and heaven gave earth her fines gift

Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross. 1 Peter 2:24
Lent, a time of additional reflection, repentance, forgiveness, redemption. All words we should be familiar with. Words all essential to our spiritual growth, our journey, our future, our future with Christ Jesus our Lord.There should be no situation that blocks us from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We can always come to him with bowed knees and bent head, or running with arms outstretched, to seek his forgiveness. He will always welcome us.We should avoid at all costs a situation that creates a chasm between ourselves and God that leads to a sense of abandonment. Christs death saw to that.
' In an act that broke the heart of the Father yet honoured the holiness of heaven, sin, purging judgement, flowed over the sinless Son of the ages, and heaven gave earth her finest gift, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
My God, my God, why did you abandon me? Why did Christ scream those words?............so you don't have to.' (anon)

National deacons conference 2012

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

O the honour

We were eye witnesses of his majesty. 2 Peter 1:16
God came near to be seen and those who saw him were never the same again.
'We saw his glory,' exclaimed one follower. 'We were eye witnesses of his majesty.' whispered a martyr.
Christianity, in the purest form is nothing more than seeing Jesus. Christian service, in its purest form, is nothing more than imitating him whom we see.
It never ceases to amaze me when I reflect on the diaconate and how we have been entrusted with the servant ministry of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. What a treasure we hold. Daily extending and continuing what Christ began for the lonely,the sick,the outcast,the lost of our  world, a continuation of history,Christianity, the story HIS ministry.
God has come near to be seen. He came  so near to us

 that he touched us on the shoulder and whispered in our ear: 'Come, follow me and do likewise.'  What an honour, what a privilege.
May you walk humbly and serve justly in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Anne, Servant of the Lord.

O the wonder of God

I passed a garden when out walking that was very drought effected and in the midst was a drooping bottle brush shrub with the most magnificent 'bottle brush' looking  flowers, soft, soft orange a midst the brown bush and on a twig a little jenny wren sat and sang her song, just momentarily.

'He heard things which cant be put into words.' 2 Cor 12:4

A field of cobwebs

That verse draws my thoughts into what it is that we 'hear' and cant put into words. That magnificent scenery in a special place, a perfect reflection on a pond, the peel of a church bell, the chorus of morning birds when all else is asleep, time and history etched on the face of the elderly, the colour of autumn leaves,the quiet spaces, the reaching out of hands to receive the sacraments. They cause a small voice in our hearts to say'Ah' and sense the presence of God that cant be described.
Matthew Henry said: The ground of our hope is Christ in this world but the evidence of our hope is Christ in the heart.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord

God's wonders

'Be still and know that I am God.' Ps 46:10
There was so much to take in this morning as I stepped out the front gate. A glorious still  morning, soft light of day break and the classical autumn mist across the creek and valleys topped by green hill crests.The sunrise was florescent red outlining the clouds and to mind came the hymn, 'When morning guilds the sky my heart awakening cries, Jesus Christ is Lord.'  That's the effect it has on me, yet I can pass another out for an early morning walk who is totally unaware of what is going on about them. Ear plugs in and focus on the phone texting, totally oblivious and no idea what they just missed.
Gariepy says: 'Life in the fast forward mode can keep us from an encounter with the wonders of God all around us.. Like the sound of a distant  bell comes God's call to man: Be still and know that I am God.  It is a call in our daily life to be aware of the barrenness of too busy a life.'
How did you encounter God's wonders this morning?
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord

encounter

Encourage one another with these words. 1 Thess.4:8
Glorious morning with a soft, subtle hint of an autumn mist on a still countryside with  cows grazing quietly on the hill  green and fresh from recent rain, a family of kangaroos lift their heads and look as I pass and the two swans who had been feeding on the pond gracefully take flight on their next adventure and as I walk I see my   foot prints leave a mark on the dew laden grass. And my thoughts go to God. There is a sense that he is so near that I dare to say he is walking with me unfolding all I see and hear as I walk into the gift of this new day. At  church yesterday we were asked did we see the rainbow as we came to church. I did, a perfect arc, brilliant in colour, a 'pause' moment. How and where do you encounter God and have you wandered off on your own journey and become a little lost from him, so much so you didn't see 'his face' and' feel his presence'

in the gifts of the new day, the beauty of the rainbow?
Spend time this Lent, closing the gap between yourself and God making it a series of encounters that are life giving and life lasting.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Blessings on blessings

See, I am setting before you today a blessing......you can choose to take it. Deut.11:26 (Paraphrased)
There is nothing better than starting the day talking to God. Thanking him, praising him, walking with him. Even when life is tough, and I think of the farmers in drought situations, so many blessed by the gift of hay for their stock  and  I look at the farm across the road from me all dry and dust and after a few showers of rain is now so bright green. Wood ducks are grazing on the grass and swimming in fresh water on the pond. The garden, full of multiple blessings as I bend to smell the perfumes of the old world rose, the deep purple budlia, the lemon tree blossom and watch the visiting blue wrens shower among the wet plants.They seem so happy and full of life (I think they are blessed by it) and know a welcoming garden when they see one.  Its difficult to say more than just a deep felt and simple' thank you Lord.'
Try and find a blessing today, even if you are struggling to go look for one and really, it will change your day.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

spot the blue wren!