Don’t Be Afraid #adventbookclub – Day 26

•December 26, 2013 • 1 Comment

Luke 2:10-12 (CEV)

10 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid! I have good news for you, which will make everyone happy. 11 This very day in King David’s hometown a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord. 12 You will know who he is, because you will find him dressed in baby clothes and lying on a bed of hay.”

“Don’t be afraid” the angel says to the shepherds.

Don’t be afraid that I’ve broken right into your life.
Don’t be afraid that there is light all around.
Don’t be afraid that I am speaking to you.

Don’t be afraid God is here.
Where you are.
In the reality of your life.
Coming to bring
Life
and Light
and Hope

Our idea of ‘holy’ is to protect God from anything unpleasant and unmentionable, yet Jesus’ idea of ‘holy’ is to bring the fresh air of heaven right into the dirtiest and messiest corners of our world (p119)

Nothing sums this up better than Maggi’s own words in this song:

Into the darkness of this world;
Into the shadows of the night;
Into this loveless place You came,
Lightened our burdens, eased our pain
And made these hearts Your home.
Into the darkness once again,
Oh come, Lord Jesus, come

Come with Your love
To make us whole.
Come with Your light
To lead us on.
Driving the darkness
Far from our souls.
O come, Lord Jesus, come.

Into the longing of our souls;
Into these heavy hearts of stone;
Shine on us now Your piercing light,
Order our lives and souls aright
By grace and love unknown.
Until in You our hearts unite,
Oh come, Lord Jesus, come.

Come with Your love…etc

O Holy Child, Emmanuel;
Hope of the ages, God with us,
Visit again this broken place,
Till all the earth declares Your praise,
And Your great mercies own.
Now let Your love be born in us,
O come, Lord Jesus, come.

Come with Your love…etc.

Come in Your glory
Take Your place.
Jesus, the Name above all names.
We long to see You face to face,
O come, Lord Jesus, come.

Words and Music by Maggi Dawn
Copyright 1993 Kingsway’s Thankyou Music

Or a more traditional offering

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.

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Unto Us a Child is Born #adventbookclub – Day 25

•December 25, 2013 • 1 Comment

Luke 2:1-7 (CEV)

The Birth of Jesus

2 About that time Emperor Augustus gave orders for the names of all the people to be listed in record books. 2 These first records were made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

3 Everyone had to go to their own hometown to be listed. 4 So Joseph had to leave Nazareth in Galilee and go to Bethlehem in Judea. Long ago Bethlehem had been King David’s hometown, and Joseph went there because he was from David’s family.

5 Mary was engaged to Joseph and traveled with him to Bethlehem. She was soon going to have a baby, 6 and while they were there, 7 she gave birth to her first-born son. She wrapped him in wide strips of cloth and laid him on a bed of hay, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Unto Us a Child is Born

Whether we are ready or not, Jesus is here.
If we have room for him, or not.
If we have time for him, or not.
If we are prepared, or not.
God is here, born in the reality of our lives today.

Jesus doesn’t ask us to sweep out our lives before he will be born within us.  He asks only that we find whatever space we can, and do not delay, because his birth (and rebirth) is imminent.

He doesn’t wait for a rapturous and well prepared welcome.  He won’t turn down our humble, perhaps even slightly grudging invitation.  He doesn’t ask for satin and velvet, diamonds and Dom Perignon.  He’ll be born wherever.

All we have to do is make space for him. (p117)

Come, Lord Jesus, come

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.

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Inner and Outer Change #adventbookclub – Day 24

•December 24, 2013 • 1 Comment

Luke 1:49-53 (CEV)

49 God All-Powerful has done
great things for me,
    and his name is holy.
50 He always shows mercy
to everyone
    who worships him.
51 The Lord has used
    his powerful arm
to scatter those
    who are proud.
52 He drags strong rulers
    from their thrones
and puts humble people
    in places of power.
53 God gives the hungry
    good things to eat,
and sends the rich away
    with nothing.

Mary’s song goes from what God has done for her to what he is going to do for his people.

Maggi leads us to the question of how come this promise hasn’t yet worked out (p111)?  Was it wishful thinking, over-enthusiasm in her excitement, a misunderstanding – or has God just let us down?

I think it is probably more about us letting God down.

Mary understands that God is working in her.  But it is not just for her benefit, but for the whole world.  Faith and the work of God are not just personal and internal, they are global and demand action.

True religion is to care for the orphans and widows in their distress (James 1:27)

Jesus taught us all we need to know about justice – but we, humanity collectively and individually, have failed to live it out.

The Magnificat, Mary’s song, is a call.  A call to each one of us.  A call to live in mercy and justice, to feed the hungry, care for the poor, house the homeless – to not harbour God’s presence inside ourselves, but to let it pour out.

Tell Out My Soul

Lord,
you have promised
mercy,
justice,
peace,
an end to hunger.
You want to do it,
but you need us to join in.

Lord,
work in each one of us,
work in me,
that what you do inside me
pours out.
Make my heart
so full of joy,
so enriched by you,
that I give,
share,
and work
for these things to come.

You give me so many blessings,
help me to share them

 

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.

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