Zetland Park Methodist Church Pastoral Letters
Decemebr 2013
"The Nativity"
The other evening I was looking through the film "The Nativity", first screened
on the BBC in December 2010, with the thought of using it in Sunday evening
Services thorughout December and was immediately struck by the hope it
portrayed:
-
The hope of Joseph and Mary as they looked forward to their future
together following their betrothal (but before the intervention of the Angel
Gabriel!)
- The hope of the Magi as they discerned the time they had been waiting for, for so long finally appeared to be on the horizon when a new King would appear.
In a world and at a time when hope was so difficult to embrace they stood apart in so many ways.
But it made me ask, what it is that we hope for, what we look forward to? There are so many things which we can be despondent about (though I refuse to name any, I am sure you can easily find your own list!), but what are hopeful about? Even though the commercial takeover of Christmas may depress us, I still believe the age-old simple story of a baby born in a stable in Bethlehem can continue to offer the world hope for the future. After all, the story of God breaking through into the world in such a special way to show his love and care for all those who will see and trust him can only be good news and offer hope - we are not abandoned - we are not alone - we are not left totally to our own destiny in this world or the next - but the message that God who created everything (though created does seem a totally inadequate word - "breathed it all into being" is more embracing!) came into hi creation to let us all know that he cares for us, loves us, wants to embrace us in his mercy and grace, should give us such hope and faith and expectation that we can only rejoice in heaven and earth being joined, and that he sealed it by taking away all our faults and failing as Jesus died on the cross .... !!!!
My friends, look and see what God has done in the baby lying in the manger and rejoice and be filled with hope for your lives and for the world for all eternity! My true faith and peace be yours this Christmas and throughout 2014.