We are located on the corner of Main Avenue and 3rd street in the wonderful little town of Sundre, Alberta. The community is nestled in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains, and we are truly blessed by the beauty that surrounds us. While the location is spectacular, there are a couple of drawbacks to everyday life in the community. We are on the Cowboy Trail that was, and still is, a major route of travel for a variety of goods and services for the western province. It is a major oversize route for heavy, large loads, freight runs and, along with the numerous tourists that pass through, sees over 7 million vehicles traveling through each year. Where am I going with this? Consider this, there is one set of lights in the town on Main and Centre and the rest of the intersections on Main (aka Highway 27) were controlled by two way stop signs. Five years ago, we went to a series of three roundabouts for the road to allow better traffic flow but this fall, the province began the job of replacing the temporary roundabouts with permanent fixtures. This may not seem like much, but it is going to take a while and the intersections are now controlled by four way stops. I sit in my kitchen watching as hundreds of vehicles fly through the intersection without even acknowledging the signs. In fact, the other day, I was almost hit by a semi who was running the sign. So here is the point, as soon as the large orange fixture was replaced, the rules went out the window and it is now a free-for-all even though there are stop signs in place. One driver was heard to say, “if the sign was bigger, maybe we would be more likely to stop.”
Life is that way as well. I was going to say it is getting that way but, in reality, it is there already. The scriptures warned us about times like this and, in the past, many people were respectful of the scriptural ways and of His word but today, they are turning their back on His wisdom and guidance. The yield signs and stop signs have, over the years, always been there to provide some sense of organization and boundaries that keep us safe today and well into the future. But people are choosing to ignore the wisdom of the warning signs and doing it their own way just like those who are running the stop signs in our town. The officers who are there to inform and, yes, ticket, the offenders of the law, are demeaned and chastised on many occasions and yet they are there for the safety of the travelers. Those of the faith family and the clergy are also chastised for being bible thumpers or the holier-than-thou crusaders but we are not there to judge but are simply trying to show a sign.
“Why not make the signs bigger?”
Here is my question, why not watch for the signs, accept the signs for what they are there for and respect the message they are communicating? Life is not about blaming others for the mistakes made but rather watching for the signs, using wisdom to discern the outcomes, should the signs be ignored, and taking appropriate action to avoid pain and suffering. God’s message is simple, Christ came to save all through His sacrifice and who claim Him as Lord and Saviour. The signs of what is to come are very large even though there are those out there who do not believe in the end times and push back, but the time is coming when those who do not want to yield to the signs will come to a sudden realization of the consequences. The signs are there, they are noticeable, and it is up to all to acknowledge and not ignore.
This week, Rev Glenn Reeder brings the first message of the Advent. The service will be broadcast online on our website (https://www.mainavefellowship.ca/socialplatforms), or you are more than welcome to join us in person at 10:30 AM, at 402 Main Ave. W in Sundre, AB.
Blessings,
Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”
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