I suspect that your email box, like mine is full this morning or messages from 501 (c) 3 organizations that are hoping for an end of year donation. I know it is impossible to give to all those who bless your life over the year but as you consider your last minute gifts we do pray that you will consider the ministry of Mustard Seed Associates of which this blog is a part.
In 2014 we plan not just to continue providing liturgical resources, daily devotional reflections and theological insights but want to expand our work into on line retreats, and other resources. So many have told me this year that Godspace provides a lifeline for them. Others tell me it has stirred their imaginations to develop new practices that have deepened their faith. Still others say that this blog continues to inspire them to get involved in their neighbourhoods and reach out to God’s world wide community
Much of what we produce is provided for free but as you can imagine it is not produced for free. So if you use resources from this blog regularly, and if you want us to be able to expand our ministry please consider a small end of year gift or become a monthly subcriber to make that possible.
You can also support our ministry by attending events like our upcoming Creating Your Best Life for 2014 with Tom Sine on January 11th(at this stage only possible if you live in the Pacific NW) or by purchasing resources through the MSA website. We have quite a few events already lined up for the coming year with the opportunity to attend as single events or as a package deal Integrating your Spiritual Life in 2014.
Many blessings on you as we head into the new year. We do appreciate your ongoing encouragement and support.
I am posting two prayers this afternoon in preparation for the new year as emerges in New Zealand, Australia and then on throughout Asia, Europe and Africa and finally the Americas. Both prayers are adapted from ones I wrote in previous years. This first one affirms God’s eternal faithful and caring presence with us.
The second prayer flows out of my concerns for the uncertain world in which we live. It affirms not only God’s presence but also God’s stability in our turbulent world.
Enjoy and have a wonderful new year celebration.
Reaching for Resources
Its that time of the year when we all resolve to be better people, look after ourselves more or just plain commit to do things we have not had time for last year. Most of us know that the resolutions we make will not be kept. By Valentine’s day we have forgotten, discarded or just plain ignored them.
So how do we make resolutions that we keep. Three simple steps that come to mind here which I have always found very helpful:
Keep it simple.
Make it meaningful.
Stick to it.
Another system that is helpful (adapted from Organic Gardening of all places) is the S.M.A.R.T. system:
Be specific: Don’t say “I want to deepen my prayer life” but rather “I want to prayer 10 minutes more each day.”
Make it measurable: Intangible goals are impossible to track. Take the example above. When you reach the 5 minutes a day for 5 day goal in prayer celebrate it – maybe with a half day prayer retreat. When you reach your 10 minutes of prayer for 10 days celebrate with a whole day retreat.
Make it attainable: Is your goal within your ability to fulfill it? I cringe when people tell me about their goals to save the world or to transform the city in which they live – all within a 3 month period and without any training or expertise. More attainable goals might be – get involved in a local mission organization; increase my giving to charities by 50%. Take a course in city organization or social entrepreneurship or evangelism. These are attainable goals whose accomplishment gives great satisfaction.
Make it realistic: Develop a plan for attaining your goals and enlist help in achieving your goals. Setting down tangible and measurable action steps that will keep you on track is extremely important. This helps us weigh the possibilities against the commitments we already have and makes us more aware of the time and resource commitments our goals demand. Enlisting help can often be a great reality check as our friends say “Have you thought of…?” or “When will you….? Paying close attention to their advice is an important part of the process.
Develop a timetable. As the article I read this morning suggested: Timeliness adds urgency and reinforces accountability. This too is extremely important though we need to balance our timetables with the flexibility to change and adapt. There is no such thing as failure. Setbacks are merely obstacles to be surmounted and conquered. And surmounting them gives us a sense of how determined we are to change our old habits.
Many resolutions require breaking with old, ingrained behaviors or attitudes. It takes time to transform habits and emotional reactions. So don’t give up because you ate a piece of cake or missed some gym time or snapped at a coworker or sibling. Genuine and lasting change does not come easily and it does not come overnight. It happens one day at a time, with a series of sustained, practical actions. If you are willing to be smart about pursuing your goal, you can be successful.
