I will extol the Lord at all times
His praise will always be on my lips.

I sought the Lord, and he answered me;

He delivered me from all my fears.

This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;

he saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,

and he delivers them.

We often hear Christians using the term "being saved," an expression that signifies the eternal dimension of life after death and the relationship of "being in the Lord." But there is also a here-and-now dimension.

Just a few days ago I was involved in an accident. To mail a letter I stopped my truck and engaged the parking brake. To save time, I left the engine running. While mailing that letter the truck's parking brake released, and while trying to get into the vehicle, I was caught between the truck and a stopped car.

I am very grateful.

"Grateful?!" you may reply. Strange though it be, yes. Grateful because it could have been far worse. Rather than damaging the back of a car, the truck could have gone into the intersection and struck a car in the side, or, worse, continued on into a school area where the elementary children were just leaving their classes. The thought of my truck maiming or killing one or more children still sends chills down my spine. As for my body, I have a clean break in the small bone of my leg. It will likely heal in 6 weeks.

Grateful, too, for the opportunity to slow down a little. I, like most of us, am a very busy guy. Starting two businesses, involved in a number of community groups, developing friendships, and living the rest of life takes lots of time and energy. In my busyness, I find it difficult to take stock of what I am doing, and who I am. I have often remarked that Time has become my god.

Slowing down and being present in the here and now (not in the past or the future) is a wonderful gift. It makes life truly meaningful. Then I can honestly say I am able to "extol the Lord at all times" because I am not living for some other time.

Being "saved," I believe, means not only that my truck didn't kill anybody (truly an Old Testament concept of "salvation") and that I will one day will have the full functioning of my leg, but that because of this accident I am able to stop fearing for the future and trust in the God who is present with us now.

Prayer: Thank you for saving us from ourselves, from the gods of time and money, so that we might taste and see that you are good. Slow us down, that we might look to you, lose our fear, and lack nothing. Amen.

It seems to me that Christianity has many strengths, not only in its interest in saving souls, but also in its concern for the physical and mental well-being of people in the here-and-now.

One movement, Christian in base, that has helped many to become more radical in their faith, committed to people's welfare this side of heaven, is called Ten Days for Global Justice (once called Ten Days for World Development). This movement has local chapters that are engaged in a number of different activities such as coffee houses, films, bringing speakers and facilitators from "Third World" countries, and worship services.

Last year I attended one of those worship services. Usually these services are held in the month of February. They are mostly readings and music, with some speaker who has travelled abroad and who wishes to share some gem with others. What I find helpful is that these services are written by a community of faith in a developing country. Consequently, they are rich in symbol, yet simple. As I worshipped, I felt connected with a much wider community, Christian and more. It was truly a service unlike most usual Sunday morning Christian services! Nothing fancy. It won't change the world. Just some people lighting a candle of hope, sharing encouragement, and learning from our sisters and brothers elsewhere..

One of the readings for this year's service is Mark 4:21-32. Verse 22 reads, "For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open."

So now you know more about those who combine their faith and spirituality with social justice issues.

Prayer: God of justice, help make our faith bold so that we might free the captives, feed the poor, clothe the naked, and be witnesses of your peace for the world. Amen.

Recently someone commented to me that they wondered why Christians couldn't be involved in building a sense of community and solidarity, to be participating in social justice events.

I was, frankly, surprised. And yet, as I thought about their question, I was aware that Christians in this part of the world are known for our attempt to proclaim the gospel (literally, "the good news") through evangelism, helping each other, and in worship services. Certainly Christians are concerned about "salvation." But little is known about what Christians are doing in order to bring about a more just and peaceful world. It is one thing to sing Christmas songs that are filled with joy and love and peace. But what are we doing about these fine themes?

So I was about to jump into some of the examples of this kind of action that give me hope: The work of the Salvation Army and other denominations with the poor; the church in South Africa (without which apartheid would still be practised in that country); Liberation Theology in Latin America; the "Pastors for Peace" caravan to Cuba; well-known individuals such as Martin Luther King and Princess Di, environmentalists of every denomination (including lots of evangelical churches), the role of Quakers (Society of Friends) and Mennonites in peace-making, mediation, conflict resolution, etc. And this is a very partial list!

But when I was talking to my friend, I didn't zip off this list, or any other. I didn't want to sound zealous and "fanatical."

Upon later reflection, I realized that, like me, many of the movements and individuals may not be very bold about their religious and spiritual underpinnings, given our pluralistic society and our disdain for arrogance of whatever kind. I also realized that social justice issues aren't presently "in" these days.

So we don't see/read/hear much from those who combine their faith and spirituality with social justice issues.

Prayer: Lord, help us to be well-rounded followers of yours, sharing our faith with people and also being concerned about their physical needs. Amen.

Anybody who opens a newspaper or listens to the news will tell you that our world is hardly a peaceful place. With so much going on in the world, how can those of us with faith continue to hope for and work towards peace?

However, since the news is supposed to keep us glued to our newspapers, radios and T.V.'s so that the advertisers can do their thing, it has to be dramatic. As a result we are told mostly the bad news. What we know little about is that there are millions of people in the world who are doing all kinds of things to encourage peace, whether it be in their own homes, at work, in governments, or in politics at large. We don't often learn about these folks, nor are we aware of the tremendous good that they do.

What do such common folk do? They promote peace by offering some prayers, by taking the neighbour's kids for an afternoon while parents get a break, by writing a letter protesting against the use of personal land mines or military hardware exported from Canada to military governments elsewhere, or by the simple (yet risky) act of opening communication lines in their homes. All of these and many more prevent the forces of evil from destroying our world.

When I feel discouraged I sometimes recall the people I was blessed to know in Nicaragua 10 years ago. At that time there was a war going on. The "contras", supported by the U.S. and financed by exchanging drugs for guns, were blowing up bridges, shooting at civilians, destroying farms (including one that Canada had built three times!). Today Nicaragua shares with Haiti the sad distinction of being the poorest nation in the western hemisphere.

Yet the people I came to know and love were the most hard-working and peace-loving people I've met. They knew much grief, had very little, yet were the happiest people I've known. Only the wealthier ones seemed unhappy.

Why didn't they give up? Why did they keep on working for peace? Maybe because they are good at grieving (and going on). Maybe because they knew what a difference peace-making makes in their lives. Maybe because they don't let "possessions" stop them from developing the strong relationships that sustain them. Maybe because their faith is very strong.

They taught me one more thing: "peace" is not the absence of war or conflict. They were at war, and yet lived peace. No, peace is an attitude toward life, despite the craziness life sometimes throws at us.

Robert Louis Stevenson tells a story of growing up in Scotland around the turn of the century. His family lived on a hillside, outside of a little town. Each evening he would sit in his family's kitchen, look down on the town and watch the lamplighter light each of the town's street lamps. He would say, "Look, mother, there is a man who punches holes in the darkness."

Prayer: God of peace, light your candle of peace within us so that, in the power of your love, we might punch holes in the darkness. Amen.