Pastor Fari Maghami

What does it mean to worship God? For many Christians the term worship is related to the time spent at church making music and singing songs directed to God in praise.

The Bible says that God breathed the breath of life into man. Every human being
regardless of colour, race and background is created by God and that makes every life
sacred. This passage from Genesis came to my mind as I have been thinking and
praying for the United States, watching as people have been protesting against police
brutality, systemic injustice and racism.

God’s voice is always comforting and soothing to the soul of His followers. It expels fear and brings faith. The Words of Christ are spirit and they are life to all who receive them (John 6:63). When God’s people hear His voice, they will follow Him. He gives them eternal life; they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of His hand (John 10:27-28).

As we pursue Christ and continue His mission in the world by sharing the gospel, letting our light shine before people, loving our neighbours, and extending forgiveness to our enemies, we can ask Jesus for whatever we need and He will give it to us. God has promised His children, “Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it.” The condition in this text for this promise is “Ask in my Name!”

Achieving peak performance in our lives is not enough to make us content. No matter how gifted we might be, true contentment cannot be found in our performance. The world grades us and gives us value according to our performance. In contrast, the Bible says we are created by God in His image and He shows His unmerited love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Life comes with seasons of trial and testing. How do we survive and thrive through the storms of life? How do we face fear, pain, addictions, loss, depression, faith crisis and sickness without becoming callused toward God and people? There are no easy and straightforward answers to life’s trials and afflictions, but one thing is sure in the midst of our tribulations – God is able and willing to bring us through storms of life.

If we believe in a personal and sovereign God who created us intentionally out of love, then it follows that there are some logical questions for every person to ask: why did this God create me? Which direction does He want me to go in life? What is the purpose of my brief earthly existence? Where is my destination in this life and will it affect my afterlife?

As an immigrant from the Islamic Republic of Iran, I am extremely glad and honored to live in Canada, a glorious and free land. My homeland is a nation that is known to lack in freedom of speech and has undergone many turmoils, like the 1979 revolution and an almost 8 year-long war with Iraq. I recognize that Canada’s history is not free from violence, prejudice, pain and injustice. However, I do believe that God is on the move, revealing truth and bringing healing in many different areas of our country, including the social and political landscape.

The greatest commandment in the Bible is to, “…love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself…” (Matthew 22:36-38). You would think that these commands from Jesus would be clear enough for husbands to love their wives out of the overflow and empowerment of the first commandment.