Praying for those for whom tomorrow will be just the same as today;
the year to come, the same as the year past;
for those who will still be sacred,
hungry,
homeless,
ill,
struggling with life and living;
for those who know only too well what another year will bring;
for those who are afraid of the possibilities;
for those for whom there will be very little new year;
for those who have no hope for tomorrow;
for those for whom tomorrow brings only fear and worry;
for those who will have difficult decisions to make,
and those for whom being able to make decisions is a far off hope;
for all who dread tomorrow,
another year.
I pray
that there may be the hope, presence, peace and love of God
in whatever life may bring
and that those who can do something to make a difference
will
16 After the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene, Salome, and Mary the mother of James bought some spices to put on Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on Sunday morning, just as the sun was coming up, they went to the tomb. 3 On their way, they were asking one another, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance for us?” 4 But when they looked, they saw that the stone had already been rolled away. And it was a huge stone!
5 The women went into the tomb, and on the right side they saw a young man in a white robe sitting there. They were alarmed.
6 The man said, “Don’t be alarmed! You are looking for Jesus from Nazareth, who was nailed to a cross. God has raised him to life, and he isn’t here. You can see the place where they put his body. 7 Now go and tell his disciples, and especially Peter, that he will go ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you.”
8 When the women ran from the tomb, they were confused and shaking all over. They were too afraid to tell anyone what had happened.
They thought it was the end, both his followers and those who wanted rid of him. They thought Jesus was gone, never to be seen or heard of again.
But it turns out the end, was actually the beginning. The beginning of something new. The story is left hanging. What happened next? Where did the women run to? Did they ever get over their fear and tell someone? Was their confusion resolved? We know the answers because we have the rest of the story – but they hadn’t.
Tonight 2013 comes to an end – whether we are desperate for it to be over, or wish it would go on and on. But tomorrow dawns 2014. It is both a new beginning and a continuation. There are lives to lead, unresolved questions to seek answers for, stories to tell.
Maggi talks about the endings of books. I hate it when a books doesn’t have a proper ending. I need to know. I want the ends tied up, to find out what happens. But life has loose ends. The turning of the calendar tonight means that life goes on. Every ending is a beginning.
In a sense Mark hands the story of Jesus over for us to complete.
What is our conclusion, our response to the life and teachings of Jesus? If this is the beginning, what will we make the ending be? How will we live it out in our lives? Jesus’ life was a beginning. He’s shown us what to do – now it’s up to us to get on with it. As his life ended, the life of our response begins.
This year, several of us are reading Beginnings and Endings by Maggi Dawn and joining together to comment on it. Do join us at the Adventbookclub Facebook page, follow #adventbookclub on Twitter or comment below. If you are also reading and blogging on this book, let me know and I will link to your blog.
5 and think the same way that Christ Jesus thought:
6 Christ was truly God. But he did not try to remain equal with God. 7 Instead he gave up everything and became a slave, when he became like one of us.
8 Christ was humble. He obeyed God and even died on a cross.
9 Then God gave Christ the highest place and honored his name above all others.
10 So at the name of Jesus everyone will bow down, those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. 11 And to the glory of God the Father everyone will openly agree, “Jesus Christ is Lord!”
So Jesus didn’t have to come to earth. He could have stayed safely with God.
But that wouldn’t have done much good for me. I was never going to save myself.
Jesus gave up everything he was, to come to earth and be God here. He could have stayed safely with the Father. Never had to suffer the injustices he was subjected to on earth, the disbelief, the taunting, death.
But he did. For me and for you. He took on humanity, he became like us.
Maggi gives a good theological summary of how God could be both divine and human (p133). It is something both creative and redemptive – a true expression of what God is. He is Everything, but was willing to let go of that.
It may be that what he did was a “no brainer” because of the depth of his love for us (after all who of us wouldn’t do everything that we can for the sake of those we love), but he still had to decide to do it, and make that act of sacrifice. God loves us so much, it was impossible not to.
We too are invited to those depths of love, to think the same way as Christ.
God has become like us – that we might become like him.
God became like me – that I might become like him. Let it be so Lord, I pray.
This year, several of us are reading Beginnings and Endings by Maggi Dawn and joining together to comment on it. Do join us at the Adventbookclub Facebook page, follow #adventbookclub on Twitter or comment below. If you are also reading and blogging on this book, let me know and I will link to your blog.
Pam's Perambulation 