Hennies Blog for December

Dear All,

Advent Greetings! Advent means 'coming' or 'arrival' - a season of quiet and joyful expectancy as we wait, watch, & pray for the arrival of God's Son into the world - Immanuel - God with us. And also as we prepare for the second coming of Christ at the end of time, when He will return to judge the world, and make all things new.  As we are so aware, the season of Advent can be so easily taken over by the frenzy of Christmas, that it gets completely lost in the midst of the tinsel tunnel. At St. Mark's we have already had our Christingle Service, and Nikki and I this morning are taking the Christmas story into Lache Primary School.

So can I encourage all who read this blog to try and embrace the season of Advent, if only in part. I think Advent is a good time to reflect back on the year, a spiritual audit if you like, and ask ourselves how are we doing as disciples of Christ?  What spiritual disciplines have we become complacent in? How is our daily prayer life and reading of the Bible?  Our giving - is it really generous and sacrificial in response to what Jesus has done for us, and given usl? Do others see Christ in us, in our forgiving, in our loving and in our sharing of faith?

Over the past two days we have had the privilege of being ministered too by Ash Kotecha, at the 6.30 pm service on Sunday, and last night, a brother in Christ with the ministry of healing and evangelism.  And he asked 'how could anyone not share the love of Christ with others'?  My personal bible reading this morning is entitled 'Love in Action' - telling the story of how Ananias was used by God to go and lay hands on Saul and restore to him his sight.  Ananias was a man of deep and perfectly natural spirituality, and was someone who regularly held conversations with Jesus - and because of this, was free to question his commission with Christ!  But because he was in constant communion, he heard again the mission Jesus had for him, and was obedient to that call.  He took a great risk - knowing Saul had been on his own mission to bind up all believers in Damascus (Acts 9). However, when he arrived at the house to which Jesus had instructed him to go, he laid hands on him, and said, 'Brother Saul', Jesus has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit' (v. 17). What a transformation, from an ardent opponent to a brother in Christ.

Love in Action - and there cannot be a more amazing love in action than what we wait and watch for this Advent season.  The love demonstrated to us by the Incarnation - the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ - the Word made flesh who came to live amongst us. 'He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God' (John 1: 11 -12). Jesus sent by God to us, to restore our sight, and transform us into brothers and sisters in Christ. Love in Action says to us this Advent and Christmas season, you cannot keep this love to yourselves, as individuals, or as a gathering of God's people, the church, it is a love that must be shared. The prayer accompanying my bible reading today reads, 'Teach me, Lord, the importance of seizing every opportunity to be a help to someone on their journey towards faith'

There are many opportunities to share the love of Christ with others, perhaps by inviting a friend, family member, neighbour, work colleague or college/school friend to one of the different services that St. Mark's is offering over the next few weeks.  Or why not invite them to Messy Church this Thursday, 6th December, in Lache Community Centre, or to the festive Christmas cafe on Thursday 20th Dec in the Link @St. Mark's? We cannot share God's love in our own strength, but only in, and through, the power of the Holy Spirit. So as you wait and watch, pray to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, so that you are equipped and empowered, to go out and put love into action this Advent, and Christmas season.

'Loving God and making His love known'.

May you have a blessed and joyful month of waiting and watching, in anticipation of great celebrations this Christmastide.

Hennie