Reflection

Advent Reflection - 4th December

Today’s Advent Reflection is from Barbara Brighton a Reader at Hallwood Ecumenical Church in Runcorn

Galatians 5:22-26

By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another.

Reflection

Do you have a favourite fruit you like to eat? For me it used to be apples but now I like those little Clementine or Satsuma oranges. Strawberries are a firm favourite too. But did you know that the Holy Spirit gives his fruit of a different kind, that we can have and share with others. The fruit that the Holy Spirit wants to see in our lives is a very different kind of fruit. Unlike a piece of fruit that after it is eaten is soon forgotten, this fruit will last and will go on producing qualities that will go on working in us and touch other people’s lives along the way.

Paul lists the fruit of the Spirit as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.   As we are now in the season of advent let us consider how this fruit can be displayed and be active in our lives.

Love: the greatest display of love was at Christmas when God sent Jesus born in human form to be the Saviour of us all. John 3:16 says “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life”.

What tremendous love at such a great cost, God has poured out on us. The cost was the life of Jesus. He died on the cross for each one of us so that we would be forgiven and enter into a new life in Him. So where does the fruit of love come into this? These words of Jesus in John13:35 can help us. “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another”.

The fruit of love will be displayed in our lives as we know God’s love at work in us, and through us, to show all we come into contact with that we truly do love and care about them. As Christmas approaches, we all have the opportunity to allow God’s love to enable us - to let go of any bitterness, resentment and unforgiveness, and truly love people for the person they are. Paul says in first Corinthians 13:13 ‘now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.’

Joy: one of our carols at Christmas is “Joy to the World”. There is joy because Jesus has come but is His joy shining from your life today? Much has happened this past year to sap any joy from our lives. COVID-19 has changed all of this and life is not normal as we know it. How hard it has been to not be able to mix with our families and friends, to be in church but distanced from each other, wearing masks, and not being able to hug or greet each other in the normal way. So, this Christmas is an opportunity for us to see our joy levels increase and let our joy shine out to others.

Finding verses on joy in the Bible is a good way to do this. Here are a few to get you

started:

  • The joy of the lord is your strength (Neh 8:10)

  • For you shall go out in joy (Isa 55:12)

  • Your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart (Jer 15:16)

  • May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing (Rom 15:13)

  • This is just a small selection of verses on joy but if you look up joy in a Bible concordance you will find many others.

Peace: the one thing the world needs today is peace. Many of us are living very busy and stressful lives, and when this is the case, we can lose calmness and serenity. Christmas can become a time when we become busier with the added stress of writing out Christmas cards, trying to find that perfect gift, the busyness of the shops - all these things can add to our lack of peace. So many of us treasure times of stillness and quiet. Those peaceful moments. In John 14:27 we read these words of Jesus “Peace I leave with you my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not let them be afraid”.

Jesus is offering us his peace and we can ask him for that peace today. One way to do this is found in 1 Peter 5:8 “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you”. If we are anxious and troubled, we cannot experience his peace. Colossians 3:15 encourages us to “let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts”. True long-lasting peace comes from Jesus. Let go of what troubles you and let peace come in.

Patience: this is a fruit that many of us may long to have more of in our lives. We may be impatient when things take longer than expected, when we have to wait a long time in a queue, when trying to show someone how to do a particular job and it is taking you longer than you thought. There are other words used for the word patience, such as endurance, steadfastness, and perseverance. In Romans 5:3-4 we read that “suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character”. When we find our patience being put to the test, God is building more character in us. Our patience may be tested at Christmas but with God’s help we can reflect the fruit of patience.

Kindness: showing kindness to someone can be displayed in all kinds of ways. There is no better time than Christmas to do this. Paul says in Ephesians 4:32 to be kind to one another. Let’s be open to the opportunities God may bring our way to show kindness to others.

Generosity: Do you have a generous heart? Do you love to give? We are presented with many areas of need at Christmas and one of these may be close to your heart. Rather than think what is the smallest gift that I can give, think what is the most generous gift I can give within the means that I have. We often hear the words ‘please give generously.’ Paul says it well, “each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion for God loves a cheerful giver.” (1Corinthians 9:7).

