

Lakeshore Drive United 

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