Sun. Feb. 9, 2014 (Janice Kreider)

Janice Kreider spoke on "A Temporary Peace" from Micah 6:1-8. She explored verse 5 (which referenced the narrative of Balak and Balaam) by leading a dramatic reading of Numbers 21:31-24:25 with help from Laura, Steve, Ann Marie, Doug, Andre and Tim. When the Israelites occupied the land of the Amorites and defeated King Og of Bashan, the nearby King Balak of Moab was afraid of the "numerous horde" and sought a curse on them from Balaam -- a holy man with a reputation for successful magic. Balak wouldn't risk attacking the Israelite encampments without the advantage of a curse on them. A chuckle ensued when Andre portrayed Balaam's donkey by holding a carrot dangling from a stick; the donkey saw the angel blocking Balaam's path to helping Balak. After 3 rounds of sacrifices, although Balaam wasn't an Israelite, the Holy Spirit directed him to bless the LORD's people rather than curse them. In his 4th oracle, Balaam announced that Israel would crush a long list of surrounding lands & peoples. After that time, Israel experienced famine, leading to Ruth, a native of Moab, becoming the great-grandmother of King David and an ancestor of Jesus. Unjust levels of inequality, rampant corruption and unrestrained violence are still gravely concerning in many parts of world. We can be thankful that we have religious freedom in Canada, but it can't be taken for granted. We appreciate times of health, but illness can strike at any time. We are thankful for a relatively clean environment, but know that there are threats to our air and water. Janice concluded by reminding us of Jesus' words in Matthew 6:34, "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today" and from Proverbs 3:5-8, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." [KH]

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