Faithfulness: this fruit brings to us the picture of someone who will always be there for us. Someone who will not let us down. At Christmas let us show our love and thanks to someone who has always been by our side through the ups and downs of life. Let us never forget the faithfulness of God to each one of us “for the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end: they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness”. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Gentleness: a beautiful quality to have in our lives. It paints a picture of a person who is gentle and caring for or looking after someone eg 1 Thessalonians2:7, then in 2 Timothy 2:24 as someone who corrects with gentleness. Let us learn to be gentle in what we say and what we do.

Self-control: although this is the last in the nine fruits of the spirit mentioned in this passage, it is by no means the least. Christmas can very often bring pressure upon us, it would be very easy to let things annoy us and make us angry. We are encouraged by Paul to not let this be the case. He writes “put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger”. (Ephesians 4:31). If these things rise up in your heart, stop for a moment and pray. Let God help you and give any anger to him.

As with any fruit, the fruit of the Spirit takes time to develop. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through our lives producing this kind of fruit. Fruit that will last and that will enable us at Christmas, and always, to reflect Jesus to everyone we meet.

 

Carol A Day in Advent

Listen to King's College Choir, free, on their website: http://bit.ly/kingslistenThe choir of Kings College Chapel, Cambridge sing the lovely Christmas carol...

Advent Reflection - 3rd December

Today’s Advent Reflection is from Mark Hackney.

How Great and Glorious it is to have the Word of God! (Martin Luther).

Romans 15:1-13

We who are strong ought to put up with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Each of us must please our neighbour for the good purpose of building up the neighbour. For Christ did not please himself; but, as it is written, ‘The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.’ For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,

‘Therefore, I will confess you among the Gentiles,

and sing praises to your name’

and again he says,

‘Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people’;

and again,

‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,

and let all the peoples praise him’;

and again Isaiah says,

‘The root of Jesse shall come,

the one who rises to rule the Gentiles;

in him the Gentiles shall hope.’

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Reflection

In verse 4 of today’s passage, Paul tells us that being a Christian means loving scriptures like Jesus. We too must love the Word of God.

Jesus prepared for his temptation in the desert by studying Deuteronomy, and he reflected on prophecies in the Psalms as he prepared himself for the cross. As Christians we must follow Jesus’ example and, in a similar fashion, gain the inspiration and comfort that He did. For: ‘whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.’

I’d like to ponder on the wonder of the Bible, our Holy, life-saving book. Or rather, our holy anthology of sixty-six books. Three completely random, light, Biblical facts for starters:

  • The longest name in the Bible is Maher-shalal-hash-baz (Isaiah 8.1). It means ‘quick to the plunder, fast to the prey’. (No words in the Bible are more than six syllables long.)

  • Some Bible ‘Firsts’: First person to laugh – Abraham; first person to weep – Hagar; first person to get drunk – Noah; first kiss -Isaac and Jacob.

  • Some English expressions of Biblical origin: ‘at one’s wits’ end’ (Psalm 107.27); ‘gird one’s loins’ (Job 38.3); ‘wolves in sheep’s clothing’ (Matthew 7.15).

Interesting as these facts are (if you found them so!), The Bible generates more weighty consideration because it is the world’s bestselling book, breaking all records known. According to The Guinness Book of World Records, since 1815 the Bible has sold approximately 2.5 billion copies and has been translated into more than 2,200 languages or dialects. The Bible’s influence is not limited to Christians; Jews and Muslims also consider the Bible to be a sacred text. If you think of how there are 2 billion Christians, 14 million Jews and 1.3 billion Muslims, that means that more than half of the world’s population consider the Bible to be a major influence on their faith.

And, most importantly of all, it is the Word of God.

I read the Bible to learn; it teaches me to possess the courage to live in patience and hope. It tells me who Jesus is, and it explains for me the significance of what He did. The Bible provides the deep, nourishing roots with which I can grow; roots that run deep, feeding me, filling me with goodness.

