Tag Archives: Advent

Elizabeth – Unexpected News

Advent, bible, faith, God, hope, Religion, theology, , , ,

Taken from my 2015 book Voices Through Advent and Christmas, available through Moorleys

Based on Luke 1:5-15

Well, Zechariah came home with a right tale today.

Well, I say that.  It would have been if he could have got it out, but for some reason he was having trouble speaking.  Oh men that go to the back of their caves when they’ve got something on their mind.  But what a tale it was.

Apparently (ahem), he’d seen an angel.  He was the Priest on duty, the one chosen to go into the Temple, and there it had happened.

Goodness knows Zechariah and I have not had the easiest life.  Our longing for children has never been satisfied.  We’ve tried everything and it’s just not happened, obviously not meant to be – though I don’t know what we’ve done to deserve such a curse.  And now it’s never going to happen.  I’m way past that now.

Except, that was the message Zechariah had got from this angel.  There will be a child, a boy.

For some reason we are to call him John, though there’s no John’s in the family.  Still if God’s going to do something this amazing, I guess we can let him name the baby too.  Because this is going to be no ordinary baby, he’s got something important to do for God.

I suppose all I can do is let God do what he needs to in and through me and the child I will carry.  Still can’t quite believe it.  Can’t get my head around it.  How will I cope with what God is asking of me?  I guess God only knows.

God of surprises and impossibilities,
may I be open to all you seek to do
in and through me.

May I hear your voice,
your call,
your challenge
and respond with my life. 

 https://youtu.be/4YPr0AD5MhQ

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Working #advent

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Wurzach Pfarrkirche Decke Westteil

This is how I will build,
how I will work,
with God at my side,
working together
in his task.
He promised to be with us
and he is,
no work we do
in building for him
is done alone.

What he is building
is so much better
than anything that has gone before –
that is what he is inviting us to join.

Lord,
I want to work,
to build,
to grow
with you

 The theme of the first week in Advent is The Day of the Lord.  We look forward to the coming of that day.

Haggai 1:15-2:9 (CEV)

15 And the work began on the twenty-fourth day of that same month.

The Glorious New Temple

2 1-2 On the twenty-first day of the next month, the Lord told Haggai the prophet to speak this message to Governor Zerubbabel, High Priest Joshua, and everyone else:

3 Does anyone remember how glorious this temple used to be? Now it looks like nothing. 4 But cheer up! Because I, the Lord All-Powerful, will be here to help you with the work, 5 just as I promised your ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt. Don’t worry. My Spirit is right here with you.

6 Soon I will again shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake the nations, and their treasures will be brought here. Then the brightness of my glory will fill this temple. 8 All silver and gold belong to me, 9 and I promise that this new temple will be more glorious than the first one. I will also bless this city with peace.

God is Working His Purpose Out

No Place #Advent

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There is no place
for pride
or arrogance
here.
There is no place for rebellion,
rejecting the better way.
No room for those
who think they know better,
or are better.

Corruption must go,
haughtiness be brought down,
lawlessness corrected.

Only service belongs here,
in and through God,
lived in humility,
truth,
hope
and love.

That is God’s way.

May it be my way

The theme of the first week in Advent is The Day of the Lord.  We look forward to the coming of that day.

Zephaniah 3:1-2, 9-13  (CEV)

Sinful Jerusalem

3 Too bad for that disgusting,
    corrupt, and lawless city!
2 Forever rebellious
    and rejecting correction,
Jerusalem refuses to trust
    or obey the Lord God.

9 I will purify each language
and make those languages
    acceptable for praising me.
Then, with hearts united,
everyone will serve
    only me, the Lord.
10 From across the rivers
    of Ethiopia,
my scattered people,
my true worshipers,
    will bring offerings to me.

11 When that time comes,
you won’t rebel against me
    and be put to shame.
I’ll do away with those
    who are proud and arrogant.
Never will any of them
strut around
    on my holy mountain.
12 But I, the Lord, won’t destroy
    any of your people
who are truly humble
    and turn to me for safety.
13 The people of Israel who survive
will live right
    and refuse to tell lies.
They will eat and rest
    with nothing to fear.

I Want to Serve the Purpose of God