Pastor Mike’s Garage February 3rd, 2022

*Pastor Mike’s Garage-Feb 3-2022*

If you would permit me, I’m going to stand on my soap box and voice an
opinion here. Now I am painfully aware of how possibly small my soap box
is! As I write this the thought crosses my mind ”Is anyone even reading
these Pastor Garage’s anymore?” I’m not looking for affirmation here, but I
have a hunch it isn’t many.

I had a relatively sleepless night last night, still awake far past
3am. This seems to be the new norm since my surgery. For whatever reason
there have been many, if not most nights, similar for the last month. Now
what I am writing about was not what was keeping me up, it just happens to
be one of the things that I thought about last night. My thoughts went to
the current hot button topic of the “freedom rallies” led by many truckers
form across our country in Ottawa and many others at various provincial
capitals throughout the country both last weekend and projected more for
this coming one. Now hear me on this, I AM NOT supporting this movement and
these efforts NOR AM I against them. I was just thinking about this all and
trying to come to a greater understanding. Do I like and agree with all of
the mandates, rules, impositions upon my freedom, inconsistencies,
manipulative tactics that our governments have imposed during this time,
etc? NO! In that aspect I somewhat support what they are trying to do. But,
in and through this all something else has been nagging me as well.

Last night as I was “stewing” over this all, my thoughts went to how
things looked politically during the time that Jesus walked the earth. They
too were under a political system that was oppressive and undesirable.
Roman rule was not fair to the Jewish nation, it was not just, it was
manipulative, it was oppressive, there was an obvious alternate agenda that
was not in favour of the people of God! They were desperately looking for a
saviour! A messiah to come and free them from this tyrannical rule! Now
some of you are already thinking that I am wholesale comparing those that
are passionate and excited about what is currently going on around us to
the Jewish people during the time of Jesus and thus chastising them. NO, I
AM NOT! But the similarities are there. The reality is that many of the
very same people that were shouting “Blessed is He who comes in the name of
the Lord” at the top of their lungs during the triumphal entry were also
shouting “crucify Him” just a few days later!

Human nature intrigues me. The reality is, that in and through this
all, I have many friends and associates who I consider more intelligent and
learned than I who are on polar opposites of this whole debate. We’ve all
been watching the numbers, looking at the data, reading the articles and
watching the reports, reading between the lines, have some friend or
associate that is in the know and on the down low! Yet seemingly with
drastically different thoughts and opinions of this all! The humorous thing
to note in all of this is that it doesn’t matter who you talk too, in their
own mind and understanding they are the balanced one and those that differ
in opinion are unintelligent or obviously deceived! I’ve had many from both
camps say the exact same words to me, “how can they not see, why don’t they
get it?” Now I have to wonder, contrary to what you might think, am I as
balanced, unbiased and objective as I believe I am, in light of all of
this? As I look at what I can see around me I think “I know”. I’m sure you
believe “you know!: The reality is that the person that holds a polar
opposite opinion to yours believes they “know!”

So, as I contemplated all of this last night the question arose, where
do we go from here? I mean, who’s right? Who’s wrong? Am I saying it’s
wrong to ever protest or get excited about anything? Should we not have an
opinion on the things going on around us? Is it wrong to take an active
role in bringing about change? What does or should that look like? My
thoughts went back to the time of Jesus. The reality is they seemingly all
had it wrong! The Romans, the Jewish leaders, the religious zealots, those
that followed Jesus, the disciples, even His own family! As I thought about
the many around me, in my family, in my church, in my friends and
associates, who have so many varied, strongly held, thoughts and opinions
of this all, my mind went to something Jesus said while hanging on the
cross, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do!” God has a
plan and agenda greater than my own understanding! Our hope is not in our
own understanding and intellect! Our hope is not in our financial,
healthcare, or government systems. Our hope isn’t even in our spiritual
leaders, myself included! Our heavenly Father is the only one who truly
knows! We need to let everything else go! Fix our eyes on Him as the author
and finisher of our faith! The only one who can sustain!

Pastor Mike