Tuesday, January 19, 2016 - PAGE 22
Balancing our rights and our responsibilities There’s a story – it may even be true – about a teenager who couldn’t get along with his parents. He crossly rebelled against their rules at every turn. To his mind, at his advanced age, they had no right to tell him what to do. Finally, things reached a climax. He informed them he was leaving home, and was going to join the army. His miscalculation is obvious. The young man was rejecting one set of rules, only to put himself under an even stricter and more demanding set of rules. He would learn quickly that most of the things he thought of as his “rights” meant nothing in boot camp! These days we hear a great deal about individual rights. It’s in the news all the time. Individuals protesting loudly that their rights are being violated. There are times when they have a case, but many times two important things are being forgotten. First, there’s a need to balance my rights with the rights of others. I may have a right to walk down the street swinging my arms, but not if my hand is going to connect with someone else’s nose. That person has rights, too. Second, there’s a need to balance rights with responsibilities. For example, each citizen of
Robert Cottrill, B.A., B.R.E. http://wordwisehymns.com/ www.Wordwise‐Bible‐Studies.com
Canada has certain rights. But we also have a responsibility to live by its laws. Holding these two things in balance applies in the home and in the community, at work at school, and even in the church. In whatever context we live – and it likely includes several of those mentioned – we must recognize the equal rights of others in the group, and the duties we have relating to the welfare of the group as a whole. This being said, Christians have an overarching responsibility to God. “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever.” (Rom. 11:36) Believers must live as those “doing the will of God from the heart.” (Eph. 6:6) In times of oppression, when others try to restrict what the Lord commands us to do, we must say, with the apostles, “We ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts
5:29) And “let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.” (I Pet.
4:19) More than two centuries ago, pastor and hymn writer Philip Doddridge wrote a hymn about that. Doddridge (1702-1751), the youngest of 20 children, died of tuberculosis before reaching his 50th birthday. But he packed a great deal into a short life. He served as the pastor of a church and was an outstanding preacher. He was head of a Bible college for two decades. He wrote scholarly works of theology, and penned more than 400 hymns. Unusual for clergy of that time, he had a strong
social conscience, and a passion for foreign missionary work. The author called the hymn we are considering today, published postumously in 1729, Christ’s Service, the Fruit of Our Labours on Earth, citing Philippians 1:22, “If I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labour.” We now use the first line as the title (where the word “own” is used in the sense of admit, or confess). This is a powerful prayer of commitment, recognizing God’s sovereign right over our lives.
Viewing service for God as not only an obligation but a delight, the hymn says, “My gracious Lord, I own Thy right / To every service I can pay, / And call it my supreme delight / To hear Thy dictates, and obey. / What is my being but for Thee, / Its sure support, its noblest end? / Thine eversmiling face to see, / And serve the cause of such a Friend. / ’Tis to my Saviour I would live, / To Him, who for my ransom died; / Nor could untainted Eden give / Such bliss as crowns me at His side.”
When God does the work Although I rarely think about it, as I walked the track this morning I pondered the magic that happens when common ingredients are mixed in specific ways. It’s a phenomenon that takes place in our house every day and probably, in yours as well. Here’s an example. Before leaving for one daily walk I combined two kinds of flour, some buttermilk, yeast, salt and a couple of tablespoons of honey. When I arrived back home the mixture
was ready to shape and put into pans. After spending 40 minutes in the oven, the results were delicious. We had plenty of whole grain bread for the next few days. Later this afternoon I’ll bake cookies for company supper as well as special cookies for my diabetic
husband. So many variations on simple components, but the results are oh, so different. The secret is knowing what to include, what to omit and how to prepare them. When we master those basics, the ordinary can become outstanding. Although I’m not aware of any Scriptural reference to God as a master chef or baker, I learned many years ago He can take the things that make us who we are and the things life throws at us, put them together with a never-ending stream of
his grace and love and then, even in the “oven” of tough times, transform us into a marvel of his goodness. In my musings this morning I realized there are few miracles greater than this transformation. In Psalms 42 and 43, the writer reminded himself of the following recipe in the face of trouble. This is how he put it: “Why are you cast down, oh my soul? Why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise him, the help of my countenance and my God.” (Psalms 42:11)
Worship Together TerriTorial Drive alliance church ANGLICAN PARISH
SUNDAY SERVICES St. George’s Anglican Church - 9:00 a.m. 191 - 24th Street West, Battleford, SK
St. Paul’s Anglican Church - 11:00 a.m. 1302 - 99th Street North Battleford, SK
Spend some quality family time together. Worship at the church of your choice. Our community has a number of churches and a variety of denominations for you & your family.
306-445-5079 / 306-481-5073
Sunday Morning Service 11:00 a.m. Everyone Welcome
Canadian National Baptist Convention
Pastor James Kwon
All are welcome
Worship Service 10:30 am Every Sunday Coffee/Fellowship 9:30 am
10801 Winder Crescent
Evangellical Lutheran Church of Canada
(corner of 15th Ave. & 108th St.) North Battleford Rev. Sheldon Visit battlefordslutheran.sk.ca or call 306-445-5162
Corner 16th Ave. & 93rd Street, North Battleford
Gattinger
Come Join Us Sunday’s At 11:00 am
Phone 306-445-9096
A warm welcome is extended to everyone!
Saturday Services Bible Study - 10:00 a.m. Worship Service - 11:00 a.m.
Corner of 104th Street & 12th Avenue Rev. Father Cuong Luong MASSES: Saturdays - 7:00 p.m. Sundays - 11:00 a.m. & 5:00 p.m.
OFFICE 306-445-3836
Email: notredame.nb@gmail.com www.notredameparish.ca EVERYONE WELCOME
Sunday Evening Service 7:00 p.m.
Bible Study Wednesday 7:30 p.m.
1371 - 103rd Street (Use East Door)
Members of Christian Ministers Association
1202 - 103 Street, North Battleford, SK 306-446-3077 PASTOR: RON BRAUN
Notre Dame (RC) Parish
Pastor Brian Arcand Phone: 306-445-3803 Cell: 306-441-9385 Fax: 306-445-4385
DON ROSS CENTER ROOM #109 - 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. SUNDAYS Pastors: Peter & Lydia Litchfield
Battlefords Seventh-Day Adventist Church
1372 102 St 306-445-3009
Living Water Ministry
Hosanna Life Center
Community Baptist Church
Pastor: Rev. Allen Huckabay nd
1702 - 106th Street North Battleford, SK
306-445-4818 tbcnb@sasktel.net www.trinitybaptistchurch.ca
Maidstone/ Paynton United Church of Canada Phone: 306-445-4338
Clergy Person: Rev. Ean Kasper
10:30 a.m. Service
Church & CE Wing:
306-893-2611
For booking the Wing:
306-893-4465
Third Avenue United Church Sunday Worship Service - 10:30 a.m. Sunday School 1301 - 102nd Street, Phone 306-445-8171 Rev. Frances Patterson
Everyone Welcome
www.thirdavenueunitedchurchnb.ca Email: thirdaveunited@sasktel.net