33 Jesus’ parents were surprised at what Simeon had said. 34 Then he blessed them and told Mary, “This child of yours will cause many people in Israel to fall and others to stand. The child will be like a warning sign. Many people will reject him, 35 and you, Mary, will suffer as though you had been stabbed by a dagger. But all this will show what people are really thinking.”
This Child,
here is God.
This Child,
so much more than a child.
This Child,
here with a purpose,
God’s purpose.
This Child,
will make people think,
ask questions,
and ultimately
have to make a decision.
This Child,
are we with him,
for him?
Or against him
and all he will show us?
This Child
will show us truth,
God’s truth,
ultimate reality.
Some will not like it.
For some
it will be exactly what they
have been longing for.
This Child.
God’s Child.
here amongst us.
Bringing God’s word.
6 In the year that King Uzziah died, I had a vision of the Lord. He was on his throne high above, and his robe filled the temple. 2 Flaming creatures with six wings each were flying over him. They covered their faces with two of their wings and their bodies with two more. They used the other two wings for flying, 3 as they shouted,
“Holy, holy, holy, Lord All-Powerful! The earth is filled with your glory.”
4 As they shouted, the doorposts of the temple shook, and the temple was filled with smoke. 5 Then I cried out, “I’m doomed! Everything I say is sinful, and so are the words of everyone around me. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord All-Powerful.”
6 One of the flaming creatures flew over to me with a burning coal that it had taken from the altar with a pair of metal tongs. 7 It touched my lips with the hot coal and said, “This has touched your lips. Your sins are forgiven, and you are no longer guilty.”
8 After this, I heard the Lord ask, “Is there anyone I can send? Will someone go for us?”
Willingly or grudgingly someone steps up, takes it on, makes sure it is done.
God calls. Will someone go and do this?
I’ll go
I hadn’t realised I could. I thought it was beyond me, that I wasn’t good enough.
But God had other ideas. He met me, showed me, forgives me, calls me.
I’ll go
Lord,
I am small,
unholy,
unclean.
I get things wrong
and fail to get things right.
I stand in awe and wonder
of all you are,
and all I can never be.
And yet,
I hear your voice calling,
you need someone,
someone to go
and be
and do
for you.
I am not worthy.
Yet if you call me,
touch my life,
forgive me,
transform me
perhaps,
in your strength
I’ll go
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.
I’m sure at one time or another we’ve all been called on to help someone. A lift is needed, an errand, help with a task that needs more than one person… Or we’ve had to call on someone to help us. Usually if someone can help, they will. They respond to the call.
9 During the night, Paul had a vision of someone from Macedonia who was standing there and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we began looking for a way to go to Macedonia. We were sure that God had called us to preach the good news there.
Lydia Becomes a Follower of the Lord
11 We sailed straight from Troas to Samothrace, and the next day we arrived in Neapolis. 12 From there we went to Philippi, which is a Roman colony in the first district of Macedonia.
We spent several days in Philippi. 13 Then on the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to a place by the river, where we thought there would be a Jewish meeting place for prayer. We sat down and talked with the women who came. 14 One of them was Lydia, who was from the city of Thyatira and sold expensive purple cloth. She was a worshiper of the Lord God, and he made her willing to accept what Paul was saying. 15 Then after she and her family were baptized, she kept on begging us, “If you think I really do have faith in the Lord, come stay in my home.” Finally, we accepted her invitation.
Purple cloth was expensive.Lydia was a well to do business woman.
So here we see how Peters vision about not putting up barriers about God’s work begins to come into its own. Lydia is most probably a Greek, a sympathiser, but no Jew. Paul is “called over” to Macedonia. There is no indication that he had intended going there, but he responds to God’s call.
Paul, Silas and Timothy had been travelling round preaching. They had tried to go to Bithynia, but the Spirit had stopped them. Now they find out why. There is work to be done in Macedonia, which in turn becomes the launch pad for a whole new branch of God’s mission – from Asia to Europe. If Paul had not responded to this vision, Christianity may have remained where it was born. It may have fizzled out. But Paul heard the call and responded – and the rest is history.
Sometimes responding to one small call for help can lead to something so much bigger. A friendship can blossom and grow; a need can be acknowledged and responded to; a ministry can begin or take a different path.
What is God calling me to come and help with today?
What might be starting?
If I don’t respond, what will happen?
Lord,
may I listen,
that I may hear the call
to come and help.