My Bible is my reliable friend too, always there when needed. We say it is a ‘living book’ because it is dynamic, able to speak to us in all manner of different ways.

For example, you have, very probably, had the experience where, when you were once feeling flat, sad or troubled, you opened your Bible at a random page and started reading. To your thankful relief, the words that found you really hit the spot, they were exactly what you needed to hear at that moment in your life. The Bible comforts as well as providing instruction and inspiration. It was my Bible that told me, in the first place, what to do whenever I am feeling down: ‘Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.’ (Philippians 4.6).

In addition to providing much-needed comfort, I also find that the Bible, through reading it with/in the Spirit, fulfils utterly the wish with which today’s passage from Romans concludes: ‘May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.’

There is so much joy in the Bible. It is brim-full of joy! I only have the space for one example - I’ll look forward to what is to come in just a few weeks’ time. 

Joy surrounds the birth of Jesus, and Mary’s joy is shared by the shepherds on behalf of all the people (Luke 2.10), and by the wise men, who are said to be overwhelmed with joy’ (Matthew 2.10). John the Baptist declares that the coming of Jesus causes his joy to be fulfilled (John 3.29). And Jesus, during his ministry, will tell all of that most powerful sort of joy that can only come from God.

Our passage for today reminds us that ‘Christian’ means being more like Christ; Paul tells us to imitate Jesus whenever we can. If Jesus studied Scriptures…

 

Carol A Day in Advent

I saw three ships come sailing inOn Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;I saw three ships come sailing inOn Christmas Day in the morning.Pray, wither sailed thos...

Advent Reflection - 2nd December

Today’s Advent Reflection is from Peter Illingworth.

Our God and Our Church.

Psalm 48

Great is the Lord and highly to be praised, in the city of our God.  His holy mountain is fair and lifted high, the joy of all the earth.  On Mount Zion, the divine dwelling place, stands the city of the great king.  In her palaces God has shown himself to be a sure refuge.

For behold, the kings of the earth assembled and swept forward together.  They saw, and were dumbfounded; dismayed, they fled in terror. Trembling seized them there; they writhed like a woman in labour, as when the east wind shatters the ships of Tarshish.   As we had heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, the city of our God: God has established her for ever.

We have waited on your loving-kindness, O God, in the midst of your temple.  As with your name, O God, so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is full of justice.  Let Mount Zion rejoice and the daughters of Judah be glad, because of your judgements, O Lord.

Walk about Zion and go round about her; count all her towers; consider well her bulwarks; pass through her citadels, that you may tell those who come after that such is our God for ever and ever.  It is he that shall be our guide for evermore.

Reflection

Doing a spot of research into the background of Psalm 48, I found that the King of Assyria, attacked the fortified cities of the Kingdom of Judah in a campaign of subjugation around 700 BC.  He tried to besiege Jerusalem, but it withstood the attack and soon after the psalmist celebrated and rejoiced in the ‘City of our God’: the towers, the ramparts and citadels and, in particular, the temple within Jerusalem.  The psalmist encouraged people to walk around Zion and admire the solid, life-saving architecture.

I first stepped into St Michael’s Church in the summer of last year.  I admired the tower, the arch of the roof and golden roof bosses, the stained glass and the pristine stonework, but it was as the congregation responded to the first few lines of the liturgy

Young or old, we welcome you,

Happy or Sad, we welcome you,

Rich or poor, we welcome you …

and as we sang, “Calm me Lord as you calmed the storm … Enfold me Lord in Your peace”, that I realised I was visiting a church in the true meaning of the word – a gathering of people who love God and practise love with those they meet.  I was very aware that I had entered a building in which people met with God.

I have missed being able to go to Sunday morning services when we literally ‘gathered together’ to worship.  During full lockdown I have missed being able to even enter the building.  But the source of Comfort and Joy that I can still experience isn’t limited to the building because God is omnipresent.  In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul wrote, ‘Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you?’ and I feel I can rejoice with Paul and the psalmist because God meets us where we are and we can live within our own ‘temples’.

