Advent
is the flavour of the month, although it is hard to find in the rush
to buy the trinkets and baubles that constitute Christmas in the 21st
Century. Scenes on TV of the brutality of Black Friday at the
superstores were almost beyond belief – Except there was the
evidence before your very eyes.
Who
are they buying for?Themselves, relatives or friends? Which is
strange when you consider we are too busy to spend time with the very
people we buy presents for.
There
can be a variety of reasons given for this – Too busy with temporal
things, which have no eternal value. Allowing petty slights and
differences stand in the way. Procrastination (“I'll call next week
when I have more time”). I could go on; the list is seemingly
endless.
A
lack of real love for the individuals God placed in our families and
lives is the opposite to what was intended.
In
John's Gospel, Chapter 2, the first two verses speak volumes. There
is a wedding in Cana, Galilee. Jesus, His Mother were invited
together with the disciples. Lay aside the miracle of water to wine;
it is his attendance that holds the most significance.
Weddings
in the Arab world at that time were huge celebrations that could last
for days; hence the panic, disgrace of the wine running out early.
But for Jesus a wedding is a symbol of of two lives joining as one
and signified His bride, the Church, becoming one with Him.
Jesus'
life mission and love was always for people. It was for the
individuals He wanted to be in Heaven with Him. He cared about all
that pertains to life and living. How can we apply that to our lives?
The only way I can see is for us to change our hearts so that our
priorities match His. Then we will have the love for those we so
often neglect.
So,
I hope you agree, Advent should be about the birth of Jesus; the
coming of the Saviour of the World. But I want to come in from a
different direction. Let's start with the beginning.
First
of all God produced us – We contributed nothing. God would not have
changed one iota if He had not produced us. The difficulty I had
originally was why He produced us at all?I still struggle with that
on odd occasions when you read of the atrocities one human can commit
against another. He had all He needed without us. So why?
Quite
simply I see that God has a special kind of eternal happiness. It is
unique to Him. Because of this the World was created entirely for us.
The love of God produced it in a spirit of incredible generosity.
This
love is evident in His continuing passion for it and the creatures
contained within. He had no special plans for it yet the marvellous
thing about it all is that it demonstrates that God can be totally
trusted. He recognises all our faults and foibles but He loves and
forgives. He chose to produce us with affection. He owes us nothing.
He went so far as to be prepared to die for us on the cross. He
submitted to death because God makes us good by forgiving us our
transgressions. This love, borne through creating us and now
displayed in saving us, comes free of charge. So we receive this
knowledge that God gives us His love unconditionally. Here lies the
foundation of trust in God. There is no room for suspicion. One of
the strengths of Christianity lies in our belief that God does not
treat us harshly if we fall by the wayside. He bends down to pick us
up, dust us down, give us forgiveness and renewal in His love and
generosity. Our creation and our salvation are closely bound
together.
So
as we pass through the season of Advent give thought to the mind
boggling knowledge that God came to us.
I
leave you with the picture of a heavily pregnant woman trying to hold
herself together on the back of a donkey. Tired, dirty from travel
dust. In agony from the early onset of birth pains. Worried, probably
frightened that they would find nowhere to stay as they arrived so
late in the day. Joseph tramping the streets worn out from walking
all day, as filthy and tired as Mary, desperately seeking shelter
from the cold night air and a place to make her comfortable for the
imminent birth. He takes with gratitude the stable offered.
Scrabbling around to clear the filth from the floor and the manger
where Mary could rest. Pushing and tethering the animals to one side.
Of
the birth we know little except that, in the hours of that fateful
night, was born, under almost the worst possible conditions, Our
Saviour.
Merry
Christmas & God's Blessings for 2015
