Christmas.

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness. Psalm 115:1
I was looking at the presents under the giving tree at the shopping mall. Big presents, small presents all colourfully wrapped. Some with ribbons, some bows, all labelled for some special person. There was a sense of expectation that might go with the giving and the receiving as they are passed onto those in need. Hands reaching out to give and bless with a gift  this Christmas season.   Among all the gifts of Christmas lies one that you do not have to buy, or wrap in coloured paper, or tie a ribbon and bow on. Its called the gift of love and it came that first Christmas morning in the form of a tiny baby who was called Jesus. A lasting gift that can be given over and over again all year round . A gift that can save lives, bring comfort to the lonely and distressed, a gift of companionship and hope. In the trauma of Martin Place we are seeing that gift of love being expressed in a floral memorial, the presence of people who care, the presence of the special chaplains and those of our brothers and sisters of other faiths. There is a sense of oneness, of unity, of healing, of love. A sense that Jesus has come down, Emmanuel is with us. Let not the drama of the world take from us the wonderful gift we have been given, the gift of love. The gift we call Christmas.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

nativities of many countries.

even one will make a difference

' I am the voice of one calling out in the desert.' John 1:23
When I was chaplain at the local school for children with profound disabilities I remember one day assisting in a class room to help the children get ready to go outside into the playground. I was tasked to assist a wheel chair bound boy who was about 12 years old and who rarely spoke. I put his twisted, distorted little feet into his socks as carefully as I could and then his slippers. As I fastened the velcro straps I felt a small hand on my head, stroking my hair with a small distorted hand and as clear as a bell came from this boys mouth, 'Are you Jesus?' I was speechless and sank even lower to the floor as a wave of humility swept over me. I eventually looked the boy in the face and managed to say, 'no, I am not Jesus but I am his friend.'  St John was a voice for Christ (John 1:23) His life matched his words. When a persons words and ways are the same, the fusion is explosive. People will know who we represent, not because we bear the name, but because we live the life.
 If I cant feed all the hungry, feed one. If I cant change the world, change a life. Let someone see the difference you can make. If you cant feed all the hungry, feed one.(unknown)
Walk humbly as you serve God.
Anne, servant of the Lord

JAFFA ministry

Making straight the path.

Let your light shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:19
At evening I often think of the people I have uncounted during the day and sum them up in my prayers especially those who have experienced  Christ through our meeting, who catch a glimpse of Christ through our relationship, a passing word, a brief touch and I thank God that we can bring some light into a dark world by who we are and what we are doing. For some, as the saying goes, we may be the only gospel they ever hear, the only encounter with Christ they ever have and you know, it might be just enough to change the world.  Robert Louis Stevenson, as a small boy, was staring out the bedroom window one night when his nanny called him to bed. Reluctant to come, his nanny asked what the attraction was in the dark of night. He said, pointing to the lamplighter who was lighting the street lamps. 'Look nanny, the man is putting holes in the darkness.'
(Lotz: Just give me Jesus says) You and I may not be able to change the world, but surely each of us can put a hole in the darkness! Turn on the light! Share what Jesus means to you and give God's word to someone else.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

watchfulness

But about the day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven,nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert. Mark 13: 32
In several places in my rural suburb are empty blocks of land, that seem uncared for ,fenced off and overgrown with wild oats and other native grasses.Wasted spaces I thought,  or is there a purpose for them.   Well, I discovered that in those spaces lies a hidden treasure, an endangered, protected species of moth. I couldn't help but relate this experience to that of the story of the unkept man in tattered clothing. He looked  like a homeless person who came to the door of a house seeking some food for he was hungry. 'Go away.' was the response to his knocking, 'we are expecting a very important visitor and we don't want you to be seen on our doorstep when he comes.' Several times the man knocked and every time received the same reply. Eventually he went away and the people in the house waited in vein for the special important visitor to arrive but he never came. Ah, but he did and they didn't recognise him.  He came in the image of a poor, hungry, homeless man and they were not expect anything other than a person in fine clothing and  of great  importance. I looked again at the grassy uncared for and unkept block of land and reflected on the treasure that lay within. About the day or hour no one knows. Beware,we are warned, keep awake.

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

Its a glorious feeling

Its a glorious feeling to be able to unload my heart, to spill out my gratitude in thanks to you O God. Morning noon and night I want the whole world to know of your love. Psalm 92:1-2 (Psalms Now)
One of my favourite books of the bible is the book of psalms. There is something written in those pages that is for all occasions and in the words of the psalmist, of pain,anger, frustration, joy and praise, we are given the right to express ourselves likewise.The translation I like to dip into is called 'Psalms Now' It has a freshness and a clarity and psalm 92 ends this way.
'Help us, those of us who love you, O God, to prove to our disjointed world, that you are in our         midst.' Marcina Wiederkehr would say: May your work this day be your love made visible;may you breathe upon the wounds of those with whom you work;may your voice this day be a voice of encouragement;may your life be an answer to someones prayer;may the lamp of your life shine upon all you meet this day.
May the Spirit touch your spirit in this morning pause and your day be blessed.

Anne, servant of the Lord

small boy and the rose bud.

Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways. Ps 128:1
Advent draws us to reflect on many things: our relationship with the Lord, how we express that in life, how we live with that forefront knowledge that 'Jesus will come again.' Diligently, faithfully and with renewed hearts we are called to 'stay awake.' It is only when God dwells deep within us that we can fulfill this command, this urgent request to 'stay awake.' Prayer, meditation, reflection and God's forgiveness are what fill us with the knowledge and love of the Lord that enables us to fill our potential for him, to blossom in our faith.  There is a story about a small boy who was sitting on the lawn in the garden  holding two bright yellow roses. One was only a bud and one was in full flower. He was thoughtfully pulling the petals from the bud and as he did so they fell to the ground until only the stem was left. 'What are you doing?' his mother asked. ' I am trying to open it up,' he said, 'so it looks like the other rose.' His mother replied. 'You cant open a rose bud from the outside. God has to open it from the inside .' And so it is with us. In order to love and serve the Lord, God needs to open us up from the inside.

 Continue to prepare the way for the Lord and may the Spirit of Christ fill your hearts and your minds and the peace of God be with you.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

flickering candles

Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of Jacob;that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his path. Isaiah 2:3
I watched the Advent candle on the altar flicker in the breeze from the open window. It seemed fragile and vulnerable but yet it refused to be snuffed out and it brought to mind something I had read.  'A boy threw a stone at a stained glass window of the incarnation. It nicked out the  'E' in the word highest, in the text 'Glory to God in the Highest.'  Now it read: ' Glory to God in the High St.'
As we enter the season of Advent we are instructed to keep awake. To be ever watchful for the coming of the Lord and I think of our daily lives out there in the world(in the High St) doing the ministry of Jesus Christ. I think of the people who have crossed my path and yours and now, this Advent will be more aware of the concept of 'keeping awake'  You know them, you have befriended them, those who were isolated, lonely, needy and poor and to them you brought the love of God that emanates peace.  Stay awake so you can be prepared for Christ's return as you live a life of serving Christ in our broken world.  Go to the mountain of the Lord, frequently.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne