Photo by Tara malouf
Christ Jesus you hung upon a cross and died for us,
So that we might live for you.
Your body was broken and your blood shed,
So that we might be healed and made whole.
You were faithful unto death ,
So that we might be faithful unto life.
Your last command was that we might love one another,
One family together from every tribe and nation,
A new creation united through your sacrifice.
Redeemed by your blood,
Healed by your love,
United by your covenant of peace.
In your death may we find life.
Today is Martin Luther King Day and tomorrow the inauguration of Barack Obama – both celebrations of extraordinary events that have already and will continue to change the world in which we live. The blogosphere is alive with commentary and analysis of what is happening. But there is another historic event occurring this week that most of us are not even aware of. This week is also a week of prayer for unity within the church and I suspect that in God’s economy it is the prayers that we offer up for love and unity and respect, this week that really hold the keys to how much will be accomplished in other realms. As I read the discourse flying around the internet I realize how much we need unity within the church and amongst all who call themselves followers of Christ.
Some Christians see the events of these days as a wonderful celebration of God’s ongoing work in our world. Others are more inclined to view the events as a sign of the evil of the times in which we live. Everyone thinks that their viewpoint is the only right way to interpret these events.
The question that comes to my mind was one posed by Nadia Bolz-Weber author of Salvtion on the Small Screen, at a small gathering we held last Friday evening at which Nadia shared about her experiences watching Christian television for 24 hours straight. People’s reactions to Christian television are as diverse as their reactions to what is going on in the world over these important days. Some see the televangelists as God’s tools for the proclamation of the gospel. Others see them as presenting a travesty of the gospel that ridicules and belittles the good news of Christ.
The question Nadia posed that brought me up short however was “Do we need each other?” Do liberals need conservatives and vice versa? Does God intentionally allow us to view life from opposite perspectives so that all that holds us together is the love of God and our respect for others that are made in God’s image?
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34) and “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one – I in them and you in me – so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:22, 23)
There has never been a time in which we have needed more for Christians to model the love of God and the unity of the body of Christ – unity that does not come from uniformity of belief but that comes from acceptance of the rich diversity that exists within Christ’s body. God did not make us all to look alike, to think alike or to act alike, but God does ask us to respond to each other in love – not necessarily to agree but to accept, not working for uniformity but for unity in the midst of our diversity.
I think that we do live in historic times. God wants to change the world into a place of mutual love and care where the hungry are fed, the oppressed are set free and justice comes for the poor. The biggest challenge we face this week is not how we respond to the inauguration of Barack Obama but rather how we respond to our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Our biggest challenge is our willingness to open our hearts and our minds to look to listen and to learn rather than expecting to tell, to teach and to take over. If we really want others to know we are Christians by our love then we need to stop criticizing, dividing and seeking to conquer those who have different viewpoints about what it means to be a follower of Christ.
God may we see in your Oneness our need for unity,
God may we see in your Threeness our need for community
God may we see in your creativity our need for diversity,
God may we see in you our need to love each other
Amen
For some of you this is probably a little late. However at the Mustard Seed House we will use this prayer for our morning prayers throughout the season of Epiphany so I thought that others might like to join us. Evening prayers can be found here
Morning Prayer for the Season of Epiphany
Arise shine inheritors of God’s light
Bearers of God’s light to our darkened world,
The light of God has come into our world,
And nations will come to its brightness.
Arise sine, privileged ones who live in the light of Christ,
Bow before God, not in shame but in awe,
All is visible in Christ’s eternal light,
In us God’s light never goes out.
(Pause to remind yourself of the ways that Christ has been revealed as Son of God in your own life.How has God used your life to bring Christ’s light into the life of others?)
Arise shine, in Christ, God’s light has been revealed to us,
It reaches across time and space,
We have come to see,
We have come to follow,
Arise shine, in Christ God’s light has been revealed to all people,
God’s glory has been unveiled in all the earth,
May we go and tell,
May we go and share God’s light with our needy world.
Read Scriptures of the day from Daily Lectionary
Come and see
The light of God has come into our world
To proclaim God’s justice and love
It has overcome the darkness and brought new life.
Come and follow
Christ our king has redeemed our world
He draws us into a loving family
From every tribe and family and culture
Go and tell
The Spirit has equipped us for service
To love our neighbours as we do ourselves
To bring God’s salvation to the ends of the earth
Come and see, come and follow, go and tell
In God’s Son the nations of the earth will put their hope
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name, Your kingdom come, your 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.And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever, amen
God who revealed yourself to wise men following a star,
Guide all who search and journey towards your light today,
God whose light shines like a bright guiding star have mercy on us.
