Category Archives: Minister’s Minute

Few days are forever etched in the memories of a generation; Sept 11, 2001 was one of those days. People around the globe can tell you where they were and what they were doing when they first heard the news of the planes being flown into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and of Flight 93.

Tears were shed for loved ones, for the heroes and for the senseless murder of nearly 3,000 people.

Whether one knew the victims personally or not, cheeks were wet and loved ones held close. It was in our tears that our humanity was shown and despite our differences, we knew we could relate and comfort one another.

We find comfort with people who can relate to our struggles and our pain. Many of us have lost a parent, spouse, child or friend.

Jesus the Christ also shared that same pain. In John 11: 35 it says, “Jesus wept.” He wept for the death of His friend Lazarus. So simple are these words but how powerful in that we have a Saviour who isn’t devoid of emotion, but has gone through the same sufferings we have as well.

When we lose a loved one, the world may not stop, but our own world does, and it is in the presence of those who have known our loss that we find great comfort.
On a personal note of this 10th anniversary of 9/11, Mark, Claudia and Robert, we will never forget.

Pastor Steve Naylor

Published in Delta Optimist Sept 9 2011

I still remember when my best friend in High School called me over to his house to show me this “great” find of a car that he had found.  The car was a 1965 Mustang fastback Shelby.  Hearing this I raced over to his house, he lifted the garage door and my mouth dropped.  What I was lead to believe was that the car was immaculate and beautiful and yet the heap that sat in front of me looked like he had dug it out of someone’s backyard.  It was junk.  This “car” should have been melted and recycled, but instead of saying so I just quietly said, “wow, um, nice, uh, car!?”  For the next three years my friend would work fervently on his new prize, and when it was finished the car was a showstopper, he even won a few best in shows with it.

My friend saw something when I and everyone else simply saw junk.  When everyone else said to give up and sell it to some other poor sap, he refused and kept working.  Through his blood, sweat and tears, he turned something ugly into something beautiful.

That junk car reminds me of how God sees something worth restoring in us.  Even though our sins make us ugly and worthless, Jesus Christ through His blood, sweat, and tears turns me from something ugly into something beautiful, and our prize isn’t just a trophy, its Heaven.

Pastor Steven Naylor

Published in Delta Optimist Aug 21, 2011
Photo from Flickr cc by takomabibelot