And let me finish with some good advice from the apostle Paul in Hebrews 12:1-3 (NLT)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. (from Biblegateway.com)
How seriously will you follow Christ in 2014? The year 2013 is almost at an end and most of us are thinking about what we want to focus on for the coming year. Here are some suggestions on how to enrich your life as you prepare for the year ahead.
- Have a clear sense of purpose for the coming year. Having a clear sense of what God has called us to do makes it easier to set boundaries and say no to the many good things we are asked to do that do not reflect that purpose.
- Set some goals. The words that come to my mind are inward, upward and outward. A rich and balanced life requires equilibrium in all three and it is important to set goals that will enrich your inner life, your relationship to God and your relationship to those around you.
- Develop regular spiritual practices – spiritual disciplines for your inner life, prayer times for your upward relationship to God, hospitality and times of service out into the community.
- Practice Sabbath. This is probably the most enriching habit that we can develop not just for our spiritual lives but for our bodies and our minds as well.
- Develop habits of gratitude. This has become part of my Sabbath discipline. When I started asking myself each week “What am I grateful for?” it revolutionized my attitude towards myself and toward the world around me.
- Learn to look and listen for the presence of God. Using contemplative practices like lectio divina and the prayer of examen have opened my eyes and my ears to the presence of God in all of creation, in every encounter, and in each moment of the day.
- Practice compassion. Psychologists tell us that one of the best ways to help people who are depressed is to get them out helping others. All of us need the discipline of reaching out to others in love and compassion yet often find that in the busyness of their lives reaching out to others is often marginalized.
- Become a servant. “Consider the needs of others as more important than your own” Paul reminds us, but our culture tells us “its all about me”. Hedonism and narcissism are well practiced arts that never satisfy. There is no greater joy I know than doing something for someone else.
- Get out into God’s good creation. Whether it be gardening, hiking, biking, fishing or just sitting by the seashore, time spent outdoors is enriching and therapeutic for all of us.
- Set aside days throughout the year for refocusing and reflection. By now most of you know that I am a strong advocate for retreat days that help keep us on track throughout the year. You might like to plan these now so that they become protected times for you. Some of us like to take 2-3 days every 3 or 4 months. Others find that a day a month is more appropriate. Whatever suits you, make sure that you incorporate this practice into your year’s schedule.
While reflecting on these things this morning this prayer was birthed in my heart.
Christ has come,
His light is sown
in our lives and in our world.
And it grows,
already breaking out
in justice and freedom and compassion.
Let it burst through the darkness
and shine,
Like the light of a new day,
let it radiate through your life.
Let Christ’s birth within you
bring light and life
to all creation.
Shout to the nations, sing to the whole earth,
The Eternal One reigns!
The world is anchored by his presence
and will not shake loose.
So, let the heavens resound in gladness!
Let joy be the earth’s rhythm
as the seas and all its creatures roar.
Let the fields grow in triumph
a grand jubilee for all that live there.
Let all the trees of the forest dig in and reach high
with songs of joy before the Eternal one.
For Christ our saviour the One who is faithful and true
has come.
His throne was established from the beginning of the world.
He will set the world right by his truth and justice.
His righteousness and peace and wholeness
will last through all eternity.
(Adapted from Psalm 96).
Now that Christmas Day is over many of us feel let down because the day we have been anticipating for so long is over. The malls strip their elaborate decorations and junk their remaining Christmas stocks with huge 50-70% off sales. The Christmas wreaths and trees are thrown out for the garbage collectors and our frenzied activities give way to a low grade depression. But Christmas isn’t really over. In the sixth century it was decided that celebrating Christmas just for a day didn’t provide time to celebrate all the joy that Christ’s birth brought into the world. They made Christmas into a twelve day festival that ended with a feast on the Eve of Epiphany on January 5th to celebrate the coming of the wise men. Yep that’s right the 12 days of Christmas begin with Christmas Day they don’t end there as many malls would have us believe. In countries where this understanding of Christmas has not been co-opted by the commercialism of our society Christmas trees are not decorated until Christmas Eve and remain in the house sparking with light and life until the Eve of Epiphany.
