The Revs. Smiths’ Message for July 4, 2021

Dear Friends,

“Be still and know that I am God … The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.”

Psalm 46: 10a, 11

When we are traveling we like to check out license plates.  How many different provinces/territories/states can we find?  It is a bit tough these days with borders closed.  The slogans are always fun, trying to figure out what they tell you about the region.  Alberta — Wild Rose Country, Nova Scotia — Canada’s Ocean Playground, Florida –The Sunshine State.  One of our favourites is New Hampshire — Live Free or Die!  So dramatic! For New Brunswick, our only officially bilingual province, the slogan is simply, “Be … in this place — Être … ici on le peut ”  Just be — don’t do.

Image of a New Hampshire license plate from 1989–1998; taken from the Wikimedia Commons.

We spend most of our lives doing.  It’s that old Calvinist streak in us — the Protestant work ethic that says we must be busy or we are not worthy.  The Psalmist writes of being still and knowing God, of just being, and feeling the presence of God.  We hope these summer months will give all of us time to just be — and sense that the Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.

In Christ,

Revs. Bob and Helen Smith

A version of this message first appeared in the Saturday, July 3, 2021, edition of Tidbits.