One of our congregation is out doing mission work with BMS this year. The mission team in the country they are working in have sent us the funniest video using the theme of the 12 days of Christmas but focussing on the gifts and hurdles they deal with in the area they are based. The video was greatly enjoyed and appreciated by all. We send all the team our best wishes and hope to see some of them in the not too distant future.
Our pastor Tim Hyde finished our Advent Journey by focussing on the most relevant Song for this time. The Angel’s Song shared with poor shepherds in the surrounding country.
Imagine being a shepherd on the hillside hearing that song. Glory to God in the Highest, peace on those who God’s favour rests on. Tim reflected on the question this poses, “”Who are
God’s favourites?” Thinking on this issue prompted a thought from when Tim was learning to read music. He asked the congregation “Does anyone remember the little rhyme when learning what are the notes on a stave?” Several variations were offered but we settled on “Every Good Boy Deserves Favour”. Inevitably this leads to pondering does every good boy gets peace ? Is that who God’s favour rests on? Thankfully God is not interested in a select few he’s interested in everyone. Maybe we should be a little afraid of the Christmas story? God’s favour is on those who have nothing, who are on the fringes. The bigger word is peace.,, what do we think of when we think of peace, quiet , still, rest? It’s a bigger, broader definition in Hebrew. Shalom in the much wider sense connects people in society. Jesus meets the fishermen, the tax collector, the woman bleeding, the woman seeking forgiveness, he tells them all that peace is with them.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer preached “Christianity preaches the unending worth of the apparently worthless and the unending worthlessness of what is apparently so valuable. The weak shall be made strong through God and the dying shall live.”
“God comes to people who have nothing but room for God.”
God’s favour is on everyone but particularly those who are not included. The poorest, those who think they are not ready, not worthy, not worth it. Our world struggles with that. This is the Gospel , Glory to got in the highest and peace on those who God favours. Thankfully it’s us, all of us, that God favours. It doesn’t matter if don’t think we’re worthy, God makes that decision.