God who unveiled yourself in the gift of a son,
Show yourself to all who seek after justice and righteousness today,
God whose light shines like a bright guiding star have mercy on us.
God who was baptized with those who declared their repentance in the Jordan river,
Manifest yourself to all who come with repentant hearts today,
God whose light shines like a bright guiding star have mercy on us.
God who fed the five thousand with a handful of fish and loaves,
Satisfy our hunger with your word of truth and love,
God whose light shines like a bright guiding star have mercy on us.
God who changed water into wine at a wedding,
Fill all who thirst with the free gift of the water of life,
God whose light shines like a bright guiding star have mercy on us.
(Pause to offer up your own intercessions.)
Lord God Almighty, thank you that Jesus’ epiphany as Son of God reaches across time and space. As we go into this day may we embrace your call to come and see, come and follow, go and tell others. May we remember that we are bearers of Christ’s light sent out to touch others so that they may know him as Son of God and experience the wonder hope his message brings
Go into the world knowing you are led by the light of Christ,
May the love of the Creator go before you,
May the life of the Redeemer be within you,
May the joy of the Spirit shine through you,
Amen.
This liturgy was originally written to celebrate Jesus naming day celebrated January 1st as a wonderfully refreshing Christian celebration for starting the new year. It can also be used for an morning or evening prayer during the 12 days of Christmas too – though of course there are only 6 days left.
May we join in the dance of God this day,
And sing our praises to Christ our Saviour.
Let us celebrate the joy of Christ’s birth,
And shout aloud: Emmanuel, God is with us!
Pause to light the Christ candle and remind yourself of the many names by which Christ is known in the Bible. Allow time for each person to call out the names that are most meaningful to them)
Lord Jesus Christ,
A thousand names cannot confine you
You are King of Kings and Lord of Lord
Wonderful counselor, Prince of Peace,
Saviour, Restorer and Redeemer
You are the Lamb who was slain,
Lord Jesus Christ,
A thousand names cannot confine you
God of justice and truth how can we know you?
You are majestic and holy, abounding in love and faithfulness
You are the source of life, our provider
You walk beside us as companion and friend
Lord Jesus Christ,
A thousand names cannot confine you
God of glory, God of power you care for the vulnerable
Protector of widows and orphans,
Compassionate to the poor, comforter of the downcast
You heal all our diseases and bring us wholeness
Lord Jesus Christ,
A thousand names cannot confine you
God in whom we trust, you are always with us
You are all things good, known yet unknowable
You are the way, the truth and the life,
We worship you
Lord Jesus Christ,
A thousand names cannot confine you
Read the scriptures for the day from the daily lectionary
Lord Jesus Christ, your name is proclaimed in all the earth.
You were God almighty yet you made yourself nothing
You came as a vulnerable child to live amongst us.
You were God all powerful
Yet you came as a humble servant
You were faithful as a son,
You went through death so that we might find life
Your blood was shed so that we could be redeemed
Your body was broken so that we might be made whole
Therefore God has exalted you and given you the name above all names
So that one day all peoples will proclaim you
As Jesus Christ the Lord
God who calls us all by name
Have mercy upon us
Christ who invites us to share life as one family
Have mercy on us
Spirit who welcomes us home together into God’s eternal world
Grant us peace
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, as members of your family, help us to proclaim your names in all the earth
Make us instruments of your life today
Through our words and actions help us to proclaim you as saviour and redeemer to all peoples
Lord make us instruments of your love today
Where there is war may we proclaim you as the Prince of Peace
Lord make us instruments of your peace today
Where there is despair may we proclaim you as the God of all comfort
Lord make us instruments of your comfort today
Where there is sickness may we proclaim you as the great physician
Lord make us instruments of your healing today
Where there is oppression may we proclaim you as the God who brings freedom
Lord make us instruments of your freedom today
Where there is hunger may we proclaim you as the God of abundant provision
Lord make us instruments of your generosity today
Jesus may we be proclaimers of your names through all the earth
Lord make us instruments of your kingdom today
The Wonderful Counsellor guide you,
The Mighty God protect you,
The Everlasting Father be with you.
The Prince of Peace inspire you,
And the blessings of God be upon you, now and evermore.