Reading Psalm 48 a second time I realise that the source of the psalmist’s Comfort and Joy was not so much the city and the temple but God himself, whom the Jews worshiped in the temple. Just over 100 years later the first temple was destroyed and the Jews were exiled to Babylon, but God never left them.  Although we may feel as though we are exiled from the church building we love, we can rest assured that God can live in us by his Spirit and we can say with the psalmist, ‘This God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide for evermore’.

 

Carol A Day in Advent

Practise track for BSL songs

Advent Reflection - 1st December

Today’s Advent Reflection is from David Walker.

The True Colour of Christmas

Matthew 5:1-12

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for their is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

 ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.                                         

Reflection

Although the first day of Advent was last Sunday 29th November, for me, the beginning of December is the actual commencement of this happy and joyful time.

It is the month of reds and greens, sparkle and splendour, and families and fun. It is a period of golden moments.

Or, at least, that’s what the advertisements try to tell us.

But where is Jesus in all these colourful tableaux? If Christ isn’t at the centre of our wonderfully manicured presentations, I see the colour rapidly draining away, leaving a picture of greys and dull whites. Now, the scenes aren’t quite so appealing.

The reading for today’s reflection is Matthew, chapter 5 verses 1-12. It concerns Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and has a subtext ‘True Happiness’. Within those few verses Jesus mentions what exactly happiness is. Not once, but ten times. However, each time isn’t portrayed as being in a pleasant or comfortable state; He teaches that being happy is experienced by those in quite the opposite situations to that of being comfortable.

So, to whom is He saying such things? According to Matthew it is to the throng of people sitting on a hillside. Were they just sitting around and Jesus joined them or were they there in anticipation of Jesus’ arrival? I believe they were there awaiting Jesus to join them. They knew of him and were there to hear what he had to say. Some may have been there out of curiosity but for others it would surely be out of awe. They had heard His teachings previously and they wanted to hear more; they were full of expectation.

This was in a time that was without Facebook, TV and any of the other present day modes of advertising. It is quite something that crowds should congregate in such high numbers to what must have been a spectacular event.  Also, to meet where they did, probably beyond the prying eyes of the Roman authorities, who would have been very suspicious of large gatherings, it conjures up a picture of how much people desired to be in the presence of this special teacher.

When sitting amidst the crowd and with his disciples around him Jesus told them that the spiritually poor; the mourners; the humble; the faithful; the merciful; the pure in heart; the peacemakers and those being persecuted for being a follower, are the ones that have been blessed with happiness. This would have resonated to some degree with those present, as indeed it might with us today.  Although all of the above might not relate to us, I’m sure we can recognise at least one or two of the states mentioned. But Christ balances, or tempers, them all with the promise of God’s mercy and His Kingdom to come for everyone; now and then.

If I can take you back to my opening comments and put Jesus Christ into the scenes of splendour and plenty I can see the colours returning and the tableaux now resemble Christmas. The scene is now set and it beckons my anticipation and draws out of me my expectations that I am to experience once again the full impact of Jesus’ Christmas Story. 

At this time of year, I can’t help but remember years past when I was a young boy. The feeling of eagerness for the ‘Big Day’ to arrive. It wasn’t just for the presents, although, let’s be honest, they were a major part of it, but it was for the greens and reds and sparkle and splendour and families and fun and that, then, as now, of being welcomed into experiencing the wondrous celebration of a baby born in a stable two thousand years ago.

It is with thankfulness that I am entering into advent. With hope for the future and the anticipation of experiencing Christ at Christmas; the expectation of the Holy Spirit with us at Christmas and the joy and happiness of knowing we are with family (whether near or far) but we are also in the midst of the Lord’s family in the splendour of His Kingdom here on Earth.

Happy Advent.                  Happy Christmas

 

Carol A Day in Advent

This video includes the first verse of this song as this is what we may sing at WAVE.I am a right handed signer, this means my dominant hand in signing is my...

Advent Reflection - 30th November 2020

Today’s Advent Reflection is from Louise Richardson.

Escape to Egypt!

Matthew 2:13-18

Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’ Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I have called my son.’

When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:

‘A voice was heard in Ramah,

wailing and loud lamentation,

Rachel weeping for her children;

she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.’

Reflection

Matthew 2 13-18 tells us of the Angel appearing to Joseph in a dream warning him to flee with Mary and the child Jesus to Egypt as Herod was about to search for the child and kill him. Joseph took heed of this warning and stayed in Egypt until the death of Herod. Herod, furious at being tricked by the wise men, sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under. Then the prophesy of Jeremiah was fulfilled – the wailing and loud lamentation of Rachel weeping for her children because they are no more.

What does this bring to mind for you as we travel through the season of Advent; what hope in such a time of despair; what comfort and joy in such time of insecurity and sadness? For me, it reminds me that there are situations happening today that are not so different from the experience of Joseph, Mary and Jesus as they fled Herod.

Reflecting on this passage brings to my mind a number of really strong images.

The first is that of present-day refugees fleeing persecution in their native countries, fleeing violence, fleeing war. The sad faces of children who should not have to witness the atrocities they see, their pained faces as they are treated in hospitals by medics who are fighting to save lives with inadequate equipment and medicines in inadequate, ravaged buildings. The worried faces of their parents who only want give their children what every parent wants to give - a safe, healthy life. Their hope is a new life in a country with no war, where their children can flourish as children should. For some, they achieve this aim crossing borders, but for many they spend many months, if not years, in refugee camps awaiting their fate. Others risk their lives crossing the sea in boats which are overloaded and unsafe, having paid people who exploit their situation more money than they can ever afford in an attempt to find peace.

Joseph, Mary and Jesus were refugees in Egypt.  Joseph did what he had to do to protect his family, not returning to his homeland until it was safe to do so. This is exactly what today’s refugees are doing but for some reason, many in our society don’t see this – rather they see refugees as the lowest of the low.

How would we respond today were Joseph, Mary and Jesus to arrive on our shores seeking refuge? Would we embrace them, provide comfort and hope of a better future? Or would we reject them, dashing their hopes and condemning them to a life of fear, despair, persecution and possible death?

The second image this brings to mind, is that of the homeless. Again, people who live on the margins of society who find themselves, largely through no fault of their own, without shelter and sustenance. The numbers of people who are struggling to make ends meet as a result of COVID-19, who have lost their jobs and have no prospect of finding another in the near future, whose physical and mental health are suffering, will no doubt result in a further increase in the numbers of homeless people. Or, at a minimum, an increase in those who rely heavily, if not solely, on Foodbanks to provide food for them and their families.

I doubt that many of us here in Bramhall have experienced either of these situations, but I know that there are many that have been badly affected by their experience over the last few months – particularly, but not exclusively, those who live alone, those in abusive relationships and vulnerable children who have missed contact with people outside the home. They will have felt isolated, frightened and in despair, and those who have lost loved ones.

Yet what we have seen is a community that has come together to support one another – with collections for the food bank; Helping Hands providing support to the vulnerable; neighbours looking out for one another - to name but a few ways in which this has been experienced.

So as Christians, as we look forward to celebrating an important time in our Church year, let us take time during Advent to:

·       reflect on and be grateful for the comfort and joy that we have experienced even during the darkest times of the imposed lockdowns but;

·       also take a moment to consider those who seek refuge, those on the margins of society for whom the comfort and joy that most of us, by and large, have and will continue to experience is still so far away; and,

·       reflect on what we can do to as individuals to address the inequalities and injustices we observe on a daily basis.

As we prepare to share in the celebration of Christ’s birth, let us look forward to the future with renewed faith, taking comfort in the fact that even though there will continue to be dark times ahead, there is also light.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the hope and joy that you bring to us through your Son, Jesus Christ, light of the world. Bring comfort to those who are persecuted and who are forced to flee their homes in search of a safe haven and a better future for themselves and their children; to those who find themselves at the margins of society, who cannot see a way out of their current situation; to those who have lost loved ones and who fear facing the future alone. Help everyone to share in the joy of the birth of your Son and look forward with hope for a better future. Amen.

