Our theme for December 2011 was God’s Presence. We know that even the highest heaven cannot contain God, and yet he speaks to us in a still small voice and, when 2 or 3 are gathered in the name of Jesus, as in Matthew 18. He is present with us, particularly as we are obedient to his call to love each other. We can experience the comfort and joy of his presence (see John 15), particularly, as in the Nativity story, if we feel too young or unprepared, in an awkward position, out in the cold or far away from God, . Being in his presence changes our attitudes - we come to value to small things of life, we come to be intolerance of our own faults, but gracious towards the faults of others
- There are some places and some buildings in which you and I may sense the presence of God. It is useful to ask, as Solomon did almost 3000 years ago in 1 Kings 8:22-61,“will God really dwell on earth?” knowing that “The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain [God]”.
- You and I may not naturally sense the presence of God when someone has hurt us, particularly when that person is a Christian. It is useful to remember the promise of Jesus (at the end of Matthew 18:1-20) that “where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them”
- You and I may not naturally sense the presence of God when we are threatened, when we are tired, when we feel alone and when we are depressed. It is useful to remember the experience of Elijah (in 1Kings 19:1-18) who heard the voice of God in a still small voice of calm.
- We read scripture (e.g. John 15:1-17) this Christmas time so that Jesus’ joy may be in us and that our joy may be complete (v11) – a joy arising from abiding in Christ just as He abides in us (v4)”. It is useful to be reminded of the challenge that “if you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love (v10).
- In today’s recession hear the message of Hope arising from a time when another country, Israel, was falling apart (Isaiah 9:-17).
- In 2012 let us take time to listen to God through the words of the bible, finding them to be words of comfort and joy, particularly if we feel too young or unprepared as Mary was (Luke 1:26-38), or in an awkward position, like Joseph (Matthew 1:18-25), or out in the cold like the shepherds (Luke 2: 8-24), or far away from God like the wise men (Matthew 2: 1-15) as found in the Nativity story .
- “The devil is in the detail” is a way of saying that sometimes the small things in life can be the most problematic. Jesus gives us a more hopeful outlook. The kingdom of heaven is found in the little things of life. “Unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt 18:3) and “whoever welcomes a little child in my name welcomes me (Matt 18:5), and where two or three come together in my name there am I with them (Matt18:20).
- Many of us are tempted to be harsh in our attitude to the faults of others, and more tolerant of our own faults. Jesus calls us to a different way of intolerance of our own faults (if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off – Matthew 18:8), but of graciousness towards the faults of others (go and look for the sheep which has wondered off - Matthew 18:12).
- Some of the most comforting words of Jesus are found in John’s gospel. However there is realism about them too. If I am to remain in Jesus, which I find “comfortable”, then I must be obedient (which often goes against my culture and my personality), particularly in loving others and bearing fruit, both of which take an uncomfortable amount of self giving.