Amen
This morning I have been reading through some Advent meditations sent to me by our good friend Mark Pierson in New Zealand Unfortunately they arrived too late to use for Advent but Mark’s reflections are always refreshing and provocative. I have adapted one here that really impacted me this morning:
God moved into the neighbouhood, as a baby. Powerless. Vulnerable. Approximately 500,000 mothers die in childbirth each year most of them in the poorest countries of our world. When a mother dies like this it is almost certain that her child will die too God takes a risk. Where in the world today will women be giving birth in similar circumstances to Mary?
Take a flower and place beside your Advent wreath. As you watch it this week let it remind you of women living in poverty and crisis who are carry and bearing children in situations even more dire than Mary’s. Pray for them
Here is another Christmas prayer that this reflection inspired
Jesus you come
In the voice of the poor
In the hurting of the sick
In the anguish of the oppressed
Jesus you come
In the weakness of the vulnerable
In the questions of the doubting
In the fears of the dying
Jesus come
Transform our indifference into caring
Transform our acquisition into sharing
Transform our hearts of stone to compassion
Jesus come
Rosario Kilmers going sledding
I am sitting in our dining room looking out onto the snowiest landscape I have ever seen here in Seattle. About 12″ of snow covers our yard and garden and there is the possibility of more to come. We are all anticipating a white Christmas.
The fun aspect of the snow is that it has forced us all to slow down and enjoy life a little more. Everyone is walking rather than driving and as I tramped around the neighbourhood taking photos I said hello to people I normally only see at our annual street party. The kids have been out sledding and last night we sat around a cosy fire making a dent in the mountains of cookies we had baked for the open house we intended to hold last night.
Yesterday was a good day for quiet reflection and a great opportunity to write some liturgies for Christmas and Epiphany that I will share with you over the next few days
Joy to the world our Saviour comes
Not in power, not in might but in in the tenderness of love
He comes as the promise of life hidden in a mother’s womb
This is the time we believe once more thta perfect love casts out fear
That generosity transforms scarcity into abundance
That righteousness overcomes oppression with justice
This is the time we are assured
That God’s light has come into the world
And the darkness will never overcome it.
The Middle Zone Musing topic for this month is What I”ve Learned from the Generosity of Others. But I couldn’t get beyond the generosity of God and remembering the many times that God has overwhelmed me with overflowing abundance. It seems to be a very pertinent reminder at this season when so many are grappling with how to continue to be generous when they see their life savings dwindling rapidly before their eyes.
The scripture verse I am always reminded of is 2 Cor 9: 10, 11 which I know many of you are probably sick of hearing me talk about.
“He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousnes. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
In many ways, this has become the testimony of my life. The first time I can remember being overwhelmed by the generosity of God was during my early days onboard the Mercy Ship M/V Anasastsis. We were stuck in Greece trying to resurrect this old ship, with very little money and very few resources. We decided to call a 40 day fast to seek God’s guidance for the future. We would meet for prayer every morning in a room that looked out over the Mediterranean Sea.
One day towards the end of our fast we looked outside and notices something flashing in the sunlight. “The fish are jumping” someone called and we raced outside to find fish jumping out of the sea and stranding themselves on the beach. We actually collected 8,301 fish that morning – and that isn’t counting the ones that got away. It was as though God was saying – in my time and in my way I will provide the harvest.
That was almost 30 years ago and though the Anastasis is no longer with us Mercy Ships is still providing medical and surgical help to thousands in Africa
God has poured out that same kind of generosity throughout my life. I have always had enough for my daily needs and a generous amount to give away and I am not just talking finances here. God has given me generous gifts and talents which have multiplied as I have shared them with others in ways that continue to astound me. God has also given me generous friendships and colleagues. Tom & I have friends literally all over the world.
God’s generosity isn’t confined to the pages of the Bible or to some deep distant past. It is present all around us today too but often we don’t see it because we hold to ourselves the things that God intends us to share. The feeding of the 5,000 began with the generous act of sharing by a young boy who was probably hungry willing to reach out to others with the little that he had. The miraculous way in which God provided for Elijah through the widow and her son only occurred because she was willing to share her last meal.
I think that we only become aware of the abundance of God when we share our limited resources with others a theme which I have already reflected on in my post What I Learned from Stress in Times of Financial Crisis. But we also only become aware of the generosity of God when we look for it in the everyday events of our lives. If we focus on our own needs we can easily get caught in a mentality of scarsity and feel that we don’t have anything to share… and that makes us more and more acquisitive and less generous.
What do you think? Where have you become aware of the generosity of God in these days of scarsity?
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