Preparing for Advent

•November 28, 2012 • 4 Comments

The run up to Christmas can be a crazy time…

Presents to buy, wrap and get to the right places at the right time;

decorations to get out of the loft, or buy – and the perfect tree to source;

all that food to buy and prepare…

That sometimes the whole reason for it all can get buried

And so, during Advent, we want to take some time to

stop,

reflect,

to see and hear God in it all

I’ve been asked how the #AdventBookClub will work, so here goes:

If you have a copy of the book, Advent and Christmas Wisdom from Henri J. M. Nouwen, read along with each days readings.

I’m going to start on December 1st, technically the day before Advent, but it’s when the Advent calendars/candles start.

I will post a reflection (hopefully each morning) here with the ‘Advent Book Club’ tag.  My posts will automatically post to Facebook and Twitter too if you’re just following there.  That is my commitment to the project.

Anyone else is welcome to post their reflections here too, which will have to be  as a reply to my posts to make it work.

Please do join in.  This is not just about me, I just happen to be hosting it…

And hopefully, we will arrive at Christmas more prepared to meet God born among us.

Tanya Marlow is blogging on Christ’s first second coming and second coming during Advent, and also linking up Christmas and Advent posts.  See who else is there

Posted in Advent, Advent Book Club
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Reflections of a Digital Disciple

•November 26, 2012 • Leave a Comment

This is my #digidisciple post this month for BigBible, where I share my reflections on Adam Thomas’ book, Digital Disciple.

Have a look and see what you think.

Posted in bible, faith, God, Religion
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King Making

•November 21, 2012 • Leave a Comment

What does an image of a king make you think of?  Someone rather removed from life?  Untouchable?  Someone you would never get to meet?

John 18:33-37

33 Pilate then went back inside. He called Jesus over and asked, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

34 Jesus answered, “Are you asking this on your own or did someone tell you about me?”

35 “You know I’m not a Jew!” Pilate said. “Your own people and the chief priests brought you to me. What have you done?”

36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom doesn’t belong to this world. If it did, my followers would have fought to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. No, my kingdom doesn’t belong to this world.”

37 “So you are a king,” Pilate replied.

“You are saying that I am a king,” Jesus told him. “I was born into this world to tell about the truth. And everyone who belongs to the truth knows my voice.”

It always seems odd to return to Easter, just before Advent, but life comes full circle – and God is in it all.

Jesus is King, both as a helpless baby and the man.  But in him king doesn’t mean aloof, or sat in a palace away from the realities of life.  For Jesus it means being part of life, touching and feeling it.

Jesus is a King we can know, I king we can talk to, a King we can reach out to – and invites us to reach out to him.

watch?v=Vz9rgVEm2WY

Thank you God

for coming to earth,

for living in our world,

showing us your love.

Thank you that each day

you continue to reach out to us,

and invite us to reach out to you,

our King

and our Saviour

The Lord Is King

93 Our Lord, you are King!
Majesty and power
are your royal robes.
You put the world in place,
and it will never be moved.
2     You have always ruled,
and you are eternal.

3 The ocean is roaring, Lord!
The sea is pounding hard.
4 Its mighty waves are majestic,
but you are more majestic,
and you rule over all.
5 Your decisions are firm,
and your temple will always
be beautiful and holy.

Posted in bible, God, Jesus, Lectionary, Religion
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