 

Carol A Day in Advent

A video performed in British Sign Language, Silent Night. Watch out for those harmonies ;) Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Jenkins.Topic.Studios YouT...

Advent Reflection - 29th November 2020

Today’s Advent Reflection is from Mark Hackney. Reader.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures;

he leads me beside still waters;

he restores my soul.

He leads me in right paths

for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,

I fear no evil;

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff—

they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord

my whole life long.

Reflection

This famous, beautiful Psalm presents the Divine Shepherd.

We may reflect on what it is that a good shepherd does in the protection of his flock. They are led to ‘green pastures’ and ‘still waters’ for rest and refreshment. A shepherd may need to rescue a sheep from a forbidden or dangerous area; to ‘restore’ its safety and well-being. ‘Right paths’ are followed that lead through dangerous places, and so the shepherd’s ‘rod’ and ‘staff’ are there if required for defence of the flock. Thus, the sheep are led safely to lush feeding grounds, like a ‘table’ groaning under the weight of a banquet. Ointment may be applied, ‘anointed’, to those with small injuries, and the ‘cup’ that ‘overflows’, the shepherd’s large two-handed cup, brims with water for the weary flock.

What you have just read draws on W. A. Knight’s devotional classic from the 1930s ‘The Song of Our Syrian Guest’. It imagines the role of the Eastern shepherd, little changed over the centuries. I should imagine contemporary shepherds working in the Northern fells of England, or areas of the Peak District, even today, would recognise Knight’s description.

It is a dynamic picture of ‘goodness and mercy’, and, such is the shepherd’s care, it is for a ‘whole life long’.

Yet, ‘Shepherd’ presents not just a gentle, bucolic scene. In the Bible, the word is empowered. It means King, Lord, the one who directs, to whom I am answerable, whom I love and trust. Our shepherding Lord is our focus, the centre and purpose of our lives.

So, I must rely on God alone. It is interesting that, in the Psalm, all the verbs of action are for the shepherd: the sheep have no verbs. As one of God’s flock, I should not think of acting by myself, rather: I follow. I want to be heavenly driven along ‘right paths.’ Left to my own devices (God has given me at least this degree of self-knowledge) I will wander off on the wrong track. A dangerous road.  

And, shepherd-less, a flock are subject to danger. Julie and I regularly take our border terrier for walks around Poynton Pool. As you enter the gate by the carpark, a sign warns you: ‘All dogs should be kept on a lead.’ As some of you probably know, a local farmer lets his sheep graze, unattended, in the park.

The other day, one young lad had not heeded the sign, or his dog had escaped its leash. The dog ran towards the flock of sheep. I never realised sheep could run so fast! The poor lad shouted his dog, but to no avail as the sheep dashed, it has to be said, in impressive formation, directly towards us. No one wishes to be trampled by sheep. Not only would it be painful, it sounds such an ironic injury somehow to be presented to Stepping Hill.

The young lad, just in time, managed to grab his dog. We had hidden, sheepishly, behind a tree, but the emergency was over. A good shepherd would have bisected flock and dog; the sheep would have been spared their frightful exercise.

I did observe that as soon as the dog was restrained, the sheep stopped and immediately resumed grazing – as if nothing at all had happened. It’s as if their fright, their clear evidence of what can happen with no shepherd, had left no impression at all. Good job really: their carer is clearly an intermittent shepherd.

Ours, of course, is different: ‘goodness and mercy’ is not rationed, not on short supply. Our God does ‘whole life long.’ We are in communion with our heavenly shepherd … always. We will never be abandoned. We are embraced. Our purpose and joy in life is to love God and be loved by God; God’s love which ‘overflows’.

The mercy of the Divine Shepherd.

 

Carol A Day in Advent

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