This is the season when we are meant to celebrate with joy and gratitude the wonder of a God whose love is so great that he sent his son to dwell amongst us. How incredible! How wonderful! Lets take advantage of every day of the Christmas season.
I first posted this a few years ago as morning prayers for the Christmas season and have used it ever since during the Christmas season. I always love to reread its words as i celebrate the birth of Christ. Hope you will too.
nativity – Lu Lan China
God of joy and celebration
God of love and mercy
God of peace and righteousness
We sing aloud and dance with the angels.
The ruler of all worlds, the shepherd of creation
Jesus Christ has entered our world
Our Saviour Christ has come into the world,
Not in power, not in might, but in the tenderness of love,
He comes as the promise of life hidden in a mother’s womb.
In this season of God with us we celebrate with the angels
We are graced by the wonder of God’s presence
We are filled with the tenderness of Christ’s love,
(Pause to light Advent and Christ candles)
Love and faithfulness meet together,
Righteousness and peace kiss each other,
Faithfulness springs forth from the earth
Shout aloud Hallelujah! God’s faithfulness comes down from heaven
God has kept his promise, the Saviour has been born and a new world begun .
In this season of God with us we rejoice for God’s salvation has come
The redeemer of all creation has come to earth
And we catch glimpses of God’s Messiah healed world
Shout aloud Hallelujah! God’s faithfulness comes down from heaven
God has kept his promise, the Saviour has been born and a new world begun .
This is the time we believe once more that perfect love casts out fear
That generosity transforms scarcity into abundance
That righteousness overcomes oppression with justice
Shout aloud Hallelujah! God’s faithfulness comes down from heaven
God has kept his promise, the Saviour has been born and a new world begun .
We are graced by Christ’s presence and filled with his love
May we become bearers of God’s light,
And go out to transform our troubled world.
Shout aloud Hallelujah! God’s faithfulness comes down from heaven
God has kept his promise, the Saviour has been born and a new world begun .
Scriptures of the day from the daily lectionary
The whole earth shouts with joy to God
The world declares God’s praise.
Praise to the compassionate and gracious One,
Who sent the son to dwell among us.
Praise to the incarnate One, Jesus Christ our Redeemer
Who fulfills God’s covenant of love and compassion to all humankind
Praise to the indwelling one, the Holy Spirit the giver of life
Who proclaims God’s mercy and justice throughout the earth
Praise to the three in One
Praise to the One in Three
Praise to God on high
Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Jesus you come
In the voice of the poor
In the hurting of the sick
In the anguish of the oppressed
Open our eyes that we may see you
Jesus you come
In the weakness of the vulnerable
In the questions of the doubting
In the fears of the dying
Open our ears that we might hear you
Jesus you come
In the celebration of the saints
In the generosity of the faithful
In the compassion of the caring
Open our hearts that we might embrace you
Almighty God whose great love and compassion came into our world in the person of your incarnate son, Jesus Christ, plant in every heart your concern and care for all humankind. May the light of Christ ignite our hearts and shine out brightly from our lives, proclaiming your salvation to all the earth.
May the light of God shine on us,
May the love of Christ shine in us,
May the life of the Spirit shine through us.
This day and evermore
Amen
Nativity with Joseph by Wayne Fort
Make room,
Let Christ be born
In the quiet and the innermost spaces
Of your hearts.
Make room,
Let Christ be born,
In the streets and in the ghettos,
In the famines and the plagues and in the wars.
Make room,
Let Christ be born
Not far away in distant ages,
But in every heart and place
Where love and faith are found.
Let Christ be born
And find in us his Bethlehem.
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